2011 spring airdrielife

spring 2011

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Contributors spring 2011

GROUP PUBLISHER EDITOR COPY EDITOR DESIGN MANAGER CONTRIBUTORS

ADVERTISING SALES PRINTING

Sherry Shaw-Froggatt

MUM’S THE WoRD

This issue we introduce two of Airdrie’s very own amazing women, Sarah Deveau and Linda Bruce, who join us as regular columnists. When we asked our spring issue contributors to tell us who is the most amazing woman they know, Mom won, hands down.

Anne Beaty Vanessa Peterelli Kim Williams Sergei Belski, Linda Bruce, Michelle Carre, Sarah Deveau, Alex Frazer-Harrison, Aaron Holmes, Ellen Kelly, Kurtis Kristianson, Carl Patzel, Kristy Reimer Wendy Potter-Duhaime Print West

CONTACT us

Community Investment sherry@frogmediainc.ca Editorial anne@frogmediainc.ca Advertising wendy@frogmediainc.ca Accounting carla@frogmediainc.ca

SARAh deVeAu, columnist and writer: That’s easy! My mother is the most amazing woman I know. Her capacity for love, her generosity of spirit and her commitment to her family is remarkable.

liNdA BRuce, columnist: Mom would be one; my mother-in-law was another. one woman who rendered me speechless was Michaëlle Jean, our former governor general. It was amazing how her strength of character shone through to overcome many criticisms. She worked hard in her job; her dedication seemed to heal rifts in this country. I have been blessed with knowing many fabulous women and being influenced by them but Michaëlle Jean would squeak out ahead of these other incredible people.

AleX FRAZeR-hARRiSoN, writer: It’s not an original answer, but my mum qualifies in the ‘miracle worker’ category in so many areas, I’d feel guilty not saying her!

WheRe TO FiND us

airdrielife is delivered to all homes in Airdrie and surrounding areas. If you do not receive an issue please contact sherry@frogmediainc.ca

AARoN holmeS, writer and photographer: It’s a tie between my mom and my wife.

I’m amazed by how well they both have put up with me over the years.

airdrielife is also available at more than 50 locations around the city including the Airdrie Calgary Co-op. You can also find airdrielife in every showhome in the city and at more than 100 locations in Calgary. airdrielife is published quarterly by Frog Media Inc. with the co-operation of the City of Airdrie Economic Development Department.

cARl pAtZel, writer and photographer: I’ve known two amazingly strong women in my life.

My mother, who raised four children (three boys) and juggled a career at the same time, and my girlfriend who, against all economic odds, started her own business and continues to thrive and help people at the same time.

VOLUME 7, NUMBER 1

elleN Kelly, columnist and writer: My daughters and my daughter-in-law, all for different reasons.

ISSN 1916-355X

Contents copyright 2011 by Frog Media Inc. May not be reproduced without permission. The publisher does not assume any responsibility for the contents of any advertisement, and all representations of warranties made in such advertising are those of the advertiser and not of the publisher. eDiTORiAL POLiCY

airdrielife editorial is not for sale. Editorial is completely independent from advertising, and no special editorial consideration or commitment of any kind can form any part of the advertising agreement. All editorial inquiries must be directed toward the editor. A copy of Frog Media Inc. Writers’ Guidelines can be downloaded from the editorial page on our website. airdrielife does not accept unsolicited submissions. Freelance writers and photographers interested in assignments are asked to send an inquiry, with samples from at least three published magazine articles, to editorial@airdrielife.com airdrielife is produced from well-managed forests, printed with canola-based inks, and is 100% recyclable.

SeRGei BelSKi, photographer: My wife, for sure.

KuRtiS KRiStiANSoN, photographer: It sounds cliché but it would have to be my wife.

She supports my goals, puts up with my hectic and crazy lifestyle, and is a great mom!

KRiSty ReimeR, photographer: The most amazing woman I know is my mom.

She has an incredibly caring heart and passion to help people around her.

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editor’s note

Wow, what a way to herald the return of spring!

I have long known that Airdrie has its fair share of amazing women and, over the years, it has been my great pleasure to get to know some of them. Each one has a story to tell; each has proven an inspiration to those around her; each has made an indelible impact on the community at large.

That said, we at airdrielife are thrilled to be able to focus on at least a few of these amazing women (page 59). It would be quite accurate to say that this undertaking has been a labour of love. Every time we received an e-mail telling us of yet another incredible woman, we’d say, “Yes, she’s great, we need to tell her story.” We have done our best to mention as many of these wonderful people as possible, but I’m sure that there are many more we could highlight.

However, we only have so many pages, after all, and there are probably at least 10,000 or

Visit the McKee show homes in these communities to see why we’ve been voted Airdrie’s Favourite Home Builder two years in a row!

Reunion Cooper’s Crossing

more deserving women and girls out there.

In this issue, along with our Amazing Women spread, we also take a look at women in various fields of work; women in the arts; women who thoroughly enjoy themselves on ice; women who have fun cooking and cleaning (yes, I know how that sounds!) – in short, just about every area you can imagine. All of them have played their role in helping to create ‘Amazing Airdrie’; all of them are representative of the very best life has to offer.

My own life is filled with amazing women of all ages. I really didn’t begin to fully appreciate my mother until I was an adult. Having watched her through most of her 88 years, I am still in awe of the life she built for my father, sister and me. Her love of life, her compassion,

Ravenswood

her ability to face any and all challenges, her dedication to her craft (she was a journalist for

King’s Heights

she is today. My sister, a university professor, is another person I admire. She has always

Prairie Springs

more than 50 years) and her sense of humour – all combined to make her the special woman demonstrated perseverance, grace under fire … and a wickedly dry sense of humour (thanks, Mom and Dad!). And, of course, I have to mention my daughters, who continue to inspire me and make me proud simply by being the amazing women they are.

So please enjoy our paean to spring, as we share some of Airdrie’s amazing women with the world.

Anne Beaty, EDITOR

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Happy homeowners are important to us.

So is being a good neighbour.

We’ve lived and worked in Airdrie for almost 25 years. When you see your customers in the mall, or supermarket, your commitment to quality becomes a bit more committed.

If building outstanding homes and providing a great buying experience is what it takes to be a good neighbour, count us in for another 25 years.

The best is built in.

HEAD OFFICE 403-948-6595 | SINGLE FAMILY COOPER’S CROSSING NANCY HARRIS 403-948-4635 | KING’S HEIGHTS DONNA AASKOW 403-948-7881 PRAIRIE SPRINGS KARI ANN HODGE 403-948-9726 | RAVENSWOOD DOUG KIRK 403-980-1092 | REUNION DENNIS FITZPATRICK 403-948-2399 MULTIFAMILY KING’S HEIGHTS AL STUCKERT 403-948-4839 | RED DEER LAURA MURPHY 403-347-6592

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59

Columns and regular features 14

Musician Q&A

16

Artist Profile

19

life in the fast lane – events calendar

42

Fitlife with Joan Bell

57

Rural Roots

72

lifetimes with Ellen Kelly

New Feature Columns 44

lifesmarts with sarah deveau – tips on saving you money

46

lifelines with linda Bruce – a view on issues local and global that affect your life

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24 Cover Story

Carla Ducoz is an amazing chef

She brings her Latin roots to Kings Heights and her brilliant smile to our studio

Photo by Kristy Reimer

life in the moment

22

That’s Creative! Airdrie – how the collective voice of the arts is

being heard loud and clear

24

Latin Lovely – chef Carla Ducoz

26

Taste This – recipes for spring from Sandi Richard

32

Ultimate Makeover – why Terri Amey deserved

so much more than a hairdo

Fashion at Home – a photo feature of style in Airdrie

35

life in the community

14

49

The Sky’s the Limit – how baton twirling is reaching new heights

54

Ice Queens – a profile of the Nutty Housewife League

59

Amazing Airdrie Women – our exclusive first-ever series on

women who are simply amazing

life at home

16

74

Designing Woman – Arlene Ladner makes her mark

78

Creative Endeavours – profile of homebuilder Rhonda Auclair

80

Cleaning Green – environmentally friendly options in the home

82

Annual Celebration – colourful choices for the garden

84

The Home Blog – Mrs. Carre builds her dream house

88

Million-Dollar Baby – tour Airdrie’s first $1 million showhome

life at work

82

92

Young Numbers – latest census explains why ‘baby boom’ is the

real deal in Airdrie

93

New Direction – Linda Bruce shifts focus

95

Diverse Talents – meet women in charge of their own destinies

97

All in the Family – businesses cater to the children of Airdrie spring 2011 |

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life in the moment | music

Celtic music without the trilling sounds of the Irish penny whistle is like Batman without Robin, but as this local musician has learned, the instrument is one of the most versatile around

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Q& A with

CiNdY WARNOCK irish Penny Whistle Musician

story by Alex Frazer-harrison | photo by Kristy Reimer

Q: how did you discover the penny whistle?

A: About 20 years ago, we were in Ireland – my husband’s from there – and I fell in love with the music. I bought a penny whistle and said I wanted to learn to play it. of course, with having children and [working with] my husband’s business, it went into the piano bench and there it sat for many years … until about six years [ago].

Q: What made you take it out?

A: I was going to a church in Calgary … we had a Christmas program coming up and we had a song that was a country-style song … it had mandolin, violin, but I kept ‘hearing’ the penny whistle in it, [yet] it wasn’t in it. I thought, I’m going to pull out the penny whistle and create an accompaniment. I found out it was harder than it looked – it took me a month to put together an accompaniment. Then, with worship teams I was singing with, I began taking it to practices … and eventually felt, oK, I can play on stage.

Q: you’ve performed with celtic folksinger/songwriter mac macKenzie. how did that connection happen?

A: I went on the Internet looking for something online [to learn the instrument] and persisted on my own practice for three-four hours a day. Then I realized there was a person in our congregation who’d played for 20 years – Mac MacKenzie – and he agreed to take me on as one of his students. We’d spend once a week learning old-time traditional songs, then we formed a small group and we’d go out and play at seniors’ functions and that sort of thing.

Q: how versatile is the penny whistle?

A: I find it fits with most music styles. Worship music, bluegrass … I think there’s even a group in Finland that’s a heavy metal grunge punk band and they dress in kilts and they have a penny whistle!

Q: What’s the difference between a penny whistle and a recorder?

A: It has [fewer] holes, no thumbhole, six holes in front; two octaves on each penny whistle. You can play two different keys; three if you’re very good.

Because I play with different bands and different styles of music, it’s easier for me to have different keys of penny whistle.

Q: you and your husband (lawyer and former city council member Alan Warnock) recently bought a second home in phoenix. do you take the penny whistle down there?

A: It’s a little hard to find groups down there, people to connect with, jams to play with. I’ve got two different people in Phoenix I’m working on … [hoping to do] a few recordings. And if it doesn’t happen, more than anything it’s just great to be able to connect with people. I enjoy doing that.

Q: When do you practise?

A: I first practised out in the garage; thankfully, it was heated. My music practice usually takes place at about 5:30 a.m.; Alan is really good about it and fortunately he’s a sound sleeper!

Q: you also teach at family camps for the Foothills Acoustic music institute and have worked with the prairie mountain Fiddlers. What do you love most about the music?

A: I look at these instruments not just as entertainment value, but in church it’s part of the ministry ... how can I add those [musical] layers that cause people to focus on the words, as well as the music? Music is something I think God has given all of us.

life

spring 2011 |

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life in the moment | artist profile

The

FINE ART F

story by ellen Kelly | photo by Aaron holmes

or Airdrie artist Marda Wright, creativity has been part of her life from the beginning.

“I’ve always been creative,” Wright says.

“I was drawing and doodling before I could talk. Later, I would do paint-by-number pictures, save the paints and then do my own paintings.”

When it comes to inspiration, Wright draws her ideas from nature and wildlife, although she is currently concentrating on horses as her subjects and works in a variety of mediums. “I love working in any kind of drawing material – pencil crayons, charcoal, chalk,” she says,“and I like painting.”

Wright considers her grandmother, a painter, her earliest mentor. When she was 12 or 13, her parents enrolled her in a private oil

of being Marda Wright

painting studio. She loved it and attended for many years. Marion Baker, the art instructor, was a great influence.“She was the first real art instructor I had who was actually an artist,” Wright says.

Over the years, other admired mentors include artists John Hall, Joyce Hall and John Will for their gift of the love of art and Linda Chow and Joan Irvin for their mentorship in jewelry design and three-dimensional relief.

When it comes to personal favourites, the masters top the list. “I love impressionist art – Monet, Manet, Van Gogh. I’m very much a traditional, art-history type,” Wright says,“but I also like the surrealists and a lot of western artists. I like Robert Bateman. I admire his process.”

The Airdrie woman has also expanded her area of expertise. Eight years ago, she be-

came interested in silversmithing. Using silver, copper, gold and various stones, she’s been making and selling jewelry and designing specialized book cover plates, some of which she attaches to the covers of her sketchbooks, turning them into pieces of art.

Wright holds a bachelors degree in fine arts with a major in drawing and painting and a minor in printmaking from the University of Calgary. She has taken courses at the Alberta College of Art and Design in jewelry-making, and attended Red Deer College to take the summer series courses in jewelry design and gem-setting. She has also taken classes in sculpting, handbuilding and working with clay.

Now, the local artist successfully combines her passion for art with her love of teach-

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ing. Wright teaches Grade 9 art; art 10, 20 and 30; and advanced placement studio art at George McDougall High School where she’s worked for the past 21 years. She has lived and supported the arts in the Airdrie area since 1996.

Wright’s art is displayed in gallery collections in Australia, Holland and the U.S. She has one piece in the National Gallery of Canada. Two pieces have been displayed by Suncor in that company’s buildings but most pieces are in private collections. “I don’t show much anymore,” she says. “I’ve been putting a lot of energy into the art lately. I’ve really started exploring jewelry, which is abstract and something different from what I’ve done.” She also regularly returns to her first love, drawing.

Most recently, Wright has placed a sketchbook project consisting of 22 small surrealist pieces in the Brooklyn Museum of Art library.

Based on the theme “Help” and drawing on images from The Beatles’ music, the project presented a new and exciting challenge.

“I am continuing the ideas I developed in the sketchbook project. I want to take some of

the pieces and turn them into larger pieces of art by going more into collage and conceptual ideas,” she says.

For herself, Wright sees her art as a therapeutic release. “I love the process of getting the idea, formulating it and going through the step-by-step process to get to the finished piece. It’s kind of like a good meal at the end. It’s good, it’s done and I can start something else.”

Being able to pass on her knowledge and enthusiasm to her students is Wright’s other love. “Teaching the students as much as I can in the short time I have them and seeing them develop their passion is one of the reasons I love to teach,” she says.

In the classroom, the focus is on the students’ art. Wright helps them develop their ideas by encouraging creativity and originality. She feels that fine arts in the schools are important because they give students an experience they can use throughout their lives.

“They learn to understand what art or music is like from the inside,” she says. “They

appreciate what they see and know how much work goes into it.”

Wright’s most significant teaching experience occurred last July when one of her students won first place and a $1,500 scholarship in the Calgary Stampede scholarship program with art done through her class. The previous year, two students placed second and third, also winning scholarships.

“It’s very rewarding to see them succeed like that,” Wright says. “I hope that the fine arts continue to be encouraged through young people because it’s such an important part of our lives, not just as artists but as the viewers of art, to be able continually to see quality art and quality drama and hear quality music.”

Fine Arts Night, held annually in the spring at George McDougall High School, showcases the talents of fine arts students.

The Tuesday evening program (May 31 this year) features the junior band, choir, drama and dance. The Thursday evening program ( June 2 this year) features the senior band, senior choir and the art show. The public is welcome. life

The benefits of joining today • Discount registrations to Chamber events • Airdrie Home & Garden Fair Booth discount • VISA and MasterCard Merchant Discount Rates • Chambers of Commerce Group Insurance • Purolator, Husky, Esso and Petro-Canada discounts • Business Listing on the Chamber web site • Free Export Document Certification • Exhibit at Chamber Business and Consumer shows • Participate in seminars and workshops • Receive business referrals from the Chamber office • Sponsor one of many Chamber functions or activities • Network at monthly business and social events • Advertise in the monthly Chamber Chat • Exclusive copy of Chamber Roster and Chamber News monthly newsletter

Membership

Discover benefits, activities, events and membership directory on our website:

www.airdriechamber.ab.ca

Phone: 403-948-4412 • Fax: 403-948-3141 info@airdriechamber.ab.ca 106 120 2nd Ave NE Airdrie, AB T4B 2N2

Airdrie’s #1 Source For News, Sports and What’s Happening in Your Community! spring 2011 |

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life in the moment | events

What’s Going On? Check out this great lineup of events to bring life to your spring months.

March 11 Jeff Martin 777 Bert Church LIVE Theatre, 7:30 p.m.

Tickets: $35 Jeff Martin, once a member of the seminal Canadian band The Tea Party, is an extraordinary talent. His remarkable voice and skills as a multi-instrumentalist make his solo shows legendary and this is evident in his loyal and evergrowing fan base worldwide. Jeff Martin continues to draw his inspiration from around the globe, channelling his love of eastern instruments, tunings and all things exotic into a new form of world music that transcends genres and removes barriers continually. Jeff Martin will be performing a set of The Tea Party’s classics and rarities as well as covering his solo offerings and some newly found treasures from The Armada.

March 24 Carlos del Junco Blues-Harmonica Bert Church LIVE Theatre, 7:30 p.m.

