Hello:

To date, I have posted 19 of of my over 400 various writings to share.

I know that many are reading them now and some will in the future.

If you like what you have read, do not hesitate to comment accordingly and I may entertain you with more.

Elmer

“MR. JELLY-BEAN”

A) Meeting

You might say that it was time that the Verigin Brothers got themselves into trouble. We were building custom houses for reliable clients but there was not enough volume to sustain a family business. We had to expand Verigin Industries Ltd into larger projects so that Russel could expand his talents in Construction supervision and Lawrence would have more volume in the millwork line and Elmer could utilize his Engineering and technical knowledge for a much wider scope.

Into the open door walks John Holcombe, “Hokie” as he was known to his immediate associates. It would be soon enough that we would find that that the name was synomonus “Hocus Pocus” or some like name that is foreboding with, “hang on, you are all in for an experience!”

As he gave us compliment after compliment:

• “my knowledge and your building expertise is what I have been always searching for”
• “with your reputation we can conquer the development business”

That should have been enough to warn those farm boys to keep an eye on their rear ends. But then again, what harm would there be in listening to a few ideas After all we were smart enough to understand construction and if a project dropped in our laps, could we not handle it? It does not matter how large the deal could be

One day at a social time he talked about his salesmanship while he worked as a Representative for Nabob Foods. He convinced the Prime Contractor on the construction of the Alcan Smelter in Kitimat, B.C. to purchase jelly-beans, as a Xmas treat, for all the children of the workers on that project. He smiled as he said, “My boss in Toronto, could not believe that I had sold an entire carload of jelly-beans. “ I have to admit that was impressive.

And so, we gave him the nickname of Mr. Jelly-Bean

B) Elkford Square Concept

Jelly-Bean continued with his association with us while looked around for a project that he could promote that would provide him with a “Promotion Fee” for a concept that he would sell. After all what is wrong with all that, the Verigin boys get a construction project, Hokie gets a fee and if all that is within a budget that works, is that not the way t is done?

The new town of Elkford created by Fording Coal Ltd needed a town center and Mr. Jelly-Bean salesman extraordinaire was there promoting. What is needed here is a 22 room hotel, beverage room, lounge and restaurant and a shopping center with a food store, pharmacy, liquor store, bank, post office and clothing store. “Hey, your guys, this will be a Plum” he said. “Think about it, where will 700 thirsty Coal Miners wash out the coal dust?”  The more he talked about the greater the excitement all around.

“All we need to do is convince Fording Coal Ltd that we are the team! With the Verigin reputation and my knowledge and contacts, we have a sure winner!”

C) Promotion

Hokie started using his best persuasive tools that the had every mustered along with his upmost salesmanship to keep the newly selected Mayor and Council of Elkford abreast of his concept.

Harry Soloveoff used his talented artist ability to paint a conceptual plan so that John Holcombe could present to his audiences in Elkford and wherever else he needed to go. Soon he had prelease agreements with the Royal Bank and other agencies

The long wait to get a commitment for the proposal was on but Hokie persisted

D) Commitment

There may have been an omen when the Cominco management called me into their offices in Trail, B.C. for a special meeting.

“How much do you know about John Holcombe? There seems be many little matters in his record that is not serious but concern us. We wanted to talk to you first and see how you feel about them.”

I responded with “yes, we have heard the same about him and he has had money problems since he quit working as a Greyhound Bus Driver and started selling for Nabob. Now he is a practicing Promoter and this occupation is a hit and miss proposition at best. It is understandable for a man to have financial shortfalls as he dos not have a steady income”

“You do know he is in jail!”

“Yes he had alimony issues with one of his wives”, I responded

“As long as you know about all this, that is fine”, the Cominco people responded. “The Elkford Project is yours as long as you are in control of its development”

Was I sure how I was going to continue? No, but what did we have to lose?

The plot thickens!

E) Mortgage Financing

Hokie’s answer to mortgage financing was to meet with a Mortgage Broker and convince them that he had a Shopping Center fully leased backed by Verigin Industries Ltd and personal guarantees. He was very excited that he had succeeded and the project was a go. When I asked him that it appeared to me that all the liability rested on the Verigin Brothers ability to ay the bills, his response was “so what did you expect?”

Obviously the answer goes without saying that the Verigin expectation was to design and construct and there was no intent to extend liability to the Verigin family.

So started the beginning of a time that the development process became two separate understandings

It was shortly after this that in the fall of 1972 that the project ground to a halt so that the financing package could be more acceptable. This was when Hokie suddenly disappeared and we found out later that he was incarcerated.

F) Interim Financing

Since the Royal Bank of Canada was financing Fording Coal Ltd and was also a potential tenant in the Shopping Center, it was decided that Interim Financing (the “bridge” between the mortgage on permanent financing and the regular financing to construct the project) could be arranged with this Bank.

This was the first experience that I had with preparing cash flow forecasts whichcombined a construction schedule with the need for funding and a shortfall of mortgage funds that equated to the need of interim financing.

Since the Mortgage Holder had not been established at this time nor any terms of a possible mortgage, the idea of an inexperienced designer of the cash flow being able to make a credible presentation was indeed a challenge

Ingenuity, perseverance and many draughts resulted in a meeting being scheduled with senior RBC staff in their head office in Vancouver. After two hours of presentation, many questions answered, the staff indicated that there was agreement in principle to create a $250,000 “Bridge Financing” fund subject to a satisfactory “Takeout Mortgage”.

A formal letter followed within two weeks, Note that Hokie had nothing to do with this part of the process

G) Leasing

Now that Hokie was in jail and interim financing was set, the final mortgage financing was a function of how good were the prelease agreements. How much steady income was available and were they triple A leases from banks, government, or unsecured new businesses?

After a review of the letters that Hokie had, it was evident that the rental incomes would not service the debt. I proceeded to meet with these contacts and begin the negotiations to emend the rental rates.

