After coming close to closure last year Drayton Valley’s Toastmasters group is enjoying a new lease of life.
“I am happy to report we are alive, actively recruiting new Toastmasters and recently received two awards,” says Leah Sanderson, past president of the Derrick Toastmasters.
The first of those awards is for public relations, the second is for Toastmaster of the Year, which was won by Sanderson herself.
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“The Toastmaster of the Year Award is presented to recognize and honour that Toastmaster in District 99 who achieves and maintains the highest standard of excellence as a member of Toastmasters International,” said Kathy Pors, Division A Director. “Sanderson’s dedication, resiliency, integrity, perseverance and communication achievements are but some of the reasons she is receiving the Toastmaster of the Year Award for 2021-2022.”
Toastmasters International is a nonprofit educational organization that operates clubs worldwide for the purpose of promoting communication, public speaking and leadership. The Derrick Toastmasters have been active in Drayton Valley for 32 years. Last year declining membership left the group’s future in doubt, however Sanderson says things have since improved dramatically.
“Developing leadership skills is not an easy road. What I initially thought was the end of a 32-year charter was actually the beginning,” she says. “I faced and overcame perceived and actual obstacles. As a leader I learned to use being uncomfortable, overwhelmed, at times deflated and defeated to bust through and beyond to that one next step…Each foot forward meant another step towards saving our club and its 32 year charter.”
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.
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.”
It seems like yesterday, but it was not
On a bright sunny day in mid May of 1986 I landed at Calgary airport, ready to build a new life in the Great White North. I had a full head of hair, a heart full of dreams and a full set of teeth. The world lay at my feet.
A lot has happened in the intervening years, much of it varying degrees of awful. The hair has gone and so have a couple of the teeth, but I continue to plug away in pursuit of the Canadian Dream. Here’s the story of my four-decade Canadian Odyssey, conveniently broken down in number form because it’s easier to write that way and after 40 years I feel like I’m due a break.
40: Number of years I have lived in Canada. Depending on how you look at it, that’s 480 months, 2,080 weeks or a staggering 350,400 hours (plus a few extra because of leap years). No wonder I’m exhausted.
27: Number of those years spent in Drayton Valley.
<1: Number of years I anticipated spending in Drayton Valley when I first arrived. Every time I think I’m out they pull me back in.
618: Number of kilometres (round trip) I used to drive every second weekend to see my kids. That’s the equivalent of a little more than 3,072 furlongs if you’re interested in that sort of thing, which, now I come to think of it, you probably aren’t.
9: Number of provinces I have visited, assuming you count 30 minutes at a truck stop in Brandon as visiting Manitoba.
1: Number of provinces I have not visited. As far as I can tell Newfoundlanders are somehow managing to cope with the disappointment.
4: Number of times a Canadian team has won the Stanley Cup since I arrived.
36: Number of years since the last of those wins.
12: Number of times per year, on average, someone tells me they love my accent and asks what part of Ireland I’m from. I’m Scottish.
6.25 Hourly wage at my first Canadian job; picking up garbage at Foothills Stadium, which was then home to the Calgary Cannons of the Pacific Coast League. The Cannons were a great organization and the job was actually a lot of fun. Hauling bags of empty beer cups, sweeping up peanut shells and occasionally scraping nacho cheese off the bleachers for a Triple A ball team was also the closest I ever came to sporting achievement of any kind.
10, 3: Time in years and months I spent working at the Drayton Valley Western Review, making me the longest serving editor in the history of that publication.
6, 7: No, it’s not what you think. It’s the time I’ve spent in years and months working at the Drayton Valley and District Free Press, making me the longest serving editor in the history of this publication. What can I tell you? I don’t like change.
0: Number of times I have been voted Employee of the Month. Baffling.
12: What it used to cost, in dollars, to fill the tank of a 1977 Mercury Comet.
**!!%&!!: What that same tankful of gas costs today.
Upgraded van gives Beehive extra options
After fundraising for a year, the Beehive has been able to purchase a new van, which will help them to better accommodate their clients.
“It took a while,” says Lisa Dusterhoft, the executive director of the organization. “We kicked off the campaign in October of 2024. We were able to raise enough funds by November 2025.”
Because the van is a special order, once the Beehive received it, they also had to get it customized for their organization.
“It took six months for the vehicle to be ordered, delivered, and all the accessibility equipment to be installed,” she says.