Tickets: $20 Get ready to trash all you thought you knew about the harmonica. Playing a 10-hole diatonic harmonica, Carlos has developed the unique ability to play chromatically by using a recently developed “overblow” technique taught to him by jazz virtuoso Howard Levy. Overall, this approach to the diatonic harmonica, although much more difficult to achieve, is in many ways more expressive and communicative than the mechanized tone produced by the chromatic harmonica. The sophisticated sound produced by Carlos del Junco is at once sensitive, soulful and sexy while never forgetting the rawness inherent in blues music.

March 12 The Brothers Grimm One-Act Opera for Young Audiences Bert Church LIVE Theatre, 2:30 p.m.

Tickets: $8 Performed in English by the professional singers of Calgary Opera’s Emerging Artist Program. Experience the enchantment of familiar fairy tales told in a contemporary, tuneful opera featuring an original score. Music and spoken dialogue are woven into a colourful stage production as the audience joins in bringing to life the imaginations of the witty Grimm brothers. Students and families alike will delight in this unpredictable, innovative and comical oneact opera.

March 31 Pavlo, Rik Emmett & Oscar Lopez Bert Church LIVE Theatre, 7:30 p.m.

Tickets: $39 Pavlo, Rik Emmett & Oscar Lopez have developed an incredible musical chemistry, united by friendship and mutual respect. It originated with Pavlo’s long-standing inspiration from the guitar trio of John McLaughlin, Al DiMeola and Paco DeLucia. He contacted Oscar Lopez via MySpace and they bonded through their shared passion for the guitar.

Brainstorming for the perfect candidate to round out the triumvirate, their agent Darcy Gregoire at The Agency suggested that another of his clients, Rik Emmett, might fit the bill. Finally, in the summer of 2008, over a meal with some excellent wine and an intense jam session in northeast Toronto, a brotherhood was formed. This collaboration has resulted in their debut release, Trifecta, a group of songs that offers a fresh approach to world music – an intense cultural melting pot of their unique styles. The three experienced guitarists, all from widely different backgrounds, have forged brilliant solo careers independently, garnering many awards and winning the hearts of their respective fans as well as international accolades and critical praise for their individual talents and bodies of work.

March 19 Conquer the Ride Cabaret Benefit Concert Airdrie Town & Country Centre, 7 p.m.

Tickets: $30 In support of the 2011 Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer benefiting the Alberta Cancer Foundation, Mark Lorenz, with Kenny Holiday, will be performing in Airdrie at a caberet benefit concert. A silent auction will also be held. Tickets are available from ‘Team What If…’ riders. For tickets, contact Kevin Hughes at 403-969-2184.

March 24 Carlos del Junco April 15 An Evening with 54-40 Bert Church LIVE Theatre, 7:30 p.m.

Tickets: $39 As 54-40 approaches its 30th anniversary, the band is pleased to announce a series of performances and projects celebrating its longevity and legacy. 54-40 will be recreating its classic Green Album live from top to bottom. The album, released in 1986 on Reprise Records, featured the hit songs Baby Ran and I Go Blind, and was 54-40’s first album to find major distribution. Coinciding with the emergence of the nation’s music station, MuchMusic, the album placed 54-40 firmly in the Canadian musical landscape and is often considered the band’s best work.

April 20 Amazing Airdrie Women Luncheon with Sandi Richard Peppercorns Restaurant, 11 a.m -2 p.m.

Tickets: $40, available online at amazingairdriewomen.eventbrite.com airdrielife celebrates the women of Airdrie with a gala luncheon and awards presentation to several deserving Airdrie women. Enjoy a gourmet lunch followed by an entertaining visit with international best-selling cookbook author and Food Network TV host Sandi Richard. Ticketholders will enjoy great swag including “I’m amazing” T-shirts.

March 31 Pavlo, Rik Emmett & Oscar Lopez spring 2011 |

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life in the moment | events

Morningside is home to stunning sunrises and sunsets.

It’s also home to Hillcrest’s Showhomes.

Come see for yourself the comfort and convenience of Apex’s family-oriented communities of Morningside and Hillcrest, both easily accessed in southwest Airdrie.

April 22 The Prairie Mountain Fiddlers Bert Church LIVE Theatre, 7:30 p.m.

Tickets: $16 This will be a foot-stomping, toe-tapping evening full of good old-time fiddle music. This group plays for the people and for their love of the music. It is just good old-fashioned fun!

April 24 Family Easter Egg Hunt Nose Creek Park, 10 a.m.-noon Free This annual event for families is hosted by Living Springs Christian Fellowship. Fifty thousand eggs are hidden around Nose Creek Park and a special area is set aside for younger guests to hunt for eggs. The hunt begins promptly at 10 a.m., so don’t be late. After all the eggs are found, join in for hot dogs, hot chocolate and family entertainment.

April 28-30 Airdrie Little Theatre Bert Church LIVE Theatre, 7:30 p.m.

Tickets: $15 Airdrie Little Theatre presents I Shot My Rich Aunt, a murder mystery farce. A great night out in support of developing local talent.

April 30, May 1 Airdrie Home and Garden Fair Genesis Place, Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Airdrie businesses take over Genesis Place for two days to showcase their wares and services. This is a perfect way to introduce yourself to Airdrie as community groups, services clubs and more are all on site and ready to welcome you into the community.

ARTS Show and Sale - In conjunction with the Home and Garden Fair the Airdrie Regional ARTS Society is hosting a 7,000-square foot art show and sale. Your admission ticket to the Home and Garden Fair gets you upstairs to explore the work of Airdrie’s talented visual artists.

YANKEE VALLEY BOULEVARD

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8TH STREET SW

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MORNINGSIDE MEWS SHOWHOMES

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May 6-13 Youth Week A wide range of activities will be offered throughout the week, which is celebrated annually to profile young people and promote youth organizations and activities in the community. For more information on the event and Airdrie’s Hyjinx Youth Council, check out airdrielife.com

May 6 SIX in the City Cooper’s Crossing, tourings and tastings 6:30-9 p.m.; silent auction and dessert draw 9-11 p.m.

Tickets: by donation only at sixinthecity.eventbrite.com The most entertaining and innovative party in Airdrie in support of Airdrie Housing Ltd. (AHL). Westmark Holdings and airdrielife magazine are pleased to present Six in the City, an evening of fine wines and fine food with six of Airdrie’s best chefs and fine entertainment all set in the splendour of six new showhomes in Cooper’s Crossing. Five airdrielife photographers plus guest photographer Stewart McLeish will be displaying and selling their work with 15 per cent of the proceeds going to AHL.

May 6 Teens After Hours at the Library Airdrie Public Library, 7-9 p.m.; doors close at 7:15 p.m.

Teens After Hours is an opportunity for teens to use the library and have fun. On these evenings the library is open only for teens. Join us for a night of movies, popcorn, Wii, DDR, Rock Band and Guitar Hero. The theme will be Out of This World – video games, including Halo, will be available to play. The movie will be Dr. Who. If you’re in Grades 7-9, come check us out! Limited to 40 participants. Don’t miss out!

May 13 Youth Talent Showcase at the Library Airdrie Public Library Young local artists will be given a chance to show off their talents in music, dance, theatre, visual arts and multimedia. Submissions are currently being accepted from anyone aged 14-18 who wishes to show off his or her talent. Contact Robbie at robbie.white@airdrie.ca or visit www.airdrie.ca for more info.

20 airdrielife.com | spring 2011 airdrielife_spring2011.indd 20

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2/17/11 9:38:02 AM

life in the moment | state-of-the-art

That’s Creative! Airdrie I

Creative Airdrie Society paints a future of a vibrant local arts scene

n just six short months the Creative Airdrie Society (CAS) has gone from thoughts on paper to citizens in action.

From presentations to City Hall to meetings with community groups and leaders, CAS is getting the word out that the next evolution of Airdrie’s growth, helping it to maintain its appeal and sustain economic development, is to encourage and support a vibrant arts scene.

As stated in the CAS mission statement, Creative Airdrie plans to be the hub for investment, promotion, engagement, development and education for the arts in the community. One of the society’s first priorities is to hire an executive director and set up shop in the downtown core of Airdrie.

“I believe it is crucial that Creative Airdrie engages an executive director in order to meet its potential to inspire and energize all forms of creativity in Airdrie,” says CAS chairman Pat Cashion. “An active and committed board will be able sponsor and encourage artistic, creative enhancements to Airdrie’s way of life. With an executive director, the scope and pace of development will be immeasurably greater.”

According to Cashion, Airdrie is ready for this and it deserves it.

“I am reminded of the success of the Chamber of Commerce since it hired an executive director. The Chamber has expanded the range and depth of its programming very substantially,” he says. “In doing so, it has assisted not only the business community, but the whole city.”

Michelle Pickering, who is helping coordinate Creative Airdrie’s Main Street art project, agrees.

“I feel that Creative Airdrie has aligned itself with great people, community groups, businesses, artists, volunteers and the City,” Pickering says. “I think the relationships that have been built are ready to take this working force to many new places.”

At community open houses held in January, residents were asked to share their vision on what a vibrant arts and culture scene should be in Airdrie. The two sessions drew serious discussions on the need for leadership in developing programming, events and, of course, space. “Space was a huge issue,” says Sherry Shaw-Froggatt, one of Creative Airdrie’s founders. “Yes, everyone wants a ‘Genesis Place’ for the arts, but we are also at a more immediate level looking for creative uses for existing spaces.”

In addition, there were lots of calls for more festivals, live music events, education programming for all ages, a gallery, grants and business relationships.

“We are planning more of these sessions, as one of our mandates is constant open communication with the community. People can go online to creativeairdrie.ca and continue the dialogue with our online survey,” ShawFroggatt says.

Creative Airdrie will also be on site at the Airdrie Home and Garden Fair (April 30 and May 1) with an interactive display, providing an opportunity for more of the community to speak up on the arts. Shaw-Froggatt says anyone with a passion for the arts is welcome to register on the CAS website for the e-newsletters and/or sign up into the volunteer database.

Main street Art Project Launched in November 2010 with the installation of the ‘hoarding’ around the old hotel site on Main Street, this project has been picking up steam and project co-ordinator Michelle Pickering has fielded dozens of calls from interested groups and artists wanting to participate in painting 30 4x8-foot boards.

“The energy level has been so exciting to see,” says Pickering, who is co-ordinating the panels along with CAS board member Veronica Funk. “I have been met with great appreciation for what Creative Airdrie is doing to move arts to the next level.”

The boards were distributed at the end of February to artists and community groups ranging from skateboard enthusiasts and a dog-walking group to a twins and triplets club and local schools. Many of the artists are working directly with the groups to help them bring their vision to life. “Every panel represents ‘community’ so we are excited to see what each group and artist comes up with,” Pickering says. “The community groups and artists are ready to see Creative Airdrie do this and really feel honoured to be part of this project.”

The constant theme throughout the boards will be a solid gray line that weaves in and out of every panel. When put together, the panels will represent the pathways of Airdrie. Watch for the panels to be installed in late May/ early June.

The Little Black Book Project What do you do with approximately 30 black notebooks left over from the Korean student exchange program? Fill them. Creative Airdrie will be randomly dropping off these empty notebooks around Airdrie this spring and, as the covers say, ‘Open, read, write, share.’ “It’s a concept that has been done successfully on a much broader scale around the world,” says Sherry Shaw-Froggatt.“We hope to see these notebooks come back to us full of words, thoughts, doodles and expressions of creativity and life.”

AiRdirondack Art Project The success of Creative Airdrie’s first event – 12 Adirondack chairs turned into works of art by 12 artists – is back. Project co-ordinator Veronica Funk has lined up 12 new artists, including stained-glass artists and photographers, to create these one-of-a-kind pieces that will be auctioned off in fall 2011 during Alberta Arts Days. life to leARN moRe about these projects and the upcoming Alberta Arts Days visit creativeairdrie.ca

22 airdrielife.com | spring 2011 airdrielife_spring2011.indd 22

2/17/11 9:38:03 AM

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life in the moment | chefs

Causa LimeĂąa Ingredients: 10 Yukon yellow potatoes 3 cans of tuna 15 lemons (10 for the potatoes; 5 for the tuna) 2 red onions, diced 2 Peruvian yellow hot peppers (or to taste) corn, carrot and peas vegetable mix vegetable oil mayonnaise, preferably homemade salt and pepper

Directions: Boil potatoes and mash them; add lemon juice, salt, pepper, yellow hot peppers and vegetable oil. Split mix in three equal parts.

Combine tuna, onions, salt, pepper, vegetable oil, yellow hot peppers and lemon juice. Mix well and set aside.

Boil the corn, carrots and peas mix.

Strain, add salt, pepper and mayonnaise, then mix.

Layers: 1. potato mixture 2. tuna mixture 3. potato mixture 4. corn, etc. mixture 5. potato mixture Top with thin layer of mayonnaise, shredded hard-boiled eggs, chopped parsley. Serve cold.

Latin Lovely story by Anne Beaty | photo by Kristy Reimer

Carla Ducoz brings south-of-the-border spice to Airdrie

24 airdrielife.com | spring 2011 airdrielife_spring2011.indd 24

2/17/11 9:38:05 AM

F

rom the time she was a young child in Lima, Peru, Airdrie’s Carla Ducoz has been at home in a kitchen.

Surrounded by amazing women who fuelled her passion for cooking, Ducoz learned not only how to create delicioso dishes, but to appreciate the exquisito flavours, aromas, colours and presentations of muy buena comida. Often on Saturdays when the other children were out playing, Ducoz was firmly ensconced in the kitchen, helping out and learning her craft from the expert cooks in her family.

Her savoury education was a journey of discovery, as the cuisine of Peru is wide-ranging and varied.“Each province (there are 24 of them) has its own different food, its own different areas, even accent,” she says.

By the time Ducoz was in her early teens, she was expanding her culinary craft and making more difficult dishes, causa limeña being her favourite.

“It’s tasty and a little bit spicy,” she says. “I remember loving making it.”

Now that Ducoz has made her home here in Airdrie – she and husband Rodrigo Gonzalez moved here in 2006 – she has combined her passion with her business acumen to open Casera Latin Deli on Kingsview Boulevard, specializing in her area of expertise, Peruvian and Chilean cuisine (Gonzalez was born in Santiago, Chile, and his mother introduced Ducoz to the tastes of that country).

Ducoz’s first foray into business came when she and her husband were living in Qualicum Beach, B.C. She made empanadas and sold them to friends, who were enthusiastic about her cooking skills. Then her husband, who works for La Casa Cubana cigar company, was transferred and they moved to Alberta. Once in the Calgary area, she sold her frozen empanadas at Crossroads Market. At the time, she was working for the former Calgary Health Region as a medical office assistant, but when her babysitter moved, she decided to stay at home with the children. It was at that point that she decided to go into business for herself.

Going back to her roots, Ducoz creates all her food in the kitchen at the deli.

“Everything [is] from scratch,” she says proudly.

From those early days in a Peruvian kitchen to owning her own deli in Airdrie, Ducoz has come a long way. Originally from Bellavista Callao, part of the greater Lima metropolitan area, Ducoz moved with her mother and stepfather to Canada in 1994 (in the middle of February, which was quite the rude awakening for the woman who had only ever lived in a relatively mild climate).

The difference in life between the two countries was huge.

Throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, Peru was undergoing a period of violence, instability and terror campaigns from homegrown guerrilla movements. During her last year in high school, Ducoz recalls everyday life being a dangerous affair. “You never knew if you were going to come home alive,” she says.“It was just terrifying. Nobody was allowed out after 10 [p.m.]. We lived

for years and years without electricity after 6 p.m. because they would bomb the electricity towers every day.”

Some of her dreams were quashed in that uncertain climate.“I wanted to see all of Peru and I never had the chance – it was just too dangerous,” she says.

Nonetheless, Ducoz came away with many fond memories: gathering by candlelight for fabulous suppers; playing with friends; socializing with neighbours; the community sense of sharing; her grandfather teaching her to sing; even the weekly trip to the market with her mother and grandmother.“We always find the positive about negative things,” she says.

Now well established in Canada, Ducoz appreciates what many often take for granted.

“It’s so peaceful and you find so many people from around the world,” she says.

For now, Airdrie is home for Ducoz, Gonzalez and their children Isabella, 10, Angelo, 6, and Alessandro, 4, as well as Yorkie Lola. When they first arrived, Ducoz admits to feeling a bit like a “foreigner,” but now she sees the community as increasingly multicultural. And she highlights the community spirit that has always been there.“People have come together when there are tragedies,” says Ducoz, a member of the LDS church. “It’s beautiful to see, not only at church, it’s always the whole town.

“That’s what I love most,” she adds.

Being able to own her own business and share the culinary treasures of her native country with the community is something Ducoz credits to the supportive people in her life.“The most important person to me is my husband. He saw the potential in me.

I couldn’t be here without him,” she says.

A long line of amazing women – her great-grandmother, grandmother, mother, stepmother and mother-in-law – have also played central roles.

“I feel that they gave me their best and I appreciate that and I am so grateful,” she says. “They keep teaching me – how to be a better person, how to be a better mom, a better friend.”

And their cooking legacy is so much more than just food.

“It’s something that you keep in your heart,” Ducoz says.

Despite having to adjust to living away from the ocean for the first time, Ducoz and her family are happy on the Prairies. And she doesn’t feel quite so far from her roots in South America, as her mother, Mariella, stepfather Gino and stepsister Miranda also live in Airdrie; her in-laws are in B.C.; and her stepmother Juana continues to be a great help when it comes to navigating Peruvian recipes.

The lessons she learned at an early age have stayed with her, not only cooking, but also the importance of community and valuing and respecting herself and others.

“I feel that I’ve been blessed,” she says. “I try every day to do a good thing.