Progress was made in some agreements but most were reluctant to renegotiate since they had a valid signed pre-lease agreement with Hokie. It was either the agreements had to be changed or the project could not proceed Persistence achieved success

H) Its A Go!

I had already given up on the project since the Take-out Mortgage became enmired in a long review since early winter and the optimum time to begin a project in Elkford (April 1) had past.

It was mid August 1973 when I got a call from the Federal Business Development Bank in Cranbrook, B.C. that the wished to discuss an offer for financing. The project required $950,000 in financing but the offer was $750,000 with a $100,000 guarantee from Fording Coal Ltd and personal guarantees from all the shareholders. Sign the agreements and proceed.

I needed time to contemplate how the difference of $200,000 was to be generated. I started my drive o Elkford and at Jaffray, I called my brother Lawrence in Trail to let him know of the offer. His answer “well it’s a project and so let’s get on with it!” I still did not resolve in my mind how I was going to make it fit together.

I arrived into the site office left over from the failed attempt in 1972, sat down and started to cry from frustration.

First visitor was the Manager of the Royal Bank of Canada satellite office in Elkford. His message “ your $250,000 interim financing is in place, the RBC does not want to be the agency that will stop this fundamental project in Elkford from beginning!”

A short while later, Larry Sapriken of Sapriken Brothers n Kelowna arrived and introduced himself. “Our company can undertake the Insulation, Drywall, Steel Studs, T-Bar Ceilings and Stucco. Can I offer you my Tender Price ?”

While Larry was still there, Hank Tarasoff from Acme Plumbing arrived and announced that he was ready and willing to undertake all the Plumbing

Doug Fisher opens the door and introduces himself as the Clerk of Works for Fording Coal Ltd and charged with inspecting the construction of Elkford Square Ltd. “When is this project starting? “

When they all left, I sat down and cried as I had no clue how I was going to make all this happen.

Then, Stuart Matheson arrived from Fording Coal Ltd and asked whether Verigin Industries Ltd could get a thirty (30) unit apartment building being built by Fording.

Yes, the Elkford project had started but but the “Captain of the Ship” had few drawings, no realistic budget and a schedule that had big letters on it “Go as fast as you can”

I) Construction

Snow had already covered the surrounding mountains which meant the “window” for economic construction was over and the heavy additional costs of winter construction were evident. In addition to a $250,000 deficit in construction financing, this additional pressure was not a minor threat to the success of this project.

This was the time to combine construction expertise, with design to achieve an apparent impossible budget and so was the continual vigil for more ingenuity for ideas and research to the budget of Elkford Square.

J) The Promoter Lawsuit

It was about the time that Elkford Square became operational, that I heard from John Holcombe, alias “Hokie”, alias “Jelly-Bean”, again. This time it was in the form of a claim to our bank account for $20,000 in Promoter Fees as a “Contract” for services rendered.

Yes there was agreement that the entire “Promotion Fee” would be $20,000 but that was for:

• Concept marketing to Fording Coal and the Village of Elkford
• Leasing
• Financing
• Operations Initiation of the Hotel

I had advanced $5,000 to Hokie but he never completed satisfactory leasing, Mortgage Financing, Interim Financing nor any credible business plan for hotel operations. He was in jail when all the finalization was completed.

From my prospective, this was a frivolous matter that can easily be settled but the lien was presented to the Bank of Montreal and needed to be either contested by 1200 noon that day, or it had to be paid out. So the temporary solution was to pay the money into court and let Hokie proceed to the courts to get that money if he had legal access to this money.

Well Hokie did and the court date arrived. The Elkford Square Lawyer was sure that he had a winner and an entire pay was sent in court

The ruling was not immediately obvious (depending on which side the view is from) and the Judge ruled that since the project went ahead and that in order for success the work had to be done and so Hokie was entitled o the entire sum of $20,000 less what was paid out previously.

Interesting !

J) Aftermath

I never did see John Holcombe (Hokie) (Jelly-Bean) again.

The Elkford Motor Inn had great revenues but a tremendous staff theft problem and eventually was sold (after creating a $250,000 deficit) to a former local employee foe BC Telephone company.

Elkford Square Shopping Center was expanded in 1982 and eventually sold to George Wood of Supervalu, the largest Lessee in the Center just after the turn of the century.

I have many memories but they were all developed under considerable stress and I have not been to Elkford since the Shopping Center sold.

I WOULD LIKE TO ASK PERMISSION FOR YOUR DAUGHTER’S HAND

It was April 1961 and another year at the U of S was coming to an end. Again I would leave for British Columbia to work with my bothers in their small construction company building custom homes in the Kootenays

It was decision time as for the past four years; I would culture a relationship with a girl in Saskatchewan in the winter only to find that the girls of summer in British Columbia would distract my attention. This was not a travesty but something that the Garden of Eden could not be better in its creation by God.

This year the girl in Saskatchewan became a more meaningful and became a courtship in a manner of speaking. I spent many spare moments between studies, wondering if Marilyn was the one…….. It appeared to me that she was also of the same opinion. What was the next step?

In the manner within which I was raised, it was necessary to ask permission of the would-be betrothed, for her hand, from her father, if was I to be serious. Preparing for an exam in Differential Equations or Physical Chemistry was much easier for me than this seemingly insurmountable, challenge.

How does a young man prepare for this? Her father was a nice enough man and I was able to talk to him on most subjects but this was not to be an ordinary discussion. Besides should I make the request in Russian or English? Do I do this in private? Where should it happen? What do I say?

So it came to be that Marilyn had brought me out to the farm for a break from my studies but I knew deep inside me that, it would have to happen this time or never. It was like stalking a game animal during a hunt and so it was, following my future father-in-law-to-be with my eyes and “dancing” in the discussions; looking for the right time when I could “pop the question”.

I noticed that he had gone outside to the barn and I came to the conclusion that this would be the occasion for sure.

I walked into the barn door, almost stumbling on the threshold and got his attention with “there is something that I have to ask you, if I may”.

