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VOLUME ONE-HUNDRED SEVEN
PM40011853 R08546
NUMBER THIRTY-FIVE
STETTLER, ALBERTA
August 28, 2013
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Stettler rally stands up to bullying Amanda Todd’s mother stresses family time, education for parents JOHN MACNEIL Independent editor For a while Saturday, it appeared as though the bulls might stomp stronger than the inaugural anti-bullying rally in Stettler. While hundreds of teenagers gathered nearby for the season-opening high school rodeo, about 50 people showed up at West Stettler Park to kick off a youth rally to combat bullying. But just as it takes only a few words for bullies to potentially cause harm, cogent comments from a couple of high-profile speakers bucked the bulls. Carol Todd, mother of British Columbia bullying casualty Amanda Todd, told the afternoon gathering that more family time and Internet education for parents are needed. “Family time is so important,” Todd said during her first Alberta visit as an anti-bullying advocate. “Kids are too hooked in to the digital world right now, as are adults. “The problem right now I see is that landlines are becoming obsolete in homes, and so when we say as parents, to kids, ‘I’m going to take your phone and turn it off,’ we don’t do the same thing. We have to role-model to our kids, before we can expect them to do the same thing.” Shutting off phones during family meals makes such gatherings more meaningful, she said. “It’s little things that will make a difference in a fastpaced world. Taking the time to have those dinners, going out for ice cream, going out for a walk and making the rule that you leave your phone at home, and everybody does that, it would just promote more discussion.” Todd has been talking
JOHN MacNEIL/Independent editor
Children listen to speakers at an anti-bullying youth rally Saturday at West Stettler Park. The theme was “Free To Be You and Me.” publicly about bullying since her 15-year-old daughter committed suicide last October in Port Coquitlam, B.C., after posting a poignant video about being cyber-bullied. Todd, a teacher for 30 years, said her role as an educator has helped her share Amanda’s story and push for societal and government changes. She believes that parents need to educate themselves about problematic socialmedia websites. “It’s up to us as parents to bring it up in conversation with (children) and to know what’s going on so that we can put more safety measures in our kids and teach them what to look for,” said Todd, whose 20-year-old son is a
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university student. “And if your child comes and says to you, ‘I did this and it’s on this site,’ you’ll have some background knowledge base on what exactly that site was about and what needs to be done. Instead of floundering around and going, ‘Well, there doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with that site.’ “I see parents using excuses, ‘I don’t have enough time. I’m too busy.’ But are you really too busy, because this is parenting. It’s a different aspect of parenting now. Technology has just thrown in another responsibility for us as parents, and as teachers. Educators need to also be able to ramp up their knowledge, so that they can
talk about it in class.” While families used to be able to position computers in a central location to monitor Internet visits at home, most teenagers now use personal phones “as their computer,” Todd said. “I believe that telecommunications companies should also be involved with the (safeguarding) process, because they are actually the ones who sell the telephones and the data plans to each and every family member. They have access to all those families, so if they could become one of those stepping-stones to Internet safety and digitalmedia safety, it would just help the whole situation.” Continued on Page A2
JOHN MacNEIL/Independent editor
Carol Todd, mother of the late Amanda Todd, speaks during Saturday’s youth rally at West Stettler Park.
Stettler saddles up for stampede
RICHARD FROESE Independent reporter Yee-haw! All is ready to go for the fifth annual Stettler Steel Wheel Stampede this weekend. Along with a load of action in the ring at the threeday rodeo, plenty of other activities are on tap. The 5 p.m. parade downtown kicks off Friday’s schedule, which includes a rib cookoff that night and a horsemounted shootout. Much more is in store throughout the Labour Day long weekend. “We’re looking for a big year, and it’s getting pretty exciting,” said Stacey Benjamin, the manager of Stettler Regional Board of Trade, which co-sponsors the stampede with the Stettler and District Agricultural Society. One scheduled event, though, has been scratched. “Due to unforeseen circumstances, the stampede committee regrets to
JOHN MacNEIL/Independent editor
A bull-rider is bucked off Saturday at the Halkirk bull-a-rama. The cowboys compete in Stettler this weekend. inform the public of the cancellation of the freestyle motocross demonstrations on Friday and Monday,” said Benjamin, who chairs the entertainment committee. “We were looking forward to providing another exciting event to the stampede, but safety is
always our first priority. “We look forward to working with this group in the future.” For those still seeking the thrill of action, the antique tractor pull hits the track for its debut Saturday at noon, with plenty of drama and nostalgia featuring tractors
from 1960 and older. “We’re truly hoping for 30-plus tractors, and from the people who have contacted me, we’re twothirds of the way,” said Walter Haustein, the coordinator of the tractor pull. Competitors will weigh in at the P&H elevator
on Saturday morning to determine the weight class. “There’s quite an attraction to antique tractor pulls in Alberta, and we’re hoping to get 400 to 500 spectators,” Haustein said. Despite their age and limited technology, he said many antique tractors still
have the energy to pull. “Them old ones pull pretty good, because they’re heavy and it’s a skill to drive, to know what gear to use and how much throttle to use,” Haustein said. Several antique tractors will also be on display in the Agriplex during the day “and perhaps on Friday night,” he said. After the rodeo Saturday night, music will take to the stage as The Chevelles hit the spotlight at 9 o’clock. Town and County of Stettler council members will flip flapjacks for a pancake breakfast at the Agriplex from 8 to 10 a.m. Sunday. After a Cowboy Church service at 11 a.m., the rodeo returns at 5 p.m., followed by Funday Sunday with Klay the DJ at 7 p.m. Action at the stampede winds up Monday at 1 p.m. “A Year of Celebration” is the theme for this year’s festival to mark the fifth anniversary of the modernday stampede, 100 years of 4-H and the 50th anniversary of the Canadian Cowboys’ Association. Weekend passes are on sale for those people who plan to attend more than one day of the rodeo.
Readers can also find the Stettler Independent at stettlerindependent.com