Lacombe Express, January 07, 2016

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www.lacombeexpress.com

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2016

LOOKING FORWARD: Blackfalds Mayor Melodie Stol discusses 2015 and plans for this year – PG 3

MAGICAL MOMENT: Community throws enchanting princess ball for Lacombe girl in need – PG 6

AMBITION: The Lacombe Rams took on the Notre Dame Cougars in a close game Tuesday night – PG 11

NEW YEAR, NEW SONG - This small bird was out enjoying the warm winter sun recently.

Sarah Maetche/Lacombe Express

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2 LACOMBE EXPRESS

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2016

Fatal pedestrian collision along 50th Ave. A collision between a pedestrian and motor vehicle has taken a woman’s life over the weekend.

At approximately 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 2nd, the Lacombe Police Service (LPS) and EMS crews responded to a collision between a motor vehicle and a pedestrian on 50th Ave. at 54th St., just west of the downtown core.

A 59-year-old female was jogging and crossing the street when she was struck by a pickup truck turning east onto 50th Ave. from 54th St. The driver of the pickup truck, a 72-yearold male from Lacombe, stopped as did several other witnesses to provide assistance to the pedestrian.

The pedestrian was initially treated at the scene and then transported to the Lacombe Hospital

by EMS where she succumbed to her injuries a short while later.

The police investigation determined that neither speed nor alcohol were factors in the collision. The 72 -year-old driver of the pickup has been charged with careless driving.

“Sadly, this tragic outcome was the result of a momentary lapse in attention and judgment on the part of the driver,” said Police Chief Steve Murray.

“This extremely sad loss will be felt by not only the family, but the entire community” This was reported to be the first traffic fatality in the

City of Lacombe in 13 years.

The pedestrian has been identified as Linda Ethier, wife of Dr. Dennis Ethier.

On Jan. 9th, the Lacombe Running Club will be hold-

around Elizabeth Lake and part of Barnett Lake.

Organizers say the run will be slower pace and all runners are welcome.

- Maetche

LPS sees increase in calls for service, crime trends rise 2015 proved to be a busy and challenging year for the Lacombe Police Service (LPS).

Calls for service have risen 20% since 2013 with significant increases in several areas last year.

In addition to almost 7,000 calls for service over the year, during the last six weeks of 2015, LPS responded to an armed robbery, an aggravated assault, a violent home invasion and a homicide. These are the types of crimes typically unheard of in Lacombe but reflect the trends being experienced in Central Alberta to which Lacombe is not immune.

2015 also saw four LPS cruisers rammed by fleeing suspects in stolen vehicles and a LPS officer struck by two suspects fleeing from a theft in a stolen vehicle.

“It is not just the increase in calls, but the nature of the calls that places the greatest strain on our resources” said LPS Chief Steve

Murray. “These types of investigations are far more serious and complex in nature and require significantly more time and resources to properly investigate and successfully prosecute the offender. I am particularly concerned with the callousness and disregard for the lives, safety and property of others exhibited by these offenders towards victims and the police” Factors such as a growing community, the weak economy and the stresses on individuals and families are becoming very evident in the types of calls LPS are being called to respond to.

“While the 2015 trends are alarming, Lacombe remains a safe and desirable community,” said Murray. “We are building important partnerships with community groups and social agencies to look at root causes of crime and how we could be more

New to the community, Blackfalds Eye Care Centre, located along Hwy. 2A, is now open to meet all of your vision and eyecare needs, from comprehensive eye exams to finding the perfect set of eyewear and comfortable contact lenses.

“Our mission is to meet the visual needs of the community

by providing personalized and professional eyecare. We pride ourselves in getting to know our patients and their families to understand their visual needs ” said Office Manager, Hannah Kraft.

Although brand new to the town of Blackfalds, the Centre is part of an Eyecare Group that began in Ponoka

in 1977. Over the years, our practice has expanded to include Optometry Centres in Hanna, Lacombe, Coronation and now, Blackfalds.

“Our office is equipped with state of the art technology to diagnose eye conditions. Dr. Heimdahl, Dr. ZoBell, and Dr. Kallal, are able to diagnose, manage, and treat eye diseases

B L A C K FA L D S E Y E C A R E C E N T R E 403-885-4040 B A Y 4 , 5 0 1 3 PA R K W O O D R D L O C AT E D N E X T T O I DA A N D F I F T H E L E M E N T S A L O N A N D S PA

Grand Opening Event Thursday, January 21st/2016 11:00am-7:00pm Many Prizes to win including 4 complete sets of glasses!

Come in and book your appointment today!

Ponoka Eye Care 403-783-5575

Hanna Vision Centre 403-854-3003

effective at preventing and addressing those causes.”

LPS has already begun reviewing its business plan to ensure that service delivery strategies align with the changing nature and complexities of these investigations.

“We are extremely grateful City council has maintained our funding levels and invested in critical infrastructure changes including the new police facility, police dispatch and electronic fingerprinting for volunteer screening that will allow us to serve the community better,” said Murray. “We will now be working closely with the Lacombe Police Commission to see how best to allocate our operational budget funds to deliver effective and efficient policing services to the citizens of Lacombe in light of the trends and challenges we currently face.”

- Maetche Business proÀle

Blackfalds Eye Care Centre

Lacombe Vision Centre 403-782-6077

ing a memorial run in her memory. Participants are encouraged to meet at 5516-55th Ave. at 9 a.m.

Runners will leave at 9:05 a.m. and complete a route

All frames are

10-75% 10-75 % Off !

Alberta Health Care covers eye exams up to and including 18 year olds

Coronation Vision Clinic 403-578-3221

i l di including: di diabetic b i retinopathy, i h macular degeneration, glaucoma and cataracts as well as acute eye infections, inflammations, retinal detachments and the removal of foreign bodies.

Our optometrists are available after-hours and on weekends for ocular emergencies.” “ Eye exams for Albertans up to and including 18 year olds and over 65 are also covered

by Alberta Health Care. It is recommended that children have their first eye exam at 6 months of age and annually thereafter. It is often not obvious that children have visual and perceptual difficulties, so early intervention is important. With computers and tablets in schools, we need to insure that children have clear and comfortable vision to promote their learning and development.” Blackfalds Eye Care Centre supports the program Eye See… Eye Learn, where kindergarten students are provided their very first pair of eyeglasses at no charge.

“Our office also provides contact lens fittings and assessments. We have a large selection of contact lenses including cosmetic, daily, toric, multifocals, speciality contacts for keratoconus and complex corneal diseases. Advances in contact lens materials have

allowed ll d us to fit patients i who h were previously unsuccessful.

For patients who are looking for freedom from glasses and contacts we work closely with specialists and provide referrals for Laser Vision Correction (LASIK).”

Blackfalds Eye Care Centre offers a large selection of eyewear to suit any taste or specification.

“We carry all the latest trends and styles in frames including brand names like Oakley, Ray-Ban, Bench, Tom Ford and Diesel, plus many more,” said Kraft. “We also have the latest digital ophthalmic lenses from Nikon, Hoya, Shamir, Varilux and Zeiss.”

“We offer maintenance, repairs and free adjustments on all our eyewear.”

“With lots of industry in the Blackfalds and surrounding area, we are proud to be a part of the safety eyewear program called “Eyesafe” formerly known as “OVC”, the largest running safety eyewear program in Alberta”, said Kraft.

Blackfalds Eye Care Centre will be hosting a Grand Opening Event on Jan. 21st from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Doctors and staff at Blackfalds Eye Care Centre look forward to seeing you at this event.

For more information call Blackfalds Eyecare Centre 403-885-4040.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2016

LACOMBE EXPRESS 3

Blackfalds Mayor Melodie Stol reflects on the year Plans have been made to support continued growth in 2016

BY SARAH MAETCHE LACOMBE EXPRESS

O

nce again, the Town of Blackfalds saw tremendous growth, both commercially and in population, in 2015.

Mayor Melodie Stol took time to highlight the Town’s successes and challenges of the year. Stol said the most exciting thing in 2015 was the announcement of the construction of the Wolf Creek Public School on the northeast side of town.

At the beginning of the year, much uncertainty surrounded whether the public school, or any school, would be constructed in Blackfalds in the future.

“At the beginning of 2015, we were still nervous because there wasn’t even a hole in the ground,” explained Stol. “Now, here we are, it’s well underway and I think that’s really exciting. When you have a town that has so many kids in it, making sure that they have the amenities to go to school where they live is so important.”

Another surprise was the announcement of a second school, a Catholic school, to also be constructed in the town.

“It had taken us so long to get a public school and here it was, fully funded right away,” said Stol. “They are ready to start building as well. So that is pretty exciting.”

Much like 2014, the population of Blackfalds once again increased, with the municipal population now sitting at 8,793, a 12% increase, according to the 2015 census results.

“That is almost 1,000 people in one year,” noted Stol. “It’s the biggest single year increase by numbers and by percentage. That is a pretty big milestone for the community.”

