Senior year is supposed to be a time for going out with friends, studying hard to get into your dream university or college and preparing yourself to say goodbye to teachers who have influenced your life over the past four years. For the class of 2021 though, it has been anything but that as they have found themselves in a constant back and forth from online learning to in school and barely any social outings. Here is a look at what a senior year in quarantine looked like to some of the grade 12 students of Drayton Valley and area.
Madison Prysko- Breton High School
Q: What has been the biggest struggle for you doing your senior year through Covid?
A: “I’m so accustomed to being able to see my family and all my friends. I’m a very social person so it’s very difficult to have to kind of reel that all back in and distance myself from my family which was the hardest.”
Q: Academically, how has Covid affected you this year?
A: “For online schooling I was okay. It was a bit of a struggle because we’ve always been very hands on learning with all of our teachers and it was very difficult between the teachers having to quarantine because of potential Covid cases and trying to figure everything out as it felt like in other years it was easier. This year was definitely harder and I do feel like most definitely I could have done better but with Covid it was extremely difficult.”
Q: Senior year usually involves tons of social events. How has Covid affected this?
A: “You see past years and they get to go out and party and celebrate amazing events in their life and we can’t this year.”
Q: Graduation will look a little different this year, what are your thoughts on it?
A: “I am disappointed but I do know that my principal as well as my grad representative is doing the best they can with what we can do. I’m extremely disappointed but there really is not much we can do about it.”
Q: What do your future plans look like?
A: “I’m hoping to take a gap year, kind of hoping for more vaccinations to be out and everything to kind of calm down Covid related before I do apply to school because I want the full education that I’m paying for with tuition and I wanna be able to be in classes learning. That’s the best way I learn instead of in a dorm room on my computer.”
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Rae-Lynne MacDuff– Holy Trinity Academy
Q: What has been the biggest struggle for you doing your senior year through Covid?
A: “The social aspect I think, you do a lot of it on your own and not as much with your friends helping you through it… We even do things like parties through school that we haven’t been able to do. We haven’t gotten to do a lot of the activities we are used to or our big trip to the Citadel we take every year.”
Q: Academically, how has Covid affected you this year?
A: “I personally haven’t seen a drop in my grades but being at home has forced me to work harder.”
Q: Graduation will look a little different this year, what are your thoughts on it?
A: “I think we’ve put together a really fun event that’s just gonna celebrate the accomplishments we’ve achieved and we are happy with what we have I think.”
Q: What do your future plans look like?
A:“I’m going on to the University of Alberta to get a Bachelor of Elementary Education.”
Gwyneth Lizardo- Holy Trinity Academy
Q: What has been the biggest struggle for you doing your senior year through Covid?
A: “I think staying home and not seeing people for a long time. Not being able to see my friends and not being able to see my teachers that I was supposed to spend time with during my last year of school.”
Q: Academically, how has Covid affected you this year?
A: “I feel like Covid has not helped me at all. I learn better when I’m at school. Just trying to stay focused has been hard.”
Q: What do your future plans look like?
A: “I’m going to the University of Alberta and taking a Bachelor of Arts and Economics.”
I come from a generation that thought the microwave oven was the pinnacle of human achievement. And as for the fax machine? Oh, Lordy, what a time to be alive!
But now, a mere five and a bit decades later, the machines are on the rise. Artificial Intelligence is here. The robots are coming!
AI can do a lot of things. Those things include writing. And writing is what I do too.
I’ve steered well clear of using AI in my work, because, frankly, using it as a journalist feels fundamentally dishonest. It’s like getting your mom to do your homework.
But I have an enquiring mind. I want to know. So I decided to take a peek at what the machine mind could come up with.
There’s a tempting little button at the bottom of the page on which I create my weekly quota of wit, wisdom, and whimsy. I clicked on it, and it came back with a cheerful invitation: ‘Describe any changes you want to make.’
Well, with a half finished document and a deadline approaching, you don’t have to ask me twice.
Make this longer,’ I typed. ‘And funnier.’
The AI dutifully spat out its revised text. I read it and it made me sad. I suppose achieving one out of two isn’t bad for a machine. It certainly made it longer. But the language was all wrong and the humour was about as funny as a rectal exam from a leper.
In my work as a columnist I always aim for that sweet spot on the dividing line between ‘smartassed’ and ‘snarky.’ The trick is to try to sound like you don’t care who you offend while simultaneously being very, very careful not to actually offend anyone at all.
AI’s contribution certainly succeeded in adding length. The tone was also close to spot-on. It sounded like a man in late middle age trying to get things done in a hurry so he can head off to the pub.
But AI’s composition included very little wit and hardly any whimsy at all. And while the words sort of made sense, it almost looked like something that had been written in another language and then translated into English by someone with his mind on other things.
It’s not that my own work is any kind of masterpiece. Most weeks, if I manage to come up with something I’d rate as a six out of ten I’m happy. I’m not sure I’ve ever written anything that deserves more than an eight. But AI’s efforts looked more than a little garbled and, where it did make sense, it was more than a little cliched. And as a journalist, I avoid cliches like the plague.
So my plan to spend the remaining time between now and retirement sitting on a beach, occasionally instructing my computer to write 500 words complaining about potholes/taxes/the weather is on hold for now. AI may be the future, but it’s got a long way to go before it can match the miracle of the microwave.
Local baseball player, Caedyn Colford, has recently started his summer baseball season playing in front of thousands of Edmonton Riverhawks fans.
Colford has been playing baseball since he was three-years-old. He has been playing college-level baseball in the United States for a few years. Two years ago, he decided to move closer to home. Now he plays baseball year-round between two different teams.
“It was pretty cool, a little nerve-wracking,” says Colford. “I’ve never played in front of 6,000 fans. It was a really cool experience, and being able to do it in front of friends and family made it that much better.”
Since the fall of 2023, Colford has been playing for the Edmonton Collegiate Hawks, which runs under the Canadian College Baseball Conference, during the school year, and the Edmonton Riverhawks in the West Coast League over the summer. During the 2026 season, Colford set a new record for single-season home runs with 15 home runs, and the team took silver at the finals in Lethbridge May 21-24.
Jake Lanferman, the head coach for both the Edmonton Collegiate Hawks and the Edmonton Riverhawks, says he was impressed by Colford’s performance.
