Press Release 05 31 09
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It is the mission of all those who work at The Hills Health Ranch to ensure that the spa experience at our unique, award-winning, health and fitness spa is a wholistic health and wellness experience based on your deeply personal needs for Relaxation, Reflection, Revitalization, and Rejoicing!!
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March 05, 2009
Pat Corbett Bursary Awarded to Lesley Braby of Royal Roads University
Lesley Braby, a graduate student in the Master of Arts in Tourism Management Program at Royal Roads University, was awarded the Pat Corbett Leadership Award at the Tourism Industry Conference on February 13th. In addition to her program of study, Lesley works at the Canadian Tourism Commission and has been actively engaged in the industry for a number of years, having worked as a guide and trip manager for Backroads, and in communications for Air Canada.
The Pat Corbett Bursary is an award of $3,000 made to a student in a full-time tourism/travel/hospitality program in a public university, college or institute or through a private institution accredited through the Private Post Secondary Education Commission. This is an extremely competitive award: in 2008, 13 highly qualified applicants completed the extensive submission process.
The selection committee was composed of representatives from the Council of Tourism Associations of BC, the LinkBC network, and Pat Corbett himself. In recognition of the high calibre of applications from across the province, the committee decided to recognize two additional outstanding applications (out of the many) with an honourable mention and a gift of a Philips Canadian World Atlas. The honourable mentions went to Aliaa Elichashab of College of the Rockies and Gregory McCallum of Royal Roads University.
The award was presented at the Friday conference luncheon by Adrienne Corbett, Pat Corbett’s mother, with an encouraging video message from Pat (via a previous engagement in Whitehorse).
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After accepting the award, Lesley reflected on her experiences studying tourism in BC. “While I've been working professionally in the tourism industry for about 15 years, I've only worked within BC for the past 18 months. What's struck me about the tourism industry in BC is the incredible leadership and commitment I've seen in the people I've been fortunate to meet in my short time here. Receiving this award was a privilege and a true high point for me in my educational and working life. I look forward to working together with the industry's leaders in the future to continue building a sustainable and vibrant tourism sector for BC and Canada.”
Stephen Regan of COTA “was very encouraged by these students,” noting they were “setting an example by pursuing tourism education at an advanced level, and building upon their already impressive leadership talents to benefit British Columbia’s tourism & hospitality industry in the future.”
It's in Korea, it's in the Fairmont Hotel spas in the Caribbean, Mexico, Scottsdale, Banff, and many other very prestigious spa locations around the world. And it all started as a dream or a vision. Wild roses everywhere! The landscape is pink with roses every June, and by the end of August and early September, the ranch landscape at The hills Health ranch is red with the fruit of the rose flower, called the rosehip. These rosehips are famous for their extremely high vitamin and mineral content, especially vitamin C in the fruit, and vitamin A in the seed where it is locked into the oil which is contained inside the very hard shell of the seed itself. The dream was to get the rich supply of the healing Vitamin A oil out of the seed, so that it could be used in the spa at the ranch. After extensive research with some of the best agricultural labs in Canada, a method of extracting the oil from within the seeds without using any chemical interventions was found, enabling the preservation of the full purity and integrity of all aspects of the natural oil. From that moment on, the use of one of the most powerful skin regenerative oils available in Canada was started in 1997 at the spa at The Hills Health Ranch.
Since that time, some of the best spas in the world are now utilizing the rosehip oil from the ranch, and also using the treatment protocols founded and established by the Canadian pioneer of this Canadian natural oil, Juanita Corbett. The oil is also used by some of the largest cosmetic and spa product manufacturers in the world as a primary skin renewing oil.
Meanwhile, the spa at ranch features the oil in facials, wraps, scrubs, and massage oils. These signature treatments are designed by the original pioneer and visionary of this amazing oil, Juanita Corbett, who was also the visionary and pioneer of The Hills Health Ranch, alongside her husband Pat Corbett.
Construction of Canada's 1st Spa village at The Hills Health Ranch is getting closer, as engineering of the roads, water, & sewage disposal systems for all of the lots and units is well underway. When completed, the engineering reports will set the stage for the final costing of the lots and units to be created at the ranch. Legal documentation for the sale of the units will immediately follow after the completion of the engineers reports, anticipated to be in late spring or early summer.
The spa village will contain up to a maximum of 265 lots/dwellings/units over 3 village neighbourhoods, on 1000 acres, with guest access to another adjoining 15,000 acres of Canadian wilderness under lease from the BC provincial government. The development of the 1st Canadian spa village will also see the expansion of all of the resorts spa, fitness, health & wellness professionals, and recreational amenities.
"Creating a community for people who love the outdoors, who want to be surrounded by health & wellness professionals, plus opportunities to have access to ongoing fitness lifestyle opportunities, topped off with some of the best spa healing treatments available in Canada is our dream soon to become reality" says President Pat Corbett.
Purchasers will be able to choose from single family, condominium, or hotel suites to invest into and own, and will have the opportunity to lace their units into the rental pool of the resorts accommodations.