Stol said the substantial population increase includes all types of families into the community.

“We have to adjust to that as well,” she said. “We have to make sure we have enough diverse services, that we are attracting different families but also keeping them in the long term.”

Another highlight for Stol is the minimal crime rate in the town.

“This year, despite the growth, the crime rate hasn’t increased,” she said. “Here we grew this great big percentage and yet our crime stats are almost similar to last year. The Town is really working hard to improve on that.”

The Town also increased its citizen engagement over the year through hosting open houses and offering opportunities for citizens to give their input on needs and services.

“We are focusing on positive community engagement,” said Stol. “We had a coffee with council night, some community engagement nights, several open houses,

VISION - Town of Blackfalds Mayor Melodie Stol said the municipality saw a substantial increase in population in 2015. one on the budget which had good turn out and several open houses regarding the community needs assessment. When we have a big project, we try to use many different ways to engage people. Social media can be great for those quick things, but we have to go beyond a complaint and response type thing.

“This is about growing a community.

I think people have great ideas for our community and it’s a way to engage them and share them.”

Sarah Maetche/Lacombe Express

Stol said over the year she has noticed an increase of volunteerism and involvement in the community. The best example of this in action for Stol is the Optimist Club of Blackfalds, which is spearheading the fundraising efforts for a new skateboard park in the town.

“Here is a service group that has just gone beyond anyone’s expectations,” she said. “They are a place where people get together and get to know their neighbours. They have commitment to many

projects they are working on, like the skateboard park which is going ahead in 2016. The Town has put aside a contribution for it, but it will never take away that it was the Optimist Club’s hard work to bring that project forward and stick with it. I commend them for that.”

Some of the projects the Town introduced in 2014 have now become successes in 2015, like garbage and recycling cart collection, the yard waste program and snow removal.

“Even though we haven’t had a lot of snow, I think people really appreciate the consistent work and how it is going through the community,” said Stol.

“Those are programs that we changed in 2014 and now throughout the end of 2015, you can say, ‘I think the right choices were made.’”

An ongoing challenge for the municipality is the need for a regional wastewater line.

Stol said the changes in the provincial and federal governments this year have led to a constant rotation of environment and transportation ministers who could greenlight the project.

“That is a challenge because you have to be diplomatic, but you have to be firm in what you want,” she said. “We are not asking for a regional sewer line on a whim and prayer. We have the research, we have the support, we have the plan.

Now it is just about getting that shovel in the ground. It doesn’t make this project any less desperately needed.”

Looking ahead, Stol said it is important to reflect on the 2016 budget, which was just passed last month.

“It is our policy direction for the next year,” she explained. “It is a smaller capital budget than perhaps we’ve seen in other years. We do have a lot of new facilities too, so I don’t think there’s a big appetite to take a bite off another thing.”

The most requested item in 2015, which is now reflected in the 2016 budget is an off-leash dog park. Stol said funds have been set aside in budget for the facility and early in 2016 the Town will be looking for a suitable location. Other projects included in the capital budget for 2016 include the skate park and the restoration of the historic Wadey House, which will be used as a visitor centre and home base for both the Historical Society and Chamber of Commerce.

Reflecting on the budget, Stol said the 1% tax rate increase is sensitive to the current economy.

“As a council we have to be mindful,” she said. “When you have a slower year planning is so important. Having a vision, knowing that and trying to determine how you are going to accomplish the vision.” news@lacombeexpress.com

4 LACOMBE EXPRESS

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2016

fyi EVENTS The FYI, Community Events Calendar is a free-of-charge service for not-for-profit organizations and upcoming community events within the Lacombe and Blackfalds region. To submit your information, please email news@lacombeexpress. com, call 403-782-5306 or fax 403-782-5344. If you would like your event or organization to be included, please submit your information to the editor by noon, the Monday before the publication date.

The Jesus Fatwah: Love Your (Muslim) Neighbor as Yourself - a Thursday evening discussion group starting January 14th at 7 p.m. Using print and video resources and encounters with representatives of both Christianity and Islam, we will seek to dispel stereotypes about Islam, explore the diversity of Muslim belief and practice and discuss how we can build respectful relationships. This program would be appropriate for Christians, Muslims or those without faith commitments.

Held at St. Andrew’s United Church. Please contact Ross Smillie at 403-782-3148 to indicate your interest and to get background reading material.

Lacombe Legion Community Breakfast: Upstairs in the Byron Greff Memorial Hall (5138-49 St.), Jan. 17th from 9 a.m. to noon. Adults - $6, children under 12 - $3. Everyone welcome.

Friends of the Library, on Jan. 7th at 7 p.m. at the LMC in the County Room, the Local Colour Series will welcome students and teachers from the Robotics Club from Lacombe Composite High School to demonstrate robotics they have engineered for future competitions. Light refreshments will follow after the program.

Armchair Travel Series: Friends of the Library presents Eadie Jones who will inform everyone attending of her nephews trip to Japan and experiences in the

Your weekly Community Events Calendar

Armchair Travel Series. Jan. 12th 7 p.m. at the LMC County Room.

Light refreshments will be served after the presentation. Free admission, everyone welcome.

Friends of the Library will be pleased to announce a presentation by Dr. Leighton Nischuk at the LMC in the County Room on Jan. 28th at 7 p.m. Dr. Nischuk has been travelling with Medical Mercy Canada and will provide a summary of some of the projects undertaken in the Ukraine where his parents immigrated from as children. Following the presentation light refreshments will be served. Free admission.

Come and bring a friend.

battlefields in Holland, Belgium and France from March 25th to April 3rd, 2016. Highlights will include tours of Amsterdam, Brussels, and Paris as well as Vimy Ridge, The Juno Beach Center, the Normandy beaches, the home of Anne Frank, Ypres, Passchendaele, Flanders Field and much more.

A detailed itinerary including cost is available at the Lacombe Branch of the Legion or you can request one to be e-mailed to you at the e-mail that follows.

For more information phone Corvin at 403 357-0377 or email cuhrbach@gmail.com.

The Parkland Classical Singers,

St. Andrew’s United Church Adult Choir for those 18 and older. Practices on Wednesdays from 7:15 – 8:30 p.m. Contact Roberta at 403-782-0443 for more information. Cost is free.

Invitation to join CNIB Peer Support Group: The Peer Support Group is a program dedicated to helping CNIB clients adjust to vision loss. Feelings of fear, anxiety, intimidation and anger are extremely common in adults who are diagnosed with vision loss. The goal of the group is to help transform these feelings into those of confidence and independence through education and group discussions.

If you are reading this, so are your potential customers.

This valuable space is now available – call the Lacombe Express today!

403-782-5303 39th Annual Lacombe Fiddler’s Jamboree: Sunday, January 31st, 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Lacombe Upper Elementary School (5414-50 St.) Adults $5, under 10 free. Sponsored

by Maetche Music Studio.

The Lincoln Hall Society presents its annual Dinner and Entertainment Night on Feb. 6th. Dinner and comedy show, catered by Bob Ronnie and starring Lars Callieou (has opened for Jeff Foxworthy). Doors open at 5:30 p.m., Supper at 6 p.m., Show at 8 p.m. All tickets $50/person.

Tickets ready for Christmas giving. Advance sales end Feb. 2nd.

Calling all musicians! A jazzy new place to blow your horn or strum your strings - A jam session every second and fourth Thursday from 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. at the Lacombe Legion. $2 a person. For more information, call Rod at 403-782-1842.

The Lacombe Legion is hosting a tour for adults of Canadian

a community choir based in Lacombe, is looking for more members. If you like to sing, please join us. Rehearsals are held on Thursdays from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Wolf Creek Community Church, beginning Oct. 15th. Two performances: Christmas 2015 and Spring 2016. For more information, call Carolyn 403-782-7365.

The Red Deer Legion Pipe Band is actively recruiting experienced and inexperienced people from the Central Alberta area, who are interested in joining the pipe band. Anyone with piping or drumming experience, or if you would like to learn piping or drumming, are asked to please contact us at 403-782-7183.

Practices are held at the Red Deer Legion on Tuesdays at 7:00.

St. Andrew’s United Church youth choir for ages five to 18.

Meets Thursdays 5:30-6:30 p.m. contact Jessica at 403-352-5486 or jessmick16@gmail.com.

The program is facilitated by a volunteer who has gone through the process of adjusting to a life with vision loss. The group offers seniors a way to connect to others experiencing similar challenges. Participants receive empowering, practical and useful information about vision loss and how CNIB services can help, as well as suggestions from other participants on how to reduce the impact of vision loss on their daily lives. There is no cost to participate in the program which will meet once per month.

The group meets at the Spruce Terrace located at 5002 – 51 Ave. Lacombe Walking Group Wednesdays from 12-12:30 at Medcombe Walk-In-Clinic.

No Registration required.

Kozy Korner — Tuesday Dinners every week at noon. The hot meal includes dessert and coffee at the Senior Centre.

