100 Mile House's friendly, social & entertaining online news source!

By Bev Boyle

Have you noticed the tent beside the Visitor Info Centre? Inside that tent is Kevin Guertsen, a former 100 Mile resident who now lives in Salmon Arm.

Kevin, 27, is chain saw carving a 10 to 12 foot high Inukshuk as part of the Olympic Torch Relay Legacy. It will combine the Inukshuk with a goldpanner and a bear with a fish in his mouth. Kevin got the grant through Judith Hayes, the Olympic Torch Relay Legacy Investment Coordinator for the South Cariboo.

Kevin was born and raised in 100 Mile House. He graduated from Peter Skene Ogden High School in 1999 and was scouted to play basketball in college in Grande Prairie, Alberta, with the dream of continuing his education and becoming a police officer.

After college, Kevin joined the army and was released with an Honourable Discharge after being injured. He went back to Alberta to work on the oil rigs and then was going to become a policeman.

On a day off, Kevin was in an ATV accident. He was a passenger when they went off-road and hit a rock. Kevin broke his back and was told he would never walk again. While in rehab, Kevin contracted flesh-eating disease. He spent five years in rehab in Vancouver healing and was fitted with a prosthesis for the loss of his lower leg. He says, “Not walking again was not an option to me; I knew I could do it.”

Kevin’s future occupation was now a question, but after visiting Grouse Mountain, he knew what he wanted to do. “I saw some beautiful woodcarvings done by artist Glenn Greensides, and that was it. That was what I wanted to do,” he says. Greensides had carved a collection of 31 wood sculptures, created from some of the most remarkable dead standing trees to be found in BC.

Kevin met Greensides and convinced him to train him in the art of chain saw carving. He went to his home on Vancouver Island and watched and learned from the artist.

Kevin also watched Greensides in a chain saw carving competition in Chetwynd and, “thought it was awesome.”

Now Kevin has his own relatively new business called ‘Broken Limb Carvings’ and is looking forward to creating his own artistry.

Next time you are near to the Visitor Info Centre, stop in at Kevin’s tent and have a look at the wonderful carvings he is creating for the Olympic Torch Relay, coming here January 28, 2010. This 6’8”, smiling, strapping young man is building his own legacy too.