“He had 12 [home runs] in the regular season, and three in the playoffs,” says Lanferman. “He had a really strong year.”
The ERH play in the West Coast League, says Lanferman, and by playing for the Riverhawks, Colford will be performing in front of scouts for Major League Baseball.
“He’s always had power in his bat,” says Lanferman. “This year he really showcased that well. He led the team in multiple categories, but he also led the team as a leader off the field.”
Lanferman says as coach for the Hawks and the Riverhawks, he gets to see the local talent and tries to bring on as many of them as he can for the Riverhawks, though there are players from other areas as well.
“He’s got a strong glove; he’s a power hitter; he changes approaches here, so he hits for more contact and more average, too,” says Lanferman. “He’s done a really good job of promoting himself and playing good baseball.”
Colford says playing for the league can be tough, but he tries to stay humble and not let his success go to his head.
One of the main reasons he decided to stay in Edmonton was that he wanted to attend the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT). Currently, he’s enrolled in their electrical program and works a job while playing baseball.
Colford’s mother, Krista, says the family loves having him close to home.
“There’s nothing better than watching your kids play a sport that they love and succeed,” she says.
Krista says the dream of these players is to just continue playing baseball. Having them in their own backyard allows them to play the sport they love without having to be away from the support of loved ones.
“The skill level and quality of baseball that these kids are playing here is equivalent to playing junior college baseball in the States,” says Krista.
The next home game for the Riverhawks is on June 9. Tickets can be purchased on their website, www.riverhawksbaseball.com.
Interesting times in Alberta
Here we go then. In October we’ll be heading to the polls to vote on the future of this province with respect to its role in Canada.
Sort of.
This is not a referendum on whether Alberta should leave Canada. This is a referendum on whether Alberta should have a different, separate referendum on whether Alberta should leave Canada at some indefinite point in the future.
Hmmm.
If Premier Danielle Smith called the vote in order to take the wind from the sails of separatists within her own party, there’s an obvious and not terribly promising comparison in recent history.
That obvious comparison is with the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union. Prime Minister David Cameron decided to call a referendum on the issue in order to quiet a noisy section of his party. Cameron campaigned to stay in the EU, as did both the major opposition parties. What could possibly go wrong? Just about everything. The vote was lost. Cameron had to quit. And then: turmoil. The aftermath was reminiscent of that scene from the Simpsons where Sideshow Bob repeatedly steps on a series of rakes, each one of which hits him squarely in the face. It’s hilarious when it happens to someone else, but if it’s your face getting the rake handle treatment, you might not like it so much.
Since then the UK has stumbled along in a manner that makes headless chickens look like they’ve really got it together. And they’ve gone through a series of prime ministers none of whom have done much to impress. That list includes, at the absolute lowest point, a woman by the name of Liz Truss who did a pretty good job of tanking the economy in spite of only being in charge for about 20 minutes.
So not great then.
But enough of laughing at other people’s misfortunes. What does this all mean for Alberta, or for Canada, or for both?
What the Brexit experience teaches us that seismic events have repercussion upon repression upon repercussion.
If the separatist side loses the vote they are unlikely to just go away. Two lost referendums in the the late 20th Century did little to dampen the enthusiasm of the Parti Quebecois. Quebec and Alberta are very different places but there’s no reason to believe that the outcome of a defeat here will be any different than it was for our friends to the east. A loss would see the separatist side withdraw and regroup before attempting to start the whole process again using what they’ve learned the first time around as a spring board.
And if the separatist side wins and we vote to have that second referendum then, well, all bets are off.
In the meantime we have several months of uncertainty that will only serve to weaken Canada’s hand in negotiations with the United States, or anyone else for that matter. Meanwhile here in Alberta we can expect increasingly shrill rhetoric and mounting conflict between now and October, culminating in a vote that, either way, is going to leave some people extremely unhappy.
Doesn’t sound great, does it?
Event supports school in Ghana
The Awaso Canadian Academy Foundation had another successful fundraiser to support a school in Ghana last weekend.
Anne Murphy, one of the volunteer organizers and master of ceremonies for the event, says it was such a success because the community came together to make it possible.
“There were a lot of volunteers on board. We want to thank the very generous donors who contributed from the community in live and silent auction items,” says Murphy. “There were many volunteers who were available and really helped to get the event organized.”
During the evening there was a silent auction, a live auction, a game of Deal or No Deal, and student sponsorship packages available. They also had four more people sign up to sponsor a student for a year.
“It’s a one-time payment of $400, and students get what they need,” says Murphy. “That includes daily meals, supplies, and school uniforms.”
Murphy says every penny raised goes to the school. Volunteers who travel to Ghana to volunteer there pay their own way, and the entire organization is composed of volunteers.
“We have no overhead costs and any of the trips, including the very last group which went in January of 2025, all of our travel expenses from our committee end has always been done on our own, independently,” she says.
Emphasizing that all the money goes to the school is important, says Murphy, and she says that’s not common with non-profit organizations. She says many solid sponsorships have come on board due to the fact that ACAF keeps none of the money.
The academy in Awaso, Ghana was the dream of Father Paul Mensah, the priest for the St. Anthony Catholic Church, in 2000. He shared stories about his hometown, Awaso, with his parishioners, and they made his dream a reality.
The first visit to Awaso was in 2007, and by 2010 they had built two classrooms for girls in the community. Since then, they have been adding pieces to the school.
Over the years, there have been many additions to the building and many student success stories.
“Since adding a junior high, the students graduating from Grade 9 have graduated with distinction, giving them all the opportunity to move to a good high school in the larger cities and do extremely well academically,” says Murphy. “Now the school is seeing the fruits of its labour, as alumni are returning to encourage the students to reach their potential.”
Since their last fundraiser in 2024, the ACAF has funded two major updates regarding the academy. One was an upgrade to the water filtration system to provide safe drinking water to the students and the staff. They also drilled a new well that has purification equipment.
They also provided safe drinking water to the entire community.
“This necessitated the improvement of road access, the upgrading of the existing generator, and additional equipment and tanks, as well as the purchase of recyclable water bottles and dispensers so the community can come get their water there,” she says.
The second update is that the school is now offering a music program thanks to a generous donation.
“Last year, the academy purchased new instruments for the academy to form a band,” says Murphy. “That’s been really exciting for them.”