Kozy Korner Music Jam on Sundays from 1:30p.m. to 4 p.m. In the

New Year, jams will be on Jan. 10th, Feb. 14th, March 13th and April 10th. Entertainers are free. Lunch goodies by donation. For more information call 403-885-4493.

Lacombe Dance Lessons – social and choreographed ballroom dancing. Traditional Two-step or Cha Cha/Jive. For details phone Cliff at 403-782-4094.

Quilting and crafts held at Blackfalds United Church on Mondays at 9:30 a.m. Help make quilts or bring your own quilt/ craft to work on. Check out our website at blackfaldsunitedchurch.com or call 403-8854780 for more information.

The Lacombe Legion has bingo on Mondays at 7 p.m. in the upstairs hall. Coffee time runs Wednesdays from 9:30-11 a.m. ($2 for coffee, tea and cookies).

On Fridays, there are four meat draws and tickets are $2/set of three tickets. Draw starts at 6:30 p.m. On Saturdays, there are four meat draws which start at 4:30 p.m. Chase the ace starts after meat draws.

Parkinson Alberta Education offers supports groups for persons with Parkinson disease, family members and caregivers at the following Central Alberta locations: Red Deer, Lacombe, Innisfail, Olds, Three Hills and Castor. Visit www.parkinsonalberta.ca for more information.

New to Lacombe? Contact Lacombe Welcome Wagon for free maps, information about the City & area, as well as free gifts from local businesses. New baby in the family? Contact Donna Korpess with the Lacombe Welcome Wagon at 403-7820475 for free information, baby product samples as well as free gifts from local businesses.

Youth Unlimited Drop-in Activities: Drop-in activities run every Tuesday from 6 – 9 p.m. with ball hockey on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6 – 9 p.m. Girls only drop-in is also Wednesdays from 6 – 9 p.m. Thursdays Grade 3-6 drop-in program runs from 3:30 – 5:30 p.m. and Grade 4 and up program from 6 – 9 p.m. Cost is $2 for drop-in and ball hockey with drop-in 10 passes at $10 and ball hockey season pass at $50.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2016

LACOMBE EXPRESS 5

Celebrate 2016 by joining the Lacombe Library I hope everyone has kept their New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s resolution for the first seven days of the year. I was enjoying a family celebration with my siblings and their families and some of my great nieces and nephews had some spectacular resolutions. One promised to stop picking his nose in front of his mother. Another was to have more fun than last year. Worthy goals. The library resolves to keep up the excellent service that we give every year.

On Jan. 12th at 7 p.m. in the LMC our Armchair Travel Lecture Series will feature Eadie Jones who will be giving a presentation entitled â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Bits of Japanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

Please come and enjoy this talk. Refreshments will be provided.

Our Lego Club will resume on Jan. 19th from 3:45 p.m.

Mary

POOLE to 5:45 p.m. and will run the third Tuesday of each month.

Meet fellow Lego enthusiasts and have fun building and playing with your creations.

Ages six and under must be accompanied by an adult.

On Jan. 23rd from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s program room we will be having a Gerald and Piggy Party for Family Literacy Day. All ages welcome but children must be accompanied by an adult. Come and enjoy the Gerald and Piggy stories by Mo Willems. Please

register by Jan. 18th. There will be crafts, prizes and fun for the whole family.

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget the Lacombe Library Board is presenting Books and Bevies on Jan. 23rd from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Tickets are $25 per person and are available at the library. There will be beer sampling from Blindman Brewing, wine sampling from Chateau Wine and Spirits, appetizers by HT Catering, a silent auction and live music. All proceeds go to the library so come have a wonderful time and support the library.

If you are wondering about the inner workings of the library the Library Board meets the fourth Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. in the History Room of the Library.

These meetings are open to the public.

On Jan. 28th at 7 p.m. in

New families selected for Habitat homes Habitat for Humanity Red Deer Region Society has announced the selection of four new low income, working families to move into the organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current housing project in the City of Lacombe.

This housing project consists of two new duplexes, located at 2 and 6 and 82 and 86 Ranchers Close in Lacombe. This project began in August and is due to be completed by next summer. These duplexes will provide safe, decent and affordable housing for many years to come, officials said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Council is very proud to partner with Habitat for Humanity Red Deer Region Society to invest in affordable housing for Lacombe residents,â&#x20AC;? said City of Lacombe Mayor Steve Christie. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This initiative is a great example of the community coming together with all levels of government and the non-profit sector to advance the recommendations made in the City of Lacombe Housing Needs Assessment.â&#x20AC;?

Susan MacDonald, Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) representative on the Lacombe Affordable Housing Steering Committee added the Lacombe Habitat project is wonderful, life-changing news for four local families this Christmas.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Lacombe is known as a supportive and generous community, and our partnership with Habitat for Humanity Red Deer Region Society â&#x20AC;&#x201C; who are experts at mobilizing volunteers, community partners and families to build affordable housing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is a great fit for Lacombe,â&#x20AC;? she said.

Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit organization working towards a world where everyone has a safe and decent place to live.

The organization mobilizes volunteers and partners to build simple, decent housing in order to provide low income, working families with access to affordable home ownership. Habitat for Humanity Red Deer Region Society strives to raise awareness of the need for affordable housing and promotes home ownership as a means to breaking the cycle of poverty. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Habitat for Humanity Red Deer Region Society is so grateful for the support of the City of Lacombe and its residents on this project,â&#x20AC;? said Guy Barnabe, Habitat for Humanity Chairperson. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are delighted to be able to give four Lacombe families a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;hand upâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; this Christmas and restore hope to low income working families in the area.â&#x20AC;?

- Maetche

the LMC The Local Colour lecture series continues with Ukraine: Our 2015 Medical Mission presented by Dr. Leighton Nischuk. This is a free series and once again, refreshments are provided.

Our Mary C. Moore Public Library Book Club will be meeting on Feb. 2nd at 7 p.m. in the Read and Relax area of the library. We will be discussing the book What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty.

Everyone is welcome to attend.

Please be advised that we

do not mind quick calls on cell phones while patrons are at the computers but please do not disturb other patrons by long and/or loud calls inside the library. This has been a public service announcement for those who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to know all your personal problems.

Thank you.

Our featured book this week is the non-fiction book The Reason You Walk by Wab Kinew. Invoking hope, healing and forgiveness, The Reason You Walk is a poignant

story of a towering but damaged father and his son as they embark on a journey to repair their family bond.

By turns lighthearted and solemn, Kinew gives us an inspiring vision for family and cross-cultural reconciliation and for a wider conversation about the future of aboriginal peoples.

Celebrate 2016 - come join the library.

Mary Poole is the childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s library programmer at the Mary C. Moore Public Library in Lacombe.

Nominations Now Open Red Deer College is now accepting nominations for the awards that are presented annually at RDCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Awards Dinner, May 18, 2016:

G.H. Dawe Memorial Award of Excellence This memorial award is presented by RDC to a community member who best exemplifies the values of Mr. George Harold Dawe (1910-1999), cofounder of RDC and first administrative officer.

The recipient will have demonstrated excellence in the characteristics of the late Harold Dawe, including: t $PNNJUNFOU UP UIF DPNNVOJUZ FEVDBUJPO BOE TUVEFOU TVDDFTT t 1SPNJOFOU MFBEFSTIJQ JO UIF DPNNVOJUZ t 1FSTPOBM XBSNUI BOE HFOFSPTJUZ DPVQMFE XJUI IJHI JOUFHSJUZ BOE ethical standards t ,FFO WJTJPO BOE BQQSFDJBUJPO GPS 3%$ In the nomination package, please include the nomineeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name, address and telephone number. A cover letter expressing your reasons for nominating the individual which includes a description of his or her achievements, along with three letters of support, should also be provided to the G.H. Dawe Selection Committee at Red Deer College.

Each nomination is considered by the Selection Committee for three consecutive years.

Nominations are reviewed annually and the recipients will be honoured at the RDC Awards Dinner, Wednesday, May 18, 2016.

Nominations should be forwarded to: G.H. Dawe Selection Committee, Red Deer College 1 0 #PY 3FE %FFS "MCFSUB 5 / ) "UUO &MBJOF 7BOEBMF &YFDVUJWF %JSFDUPS #PBSE $PSQPSBUF 3FMBUJPOT 1IPOF ] 'BY ] &NBJM FMBJOF WBOEBMF!SED BC DB Nomination forms are available at: rdc.ab.ca/ghdaweaward

Deadline for submissions: February 29, 2016

Red Deer College Alumni Awards: Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award The purpose of this award is to honour a Red Deer College alumnus who has distinguished him or herself in one of the following areas: t 1SPGFTTJPOBM "DIJFWFNFOU t "DBEFNJD "DIJFWFNFOU t 1VCMJD 4FSWJDF "DIJFWFNFOU

Alumni Legacy Award The Alumni Legacy Award was established by the Alumni Association as a posthumous recognition to recognize an individual alumnusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; contribution to the community. /PNJOBUJPO GPSNT GPS CPUI UIF %JTUJOHVJTIFE "MVNOVT "MVNOJ -FHBDZ awards are available at: Alumni Legacy: rdc.ab.ca/legacy Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award: rdc.ab.ca/distinguished-alumni

www.lacombeexpress.com

'PS NPSF JOGPSNBUJPO DPOUBDU ] &NBJM BMVNOJ!SED BC DB

Deadline for submissions: January 29, 2016

rdc.ab.ca

6 LACOMBE EXPRESS

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2016

A ball to remember for a young Lacombe girl Community quickly rallies to make her wish come true

BY SARAH MAETCHE LACOMBE EXPRESS It began as an idea a young boy had to do something nice for one of his best friends. Next, a call out was made on social media, followed by lots of determination by the organizers, an entire community and beyond rallying together and soon a little girl’s wish was granted in just over 48 hours.