The majority of the vehicle cost was covered by local businesses and organizations, says Dusterhoft. Along with the sponsorships, the Beehive was able to use money from the endowment fund they have with the Drayton Valley Community Foundation. They also plan to sell one of their existing fleet vehicles to cover the remainder of the costs.
Initially, the Beehive had a budget of $100,000 for the van. However, when they heard from MoveMobility, they were given an option for a ProMaster 3 van.
This new van came with a higher price tag of $155,000, but Dusterhoft says it was worth the extra money.
“[It] gives us a lot more flexibility,” she says. “This van actually can hold up to three wheelchairs at a time.”
Until recently, the Beehive wasn’t able to take in any more adults with disabilities who relied on wheelchairs because they didn’t have a vehicle that could accommodate them. With this new van, Dusterhoft says they will be able to expand on the number of wheelchair users they can work with.
The seats can also all be removed, making it easy for staff to adapt the van for whoever needs a ride.
Dusterhoft says getting a new van means more than transportation for their clients. It also means stability.
“It means that adults with disabilities in our organization are able to age in place,” she says.
In the past, clients with mobility issues have had to move to larger centres that had more accessible vehicles.
Currently, the Beehive has 37 clients. Dusterhoft says most of them don’t have mobility issues, and they’ve only had a couple of people who relied solely on wheelchairs in the past. However, they are at a point where many of their clients are relying on walkers and sometimes a wheelchair, so right now is the perfect time for a more accessible vehicle.
The Beehive owns three 24-hour group homes, as well as a supported independent living program. In the group homes, there is staff with them throughout the day. In independent living, the clients live on their own, and the staff come in to help them with different tasks as needed.
Dusterhoft says that while Drayton Valley is a small town, it’s not easily walkable for some individuals. Having a means of transportation for all the clients is a huge benefit.
The Beehive is hosting an open house on May 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. to showcase the new van to its donors, board, clients and members of the community.
A large part of the turnaround is attributed to a public relations program spearheaded by Sanderson and fellow toastmaster Don Stuike. At the time Stuike was the group’s vice-president of education. He has since taken on the role of president.
The pair’s public relations achievements include recruiting and inducting new members, promoting the club within the community and conducting a number of outreach activities.
“These two model what it takes to promote a Toastmasters Club,” says Pors.
Drayton Valley’s Derrick Toastmasters meets regularly every second and fourth Wednesday at 6:45 pm to 9:15 pm using the Zoom platform. Sanderson says new members don’t need any particular skill set. Club members learn by attending free training, taking on roles within the club. There are also a number of free resources offering information, training and guidance.
Add Your Heading Text Here
- HOURS: Mon–Fri: 8:30AM – 4:30 pm Sat - Sun: Closed
- CALL: 1-780-514-7359
- LOCATION: 5205 Power Center Blvd #108,Drayton Valley, AB T7A 0A5
Hiring a new employee is tough. And it’s a big investment for a small business. You’re not alone in thinking that casting the broadest net on the newest digital platform is somehow supposed to help. It’s easy to do and you’ll get a response.
Fewer candidates of better quality
But what if digital isn’t the way to go? What if hitching your wagon to your local newspaper nets you a smaller pool of more qualified applicants? Would you try it?
As owner/operator you probably don’t have an HR department. Your time equals money and taking on additional administrative tasks feels like a waste of both of those precious commodities.
Lets explore two options:
Option 1. Plaster your job posting on every free job site on the internet and pray that you happen to get a qualified candidate who lives in Drayton Valley/Brazeau County, or wants to relocate, who also hasn’t fudged their resume, who happens to have references that you know and can vet, and who wants to start working when you need them which was… yesterday.
This is the spray and pray method. Go broad or go home. It gives the illusion of efficiency but does it actually save you time and money?
Or….
Option 2. Work with the Drayton Valley and District Free Press to create a targeted employment ad or a package at a price point that works for you. Our ads use the power of hyper local geo targeting to catch the eyes of actual qualified locals; people who already live here, who have references and a work history you can verify, and who are ready to start working.
What are your true costs
Now; let’s analyze the true costs of each recruitment method
Option 1. This option is seemingly free and efficient but what you “save” in upfront costs you waste on the back end. Time is money and you’re wasting both by wading through a pile of ineligible candidates and fly-by-night applicants who don’t even know where Drayton Valley is.
If you find a possible candidate you may discover their resume was a sham and they aren’t actually qualified to do the work. And those references they used? Yeah…when you’re firing them a month later you’ll discover that the “amazing” firm they worked for before was actually buddy’s uncle Ed sitting in the garage drinking a beer waiting to take your call and willing to say anything you needed to hear to hire his nephew.