“Why not?” he responded with an enquiring look.

I forgot all about custom, language and protocol and blurted out with, “I would like to marry your daughter”. (I did not need to use a name as he only had one daughter, which was a good thing because I have been known to forget names in times of stress and that would have been too embarrassing)

“This sounds too good to share in private, so let’s go in the house and handle it with everyone” he suggested as we proceeded single file to the house. I am still not sure what his answer was going to be at this time.

Well my future father-in-law announced, with a smile, “there was going to be a wedding in the family”.

The hugs and kisses that followed is perhaps the best way to end this story that had this early beginning.

Marilyn and I just spent the best time in our lives this past Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with our ten (10) grandchildren, some of their friends, four children and their three (3) spouses.

What is wealth? No money could buy this experience and happiness that Marilyn and I continue to enjoy with our most prized possessions.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++End++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Written December 26, 2010, 1100 hours

YOU MUST BELIEVE IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE

 As one drives past the tower cranes that perform their function at the will of the Operator who skillfully brings the materials from a marshaling area on the ground to a pre-destined location within another skyscraper on the City’s skyline, the thoughts wander as to who is behind the company name that is emblazoned on the derrick? It seems that same name is common to many sites. Who controls all this activity in such an organized fashion? Is it a conglomerate? Is it a one man?

At the first impression, Peter Rezanosff is a quiet and an unassuming man that immediately presents a warmth and confidence in the firm clasp of the out-stretched hand. Yes, he is happy to meet you whether you have come from his home town, dropped in to discuss construction or perhaps to do business, Peter provides the same welcome.

“How’s it going”, one asks? The response is quick and without hesitation; “fine,” as he smiles, reinforcing his welcome.

Sitting in Peter’s office, one can peruse the various photos on the walls that illustrate just some of the projects successfully completed by his General Contracting firm that specializes in Construction Management as well as General Contracting when called upon. Interspaced are awards from many agencies along with several years running, the revered award for top fifty best managed companies in Canada. Upon questioning, Peter shyly acknowledges the awards and immediately places all the credit to his hard-working staff.

“Would you like a tour of the office?” Peter invites. I follow his lead to meet all his smiling staff.  It is impossible not to note the neatness and order that abounds in amongst the activity of Estimators, Project Managers, Accounting and Administrative Staff.  It compares to a well-balanced manufacturing machine that has been finely tuned for continuous production. The calmness and efficiency is evident and can be appreciated by those who have managed offices. It is not an easy feat to enjoy this in an organization that approaches a volume of up to $1 billion per annum in the construction industry.

Peter is at home in and about his staff because all of the office activities are something he has personally been involved with and participated in the ultimate creation of systems and procedures that are always under his scrutiny to improve even if they already at their best level. He also has served time in the field and can visualize an on-site procedure with the eyes of the Superintendent and Project Manager. He works with his staff as a team and earns his respect rather than having to command it. The smiles abound as he talks to each one and addresses them by their first names, a reward that a veteran Administrator enjoys and implements as routine.

On the subject of work ethics, which is not far from Peter’s mind, he will recall with a smile as to how he would flag a bus down at fourteen years of age on a venture to pick fruit in the orchards with only $2.00 to his name and not really sure where he was going or where he will stay. Pick fruit he did and he comments on the efficiency and ingenuity necessary to make money when the pay is “by the box” picked rather than an hourly wage with fringes benefits and a living out allowance.

“By and by, I could pick more boxes in a day than most and be able to buy food to live in the shacks provided by the Orchardists”, he recalls. “When I went home, I had more money in my pocket than I had ever seen before” his satisfied grin recalls.

He continued “later I decided that I could work on construction as I learned how to use carpentry tools from my Carpenter father. That is when I was able to dream of owning a car. At sixteen I made that dream come true and I purchased my first car”, he ends his comments on his past with well deserved satisfaction.

“Have you ever been litigated in any capacity or conversely, has anyone litigated against you in the normal contracting business cycle?” I ask knowing fully well I am conversing with a substantial Contractor that would have a multiple yearly number of purchase orders with Subcontractors, Suppliers as a rule notwithstanding the many Owners with which he would transact business.

“I manage to negotiate in such a manner that the end result is an agreement reached that is acceptable to both parties in a dispute”, he responds thoughtfully. “There were times that I paid out more money than I thought I should but an agreement was the objective. Sometimes I would need to do business with that individual or firm again and it was important that we part company as friends. I have already repeated business with those which I had disputes, on a very satisfactory basis”, he adds.

“This is almost a rarity in the industry considering your size and scope, isn’t it?” I suggest.

“Perhaps, but my premise was always to ensure that the other person’s rights are enshrined in my business policy,” he responds. “My conscience would not allow me to leave a disagreement unresolved or have to take legal action to complete such a dispute.”

“How would you develop such a philosophy”, I question with interest?

“I grew up in a close-knit family that was deeply religious. Being honest, hard-working, having faith and assisting those less fortunate, has been the foundation of my up-bringing. I believe that God created man in his image and, therefore, to cause hardship unto any person is the same as being cruel to God. It manifests my conviction as a Pacifist that harm to any living thing is a sin against God,” Peter explains.

“I consider my relationship with all living things to be one of peaceful coexistence and that is my basic philosophy that substantiates my business practice and fundamental premise in my dealings with employees, partner, clients and all firms that do business with my firm,” he confidently avers his statement.

“Would you like to visit some of my construction sites?” he invites.

I am thrilled at this opportunity to be personally guided by the President of this successful organization. Peter selects some of his projects and I am absolutely amazed at the adherence to detail where the concrete was exposed as well as the evidence of dimensional tolerance. “Hey Peter, if I drop a plumb bob on the outside corner of these sundecks through the twenty-five floors, I doubt if there will more than 10 mm deviation”, I remark.

“Our tolerance is better than that”, Peter replies. “We cannot permit any deviation, whatsoever; otherwise the building will not meet the requirements. Our layout people and surveyors work to the highest accuracy as a result.”