On Dec. 21st a ball, fit for two princesses, was held at École James S. McCormick School in Lacombe. The gymnasium was transformed into a party palace, with a DJ, balloons, flowers, a chocolate fountain and several princesses and princes.

The guest of honour was six-year-old Makenzie Fickle, a student of the school, who was diagnosed with metablastoma, a form of brain cancer.

Makenzie was first diagnosed over a year ago, and after multiple treatments and surgeries, she was declared cancer-free this past August. Living in northern Alberta, the family relocated to Lacombe after staying at the Ronald McDonald House in Edmonton, as it was the perfect location between Red Deer and Edmonton with direct access to hospitals. The Fickles were settling into life in their new community when they received devastating news on Dec. 17th - Makenzie’s cancer had returned in a more aggressive manner, with no further treatment options.

After hearing the news, family friend

Brandy Forgeron, whose son Alex is in Makenzie’s class, had to tell her son one of his best friends would not be returning to school after the Christmas break.

“Immediately he turned around and said he wanted to be Makenzie’s prince charming,” explained Forgeron. Inspired, she first went onto Facebook to try to locate a Prince Charming costume for her son, and then after the resounding response of community members who wanted to volunteer services or donate towards a ball, she realized something bigger could happen.

From her son’s earnest statement birthed the idea of the Princess Ball - a magical night for Makenzie, her sister Miah and the rest of their family. The wheels began in motion on a Friday, after clearing the idea with Makenzie’s mom, and by the following Monday, the ball was held in the school gym.

First donations came in of black table cloths, followed by a donated limo ride for the family to the ball, then a photo booth, DJ services, two photographers, a special three-tier princess cake, cupcakes, a nail and makeup salon, pizza, a visit from the Glitter Bomb, flower bouquets, corsages, boutonnieres and a red carpet among so many others.

“It was really a matter of networking within the community,” said Forgeron.

“We received donations from Red Deer, Olds, Lacombe, Ponoka and Innisfail. So many people within the community just completely shined for her.”

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MAGICAL - The boy who started it all Alex Forgeron, also known as Prince Charming, hands Makenzie Fickle a bouquet of flowers at the Princess Ball held last month.

In keeping with the princess theme, the Cornerstone Youth Theatre from Red Deer also visited dressed as Disney princesses and princes and performed several dances. Makenzie and her sister Miah also received a special message and later a home visit from Disney princess Elsa.

“It was really amazing to see the family dancing and Makenzie smiling,” said Forgeron. “This is exactly what our community does. We live in an amazing community that always comes forward 10fold.”

Tania Buckler Fickle, Makenzie’s grandmother, visiting from Peace River, was in attendance with the rest of her family at the Princess Ball. She had set up an initial GoFundMe page for Makenzie in 2014 when she was first diagnosed and the family was living up north.

Buckler Fickle said at the time of Makenzie’s diagnosis, the communities in northern Alberta, like Grande Prairie, Peace River and Fairview, also rallied together last year to raise funds for her granddaughter.

For George Alonso, the Princess Ball project goes beyond the Central Alberta area.

“It all started with a post on social

Lindsay Nickel Photography photo

media where a woman was asking for a miracle,” he said. “I read it on a Saturday afternoon when I was in my office. I realized that there was a little girl in need.

Within 24 hours more than 20 businesses and individuals had pitched in to help out.

“No one thought twice to jump in and help,” he said of the community.

Alonso’s media company based in Red Deer, donated their services and time to create a special memory video for Makenzie and her family. The company opened their studio the night of the ball to do the voice over, created the animation and edit the video for the family.

“It was absolutely magical,” said Alonso of the ball. “People need to hear good news these days. People need to know that we care for others. The community is generous. They give to us so it’s great when we can give back.”

Forgeron said the community group is still raising funds for the Fickle family as they are planning to go on a family vacation in the future.

For more information visit the GoFundMe page - Makenzie’s Last Battle at https://www.gofundme.com/effgfd38. news@lacombeexpress.com

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TWO PRINCESSES - Makenzie and her sister Miah receive corsages as they entered the Princess Ball on Dec. 21st.

Lindsay Nickel Photography photo

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2016

5019A - 51 St Lacombe, AB T4L 2A3

403-782-5303

Editor

Sarah Maetche 403-782-5306 news@lacombeexpress.com

LACOMBE EXPRESS 7

OPINION Crime trends on the rise in the community Based on a recent release from the Lacombe Police Service (LPS) crime rates are on the rise in the City.

The report stated calls for service have increased by 20 per cent over the past two years, with LPS responding to 7,000 service calls in 2015.

The types of calls/investigation numbers for 2015 break down to - 74 break and enters, 52 drug (trafficking/possession), 11 firearms, 53 frauds, 77 impaired driving, 91 mental health, 137 mischief to property, 341 thefts/possession of stolen

property and 28 assaults (common, domestic, sexual). The biggest percentage increase between 2014 to 2015 includes a 154% increase in assault calls and a 120% increase in firearm calls.

LPS Chief Murray said a growing community, the weakening economy and stresses on families and individuals are perhaps factors in the increase and are often evident when LPS members respond to calls.

While the crime stats are not in yet from Blackfalds RCMP for the

town, Blackfalds Mayor Melodie Stol said crime rates have not increased in the municipality, despite a population increase of 12% in 2015.

Stol said the stats for the year have remained the same as last year, which is encouraging to her, but there is always room for improvement. In 2015 Blackfalds began working with the Central Alberta Crime Prevention Centre and will continue on the partnership this year.

Community groups like the Lacombe Community Watch

Association, which includes Neighbourhood Watch, Citizens on Patrol and Block Parent are attempting to combat this trend through a proactive, engaged citizen approach.

Groups in Lacombe County like rural crime watch associations also strive towards reducing crime in rural areas.

With more residents committed to being proactive against crime as well as keeping their eyes and ears open for anything suspicious, the community can be a safer place.

The death of timely health care in Canada Reporter

Zachary Cormier

zcormier@lacombeexpress.com

Customer Service

Hilary Stone

advertising@lacombeexpress.com

Publisher

Tracey Scheveers

publisher@lacombeexpress.com

The Lacombe Express is a proud newspaper of

Copyright.

A few days ago the Fraser Institute released its annual report measuring wait times across Canada.

Much has already been said about the national results - that we’ve seen no improvement over the past three years, that this year’s wait is almost twice as long as it was in 1993 and that physicians are consistently telling us that their patients are waiting longer than clinically reasonable.

However, not much has been said about how we got here, and why nothing changes.

When we began measuring wait times in the early ’90s, there were few (if any) alternatives to our report, so it was possible for those committed to the status quo to simply dismiss our report out of hand. However, as provinces have developed their own publicly accessible web sites and other organizations published their own findings, it has become impossible to escape reality - the current system

Bacchus

BARUA is forcing Canadian patients to wait too long for medically necessary care.

While some patients can wait for treatment, it should go without saying that others are waiting in pain, unable to work and potentially risk having their conditions worsen while they wait for treatment.

Let’s be clear - the goal of our health care system is admirable - universal access to health care services regardless of ability to pay. The problem is that we are failing to deliver these health care services in a timely manner.

Let’s examine a few reasons why this may be.

First, there are no pressure valves. When the system fails, patients have no

No material - news, photographs or advertising - may be reproduced without the express written consent of the Publisher. Failure to obtain such consent may result in legal action without further notice.

Canadian Media Circulation Audit

Safety is paramount. Everybody knows that, but when the NDP government tries to bring in long overdue protection for farm workers to bring Alberta on-par with all other provinces all of a sudden that principle changed?

In a recent Lacombe Globe article Ron Orr claims the NDP put, “Ideology over consultation.”

He means the NDP ideology of protecting workers, in this case farm workers.

First it is hardly only the NDP’s ideology. It is also the ideology

recourse. Private options are few and far between and they are generally unavailable to the majority of the population. Patients are left with the unhappy choice of remaining on the waiting list, or crossing the border and seeking treatment in a different country.

Second, there are limited incentives to use services responsibly (apart from the dread of having to wait for treatment itself).