If it turns out their references check out and they are qualified for the job, another roadblock presents itself; they live miles and miles and miles away and won’t be able to start for at least a month if not two.
Nothing sinks a small business faster than not hiring the right people for the right job, right now! Here is where a scattergun approach gets you into trouble and costs you big time down the road.
However when you advertise in your local community newspaper… Option 2.
You pay a small amount up front, but you get applicants with references you can verify; this is a small town after all. Forget that guy from Texas who submitted a resume on a whim.
You also target people who already live here and you get print digital integration with QR and interactive clicks on your ad. Option 2 gets you pulling from a pool of candidates who are likely educated in the local industries and who know this community. That’s good for you and your business.
Doomscrolling is a terrible habit for sure, and it’s one that I’m guilty of from time to time. It mostly depends on my mood, energy levels, and whether I have to sit and wait for an extended period of time.
The videos that have captured my imagination the last little while are the ones where content creators from other countries react to all things Canadian. That means everything from trying ketchup chips to seeing some of the worst ice storms the Maritimes have experienced.
Some of my favourites are the ones about wildlife. It’s entertaining to listen to the narrator speak about how big a moose is for fifteen seconds while they show a five-second clip of a moose, then five of an elk, and five more seconds of several white tail deer bounding into the distance. No one will ever know which one is the moose.
Another favourite of mine is videos of the Cobra Chicken, or for those of you who don’t speak to teenagers on a regular basis, the Canadian Goose.
The moniker Cobra Chicken is a little odd, but I guess it’s because they’re a big bird with long necks. Thus parts of them look like cobras and the rest looks like chickens.
In any case, anyone who has ever been near a goose in the spring knows they aren’t birds to be messed with. These birds can weigh up to 12 pounds and can reach speeds of 80 km/h on a normal day. With tailwinds, they can reach speeds of 112 km/h or higher.
Last April, a group of college students in Waterloo, Ontario, had to get creative with entering and exiting their house when a pair of geese decided their front yard was the best place for their nest. For several weeks they had to be very careful about when and how they entered their house because they could be attacked.
Of course, calls to any groups who could help with the situation were no help. The Canadian Goose is a protected species, so people aren’t allowed to touch them or their nests, cause injury, or kill the birds.
While the videos are always good for a laugh, people can get seriously injured. Many of the injuries happen as people try to run away from the birds, but a downstroke from a goose can hit like a fist and leave you with some nasty injuries.
I’m saying all of this because the season of the cobra chicken is coming soon. We do have some geese that feel this area is a good place to bring up their goslings. It’s a good time to tell kids that geese shouldn’t be messed with and to start paying attention when we’re walking near any ponds.
I would hate to be the main character in one of the YouTube videos people come across while doomscrolling. I feel like that would be far less entertaining for me, though I’m sure it would give others a good laugh.
Plans to build a replacement for Drayton Valley’s St. Anthony School took a step forward last week.
St. Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic School Division (STAR Catholic) received planning funding from the Government of Alberta to support the future replacement of the school.
The Province will pay $50,000 in value-scoping funding. The school division says the funding will support early planning to ensure readiness for a potential new school build. That includes conducting an initial investigation to confirm project readiness, identify key priorities, and ensure essential planning components are in place.
“This is very encouraging news for our division and for the St. Anthony School community,” said STAR Catholic board chair Henry Effon. “This funding reflects the board’s continued commitment to advocating for our students and allows us to take an important step forward in preparing for a much-needed new school.”
The replacement of St. Anthony School is identified as the number one priority in the STAR Catholic capital plan. Superintendent Laurie Cardinal said the division was grateful for the support received from the province.
“This further strengthens the step in supporting the high-quality learning experience students in Drayton Valley already enjoy,” she said.
The current school dates back to the 1960s and has an enrolment of about 430. The building last had a major renovation in the 1990s.
Do we have what it takes to be a tourist destination?
I spent the last week in Canmore with the intent to ski. However a bout of flu and cough plagued our travel party and we didn’t venture too far from the condo. But I did get out enough to purchase an expensive coffee and eat some expensive ice cream.