The ranch currently employs approximately 100 people, operates an extensive fitness facility and program, a large spa, extensive health and wellness programs with a large staff, plus integrates the large land base for summer hiking, biking, horseback riding, canoeing and winter cross country skiing, downhill skiing - snowboarding, ice skating, dog sledding, and snowmobile touring as a part of the outdoor recreation activities available for the guests.
"PAT CORBETT, PRESIDENT OF THE HILLS HEALTH RANCH, PRESENTS JESSICA JOY
THE COTA-PAT CORBETT BURSARY IN THE PRESENCE OF CANADA'S 1ST
ASTRONAUT, ROBERTA BONDAR at the occassion of the Annual BC Tourism
Industry Conference held at The Sheraton Wall Center in Vancouver on
February 22/08. This annual Bursary is organized by The British
Columbia Council of Tourism Ass'ns (COTA) in the name of Pat Corbett,
who was the founding President & visionary force in establishing COTA
as a powerful advocacy voice for Canada's tourism industry. Jessica
Joy of Selkirk College received $3,000 for her excellent submission
which looks to recognize future leaders within the Tourism Industry.
This was a particularly special moment for Jessica since she has always
regarded Roberta Bondar as a hero, and in Grade 6, had written an essay
on her Canadian hero, so being with her on this occassion made it all
the more special!!
March 15, 2008
Special announcement
25th ANNIVERSARY FITNESS & INCHES-OFF SPECIALS.
ANNIVERSARY GIFTS & VOUCHERS FOR GUESTS IN APRIL
We’re honoured that we have been able to serve so many guests over our 25 years here at The Hills Health Ranch, because we know that vacationers and spa consumers have many options in choosing from so many places to go. For 25 years we have been selected as your place of refuge, retreat, and renewal! We have so many guests who have come here over 20 times in our 25 years, and for those of us working here, it’s humbling to know that of all the places to select from, that we are chosen so frequently. We have heard, repeatedly, that it is the staff and the service that compels our guests to return time and time again! What started as a dream, has become a 25 year reality for almost 100 staff members!
A special “Wellness Gift-Pac” is being offered to all guests for the month of April to help commemorate this achievement. Fitness, Wellness, Renewal and Weight Loss programs have been the core of what distinguishes our ranch, and accordingly, we wish to offer, during the month of April, a complimentary service and activity voucher for each 3 night or longer all-inclusive stay.
Your choice of
1 personal training session or
1 pedicure or
1 hydrotherapy treatment or
1 manicure or
2 hour horseback ride or
1 horse whispering session
PLUS GUESTS WILL RECEIVE A GIFT PACK FROM C.A. BOTANA OF SOME OF THE WORLDS GREATEST SPA PRODUCTS IN YOUR ROOM
108 Mile…The Hills Health Ranch announces the appointment of Stephan & Regula Wittmer to the Senior Management of the resort, spa & wellness operations.
“We are thrilled to see this great culinary couple come and join us on a full time basis to help us achieve an even greater level of customer service in all aspects of the resort operations” said President Pat Corbett. “Their knowledge, experience, and desire to help give guests great memories and experiences will help us achieve our service goals as we grow and expand the resort and spa operations in the future” Corbett added.
Stephan Wittmer, a Swiss Chef having worked at such places as Le Mirador in Switzerland, Quaoout Lodge and Halcyon Hot Springs in BC will assume responsibility for the 2 dining rooms, 3 lounges, catering and banqueting, & general customer service requirements of the entire resort. His wife Regula Wittmer is a Swiss trained Nutritionist, Nurse, Fitness Appraiser & Councilor, having worked at such places as Montreux Palace in Switzerland as well as The Hills Health Ranch, will assume full responsibility of the Spa & Wellness Programs at the ranch alongside Spa Director Juanita Corbett.
“This is a great time for my wife and I to work together along with all of the other great staff of this unique Canadian resort to help make spa, ski, & ranch vacation dreams come true for our guests” said Chef Wittmer. “We are anxious to capitalize on our cooking, nutritional, & management training and experience in the future within the spa and wellness programs at the ranch, and are excited about what we can contribute to the strong team that is already working there” Wittmer added.
“The Hills Health Ranch is in the planning stages of a major expansion to the entire resort creating Canada’s first spa village, and this announcement is a key part of adding critical future customer service management to our team,” said President Corbett, “ we would not be able to facilitate the expansion of our facilities without first addressing the future customer service management requirements that are a part of such an expansion”.
The Hills Health Ranch offers year-round destination spa programs, packages, & services within a 20,000 acre ranchland environment, featuring complete winter ski and snow services in the winter, and guest ranch experiences in the summer with over 35 horses. If you would like further information on The Hills Health Ranch, the Swiss culinary couple, or any of the Wellness programs and services of the spa , please contact President Pat Corbett at 1-800-668-2233 or email pat@thehillshealthranch.com or visit www.spabc.com