For example, there is no cost sharing disincentive to visiting the emergency room or seeking surgical treatment, regardless of how trivial an individual’s concern might be.

Third, there are actually incentives to restrict the supply of services. Most hospitals in Canada are funded through a global budget set at the beginning of the year. While this controls costs (to an extent), it actually incentivises hospitals to treat fewer patients in order to stay within their budget.

First, as a result of fol-

lowing a gatekeeper system, patients are required to get a referral from a general practitioner to see a specialist. While this is not unusual, it’s inefficient if general practitioners are unable to see which specialist has the shortest wait, and refer accordingly.

Second, there is often a significant wait to get a diagnostic imaging scan in order to assess the severity of a patient’s condition. These wait times prevent an efficient system of triage, forcing those with serious conditions to be lumped in with those without, in a long line.

Such diagnostic scans should be available almost immediately, on site.

Finally, there are many patients stuck in hospital because after they’ve received treatment there is no appropriate place for them to be discharged to.

While the presence of bottlenecks is likely a challenge faced by many systems, the other issues discussed are effectively addressed in countries

with successful universal health care systems.

These relatively successful systems generally involve the private sector - either as a partner, or an alternative. They expect some level of cost sharing from patients - exempting the poor and chronically ill, and placing annual caps on levels of contribution.

And they generally fund hospitals based on the amount and complexity of their activity.

Importantly, they do all this not in spite of their commitment to universal health care, but because it helps them better deliver on that promise.

In Canada, we unfortunately focus on the preservation of the Medicare system, and expect patients to adjust accordingly. Instead, we need to focus on the patients, and adjust the Medicare system accordingly.

Bacchus Barua is a senior economist in the Fraser Institute’s Centre for Health Policy Studies. His column is distributed through Troy Media.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Bill 6 and death threats to an Alberta premier of other political parties across Canada - the Liberals and the Conservatives, as all other provinces have already implemented this bill and Alberta is the only province that has not.

Orr goes as far as saying the, “NDP Regina Manifesto (the founding document of the CCF written in 1933) demonstrates that Notley intends to replace the free-enterprise farm system with socialistic economy planning.” He tells farmers that the NDP intend “To destroy you.” Orr

characterizes Bill 6 as the intention to “Bubble wrap farm children.”

Wildrose MLA Strankman tells farmers, “Who knows what happens when OH&S shows up on the farm and find a predator control device.”

Given the seriousness of these issues, compensation for injury and death, allowing for investigation of OH&S and child labour standards, the Wildrose stance is profoundly disturbing.

The Wildrose Party seized the

moment for partisan purposes with extremely inflammatory language and half truths. They also failed to mention that Bill 6 involves constitutional and human rights-which they say they champion.

Furthermore Brian Jean, the lawyer, fails to mention that the government has to pass legislation BEFORE it can draft the regulations, as the principles of statutory drafting indicate. The Wildrose Party is scrupulously going to any lengths to serve

its political agenda, including a safety bill that has been implemented across Canada.

To publish death threats on social media is an outrageous response to a bill intended to protect farm workers and for Wildrose leader Brian Jean to leave those on his facebook site for days is irresponsible, extremely disrespectful, dangerous and did stir further anger against the premier of Alberta.

Ilse Quick Lacombe

8 LACOMBE EXPRESS

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2016

Horoscope ARIES

TAURUS

Mar 21/Apr 20

Apr 21/May 21

Aries, practicality is a big par t of your personality, but sometimes thinking through the reasons to do something over and over can be tedious. Let loose a little bit this week.

GEMINI May 22/Jun 21

Taurus, expect to feel pulled in two directions this week. It’s a pivotal time at work, but in the same measure, you have much going on at home.

Think things over carefully.

CANCER Jun 22/Jul 22

Gemini, you may find your

Cancer, you will get to

energy levels unusually

your destination soon

low this week, and your

enough, but the trip may

productivity may suffer as

be a bit of a headache.

a result. Maybe someone

Patience is essential this

else can energize you a bit

week; otherwise, you may

and lend a helping hand.

give up prematurely.

LEO

VIRGO

Jul 23/Aug 23

Aug 24/Sept 22

Misinformation is

Virgo, you may have a

spreading, so research

wonder ful time with family

everything to make

or friends this week, even

informed decisions this

if you are crunched for

week, Leo. It may help

time. Savor the small

you avoid an expensive

moments as they come

mistake down the line.

your way.

LIBRA Sept 23/Oct 23

to catch up on paperwork,

as much as you miss

26. U. of Texas residential center 28. Estate (Spanish) 32. Pilots and Blues 36. Right angle building wings

another person this week.

38. Store fodder

Wait out this separation a

40. Supersonic transport

little while longer, keeping

wayside. Make use of the

in mind that your reunion

slow week to recharge.

is on its way.

Fill-in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 only once.

Each 3x3 box is outlined with a darker line. You already have a few numbers to get you started.

Remember: You must not repeat the numbers 1 through 9 in the same line, column or 3x3 box.

CLUES DOWN (cont.)

Oct 24/Nov 22 Scorpio, you will be missed

you have let fall by the

ANSWER

SCORPIO

Libra, this is a good week

filing or tedious tasks

HOW TO PLAY:

41. Brand of plastic wrap 42. Comb-plate 43. Puppeteer Lewis 44. Tatouhou

SAGITTARIUS Nov 23/Dec 21

45. Security interest in a

CAPRICORN

Do whatever you need

Capricorn, this may turn

to do to rejuvenate your

out to be a strange week,

spirit, Sagittarius. Spend

as you can’t seem to fully

some more time with

focus on anything. You

friends and avoid prolonged

may get frustrated at your

solo activities. Soon your

inability to concentrate, but

motivation will return.

property

Dec 22/Jan 20

that focus will return soon.

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Jan 21/Feb 18

Feb 19/Mar 20

Aquarius, if you become

Pisces, you are on a

too wrapped up in

quest this week to find the

business or personal

per fect gift for a friend.

obligations, take a step

This person will appreciate

back and reevaluate your

your effor ts, and your

priorities. Some things

bond will only grow

need to be rearranged.

stronger.

49. Direct a weapon 50. One point E of due N 54. Latin for “and”

CLUES ACROSS

24. 100 =1 kwanza

44. AKA platyfish

4. Tattered cloth

1. Afraid

25. Japanese wrestling

46. Free from deceit

5. Tokyo

7. Love grass

26. ___asty: family of rulers

47. Ireland

6. Force from office

11. Hepburn/Grant movie

27. Luteinizing hormone

48. 007’s Flemming

7. Wigwam

12. Opposite of good

29. British Air Aces

51. & & &

8. Dynasty actress Linda

13. Whale ship captain

30. Being a single unit

52. Kidney, fava or broad

9. Small mongrel

14. A major U.S. political

31. Opposite of gee

53. W. African country

10. Rapidly departed

party

33. National Guard

55. __ Frank’s diary

11. A corporate leader

15. Rate of walking

34. A stratum of rock

56. Induces vomiting

13. King of Camelot

16. A ceremonial procession

35. Have a yen for

18. Unfolded

37. Cornell tennis center

20. More pretentious

39. Iranian monetary units

1. Jame’s “Fifty _____”

19. Symphony orchestra

21. Ribbon belts

41. Settings in a play

2. Scottish game pole

21. Cunning

23. Himalayan wild goats

43. Olfactory properties

3. Atomic #18

22. Wheatgrass adjective

16. Mrs. Nixon

CLUES DOWN

17. Macaws

ANSWER

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2016

LACOMBE EXPRESS 9

ARTS & LEISURE

Theory of a Deadman heads to Red Deer this month Continuing to make their artistic mark on the Canadian musical landscape and well beyond, Theory of a Deadman bring their current tour to Red Deer on Jan. 24th. The show follows a swing through the city late last year as well.

They perform at the Memorial Centre, with tickets available at the Black Knight Inn Ticket Centre.

Based on the west coast, the guys (Tyler Connolly - vocals/guitar; Dean Back bass; David Brenner - guitar and Joe Dandeneau - drums) first joined forces back in 2001.

So far, they have a total of eight top 10 hits on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, including three number one hits, Bad Girlfriend, Lowlife and Angel.

In the middle of 2013, the quartet began working on what would become its fifth full-length album, Savages.

However, everything in their lives rapidly and unexpectedly changed.

Whether it be a shakeup at their label, waning interest in rock at radio, or the downturn of society at large, a myriad of issues weighed heavy on the guys.

So, Connolly channeled it all into his songwriting.

“It’s such a different record for us,” he asserts. “I’m known as the guy who writes all of the ‘breakup’ songs. It would have been typical to write more, so I did just the opposite.

“There’s something very brutal about our culture. I got nightmares from Terminator as a kid and, now, you can watch real murders on YouTube. We’re so desensitized. I went from writing about crazy women to how screwed up we are.

