Time is running out to submit names to be added to the Drayton Valley Legion’s Wall of Honour this year.
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St. Anthony Catholic Church
St. Anthony’s Parish Drayton Valley. Weekend mass Saturday and Sunday
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Calvary Baptist Church
Sunday Worship Service 10:30am We meet every Sunday at 10:30 AM for a Scripturally-based message,
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The aim is to have the names unveiled as part of the Remembrance Day ceremony November 11. To be eligible the person must be a deceased veteran who served in the Canadian or Commonwealth Forces for at least one year.
“They have to have lived locally for one year and been honourably discharged,” says Legion President Bill Cavanagh.
Ah the 90’s. It’s hard not to get sentimental about that decade. We were on the cusp of computer technology and many things we did were still analog including camping overnight to get concert tickets. It isn’t very often that you get to partake in rituals like this anymore. In our digital dominated lives, there isn’t much that can’t be bought with just a click of a button. Or at least that’s what I thought.
A couple of weeks ago my aunt and I headed east to Toronto to watch a couple of Blue Jays games, and see Niagara Falls. Of course like a traditional east-west divide the weather was a balmy plus 24 here and a mere plus 10-15 there. I don’t think Chicago should be the only city named “The Windy City,” because Toronto was windy, and rainy.
However, whether the weather was better here or there wasn’t really the point of the trip. This was going to be the first time my aunt has ever gone to a Jays game. She has yelled at hundreds of them on the television but has never stepped foot in the stadium. Neither had I for that matter, however I am not sure I actually ever completely watched a Blue Jays game. It’s safe to say she’s the fan, I am a poser.
There was no greater reflection of our differences than when we finished brunch at the Sportsnet Grill, a restaurant connected to Rogers Center. My aunt had struck up a conversation with another super fan he informed her that if she expected to get a Jose’ Bautista and an Edwin Encarnacion bobblehead at tonight’s game she should be standing in line right now!
To be clear, “right now” was 11:00 AM and “tonight’s game” didn’t start until 7:00PM! The informant was one of a small group that had begun their door sitting vigil at 8:00AM that day.
They were rotating each other out in shifts so they could do bathroom breaks, and get food. They had coolers, lawn chairs, and blankets. All the things we did not have. I thought the whole scene was completely nuts.
My aunt on the other hand was seriously considering sticking out the rest of the day in line.
Why? Because. She’s a super fan and as I’ve come to understand the Blue Jay bobbleheads are a collectors item, they only make 15,000 of each and there are no repeat reproductions. “People sell them on Facebook for like $150,” said the super-informant. Not bad resale value but, no way Jose, I was outie.
We came back to Rogers Centre at 3:00PM, a mere four hours before game time and two hours before the doors opened and line ups there were. My aunt saw the lines and looked like someone just stole her dog. For the briefest of moments I felt an inkling of remorse. There was no way we were getting a bobblehead with these line ups.
But, a quick interrogation of some bobblehead vets, already in line, let us know that all hope wasn’t lost. Based on their historical data, and where we were in line we were guaranteed a bobblehead.
Things were looking up. Until these two people showed up behind us with empty Twisted Teas falling out of their lunch bags. “Oh, man”, I thought we are in for a loooong two hours.
As it turned out dad (65) was an accountant, and often went to ball games with his son (22), a new film school graduate who had an extensive bobblehead collection – 120 in total, were really quite nice and only half in the bag.
Our new friends shared their picnic blanket, showed us where the best bathrooms were, and the cheapest hotdogs.
My aunt talked shop about baseball, and hockey. The wind was cold, but our analog experience, waiting in line for something that couldn’t be bought online really set the tone for our first Jays experience. Not only did it make for an absolutely ridiculous story, there were many text messages that said, “Why the heck would you do that,” it also brought us into the Jays community. Not through a digital medium but in real life, with real people. It is with a sense of nostalgia that I am happy to know that there are still some analog experiences to be had, you just have to be crazy enough to do them.
Drayton Valley is one of a handful of municipalities that are partnering with Northern Lakes College to bring a Mobile Trades Unit to the community.
The unit is the newest educational opportunity that the town is putting forward for residents. After the success of the Health Care Aide and Grow Your Own RN programs, they wanted to offer something for the trades.
Corinne Friesen, the manager of economic development for the Town, says bringing the unit to town shows further evidence that the town’s approach to rural education is working.
Both high school students and adults will be able to take the courses.
“It’s a dual credit program,” says Friesen. “High school students can earn credits towards their high school diploma as well as credits towards their post-secondary institution.”
The tuition for the program will be about $5,000 to $7,000, but students will be able to apply for the Tuition Assistance Bursary (TAB) to cover some of the costs. Recent graduates may also be able to apply for some local community scholarships to help with the expense itself.