The ACAF is currently looking for volunteers for the foundation, as the board still consists of many original members. Murphy says they would like to have younger people involved so the academy can still be successful for years to come.
Those looking for more information, how to volunteer, or a way to donate to the cause can visit www.awasoacademy.ca and receive a charitable receipt. The ACAF can also reach out to the organization at admin@awasoacademy.ca.
Sports! All your questions answered!!!
What’s this World Cup I keep hearing about?
It’s the global festival of football that takes place every four years.
Football? I love football! Go Esks … sorry, I mean Go Elks!
Er, it’s not that kind of football. We’re talking about the game where you actually kick the ball with your foot. Not the game where you pick the ball up and run around a bit.
So when you say football you mean soccer. Stop being deliberately difficult.
OK, anyway, the World Cup is kicking off next month. It’s the world’s biggest sporting event and some of the action is taking place right here in Canada.
Right here?
Well, not right here. In Toronto and Vancouver.
Neither of those is anywhere near here.
Fair point. There are also games in cities in the United States and Mexico.
This is starting to sound familiar. Did Canada qualify?
As one of the host nations we get a free pass to the tournament, so Canada will be there without having to go through all the inconvenience of the qualifying rounds. Also in the mix are the usual big boys from the likes of Brazil, Argentina and Germany along with some places that aren’t traditional powerhouses like Haiti, Uzbekistan and England.
I see what you did there. What are our chances of winning?
The entire thing? Remote. But Canada did manage to get drawn in one of the easier groups for the round robin. We’ll be facing Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar and Switzerland during the group phase. Those are decent teams, especially the Swiss, but none of them are unbeatable. And if we make it to the knockout rounds, anything can happen. Although, to be honest it usually doesn’t.
Any particular players to watch out for?
Alphonso Davies is probably Canada’s brightest star. In his day job he’s a regular starter for Bayern Munich so officially counts as being Quite Good at Football. And he grew up in Edmonton! So far so good, but he stretched the bejesus out of his hamstring (this may not be the correct medical term) in a match against Paris Saint-Germain May 6 and is expected to be out of action for several weeks.
Oh dear. And when is Canada’s first World Cup match?
We face Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday June 12. So depending on your definition of “several weeks” Davies may or may not be able to play.
I can already feel the tension building. Any other drama to look out for?
Plenty. This will be the last World Cup for Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, both of whom are getting on a bit and will be very keen to go out with a bang. Scotland, Austria and Norway are back in the competition for the first time since 1998. We’ll see the World Cup debut of a number of nations including the likes of Curacao (population 180,000 and land area of 444 square kilometres) which is the smallest country ever to make it to the finals.
And Iran have qualified and have games in Los Angeles and Seattle.
You have captured my imagination with your insights. I can’t believe I used to say there was nothing interesting in the paper. I will purchase a large flag and a novelty inflatable maple leaf prior to June 12. Is there anything else I’ll need to get the most out of the tournament?
Patience. The first game kicks off June 11, but the final isn’t until July 19, 102 games later. That is a lot of football.
Book club helps build community
Angela Patty and her family have lived in the Berrymoor area all her life, and she would like to see the Berrymoor Centre as busy as it was when she was younger.
“Berrymoor seems to have grown so much in the last while that we don’t even know who our neighbours are anymore,” says Patty.
She wanted a way to get to know the families in the area better, and since she has a love of reading, she felt encouraging youth to join a book club could be a good way to achieve that.
“I know there’s a lot of kids who are struggling in the schools and just in general with reading, and I want to bring excitement to the stories,” she says.
The Bookaneers have been meeting at the Berrymoor Centre every Thursday night from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. for the past couple of months. Patty says the use of the hall was donated to them, courtesy of the 3Bs Board. The club has received book donations, and parents have been helping out by bringing healthy snacks, but the remaining costs come out of Patty’s pocket.
“It just makes me happy. I love seeing how excited the kids get with the books, and I’m very grateful that they’ve all really enjoyed the book choices that we’ve had so far,” she says.
Originally, the plan was to make it just a junior book club. However, it has become much more than that. Patty brought some of the toys her kids had used to the hall, and now they also have activities to participate in before they settle in to read.
“A lot of aunts, grandparents, and parents come, and then everyone just kind of gets to visit as well,” says Patty.
Though the book club is aimed at area residents, Patty says she wouldn’t turn away anyone who was willing to drive out to the club. The club is free to join, though donations are appreciated.
“We’re willing to expand and I can definitely get more parent volunteers to come out,” she says.
Currently, there are two groups reading two different books. The members get to choose which book they are more comfortable reading. The ages of the children are five to 13.
Patty says the children are always given the option to read aloud if they would like to, but she won’t ask them to because she wants them to feel comfortable.
“The last thing I want is for anyone leaving our group feeling discouraged,” she says.
Patty is also considering holding an adult book club in the future. She says she’s been putting feelers out to see if any parents would be interested.
Along with the book club, Patty also has a park play at the playground at the Berrymoor Centre every second Monday. She brings her son Atlas along for 5 p.m. and any kids are welcome to come out and join in.
“Whoever comes, great. Sometimes they don’t and sometimes they do,” she says. “I’m just trying to bring life to our little centre.”
Mathea Cruickshank- Holy Trinity Academy
Q: What has been the biggest struggle for you doing your senior year through Covid?
A: “It’s been hard building up self motivation, now you have to do stuff on your own and not have a support system there to help you out with schooling or any other aspects that you’d usually have in a regular year.”
Q: Academically, how has Covid affected you this year?
A: “I got relatively the same grades but definitely classes that I’m not as good at or passionate about my grades definitely dropped. I didn’t have the motivation to get stuff done.”
Q: Senior year usually involves tons of social events. How has Covid affected this?
A: “I feel like missing out on parties and just stuff like that. We didn’t get to create as strong of a class bond this year as other classes. Even just like sports teams and stuff we didn’t get to get together and have that type of fun.”
Q: Graduation will look a little different this year, what are your thoughts on it?
A: “I almost kind of like this year better because they are making us feel really special and I know not a lot of graduates get to experience what we are experiencing so I’m thankful for what we have.”
Q: What do your future plans look like?
A: “I’m going to Mount Royal University for a degree in social work.”
Rebekah Pequin- Holy Trinity Academy
Q: What has been the biggest struggle for you doing your senior year through Covid?