“At the end of the day, it’s about what you’ve done for others,” she adds. life spring 2011 |

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life in the moment | meals to go

We know how everyone gets busier in the spring so with help from international best-selling author and mother of seven sandi Richard, we’ve got some fast and nutritious meals for the whole family from sandi’s newest meal planning cookbook Eating Forward. These recipes follow the easy-to-use format reading left to right, with prep time. All recipes are around 500 calories or less for an entire serving! Recipes reproduced

YELLOW GREEN YELLOW GREEN

with permission from sandi Richard.

Featuring keynote speaker John Stanton, lns founder of The Running Room. lns

For all fitness levels, enjoy: • a stress-free environment • stretching • walking and running • fitness lectures • workshops • hot tubs • fresh mountain air • beautiful scenery • healthy food

Calabrese Lasagna with Spinach Salad Calabrese Lasagna with Spinach Salad

Instructions:

Ingredients:

Don’t change yet! Take out equipment.

Instructions: 1. Preheat oven to 425º F. Heat oil inyet! a large pot. Finely chop Don’t change Takestove-top out equipment. to425º pot as 1. onion, Preheatadding oven to F. you cut. Add garlic and stir. pepperpot. andFinely add tochop pot.

HeatFinely oil in achop largegreen stove-top Add ground stirring untiland onion, addingbeef, to pot as youoccasionally cut. Add garlic meat is no longer pink.pepper Wash and stir. Finely chop green andslice add to pot. mushrooms, adding to potoccasionally as you cut. until Add ground beef, stirring Add sauce and stir.

Cook until heated meat is no longer pink. Wash and slicethrough, then remove adding from heat. mushrooms, to pot as you cut.

Take out ingredients.

Ingredients: SAUCE FOR 3 DINNERS 1Take tsp out olive oil, extra-virgin ingredients.

1 onion FOR 3 DINNERS SAUCE tsp olive fresh oil, garlic (from a jar) 12 tsp extra-virgin green bell pepper 11/4 onion 12 lb 450 garlic g ground beef, extra-lean tspor fresh (from a jar) 10 1/4mushrooms green bell pepper 21 cans pasta sauce lb or tomato 450 g ground beef, extra-lean fl oz or 680 mL each) 10(24 mushrooms use atomato spicy blend.

2 Icans pasta Choose sauce a low-sodium brand to reduce sodium intake.

(24 fl oz or 680 your mL each)

Add sauce and stir. Cook until heated through, IMPORTANT: Setheat. aside three cups of the then remove from sauce for Cheeseburger Soup meal on page 122 before making Sauce IMPORTANT: Set your aside lasagna. three cups of the freezes beautifully. sauce for Cheeseburger Soup meal on page n n lns lns

122 before making your lasagna. Sauce 2. Slice lengthwise, remove most of the freezesbread beautifully. white bread from the center of each side with your fingers (about a third of themost loaf). dry it 2. Slice bread lengthwise, remove ofIthe out forbread breadcrumbs of each discarding it. white from the instead center of side with your fingers (about a third of the loaf). I dry it 3. Smear on the bottom side. it. out for sauce breadcrumbs insteadofofeach discarding Scatter cottage cheese on top of each. Sprinkle with Parmesan and mozzarella.

3. Smear sauce oncheese the bottom of each side.

Repeat cottage layering.

Placeonone on a cookie Scatter cheese topside of each.

Sprinkle sheet.

Place in preheated cheese side up. with Parmesan cheese andoven mozzarella.

Set timerlayering. for 15 minutes.

Repeat Place one side on a cookie sheet. Place in preheated oven cheese side up.

You will only eatminutes. one side. Wrap the other side Set timer for 15 in foil then plastic and freeze for an emergency dinner You willanother only eattime. one side. Wrap the other side

s s

in foil then plastic and freeze for an emergency …while lasagna is cooking… dinner another time.

4. Rinse spinach in salad spinner. Sliver red onion.

Wash and slice pepper. Divide …while lasagna is cooking… on serving plates and top with nuts, 4. spinach Rinse spinach in salad spinner.

Sliver blueberries, feta, and red slice onionpepper. and redDivide pepper. red onion. Wash Drizzle with your favorite dressing. spinach on serving plates and top with nuts, blueberries, feta, red onion and red pepper.

Drizzle with your favorite dressing.

Slice the Calabrese Lasagna into thick slices and serve alongside the salad.

Proudly hosted by:

SIGN UP TODAY! For details and costs, visit www.runningroom.com.

Space is limited to the first 150 people.

26 airdrielife.com | spring 2011 airdrielife_spring2011.indd 26

Slice the Calabrese Lasagna into thick slices and serve alongside the salad.

I use a spicy blend. Choose a low-sodium brand to reduce your sodium intake.

1 loaf Calabrese bread (or crusty French loaf) 1 loaf Calabrese bread (or crusty French loaf) 2 cups sauce per side, each layer has 1 cup (4 cups total for both sides) cup 1% cottage cheese, per side,has 1 cup 21 cups sauce per side, each layer each layer has cupsides) (2 cups total) (4 cups total for1/2 both 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, per light, grated per 1 cup 1% cottage cheese, side, side, is 2cup Tbsp (1/2 cup total) each each layer layer has 1/2 (2 cups total) 11/4 cup mozzarella, shredded, cup Parmesan part-skim, cheese, light, grated per per has 1/2 cup side,side, eacheach layerlayer is 2 Tbsp (1/2 cup total) cups total) 1 (2 cup mozzarella, part-skim, shredded, aluminum foil layer has 1/2 cup per side, each plastic wrap (2 cups total) aluminum foil 6plastic oz or wrap 170 g prewashed baby spinach 1/8 red onion (optional) red pepper (optional)baby spinach 6 ozbell or 170 g prewashed 1 Tbsp almonds 1/8 red matchstick onion (optional) 1/4 cup blueberries, red bell wild pepper (optional) frozen 1/4 cup matchstick feta cheese,almonds light, crumbled 1 Tbsp (optional) 1/4 cup wild blueberries, frozen 1/4 dressing, fat-free 1/4 cup cup salad feta cheese, light, crumbled (optional) 1/4 cup salad dressing, fat-free Serves 4 Serves 4

44

DINNER IS READY IN 25 MINUTES

44

DINNER IS READY IN 25 MINUTES

2/17/11 9:38:09 AM

Calgary Co-op

YELLOW

Whole Health

n

l

Chicken Caesar Pasta with Peas Instructions:

Ingredients:

Don’t change yet! Take out equipment.

1. Fill a large stove-top pot with water and bring to a boil for pasta.

Take out ingredients. water

...meanwhile...

2. Heat oil in a large stove-top pot at medium.

Cut chicken into small bite size pieces, adding to pot as you cut. Add spice. Toss until meat is no longer pink.

Add cream cheese, dressing and milk. Stir until cheese is melted and ingredients are combined.

You may need to stir in a little more milk at the end, you want this thick but a little runny.

3. Place pasta in boiling water, stir and cook uncovered. Set timer according to package directions, approx 5 minutes.

12 oz or 340 g vermicelli pasta (use regular vermicelli or spaghettini, only use rice vermicelli if there are wheat allegeries in your family)

l

4. Place bacon in microwave. Set timer for 1 minute. Set aside on paper towel. Gently smash croutons with a mallet or kitchen hammer to create tiny croutons. Set aside.

4 strips fully cooked bacon, low-sodium (purchase this way) paper towel 1/2 cup croutons

s

5. Rinse peas in colander or steamer basket.

Place a small amount of water in the bottom of a stove-top pot and bring to a full boil with the peas in the basket above. Cover and set timer for 2-3 minutes or microwave on high for 3-4 minutes, then let stand.

3 cups frozen baby peas water NOTE: You can toss the peas into the sauce if you want, but we like the peas on the side.

…when timer rings for pasta…

6. Rinse pasta under hot water in a colander. Let drain and return to pasta pot. Cover, no heat, and let stand. Slice and crumble bacon. Serve the pasta on a plate or pasta bowl with the sauce poured over top. Garnish with croutons, crumbled bacon and Parmesan cheese.

Warning…This pasta is addicting! It’s so creamy you would swear there was heavy cream in it!

60

Charity Run/Walk

Saturday, April 9, 2011 1 tsp olive oil, extra-virgin 3 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless (1 lb or 450 g) 1 tsp original, all purpose seasoning, salt-free 5 1/3 oz or 83 g cream cheese, light 1/2 cup Caesar salad dressing, garlic lovers, light, gourmet, refrigerated 1 cup 1% milk

n

ln

Challenge

Parmesan cheese, light, grated (optional but amazing)

Running Room Eau Claire Market Unit A01, 200 Barclay Parade S.W., Calgary 403-264-4095

10K Run 5K Run/Walk There will also be a Toonie 2K, which is an untimed, on-site registration event.

Register for the 10K or 5K before March 15, 2011 to receive a FREE T-Shirt!

Proceeds from this event go to the Pediatric Obesity Foundation.

Serves 4-6

DINNER IS READY IN 25 MINUTES

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN! www.runningroom.com

spring 2011 |

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life in the moment | meals to go

®

your local fresh market

Bakery Fresh Cakes YELLOW

Calgary Co-op is proud to offer over 25 dessert cakes to choose from, all made fresh with quality ingredients.

Instructions:

Ingredients:

Don’t change yet! Take out equipment.

1. Preheat oven to 350º F.

Take out ingredients.

s

2. Rinse cucumber, snap peas, celery, tomatoes and carrots. Cut celery into sticks and slice cucumber. Arrange veggies on a serving plate for people to munch on while you’re making the burgers.

You can put out a little ranch dip if you like.

1 English cucumber 1 cup snap peas 2 celery ribs 8-12 cherry tomatoes 1 lb or 450 g baby carrots ranch dressing, light, for dip (optional)

n

3. Place buns in preheated oven. Turn oven off.

4-6 hamburger buns, multigrain

s

4. Rinse lettuce leaves and tomatoes. Slice tomatoes and sliver onion. Set aside as toppings for chicken burgers.

2 cups lettuce leaves 2 tomatoes 1/4 red onion

l

5. Whisk egg white in a small bowl until frothy.

1 egg white

n

Decadent...

Strawberry Chocolate Profiterole Cake

Only at Calgary Co-op.

Created by our own Calgary Co-op employee.

8 ”chocolate or vanilla cake.

Profiteroles filled with REAL cream and drizzled with white and dark chocolate Ganache.

Whole, fresh strawberries covered with strawberry glaze.

n

Watch for our...

Cake of the Month

www.calgarycoop.com

Spicy Crispy Chicken Burgers with Dipping Veggies

134

Place panko flakes on a sheet of waxed paper.

If your family likes spicy food, you can also add cayenne or chipotle seasoning to the panko flakes.

1 cup panko flakes (found near coating mixes) (or cornflake crumbs) waxed paper cayenne or chipotle pepper (optional)

Drop approx 1/2 tsp oil in four separate spots in a nonstick electric fry pan, smear to size of cutlet. Heat oil at medium.

2 tsp canola oil

Dunk each chicken cutlet into the egg white then panko flakes, coating both sides. Place flat side down in fry pan on oil. Partly cover with lid and flip when cutlet is golden brown (approx 4 minutes). Brown other side until internal temp is 170º F. One side will look nicer, serve that side up. Always use an instant read thermometer to ensure the chicken is cooked through, they are only a few bucks and really help you to know when dinner is ready.

4 chicken cutlets (1 1/3 lbs or 600 g) (or butterflied chicken breasts as shown) See page 35 for how to butterfly chicken. prepared egg white panko flakes on waxed paper After dunking cutlets expect to have some panko flakes leftover.

6. Remove warm buns from oven.

Spread cambozola cheese on one side of the bun and red pepper jelly on the other.

This burger is unforgettable buuuut if you don’t think your family will like cambozola or red pepper jelly, you can change them up with cream cheese and apple jelly!

1 1/2 Tbsp cambozola cheese for all (or cream cheese) 2 Tbsp red pepper jelly for all (found near gourmet condiments) or use apple jelly Serves 4-6

DINNER IS READY IN 30 MINUTES

28 airdrielife.com | spring 2011 airdrielife_spring2011.indd 28

2/17/11 9:38:12 AM

Cheryl Hughes Calgary, AB In January of 2006, at 342 pounds, Cheryl was barely able to get out of her chair, she walked with a limp and couldn’t even climb 6 stairs without cringing in pain. Cheryl spent the next year on a starvation diet.

It was then Cheryl was introduced to Simply For Life, and began a new chapter in her life. She was amazed that she could successfully lose weight by eating so much food. Consultant Scott Cobbett has taught her about the importance of vitamins, nutrients, portion control, how to read food-packaging labels, good and bad carbs, and so much more. More importantly, she learned that this was not a temporary diet solution like all the others, but a complete change in lifestyle and a new way to look at foods.

SFL now has Registered Dietitans, so please check your benefits!

BEFORE

Airdrie, 403-948-4424 Calgary North, 403- 220-9306 Calgary South, 403-201-1975

www.simplyforlife.com

He's got

his father’s

eyes

and his mother's charm.

Charm is about feeling good and looking good too. Choosing the correct eyewear can drastically change the look of you and your family members. With over a thousand frames and sunglasses to choose from, Urban Optique's fashion experts will help you find the style to suit your charming nature, and adjust your frames to ensure a proper, comfortable fit. Help your family members express their charm at our Airdrie location.

Optometrists - Opticians - Eyewear

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403-945-9484

spring 2011 |

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airdrielife.com 29 2/17/11 9:38:17 AM

life in the moment | meals to go

ÂŽ

your local fresh market

Bakery Fresh Cakes Calgary Co-op is proud to offer over 25 dessert cakes to choose from, all made fresh with quality ingredients.

moRe EATING FORWARD RecipeS, such as roasted fig and pesto chicken, at airdrielife.com

GREEN

WiN youR oWN copy oF EATING FORWARD by Sandi Richard online at airdrielife.com

l

Mmmm....

Chocolate Black Forest Cake European chocolate sponge cake.

Made with REAL dairy cream.

Quality cherry filling - lots of cherries!

Instructions:

Ingredients:

Don’t change yet! Take out equipment.

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick fry pan (electric or stove-top) at medium-high.

Unravel chicken thighs and place smooth side down, swishing around in the hot oil. Leave until brown.

Take out ingredients.

1 tsp olive oil, extra-virgin 10-12 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless (1 3/4 lbs or 800 g)

Sliver onion and add to pan as you cut.

Sprinkle with spice and garlic. Turn the chicken over with a fork and brown other side.

1/2 onion 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp coriander 1/2 tsp cumin, ground 2-3 tsp fresh garlic (from a jar) (or use cloves)

Soften peanut butter in a medium size bowl in the microwave for approx 15-20 seconds.

Add salsa, broth and chocolate syrup. Stir to combine. Pour over chicken.

Simmer at medium-low, occasionally spooning sauce over chicken to cover.

1 Tbsp peanut butter, light (or almond butter) 1 cup chunky salsa (mild, medium or hot) 1 cup chicken broth, reduced-sodium 3 Tbsp chocolate syrup (I use Quik)

n

2. Combine rice and water in a large microwave safe pot. Cover, cook at high for 8 minutes, then medium for 8 minutes. Place a paper towel under pot for any spills.

1 1/2 cups basmati rice 3 cups water paper towel

s

3. Rinse broccoli in colander or steamer basket.

Place a small amount of water in the bottom of a stove-top pot and bring to a full boil with the broccoli in the basket above. Cover and set timer for 3 minutes...or microwave at high for 3 minutes.

1 lb or 450 g broccoli florets water

REAL Belgian chocolate.

REAL Kirsch liqueur.

Mole Chicken with Rice and Broccoli

Serve Mole Chicken on hot rice. This is soooo amazing! Toasted sesame seeds on top add a nice flavor and look great!

1 Tbsp sesame seeds, toasted (optional)

Serves 4-6

Watch for our...

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Terri’s

life in the moment | makeover

A miracle makeover

transformation story by Sherry Shaw-Froggatt photos by Kristy Reimer

T

erri Amey is a survivor of one of the most horrific car crashes in Airdrie. On Dec. 9, 2009, Amey’s southbound Suzuki Sidekick slammed into the rear tires of a northbound semi. She woke up in the ICU with multiple broken bones, a full stomach laceration, a neck brace and unable to speak due to breathing tubes. It was weeks before she learned the full extent of her injuries and how lucky she was to be alive.

Her journey of healing involved more than 13 weeks in hospital, three more months in rehabilitative care, ongoing physiotherapy and another round of surgery to repair scar tissue in her right femur.

(For the full story and photos go to airdrielife.com.

Warning: some images are graphic.)

This past summer Amey decided part of her healing was to take a chance on the airdrielife makeover contest. She was without doubt our choice –

Amey’s favourite part of the makeover was working with CrossFit Edge owner Nicole Smith for several months. “Nicole pushed me out of my comfort zone while respecting my limitations. I love going to the gym and to the pool.” Here, Amey finally gets out of the baggy T-shirt and into a soft pink tank for exercising.

Exercise tank by George (Wal-Mart)

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Terri’s team not because she desperately needed a new look; she needed a new outlook. She had been working hard to recover physically and needed support emotionally. When we met with Amey, we were struck by her grace and composure. As we got to know her a bit more we found a woman who struggled to face not only the cruelty of the pain of her trauma and its accompanying limits on her mobility but the stigma of using a wheelchair, then a walker and now a cane. She was also just coming to terms with the words “lucky” and “brave.”

“It was hard to listen to people telling me how lucky I was,”Amey says. “I was sitting at home with a walker, unable to do even the most basic things around my home.

I would drop a tissue and start to cry because I couldn’t pick it back up – how is that lucky? Lucky would have been never having the accident in the first place.”

