Through all the changes and uncertainty, we have been continuously inspired by the resilience and innovative spirit of the people behind the headlines, numbers, and figures. To share the remarkable stories of resiliency and community, as well as leadership in sustainability, accessibility, and inclusion - the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA) is proud to introduce:

The Good News(letter)

Featuring a remarkable story from our region, a snapshot of some recent good news, and a little throwback from our archives. Brought to you twice a month.😊

Maeghan and Jared Summers are the proud owners and operators of the Noble Pig Brewhouse and its sister property, Forno on 5th, both located in Kamloops. With a true passion for supporting their community in any way possible, they have turned the many challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic into opportunities to give back, re-invent, and inspire.

The Noble Pig has re-opened to serve guests with guidelines in place and a smaller menu - maintaining integrity by continuing to work in a scratch kitchen, with as many local suppliers as possible while maximizing flavour and minimizing food waste.

Maeghan and Jared temporarily closed their fine-dining inspired restaurant, Forno on 5th, due to challenges with limited capacity. A re-brand is currently in the works - stay tuned! Throughout the process, they have been continuously inspired by the support of fellow Kamloops restaurant owners. The hospitality community is coming together like never before to work toward a common goal.

"How Do We Support Each Other?"

After making the difficult decision to close their restaurants back in March, Maeghan and Jared's first thoughts centered around what could be done to support their team and community. They decided to give away over 800 meals to feed their team, their team's families, and the Kamloops community. Along with other restaurants, they donated large amounts of fresh produce and food products to the local Kamloops Food Bank, which "opened the floodgates" to more donations and, in turn, created opportunities for the food bank to provide healthy and wholesome options to the community.

Maeghan and Jared, your kindness and generosity is not only inspiring, but key to rebuilding a strong, resilient community and industry - Thank you.

Canada is taking big steps toward banning single-use plastics - some hard-to-recycle plastics including plastic grocery store bags and straws will be out of use nationwide by the end of 2021.
Hoodoo Adventure's events coordinator Nathalie Long will be climbing 8,848 meters (the equivalent of Mount Everest), within 24 hours - with the goal of raising enough funds to take 100 kids on canoe expeditions next season.

Throwback: Remarkable People

Here's a little something we found in our archives and thought was too good not to re-share (2-minute watch):

The Good News(letter) | Remarkable Stories