After reading in last week’s paper that the old Valley Echo sign had gone missing, Spillimacheen resident Dave Olexin was surprised to find it in his neck of the woods the next day.

“I had read the article the night before while having dinner at a friend’s,” said Mr. Olexin. “It’s just lucky since I don’t often read the paper.”

On Thursday, June 26th, while on a trip to the Spillimacheen/Brisco dump to drop off some garbage, he spotted what he thought was a large sign down from the garbage drop-off site.

“I dropped off my garbage and drove over to have a look,” he said. “It was turned backwards, with the back side facing out.”

Getting out of his truck to check, Mr. Olexin discovered it was the missing Valley Echo sign  he had read about the night before. He dropped it off at the Valley Echo/Pioneer office the next day.

“I’m so delighted to be able to help,” he said. “It seemed like there were some nice plans for it; it’s nice to do a good deed.”

Manulife Securities associate Holly Jones is “so excited” to have the sign back.

“We’re planning on having an open house sometime this summer, which is when we’ll formally present the sign to the Ede family,” she said.

According to Manulife Securities financial advisor Brendan Donahue, someone must have read the story about the sign going missing and dumped it out in Spillimacheen.

“We’re pleased that it wasn’t destroyed,”he said.