I smile approvingly at the tidiness and site organization, a true indication of project management to the highest degree in the industry.

In one of his “high end” projects, I am speechless as I see perfection on finishing and quality of material chosen. The kitchens, in themselves, are beyond the terminology of “Dream Kitchen”.

“If you mind me asking, how did you ever decide that this is what you wanted to do in life”, I ask?

“No one knows for sure how their lives will unfold and I was twenty-six years old when I decided that I wanted to become an Architectural Technologist”, Peter began. “I was short my senior two years of high school and so I needed to obtain an accelerated program which I was able accomplish within sixteen months prior to qualifying for entrance into the Institute. I had a family at that time and so it was necessary to work and earn a living while I did the entire program to achieve a degree in Architectural Technology. This meant sacrifices for my family and a great deal of commitment on my part” he summarized, keeping the story about him very short and almost forcing him to talk about this.

“What type of work did you do while obtaining your education”, I am prodding him now and I am not sure how much he will reveal of his past.

“Well my skills were carpentry and I was able to make contact with those that needed my talents. I even framed a few houses during the summer breaks between classes.” I had to earn a great deal to limit the amount that I needed to borrow to subsidize my education and the needs of my family,” his memories place a hard look on his face which is evidence enough of the hardships endured.

“I recall my years at University as a challenge enough just to complete the course load much more being able to hold down a job”, I offered as sympathy.

“Add to the equation, the fact that I was twenty-six years of age when I decided to enter into this quest,” he countered, “It was definitely a personal challenge that perhaps molded the rest of my life in no uncertain terms”

Everywhere, there is evidence of Peter’s personal ideal to achieve the best of his ability and utilize the best that is available whether it is the car that he using to escort me or the Condo that his wife and him enjoyed. Both had the most modern style and quality available. “It is not that I feel that I need to have all this, but it is that I appreciate what is now in the market place and what my firm provides to our customers albeit some are within the upper economic capability. Perhaps it is my desire to determine if the products that I use are, in fact, deserving of the advertized performance”.

What I find so comforting is that the change in life style from where Peter started his career to where it has taken him, did not alter the personal self in what he considered important in his philosophy then to him attitude today. Yes, it is possible to notice Peter in a crowd of people but it is the aura about him that shows rather than the body exercising its authority, as perhaps it could, given the social status that Peter finds himself in now.

“Can you think of anything in your upbringing that you would have rather been different or that you would have preferred to change had you had a choice today”, I ask referring to the exceptionally different circumstances that Peter had experienced as compared with others?

After a moment of deep thought, Peter responds with a smile, “no, nothing. My parents and my extended family generated the love, compassion and good will to all which prepared me for my future life challenges. Why would I even want to change all that? I am comfortable with my inner self and I still enjoy my extended family to this day. Many of my family are involved in my operations so that I continue to enjoy this family privilege today”

So I reflect on this “giant” in the construction industry and I know that an ordinary person is behind the tower crane and the high rise that displays a possible tycoon. What I see before me is a man who has lived a full life and will enjoy the rest of his life, not in receiving accolades, but just knowing that he has been there and succeeded where others could not.

Peter Rezansoff has been there!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++ END  +++++++++++++++++++++++++  (revised by EWV August 31, 2012 with permission of Peter Rezansoff)

KING “CAULK”

 

Expo ’86 was a significant celebration in British Columbia when the world was invited to come to Canada, at Vancouver, to visit and witness a significant urban renewal project at its most ambitious extent: the clean-up of a water front area that was outdated and was a essentially a “back yard” of Vancouver and needed to become the “front yard, the waterfront.”

Verigin Industries Ltd was one of the many “Open Shop” Building Contractors that were invited to participate in the construction of this intriguing project with a Conceptual Design by a Trail born Architect Bruno Freschi. This is a very interesting story of the manner in which a partnership was created of Verigin Industries Ltd with Rempel Bros Concrete Ltd (I will leave that for another time) and Marbella Pacific Construction Ltd (MPCL) was the result.

Some good fortune, ingenuity and good competitive tendering resulted in an award to MPCL of all twenty-nine (29) International Pavilions at Expo ’86. We had not been aware that there was a pre-tender meeting where a “mock” erection procedure suggested a method of construction for Contractors considering to tender this complex construction system that would have prefabricated wall panels manufactured in Penticton, roof panels and steel framework in Richmond from two (2) Suppliers and prebuilt concrete grade beams manufactured in Chilliwack, all to be delivered to the Expo site and then erected into the intriguing designs by Boge-Babicki, Structural Engineers.

So I asked my brother Russel Verigin if he would be interested to be the Superintendent of this biggest challenge of our mutual careers. It would mean at least two (2) years residence in Vancouver and working in an environment totally unfamiliar to both of us. It would mean leaving our beloved Kootenays and the way things were done there.

I was pleased with his agreement to join me with his wife Tillie. An apartment was rented and mobilization of the project got started in the fall of 1984.

The Expo scene was polarized with the unionized workers claiming jurisdiction over what they considered their traditional Commercial construction of governmental funded projects on one side and the “Open Shop” sector, who employed two thirds (2/3) of the construction Tradesmen on the other. Of course, all eyes were on these International Pavilions and this new Superintendent from the Kootenays was to be tried and tested, to be sure.

Project Manager, Superintendent and Erection Sub Contractor decided to use an “Operations Research” method of determining the most logical and economic method of bringing all the prefabricated materials to the site and erecting same over all areas of the Expo area while other construction would be underway.

After all ideas, were duly considered, the assembly of the roof steel sections on the ground followed by a complete erection using two or more cranes was the result with a low lift erection machine to fit the posts under this assembly.

The China Pavilion was first and after all the systems were perfected, the balance of the pavilions followed.