That’s the theme. I’d spend 20 hours a day at my home studio. I became a weird recluse, and I even grew a beard. I dug in deeper than ever for these songs.”

Once again teaming with super producer Howard Benson (My Chemical Romance, Halestorm) in the studio, he tapped into the same robust riffing and primal power that coursed through the group’s 2008 platinum-certified breakthrough, Scars & Souvenirs—which yielded the number one Mainstream Rock Radio smash Bad Girlfriend as well as So Happy and By The Way. Lyrically, Connolly turned his attention to the state of the world around him and churned out the band’s catchiest and most crushing statement yet.

“This is Theory of a Deadman on steroids but not with the shrunken balls and b-acne side effects,” he assures. “It’s

WINTER TOUR - Vancouver-based Theory of a Deadman will be performing in Red Deer on Jan. 24th at the Memorial Centre. always been with us. This nodded back to our early material but with more musicality. I got to write about something other than relationships too, and I was excited to tackle new material.

“I tried to get up every morning and write a song, and that lasted three days before I quit,” he chuckles. “I wrote Drown during the second day. It’s about being alone and finding contentment within that. It’s a metaphor. No one cares if you drown or not. It’s based on how I felt at the time.”

Meanwhile, the title track functions as the album’s clarion call, and it enlists a chilling spoken word and hypnotic harmony from none other than the legendary Alice Cooper. Connolly said it was an amazing experience to work with the rock veteran.

“I had never met him before,” recalls Connolly. “I got to fly to his house in Phoenix and work on the song. He’s a

super nice guy. I stole the spoken word idea from Vincent Price in Thriller. Alice killed it. I was so happy to work with him.”

The album does uphold a tradition for Theory of a Deadman, bringing another ballad to the fold, though it’s not a ‘breakup song’ per se.

This time, Angel swings from a bright guitar into a heavenly refrain about a different kind of love.

“I thought about being in love with an angel and how bad of an idea that actually is,” he explains.

“Once you fall back to earth, you realize you have nothing in common, and you have to let her go.”

At the same time, they also stomp into new territory altogether with their first-ever proper ‘country’ track. For Livin’ My Life Like a Country Song, the boys enlisted the guitar and vocal talents of Rascal Flatts’ Joe Don Rooney.

photo submitted

“We’ve always had a bit of Southern rock swagger,” he goes on. “In this case, Joe Don Rooney countrified it, and it turned out great. We wanted to give our take on how all of these country songs are about losing your woman and your house. All you’ve got left is a case of beer, your dog, and your trailer. She’s gone, and you’re living your life like a country song!”

That songwriting prowess solidified Theory of a Deadman as a major contender in modern rock since their self-titled 2002 debut.

Most recently, 2011’s The Truth Is… landed in the Top 10 of Billboard’s Top 200 Albums Chart upon its debut, while topping the ‘Top Rock Albums’, ‘Top Alternative Albums’ and ‘Top Hard Rock Albums’ charts.

In addition, it spawned the number one radio hit Lowlife, which ruled Rock Radio for three weeks straight.

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ARTS & LEISURE

10 LACOMBE EXPRESS

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2016

Steps to take in regards to reversing pre-disease Samuel Johnson once remarked, “Nothing sharpens the wit so much as the knowledge you’re going to be hanged in the morning.” So if a doctor says, “Your blood sugar is borderline for diabetes” or “Your bones are getting fragile”, he’s giving you a pre-disease warning.

But does it ring the bell of trouble ahead unless you do something about it? Dr. H. Gilbert Welch, Professor of Medicine at the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, is also the author of Less Medicine, More Health. Welch says we should keep in mind that, “Virtually everyone, as they get older, develops some sort of pre-disease.”

The outward appearance of wrinkles and graying hair are for all to see. But kidneys, hearts and all the other hidden organs also age. So Welch warns there’s a tendency for doctors to over-prescribe pre-diseases that can be corrected by other means. According to a report in Consumer Reports on Health, about 37% of adults in North America have pre-hypertension. Studies show that if you’re overweight, smoke, drink too much alcohol, rarely exercise and have a family history of hypertension, you’re more likely

Dr. Gifford

JONES to develop borderline BP and finally hypertension. So what should you do about it? First, make sure you have bone-fide increased BP. Some people on medication show ‘white coat hypertension’ due simply to being in a doctor’s office, or having just consumed caffeine. To prevent a lifetime of medication, test your BP in a pharmacy, or buy a blood pressure cuff to take readings at home. Today, there is no convincing evidence that treating pre-hypertension by drugs prevents the development of high blood pressure.

But studies show that dropping nine pounds will lower blood pressure 4.5 points. Health authorities also stress that it’s important to exercise moderately three to four times a week. It also helps to consume no more than 1,500 milligrams of sodium daily, a little more than half a teaspoon, and to limit alcoholic drinks to

two a day for men, and one for women.

And to follow a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low fat dairy products, fish, skinless poultry and lean meats.

Pre-diabetes is now a major problem and affects 38% of North Americans.

It’s present when the average blood sugar over a period of three months, or a fasting blood sugar, is higher than normal. One would think that this diagnosis would get people’s attention. But according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, up to 30% don’t make lifestyle changes and eventually develop Type 2 diabetes.

This is a huge mistake. Calorie reduction and exercise can decrease the risk of Type 2 diabetes by 59% over a three-year period. Reversing this trend also means a decreased risk of heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, blindness, foot damage and possibly Alzheimer’s Disease. Let’s end with some good news.

It’s estimated that in North America 45 million people have osteoporosis. But, according to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine, most of the time osteopenia is best treated with diet high in calcium along with 800 IU of Vitamin

D, and weight-bearing exercise such as walking. Authorities say the evidence that osteoporosis drugs help during this stage is inconsistent.

Dr. Marvin Lipman, medical advisor on Consumer Reports, states that about 30% of older adults are reported to be suffering from advanced chronic kidney disease and have received needless drug treatment. In effect, doctors should realize that kidneys age, but it’s a slow process, and not to over-treat. Others over 65 are often taking thyroid medication to treat an underactive thyroid.

But unless there are symptoms such as dry skin, fatigue, severe constipation and weight gain they may not need it.

Knowing you have a pre-disease is a great benefit.

It provides time to get serious about one’s health and prevent a full-blown disease with all its complications. Prevention will always be better than cure, particularly when it’s possible to treat pre-disease by lifestyle changes. Isn’t this better than facing a lifetime on prescription drugs?

For medical tips go to www.docgiff.com. For comments, email info@docgiff.com.

Culinary resolutions for 2016 Ah, the start of a fresh year. What better time is there to make a pact with oneself to start anew?

In the position of a culinary instructor, I encounter many situations with people wanting to improve areas of the culinary arts within their home kitchens and lifestyles. If you are undecided about making a resolution, contemplate making one focusing on the culinary aspect in your life.

The most common culinary resolution would be

CHEF

DEZ

on Cooking one of dietetic and health boundaries.

Many people have the aspiration to start the New Year with a promise of either losing weight or getting in better physical shape.

The change in what you consume on a daily basis will obviously influence

THE FOOT INSTITUTE

your success, or lack thereof. Try making a resolution to yourself to investigate low fat, low carbohydrate, and/or high protein cooking.

This promise will involve educating yourself in these areas and putting the acquired information into practice. Go to the library, research the Internet, buy a cookbook and take a cooking class.

Maybe a more suited resolution would be to revamp the state of your pantry and the food supply in your kitchen.

Perhaps you have always wanted to have a pantry that is more focused on your favorite cuisines. For

example, someone who loves Italian and Greek cuisine would stock their pantry with varying types of olives, capers, tomatoes, grape leaves, olive oils, balsamic vinegars, etc.

The refrigerator and freezer can also be coordinated to contain the perishables of the same cuisine.

Motivation to focus more on cooking certain cuisines in your household will start with having the ingredients at your fingertips. One can even take this to the extreme in organization by creating labels and segregating areas in your pantry for different food groupings.

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Lacombe County Environmental Improvement Grant Program Workshops The County Environmental Grant program aims to provide financial assistance to community groups and schools to develop or deliver community-based environmental services and programs within the County. Workshops will be held at Lacombe County Administration building between 7 – 9pm on Tuesday, January 12th and Wednesday, January 27th.

For more information contact Blayne West, 403 -782-6601

The simplest of all culinary resolutions however, would be to blow dust off your cookbooks and start making some new dishes.

Whether it is of small or large proportions, we all have collections of cookbooks with many of them going unused. Make it a goal in your home to open up a cookbook once or twice a week and try a new recipe.

If you choose to do this, make sure you are setting yourself up for success.

Decide on and investigate the recipe prior to the date you plan on making it.

Purchase the ingredients ahead of time and ensure that you have the basic equipment and utensils necessary to successfully complete the task at hand.

This will help eliminate any stress that you may encounter during preparation.

“Attitude is everything.”

This is the best advice I can give you. Whatever you approach in life, from making a resolution, making new friends or making a new recipe, proceed in a positive fashion.