But it was meeting her heroes, Andrew Nickel and Shane Riddiough, that opened Amey’s eyes. “I had no idea. No idea how bad it had been,” she says. Nickel and Riddiough were the first witnesses at the scene before police and paramedics. Nickel stayed with Amey through the whole ordeal until she was loaded on the STARS air ambulance. Today Amey’s family (husband Ryan, daughter Kayla and son Terran) are friends with Nickel and his new family. On New Year’s Eve, Amey held Nickel’s first child and for everyone the experience was emotional. “The life I saved is holding the life I made,” were Nickel ‘s words to Amey.

Lucky indeed. life Read the full story of Amey’s crash and recovery in our special online feature at

Simply For Life offered menu planning advice and opened Amey’s eyes to food journaling that changed her eating habits and those of her whole family. “We focused on a meal plan that would aid her body in the healing process,” says Danielle Cobett of Simply for Life. Amey admits that she has “fallen off track” with the plan but once her last surgery is out of her way she wants to refocus her energy on maintaining healthy eating habits.

Vicki McDermid at Airdrie Dental stepped in to brighten Amey’s smile with a full exam including X-rays, cleaning and a cancer screen. “She has really nice teeth; we discussed veneers but went with bleaching,” says McDermid, who also took care of several fillings and provided a crown and a whitening kit. “I also recommend that Terri follow a three-month cleaning program to maintain her bone and gum health in addition to regular checkups.”

Shelley Bitz at Scotiabank Airdrie provided some financial advice and solutions for saving for a down payment on the Ameys’ own home and on handling existing debt.

“Their immediate goals were to lower existing credit card debt,” Bitz says. “By switching to a lower-rate Scotia Visa, the Ameys were able to pay off most of their high-interest department store credit card bills, and we could prioritize what order to clear everything else.“ Bitz also set Amey up with a Bank the Rest debit card that automatically rounds up her debit card payments to the nearest dollar and deposits the difference in a savings account so saving becomes automatic.

Nicole Smith, owner of CrossFit Edge, met Amey in her home and discussed her condition, reviewed her limitations and discussed her goals. “My plan with Terri was to help build her physical confidence back in her own body,” Smith says. “This would mean making day-to-day tasks like standing, sitting [and] getting up off of the ground comfortable and manageable for Terri. These things that may seem simple to most were a worry for [her].

“Over the next few weeks, we worked on pushups, to help push herself up off the ground, and as well strengthening her legs to help her stand up from sitting without her cane. Terri’s never-quit attitude made accomplishing theses movements much easier,” Smith adds. “Terri has also enjoyed using the rower for her cardiovascular training as the exercise alleviates any pressure on her legs as it is non-

weight-bearing. The rowers were also great for incorporating a full-body workout. All in all, her progress in achieving physical confidence back in her body has been a success.”

Kendall Wallis at Mezzanine Spa taught Amey a few secrets on using foundation and gave her a slew of products from Pharmasave to get her in the groove of wearing makeup more often. “My husband loves that I wear it more often,” Amey laughs. She is sensitive about several fine scars on her face from broken glass and eye surgery but we assured Amey she looked amazing and that even a bit of foundation was magic. For Amey the most terrifying ordeal was the thought of getting her brows waxed. “The only time I ever attempted plucking my brows I fainted!” she says. Thankfully Wallis proved to Amey that waxing was a little easier to deal with and the results were extraordinary.

“Your brows are the frames of your face – they change everything,” Wallis says.

Kahla Taylor at Mezzanine Hair took Amey’s request to “be dramatic” and gave her a vibrant new do, first dealing with the uneven lengths of hair that resulted from the crash trauma. Amey had a three-inch-diameter ‘bun’ of hair on her head cut off because of the glass and metal shards from the crash. As a result she had been hiding her hair in a ponytail every day since. “The nurses at Carewest took time every night to try and comb out the knots,” Amey says. “I finally said enough, let’s get rid of it.” Taylor chose a rich auburn brown base with added creamy highlights and shaped Amey’s hair with a cut to softly frame her face.

airdrielife.com

Amey’s tattoo has significant meaning. It is placed over her chest-tube scars and the words “Just Breathe” were the words that were repeated over and over to her by the first person on the scene, Andrew Nickel, a passenger and witness in another vehicle who is ultimately credited with saving her life Pretty in pink. Amey admits to not being a ‘girly girl’ and wearing pink was not high on her list before. “I am taking on a whole new outlook in life and if pink works, I’m in,” she said during the fashion shoot. Amey models a hot-pink cotton jacket and black dress with accessories all by George (Wal-Mart) spring 2011 |

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life in the moment | fashion Armani Exchange hoodie – model’s own Dolce & Gabbana T-shirt – My BFF Closet Emporio Armani jeans – My BFF Closet Jewelry – stylist’s own Ballet flats – model’s own

renewed photographed by Noah Fallis | art direction by len mastaler | styled by BR pirri

OUTLOOK

Think great fashion is only available in Calgary? Think again. spring 2011 |

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life in the moment | fashion Bellissima rouched satin gown in pewter – My BFF Closet Quilted pewter and gold handbag – My BFF Closet Lace and velvet gloves – stylist’s own Earrings – Mo’mi Dawodu Shoes – model’s own

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Scala black and gold sheer camisole – My BFF Closet Dalia black crop pant – My BFF Closet Jewelry – stylist’s own Shoes – model’s own

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life in the moment | fashion

model lauren @ i model management Styled by BR pirri @ i model Artists makeup hair mo’mi dawodu www.imodelmanagement.ca

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airdrielife.com 41 2/17/11 9:38:49 AM

life in the moment | column

fitlife

with Joan Bell

My Dance Journey

H

eel and toe, heel and toe, and slide, slide, slide. My first memory of dance was learning the Highland fling at age five.

For some reason, my mom pulled me out of dance and started me in piano – maybe my lack of co-ordination was evident even as a young child. The first year of piano lessons, I played on a piece of cardboard, as my parents did not want to invest in a piano until they were sure that I would stick with it. My first piano teacher was very strict and would smack my fingers with a yardstick when I didn’t perform up to her standards. I took piano lessons until I was a teenager, but really longed to get back to dance.

My next foray into dance was in my late teens and early 20s, when I dragged one boyfriend after another to ballroom dance classes. We learned to jive, tango, foxtrot, polka and waltz – none of them very well. I have always had a passion for dance, but seem to have been born with two left feet. I also don’t understand why the man has to lead. This attitude leads to some problems on the dance floor – just ask my husband.

I decided to return to solo dance performances and signed up for jazz dance with my sister. I loved the freestyle dance form, but always seemed to be going left when everyone else was going right! I have always been directionally challenged and the choreography seemed to be just beyond my grasp.

In my 30s, I signed up for adult ballet classes. I learned a lot from Madame with her stern, no-nonsense manner. She would stand at the front of the room and shout at us and pound her cane on the floor to correct our form. I stuck with the class for more than a year, but the number of adult students kept dwindling, and eventually I found myself in an intermediate class with young children. I really towered over them and they kept giving me funny looks. That was the end of my ballet career!

Ten years ago, on a whim, I signed up for belly dance classes through the City of Airdrie and met Suzy Brisbin. Suzy is an inspirational dancer who introduced me to the art of Middle Eastern dance. I enjoyed the free expression of belly dance, but life got in the way and I stopped taking classes.

Instead, I got involved with yoga and Pilates and opened a yoga studio.

Through the studio, I met a fabulous lady who also taught belly dance.

Robyn Cooper agreed to teach classes at my studio and once again I had the chance to explore this truly feminine form of dance.

When I realized how much I enjoy dancing and how belly dancing gave me a creative outlet, I decided to take dancing more seriously and discovered that Suzy was teaching classes in her own studio under the name of Shimmy Dance Productions.

Over the course of the past four years, I have had the pleasure of dancing with some of the most incredible and talented ladies in Southern and Central Alberta. We have performed at the Martha Cohen Theatre, the Jack Singer Concert Hall and numerous other venues throughout the province.

It has been a fascinating journey and I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. I discovered that I love to perform in front of an audience. Many of the other dancers experience nerves before a performance. Not me – I thrive on the tension and nervous energy. While I may not be the best or most beautiful dancer out there, I love to get up on stage and strut my stuff! I love the makeup, the costumes and the camaraderie with the other dancers.

I still struggle with choreography, lack of rhythm and a brain that doesn’t remember the songs, but I have found a way to express my passion for dance through my love of belly dance.

I am not sure where my dance journey will take me next, but in the meantime, I am enjoying the show! life

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Meet our professional team!

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Orthodontics is a form of dentistry that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of dental and facial irregularities. Technically speaking, these problems are classified as "malocclusion," meaning "bad bite." *Dr. Jennifer Buchanan is skilled in the design, application and control of corrective appliances, such as braces, to bring teeth, lips and jaws into proper alignment and to achieve facial balance.

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Our general dentistry practice treats patients with Orthodontic and TMJ disorders. Our office is a modern facility designed specifically to offer you comfort and convenience while providing superior service and quality. We work with our patients so they can achieve and maintain a beautiful smile and healthier teeth and gums. If you are interested in learning more, please contact us at Apple Wellness Dental

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life in the moment | column

lifesmarts

Weddings

Wallet-Friendly

with Sarah Deveau

A

ccording to a survey by Wedding Bells magazine, the average couple in Canada expected to spend $20,129 on a wedding. Of those couples, nearly half (47 per cent) expected to pay for the wedding themselves, 32 per cent planned to rely on family contributions and 14 per cent said they would take out loans.

However, I suspect that couples don’t consider the wedding expenses they put on an existing line of credit or their credit cards as “taking out a loan,” and that the actual percentage going into debt for their wedding is much higher than 14 per cent.

Is it possible to have a budget wedding, without feeling deprived of your fairytale day? Absolutely. All it takes is a little creativity.

Luckily, in Airdrie we have plenty of wedding experts ready to help.

At Taffeta and Tulle, an appointment-only bridalwear store on Main Street, brides can choose from more than 200 in-stock wedding gowns, with many priced at $499 or $699. “Not every girl has thousands of dollars to spend on a dress,” says owner Elaine Wagar.“At my store, they’re getting incredible value for a low price.”

Photographer Jenny Hansen of Absolute Exposure recommends choosing a photographer who allows you to purchase the images on a CD. “Being able to print your own photos will save you hundreds, even thousands,” she says.

Hansen believes wedding photography doesn’t have to be the biggest expense, but cautions couples looking at the lowest bidder to “always view the photographer’s portfolio to ensure [his or her] style is a fit for your vision.”

When looking for a venue, consider the extras. Will you need to rent tables and linens? Are you required to use only caterers from an approved list? What about providing your own alcohol? Locally we have a good selection of halls, churches, hotels and even restaurants that offer space for weddings of any size.

I saw firsthand how we have a top-notch option for wedding cakes when I was helping my brother find a suitable cake for his wedding last summer. Airdrie’s Avenue Cakery & Bakeshoppe had the lowest price by hundreds of dollars, and the cake was gorgeous and delicious.

“Just because you come in and tell me the cake is for your wedding doesn’t mean I’m going to triple the price. We’re fair, and the quality is the very best,” says owner Debi Macleod. “Also, many couples are opting for cupcakes instead of traditional wedding cakes, as they’re easier to serve and offer a significant savings.”

Whether you dream of an elaborate affair or a simple gathering, think twice about letting your wedding debt become the first burden of your married life. life

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community life in the airdrielife_spring2011.indd 45

54

hockey 101

57

Rural Roots

59

Absolutely Amazing

2/17/11 9:39:00 AM

life in the moment | column

lifelines

WITH LINDA BRUCE

The Gender Equation A

s I was growing up, like many young girls (and boys) I tried to imagine what I would “be” when I grew up. I dabbled with the idea of being a

nurse and then a doctor. I then decided to be a scientist, although I never really declared a field of interest. I did know that when I imagined my future, my mind would drift to something outdoors in a faraway place.

What I never imagined was life as a local politician or being invited to write an article for a prestigious magazine such as airdrielife. Life is full of surprises (good and bad).

Since March is the month to celebrate the achievements of women of distinction in Airdrie, I thought it would be apropos to focus on the great strides women have made over the last 35 years since International Women’s Year.

Some will argue that the issue of equality is dead … mission accomplished! Others still see a long road ahead, insisting that women are still paid one-third less in the workplace and that the glass ceiling is still solidly in place.

In my mind, glass ceilings are the reason women wear diamonds; when armed with the right tools we can break through any barrier.

Traditionally, politics has been considered a bastion for men. In my 15 years in local politics, men were dominant in numbers but not in spirit. The MLA for AirdrieChestermere, I am sure, must have felt outnumbered over the past few years by two mayors (myself for Airdrie and Patricia Matthews of Chestermere), one reeve (Lois Habberfield for Rocky View County), a Rocky View School Division chairperson (Sylvia Eggerer) and Calgary Catholic School District chairperson (Marg Belcourt) – all women.

Look around our community at the number of women who are local, successful entrepreneurs. In City Hall three out of five directors are women. The president of the University of Calgary is Elizabeth Cannon, the president of SAIT is Irene Lewis and the president of Bow Valley College is Sharon Carey.

Does gender really matter and should we even focus on it to prove success? It is a good question to ponder.

I am inspired by the success of good people whose hard work, integrity and commitment have inspired their leadership, be they female or male. With that said, success is a great reason to celebrate. While we debate whether we need to celebrate success by gender, I think we are fortunate to have this debate at all.

Janice Eisenhauer from Calgary is one of the founders of Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan. Janice and other Canadian women are supporting Afghan women in their quest for basic human rights … many of the issues we so easily take for granted (such as sitting anywhere on a bus). Did you know that Israeli women are required to sit in the back of the bus in most places in that democratic country? Where is Rosa Parks when we need her?

Living in Airdrie, Alberta, Canada, we can celebrate our successes as people, as women, as men; collectively as a community or individually.

Do we, as a society, make missteps and get caught up in gender battles? You bet. Do we try to correct our flaws?

Absolutely! Is the battle for equality over?

Some think so and perhaps for them it is. For others, when you feel a heavy weight holding you down, remember your secret weapon when up against your glass ceiling and break through to the other side. There will be many women and men waiting. life

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KuRTis KRisTiANsON KRisTY ReiMeR

PhOTOGRAPhERs ChEFs WiNERiEs LIVE MUSICAL ACTS shOWhOMEs

C A R L P AT Z e L

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sPeCiAL GuesT PhOTOGRAPheR: s T e WA R T M C L e i s h

Tastings, Exhibit & Sale 6:30 pm - 9 pm Silent Auction & Dessert Draw 9 pm - 11 pm

Imagine an evening of tastings by Airdrie’s top chefs, grooving to the sounds of live jazz and world music. Sampling fine wines from around the world and viewing exceptional photographic art all in the gorgeous settings of six new showhomes at Cooper’s Crossing. Tour, taste, sip and admire then buy (15% from the sale of all photography goes to Airdrie Housing Ltd). From 9 pm on, bid on silent auction items and draw your dessert to win valuable prizes including Airdrie restaurant gift certificates, home furnishings and much more! Your minimum donation of $40 gets you an exclusive wristband to attend this evening. All proceeds to Airdrie Housing Ltd. For complete event details go to sixinthecity.eventbrite.com

participating Restaurants

partners

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cuStom

FRAmiNG

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life in the community | athletics

Airdrie-based twirlers reach for the stars story by ellen Kelly | photos by Kurtis Kristianson

spring 2011 |

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life in the community |

athletics

A

Sky-High Twirlers Emily Brown (back left), Taelyr Patton (front) and Katie Burley (back right and at photo left) are all smiles as they practise their craft

airdrielife_spring2011.indd 50

irdrie Sky-High Twirlers strive for success and coach Loren Dermody inspires girls to reach for the stars.

For their efforts, the club’s members have been rewarded with accolades and trophies from local, provincial, national and international competitions, as well as personal satisfaction, friendship and fun.

“For a small club we really hold our own and do well,” says Dermody, who herself began twirling at age four and went on to participate on a world-class gold-medal-winning team.

Airdrie twirlers have successfully competed against teams from the U.S. and Japan where the sport is very popular.

Two years ago, the local team won gold in Australia and last year an Airdrie athlete placed fifth in Norway at the World Junior Championships.

For their success, Dermody credits the dedicated athletes and parents. “They’re a really nice group to work with,” she says.

Sky-High Twirlers was formed five years ago as a competitive club but has expanded to meet the needs of the community. Currently boasting approximately 40 active members, the club now stresses recreational twirling as well as competition.

Nine members comprise a team, but there are also individual and pairs competitions. Girls must be eight years old to compete but can spend time in the pre-competitive levels and continue to practise and learn.

Eight-week beginner classes provide an opportunity to try the sport. The club loans batons so the student needs only runners and comfortable clothing to become involved. Beginners learn in groups but as skill levels increase, lessons become more individualized. Progress depends on age, co-ordination and determination.

“It’s a great physical activity and something different for people to try,” says Shelley Brown, Sky-High Twirlers president.

Each June the club holds a recital to showcase the club’s talent. Admission is a donation to the food bank. The club also fundraises through bottle drives, as well as poinsettia and chocolate sales, and participates in provincial fundraising.

The girls hope to participate in the City’s Go Girl program next year and will be visible at competitions throughout the province. They will be a powerful presence at Nationals in Winnipeg in July and a group of members will travel to Florida in August for the International Cup. “They are an awesome group of girls; great mentors, do well in school, form close friendships,” Brown says.“They’re a small group but have impact in what they’ve accomplished.”

The next beginner class starts in late April. Anyone interested can contact Shelley Brown through the Sky-High website at www.skyhightwirlers.com (follow the link to the Alberta Baton Twirlers Association and watch an amazing demonstration) or drop by Genesis Place on Saturdays between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. when the girls practise. life

2/17/11 9:39:25 AM

Th

Blunston Patients Smile More.