There were many trying incidents that followed with wall panels being delivered from Penticton on over five hundred (500) flat deck loads. Russel found that unloading one truck was a feat but an ultimate capacity was eight (8) truck loads a day. Yes, the man from the Kootenays rose to the occasion.

The roof panels came from Richmond and were delivered by barge along with the steel and that became a challenge as well. The decking over piles had a low bearing capacity that needed careful planning in the barge unloading and storage of materials.

Once the roof panels were erected, the joints needed to be sealed by a Roofing Contractor and with about ten (1)) acres of total roof area, there was bound to be some leaks and so now we get to the subject of this story.

It was decided to purchase a large caulking gun and an air compressor capable of providing the pressure necessary for a long hose and a two (2) foot caulking gun with a very viscous caulking material chosen for its quality and performance. The man for this job was no other that Russel Verigin.

Over the next few months, Russel would be seen patrolling the 29 roofs, responding to the various signs of leakage as the roof panels “settled in” and adjusted to the sun and weather. So the nickname “King Caulk” became Russel’s new title.

The radio from the business office cackled “calling King Caulk, King Caulk, come in please!” The response was “King Caulk here!”

Yes Russel Verigin rose to the occasion and the pavilions were complete ahead of schedule and all passed inspection by the Expo ’86 Inspectors and the concerns expressed by some at the award to a “House Builder from the Kootenays” were indeed unfounded after all.

There is much more to this story but “King Caulk” was our focal point here and has retired into infamy now.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++End++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

COWBOY-WITHOUT-BOOTS-WHO-SPEAKS-TO-SPIRITS

 

This chronicle is about Harry Jukes, a man I only knew for these five years or so, but I feel that an eternity has befallen upon me. I will try to be “gentle” in my typed print as I try to portray this “vessel” which has too much spirit to be continued within but emanates without.

 

Normally, people fit into categories:

• Too sassy
• Too religious
• Workaholics
• Lazy
• Too quiet
• Rambunctious
• Miserly
• Out of our class
• Mysterious
• Non-communicative
• Etc.,

 

Perhaps there is a special class that can be best defined as “Harry Jukes-like” but that may be fine for those that know Harry well but I chose to refer him as the “Titrating Cowboy” as that suits his category best at the beginning of this epistle. Now as I reflect on all my four (4) interviews, I need to change the title to a Western native name (wish I knew how to talk Cree) Cowboy-without-boots-who-speaks-to-spirits.

 

There were some who once observed, I am sure, that considered a young lad on a horse, seemingly lost in the rolling hills and small mountains around Clinton, B.C., as a product of a vagrant family but his Mother  did see him leave home for classes at the appointed time, lunch packed and all fully intent on attending class. It may be that wind blowing out the West distracted him. Then it may have been a call of a raven, or the screech of the hunting hawk or something on that distant horizon that just needed to be investigated, for Harry would pull his horse in that direction, without hesitation, completely rapt in curiosity.

 

Reviewing the attendance register of one of his students (who was always arriving at class in the early afternoon too many times), became too much for the Principal and he reluctantly sent a letter to Harry’s father, demanding an explanation. So the Father decided that grade eight may be enough for his son and relegated him to working on the family Potato Farm and there could ride his horse for explorations in his times off’.

 

I am sure that the father thought about his life in the urban community of Vancouver, B.C. where he had started raising hi s family while being employed in the ship-building industry during the Second World War. Even then his son Harry dreamed of horses and a ranch so that Dad had relented and decided to send Harry to Okanagan Falls, to an acquaintance who had use for a boy of twelve years of age to help on the ranch. This made the desire for more ranching and horses that become an obsession. After the War the Jukes family moved to Clinton and purchased a Potato Farm complete with horses which was just what the young Jukes needed…

 

It was also obvious to the father that this boy needed education and so he sent his son off to the B.C. School of Science in June where Harry was able to gain his grade twelve level in six (6) months.

 

“Education is fine,” Harry thought,” but what about horses and ranching?”

 

Harry’s uncle was a photographer and had concentrated on pictures of trains in Wyoming, USA. These pictures included cowboys on horses and Harry knew that he should try the University of Wyoming in Laramie and try mixing his love of ranching with his education.

 

So he was to achieve a Bachelor of Agriculture in 1952 within in three years. He had one more year left on his right to stay in the USA so he followed up his room-mate’s invitation to visit his family ranch in Buffalo, Wyoming. Of course that made every bit of sense to this would-be Cowboy now that he knew how to calculate what a ton of hay and knew how big that was.

 

Actually Harry’s best recollections of these times was having to follow the trail of his friend’s sister into town and lasso her as she was getting on the Greyhound bus in her attempt to run away from home. He probably tied her up and returned her home straddled across the front of saddle. (He never really mentioned how good-looking she was).

 

So his time was up in the USA and then, after visiting his parents, Harry discovered that his entry rights to the USA had been removed for five (5) years and so his further education was traded for Guelph, Ontario where he was able to obtain a Master’s Degree in Bio-Chemistry and Nutrition in 1955. This part of Harry’s character becomes complicated: how does the ranching preferences equate to Bio-Chemistry and so we have the controversial scenario of the “Titrating Cowboy”

 

By this time Harry was married along with his first born and with this responsibility, he needed a real job. Being desperate, in 1956, he naively accepted a position as Chemist in a Sulphite Pulp Mill at Prince Rupert. Harry recalls that it did rain there on occasion and left there after a few years before his toes became webbed and knew what 96 inches of rain a year felt like.

 

But the Cowboy in his “split personality”, lured him back to the Chilcoltin where the bB.C. Forest Service needed a Range Manager to take stock on the available pasture lands as feed for the local Ranchers’ cattle.

 

During this time his family kept increasing and schooling became very important but what really brought Harry down was an injury to his back. This resulted in inactivity and the need for income that did not require too much roaming around. A friend in Tatla Lake operated a general store that she could use help with while she dealt with other responsibilities. Harry found that even that was quiet taxing on his body and so his wife was really the store keeper.