You will always find what you are searching for. If you look for the positives in something or someone, you will always find them.

The same applies if you are seeking out negatives.

Be aware of what you are

looking for and your experience will always be more rewarding.

Dear Chef Dez: I noticed in your ‘Healthy Choices’ class, you mention that you had a significant weight loss years ago within a six-month period.

How did you do it?

Tony R. Dear Tony: I did this by exercising and limiting fat grams and sugar - I didn’t count calories. The more lean muscle mass a body has, the more calories the body will burn - even when sleeping. Therefore, going to the gym is extremely important. Calories are energy and too many times prior I wasted my efforts limiting them too extensively in my total food intake.

Without enough calories in my diet, I never had enough energy to maintain a regular exercise program.

Please keep in mind that I am not a dietician or medical professional. Everybody is different and I believe that a successful method exists for everyone.

Chef Dez is a food columnist, culinary travel host and cookbook author. Visit him at www.chefdez.com.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2016

LACOMBE EXPRESS 11

SPORTS Rams basketball teams host Cougars in Tuesday showdown

BY ZACHARY CORMIER LACOMBE EXPRESS With the Christmas break over, the Lacombe Composite High School Rams basketball teams hit the ground running Tuesday when they played host to the Notre Dame Cougars at LCHS. Both the boys and girls senior teams were in action Tuesday night, and while both teams put in a good effort, the results couldn’t have been more different.

Let’s start with the boys.

The senior boys Rams were 0-2 in league play going into the evening, having played only four games together including exhibitions.

By contrast, Notre Dame went into the game on a hot streak, riding high on a third-place finish in their home tournament and a couple of key wins in league play.

“We drew the four toughest teams right off the start, haven’t had any tournaments yet. They haven’t really dealt with a team like that last one, and it shows,” said Head Coach Wayne Gustafson after the 89-33 loss.

It seemed like the Cougars were a beat ahead of the Rams right from the word ‘go’, surging to a 10-point lead before three minutes had ticked off the clock.

After that it became difficult for the Rams to find a foothold on either end of the court.

Offensively, they couldn’t get past the Cougars’ pressing defense, who forced a number of turnovers in the back court as well as inside the key. Offensively, Notre Dame showed an incredible ability to find the open lanes and drive to the basket.

In short, Lacombe was just out-worked and out-muscled, and by the end of the first half the score stood at 52-14.

“Basically, at halftime I just said look, that was awful. In the first half we got completely out-worked. We’re obviously not going to come back and win this game, so now it’s 0-0 on the scoreboard.

We’re playing for pride. It’s all about heart and wanting to work and win this thing,” Gustafson said of the speech he gave to his players at the end of the first half.

The second half was much better for the Rams, who actually outscored Notre Dame in the first couple minutes of the third quarter and held them to just 37 points in the final 20 minutes while scoring 19 points themselves, not bad considering how the first half went.

Although the outcome was not quite what he envisioned before the game,

Gustafson said the team was going to take the loss as a learning experience and continue to get better.

“I hope they take away that it really doesn’t feel good to get out-hustled and out-worked, which they did in the first quarter,” he said.

The second half also showed that the team has the ability to keep pace with a team like Notre Dame.

“They’ve got some good, fast forwards and some players that can pick up the rebounds pretty well. There were also a couple of good blocks and steals scattered throughout the game that showed the makings of a good defensive core. All they have to do is pull all of those pieces together before playoffs roll around.

“We’ll be ready. Playoffs are still two months away and it’s a learning process,” Gustafson said.

The senior boys will be back in action this weekend along with their junior Varsity counterparts when they head out to Cash for their first tournament of the year.

In contrast to the boy’s game, the redhot LCHS senior girls ended up clawing their way to a victory during their showdown against Notre Dame Tuesday night in what may end up being one of the closest games of the entire season.

Notre Dame weren’t going to go down easy, and they fought Lacombe every step of the way and matching them blow for blow.

Eventually, though, after a hard-fought battle, Lacombe managed to down the Cougars 50-45 in double-overtime.

“We didn’t start very well, we were really flat, so to come back and win in double-overtime, it’s pretty exciting,” said Head Coach Doug Bennett after the game.

After getting down early in the first quarter, Lacombe managed to fight their way back, going on a 5-2 scoring run to take a 9-7 lead into the second.

The game went on like that with Lacombe holding a 25-20 lead four minutes into the second half and Notre Dame keeping pace just behind.

Suddenly, though, the Cougars came surging back and went on a 7-0 scoring run to take a 27-25 lead going into the fourth quarter.

“It was a bit of a nail-biter. Some bad turnovers at spots,” Bennett said.

The fourth quarter was when Lacombe really showed their teeth.

A dramatic final push from the Rams that saw the Rams go on a five-point scoring run in the dying minutes of the

SQUARING OFF - Tiegan Hutchinson, left, of the LCHS Rams had the ball stolen from her by Heather Daniel of the Notre Dame Cougars during senior girls basketball at Lacombe Composite High School in Lacombe on Tuesday. The Rams won the game by a score of 50-45 in double overtime.

Zachary Cormier/Lacombe Express fourth thanks to scoring efforts from Katie McMillen, who had a team-high 14 points (most of them coming in overtime), and Danielle Wilson who managed to pot the equalizer in the final minute.

“Some girls came through at the end.

There were some girls that didn’t show up early that, at the end of the game, made some important baskets,” Bennett said.

After the first five-minute OT solved nothing, the Rams came out flying. Five different Rams contributed in the extra quarters, including a huge three pointer from Adi Waqatabu in the last minute, to clinch the victory.

The next home game for the senior boys’ and girls’ teams will be Feb. 2nd against Ponoka Secondary at 6 p.m. zcormier@lacombeexpress.com

Coaches

Do you want your team covered?

Send contact info, rosters and schedules to news@lacombeexpress.com

12 LACOMBE EXPRESS

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2016

SPORTS

A bizarre twist for this year’s NHL All-Star game I love hockey fans.

They’re among the most fun and passionate fans in all of sports, especially here in Canada. Rivalries burn fierce and many fan bases just flat-out don’t like each other, making attending hockey games that much more entertaining But perhaps my favourite thing about hockey fans, and NHL fans specifically, is that we’re not above collectively kicking back and having a little bit of fun, mostly at the expense of each other, but sometimes at the expense of the NHL itself.

Enter John Scott, a 33-yearold enforcer for the Arizona Coyotes who has managed just five goals and six assists in 285 career NHL games.

He’s also, the league announced last week, the captain of the Pacific Division team at this year’s NHL All-Star game.

Why? Because the fans put him there.

Yeah, Scott won the NHL’s All-Star fan ballot thanks to

Zachary

CORMIER a huge organized movement of people who voted for him as a kind of collective joke, and possibly a little bit of a protest of the All-Star Game’s overall silliness.

This is why I love hockey fans.

As I have said in a previous column, I think the NHL All-Star game is a joke. It’s a boring hockey game played by players who seriously just don’t want to be there. And now, with the introduction of a 3-on-3 tournament, the weekend is shaping up to be a total sideshow.

So the fans decided to take it to another level, electing Scott, who has racked up a total of 542 penalty minutes and a -18 plus-minus rating

over nine NHL seasons, to play in a showcase of the league’s brightest stars. It’s also worth noting that the Edmonton native has never played a complete NHL season and has spent most of the current one as a healthy scratch for the Coyotes.

I mean, the Coyotes waived him mid-way through December when he was number-one in the league for voting, and then he was scratched the day after being named the captain of an All-Star team. The guy’s not exactly Jaromir Jagr. (Incidentally, Jagr, the Atlantic Division captain, made some pretty hilarious comments about the whole situation on his Twitter feed, @68Jagr. You should go check them out.)

Now, if you’ve been following this story at all you’ll probably be aware that there has been a lot of negative backlash, especially among sports media, to the fans’ decision to vote for Scott, to the NHL’s decision to allow

him to participate, and to Scott’s acceptance of the invitation.

When it came out that Scott was surging in the fan vote at the start of December, a number of hockey analysts made calls on Scott to step down and remove himself from the race.

“If I’m John Scott I’d get my name off that list as fast as I could,” Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos on a Dec. 2nd edition of Hockey Central.

“It’s making a farce of the whole thing. Take it away from the fans if they’re going to be such idiots,” Doug McLean chimed in a second later.

That’s kind of harsh, don’t you think? I mean, isn’t that kind of the point of fan balloting?

To allow underrated players that would otherwise fly under the radar to make it into a game that is dominated by high-scoring high-profile superstars? To give players who might actually want to be there a shot a making it?

And Scott, to his credit, seems like a really nice guy who kind of deserves a chance to be in the spotlight after grinding as a fourth-liner his entire career.

And the fans are giving that chance to him.

A final curtain-call for a dying breed of hockey player. One who makes his presence felt more with his fists and body than with his goal-scoring prowess.

“I don’t know what’s going on,” he told AZCentral in December.