New patients welcome. 403-912-9378 www.blunstondentalgroup.com Thayne Blunston, DDS, General Dentist ď‚— 1, 620 1st Ave NW Airdrie

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This map is for thematic purposes only. This map may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, in any form or by any means without written permission of the City of Airdrie. The City of Airdrie provides this information in good faith, but it provides no warranty, nor accepts any liability arising from any incorrect, incomplete or misleading information or its improper use.

© April 2010, City of Airdrie

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To Calgary & International Airport

www.airdrie.ca

52 airdrielife.com | spring 2011 airdrielife_spring2011.indd 52

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WELCOME TO AIRDRIE!

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Travel the nICE way

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With one-way trips only $5.00, the Airdrie Intercity Express is your most affordable option to downtown Calgary.

ICE routes and schedules: • www.airdrietransit.ca • 403.948.8875 Travel the cool way,

take the ICE!

(340 km)

rdrie.ca

www.airdrienow.ca spring 2011 |

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airdrielife.com 53 2/17/11 9:39:30 AM

life in the community | sports Nutty housewife goaltender Kim Danard (below) is ready for action with a hand-painted mask, as teammates Laine Westran, erin Gervais, sandra Lavoie and Jennifer Loewen (at right) get a pre-game pep talk before hitting the ice

ice Queens The Airdrie Nutty Housewife League

story and photos by carl patzel

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2/17/11 9:39:42 AM

I

t’s a chilly Friday evening, just minutes away from midnight, and for this bunch of sporting ladies the late-hourtransforming glass slipper takes the form of a tightly laced hockey skate.

With shoulder and shin pads in place they have a ball even with only two people in the stands taking in the action, neither of them resembling Prince Charming.

But this nutty bunch of hockey fanatics isn’t in it for a shot at fairytale glory or on-ice recognition from a screaming, crowd-filled arena.

For 16 years these women of the Airdrie Nutty Housewife League (ANHL) have been proudly donning the blue-andwhite jersey complete with logo depicting a slightly demented, admittedly nutty lady with hair sprouting in every direction.

There are also no politically correct arguments over the wacky league moniker or homemaker label.

“We still call ourselves the Nutty Housewife League, but there [are] not too many just plain old housewives on the team anymore,” says team captain Joanne Taylor, who takes a light-hearted pride in the league acronym.

“I play for the Airdrie NHL,” Taylor laughs.“It’s kind of cute.

We’re just a recreation team [but] our logo is kind of fitting.”

A full-fledged league which includes 12 teams from around Airdrie – including squads from Cochrane, Beiseker, Carstairs, Calgary, Sundre, Olds, Drumheller and Cremona – these ladies have travelled far from their humble beginnings.

Initially the puck-handling, girlish grinders came together as a group of hockey moms wanting to learn more about Canada’s unofficial national sport.

“They wanted to become more familiar with the skills involved in the game, the rules of the game, and get some exercise,” says Taylor. spring 2011 |

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airdrielife.com 55 2/17/11 9:39:45 AM

life in the community | sports

With some coaching help from husbands and fathers, the original group got together to work on skills and techniques and eventually developed into the game-playing organization.

“Most of them [who] started 16 years ago said it really gave them an appreciation for just how difficult the game was from a player perspective,” she says.“They felt that they had no right to criticize their kids’ playing … or yell at the refs or coaches.”

Now the league is an outlet for exercise, socializing and camaraderie. Criteria for joining include a little skating technique; an ability to shoot a puck; a touch of competitive edge; housewife status (although the rule slackens a bit in that department); being of the female persuasion, of course; and, yes, being a bit nutty helps.

While most of their peers are curled up in front of a television, or already deep in dreamland, these ladies are fulfilling an arena-chilled competitive fantasy late into the evening.

“We have great games and great competition. Some of us can’t seem to get the competitiveness out of us, but we also have to recognize we have all different skill levels,” says Taylor. “We still all get very excited when we score a good goal or manage to have a close game or [keep] an opposition stronger than you to a really close game.”

The local squad, ranging in age from 22 to 52, includes a roster of 15 players with varied backgrounds and hockey skill sets.

On this particular chilly, mid-season

evening, Taylor, a petite yet speedy defenceman, captains a squad of 10 players against a younger (although many won’t admit it), speedier Calgary Fury squad. “[Some] are very young and very skilled teams. They tend to skate circles around us,” Taylor laughs.

With an average of two games per week, there’s plenty of on-the-ice training.

“Some haven’t really played organized hockey,” she says, “but have played shinny growing up with brothers or with [their] kids.”

With players juggling full- and part-time jobs and family commitments, there are many nights a short-benched ANHL squad is double-shifting through the 60-minute contest.

Taking a shot at hockey glory wouldn’t be possible for many of the players without family support. Travel and late-night hockey matches can put a cramp in anyone’s schedule.

“Everybody’s families are very supportive.

Unfortunately a lot of our ice times are so late we don’t often get a lot of family members out to watch,” Taylor says, adding that the best reactions come from impressed youngsters who look to Mom for hockey advice.

“When you have kids who play hockey,” she says, “it’s pretty impressive when you hear them talk to their friends: ‘Oh, my mom plays hockey.’”

The cherry on the proverbial cake and highlight of the season comes during tournament play.

Loading gear on the bus, the players have traveled to tournaments from as close as Carstairs and Cremona to as far away as B.C., deep into Montana and even Tucson, Ariz., to lace up the blades against southern hockey heroines.

Over the past few seasons, though, the ANHL has drawn a reputation for hosting one of the most popular invitation tournaments in Alberta.

“This is quite a success story. Our tournament usually marks the end of the season for a lot of teams,” says Taylor of the 14th annual ANHL tournament, which runs April 1-3.

“It started the first year with four teams, and they were all local. Then within a year it grew to eight and then 12. It’s been 12 ever since because we just don’t have the capacity to entertain more teams,” she says.

Through word of mouth, ladies’ hockey websites, e-mail and great feedback from players, the annual event has attracted teams from Calgary, B.C., Saskatchewan and the U.S. Apart from the competition, the ANHL hopes to promote the City of Airdrie and bring business to the community.

“We try to ensure that we put back into the community,” says Taylor, who along with the team volunteers at the Santa Claus Parade, the Festival of Lights and Lioness Club programs. life

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photo by Kristy Reimer

The smiles say it all for Airdrie’s nutty housewives

life in the community |

rural roots

story by Alex Frazer-Harrison

photo by Kristy Reimer

The sun shines brightly on the endeavours of Debbie Malyk and her family

From farming to 4-H to gardening, the sun shines brightly on Debbie Malyk’s endeavours spring 2011 |

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life in the community |

rural roots

F

Photos courtesy of the Malyk family

A combination of creativity and hard work shows stellar results at Debbie Malyk’s greenhouse

or Debbie and Gary Malyk, running a farm a few miles north of Airdrie is more than just a family business – it’s a lifestyle.

And it’s a lifestyle that’s been in the Malyk blood for generations.

“This is where Gary’s dad’s parents farmed – we’re on the original homestead – and Gary’s dad grew up here,” says Debbie. “Then we were married 27 years ago and moved over.”

Gary’s family roots in Airdrie agriculture date back to the 1910s, when his grandfather started to farm in the area. Debbie grew up in Rossland, B.C., before heading to Alberta to study horticulture.

“We met at college – we became really good friends and we later married,” recalls Debbie.“I was always planning to go back to B.C.; I thought it would be nice to work in Victoria, a climatic zone where you can grow things, that’s not quite as challenging. But my horticulture background was in greenhouse production, so I found myself working at the Conservatory at the Calgary Zoo and at other applications until we got married.”

After that, as she and Gary raised three children, she worked for greenhouse businesses around Airdrie, which led to her starting the Airdrie Horticultural Society.

“I was president for the first two years, but then Gary and I got busy with 4-H and that became a big commitment.”

Affiliated with Airdrie 4-H Beef Club – although their children also attended Golden Rod 4-H Club – the Malyks took their turn as leaders for a time, and Gary says he’s still called on to help volunteer with such programs as 4-H on Parade and as a judge for public speaking competitions.

The Malyks’ involvement in 4-H is one reflection of the ‘old-fashioned’ (but never out of date) values that come from raising a family on the farm.

“It’s about lifestyle, mostly – a good place to raise kids,” says Debbie. “Good values, good work ethic – I guess those things Gary’s father taught him and that he wanted to extend to his children.

“It’s kind of like the motto of 4-H: learn to do by doing. The kids learned to help each other,” she adds.

Today, the ‘kids’ are all in their 20s: Ben, 26, is a journeyman welder in Crossfield; Matthew, 23, is taking veterinary medicine at the University of

Saskatchewan; and Erin, 20, is studying animal health technology at Olds College.

“Our kids aren’t thinking of doing farming full time, but time will tell – they’re still young!” laughs Debbie.

Indeed, the Malyks have plenty of history of coming together to do haying and harvesting, and Gary says that Erin “was one of our best tractor drivers and equipment operators.”

While Gary gets his work ethic from his parents, Debbie says her prime motivator is her mom.

“They say follow a busy person and you’ll get a lot done,” Debbie says. “She’s like a Tasmanian Devil – you can never slow her down!”

The Malyk farm is home to Debbie’s successful business, Pot Luck Creative Containers. Customers choose a type of flower pot or other container they want, select the types of flowers and plants, and Debbie fills out the containers in her home greenhouse, providing clients with fully mature flowers and arrangements in time for summer.

“A friend of mine started Frog Hollow [Garden Center] and I rented space from them to see if the idea of growing containers would work,” explains Debbie. “My customer base broadened and expanded and I knew there was a niche for it.

“After I turned 50, I said, ‘We have the land and the customer base and the talent – why don’t we do a greenhouse here in our backyard?’ So we put it in in 2007.”

The community came together to help make their new greenhouse a reality – including holding a traditional‘barn-raising,’ although instead of timbers and posts, it was about raising plastic and metal.

“I named my business Pot Luck because every container of mine is different,” says Debbie. “I’m busy from March to the end of June, and then after that [on the farm] we’re busy with the haying and then we’re into the harvest.”

When she isn’t growing containers or helping Gary with the farm work, Debbie is currently president of the Airdrie Women in Business Association (AWBA), which provides networking and marketing opportunities.

“I was in business and I needed to expand it beyond friends and family,” says Debbie. “[But AWBA was] going to disband and a number of us said, ‘No, let’s continue this,’ and people rallied behind it.” life

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2/17/11 9:40:00 AM

life in the community | hearts and souls

Dear airdrielife readers:

I

am very proud to present to you our first-ever roundup of amazing women in Airdrie. While I must admit that, after seven years, we’ve managed to write about at least

one amazing woman in every issue, I felt it was time to do something more concrete, more commemorative – create a celebration on our pages and off.

Since we decided to search for Airdrie’s amazing women, I have been privileged to hear so many stories about women in the community who are true originals; inspiring, determined, compassionate and simply amazing. They didn’t have to dive headfirst down a concrete chute like our own Mellisa Hollingsworth (which is only one reason why she is amazing), but sometimes what caught our hearts was their spirit, as with Tracy Work.

On these nine pages you will meet Airdrie women who did simple things that amazed their friends or amazing things that seem so simple at first glance but deep down required incredible strength, perseverance, wit or heart.

I know there are so many more of you out there, which is why we are taking this celebration off the pages and hosting our first Amazing Airdrie Women Awards luncheon on April 20. I would like to personally invite you to join our celebration – bring your best friend, your co-worker, your best employee and celebrate.

I am pleased to announce that one of my favourite amazing Alberta women, Sandi Richard, host of Food Network’s Fixing Dinner and best-selling cookbook author (oh, and by the way, she raised seven children!), will be our guest speaker.

A gourmet meal, an inspiring speaker, a celebration of amazing women: don’t miss your chance to share the day with us. Check out airdrielife.com for all the details; tickets are only available online.

So read on, read a bit about the lives of some amazing women who just happen to be … from Airdrie.

Sherry Shaw-Froggatt, Publisher Continue the celebration of amazing women online – share your stories with us on Facebook or at airdrielife.com

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2/17/11 9:40:00 AM

life in the community | hearts and souls

From an Olympic athlete who never gives up to a Grade 8 student wanting to make local schools better places to learn, Airdrie is home to some pretty amazing women. This spring, airdrielife caught up with several representatives of this diverse group. BY ALEX FRAZER-HARRISON | PHOTOS BY KRISTY REIMER

itchie R c M Lori

The heart and soul of Airdrie Food Bank, Lori McRitchie is known through the community as a caring woman. Her name is synonymous with the concept of giving back to the community and her smile is welcome wherever she goes.

FROM NOMINATOR SUSANNE EVANS: “She sets an example of endless goodness.”

For Robin Pearson, friendship is more than just a word. Her business, A Friend Indeed, pairs local seniors with ‘friends’ who assist the seniors in a wide range of activities – from grocery shopping to simply enjoying the wares of a local coffee shop. Pearson’s initiative allows seniors an opportunity to get out and about, visit with friends on a regular basis and be engaged in their community.

Nancy McPhee is a whirlwind of energy and

she doesn’t know the meaning of the word “quit” – much to the delight and appreciation of the extended community. Having volunteered for many years with such initiatives as Inn From the Cold, McPhee has also spearheaded her son Stephen’s charity, Stephen’s Backpacks, and she continues to volunteer wherever she sees a need. Despite the time and energy it takes to be involved in all she loves, McPhee would add even more to her plate – if only there were 36 hours in a day!

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2/17/11 9:40:05 AM

JACELYN BENNER and SHEELAGH SCHULZE

Jacelyn Benner and Sheelagh Schulze have dedicated their careers to helping children communicate better.

As speech-language pathologists, they help children deal with or overcome a range of issues, from physical concerns to developmental delays, and in 2009 the two opened Inspiration Station Preschool to provide an integrated experience for youngsters with special needs, and those who are typically developing.

“I never had any intention of working with adults,” says Schulze, who has been practising for nearly 20 years. “It seemed like the type of career that would be really rewarding, working with children.”

Benner met Schulze in 1996 when she came to do her practicum as a speech-language pathologist at Airdrie Health Centre, where Schulze was her supervisor.

“I got my education degree with the idea of working with teachers in collaboration with students,” Benner says. “I enjoyed working with Sheelagh, so I stayed at the health centre.”

The two later branched out into private practice, contracting with service providers putting together specialized service teams for children with special needs, recalls Schulze. When the chance came to open a preschool, they took it.

“We’re an integrated school, but because we work with children with identified special needs, we have the ability to offer a high adult-child ratio,” says Schulze.

Adds Benner: “The best match for us are parents who believe in developmentally appropriate play-based learning. We both have a passion for literacy – our preschool teacher is ‘MotherGoose trained.’ We’re immersing the children in language.”

At the same time, their school offers the children, whether it’s a three-year-old missing his mom or a child with a learning disability, a nurturing environment. “One of our goals is we wanted them to be delighted to come to school,” says Benner.

Adds Schulze: “The most rewarding part is seeing [the children] get so much better and interact and talk to each other. This is the most rewarding job.”

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life in the community | hearts and souls

“I want to be prime minister someday ...”

62

Along with her dedication to her medical career and her family, Dr. Jacqueline Boyd is a lifesaver – literally. Dr. Boyd (seen here with son Liam, 3) assisted a man who was attempting to retrieve one of his children’s toys from a local waterway. When he showed signs of distress, Dr. Boyd jumped into the water, swam to the man, pulled him to shore and ensured he received the medical treatment he needed. Had she not intervened, he very probably would have drowned. The humble doctor’s selfless act made a huge difference to the man and his family and to the community at large.

FROM NOMINATOR PAUL BAJOR: “I don’t think she even truly realizes what an impact she has made through her actions. [Jacqueline] is not one for public thanks or awards or anything of that sort and always said that it was out of instinct; however, I think that she was selfless in her act and anybody would be lucky to have her helping hand.”

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LEAH MOORE

Leah Moore has more on her mind than homework and friends – she wants to help make Airdrie schools better places.

Last year, Moore launched a petition calling on the province to fund more schools to relieve overcrowding in local classrooms.

“My parents were talking about how bad the school situation was and I decided there was no other way [to address it] than to do it yourself,” says the Grade 8 student at Muriel Clayton Middle School, who received support from the Airdrie Council of School Councils.

“We went all over Alberta … collecting signatures wherever we went, especially at farmers markets,” Moore says, adding that doing so acknowledged overcrowding as a province-wide issue.

Moore learned about the issue firsthand from teachers and trustees. “Forty-five kids in a class just isn’t right,” she says. “It takes about three, four years to build a school – it won’t affect me when the schools are built, but it will affect the future.”

Ultimately, she presented MLA Rob Anderson with some 3,500 signatures, which he tabled in the legislature in November.

“He said [the petition] was one of the biggest he’d ever seen, which made me feel good,” says Moore. “It’s been interesting because most people don’t expect a child to face down a government.”

Time will tell whether we see more schools built thanks to Moore’s efforts. But she says that raising awareness about getting involved is just as important.

“I’m hoping it made people realize that no matter who you are, where you come from or how old you are, you can make a difference,” she says.

Meanwhile, remember the name Leah Moore. If she has her way, you’ll be seeing it again.

“I want to be prime minister someday,” she says. “I’ve seen it in my view since I started this and I’ve been learning what you need to do to get there.”

Dr.

eline Jacqu

Bo y d

2/17/11 9:40:12 AM

Airdrie has a plethora of excellent business women, who, even as they make a success of their businesses, also know how to give back to their community.