A: “Caring about school. It’s been difficult to have a positive attitude and the motivation to get the work done when you don’t have the encouragement from teachers and friends and not having a routine.”
Q: Academically, how has Covid affected you this year?
A: “It’s been a bit of a struggle but I’d say it’s more difficult to get the help. If you are struggling with something it’s harder to have the one on one that HTA normally has.”
Q: Senior year usually involves tons of social events. How has Covid affected this?
A: “I definitely missed out on sports. It was my last year to play basketball and to be the captain and all that. We didn’t get any of that this year. The tournaments are a big part of it but the bonding aspect also with your couches and with your teammates.”
Q: Graduation will look a little different this year, what are your thoughts on it?
A: “I’m excited that it’s something different but it’s also disappointing that I saw both my older brothers’ grads and it was a lot of fun and it was a lot of togetherness with all the teachers, all the staff and kids you aren’t as close with in your class you become closer with at the banquet… We definitely won’t be able to get that and I definitely won’t be able to have my family see me work on my accomplishments because a lot of them won’t come if it’s just in a car.”
Q: What do your future plans look like?
A: I’m attending Grant Macewan for a Bachelor of Arts in psychology to do a career as a prison psychologist.
Here’s an important question. Will you have enough money to live comfortably when it’s time to retire? Actually, scratch that. Here’s an even more important question. Will I have enough money to live comfortably when it’s time to retire?
It’s a question that’s worth asking, especially if, like me, you are haplessly stumbling toward your mid-sixties with no clear goals and no plan for the future whatsoever other than the half-formed notion that you’d like to make it to the pub on Friday if possible. And oh yeah, wouldn’t it be nice if you didn’t have to spend the rest of your life collecting carts at the grocery store?
Retiring is expensive. You need money. Quite a lot of money. The gravity of the situation was brought home to me last week while I was slogging my way through my 2025 tax return (oh, the memories!) It turns out I have enough unused contribution room on my RRSP to fund the purchase of a mid-sized airline. But sadly I have so little money that I can’t even, well, I can’t even afford to pay someone else to do my tax return.
There’s always the Canada Pension Plan. I’m a big fan of the CPP, but even there I have a problem. What you get out is determined by what you put in. I didn’t start making contributions until I was 24 on the not unreasonable grounds that I didn’t live in Canada. There’s another gap in my contribution history from the five years I spent at university while I was in my thirties. Hey, it was a tough course and I didn’t want to rush things. Anyway, after that I got a job as a junior reporter with wages so low that my CPP contributions were virtually zero anyway … I think the thrill of getting my photograph in the paper every week was supposed to be reward enough for my efforts. After all that … you get the picture, and as pictures go, it ain’t particularly pretty.
So, what’s a boy to do?
It’s not that I don’t like working. OK, well maybe it is a bit. But it’s more that I’m starting to feel, if not actually old, then rather less young than I used to. I’ve still got some working years left in me, but I can see a time when I’ll be ready to spend my days sitting on the deck composing long and frequently incoherent letters to my Member of Parliament on a variety of issues, none of which I fully understand, before hiking my pants up somewhere in the direction of my armpits and heading off for my evening meal at 4 p.m.
So how do I get there? How do I put away sufficient dosh over the next couple of years to be able to keep myself and the current Mrs. Long in the necessities of life (Preparation H, gin and Maalox as I understand it) through our declining years? It is, as I said earlier, a question worth asking. And, if I had to do things over again, it’s a question I would probably have asked myself before things went quite this far.
There is a little bit of a stereotype around newspapers. Some people think that the only people who read them are seniors. Our data shows otherwise. Typically as soon as you own property or enter the family phase of life you get more involved in the community. And that includes reading the newspaper. So our range of avid readers tends to be 34 plus, not 65 plus. But, regardless, many business owners will decline to advertise in the paper because, “It’s only read by seniors.”
Even if that was the case, I am writing today to say; don’t write off seniors.
Seniors make up about 17.5 percent of the Drayton Valley population according to the 2021 census. Census data states that in 2021 our community has a population of 6,970, and 1,040 of that is 65+. So why is this important information to know?
Boomers’ spending power is stuff of legend. In September 2025, McLean’s Magazine featured a long form article titled “The Jackpot Generation.” The article explored the wealth transfer of $1 trillion from boomer parents to their children or grandchildren that is expected over the next 10-15 years.
Drayton Valley has typically been considered a young community with the bulk of our population being well under 65. However, as community founders, and boomers who moved here in the early days of the oil boom age in this community we are lucky to have a portion of our population who have strong community ties, some disposable income, and still favour the traditional ways of doing commerce – face to face.
While this population is on the rise in our community, I am not so sure our businesses have grown to include this demographic in their marketing mix.
Last Wednesday at 2:30 pm I went grocery shopping, and I was amazed at how packed the parking lot was. It was seniors’ discount day, and so on top of your regular shoppers you are now seeing an influx of seniors who are discount savvy and are looking to experience the community while doing so. This got me thinking. Why didn’t other retail locations piggy back on the success of the grocery store with a Wednesday seniors’ discount day? Or where are the early bird dinner specials to fill up the slow 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm time slots in the restaurants?
Seniors in 2026, are not shut-ins. They are active in the community, and in life. They have disposable income, and they still believe in traditional business transactions. If you think the newspaper is “only read by seniors,” you’re wrong. But even if it was, then choosing not to advertise because of this fact may mean that you are not reaching a critical demographic in this community and you are leaving money on the table.
Looking forward to a nice relaxing summer? Not so fast. As we (finally!) approach the nice bit of 2026, I thought it would be useful to put together a list of the things I am currently worried about. And if I’m going to worry about them, so should you.
I’m worried about the way our provincial government is extending its own powers. The UCP is attempting to broaden its authority in areas that have traditionally been under federal jurisdiction. At the same time they are limiting the powers of municipalities and school boards to act without provincial approval. If all this comes to pass we are going to have one honking big (and powerful) government in Edmonton. That should give every one the collywobbles. If the NDP had tried something like this while they were in power we’d have been screaming to the high heavens.
I’m worried about our friends to the south. Every time you think America can’t get any more dystopian they find a way to prove you wrong. And the noise! It’s like living next door to a frat house.
