The Bowen Island phone book came in the mail yesterday. I know phone books are becoming a thing of the past, but not on Bowen Island. It’s a big deal day here. I love sitting down and going through the entire thing as soon as I can.

I like to look for my name in the phone book. Seeing me and Ken listed, confirms we are part of this community. I remember a movie I saw years ago, where a man said, he knew he was somebody because his name was printed in the phone book.

Barb Wiltshire is the publisher and does a great job on our phone book each year. I salute and cheer her! This book is much more than a collection of phone numbers.

Our phone book is 120 pages filled with photos and stories. Of course there are the important numbers and information we need to know about the RCMP, fire department, recycling, and who’s selling real estate. The daily tide table included. There are maps with more and more roads on it each year. Barb adds everyone’s email addresses as a bonus. There is also information about all the different groups in the community — like the Garden Club, Fibre Arts Guild and Yacht Club.

There are two people names Parke, four are listed as Parker, (I know several more that for some reason did not get listed) and five people with the name Parkin.

There are 22 different neighbourhoods on Bowen Island and each area has a person or two we refer to as NERPS, or The Neighbourhood Emergency Resource People. Now, I like to see my name in the phone book as much as anybody, but I have to say I was quite surprise to see my name listed as one of three NERPS for Tunstall Bay!

YIKES! I’m not sure I like being that much of a somebody!