“We actually got a sponsorship for $10,000 towards those students as well, that we’ll use through TAB,” says Friesen. “Cenovus gave us $10,000 to support these specific students. That money will be going to TAB and will be allocated through TAB for these students.”
Those who enroll in the program won’t just get their feet wet trying out different trades. By the end of the course, they will be able to challenge the first period apprenticeship exam and finish as a registered apprentice.
The setting for the learning will be a little different from what a student would normally expect. Classroom work will take place in the public works building; hands-on training will be offered by the mobile unit.
Friesen says it is basically a 50 foot long transport trailer that opens up vertically and horizontally to create a lab space of 1,500 square feet — enough room to train 8 to 10 students at a time.
Friesen says there are five specific programs they can offer in the space, and the Town chose carpentry and electrical to start with. In the future, they may offer welding, heavy equipment technician, and industrial mechanics depending on the success of this first year.
“It’s a pre-employment trades programming,” says Friesen. “It’s a 16-week program that they register through Northern Lakes College with.”
She says there will be two semesters this time. If they are successful at finding enough local instructors and can prove there is good community enrollment, they will be able to keep the truck for a longer period of time.
Friesen says the mobile trades unit will offer benefits to the community as a whole, not just the students who enroll in the program.
“It’s been in the works a long time, so it is kind of a milestone in terms of our relationship with Northern Lakes College. We’ve evolved it to the point that they’re willing to bring this,” she says.
By bringing in educational opportunities for students, the town is increasing access to hands-on training without requiring people to leave the community. It allows the municipality to attract and retain talent while enhancing collaboration between municipalities, post-secondary institutions, and industry.
“We all need to be working toward the same goals,” she says. “I think this just supports that, too.”
The college has also expressed interest in offering community programs at either end of the cohort’s training. If there is enough interest, they may offer one-day workshops to give potential students a try at carpentry or one of the other courses they offer.
“They want to utilize the lab for more than just these two programs and capitalize on it,” says Friesen.
They also want local instructors to teach the students, says Friesen. If they are able to offer camps and workshops, they can extend the employment period for those instructors as well.
Registration for the program opens on June 11. Interested applicants can reach out to the town at 780-514-2200 to find out how to apply.
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.
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?
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.
Registration forms are available at the legion and require a copy of the veteran’s discharge certificate, his or her regimental number and other background information. The name is then added to a poured bronze plaque prior to mounting on the wall itself. Cavanagh says manufacturing those plaques takes several weeks, so he needs to hear from interested people before the end of the month.
Ah the 90’s. It’s hard not to get sentimental about that decade. We were on the cusp of computer technology and many things we did were still analog including camping overnight to get concert tickets. It isn’t very often that you get to partake in rituals like this anymore. In our digital dominated lives, there isn’t much that can’t be bought with just a click of a button. Or at least that’s what I thought.
A couple of weeks ago my aunt and I headed east to Toronto to watch a couple of Blue Jays games, and see Niagara Falls. Of course like a traditional east-west divide the weather was a balmy plus 24 here and a mere plus 10-15 there. I don’t think Chicago should be the only city named “The Windy City,” because Toronto was windy, and rainy.
However, whether the weather was better here or there wasn’t really the point of the trip. This was going to be the first time my aunt has ever gone to a Jays game. She has yelled at hundreds of them on the television but has never stepped foot in the stadium. Neither had I for that matter, however I am not sure I actually ever completely watched a Blue Jays game. It’s safe to say she’s the fan, I am a poser.
There was no greater reflection of our differences than when we finished brunch at the Sportsnet Grill, a restaurant connected to Rogers Center. My aunt had struck up a conversation with another super fan he informed her that if she expected to get a Jose’ Bautista and an Edwin Encarnacion bobblehead at tonight’s game she should be standing in line right now!
To be clear, “right now” was 11:00 AM and “tonight’s game” didn’t start until 7:00PM! The informant was one of a small group that had begun their door sitting vigil at 8:00AM that day.
They were rotating each other out in shifts so they could do bathroom breaks, and get food. They had coolers, lawn chairs, and blankets. All the things we did not have. I thought the whole scene was completely nuts.
My aunt on the other hand was seriously considering sticking out the rest of the day in line.
Why? Because. She’s a super fan and as I’ve come to understand the Blue Jay bobbleheads are a collectors item, they only make 15,000 of each and there are no repeat reproductions. “People sell them on Facebook for like $150,” said the super-informant. Not bad resale value but, no way Jose, I was outie.
We came back to Rogers Centre at 3:00PM, a mere four hours before game time and two hours before the doors opened and line ups there were. My aunt saw the lines and looked like someone just stole her dog. For the briefest of moments I felt an inkling of remorse. There was no way we were getting a bobblehead with these line ups.