 

It was at this time that the local Superintendent of Schools came asking if anyone knew of someone that could teach in the local one room school. Mrs. Jukes got an idea and uttered “my husband can!” So Harry became a School Teacher with four (4) of his children as students. Harry recalls that his four (4) year old son could naturally read a book up-side-down. This became a very interesting condition that teachers, other than Harry, would have difficulty understanding that this condition does occur in human beings and is not an indication to be reprimanded by sending that student home as there was no lack of intelligence.

 

This was like a stroke of good fortune in this chronicle of the life of this Titrating Cowboy as he found that he liked teaching. Off to Vancouver again and a one Year Teacher’s Training to achieve a Teacher’s Certificate.

 

After a brief search for opportunities, Trafalgar School; in Nelson needed Teachers and the move to Nelson, B.C. was where the Jukes became entrenched. From Trafalgar, L.V. Rogers High School was the next engagement and then on to Notre Dame College, all in Nelson, and all using his Chemistry attributes. It followed that when Selkirk College was created in 1966, Harry was hired in 1968 and taught there until his retirement in 1995.

 

It was during this time that Harry used his horse-riding expertise (I guess) to build these tall six (6) foot high truck campers with his freind so that the families could enjoy excursions into the hinter land throughout the Kootenays and beyond. No patents were applied for but it was said that this camper could roll down a typical South Nelson hillside and suffer no damage. The rumor spread and Harry had no problem marketing this creation when he became disinterested with camping.

 

While at Laramie, Harry noticed that he had the ability to perform hypnosis and was able to do this on a few of his closest friends. This would influence much of his future life as this interest developed into meditation and then to physic exploration into regression.

 

There was a time when Harry became interested in motorcycling and explored Mexico with his friend. One strange occurrence happened on their way back when they considered an over-night rest stop in Ritzville, Washington. Although tired, they pushed on and found that was the same night that Mount St. Helen’s erupted and essentially wiped out Ritzville that night. Harry’s comment was “I did not hear any ‘voice’ nor have any premonition, I just wanted to get home”. This statement, alone, makes much of what I will write now, about Harry, very much acceptable. There is no embellishment in his recounts but just statements of fact.

 

Motorcycling became a passing fad after a serious accident near Kaslo, B.C. that could have been more serious than a bruised elbow. Nora set the law and parked the motorcycle for good. It was not at all the same as riding a horse anyway.

 

About this time Harry became familiar with Edgar Cayce, a Psychic, that Harry met at a Conference in Virginia. This followed with the formation of the Edgar Cayce Study Group in Nelson, B.C. This small gathering involved itself with:

• Hypnosis

1. Led to exploration of life during time of Atlantis
2. Harry was able to take his son into this time where

1. He was playing with a falcon

2. On a spaceship mapping Earth

3. Harry got him to write some of what he was doing on paper which resulted in a foreign language impossible for his son to know but was able to write and speak

1. Harry took other people to a past life in Atlantis
2. People felt comfortable during this process
3. Dream analysis
4. Past lives

• Meditation
• Discussed:

• The participants kept their experiences to themselves as discussion with non-participants would be difficult for others to comprehend.
• Harry admits that this was an interesting and exciting time in his life

 

Harry started a Meditation Group at Selkirk College that convened at the Selkirk College Lounge from 1976 to 1977. There was a charge for these sessions resulting in great interest to many of the College Staff.

 

These series of sessions graduated to the organization of the Spring Festival of Awareness held at Selkirk College. Some 30 to 40 speakers from the Pacific Northwest were invited to make presentations. This was a concern for at least one group in the area, who condemned the Festival as the “Work of the Devil”. Harry was ingenious in making this a positive action by inviting this group to make a presentation at the Festival and this opinion dissipated to an acceptance of the positive and educational intent of the Festival. It was more on “awareness” as a positive group activity rather than any condemnation or negative action.

 

Harry became aware of the writings of Helen Schuman and William Thetford, both Doctors of Philosophy and Professors of Medical Psychology at Columbia University. It became apparent that Helen was at odds with her Department Head, William. This relationship was not acceptable to both and they jointly agreed that a positive solution to this was necessary as they both searched for a method to accomplish this.

 

Helen then became aware of subliminal messages that coached her to create a book named “A Course in Miracles” which was edited in part by William. This manual became a reference and a source of creative information for many Educators in Psychology.

Harry used this book in his classes and would conduct class in this fashion:

• Started every class with five (5) minutes of relaxing music
• Students would use this time to meditate
• Harry’s message to the students was:”learning is not a competition but a cooperative venture”
• He would give weekly quizzes wherein the class would assist each other in providing answers.
• In this fashion, he attributed that the class advanced more than in a normal class environment

 

Harry became a “Bare Foot Nudist” sometime  and as Ross Freake, a freelance writer and longtime Okanagan journalist writes: “….Ten years after he retired as a chemistry professor, he (Hary Jukes) doffed hi shoes, inspired by his then four-year- old grandson to become a below the ankle nudist.”

 

“My grandson was going barefoot out in the snow about 10 years ago, and maybe I took off on that. It was not conscious decision. I went barefoot when it was nice out.”

 

“Jukes has problems in cold snow and on hot asphalt, so he wears Crocs, bet he recommends barefoot living to anyone who wants to kick off their inhibitions with their shoes.”

 

“It was just something that evolved, partly because I dislike the confinement of shoes and boots, partly because I find them difficult to put on, partly because I like the feeling the connection to the Earth energies, partly because the grass is often cooler in the summer that the inside of a pair of runners, and party because it is less messy in the house thena shoes / slippers….”

 

Those of us that have worked and played with Harry, have tried to “throw a few nickels together” to buy him a pair of socks or two, failed to intimidate Harry who maintains his convictions and continues to live his life style.

 

As Harry’s life “unfolded”, with his final companion, Nora, the passion for “community” became an obsession as the search for a resemblance to “Eden” along with all the understanding that all human-kind attribute in their vision of same.  This was an obvious culmination of a life time working with people and the progression of the spirits (souls) that Harry had worked with their regression.