Included on this long list are: Denise Melrose, Store Upstairs and Pharmasave owner; Sue McGinley, M & M Meats owner; Danielle Cobbet, Simply for Life owner; Renae Gibson, Sheer Fusion Lingerie owner; and Christine Taylor, HooDoo Designs owner

When it comes to having a positive impact on the community’s young people, Kacie Dougherty and Alycia Berg know their stuff. Success coaches at the Airdrie Boys and Girls Club, Dougherty and Berg have made meaningful contributions to future generations by supporting and encouraging Airdrie’s success stories of tomorrow.

Mother, friend and co-worker Barb Imler has faced many challenges in her life. Having single-handedly raised four boys and endured difficult times, Imler continues to be a friend and support system to many people and is always there to offer a helping hand, advice from her own life experiences or just a warm hug and a friendly word.

FROM NOMINATOR ANDREA HOWATT: “Barb is an amazing woman because despite the hardships she has endured, she has come out with her head held high and a smile on her face.”

Airdrie boasts top-class athletes, including Corissa Boychuk, a gold-medal winner in world trampoline competition, and Samantha Cools, whose world-class performances on the BMX track have earned her international renown. These two women are fine examples for younger athletes, as they face any and all challenges with courage and equanimity.

CAROLYN McTIGHE

“Ever since college, I knew I wanted to write ...”

Carolyn McTighe’s love of writing has taken her from newspapers and radio into the world of children’s books.

Originally from Kamloops, McTighe’s early career included stints for Ontario newspapers and CBC Radio. But she never seriously considered writing a book until around 2005.

“Ever since college, I knew I wanted to write,” she says. “But I was busy with school and got married … the option was put on hold until I had my third child. Then I started to write my first book.”

Meanwhile, she became a freelance journalist.

“I contacted the L.A. Times to see if they needed a Canadian stringer,” McTighe recalls. “That was a big coup for me and it opened a lot of doors.”

Writing her first children’s book, The Sakura Tree, was “a natural progression” from this work, says the now-mother of four.

“Freelancing is great, but sometimes … things slow down,” she says. “I was always interested in doing a book for children, so I began writing it and it came easily.”

Published in 2007, The Sakura Tree was inspired by a documentary on Japanese women known as “picture brides,” who were sent to Canada in the early 1900s to marry Japanese workers.

“It was a great experience writing that, a beautiful book. I’ve written a second book, How to Ruin Your Life and Other Lessons School Doesn’t Teach You. It’s a junior novel about a little girl named PJ Parker and her adventures at school with her friends,” the author says.

With another book on the way – a memoir about a year she spent living the lifestyle of a retro housewife – McTighe says being her own boss is the best part about being a writer.

“My motivation comes from dogged determination that this is something [I] want to do, and you get so much enjoyment out of it,” she says. “I’m always looking for another challenge.”

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2/17/11 9:40:13 AM

life in the community | hearts and souls

“I think it’s been my calling ...”

Cindy You

KAREN MacDONALD

Karen MacDonald says there’s no such thing as a dull day at her work, because there’s always something to celebrate.

Since joining the staff of the Boys and Girls Club of Airdrie 10 years ago, MacDonald has moved up from administrative assistant to executive director. The program, which has been in Airdrie for 32 years, provides after-school and support programs for youths aged six to 18.

“I love kids – and this is something I’ve always been interested in,” says MacDonald, who hails from Ballinluig, Scotland, and immigrated to Canada with her husband and children in 1997. “Maybe it’s because of the way I was brought up. I was in a big family, one of seven kids, and in Scotland nobody had any money, so we were low-income. I think a lot of the challenges being brought up made me who I am today.

“I think it’s been my calling – when I was 18 I started up a youth club,” she adds.

MacDonald says that the young people who come to the Boys and Girls Club are from diverse backgrounds. “There’s a stigma that it’s just for disadvantaged kids, but that’s not the case,” she says. “It doesn’t matter what background you come from, everyone has to connect to something.”

The club offers several after-school, leadership and nutrition programs, programs aimed at promoting self-esteem, and also home-based programs. Since MacDonald became executive director in 2008, the club has added programs and locations throughout Airdrie and a satellite program in Strathmore. She is also hoping to establish a youth centre.

MacDonald says that the relationships she’s built with staff and the young members have made the hard work worthwhile.

“There are no dull days,” she says. “You get the highs and you get the lows, but when you’re low, the kids pick you up again. I just like connecting with them.”

ng

Cindy Young always sees the positive and strives to do her

best in everything, including being a mom, a wife, an employee and a friend – all the while putting her family’s life back together after a house fire destroyed much of their property and forced them to evacuate.

FROM NOMINATOR CHERYL HART: “My first impression of Cindy was, ‘Wow, is she ever relaxed for what she has been through!’ Since getting to know her and seeing what she has gone through to rebuild her house, reclaim her possessions plus deal with a death in the family, I am in awe of this amazing woman. I feel privileged to get to know her and to become what I think is a lifelong friend.”

A certified acupuncturist and doctor of Chinese medicine, Dr. Tanya Hartz provides help, guidance and physical treatment that makes life better for those who know her, whether patient or friend.

FROM NOMINATOR NANCY PRIEST: “She is a young, energized woman with absolutely incredulous spiritual insight!”

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Heloise Lor imer

A true pioneer, Heloise Lorimer, who died last year at age 98, was born in Airdrie and spent all of her life here. Along the way, Lorimer (seen here with husband Jim in a photo taken in the 1930s) attended the community’s one-room school, participated in various sports, answered the fire phone for the local volunteer fire department, was the community’s first bus driver, taught Sunday school, supported Nose Creek Valley Museum and watched her community grow from a population of 100 to nearly 40,000.

Lorimer was featured in Airdrie’s centennial book, a tribute to her importance in the community. She and Jim raised three sons (Gary, Buzz and Rick), who, along with eight grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and a whole community of friends, will carry on Lorimer’s legacy.

Last year, Renee Doucette was courageous enough to battle breast cancer and win.

This year, she is cancer-free, and started her own business.

FROM NOMINATOR CHERYL HART: “[Renee] is a very positive woman who looks for the good in every situation. She has handled every challenge in her life with courage and determination. She is a wonderful mom, wife, friend and person. I admire her for her love for life.”

NANCY ADAMS

“I truly believe in the relationship between students and staff ...”

Nancy Adams says that having good teachers gave her a love of learning; now, as principal of Bert Church High School, she hopes to pass this on to a new generation.

“I didn’t originally want to be a teacher,” says Adams, adding that her plan was to try teaching for five years after university and then do something else. “The challenges I faced as a beginning teacher were huge – I don’t think I had the maturity needed to face it.”

Her early years teaching in the Maritimes were tough ones, but she grew into the profession, especially after moving to Airdrie – “To seek our fortune out West,” Adams says. This ultimately led to a career with Rocky View School Division that’s lasted more than 30 years, the last five as principal at Bert Church.

“They say it takes a village to raise a child. I believe education does a lot of that,” she says. “We’re not just teaching skills – we’re promoting 21st-century learning and trying to get our students to take their place in the world.

“We’re developing character, building citizenship and building community,” she adds.

Adams says that the role of teacher-as-mentor is immense.

“Back in the old days, the teacher’s role was just to impart knowledge – the ‘sage on the stage,’” she says. “Now, we try to teach kids to be critical thinkers, to be problem-solvers and innovators. Educators have the ability to influence young people and, if you’re lucky, you may end up inspiring someone.”

Growing up, Adams was inspired by good teachers who instilled in her a love of reading and discovery, and today she is inspired by her colleagues who continue to strive for excellence as teachers at Bert Church.

“I truly believe in the relationship between students and staff,” she says. “It isn’t about me; it’s about all the staff and teachers and how they can connect with young people and be role models for them.”

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life in the community | hearts and souls

MICHELLE LOCK

Over the last 27 years, Michelle Lock has seen a lot of changes in Airdrie.

From her earliest days as aquatic manager for the then-Town of Airdrie to her current job as director of community services for the City, Lock’s enthusiasm for community-building has never waned.

“I grew up in Pincher Creek, which gave me the opportunity to figure skate and do all those community sports,” she recalls, adding that she also worked as a lifeguard there. Lock went to university to become a teacher and found herself leading sports programs for Calgary’s YMCA, which led her to Airdrie.

“I was [aquatic manager] for about two years and opportunities were passed my way … I did everything from ParticipACTION to the Airdrie Echo Fun Run,” she says.

Lock moved through the ranks to become recreation director, at one point helping to develop the Airdrie and District Gymnastics Club. “What’s really exciting is you plant a seed and it grows and you work with the community to get it going,” she says.

Since becoming director of community services, Lock has helped plant several seeds, including the redevelopment of Plainsman Arena and the establishment of Chinook Winds Park. She also oversees City services related to social planning, corporate properties and building operations, economic development, transit and recreation facilities.

Lock says she’ll never stop learning. “My personal commitment is to always be learning and developing,” she says. “I’m always taking courses; that will never stop. And I’ve a new passion – golf.

“If I wasn’t having fun, [27 years] might seem like a long time, but time goes by so quickly and you look back and say, ‘Wow, there’s been a lot of change,’” adds Lock. “No one person or organization builds a community – it’s the effort of so many people.

For me, nothing is more rewarding than seeing the community achieve its goals.”

“My personal commitment is to always be learning ...”

Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005 and again in 2008, Tracy Work has not let anything slow her down.

Despite undergoing chemotherapy, Work goes out of her way to assist others in need, while at the same time ensuring her husband, Clinton, and daughters Emma, 9, and Kayla, 7, have a normal and fulfilling life. She continues to be a source of strength for her family, as well as her friends, acquaintances and others facing the cancer battle.

In 2009 Airdrie celebrated its first Relay For Life fundraising event for the Canadian Cancer Society.

Work participated as a survivor that first year, then joined the committee and participated in 2010.

Even though she is enduring her third round of chemotherapy, this year Work is co-chair for the Airdrie Relay For Life committee. Her whole family and many of her friends have come together to fight with her – last year they had enough participants for four teams (with typically 10 people per team).

FROM NOMINATOR PAT ELLIOTT: “[Tracy] has taken on the fight against cancer with amazing strength and dignity and continues to show a positive attitude and example to others.

She is so generous and strong and she is that way for all her family and friends, always trying to make them comfortable when often she is fighting a difficult fight.”

Tracy

Work

FROM NOMINATOR MIKE WATKINS: “Carol Pearse can be summed up in one word – caring. If I ever had an older sister I would like it to be Carol.”

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Lisa C

asey

Lisa Casey exemplifies community and family. She is the type

of person who likes to be involved and always thinks of others before herself.

About five years ago, Casey quit a well-paying career position to become a stay-at-home mom to her son and daughter. Along with working two days a week, she volunteers in both of her children’s classes and heads the pride committee at their school; manages her daughter’s hockey team and attends both her children’s many hockey practices, games and tournaments throughout the year; and is even in the process of starting her own business.

FROM NOMINATOR CARRIE WALKER: “[Lisa] is the type of friend [who] will bring over lasagna when there is a death in the family, watch your children when you are in need, cook Thanksgiving dinner for those [who] are alone during the holiday, offer a helping hand even when her plate is full. There is nothing that Lisa cannot do and I am lucky to have her as a friend.”

BRANDY JAMES, the third generation in her family to reside in Airdrie, has overcome staggering odds to make a success of her life. Born prematurely, James came into this world with health issues, such as underdeveloped lungs. She was later diagnosed with hip dysplasia and was fitted for a time with braces. She quickly overcame these obstacles and excelled in dance (ballet) and many outdoor sports during her pre-teen and teen years. While attending Bishops University she experienced extreme headaches which resulted in emergency surgery after an MRI revealed a partially calcified tumour on her brain stem, approximately the size of an orange. After many hours in surgery and with the gifted hands of those surgeons, she once again beat the odds. The great news? The tumour was benign; the bald head and scar she could not have cared less about. After a recovery period and no doubt much studying, she graduated with her fellow students with her B.Sc, followed by another three years of university to obtain her doctorate in naturopathic medicine. Last fall while training to run a marathon, James fell breaking her wrist in five places – but she didn’t let that stop her, as she recently headed south to Arizona to run that marathon.

FROM NOMINATOR PATTI NORTON: “Now isn’t she an amazing Airdrie woman?”

MELLISA HOLLINGSWORTH

“As an Olympian, you’re always giving back ...”

Not many Airdrie residents can say they’ve stood on the Olympic medal podium.

For Mellisa Hollingsworth, who won the bronze in the women’s skeleton event at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, it was a dream come true.

“I’ve loved the Olympics since I was a little girl. And I watched people like Catriona Le May Doan, Marnie McBean and their successes and their personalities,” Hollingsworth says during the midst of a competition tour of Germany. “I was 15 years old when Ryan Davenport (her cousin and two-time world skeleton champion) suggested I try the sport, and I did well at it.”

Eckville-born Hollingsworth, who moved to Airdrie in 2007, finished fifth in skeleton at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics but hasn’t slowed down (she earned silver in a World Cup event at St. Moritz in early February) as she looks toward the 2014 games in Sochi.

“It’s definitely one year at a time, a long-term goal,” she says. “I think I’m a competitive person and I enjoy competing. On the sled, it’s the unique feeling of flying down the track – you feel invincible.”

When she’s not competing or training, Hollingsworth devotes herself to several causes. “I do a lot of talks and there’s a new community program we’ve set up with Dilawri Automotive Group called Passion for Excellence.

Students submit video essays about their passions, and it’s neat how they come together as a school, classroom or individuals and we hear about their stories.”

Aimed at Grades 5-9, the program asks students to describe how they overcame obstacles in their own quest for excellence in their lives, at home or at school, with Hollingsworth giving presentations at the schools whose participants’ entries are chosen as the best.

Hollingsworth is also an athlete ambassador with Right to Play, which promotes child development through sport and recreation in developing countries.

“As an Olympian, you’re always giving back,” she says.

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life in the community | hearts and souls

“Jan is a person who performs random acts of kindness.”

JAN MORRISON

- CARMEN MAIDSTONE

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Airdrie’s young women continue to impress with their dedication to their community and around the globe. Originating at George McDougall High School in 2001, Students for Change (S4C) was created to raise student awareness of local and global issues and help young people make change happen.

Many of the original members – among them Anyssa Shakeri, Kaleigh Kuchinski, Lindsay Manko, Chelsey Dawes, Holly Longair and Sabrina Niesman – have gone on to pursue their dreams as they continue to be involved, engaged and responsible citizens. Shakiri is studying to become a doctor; Kuchinski has held three Breaking Bread dinners in Halifax and has worked/volunteered in Peru and Nicaragua for the past two summers; Manko was the program director with the Boys and Girls Club in Airdrie last year; Dawes has just finished her master’s degree in Arizona in human rights and social justice; Longair is attending Queen’s University majoring in global development; y M a n ko and Niesman is studying pre-med at the University of Calgary. These young women have ndsa proved admirable role models for those who follow in their footsteps.

Nov. 2, 2001, is a day Jan Morrison will never forget. That was the day she learned her six-year-old son, Dallas, had leukemia.

She was eight months pregnant and also raising another 15-monthold son. You’d think the stress would be too much for anyone. But Morrison and her family persevered and today, the idea of “paying it forward” is part of their very fabric.

“For us, our life-altering change was when our son got cancer,” she says. “The people in Airdrie were so phenomenal, how they came out for our family. Every night, dinner was dropped off at our doorstep, gifts were sent to the hospital … Towerlane Mall did a head-shave and raised $52,000 for children’s cancer.”

Today, Dallas is in remission and is a football player at George McDougall High School. He’s also a talented artist, and it was through his art that he and his mom established the Kids Curing Kids Foundation (kidscuringkids.org) in 2004, which so far has raised about $170,000.

Along with raising three active boys – Dallas, Austin and Tyler – Morrison is heavily involved in marathons, walks and rides to raise money for and awareness of cancer. She is also president of the Airdrie Optimist Club and with her husband, Bruce, is a branch principal at Dundee Wealth in Calgary.

“When I receive a card in the mail from Jan, I am always amazed that she has a spare moment to take the time to think of me and send that little something and a note of friendship. That in itself shows the calibre of person she is,” says close friend Carmen Maidstone. “I greatly value my friendship with her and I am blessed to have her in my life. She is an angel, a friend and amazing.”

For Morrison, her family continues to be a source of inspiration.

“Dallas has taught us everything we need to know about life … that strength and love as a family can pretty well get you through anything,” she says. “If I can be thankful about every day, that makes tomorrow even greater.”

Sabrina Nie s ma n

Holly Long

air

Deb Johnson has empowered herself through

her own journey and created a life that has allowed others to feel that they can heal and become who they need to be.

She has been there for friends, chatting and listening, accepting them for who they are with no judgment.

FROM NOMINATOR MICHELLE PICKERING: ”She is consistently there for me. Her place, her life, her patience has allowed me to stay grounded and believe in myself.”

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life at home | column

How my

lifetimes

with Ellen Kelly

garden (doesn’t) grow

Gardening, like learning a foreign language, comes more easily to some than to others. I am one of the others.

I don’t like gardening.

There, I’ve said it. Admitting to not enjoying gardening comes close to supporting non-breastfeeders on the scale of societal abominations, but let’s be clear. I like gardens and I like planting things and watching them grow. However, I have no aptitude for picking the right plants for the right spaces, I don’t like mucking about in the soil and I don’t like watering the little sprouts while being eaten alive by mosquitoes.

A certain amount of gardening is of course necessary if I want to enjoy my yard. I usually start out with a burst of energy in February. With lengthening days, my tiny sprouts, carefully planted in milk cartons and little peat pots, are primed to burst forth in time to transplant to planters and beds.