Visiting Canmore is nice, but I cannot imagine living there. This is the time of year when Free Press HQ is putting together the Brazeau and Beyond Summer travel guide, so I am always looking for editorial inspiration for the magazine. Canmore as a tourist community provided a lot of fodder for the 2026 guide, but it also got me looking deeper into what makes Drayton Valley a much more amazing place to reside. Okay, so we don’t have the mountains. But parking is easy, and driving across town isn’t a headache. The drivers here, although slightly more pushy than I remember as a kid, are nowhere near the aggression you get in Canmore. In Canmore it’s city driving in a small town.
In-fills are a big part of Canmore’s most recent economic development: condos and townhouses are popping up like mushrooms after a fall rain. But eavesdropping in the elevators I heard plumbers, who were doing work on our building, discussing water pressure issues and wastewater and sewage issues the town is facing amidst all these new builds.
Real-estate prices are through the roof. A quick look at Canmore’s local newspaper informed the husband and I that for the same sum that got us a three acre property on the ring road would get us a 30 year old, 1 bed, 1 bath 451sqft condo.
But, it’s all worth it for the outdoor playground…right?
Well, now that I am back sleeping in my own bed, and into my own routines I would say…wait a moment, I’d argue that what we have in Drayton Valley, Brazeau County and the surrounding regions provides an exceptional outdoor recreational lifestyle at the fraction of the costs and with 100 percent more convenience. We’ve got; lakes, rivers, hiking trails, mountain biking, atv trails, events, entertainment, provincial parks and if you are really jonesing for the mountains Nordegg is just two hours away.
But, what we do have is not as exceptional as what we don’t have.
We don’t have crowds, a coffee is still less than $5, you can park almost anywhere and it’s free, strangers are few and far between, and an army of volunteers maintain some amazing trail systems right on our doorstep. So as I am percolating ideas on what to write about for the 2026 Brazeau and Beyond Travel Guide and researching Alberta towns that won the tourism lottery I get more and more grateful for the little slice of heaven I call home.
After combing through hundreds of colourful pictures, Drayton Valley Enforcement Services gave the four winners a special prize for their efforts on St. Patrick’s Day.
Cody Rossing, the manager of enforcement services and emergency management for the town, says when they first saw the kids, they seemed both excited and nervous about talking to the peace officers.
“It quickly shifted to a lot of excitement, especially when they knew they were going for some ice cream,” says Rossing.
There were four winners of the contest. Two of the students came from Aurora Elementary, one was from Evergreen Elementary, and one winner was a member of the public. Those who were in school were given permission from their school and parents to get out of some schoolwork so they could hang out with the peace officers.
Rossing says the kids all got to ride in the cruiser on their way to Dairy Queen, where they were treated to ice cream. He says while they were there, they got to know the kids a little bit and then chatted with them about traffic safety.
“I think overall it was a very good experience for the kids,” says Rossing. “It was a good experience for our department to be able to interact with youth in a different light.”
He says the experience showed the ongoing need for law enforcement to build various connections within the community, including the youth. Rossing says children and youth need to realize that law enforcement officers are people you can go to when they need help.
“Although often parents like to make comments along the lines of, ‘If you’re bad you’re going to go to jail,’ kind of thing, the reality is that often makes kids terrified of law enforcement when it should be the opposite,” says Rossing.
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Officers also made a special trip to the Early Childhood Development Centre on St. Patrick’s Day. There they spoke to the kids about safety topics like when to call 911, how to recognize community helpers, and what to do if they come across an unfamiliar object on the ground.
Going forward, Rossing says the team is going to continue to find different ways to positively interact with the younger residents of the community. He says they will continue to review the different activities they undertake to see how they worked out.
“Something as simple as a colouring contest is able to spiral into those bigger engagements,” says Rossing.
He says there will be a dodgeball game taking place sometime in April against grade four students at Evergreen.
“What I find most rewarding about this organization is that it delivers. Toastmasters tagline is Where Leaders are Made. This past year has brought home to me that if one does the work and overcomes perceived and actual obstacles you definitely become a confident, communicative leader,” she says.
Spring Shaker sells out
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.”
Kiss me I’m Albertan
It seems that those pushing for Alberta independence have enough signatures to force a referendum on the issue. That put me in mind of something
Drayton to host regional one act plays
The Eleanor Pickup Arts Centre will be hosting the Yellowhead Regional One-Act Plays Festival on April 10 and 11 this year.
Here come the cobra chickens
Doomscrolling is a terrible habit for sure, and it’s one that I’m guilty of from time to time. It mostly depends on my mood, energy levels, and whether I have to sit and wait for an extended period of time.
