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COLUMN: Fitness contest turning up the heat on firefighters

The usual Wednesday morning musings and meditations.

LIFE OF A RETIREE … Who says you can take it easy in retirement?

Coun. Kerrie Reay retired on Dec. 22 and is busier than ever these days, she says.

Just as Kerrie retired from the provincial government, she was called on to be acting mayor, not to mention her volunteer work.

“My husband (Robert) says he sees less of me in retirement than he did when I worked,” jokes Kerrie.

Last week, she managed to get away from it all and took a bicycle ride to Leechtown – with Robert.

Kerrie estimates Robert has rode 12,000 kilometres on the Galloping Goose trail, mostly going between Sooke Potholes and Leechtown.

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BABY ’N’ WORK … Mayor Maja Tait is eyeing a return to work.

Maja took leave of absence from her council duties in November and gave birth to little Ewan.

The mayor is scheduled to return to work April 1, but expects to be back in the mayor’s chair before then.

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LOTUSLAND … This town’s Phil Rossner, he of Sooke Yoga and Meditation Centre, has started a new business: LOTUSmedia, a web and print design company.

Phil has spent years crafting his skill as a journalist and technical writer.

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QUICK ART … Local artist Linda Gordon known for her participation in local events such as the Sooke Fine Arts Show and Art in the Park will be venturing farther abroad to Victoria.

She will be participating in the Victoria Art Battle which is a live painting competition where the audience chooses the winner.

Twelve artists have 20 minutes to create a painting.

The event is Feb. 11 at the Victoria Event Centre, 1415 Broad St.

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FIREFIGHTERS CHALLENGED … Local firefighters are facing a new kind of heat, this time from their brethren in other departments.

Sooke/Otter Point, Metchosin, Oak Bay and Sidney fire departments have been in competition mode for more than a month in a firefighters’ fitness challenge that focuses not only on pumping water onto fires, but also pumping iron in the gym.

“In a time when most of us are lax on our fitness, [this] really encouraged us to keep up to date on our fitness throughout Christmas and beginning of the new year,” says Langford Fire Rescue assistant chief Chris Aubrey.

“We record how many hours we’re doing the fitness activities and compare notes with the rest of the department and see who wins at the end of the day.”

No word yet on how our local firefighters are faring in the competition.

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Kevin Laird is editor of the Sooke News Mirror. He can be reached at editor@sookenewsmirror.com.