I’m worried about retirement. The Canada Pension Plan works just fine. I’m looking forward to collecting my CPP in a year or two. Brand name beer here I come! The thought of ditching the CPP for a new and untried Alberta Pension Plan makes me more nervous than a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. And yet that’s what the provincial government seems intent on doing. I’m sorry, I’m sure Danielle and the gang have nothing but good intentions, but I don’t trust them not to make a complete and utter mess of things. If they feel like gambling I wish they’d do it with their own money.
I’m worried about the amount of ill-informed bile I see on social media and elsewhere directed at immigrants and refugees. This stuff invariably comes from people who claim to be acting to protect Canadian values. Clearly we have a different view on exactly what Canadian values are.
I’m worried that our thoughts and prayers don’t seem to be doing enough to prevent school shootings, public transit attacks or any of a raft of other atrocities. And I’m worried that I seem to have lost count of the number of those atrocities that have happened already this year. Perhaps we should all try thinking and praying harder?
I’m worried that we seem to spend more time focussing on the things that divide us than on the things that unite us.
I’m worried that these days, when you come across something that doesn’t match your own narrow world view, you’re free to select your own set of alternative facts to back up whatever bonkers theory you’re supporting. And if someone points out that your set of facts aren’t actually very, umm, factual, you’re able to label him as a stooge of big government who’s too blind to see that the Earth really is flat, 9/11 was the work of the Illuminati, the Kremlin is controlled by Disney etc. etc. etc.
I’m worried about inflation. I’m worried about Iran. I’m worried about the Blue Jays’ pitching. I’m worried about gas prices and I’m worried about property tax.
There. I’m glad that’s off my chest. Now It’s time to get out and enjoy that sunshine!
Three degrees with a chance of flurries? I did not see that coming. Dammit!
The Hearts and Hands Quilters’ Guild did more than just draw winners for their annual quilt raffle last week. They also presented 14 quilts to All Are Daughters for use at their women’s rehabilitation facility.
The guild boasts 28 members from the community, and all of them work to build quilts that can be donated to people in need. Each year, they hold a raffle fundraiser for three quilts, and the proceeds are then split between three different organizations.
This year they raised about $700 for their guild, the Kickstand Youth Hub, and STARS, along with their donation of quilts to All Are Daughters.
Trina Beckett, the vice president of All Are Daughters, was on hand at their meeting to accept the donation.
“About a year-and-a-half ago, a group of us women got together to start working on this dream of so many of us to open this recovery centre for women,” says Beckett.
She says there are members of the board who have gone through addiction and have been in recovery for years. Beckett is the mother of an addict, and her experience helping her daughter get through the first few months of recovery made her want to help others going through something similar.
“As a parent, you do anything to help your child because you know they’re in there somewhere,” she says.
Beckett says her daughter was involved with the centre before she passed away last summer. Despite the loss of her daughter, Beckett still wants to see the centre completed.
Right now, the facility is ready to go, but they don’t have an open date just yet. The organization is currently waiting for funding from the Province to cover operating costs, as well as getting licensing in order.
“We do have all our rooms spoken for as sponsor rooms right now,” she says. “We are just waiting for the go-ahead to get open.”
She says there aren’t any recovery centres for women in rural communities. Having both a men’s and a women’s centre is a positive thing, she says.
“We thank you guys for your support as well,” she told the guild. “Without the support of the community, we wouldn’t be able to do so far what we’ve done.”
The winners of this year’s raffles were Mel Sibley from Warburg, who took home Wolves on the Prowl; Pam Baker, who won Winter’s Day; and Wendy Nordell received One Up One Down.
The guild is always looking for new members, and they meet on the third Thursday of each month at the Beehive Support Services Building, but don’t meet in July or August. They also have regular sewing days on Wednesdays.
Opportunity Home’s first Spring Shaker was a success, says executive director Danna Cropley.
“The event sold out within the first few weeks,” says Cropley. “Beyond that, the event went absolutely amazingly.”
The evening had a dance, a catered dinner, and silent auction items to help raise funds for the rehabilitation centre. Cropley says it wouldn’t have been possible without the volunteers who helped put the event together. About 230 people attended.
“Jen Winter, Janice Kupsch, and their crew organized the event. The room was full of energy and community; it was so great,” says Cropley.
One of the reasons for the event, along with raising funds to help run the facility, was to educate the public about what the facility does and how it helps those in need. Opportunity Home opened its doors in February 2023, and has seen numerous people complete the 90-day program during its three years of operation.
Earlier in the week, Cropley also spoke to town council with the same goal in mind.
“Because the council is fairly new… we just wanted to update them on Opportunity Home’s mission, vision, and values, [as well] as the value our project brings, not only to the municipality but also our provincial community and out to our country.”
Cropley says the facility has offered beds to people from across the province, British Columbia, and some from the United States. She says she wanted council to see the reach that they have now and how they are supporting Recovery Alberta’s response to the current opioid crisis.
In her presentation to council, Cropley touched on the community, social, and economic value the centre brought to the community. This included the volunteer work the clients provided, homelessness and poverty prevention, as well as reducing taxpayer costs for emergency, health, and justice services.
She says community investment is a crucial part of the success of the centre, not in terms of dollars, but in terms of interest from the community, volunteers, and feedback.
“I just really wanted to make sure that town council was aware of who we are and what we do,” says Cropley.
Opportunity Home is hosting another event on June 19 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. that is open to the public: a memorial tree planting ceremony, along with a barbecue and tour of the facility. Cropley says they will also have different resources and services at the event for people to connect with if needed.
She says the tree-planting ceremony will be in honour of some community members who have recently passed away. Members of the public are welcome to donate to plant a tree in memory of someone they have lost.
All advertising is bad advertising when you don’t have a marketing goal in mind.
Whether it’s direct mail, digital marketing, broadcasting or newspaper; when you’ve undertaken an ad campaign with no consideration for your marketing goals you’ll be disappointed every time.
Every local business goes through a marketing lifecycle: awareness – consideration – conversion – retention and loyalty. Where your business is at in that lifecycle has to be a primary consideration when you develop a newspaper advertising campaign.
Awareness marketing has its place
If you’ve just opened your doors and you’re new to the community you need to create awareness. You literally need to be the town crier and tell people that you exist. Newspaper ads that announce events and grand openings, publicize your contact information, and let folks know who you are, what you’re doing and why you’re doing it are all part of a general awareness campaign.