 

Harry included “community” in many of his workshop sessions, extolling on the virtues of people working together for a common goal with cooperation rather than competition.

 

Harry and Nora looked at various sites for such an ideal community and travelled to many locations around the world where there was evidence and workings of community, searching for answers as well as a method to create an ideal community. At one time their search centered on a tract of Crown Land in Ooteschinia, on the East side of Castlegar, B.C.., where a water license was applied for and investigations continued but this was found to be not the time for this to take place.

 

Grandview Housing came to their attention and a few meetings later, Harry and Nora became convinced that perhaps Grandview was a possible answer to their search for community. Their comments on this project were as follows:

• People helping each other
• A spirit of working together
• Caring and concern for each other
• Using collective capital for economy to each individual

 

Harry and Nora became members and committed themselves to a bungalow almost immediately. This followed by a total participation in:

• Directorship
• Landscaping Committee
• Promotions Committee
• Chateau Grandview (Central Core of the 60 acre site) Committee
• The administrative subcommittee of Chateau Grandview Committee
• Strata Council
• Gardening Committee
• Anywhere else that they felt that their effort could advance the objectives of “affordable housing” for seniors

 

Harry has eventually acquired a clear understanding of much of the world that is not visible to mankind and continues to learn more about how all this exists. Some of his recollections of interesting phenomena go like this:

1. Harry attended a James Twyman Conference in Colorado, USA., to obtain a direct understanding of this creator of many songs of Peace and his continuing participation in many difficult areas of conflict where he was able to make a difference

• Harry was late in his arrival and missed the regular bus to the conference location
• As he walked out of the registration area, he noted a bus waiting
• Harry was the only rider with the Bus-Driver as they proceeded to the Conference site some two (2) hours away
• Harry recalls a very deep and interesting conversation with this Driver that was of great satisfaction and education to Harry
• When it was time to return, Harry naturally wanted to find that same Driver but he was nowhere to be found
• Harry still wanted to meet the Driver and investigated where he could contact him
• Harry discovered that there  was no additional bus that had ever been scheduled and driven to the Conference after the initial group
• This is one of the mysteries that Harry adds to a history of his experiences that cannot be explained easily
• A conflict in Bosnia was attended by a group of such people
• In their attempt to reach an area that was of their specific interest, they intercepted a troop of armed personnel
• They were able to transmit their thought waves to this troop in such a manner that the soldiers in that troop were oblivious to their location as they lay prone near where they walked by

2. Harry recalls discussion with people that had achieved a higher sense of communication that requires much more comprehension than that is normal to the average person

3. Harry continued to work with understanding those thought processes that are not a normal communication for most human-kind

 

There is too much more to Harry that I have yet to come to grips with but I will pause now.

 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ End ++++++++++++++++++++++++++

THE NORTHERN JOURNEY

1. It all started with a Focus

Whose locks would not open?

Granny was sure that things had gone bogus

Alaskan vacation plans now broken

(Possible) Chorus:

So they sang this song

Gramps, Granny, Lori and Rick

As Truck pulled RV along

The kilometers passed so quick

2. In Vernon, Granny shouted out loud:

“Where is my medication and makeup now?”

This panic soon raised a cloud

“What options would this crisis allow?”

3. “Call Tam, it must be on my bed

Package the case, send it by bus”

No worry, let us keep our head

It will be picked up in Rupert by us

4. To Shoppers Drug Store, for a temporary fix

“We can call Tam in due time”

The good and the ugly will mix”

This sure adds to this rhyme.

5. Shoppers did the trick

In time all good chips fall

Then Granny yelled “I’m going to be sick!”

Below feet was the case and all.

6. Information was always a need

Nona was easiest to text

Always eager to do the deed

“This is it, what’s next?”

7. It was a toast in ‘George as Rick spoke

“It’s been a great trip to date”

Robot camera flashed as the table broke

This rhyme is too hilarious to relate.

8. The girls’ option was a Casino itch

The boys chose breakfast as a need

Lori had that feeling and struck it rich

Rick dragged her away from greed

9. We pensive  on the “Highway of Tears”

Soon we arrived at Smithers town

Billboards all warn of hitch-hiking fears

Our “crew” burned another table down

10. Twin Falls was a sight to see

Moricetown Fisherman had knowledge

Bulkley River rushing through to the sea

A First Nations and net on the ledge

11. Hazleton provided First Nations history

A wholesome story did unfold

To us “immigrants”, this irony

A true Canadian story was told

12. In Kitwanga weathering totems stand

Defiantly recording a way of life

A culture now guests in their land

Once proud people living in strife

13. “Collector of Rivers” this Skeena stream

Carrying Salmon to their mission

Replenish the food chain dream

And ensure ecological vision

14. Warned at Lakelse Hot Springs not to stay

Better a campground near Kitimat

Rio Tinto continues to this day

Fifteen hundred construction jobs their stat

15. Native drums keep up their beat

Endridge offerings are not their line

Ecological insurance they cannot meet

Short time wealth will not be fine

16. The road from Terrace to Rupert is now great

Mountain competing with river, railway and pavement

As they battle for location and alternate

Granny and Gramps recall all was betterment

17. The rain got Gramps to recall

Those times in ‘Sixty-three

Miller, Ross, Holloway and all

With their pulp mill history

18. “Oh I’ve been from Maine to Prince Rupert

And Rupert is the best now you hear

‘Cause that is where the annual rainfall

Is ninety-six inches a year”

