Stettler Independent, July 02, 2014

Page 1

Serving the Heart of Central Alberta for 105 years

VOLUME ONE-HUNDRED EIGHT

PM40011853 R08546

NUMBER TWENTY-SEVEN

STETTLER, ALBERTA

July 2, 2014

PRICE — $1.09 Plus GST

Contributed photo

Winners of the Branch #59 poster and literary contest were announced at the Stettler Legion Hall on Tuesday, June 24. Front row, L-R: Ash Morris, Katie Satre, Mackenzie Russell, Kaylee Bogner, Gunner McLellan, Tyler Burkand. Back row, L-R: Jayden Swaren, Erin Yaremcio, Corey Garbutt, Dariel Pablo Il Abando, Ania Bohn, Amanda O’Donnell, Natalie Dupont, Jesse Jarmin. Missing: Omnia Rajab, Jeri-Anne Georget, Mickey Jaffray, and Japheth Wildeboer.

Winners of Remembrance Day poster/ literary contest announced ROBIN TARNOWETZKI Independent reporter The Stettler legion branch #59 announced the winners of the 2013 Remembrance Day poster and literary contest on Tuesday, June 24. “This legion has carried it on for years,” said Rosalind LaRose, who gave out the awards. “It’s for children to remember… it’s trying to keep the youth interested and learning about why they have the freedoms they have today.” She added that the local participants did “phenomenal.” The awards covered three areas: the area covered by the #59 legion branch, an area with 12 participating legions, and a district with 24 participating legions. There are four age groups: primary (grades 1, 2 and 3), junior (grades 4, 5 and 6), intermediate (grades 7, 8 and 9), and senior (grades 10, 11 and 12). The winners are as follows: Colour posters Primary 1st- Mackenzie Russell, Christ King

School 2nd- Kaylee Bogner, Christ King School Junior 1st- Katie Satre, Stettler Elementary School 2nd- Omnia Rajab, Stettler Elementary School Intermediate 1st- Ania Bohn, Christ King School 2nd- Dariel Pablo Il Abando, Christ King School Black and White posters Primary 1st- Gunner McLellan, Stettler Elementary School 2nd- Ash Morris, Stettler Elementary School Junior 1st- Tyler Burkand, Stettler Elementary School 2nd- Japheth Wildeboer, Stettler Elementary School Intermediate 1st- Mickey Jaffray, Donalda School Poems Junior 1st- Jesse Jarmin, Christ King School

2nd- Josh DeGuzman, Christ King School Intermediate 1st- Erin Yaremcio, William E. Hay 2nd- Amanda O’Donnell, Christ King School Senior (grades 10, 11, 12) 1st-Corey Garbutt, William E. Hay Essays Junior 1st- Natalie Dupont, Christ King School 2nd Jayden Swaren, Christ King School Intermediate 1st- Amanda O’Donnell, Christ King School 2nd- Jeri-Anne Georget, Christ King School. Area Black and white posters Primary 2nd place- Gunner McLellan, Colour Primary 2nd- Kaylee Bogner Junior

2nd- Katie Satre Poems Intermediate 1st place- Amanda O’Donnell Senior 1st place- Corey Garbutt Essays Junior 2nd- Jayden Swaren Intermediate 1st- Amanda O’Donnell District Black and white 2nd- Gunner McLellan Colour Primary 1st- Kaylee Bogner Junior 2nd- Katie Satre Poems Intermediate 1st- Amanda O’Donnell Senior 1st- Corey Garbutt Essays Junior 1st- Jayden Swaren

Humanity’s ‘been like invincible teenagers’ – Fix STACEY LAVALLIE Independent reporter Even though Stettler’s Grace Fix didn’t win the national $10,000 prize in Earth Day Canada’s “Hometown Heroes” contest for her environmental stewardship work through her volunteerism with the Stettler Waste Management Authority (SWMA), being one of two nationally recognized runners up means a great deal. Fix was nominated by SWMA for her work, especially the work she put into the Eco Centre located at the Stettler Transfer Site in the northeast corner of town. It’s been open less than a year, and accepts hazardous wastes that aren’t safe to send to the landfill, like batteries and fluorescent lights, and otherwise recyclable materials like latex paint. “I was thrilled and very

honoured,” she said about the runner up finish. “The best part for me about being nominated by a local group was that it shows that the community cares about environmental stewardship. That recognition is the best.” Fix came in second with Jacqueline Shen of Burnaby, B.C. Both were trumped by Wayne Salewski of Vanderhoof, B.C. Fix said that her recycling, earth-friendly view of life came from growing up on the farm, where items were used until they were unusable, and nothing was thrown away. She added that she imparted the frugal point of view to her two sons, who went and studied abroad and returned with an “urgency to do good.” “I wasn’t sure how I could get involved (at first),” Fix said. “I came across something by Margaret Mead, (which said) ‘Never

doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed that’s all that ever has.’ It spoke to me.” Around the same time as Fix was looking for a way to give back to the Stettler community, the SWMA advertised a volunteer position and she leapt at the chance. She also works with the Heartland Beautification Committee, organizing recycling events through the group as part of its Communities in Bloom agenda. Fix has involved herself in projects that have seen recycling cages added to many of Stettler’s outdoor trash bins, the installation of bike racks on Main Street, programs designed to encourage people to commute through humanpowered means like walking, cycling or rollerblading, Bring Your Own Bag (BYOB) campaign and trash-to-treasure events.

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“Stettler uses an estimated one million plastic bags a year,” Fix said. Since the inauguration of the BYOB campaign, she said the amount has been reduced roughly 15 per cent. Currently, Fix is part of a group of people attempting to create a “Take it or Leave it” facility where people can divert usable furniture from the landfill, leaving it behind where someone else will claim it. The group is currently investigating funding possibilities. “It’s estimated we throw out 1,200 large furniture items (in Stettler) annually,” Fix said, noting that it’s believed at least one fourth of those items could be reusable. “Up until now, (humanity’s) been like invincible teenagers,” Fix said of how humanity has treated the planet. “Now we’re growing up. We see the consequences of not.”

STACEY LAVALLIE/Independent reporter

Stettler resident Grace Fix was chosen as one of three top competitors in Earth Day Canada’s Hometown Heroes contest, coming in as one of the runners up. She was nominated by the Stettler Waste Management Authority, with which she volunteers.

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