When a company says that their newspaper ad is no longer working for them it’s more than likely they’ve gotten in the rut of continually advertising for awareness. The problem with getting stuck in an awareness mentality for too long is that it doesn’t deepen your relationship with the reader. “I’m here!” you say. “Yeah, so what!” They shout back. Once a business is launched the focus should shift to building relevancy, and moving a customer to considering your business over anyone else’s.
Relationship marketing: What does this look like in your local rural newspaper? A little different than you may think.
Local businesses are not global brands, and to advertise the same way would whitewash all the character that you bring to the table. Most certainly locals are looking for a product to satisfy a need but that isn’t the only input that goes into their buying decision. What looks like brand loyalty at a global level is actually relationship loyalty at a local level. Locals love doing business with people they know, either directly or indirectly. Since starting the newspaper there have been many people who have bought subscriptions and purchased advertising, not because they knew me, but because they know someone in my family, or someone on our staff. Locals are relationship loyal and love to support the names and faces behind the business. Don’t believe me – ladies how many candle parties, or tupperware parties have you gone to even though you have way too many candles and storage containers already? Exactly. People love to support people they know.
Leveraging your own name, and staff is one way you create the mental space for consideration and gets you away from general awareness marketing.
Secondly use the medium as a targeting method. When you advertise in the Drayton Valley and District Free Press, you can make some broad assumptions about who may see your ad: they read, more specifically they read the Free Press, they live in the region, they are one of thousands that are getting the same newspaper with the same information on the same day, to name a few.
As you personalize your ads to reflect the deeper character of your business you can also personalize your ads to focus on what’s happening in the community and make connections by resonating with local pain points – “Hey Free Press readers how about that wind storm last week! Sticks and leaves everywhere. Did you know we sell leaf blowers year round?…” “Spring potholes getting your down, come in for a spring tune up to make sure your car is on-road and off road ready…”
Positioning is important
On a local level building relevancy is not just about pushing product it is about positioning. At the end of the day you want locals to know who you are, what you do, and why your business is worth supporting and that you are one of them. You hate potholes too, you have a yard full of sticks too, their pain points are your pain points. To move from awareness to consideration you have to stop crying for customers and start connecting with customers – beginning with who you are.
Corbyn Colwell- Frank Maddock High School
Q: What has been the biggest struggle for you doing your senior year through Covid?
A: “Motivation. Just having a hard time keeping up with school because we keep going in and out of it. So the learning styles are different even.”
Q: Academically, how has Covid affected you this year?
A: “I’m pretty sure there has been a drop but there are some classes where the work has somehow gotten easier… I noticed with a lot of my friends that we focus on one subject more than the others during online school so we get behind so our grades all fluctuate due to that.”
Q: Senior year usually involves tons of social events. How has Covid affected this?
A: “I feel like I don’t know most of my class as much as the previous classes have but I have gotten closer to the people who are actually in my classes.”
Q: Graduation will look a little different this year, what are your thoughts on it?
A: “I’m liking how it’s gonna be outside and a little bit quieter than it usually is but I am a little disappointed that there’s a possibility that we won’t get a prom.”
Q: What do your future plans look like?
A: “My plan is to work for a year and try to figure out what I wanna do. And then I’m going to go to school.”
Delaina Osborne– Frank Maddock High School
Q: What has been the biggest struggle for you doing your senior year through Covid?
A: “Definitely motivation and burnout… Because I’m so academically orientated I have to get really high grades to feel successful so to have to combat going from in person learning to at home learning was very stressful and then very unmotivating because have the time we would be doing things and then all the sudden they wouldn’t matter anymore and so after first semester my burnout hit really really hard and so it made things very difficult to see the point of continuing.”
Q: Senior year usually involves tons of social events. How has Covid affected this?
A: “Because we are seniors we expect that this year is to be all about our graduation and all about our success so we want to go out and we want to go to Edmonton on the weekends, we want to go swimming, we want to hang out and stuff and we haven’t had the ability to do that and actually be able to celebrate us as like this transition period in our lives… So I think socially it was very detrimental and a lot of people did suffer from that whether that be just they are very extroverted or just the fact that they felt like they weren’t mattering anymore.”
Q: Graduation will look a little different this year, what are your thoughts on it?
A: “The school is doing a lot with what they have… I’m hoping that with restrictions opening up hopefully early July then myself and others can celebrate. It just sucks that we won’t be around our teachers and we won’t be around the families who have supported us through all this. So we won’t be able to cross the stage and say hey I did this to everyone. It will just be myself, two other teachers and my parents.”
Q: What do your future plans look like?
A: “I am going to the University of Alberta for an English major and an art minor because I plan on applying myself to more of the arts in my future.”
Here’s an important question. Will you have enough money to live comfortably when it’s time to retire? Actually, scratch that. Here’s an even more important question. Will I have enough money to live comfortably when it’s time to retire?
It’s a question that’s worth asking, especially if, like me, you are haplessly stumbling toward your mid-sixties with no clear goals and no plan for the future whatsoever other than the half-formed notion that you’d like to make it to the pub on Friday if possible. And oh yeah, wouldn’t it be nice if you didn’t have to spend the rest of your life collecting carts at the grocery store?
Retiring is expensive. You need money. Quite a lot of money. The gravity of the situation was brought home to me last week while I was slogging my way through my 2025 tax return (oh, the memories!) It turns out I have enough unused contribution room on my RRSP to fund the purchase of a mid-sized airline. But sadly I have so little money that I can’t even, well, I can’t even afford to pay someone else to do my tax return.
There’s always the Canada Pension Plan. I’m a big fan of the CPP, but even there I have a problem. What you get out is determined by what you put in. I didn’t start making contributions until I was 24 on the not unreasonable grounds that I didn’t live in Canada. There’s another gap in my contribution history from the five years I spent at university while I was in my thirties. Hey, it was a tough course and I didn’t want to rush things. Anyway, after that I got a job as a junior reporter with wages so low that my CPP contributions were virtually zero anyway … I think the thrill of getting my photograph in the paper every week was supposed to be reward enough for my efforts. After all that … you get the picture, and as pictures go, it ain’t particularly pretty.
So, what’s a boy to do?