19. An aging Port Edward Fish Cannery

First attracted our attention

Once operated with work station misery

Now all robotic invention

20. Gramps was nostalgic

As he entered ghostly pulp mill gates

A billion dollar decay was no logic

But Pulp was below economic rates

21. Ridley Island is all modernization

Conveyors, cranes loading coke and grain

Container traffic serving the nation

Four thousand jobs at Rupert the gain

22. The attraction was Chances Casino

Irresistible to the culpable four

Like hopes of another El Nino

Into their pockets winnings would pour

23. Gramps aching shoulder and back

Caused Lori a Masseur to call

She connected to a Thai attack

Dim lights, magic rubbing ointment and all

24. The ferry to Ketchican Town

Brought us to port from sea

Welcome was a tempest renown

We wish that you all could see

25. Pitching canopy was a challenge

We considered a downtown motel

Perseverance and we did manage

This deluge like music from hell

26. Ricky was correct in his plan

The sun did come out next day

Then a delightful tour of Ketchikan

World’s Salmon Capital they say

27. An overnight ferry to Juneau

With expectations galore

Exploration adds knowledge we knew

North American love will soar

28. Juneau welcome was cool and wet

Stalking Rick was the Owner’s daughter

In record time camp was set

In zoomed Elephant “Skeeters” for slaughter

29. Cruise ships by the double and more

Granny and Lori just could not wait

To jostle Tourists in every store

Find discounts on diamond aggregate

30. Bountiful trees but wood a high cost

Gramps and Rick concocted a scheme

Scouting everywhere, we thought we lost

Then we became a Woodcutter’s dream

31. “Tattoo” was introduced with “Mr. Biz” his dog

Along with silent helper named “Woodsy”

“Fifteen dollars a barrow”, he split the log

Dry wood promise was “hoodsy”

32. We did get our fill of crab

But it came at quite an expense

Twenty-five dollars a leg, quite a grab

In Juneau to hell with pretence

33. Many attractions and glaciers abound

Such beauty was there for all to see

“Golden streets” and mountains around

All coming from “Gold Rush” history

34. We boarded ferry at a quarter to six

At Nine hours and a half we were still in port

The electrical they needed to fix

So the ferry became our resort

35. Skagway entry was wet and late

A stray guide humored us at crib

Pullen Camp was slow at the gate

German Tourists were very glib

36. Three cruise ships was their competition

Lori and Granny, determined to endure

That Skagway shops will hold no repetition

Special deals would theirs for sure

37. “Keep family dry”, as Gramps drove the truck

Up and down streets and everywhere

Returning to camp, down on his luck

And flattened Rick’s solar light there

38. Red Onion Saloon was party time

German Tourists aswim in their beer

Granny’s Margarita not enough lime

Wall decor showed saucy ladies here

39. Gold panning courses not to forget

“Swirl sand and find the gold”

A Sourdough taught the pan to set

“Shiny stuff in the pan valley will hold”

40. Skagway gave us another thrill

Water rose up to Granny’s cot

It was running in the toilet still

Having no shitter was stress a lot

41. Road to Canada Customs just amazing

A display of Earth’s early creation

Chilkoot Pass foiled men and their gold crazing

Yukon Gold was the early sensation

42. Lakes and rivers so crystal clear

At Carcross a surprising desert stands

Hard to believe that we were here

This marvel built with God’s hands

43. Alaska Highway to mile eighteen after nine

A modern city of Whitehorse appears

Northern Center, to service many mine

Urban designs beyond its hundred years

44. Dawson City under Northern Lights

A struggle to build on frozen ground

Cameras were ready for all the sights

Memories of boisterous miners abound

45. Home to Robert Service and all his odes

“Cremation of Sam McGee at Lac Labarge”

These will last longer than the “Mother Lodes”

Contribution to culture, very large.

46. Visiting with Leah and Allan

Enjoyment in their culinary delights

His creations are that of Artisan

There were many other sights

47. Alaska Highway winds its way

To Watson Lake where many a sign

People around the world have their say

And now White Man’s totems dot sky line

48. Laird Hot Springs are really hot

A setting in nature to behold

To the top end, Gramps gave it a shot

Celsius fifty plus two is not cold

49. We did see a Bear or two

Some Sheep we did also meet

There was a lonely Cariboo

Posted warnings: “Animals do not treat”

50. A Bison bull was of interest

He was following his calf and cow

Itchy places put him to the test

Testicle pictures we do have now

51. Lori pined to sight a moose

There on wooden sidewalk to the “Pools”

A young bull stood with his lip so loose

“What did you expect you fools?”

52. Gramp’s birthday was with candles and cake

Seventy years and two to celebrate

It is the little joys of life that we take

“Thanks to the family”, he did state

53. Expecting a “mountain that folded”

So we kept up our watch

Crust of the Earth was molded

This Work of Nature hard to match

54. Gramps said “I saw it before

Beside highway it stood

Populated by goats and more”

This mountain became his lore

55. Memory loss is hard to take

Gramps had his pride to suck

Admitting he made a mistake

Losing mountains is tough luck

56. Nelson and John are two Forts

We really cannot say much

Oil and Gas, and energy of all sorts

Muskeg, stunted trees and such

57. Dawson Creek located at Mile Zero

Alaska Highway here did start

Workers were many a hero

This construction idea was smart

58. Tumbler Ridge was quite a surprise

Company town it is design ahead

To use nature as a disguise

For beauty in urban spread

59. Quintette is getting ready to begin

And so Menno drove us a mile up

Where Mammoth machines will dig in

Ancient coal seams to disrupt

60. The Markins, Patricia and Jane came

To Chetwynd where we visited and ate

Friendship and love was all the same

They also have much on their “plate”

61. Mountain Sheep were there at Merritt

Very adept at climbing rock walls

Two rams picture posing, and knew it

Gramps hollered “Rick get his balls”

62. Princeton, is where Gramps had to sing

It became the last camp for us

Kootenay Men’s Choir voices did ring

The people joined us in the chorus

63. All stories will come to an end

Twenty and five days with no quarrel

All egos needed to bend

And there is the moral

Draughted and written during the itinery that started July 25 and ended August 18, 2012 with Granny and Gramps Verigin and Rick and Lori Woodhouse. Reviews received from Lori and Granny. Last edit February 06, 2013 by EWV