The long road to Kamloops

Murray Mitchell/The Daily News

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Edwin Morenco, mother Rafaela Leon Ojeda and Kamloops resident Keith Bienia smile for the camera in 2010 Centre at the 2010 World Masters Indoor Athletics Championships Friday.

They looked exhausted and confused, having walked a kilometre or so from where they were dropped off, all the way to the Chase mall with their luggage.

They were looking for a cab.

Darlene Willis, who works at the Silver Fox Pub in Chase, didn't know any of this when she saw the pair wandering, seemingly lost in the mall parking lot.

“I found them in the parking lot – poor people,” said the pub manager.

Willard has lived in the small town for years. Something seemed odd about the visitors. Communication was difficult with the Spanish-speaking pair because the mother spoke no English. The son's was rudimentary, but they were quiet and confused.

“I thought it was funny,” she said. “I said ‘where are you going?' I saw all this luggage. They said ‘the North Shore.'”

Through some halting conversation, Willard learned the mother, Rafaela Leon Ojeda was competing at the World Masters in Kamloops.

They arrived a long way from the North Shore, where they were booked to stay.

But the North Shore, it turned out after Willis read their hotel information, wasn't in Kamloops — it was the North Shore of the Shuswap, at St. Ives, nearly two hours away.
T
hrough Ojeda's son, Edwin Moreno, Willis learned they'd booked the resort, which they were led to believe was close to Kamloops and had a shuttle into the city.

“'I said ‘no, you're not going to St. Ives,'” said Willard, who wasn't shy about fixing the problem for two people from thousands of kilometres away whom she'd just met.

Willard picked up the phone to call her boss, Silver Fox owner Keith Bienia, who lives in Kamloops. He agreed, sight unseen, to take them in to his home.

Chase has no taxi, although there is an informal service. She also figured the ride would cost them $200 or more.
But in the mall parking lot was a shuttle van for a Chase seniors' home, taking residents shopping at the mall's grocery store. Willard had never met the couple who manage the residence.

“I said ‘if you could drive them into town, I'll give you gas money.'”

The Mexican pair were then driven to Kamloops to meet Bienia, who shrugged off his hospitality.

“They were stuck with no place to go,” he said matter-of-factly.

Moreno said when they called the St. Ives hotel to enquire about the distance and lack of transportation (they were told there was a shuttle) the agency said “just rent a car.”

Jean Vandale, who manages the Shuswap resort, said the booking was likely done in Mexico. The hotel – which is actually strata condominium units – is booked through RCI International.

“They were told by RCI there was a shuttle bus,” she said. “RCI should have said you need a vehicle.”
Vandale urged the Mexicans to contact RCI.

“We've been here 13 years and sometimes it happens. Sometimes they'll say we're close (to Kamloops). This was booked from Mexico (an RCI call centre) so they may not know.”

The confusion, thanks to Willard and Bienia, is past, leaving Ojeda to concentrate on hurdles and 60-metre sprint.

Bienia said it's been an experience having guests at his home, taking them shopping and taking in some of the games.

“I've never done that before. They just didn't know where they were at.”

Moreno said he and his mother are extremely thankful for the kindness of strangers.

“I can't believe it,” he said. “He is the kindest man.”

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