The Heartbeat of Naramata’s Summer Workforce
Naramata village hums with an energy each summer, an energy beyond visitors and vistas. It comes from behind ovens, espresso machines, counters and aisles, from teens zooming past on their bikes or hopping into the back of a Kubota after a long shift. These are the local youth of Naramata, students who carry the village through its busiest months. The small but mighty backbone of Naramata’s summer workforce.
At Real Things, a beloved pizza spot that has been feeding the valley for decades, LaVonne Gould expresses the importance of her young team running the kitchen behind her.
“We wouldn’t be here without them. For years, much of the attention has gone to the brand or to my husband Rocky, the name many associate with our pizzeria. But we want people to understand just how involved the kids are and how they have been a big part of the picture since the very beginning. We rely on them coming back each season. Some of our current staff are even the children of teens who worked here decades ago. Second-generation Real Things kids.”
For many of these young workers, their summer job is more than a paycheque. It’s a hands-on education in confidence, communication, and practical skills useful for later in life. Eric has been at Real Things for two and a half years.
“My time at Real Things has taught me lots of skills that relate to my other jobs. Communication, working together, work ethic, stuff like that carries over. So it’s really important because working here now also prepares us for the future.”
LaVonne also has another business, Real Talk Therapy Service. Since starting that, she has begun noticing a crossover, seeing the kitchen as its own kind of living classroom.
“There are so many ways in which this is lived experience of cognitive behavioural therapy for kids, for example, learning how to overcome their fears by answering the phone or interacting with customers across the counter. Basic life skills they can develop for future jobs. What once felt like just service work to me has become a proactive therapy of sorts, preventative measures giving teens purpose, responsibility, and a tangible sense that they matter.”
Across town at Sun ‘n Sup, Eileen Meehan describes a similar transformation. She laughs as she describes teaching her young staff how to properly sweep, clean bathrooms, and look closely when they’ve been sent to find something. However, to Eileen, there’s no joking about the positive impact that takes place.
“Parents love me because kids learn how to clean a bathroom, sweep and dust properly. Chores are part of running a small business, and our young team gets to experience all of them.”
Over the years, she’s heard parents say, “You learned what today? Awesome!” when their kids come home with new skills and a new sense of pride.
While there are plenty of jobs available for the returning youth, things are a bit different for local businesses. In a small village like Naramata, finding enough staff is a challenge. Tania Lee from Sandy Beach Lodge & Resort is about to lose two student workers as they head away for school.
“Guaranteed we won’t be able to fill those spots next summer. The hardest part of running a business is finding staff. Without affordable accommodation and reliable transit from Penticton, hiring for summer is a struggle. That’s why local students are so important for our community.”
Ashley Selwood from Just Baked: Nine Mile Bistro echoes this sentiment, explaining how her student workers have essentially become the engine of the business.
“Of my 18 staff, 12 are students. In such a seasonal community, students are what make it possible to open the doors, serve locals and visitors, and stay open through the crush of summer. So many of them are double‑hustling as well, splitting their time between 9 Mile and other spots down the street.”
Harper, who grew up between Penticton and Naramata, now studies economics and international relations at a liberal arts college in Portland. For her, summer work is both a homecoming and an economic necessity.
“Respectfully, Naramata has an aging population. I think it can be hard to sustain a business here because most people already have established jobs or have completed their careers, and don’t move to the area looking for work. This makes student workers the backbone of Naramata’s service industry.”
Rather than spending their summers in bigger cities or closer to their respective universities, these young locals like Zoe choose to come home. She grew up in Penticton, studies economics at the University of Victoria, and is back for her second summer working at Bench 1775 Winery.
“My family’s all here, and while I do come back for them, I honestly just love being home at this time of year. Going to the beach, playing pickleball, spending time with friends, soaking in the summer vibes… I love it here.”
For Taylor, who grew up in Naramata and now studies biology at UBC Okanagan and works at Nine Mile and Frankies Beach Provisions, it is a way to both earn money and feed back into the village that raised her. She loves making coffees for locals and learning new skills in both workplaces, showing how each returning student is both a worker and a cultural bridge between generations.
“Naramata is generally of an older demographic. Bringing in students adds to the community and its growth overall.”
Riley and Patrick at the Naramata General Store embody this same spirit. Riley spent his summers here visiting his grandparents. Eventually, decided to make Naramata his home, and splits his time between the store and Frankie’s.
“I like the small town vibe, the community aspect of it. Everyone’s happy, not busy. It’s an easygoing lifestyle.”
Patrick, who is heading into Grade 12 at Penticton High School, works behind the ice cream counter along with 3 other teens getting their first taste of responsibility and independence right in the heart of the village.
“I was born in Edmonton, and grew up in Penticton. My parents actually used to own the motel right up the street, so I lived here for quite a while. This is my fourth summer working at the General Store, and I’ve been able to save up and start looking for a vehicle.”
Claire Donahue from Frankie’s Beach Provisions didn’t set out to build an all‑student staff, but that’s who applied when she began hiring.
“Teens need a first job, and this is a good place for them to start. All eight members of my team are students. I definitely would not be open seven days a week without them.”
Juniper Sinkler at Bistro Lapin Perdu finds it powerful to watch young staff grow into themselves over multiple summers.
“You can see their personalities develop as they learn social and problem-solving skills within the workplace. For students who lived through disrupted schooling during COVID, it’s incredible to see how the workplace becomes an essential space to relearn connection and responsibility.”
Even for those who commute from Penticton, like Victoria, the draw of Naramata is strong. She is going into Grade 12, loves skiing, and happily drives out to work at Frankie’s.
“I love it for the little community it is. I love all the people. Working here is definitely worth the drive.”
Naramata’s summer heartbeat is powered by teens and young locals who keep rooms clean, cups full, and shelves stocked so that visitors can enjoy a smooth, pleasant holiday in our lovely village. They’re local kids who can ride their bikes to work, university students home from Victoria, Vancouver, Kelowna, and Portland, and multi‑job hustlers stitching together hours across cafés, bistros, and bars.
They’re also, in quiet ways, shaping the future of Naramata. In a housing‑tight, seasonal community, every student who comes back for one more summer buys businesses another year of viability. Every shift they work keeps the doors open not only for tourists, but for locals who rely on these spaces; the cafés, restaurants, hotels and shops where community life unfolds.
When September hits, the absence of these young heroes is felt a great deal. Some businesses scale back or even close after Labour Day because, as Ashley from 9 Mile says with a wry smile, “The problem with hiring such great kids is they all go back to uni in September.”
The village may get a little quieter, and things here may slow down, but the impact of these students will linger. Their work ethic, laughter, and growing confidence can be felt long after summer ends. They are, in every sense, the heartbeat of Naramata’s summer workforce.
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