In Memory of Bill Zarikoff (deceased November 10, 2014)

I first met Bill as a young man when he took interest in the discussions that were taking place in the late ’60s about the Doukhobors and where Youth was in the future of Doukhobors.

This resulted in the formation of a Castlegar branch of the Doukhobor Youth Discussion Group. The intent of this assembly was to explore all avenues in how the “splintered” groups of Doukhobors could work together on common areas of agreement. This group of some twenty-five members eventually registered under the British Columbia Societies Act as the DCA (Doukhobor Cultural Association) when it became obvious that “Youth” was an aging process and would not be appropriate as a name.

It was the organizing fundamentals of the DCA to have all its members become knowledgeable in parliamentary procedures and using known techniques to become capable of chairing meetings and working constructively in committees so that any objective could be developed with a strong support of the group.
Bill served in all capacities, as Chair, Treasurer and Director during the continuing existence of the DCA of over forty-five years as a functioning group.

During this time the DCA was involved in sponsoring seniors projects under the Doukhobor Benevolent Society with projects constructed in:

• Grand Forks
• Delta
• Castlegar

Bill became very much part of the founding, construction and management of the Rosewood Manor, the twenty unit seniors project on second street in Castlegar, B.C.
Bill can be congratulated for being the organizing Management Committee which was responsible for incorporating the budgets and operating procedures with B.C. Housing that essentially became the successful management for twenty-five years. During this time, the following can be attributed to Bill’s careful administration:

1. Balanced budgets
2. Maintenance program
3. Equipment replacement
4. Housing applications for applicable Tenants
5. Retirement of mortgages
6. Transfer of property back to BC Housing once mortgages were retired

Bill also supported the Doukhobor Heritage Retreat Society #1999 in its establishment of a Retreat at Whatshan Lake on 208 acres of property. Bill participated in the following:

• Signing Betty and his name along with thirteen other for DCA Members for a loan that was able to fund a $125,000 bid on the estate property initially in 1981
• Careful DCA management to conduct selective logging to retire the debt
• Bill also served as Treasurer once the Whatshan Lake Retreat became a project under construction and for a short time as an operating entity
Bill also participated with the DCA in the following successful efforts:

1. Participating in a yearly Doukhobor Sports Day that was a Fund-raiser
2. Conducting a selective logging operation on the DCA lands at Whatshan that raised over $100,000
3. Distributing funds to many worthy recipients including
a. Student Scholarships
i. Selkirk College
ii. Stanley Humphries High School
b. Third World child support
c. Hospice
d. Canadian Red Cross
4. Whatshan various needs
5. $50,000 feasibility study that was a precursor to launching the Grandview Housing Project
6. Castlegar Health projects
a. Hospital Foundation
b. Talarico

Bill eventually settled with Betty at Grandview by purchasing a duplex unit. He resided in this unit until his passing.

There was a lighter side to Bill as a model in various fashions shows Betty would enter him at the DCA social events. He enjoyed good jokes!

Bill was always a good neighbor and a friend!

He was honest, very dependable and trustworthy

Elmer’s writings dated January 02, 2015