But, a quick interrogation of some bobblehead vets, already in line, let us know that all hope wasn’t lost. Based on their historical data, and where we were in line we were guaranteed a bobblehead.
Things were looking up. Until these two people showed up behind us with empty Twisted Teas falling out of their lunch bags. “Oh, man”, I thought we are in for a loooong two hours.
As it turned out dad (65) was an accountant, and often went to ball games with his son (22), a new film school graduate who had an extensive bobblehead collection – 120 in total, were really quite nice and only half in the bag.
Our new friends shared their picnic blanket, showed us where the best bathrooms were, and the cheapest hotdogs.
My aunt talked shop about baseball, and hockey. The wind was cold, but our analog experience, waiting in line for something that couldn’t be bought online really set the tone for our first Jays experience. Not only did it make for an absolutely ridiculous story, there were many text messages that said, “Why the heck would you do that,” it also brought us into the Jays community. Not through a digital medium but in real life, with real people. It is with a sense of nostalgia that I am happy to know that there are still some analog experiences to be had, you just have to be crazy enough to do them.
Drayton Valley is one of a handful of municipalities that are partnering with Northern Lakes College to bring a Mobile Trades Unit to the community.
The unit is the newest educational opportunity that the town is putting forward for residents. After the success of the Health Care Aide and Grow Your Own RN programs, they wanted to offer something for the trades.
Corinne Friesen, the manager of economic development for the Town, says bringing the unit to town shows further evidence that the town’s approach to rural education is working.
Both high school students and adults will be able to take the courses.
“It’s a dual credit program,” says Friesen. “High school students can earn credits towards their high school diploma as well as credits towards their post-secondary institution.”
The tuition for the program will be about $5,000 to $7,000, but students will be able to apply for the Tuition Assistance Bursary (TAB) to cover some of the costs. Recent graduates may also be able to apply for some local community scholarships to help with the expense itself.
“We actually got a sponsorship for $10,000 towards those students as well, that we’ll use through TAB,” says Friesen. “Cenovus gave us $10,000 to support these specific students. That money will be going to TAB and will be allocated through TAB for these students.”
Those who enroll in the program won’t just get their feet wet trying out different trades. By the end of the course, they will be able to challenge the first period apprenticeship exam and finish as a registered apprentice.
The setting for the learning will be a little different from what a student would normally expect. Classroom work will take place in the public works building; hands-on training will be offered by the mobile unit.
Friesen says it is basically a 50 foot long transport trailer that opens up vertically and horizontally to create a lab space of 1,500 square feet — enough room to train 8 to 10 students at a time.
Friesen says there are five specific programs they can offer in the space, and the Town chose carpentry and electrical to start with. In the future, they may offer welding, heavy equipment technician, and industrial mechanics depending on the success of this first year.
“It’s a pre-employment trades programming,” says Friesen. “It’s a 16-week program that they register through Northern Lakes College with.”
She says there will be two semesters this time. If they are successful at finding enough local instructors and can prove there is good community enrollment, they will be able to keep the truck for a longer period of time.
Friesen says the mobile trades unit will offer benefits to the community as a whole, not just the students who enroll in the program.
“It’s been in the works a long time, so it is kind of a milestone in terms of our relationship with Northern Lakes College. We’ve evolved it to the point that they’re willing to bring this,” she says.
By bringing in educational opportunities for students, the town is increasing access to hands-on training without requiring people to leave the community. It allows the municipality to attract and retain talent while enhancing collaboration between municipalities, post-secondary institutions, and industry.
“We all need to be working toward the same goals,” she says. “I think this just supports that, too.”
The college has also expressed interest in offering community programs at either end of the cohort’s training. If there is enough interest, they may offer one-day workshops to give potential students a try at carpentry or one of the other courses they offer.
“They want to utilize the lab for more than just these two programs and capitalize on it,” says Friesen.
They also want local instructors to teach the students, says Friesen. If they are able to offer camps and workshops, they can extend the employment period for those instructors as well.
Registration for the program opens on June 11. Interested applicants can reach out to the town at 780-514-2200 to find out how to apply.
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.
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?
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.
“I need those forms in by September 30 at the very latest,” he says.
The Wall of Honour is displayed at the Cenotaph across from the legion. It currently has plaques commemorating close to 150 area veterans. The intent is for additional names to be added regularly.
The bobblehead game
Ah the 90’s. It’s hard not to get sentimental about that decade. We were on the cusp of computer technology and many things we did were still analog including camping overnight to get concert tickets.
Partnership grows local trades opportunities
Drayton Valley is one of a handful of municipalities that are partnering with Northern Lakes College to bring a Mobile Trades Unit to the community.
I have seen the future and it’s slightly disappointing
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!
Local ballplayer moving up
Local baseball player, Caedyn Colford, has recently started his summer baseball season playing in front of thousands of Edmonton Riverhawks fans.