But this is optimistic. Year after year, I start plants only to have them wither, possibly from lack of water or light or both. I prepare the soil and put in bedding-out plants from the nursery with only slightly more success and when tender, delicate perennials poke through in other people’s gardens, my hardy ones remain dormant. Not a crocus to be found. Sometimes a rare tulip pushes through, only to be frozen by a late frost that somehow doesn’t hit the tulips in the yard across the street as hard.

Years ago, I gave up on anything fancy. In my yard, I have peonies, daisies, a few day lilies, a couple of hardy rose bushes, a poppy (yes, just one) and several lovely plants whose names I can’t remember. I have low-growing snow-in-summer planted behind towering day lilies, groundhugging campanula ensconced near the roots of a seven-foot rose bush, a Virginia creeper that, rather than cling to brick as my neighbour’s does, flops lamely along the fence. I dig and poke, but not with much enthusiasm. There seem to be more weeds than plants and mostly, I can’t tell the difference.

People tell me I have a lovely yard, due mostly to the lawn, kept manicured by my husband.

At least that part is tidy. When I visit other gardens, with flowers blooming in rows, dancing like well-dressed maidens in the breeze, I am in awe. I make plans – next year my garden will be like this.

But when I return home to my lawn swing, my cup of tea and my book and see the disorder growing around me, the unorganized wildness of determined perennials, violas thriving in sidewalk cracks and, under the swing, surprise plants – gifts that have arrived in bird droppings – I am not tempted to change it. Somehow there is comfort in the confusion. life

; ; 72 airdrielife.com | spring 2011

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life at home | design

story and photo by Carl Patzel

Interior Designer Arlene Ladner

Making Her W

hether it’s a unique stainless steel bathroom fixture, a colourful staging or total floorplan alterations, Arlene Ladner has left her mark on Airdrie.

As a principle designing consultant with Bronco Gray Design Ltd., Ladner has taken on a selection of styling projects in Airdrie, from straightforward decorating to some unusual requests, which include sprucing up a cave.

“One client has more of a man cave downstairs. We’ve done venting for cigar [smoke] and a poker room. We also did a stainless steel bathroom with urinal, [toilet] and countertops,” says Ladner. “That was a very unusual request.”

Whether it’s a renovation or new build, Ladner puts her unique touch on every project in which she’s involved, helping clients and small home builders select materials from the floor up to the ceiling and everything in between.

Every assignment offers interesting challenges for the young designer. Working with parade homes in the Canals, Ladner was met with a unique opportunity.

Mark

“They had it zoned where the garages had a loft in them. It was almost like we were doing two houses for the client. We would also be picking materials and designing the room above the garage,” she says.

Hammering out planning problems comes naturally to Ladner, who, with very little experience, jumped into the deep end of the design pool 10 years ago.

Picking up the tape measure, going from room to room, the enthusiastic self-starter made the decision to renovate and redecorate her own home as her first project.

“I designed my whole house right up to bringing the prints to the architect for them to stamp.

I managed the whole project with the home builder. Then I did a few other projects with him because he said I have a keen eye,” says Ladner.

On scene every day, there were no complaints from contractors as Ladner looked over shoulders, making minor tweaks to her design.

“The guys were pretty good with my demands,” she chuckles. “It was a good relationship and I still work with a lot of them. They know how I operate so they’re ahead of the game a lot of the times.”

Ladner adds that perhaps some of that natural design talent was passed on from her engineer father and creative mother.

By the time her own home was complete, the design bug had burrowed deep into Ladner’s skin.

“That’s how it all began,” she says.“I taught myself, took a few classes, read a lot of books.”

On-the-job training offers a hands-on learning experience that can’t be found anywhere else, Ladner says, adding that she has garnered plenty from working with different trades and other designers.

When it comes to dealing with daily planning concerns, the construction site offers problem-solving opportunities found only in the real world.

“People … I’ve talked to [who] have gone to school say they don’t really teach you a whole lot of that,” she says. “Plus with the trades you learn to look for things prior to bringing them in. You get a feel for how things work.”

Staying on top of the current design trends has helped Ladner make a mark in the multimillion-dollar home market, renovating and decorating some famous residences includ-

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spring 2011 |

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life at home | design

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ing those of Calgary Flames Cory Sarich, Craig Conroy and Jarome Iginla.

Whether it’s forecasting the next living room colour or floor plan style, balancing changing trends with classic style is a daily challenge for Ladner.

Styles can easily last for a decade or more if done in the right vein, says the designer.

Her own home is a mixture of traditional classic with a modern twist and has lasted the test of time.

“For people to say they notice it even 10 years later, it’s great. You’re keeping it in the classic theme and then adding little punches of modern,” she says.

Balance is the key, whether it’s colourcorrecting and staging a showhome or transforming an angular, 1990s home into a contemporary modern design.

Despite the recent building boom, Ladner is still finding plenty of renovations in Airdrie, with homeowners opting for a more modern open concept in their living spaces while still keeping their larger yard space. “[With] these older properties, you get a bigger yard and a lot of times the spare rooms, either the kids’ rooms or guest rooms, they’re a lot bigger than the rooms you get in new builds,” she says.

Ladner also places importance on space utilization, looking to open up a design with construction changes and better usage of furniture placement.

She evaluates clients’ needs by doing a lifestyle checklist.

“It basically tells me how they function in the home,” she says. “Maybe their kids will always be hanging out in certain rooms, or they entertain a lot, or they never use their dining room.

“It’s a way of knowing how a family functions in a home,” she adds.

While she attempts to deter clients from trendy designs that may be out of date in a few years, Ladner says that pleasing the client always comes first, something she achieved with the design of her own home.

“My motto is always to do something that I know the client will love when they open the door. It’s the style for them and functions for them,” she says. life

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life at work | trailblazer

Succeed Built to

Homebuilder Rhonda Auclair on taking on the male-dominated building industry

l Patzel

story and photo by Car

W

hile one part of her life was being deconstructed, Airdrie’s Rhonda Auclair found solace in the physical fabrication of wood and concrete.

Picking up the pieces of a crumbled relationship, Auclair used the life-changing episode to help found a soul-healing, homebuilding business.

“I was going through a divorce at the time so I needed to provide some sort of livelihood for myself and my children. I built a house for myself and I really, really enjoyed that process,” says Auclair, owner of Rykell Homes Ltd.“I decided that homebuilding was something that I wanted to try and it just went from there.”

Auclair found a cohesiveness in building a domicile from just a concept, starting from the ground up. Building her own home provided not only distraction but a wealth of inspiration and proved a learning tool that would help propel Auclair to success.

“It was a great experience,” she says.“It was a really good challenge but very fulfilling as well.

I felt it was something that I would like to try and thank God it all worked out.”

Despite having her first build under her belt, the then-amateur designer also grappled early on with gender issues.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Auclair not only faced the challenges of starting her own business in a volatile economic climate, but regularly had to deal with attitudes about a female entering a maledominated industry.

Entering the trade was met with a few raised eyebrows.

“Originally people would not take me seriously – the contractors. It was really a maledominated industry,” she says. “They would work with me but kind of chuckle, as well: ‘She thinks she’s going to do this. She won’t be around very long.’

“It was very difficult because there just [weren’t] women in our industry,” adds Auclair, whose only female counterparts at the time entered the building field through companies previously owned by male family members. “There were very few of us out there. [Not too many were] just starting their own business.”

But with each completed home, Auclair gained more confidence. This helped her earn respect and loyalty in a business where the quality of one’s work is on public display for all to see.

The accredited Master Home Builder says it took about three years to develop a group of people that would work with her.

“We have some guys who have worked with me since day one. It’s a really nice group of people [who] get along really well together and all know what the expectations are,” says Auclair, who now is in constant

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contact with more than 40 businesses and 100 contractors and subcontractors on a weekly basis.

But don’t call her the boss.

“No, I’m just seen as Rhonda,” she says.

“We all get along well together. It’s more of a working-family relationship than a workingboss relationship.”

Now after 22 years constructing homes in and around Airdrie, Auclair has completed too many homes to count.

As the principle designer, she now focuses on customizing homes for the acreage market. This specialization, and being her own boss, has helped Auclair weather the upand-down, economic roller-coaster ride of the past two decades.

“It’s not been something where I do 30 houses one year and five the next. It’s always just what I can manage, so therefore it’s been very constant,” she says.

As with any business, the seas may get rough from time to time but Auclair uses a calm, evenkeel approach to keeping a stable ship.

Looking at most builds as a journey and not a challenge, she has learned to take stress in a positive manner, evaluating and dealing with obstacles as they surface.

“That has been a learned lesson,” she says.

“You don’t have to be stressed because of an obstacle – you just need to learn how to work through it.

“I’m pretty mellow,” Auclair adds with a laugh.“I guess the challenge, and it’s not hard, is meeting the people’s expectations. You just have to do a good job all the time in order to do that.”

From the first design plan to the last nail, Auclair and company approach every build as if they were constructing the home for themselves, taking care and attention in every detail.

The local entrepreneur is passionate about her work.

“I love it. It’s great to see from the blueprint to completion and how it all becomes someone’s dream,” says Auclair.

“If it’s a passion, if it’s a dream, if it’s really deep down inside you then go for it. You can’t realize a dream without stepping forward, so find a way to make it happen.” life

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green clean story by Sarah deveau

the

Sarah Deveau looks for answers to a cleaner home by thinking green

W

ith three small children underfoot, no sooner have I washed the floors than one cherub has splashed her lunch across it. Wipe down the walls, and grubby fingerprints appear within minutes.

So it’s no surprise that we used to buy our paper towel and cleaning sprays in bulk.

At one point, we had eight different brands of chemical cleaners in the house, all safely locked up out of harm’s way (except when I was spreading them liberally on every surface my children might touch). It wasn’t until a friend pointed this out to me that I realized the irony in the situation.

Should we be concerned with the use of household cleaning products? Certain chemicals in these products have been linked to reproductive harm, such as reduced fertility and birth defects, and increased risk of breast cancer, asthma and respiratory disorders, as well as hormone disruption. Plus, companies are not required to list every ingredient on the label, meaning if you really want to know what’s in each product, you’ll have to spend hours digging online.

I turned to the experts and visited Airdrie’s only natural grocery store, Nutters, to learn more about natural products available locally.

Nutters carries Seventh Generation products as well as the Ecover brand, which includes a variety of products from dishwasher tablets to toilet cleaners.

“We recently began stocking Soap Nuts, a unique natural laundry detergent that’s actually the naturally dried shell of a fruit,” says store assistant Amanda Wagar, who only cleans with non-chemical products in her own home. “I don’t want those chemicals in my lungs or my skin,” Wagar says.

But are these natural cleaners really that much better for us than the cleaners I’d been using? It’s hard to know for sure. Experts recommend buying products displaying the EcoLogo or GreenSeal logos, as they have been certified green by reputable organizations.

But what if I wanted to dump the chemicals entirely? It is possible, says Kendra Bryant, a consultant with Norwex. “You can clean without any chemicals at all if you use microfibre cloths,” explains Bryant. “Cotton cloths push dirt around, while microfibre picks up and traps the dirt and dust instead of spreading it around. You use the same cloth again and again, simply rinsing and hanging it to dry between uses, laundering every few days.”

Armed with an array of Ecover cleaners, old-fashioned vinegar, baking soda and water, and an array of microfibre cloths, I started cleaning in a new way. After one month of trying a variety of products, I settled on my favourites.

The Norwex brand microfibre cloth was far more effective than the no-name, inexpensive microfibre cloths I had purchased at a big box store. The cheap cloths didn’t pick up as much and required far more elbow grease to get a sparkling surface (if that was attainable at all). “That’s because cheap microfibre cloth might have 700 woven fibres in it, while a Norwex microfibre cloth has two million,” explains Bryant.

When I wanted specifically to disinfect, I mixed up equal parts white distilled vinegar and water. The acidic smell dissipates quickly, leaving a fresh, clean scent.

After just four weeks, I had made the switch to green cleaning and haven’t looked back. Cleaning the green way is less expensive, less time-consuming and, best of all, has less impact on the environment. life

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life at home | gardens

Annual Dues A ‘pot of sunshine’ is all it takes to bring a smile to any face

Editor Anne Beaty gives her favourite annuals a green ‘thumbs-up’ Cheerful, cheeky gazanias How can you not smile when they open their faces to the sun? And they come in so many colours and patterns that there’s sure to be something for everyone.

story and photos by Anne Beaty

Delightful, “Look at me!” dahlias These guys are really ‘in your face’ with their fabulous blossoms that run the gamut of colours from yellow tinged with coral to deep, sultry ruby.

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I

t’s that time of year again when avid gardeners, pointedly ignoring the two feet of snow outside their door, start planning their creative endeavours for the coming growing season.

While some gardeners are eagerly awaiting the first sign of life in their perennials, many are also poring over catalogues to check out the myriad types of annuals available each spring, and haunting local garden centres, enthusiastic for the first sight of this season’s crop. (For those who simply can’t wait, now is a good time to start planting seeds indoors.)

Every year, there are hundreds of choices when it comes to annuals for every part of the garden; but some continue to be favourites in this part of the world, where uncertain weather can make gardening an exciting and challenging pursuit.

“My very favourite, of courser, is pansies,” says Joanne Fowler, co-owner of Airdrie’s Frog Hollow Garden Center, “[because of ] the colour choice and the fact that they are tough as nails.”

Although pansies should not be allowed to dry out and do suffer a bit in the heat of mid-summer, Fowler says, give them a “haircut” and they’ll come back.

Petunias are also a standard choice for local gardeners, she says, popular because of their hardiness and colour range. These lowmaintenance beauties, which come in a wide assortment of hues, bloom all summer long.

And, Fowler says, an often-overlooked choice is snapdragons, which are good in early spring and late fall. They range in size from dwarf varieties (six to eight inches) to taller ones that can grow from 24 to 30 inches.

All of these flowers are fairly frost-tolerant and do well in either planters or beds, Fowler adds.

Some other great annual choices include: • dahlias – late bloomers, but well worth the wait; • geraniums – numerous types of foliage and brilliant blossoms, wonderful in pots, planters and beds; • osteospermums, or African daisies – great for dry, sunny locations; • tuberous or wax begonias – showy flowers that thrive in shade; • gazanias – always cheerful, with plenty of colours from which to choose; and • verbena – clusters of blossoms that twist and wind their way around the garden bed, popping up in unexpected places One fun way to celebrate the joy of annuals is to plant a ‘pot of sunshine.’ Any size of pot will do – all that’s necessary is to fill it with yellow flowers of all shapes, sizes and shades. No matter the weather, this container of lemon, mustard, saffron, maize, champagne, cream and gold is sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face. (For the neophyte gardener, it’s simple: choose a pot – preferably with a drainage hole, but putting a bit of gravel in the bottom will do if there is no hole; fill it with dirt; plant your flowers. There now, wasn’t that easy? And if the plants die, don’t agonize – yank them and replace.)

So while the weather outside may be more frightful than delightful, gardeners can look forward to another year of colour, thanks to the host of annual choices available in and around Airdrie. life

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life at home | dreamweaver

Matt and I, along with our children Smith and Lochlan, as well as our four-legged family members, are celebrating the end of the long, arduous process of creating our dream home

Building our

Dream Home by michelle carre

T A table within the island is important because it’s where our family spends many hours

One of Matt’s must-haves is a big door – check!

At right, Matt’s closet knobs, a little something else for this Toronto Maple Leafs fan

his whole project started when I was 11 and my parents were building their first house. That was the first time I saw a floor plan book and I loved it. I would look for floor plans that I thought would work for our family and show them to my parents, then I would make up family scenarios and look for a plan that would meet “their” criteria. It’s probably where my career in real estate started, too.

From there I started to draw my own plans – hundreds of them. I was a bit of a weirdo because instead of doing the Wonder Word on the kids’ menu at a restaurant I would flip it over and draw a floor plan.

Fast forward to when my son was born. Many hours were spent sitting in the dark feeding him with nothing to do but think, so I dreamed up a floor plan for our dream home. After that I started putting together a dream book, which had magazine cutouts of things I wanted to incorporate into the house.

From there the lists started – anyone who knows me knows I love to make lists. In fact I make lists about lists! It really helped to articulate what I wanted and needed out of this house.

If I was going to do it, I wanted to do it right and really plan it out.

After hours of planning and considering our family and financial situation, my husband, Matt, and I decided to buy a lot and the process began …

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life at home | dreamweaver

From the bubble light (at left) to the high-back clawfoot tub (above right) to the TV and stone feature wall (below), this room is all about luxury We added architectural details, such as picture rails and wainscoting, throughout our home

A bar area in the dining room alleviates extra kitchen traffic when we entertain

I love organization and I love my shoes – this is the perfect marriage From fabrics to layout to function, our living room has to be both family-friendly and beautiful

A double-edged sword with a custom build is the limitless possibilities for finishings. From the lighting and plumbing fixtures to tile and cabinetry, there is a lot to choose and I loved that I could go anywhere to choose them and work with local businesses, too. However, the reoccurring “OMG” moments wondering if all these tiny samples were going to culminate into a beautiful home or be a disastrous hodgepodge were certainly scary.

So would I do it all again? Yes, I would.

