Recent News and Updates
January 23, 2012 - Glade Centennial Celebration CIS Exhibit
Members of the Cultural Interpretive Society were pleased to take part in a historic event in July, 2011 at the invitation of the community of Glade. Photos and more information ...
May 07, 2011 - Upcoming Summer Events
June 27 to Sept. 11 - The Castlegar Train Station Museum will be the venue for the CIS ArtWalk 2011 Second Series Art Card display starting June 27 to Sept. 11.
July 29 -31 - The CIS will participate in the Glade Centennial Celebration with a historical display of fashion, textiles and photos July 29 -31
Aug. 13-14 - Columbia Basin Arts and Culture Tour - Aug. 13-14. We invite everyone to visit the Craft Cente to see the rewards of all the efforts of our volunteers.
May 07, 2011 - Original Doukhobor Heritage Clothing Available to Community Members
The USCC Cultural Interpretive Society would like to thank the RDCK Area I and Area J directors, John Voykin and Gord Zaitsoff as well as the City of Castlegar mayor Lawrence Chernoff for granting $5,100 through the 2010 Community Initiatives program enabling us to build a cedar armoire for the storage of Doukhobor heritage textiles. We are also grateful to the CCUB Trust Fund for $400, as well as to Peter and Elsie Rezansoff for their generous donation of $2,000. The project was realized through the skilled craftsmanship of two local carpenters, Harry Podmorow and Walter Perepelkin, who designed and custom-built the cedar-lined closet. Walter's comments about the project:
It was a great honor to do this project for the ladies of the USCC Cultural Interpretive Society. It was quite intricate for us as there were no plans or sketches of how it should look or how to build it, except by the "wave of a hand" indicating an idea! We went to several places to find some materials that would fit into this plan. Lining this armoire with aromatic cedar was another challenge. Anyway, we did the best we could. We would also like to mention that we are very fortunate to have all these ladies in our community, or we must say a bigger community, who are putting in their time doing all that work. Thank You, Ladies. - Harry and Walter.
Some of the heritage clothing and linens in our collection are over 100 years old and are now in a storage unit that will retain their integrity. These items enhance our visual historical exhibitions when we showcase our rich fibre art culture within our community. The clothing and linens are available on loan to groups or individuals for historical productions and events, displays, or as teaching tools for younger generations interested in learning about Doukhobor pioneers.
Please visit us at the Arts and Crafts Centre to view these unique items from our past.
May 04, 2011 - RCMP Victim Services Program
Leanna Kozak, Program Manager of the RCMP Victim Services shared information with members of the Cultural Interpretive Society about the Victim Services program which has been in operation in Castlegar, B.C. since September 1993. The mandate of the program is to offer assistance to individuals and families who have suffered from or witnessed a crime and/or trauma, and inform them of their rights under the Victim of Crime Act. The services provided are: emotional support, referrals to community agencies, giving information about the justice system and the police investigation, court orientation and accompaniments, assistance filling in Crime Victim Assistance applications and Victim Impact Statements, and providing crime prevention information.
The Cultural Interpretive Society served as a liaison between a local senior who crochets afghans for charity and the individuals who would find comfort in an item made by someone who cares. Leanna Kozak accepted these afghans and other handcrafted toys to be given to individuals, often children, for emotional support in traumatic situations.
Eileen Kooznetsoff and Leanna Kozak, RCMP Program Manager - Feb. 2011
April 23, 2011 - New on our Website
Traditional Doukhobor Fashion article
Women's Handkerchiefs in Doukhobor Culture - by Dmitri (Jim) Popoff
