Red Deer Advocate, March 02, 2015

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KINGS SETTLE FOR SILVER

FOCUS TOPS THE BOX OFFICE Will Smith film knocks off 50 Shades of Grey

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Red Deer Advocate MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

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Dugan named Veterinarian of the Year

GONE FISHIN’

BY SUSAN ZIELINSKI ADVOCATE STAFF Red Deer can lay claim to the 2014 Veterinarian of the Year. On Saturday night, Dr. John Dugan Sr. received the prestigious award from the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association at the ABVMA’s membership recognition banquet in Calgary. Veterinarian of the Year is one of the highest awards the association can bestow on a member, and is presented to those who make outstanding contributions to veterinary medicine or veterinary science. Dugan, who has been practising for 61 years, said he decided to become a veterinarian at age 15 while working on a dairy farm in northern Vermont, where he saw the local veterinarian perform what appeared to be “miracles.” Dugan saw the veterinarian save a cow suffering from milk fever; successfully treat a horse with a badly swollen neck; diagnose blackleg in a deceased heifer to protect the rest of the herd; and save the life of a mixed-breed collie by amputating its leg. “By miracle number four, I was hooked and I decided then and there somehow, someway, I’d be a veterinarian. And I did,” said Dugan, who is the veterinary surgeon at Red Deer Veteri-

Photo by ASHLI BARRETT/Advocate staff

Dr. John Dugan Sr. takes a look at Ghost on Friday afternoon at the Red Deer Veterinary Clinic. Dugan has been named the Vet of the Year by the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association. nary Clinic, at 7171 50th Ave. But Dugan didn’t expect to be practising twice as long as he anticipated — with no retirement date circled on the calendar.

Please see VET on Page A2

Photo by ASHLI BARRETT/Advocate staff

Evan Geurtsen, 4, catches a magnetic fish with some help from his dad, Robin Geurtsen, Saturday at the Red Deer Sportsman and Outdoor Adventure Show at the Westerner. The Magnetic Fish Pond attraction was set up by the Red Deer Junior Forest Wardens. See more photos from the Sportsman show on page C1.

Rotary Club, Rotaract making a difference in the Philippines BY SUSAN ZIELINSKI ADVOCATE STAFF Rotary Club of Red Deer East and Rotaract Red Deer are making a difference in the lives of people in the Philippines. On Feb. 17 members returned from a 20-day trip to the Southeast Asian country where they visited a school to distribute 357 sustainable feminine hygiene kits in Tanauan City, and a fresh water project at the indigenous Aeta village in Subic Bay. “It still floors me that in 2015 there are needs like this that Rotary can still address. I’m happy that through the power of Rotary, and Rotary International, we can make a difference in the lives of these people and they can thrive,” said Ingrid Luymes, membership chair of the Rotaract Red Deer. The Red Deer clubs partnered with Rotary Club Las Piñas-Camino Real in the Philippines on the fresh water project. Assistance was also available locally with 250 of the feminine hygiene kits sewn by the Days for Girls Red Deer Alberta Chapter. Days for Girls International is a volunteer-driven, grassroots non-profit that gives women and girls access to sustainable hygiene products so they don’t have to stay home from work or school when they have their menstrual periods. Each kit includes a cloth drawstring bag that contains two cotton shields with waterproof liners to hold flannel pads, eight flannel tri-fold pads, two one-gallon Ziploc freezer bags to transport soiled items and for soaking and washing items with very little water, one pair of panties, one washcloth, one travel-sized soap, and one instruction sheet. “A well-looked-after, well-built kit

WEATHER Mix of sun and cloud. High -11. Low -17.

FORECAST ON A2

INNISFAIL-SYLVAN LAKE

Towle wins PC nomination BY SUSAN ZIELINSKI ADVOCATE STAFF

ing is also available for impoverished communities to start their own programs to sew and put together kits locally as a way to earn money. DeBoon, of Red Deer County, said many people don’t realize there are no personal hygiene options available to many women and girls in different areas of the world. “It gives them back six months of their lives over three years from time missed from school or work.” Days for Girls has reached over 75 countries on six continents.

PENHOLD - Kerry Towle will indeed run as a Progressive Conservative candidate in the next provincial election. Towle, one of 11 Wildrose MLAs to cross the floor to the PCs late last year, was chosen by Tories in the InnisfailSylvan Lake riding to be their candidate, beating out Red Deer County Mayor Jim Wood. A total of 1,049 ballots were cast during two advanced polls, and the final poll held on Saturday at the Penhold Multiplex. The number of votes each candidate received was not disclosed. Towle was beaming when her name was announced at the multiplex where about 60 PC members waited for the results. “No question, it feels wonderful,” said Towle, 41. “I knew I took a risk when I decided to leave my former party and join Premier Prentice’s team. I’ve never regretted a day of it and I still don’t.” As MLA for Innisfail-Sylvan Lake, Towle said her work continues with important issues to address in the riding like urgent care, transportation and schools. “None of my work stops. I think we get to take a moment to breathe, and tomorrow we go back to work. We’ve got to rebuild this riding and bring all Albertans under Premier Prentice. I’m looking forward to doing that,” said Towle, who defeated longtime Tory Luke Ouellette in the 2012 provincial election when she ran for the Wildrose.

Please see PHILIPPINES on Page A2

Please see TOWLE on Page A2

Contributed photo

Children sampled the fresh spring water that is now available to the indigenous Aeta village in Subic Bay in the Philippines. will last up to three years because we use quality materials and we teach the girls to wash them and then to dry them in the sun which kills the bacteria,” said Shelley DeBoon, director of Days for Girls Red Deer Alberta Chapter. Several hotels in Red Deer and Calgary donated 2,100 travel-size bars of soap to the Red Deer chapter and some were used in the kits bound for Tanauan. Materials to make one kit costs about $10 which are produced by chapter volunteers who partner with organizations to distribute the kits. Train-

INDEX Four sections Alberta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A3 Business. . . . . . . . . . . . . C2,C3 Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A5,D5 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . .D1,D2 Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D3 Entertainment . . . . . . . . C4,C5 Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B1-B6

Medical marijuana industry competes for investment The free-for-all era of Canada’s commercial medical marijuana industry is over as a new crop of growers try to woo investors. Story on PAGE C2

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