It’s not that I don’t like working. OK, well maybe it is a bit. But it’s more that I’m starting to feel, if not actually old, then rather less young than I used to. I’ve still got some working years left in me, but I can see a time when I’ll be ready to spend my days sitting on the deck composing long and frequently incoherent letters to my Member of Parliament on a variety of issues, none of which I fully understand, before hiking my pants up somewhere in the direction of my armpits and heading off for my evening meal at 4 p.m.
So how do I get there? How do I put away sufficient dosh over the next couple of years to be able to keep myself and the current Mrs. Long in the necessities of life (Preparation H, gin and Maalox as I understand it) through our declining years? It is, as I said earlier, a question worth asking. And, if I had to do things over again, it’s a question I would probably have asked myself before things went quite this far.
There is a little bit of a stereotype around newspapers. Some people think that the only people who read them are seniors. Our data shows otherwise. Typically as soon as you own property or enter the family phase of life you get more involved in the community. And that includes reading the newspaper. So our range of avid readers tends to be 34 plus, not 65 plus. But, regardless, many business owners will decline to advertise in the paper because, “It’s only read by seniors.”
Even if that was the case, I am writing today to say; don’t write off seniors.
Seniors make up about 17.5 percent of the Drayton Valley population according to the 2021 census. Census data states that in 2021 our community has a population of 6,970, and 1,040 of that is 65+. So why is this important information to know?
Boomers’ spending power is stuff of legend. In September 2025, McLean’s Magazine featured a long form article titled “The Jackpot Generation.” The article explored the wealth transfer of $1 trillion from boomer parents to their children or grandchildren that is expected over the next 10-15 years.
Drayton Valley has typically been considered a young community with the bulk of our population being well under 65. However, as community founders, and boomers who moved here in the early days of the oil boom age in this community we are lucky to have a portion of our population who have strong community ties, some disposable income, and still favour the traditional ways of doing commerce – face to face.
While this population is on the rise in our community, I am not so sure our businesses have grown to include this demographic in their marketing mix.
Last Wednesday at 2:30 pm I went grocery shopping, and I was amazed at how packed the parking lot was. It was seniors’ discount day, and so on top of your regular shoppers you are now seeing an influx of seniors who are discount savvy and are looking to experience the community while doing so. This got me thinking. Why didn’t other retail locations piggy back on the success of the grocery store with a Wednesday seniors’ discount day? Or where are the early bird dinner specials to fill up the slow 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm time slots in the restaurants?
Seniors in 2026, are not shut-ins. They are active in the community, and in life. They have disposable income, and they still believe in traditional business transactions. If you think the newspaper is “only read by seniors,” you’re wrong. But even if it was, then choosing not to advertise because of this fact may mean that you are not reaching a critical demographic in this community and you are leaving money on the table.
Looking forward to a nice relaxing summer? Not so fast. As we (finally!) approach the nice bit of 2026, I thought it would be useful to put together a list of the things I am currently worried about. And if I’m going to worry about them, so should you.
I’m worried about the way our provincial government is extending its own powers. The UCP is attempting to broaden its authority in areas that have traditionally been under federal jurisdiction. At the same time they are limiting the powers of municipalities and school boards to act without provincial approval. If all this comes to pass we are going to have one honking big (and powerful) government in Edmonton. That should give every one the collywobbles. If the NDP had tried something like this while they were in power we’d have been screaming to the high heavens.
I’m worried about our friends to the south. Every time you think America can’t get any more dystopian they find a way to prove you wrong. And the noise! It’s like living next door to a frat house.
I’m worried about retirement. The Canada Pension Plan works just fine. I’m looking forward to collecting my CPP in a year or two. Brand name beer here I come! The thought of ditching the CPP for a new and untried Alberta Pension Plan makes me more nervous than a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. And yet that’s what the provincial government seems intent on doing. I’m sorry, I’m sure Danielle and the gang have nothing but good intentions, but I don’t trust them not to make a complete and utter mess of things. If they feel like gambling I wish they’d do it with their own money.
I’m worried about the amount of ill-informed bile I see on social media and elsewhere directed at immigrants and refugees. This stuff invariably comes from people who claim to be acting to protect Canadian values. Clearly we have a different view on exactly what Canadian values are.
I’m worried that our thoughts and prayers don’t seem to be doing enough to prevent school shootings, public transit attacks or any of a raft of other atrocities. And I’m worried that I seem to have lost count of the number of those atrocities that have happened already this year. Perhaps we should all try thinking and praying harder?
I’m worried that we seem to spend more time focussing on the things that divide us than on the things that unite us.
I’m worried that these days, when you come across something that doesn’t match your own narrow world view, you’re free to select your own set of alternative facts to back up whatever bonkers theory you’re supporting. And if someone points out that your set of facts aren’t actually very, umm, factual, you’re able to label him as a stooge of big government who’s too blind to see that the Earth really is flat, 9/11 was the work of the Illuminati, the Kremlin is controlled by Disney etc. etc. etc.
I’m worried about inflation. I’m worried about Iran. I’m worried about the Blue Jays’ pitching. I’m worried about gas prices and I’m worried about property tax.
There. I’m glad that’s off my chest. Now It’s time to get out and enjoy that sunshine!
Three degrees with a chance of flurries? I did not see that coming. Dammit!
The Hearts and Hands Quilters’ Guild did more than just draw winners for their annual quilt raffle last week. They also presented 14 quilts to All Are Daughters for use at their women’s rehabilitation facility.
The guild boasts 28 members from the community, and all of them work to build quilts that can be donated to people in need. Each year, they hold a raffle fundraiser for three quilts, and the proceeds are then split between three different organizations.
This year they raised about $700 for their guild, the Kickstand Youth Hub, and STARS, along with their donation of quilts to All Are Daughters.
Trina Beckett, the vice president of All Are Daughters, was on hand at their meeting to accept the donation.
“About a year-and-a-half ago, a group of us women got together to start working on this dream of so many of us to open this recovery centre for women,” says Beckett.
She says there are members of the board who have gone through addiction and have been in recovery for years. Beckett is the mother of an addict, and her experience helping her daughter get through the first few months of recovery made her want to help others going through something similar.
“As a parent, you do anything to help your child because you know they’re in there somewhere,” she says.
Beckett says her daughter was involved with the centre before she passed away last summer. Despite the loss of her daughter, Beckett still wants to see the centre completed.
Right now, the facility is ready to go, but they don’t have an open date just yet. The organization is currently waiting for funding from the Province to cover operating costs, as well as getting licensing in order.
