Beverly Evans is straight up and at 50 years old, she is not about to change who she is.
She describes herself as “very black and white” and uses colourful language to joke about how others might describe her.
“I’m true to myself,”said Evans, who was born and raised in Williams Lake.
She loved growing up in Williams Lake, where her family had horses and chickens.
Evans is the daughter of Jim and Norma Mulvahill, both whom she describes as hard-working and super grandparents to her kids.
Jim even takes care of the Evans’ family horses for them and taught all of his grandchildren to ride.
A true daughter of the Cariboo, Evans said she is “very proud of where we come from and what we have to offer.”
This attitude served her well while working for Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism for nine years, promoting tourism in the region.
Now, with a new job at All-Ways travel, Evans is focused less on travel to the community and instead focused more on sending folks further afield, which also suits her just fine, given she loves to travel herself.
Interestingly, her favourite trips have not been to spots you might expect.
One of her top destinations is Texas, somewhere she has visited twice during Canadian winters.
“The weather is frickin’ amazing,” she said of the southern state, noting the people are super friendly and it is very clean.
Another memorable trip Evans took was to St. Louis, Missouri, where there just happened to be a Mardi Gras party, professional bull riding events and a hockey game happening while she was there.
At the hockey game, St. Louis was facing off against the Edmonton Oilers, and she befriended some local fans, despite cheering for the Canadian team.
“I had the best time,” recalled Evans.
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As for other interests, Evans said her family is her hobby.
“We’ve a very close family,” said Evans. She met her husband Doug Evans when she worked for the Cariboo Friendship Centre. Doug was born in Williams Lake but had moved to Bella Coola, then Vancouver and then back to Williams Lake.
His parents owned Hodgson Freightways, and he was doing some trips for the company, she recalls when he invited her to join him for the drive to Bella Coola with him.
It was springtime, and it was snowy and slippery. The truck got stuck and Doug had to chain up on the infamous Bella Coola hill.
She hopped out in her shorts -it had been sunny and warm spring weather in Williams Lake- and was running around checking it all out.
It was sunrise, and it was her first time ever to Bella Coola.
“It was absolutely beautiful,” she said of the views from the steep roadside stop.
The couple have been together 30 years and have three children of their own, James, 27, Tanis Leigh, 24, and Samantha, 20. The couple is also now raising Jacey, 10, as their own. Jacey is the daughter of Beverly’s cousin who was unable to care for her, and Beverly said as the youngest in the family, she tends to get spoiled, thanks to her older siblings also doting on her.
The family enjoys boating together in the summer on Lac La Hache, where both her mother-in-law and brother-in-law live, as well as going to gymkhanas.
In the winter, they enjoy skating.
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