I would do a lot of things differently because I learned a great deal through this process. There was a lot of stress and it took all of our people- and money-management skills, but at the end of the day there is so much pride in what we have created for our family. life FoR A moRe iN-depth ReAd of the building of the Carres’ dream home, check out Michelle’s blog at http://carredreamhome.blogspot.com

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Rwood_

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life at home | showhomes

Living room with impressive floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace, custom tongue-and-groove fir ceiling and two-storey, triple-pane windows providing lots of natural light

Luxurious custom wood kitchen cabinets with brick backsplash detail

Well-appointed gourmet kitchen with rich alder built-in eating nook, large island and granite countertops

Alder cabinets and granite countertops throughout, including the laundry room

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Stunning home office with rich alder cabinetry

Bright and cozy formal dining room

A piece of the at Grand and distinguished library

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Spacious and inviting front foyer with large windows, custom built-in bench seating, staircase with in-stair lights and solid alder door spring 2011 |

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W G NO TIN N RE

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work life at airdrielife_spring2011.indd 91

93

changing direction

95

high-performance

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All in the Family

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2

life at work | census

Youngand Growing

BUSINESS BUSINESS

marketplace

A guide to services and products for small and large businesses.

Latest numbers show Airdrie continues to be a city of choice

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The census shows 55 per cent of Airdrionians are under the age of 35, supporting the opinion that Airdrie is a young city, in the literal sense.

I

t’s official – Airdrie’s population is less than a small movie theatre audience away from hitting the 40,000 milestone.

The City of Airdrie’s 2010 census results show the city’s population at 39,822, up 4.5 per cent from 2009. And while City manager Paul Schulz says that’s a drop from the 11.65 per cent increase between 2008 and 2009 (indeed, it’s the lowest growth rate since before 2002), it still places Airdrie in a very strong position.

“It doesn’t seem to matter what’s happening with the economy in Canada or North America, Airdrie keeps chugging along,” Schulz says. “Going down to 4.5 per cent is still a good news story – very healthy, manageable growth.”

Schulz also points to a 5.2 per cent increase over 2009 in the number of dwellings (now at 15,243) as another sign Airdrie continues to grow. According to the 2008 Airdrie Comprehensive Growth Study, the city is expected to pass the 50,000 population mark by mid-decade.

The census also shows 55 per cent of Airdrionians are under the age of 35, supporting the opinion that Airdrie is a young city, in the literal sense. City Economic Development

airdrielife_spring2011.indd 92

team leader Kent Rupert says that these numbers have an impact on businesses looking to set up in Airdrie, as well as programs and service providers.

“Over the last couple of years, we’ve seen with places like The Little Gym and dayhomes and daycares there’s been a real increase in those types of services, because there is that need,” Rupert says. “There are more private recreation programs, we’re seeing more attendance at some of our organized sporting groups and the Boys and Girls Club needed to expand.”

Adds Schulz: “The ages show we’re a young, family-oriented community. Growth trends tend to work into [City] budgets and predictions, and impacts every service from Economic Development to transit to recreation services.

“We’re also interested in seeing the numbers of average people per home … when we look at density and how to effectively provide services for people,” he adds.

Having a population of 40,000 might attract businesses that would otherwise consider Airdrie too small, the city manager says, but he notes that most businesses also take into account the surrounding area, which includes the growing Balzac commercial area and potential customers and clients from northern Calgary.

Other statistics from the 2010 census include the fact that the city’s population is divided virtually 50-50 between men and women, and 5.2 per cent of residents are over the age of 65. life

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life at work | changes Linda Bruce looks forward to a bright future

The

Next Step story by Anne Beaty | photo by Kristy Reimer

Former mayor Linda Bruce ponders her next career move and relishes her free time

S

he was once the face of Airdrie, but now Linda Bruce enjoys simply being the woman next door.

After nine years as Airdrie city councillor and then six years as mayor, Bruce was looking forward to being at home with her husband, Pat, and sons Tristan, 18, Aidan, 16, and Kieran, 12. There would be more time to relax and take life at a slower pace.

At least that’s what she thought. For the first couple of months out of office, Bruce was so busy that she barely had time to think. Her schedule was full of lunches with friends and former colleagues as well as driving her children around to their various games, activities and events.

“This is the busiest year I think we’ve ever had,” she laughs.

However, being busy with family is a blessing – it’s the first time Bruce has been able to attend her sons’ events, which are often held in the evenings, a time when she used to be busy with City obligations.

Although she relishes that invaluable family time, Bruce does want to remain involved in her community at some level. She may not be exactly sure how she will ‘reinvent’ herself, but she knows where to start.

“I can go back to the roots and my roots in this community were volunteering,” says Bruce, who moved to Airdrie with her husband Dec. 31, 1990. “This is my community and I’ll always work hard for it – that’ll never change.”

With that in mind, Bruce is turning her energy and enthusiasm toward the arts.

Working with the Creative Airdrie comspring 2011 |

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life at work | changes

mittee, she is looking forward to fostering a creative hub and space for the vibrant, robust local arts and culture scene. “That does make me very excited. The possibilities are endless,” she says, adding that one of her dreams is to bring a facility such as ACAD (Alberta College of Art and Design) to Airdrie.

As well, she continues to support Airdrie’s environmental commitment, something that caught her attention at the beginning of her service to the community.

In 1995, Bruce was looking for some way to get more involved in her community and so turned her focus to the local recycling committee. At the time, Airdrie was just beginning to recycle and plan for a recycling depot. It was through that involvement that Bruce got to know some “fabulous” people at the City and thought she’d like to work with them even more closely. She was encouraged to run for city council, even though she had no real expectations of being elected.

Well, she was, and the rest is history.

Her initial time on council was a real learn-

ing curve for the woman who started her professional life as a geologist – “I really did not understand municipal government,” she says – but Bruce enjoyed the challenge.

“It was lots of fun,” she says.

As she learned, Bruce began to appreciate the difference in the various levels of government – municipal, provincial and federal. She learned about the municipal responsibility for providing day-to-day services, as well as longterm planning, and she was an important voice as Airdrie grew from a population of 12,000 when she moved here to a mature metropolitan area of 40,000.

“It was interesting to watch through that time,” she says, adding that the process of putting together a vision for the municipality and then, hopefully, acting on it is fascinating. “You hope that the plans you put in place are the right ones.”

Looking back now, Bruce is happy with where she’s been and what she was able to do for her city. “It was just 15 of the best years, so awesome,” she says. “I wouldn’t change any-

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thing that I’ve done. I think our community is a great success.”

She will always treasure her time as a City representative. “Pat and I got to go to lunch with the queen in 2005,” she says, laughingly adding that they were two of 300 of Queen Elizabeth’s ‘closest friends.’

She worked with ministers and premiers – some of the finest people she has ever met, she says – and had the opportunity to visit London, U.K.; China; Korea; and Japan (“None of it paid by tax dollars,” she is quick to add.).

One of her fondest memories is after she was first elected mayor and she was at St. Martin de Porres School. A boy marched up to her and asked:“Are you rich now?”

All in all, Bruce says that her time with the City has been“an absolute blast,” but she is ready to look ahead to what’s around the corner.

“It’s just been a cool life,” she says.“Not what I ever expected.

“I think life is really about recognizing opportunities and taking advantage of them,” Bruce adds.“It is time to move on.” life

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life at work | diversity Lorelei Talbot, owner of Astoria Asset Management Ltd., takes overseeing $300-million worth of properties in stride

Profiles of high-performance women working in Airdrie story by Alex Frazer-Harrison photos by Sergei Belski

Women’s F

rom managing small businesses to overseeing multimillion-dollar investments, Airdrie’s business scene is not an allboy’s club.

One of the newest members of this everdiverse group is Val Johnson, who officially opened an Airdrie franchise of Speedpro, a sign-making and marketing solutions company, in December.

“I was in PR for the last 25 years, so this is quite a bit different,” says Johnson, who with business partner Jason Koski investigated several franchise opportunities before Speedpro won out.“We love getting out to meet customers and work with people on their businesses.

It’s the visual marketing, which taps into my creative side.”

Work

Neither Johnson nor Koski live in Airdrie at the moment, so why open here instead of in Calgary?

“Airdrie represents itself as a pro-business community,” says Johnson.“[The City of Airdrie is] happy to meet with you, talk about your business. The other local businesses are very open – and we’re in the sign business: anyone in business needs some form of what we do!”

Over 15 years, Kimberlee Danard has seen her level of responsibility grow at CML Manufacturing Ltd., a local company that produces custom photo mounts, labels and coasters out of a plant in East Lake. From a casual-labour position, she worked through the ranks and is now operations manager for

a company that regularly deals with U.S. suppliers and Canadian customers.

“I started on the floor – my kids were in school and I needed something to do, so I did hand-gluing,” she says.“Then things got busier and, eventually, I migrated ‘upstairs.’”

As economic conditions changed, Danard found herself taking on added responsibilities, including accounting and ordering. But it’s a job she loves.

“I love what I do and I’ve been really fortunate – the company has had two really good owners … and it’s been great for me because I’ve been learning more and more [about business] and I love that,” she says.

Leona Esau of City of Airdrie Economic Development says that the City doesn’t keep spring 2011 |

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life at work | diversity Kimberlee Danard has worked her way up the ranks during her 15 years with CML Manufacturing Ltd.

statistics as to how many women own or manage businesses, but, she adds, an equal number of men and women inquire about starting businesses.

“From what we’ve seen, women are basing [their businesses] on the skills and talent that they have, and they build that business on those skills, talents and passions,” Esau says.

Lorelei Talbot, owner/broker of Astoria Asset Management Ltd., certainly took her talent and ran with it. Talbot rose through the ranks from a 21-year-old apartment resident manager to owning her own company, which at last calculation manages about 30 condominium complexes in Airdrie and Cochrane, and overseeing some $300 million in assets.

“I fell into property management 16 years ago,” Talbot recalls. “I got into a fight with my roommates and had to move into an apartment by myself. When I got there, I’d received my first speeding ticket, had a flat tire the day before … I got there and I was in tears.”

Making matters worse, she discovered the resident manager to whom she’d paid her security deposit and first month’s rent had absconded with the money, and the person in charge the day she arrived didn’t know her at all.

But there’s a silver lining to every cloud: “The Monday or Tuesday after, I was offered a part-time leasing job there,” Talbot says. From this experience, she became a

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Val Johnson and business partner Jason Koski saw Airdrie as a golden opportunity when opening up their Speedpro franchise

resident manager and later moved into condo property management.

“To be a property manager, you have to have a backbone and be able to stand up and tell people what’s right and what’s wrong,” she says, citing cases in her early career where she’d been threatened both physically and legally.“I’ve had people say,‘You’re a woman; you don’t understand.’ I phoned my boss at the time, and she was a woman with a very diverse background who also fell into property management. She said if they’re going to treat you differently, so be it; treat them all the same.”

After living in Edmonton, where she managed a branch of a property management firm, and briefly in Kelowna, Talbot and her husband settled in Airdrie, and local lawyer Jim Hassett recommended she start her own property management business.

“He was the stepping stone that gave me the confidence to do it,” says Talbot, adding that another push came from a City of Airdrie marketing report that promised great things for the municipality. “In January 2005, I started my own company and by June I [had] three properties and by the following year I had 10, and it grew from there.”

Talbot has taken the lessons she’s learned and applied them to Astoria, maintaining high standards on the properties she manages, while also keeping strong ties with other local businesses.

“It’s amazing how the business community here, and the City of Airdrie Economic Development group, want you to succeed,” she says.

“In Airdrie, I think women will excel at anything they put their mind to.” life

The Airdrie Women in Business Association (AWBA) started out as an informal social group, but has since grown to have a diverse membership, sharing information about networking and marketing.

“We support each other – maybe [one member] has skills in one area, but is lacking in marketing skills,” says AWBA president Debbie Malyk. “It’s a connection where women can help each other in all aspects of business – whether it’s finding child support, for marketing and also for the social end of it.”

AWBA recently received registered society status, and Malyk says that the hope is to expand the association’s programming, which has included workshops and trade shows, as well as attracting more members.

For more information about the Airdrie Women in Business Association, visit airdriewomen.ca

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life at work | young at heart

Meet three Airdrie businesses that are in it for the kids

story by Alex Frazer-Harrison | photos by Sergei Belski

Child’s

Play A

irdrie is a young community – just look at the growing number of businesses providing services for children and families.

Take, for example, Time to Play Preschool.

Marking her 10th anniversary this fall, owner Jan Wregget serves 167 children, and has expanded to include Time to Play ECS, which offers special needs support.

“I started my first childcare centre in 1974,” Wregget says. “I came to Airdrie and got involved with Airdrie Family Services … and

The Little Gym’s Tracy Schmaltz (right) and Deb Elliott provide a fun environment for learning both physical and emotional skills

then I went to Fuzzy Pickles [Preschool], and saw there was such a long waiting list, I knew Airdrie needed another preschool.

“We looked at Airdrie’s demographics and saw the majority were in the 25-50 age range and were having kids.”

Wregget’s goal with Time to Play is to give children a feel for some of the basics before they enter kindergarten. “My three ideas: I want them to be able to print their name, to cut using proper grasp and I want them to listen for information during ‘circle time,’”

she says. “It gives them a good start. It’s about learning through play. [Learning] should be fun … and make everyone want to come to school, want to learn.”

If children need extra help, Wregget connects them with Alberta Education-supported services, including a speech pathologist and occupational therapist.

Wregget is also thinking about opening a private kindergarten: “I want it to be a real kindergarten, but the idea is having a year in between for some kids, between pre-kinderspring 2011 |

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life at work | young at heart

Jenny Owen (left) and Meghan Saruwatari of Bright Explorations encourage their young charges to explore the world around them

garten and kindergarten; some little people are just not ready … socially and emotionally.”

The demand for preschools continues to rise in Airdrie. Last summer, Bright Explorations opened its preschool in Towerlane. But walk in the front door and you first see a wellsupplied shop offering education-based toys and games, plus information resources for parents and teachers.

“We started operating as dayhomes, with an interest of growing into a preschool, but we found it difficult to find lease space,” says partner Jenny Owen. “Then we found this space, but it was really big for just a preschool, so we got the idea to expand it into a retail store.”

Owen was inspired to start Bright Explorations through the joy of seeing her daughter go through preschool in Calgary.“This is such a great age – I love this age,” she says.

She partnered with Meghan Saruwatari, who was teaching for the Calgary Board of Education.

“Preschool is a huge stepping stone for socialization, to get that start in talking to peers, learning routines,” Saruwatari says. “It’s the basics of school. And our environment is set up for [children] to explore and make their own choices.”

Says Owen: “We add the value of doing activities you wouldn’t necessarily set up at home, [such as] a full set of paints. This space gives us the freedom for [the children] to have more freedom, and more opportunity for our teachers to do activities like dancing and singing.”

Right next door in Towerlane, The Little Gym of Airdrie also takes an active approach to learning.

“We’re recognized by the province as a developmental centre, so we use a lot of physical skills to [help children] develop other skills, some emotional skills,” explains co-owner Deb Elliott, who opened what is Alberta’s first franchise of U.S.-based The Little Gym with Tracy Schmaltz in 2009.“Our program incorporates things that help build on social skills, as well as a lot of cognitive development.”

Elliott and Schmaltz do this by offering a wide variety of programs, from gymnastics to dance, aimed at children ranging in age from four months to 12 years.

“We’re a recreation facility with no competitiveness,” says Schmaltz, who came to The Little Gym from the oil and gas industry. “I always wanted to own my own business and Deb approached me – I always wanted to be a teacher.”

Elliott was a sportswriter for Score TV when she had her first of three children and decided to start her own business. The first summer, 100 children enrolled; last fall, it was 340.

Elliott and Schmaltz say the youngsters who take part in The Little Gym’s programs become extensions of their own families.

“There’s no pass or fail … they do it because they love it, and because they want to keep improving and [trying] new things,” Elliott says, adding that she’s always surprised and proud to see a little one learn a new skill.

The demand for family-oriented services is likely to continue unabated, with 2010 City of Airdrie census numbers showing that 10 per cent of the population is under age four; almost 30 per cent is either in school or soon to be in school; and 20 per cent falls within the 30-40 age range, which is when a lot of people are either having children or their children are growing.

Regardless of the business aspects, for those serving Airdrie’s youngest customers, it’s a labour of love.

“There’s nothing else that compares to it,” says Wregget. “It’s just something I love to do.

The day I don’t want to do this anymore is the day I quit.” life

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life online | extras

Who are Airdrie’s Amazing Women for 2011?

Visit our website to meet our 10 finalists and cast your vote!

Then buy your tickets to the Amazing Airdrie Women Luncheon (April 20) and join the celebration!

Online Contests Win an evening with 54-40

As 54-40 approaches its 30th anniversary, the band is pleased to announce a series of performances and projects celebrating 54-40’s longevity and legacy. The band will be recreating its classic Green Album live from top to bottom. The album, released in 1986 on Reprise Records, featured the hit songs Baby Ran and I Go Blind. Friday, April 15 at 7:30 p.m.

Win a spring bouquet of … cupcakes?

Yes, a dozen fresh flavours from our favourite dessert destination, Avenue Cakery And Bakeshoppe

VisiT AiRDRieLiFe.COM FOR sOMe sPeCiAL ONLiNe eXCLusiVes iNsPiRATiONAL She may only be 17, but Sammi Ring has already spent more time in hospital than probably most families do in a lifetime. Meet a young Airdrie woman who shows what it truly means to be amazing.

AMAZiNG WOMeN PLus AMAZiNG GiRLs …

It’s all about Brownies and Girl Guides and their journey through life.

COMMuNiTY hYJiNX With the annual Youth Week coming up in May, Ellen Kelly takes a look at the ‘hyjinx’ the community’s young people are getting up to.

DeLiCiOsO Food, food and more fabulous food! Check out Chef Carla Ducoz’s recipes from South America, as well as great meals from Sandi Richard.

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Win tickets to see the Prairie Mountain Fiddlers

This will be a foot-stomping, toe-tapping evening full of good old-time fiddle music.

This group plays for the people and for their love of the music. It is just good old-fashioned fun! Saturday, April 2 at 7:30 p.m.

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