“We do have all our rooms spoken for as sponsor rooms right now,” she says. “We are just waiting for the go-ahead to get open.”
She says there aren’t any recovery centres for women in rural communities. Having both a men’s and a women’s centre is a positive thing, she says.
“We thank you guys for your support as well,” she told the guild. “Without the support of the community, we wouldn’t be able to do so far what we’ve done.”
The winners of this year’s raffles were Mel Sibley from Warburg, who took home Wolves on the Prowl; Pam Baker, who won Winter’s Day; and Wendy Nordell received One Up One Down.
The guild is always looking for new members, and they meet on the third Thursday of each month at the Beehive Support Services Building, but don’t meet in July or August. They also have regular sewing days on Wednesdays.
Opportunity Home’s first Spring Shaker was a success, says executive director Danna Cropley.
“The event sold out within the first few weeks,” says Cropley. “Beyond that, the event went absolutely amazingly.”
The evening had a dance, a catered dinner, and silent auction items to help raise funds for the rehabilitation centre. Cropley says it wouldn’t have been possible without the volunteers who helped put the event together. About 230 people attended.
“Jen Winter, Janice Kupsch, and their crew organized the event. The room was full of energy and community; it was so great,” says Cropley.
One of the reasons for the event, along with raising funds to help run the facility, was to educate the public about what the facility does and how it helps those in need. Opportunity Home opened its doors in February 2023, and has seen numerous people complete the 90-day program during its three years of operation.
Earlier in the week, Cropley also spoke to town council with the same goal in mind.
“Because the council is fairly new… we just wanted to update them on Opportunity Home’s mission, vision, and values, [as well] as the value our project brings, not only to the municipality but also our provincial community and out to our country.”
Cropley says the facility has offered beds to people from across the province, British Columbia, and some from the United States. She says she wanted council to see the reach that they have now and how they are supporting Recovery Alberta’s response to the current opioid crisis.
In her presentation to council, Cropley touched on the community, social, and economic value the centre brought to the community. This included the volunteer work the clients provided, homelessness and poverty prevention, as well as reducing taxpayer costs for emergency, health, and justice services.
She says community investment is a crucial part of the success of the centre, not in terms of dollars, but in terms of interest from the community, volunteers, and feedback.
“I just really wanted to make sure that town council was aware of who we are and what we do,” says Cropley.
Opportunity Home is hosting another event on June 19 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. that is open to the public: a memorial tree planting ceremony, along with a barbecue and tour of the facility. Cropley says they will also have different resources and services at the event for people to connect with if needed.
She says the tree-planting ceremony will be in honour of some community members who have recently passed away. Members of the public are welcome to donate to plant a tree in memory of someone they have lost.
All advertising is bad advertising when you don’t have a marketing goal in mind.
Whether it’s direct mail, digital marketing, broadcasting or newspaper; when you’ve undertaken an ad campaign with no consideration for your marketing goals you’ll be disappointed every time.
Every local business goes through a marketing lifecycle: awareness – consideration – conversion – retention and loyalty. Where your business is at in that lifecycle has to be a primary consideration when you develop a newspaper advertising campaign.
Awareness marketing has its place
If you’ve just opened your doors and you’re new to the community you need to create awareness. You literally need to be the town crier and tell people that you exist. Newspaper ads that announce events and grand openings, publicize your contact information, and let folks know who you are, what you’re doing and why you’re doing it are all part of a general awareness campaign.
When a company says that their newspaper ad is no longer working for them it’s more than likely they’ve gotten in the rut of continually advertising for awareness. The problem with getting stuck in an awareness mentality for too long is that it doesn’t deepen your relationship with the reader. “I’m here!” you say. “Yeah, so what!” They shout back. Once a business is launched the focus should shift to building relevancy, and moving a customer to considering your business over anyone else’s.
Relationship marketing: What does this look like in your local rural newspaper? A little different than you may think.
Local businesses are not global brands, and to advertise the same way would whitewash all the character that you bring to the table. Most certainly locals are looking for a product to satisfy a need but that isn’t the only input that goes into their buying decision. What looks like brand loyalty at a global level is actually relationship loyalty at a local level. Locals love doing business with people they know, either directly or indirectly. Since starting the newspaper there have been many people who have bought subscriptions and purchased advertising, not because they knew me, but because they know someone in my family, or someone on our staff. Locals are relationship loyal and love to support the names and faces behind the business. Don’t believe me – ladies how many candle parties, or tupperware parties have you gone to even though you have way too many candles and storage containers already? Exactly. People love to support people they know.
Leveraging your own name, and staff is one way you create the mental space for consideration and gets you away from general awareness marketing.
Secondly use the medium as a targeting method. When you advertise in the Drayton Valley and District Free Press, you can make some broad assumptions about who may see your ad: they read, more specifically they read the Free Press, they live in the region, they are one of thousands that are getting the same newspaper with the same information on the same day, to name a few.
As you personalize your ads to reflect the deeper character of your business you can also personalize your ads to focus on what’s happening in the community and make connections by resonating with local pain points – “Hey Free Press readers how about that wind storm last week! Sticks and leaves everywhere. Did you know we sell leaf blowers year round?…” “Spring potholes getting your down, come in for a spring tune up to make sure your car is on-road and off road ready…”
Positioning is important
On a local level building relevancy is not just about pushing product it is about positioning. At the end of the day you want locals to know who you are, what you do, and why your business is worth supporting and that you are one of them. You hate potholes too, you have a yard full of sticks too, their pain points are your pain points. To move from awareness to consideration you have to stop crying for customers and start connecting with customers – beginning with who you are.
Talking taxation blues
Early May is a special time of year. The snow has gone. The birds are back. There’s finally a touch of summer in the air, but still no sign of wasps or mosquitoes.
Rodeo weekend “sensational”
Organizers for the Drayton Valley Pro Rodeo are happy to say this year was a success.
Gus Pietsch says tickets were sold out for Saturday, with both Friday and Sunday also close to capacity.
Landfill fire causes temporary closure
Drayton Valley/Brazeau County Fire Services spent 12 hours fighting a fire at the Drayton Valley landfill on Monday.
Oh, to be young again
Here’s an important question. Will you have enough money to live comfortably when it’s time to retire? Actually, scratch that. Here’s an even more important question. Will I have enough money to live comfortably when it’s time to retire?