“I just kind of stay out of it. The guys are giving me a hard time about it, but it’s kind of neat. The fans, they obviously like me for some reason.”

What I really appreciate about this whole situation is the fact that the NHL is letting it happen.

Remember, this is the league that is considering pulling their players out of the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang despite nearly-overwhelming fan disapproval.

They’re not exactly known

for listening to the fan base on internal matters, especially when it comes to the All-Star Game.

So the fact that they stepped back and allowed an enforcer who has only played 11 games this season to participate in a game designed to pit the Alex Ovechkins and Sidney Crosbys of the world against each other is a little baffling to me.

Then I had a thought: this is the NHL saying, ‘Look, we’re making a concerted (if misguided) effort to make this game better for you to watch. So if you, the fans, tell us you want to see a nice guy with just five goals in his entire career in this tournament, then by all means he’ll play. But don’t look at us when this year turns out to be even worse than previous years.’

And to be honest, I don’t care. Because this will be the first time I will watch the All-Star game in the past two years. And, for once, I know exactly who I’ll be cheering for. zcormier@lacombeexpress.com

The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples invites you to attend the rd 3 National Grassroots Engagement Tour Come and meet

National Chief Dwight Dorey

16011KA0

Share your views that matter most to Indigenous Peoples living off-reserve and in urban areas When: Tuesday January 12 Where: Red Deer Baymont Inn & Suites, Rosedale Room 4311 49 Avenue, Red Deer, Alberta Time: 5:30 pm – 8:00 pm For more information on the event: Brad Darch, b.darch@abo-peoples.org For Media Interviews: Noreen Fagan, n.fagan@abo-peoples.org www.abo-peoples.org The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples represents the rights and interests of off-reserve Aboriginal Peoples in Canada.

Get Immunized. Why chance it? #whychanceit? | www.ahs.ca/influenza | Call Health Link 811

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2016

LACOMBE EXPRESS 13

HOMES & LIVING

SPACIOUS - This stylish and light-filled living room in a Colbray Homes show home in the Henner’s Lake subdivision in Lacombe is the perfect place to relax.

Sarah Maetche/Lacombe Express

What makes a house a home?

Is it matching stainless appliances and the latest wiring technology known to man? Is your home complete only after an extreme makeover to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars updated by a swarm of designers and contractors? Some people value fashion over function while others keep life simple and homey and others let their imagination take flight.

I visited a home last weekend which was holiday magic. Before I entered my companion said ‘you may never be the same after seeing all the decorations in here!’ Truer words have never been spoken, the home was decorated to the tenth power of Christmas right from the front driveway. Decorations (specifically angels with glowing wings and flowing robes) sat on every level surface of this house.

The entire space was transformed into a floating, ethereal holiday wonderland and it was transforming.

There are people who decorate for the

Kim

WYSE holidays and then there are people who let their passion for all things merry take over their home.

It was apparent that our host for the evening was in love with Christmas and was not afraid to show her love for the beauty and magical lights and colours. This was a representation of hours of dedicated work and years of collecting and cherishing family heirlooms and special items.

The light count in the yard was beyond the thousands and as we strolled the pathways through the illumination I couldn’t help but be thankful that there are people in the world who still unabashedly throw their soul into creative projects.

This is home, a family who has lived continuous generations in the same house having the same children who grew up there come and visit as adults.

They bring their children and their children’s children for each special moment and the memories keep growing and gathering, much like the decorative angels.

Is the home modern and shiny and worthy of a place on the cover of a design magazine?

No, but it is as welcoming and relaxing and beautiful as some of the best dressed places I have visited. There is something about the feeling of a home and the memories which live within the walls of a place that has wrapped its arms around the same people and protected them as they grew.

The joy in this festive home was apparent and I can imagine the love and anticipation every Christmas as this family works on setting up all of the favorite items.

It had me reflecting on the stress that some people put on themselves in the pursuit of home perfection and how these expectations are rarely realized in the finished product.

A certain square footage or species of hardwood will not make you happier nor will it produce a loving family environment. It is the items and memories you fill your residence with that make it a home.

What has your home given to you and what do you give back to it in return?

Is it just a structure to keep out the wind and rain or do you value the memories and history that it represents to your family? You can create the most beautiful home out of the most standard finishes and still have the best dressed place on the block if you pour your heart and soul into the adornment.

Kim Wyse is a local freelance designer. Find her on Facebook at ‘Ask a Designer’.

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Closets

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14 LACOMBE EXPRESS

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2016

Lacombe Express

deadline: Monday @ noon

CLASSIFIEDS To place an ad, call Toll Free: 1.877.223.3311 or email: classifieds@lacombeexpress.com Misc.

Help

Obituaries

GRESHNER, Steven Paul

Apr.11, 1962 – Dec. 29, 2015

It is with great sadness we announce the passing of Steven Greshner of Lacombe December 29th, 2015 at the age of 53.

Steven was born April 11th, 1962 in Ponoka, Alberta. Steven loved fishing, hunting and camping. Steven is survived by his loving wife Holly, his daughters Shannon Kappel, Shelby Greshner, and Tamara Oakes. His sons Joshua Greshner and Korey Bryan. His sisters Theresa Therriault, Joanne Johnston, Connie Yates and brother Bruce Greshner. As well as 9 Grandchildren. A special thanks goes to his nurse Mike at the University of Alberta Hospital in Edmonton for the care and attention given to Steven during his stay.

A celebration of life was held January 5th 2016 at 2:00pm at Wilson’s Funeral Chapel, 6120 Highway 2A, Lacombe followed by lunch at the United Church Hall in Lacombe.

Donations in honour of Steven can be made to The Alberta Cancer Foundation. Expressions of sympathy may be made by visiting www.wilsonsfuneralchapel.ca.

ACADEMIC Express What’s Happening #50 - # 70

Arts & Crafts Shows ..................50 Class Registrations....................51 Coming Events ..........................52 Lost ............................................54 Found ........................................56 Companions ..............................58 Personals...................................60 Bingos........................................64 Fitness & Sports ........................66 Happy Ads .................................70

Coming Events

52

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Accounting .......................... 1010 Acupuncture........................1020 Advocate/Mediation ............1025 Antique Dealers & Stores ...1027 Automotive ..........................1029 Bands & DJ s ......................1030 Beauty/Cosmetic ................1040 Bookkeeping .......................1050 Cabinet Makers...................1054 Child Care/Caregivers.........1060 Carpentry............................1062 Car Rentals .........................1064 Cat Work .............................1065 Cleaning .............................1070 Clerical................................1080 Construction .......................1085 Consulting...........................1090 Contractors ......................... 1100 Computer Services ..............1110 Drafting & Design................ 1120 Eavestroughing ................... 1130 Educational ......................... 1140 Electrical ............................. 1150 Entertainment ..................... 1160 Escorts................................ 1165 Farm Equipment ................. 1168 Financial ............................. 1170 Fireplaces ........................... 1175 Flooring............................... 1180 Food/Catering ..................... 1190 Furnace Cleaning ............... 1193 Glass Shops ....................... 1196 Mobile Glass Shops............ 1197 Handyman Services ...........1200 Health Care......................... 1210 Income Tax .........................1220 Insurance ............................ 1130 Landscaping .......................1240 Land Mapping .....................1250 Legal Services ....................1260 Limousine Services ............1270 Massage Therapy ...............1280 Mechanical .........................1285 Misc. Services ....................1290 Moving & Storage ...............1300 Oilfield .................................1305 Painters/Decorators ............ 1310 Personal Services ............... 1315 Pet Services ....................... 1318 Photography .......................1320 Plumbing & Heating ............1330 Printing................................1335 Rental - Equipment .............1340 Rental - Misc .......................1350 Repair Service ....................1360 Roofing ...............................1370 Snow Removal....................1380 Travel ..................................1385 Upholstery ..........................1390 Well Drilling ........................1400 Welding ............................... 1410 Window Cleaning ................1420 Yard Care ............................1430

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1370

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Willing to dig or pick up ourselves. Contact Bill 403-226-0468.

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Split or logs, delivered or picked up. Contact Bill 403-226-0468.

Grain, Feed Hay

2190

APPROX. 800 bu. of feed wheat $5/bu.

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No Sunday calls please.

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Buildings For Sale

4150

POLE BARNS, Shops, steel buildings metal clad or fabric clad. Complete supply and installation.

Call John @ 403-998-7907; jcameron@ advancebuildings.com.

Lots For Sale

4160

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FIREARMS. All types wanted, estates, collections, single items, military. We handle all paperwork and transportation. Licensed dealer.

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FREE SCRAP and truck removal including farm machinery. We pay cash at our yard. 1-780-914-7560; www.sturgeonbusparts.ca.

Public Notice #6000

Public Notices ..................6010 Special Features ..............6050

CAREER

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2016

LACOMBE EXPRESS 15

RENN MILL CENTER INC.

Position to fill?

REQUIRES A PAINT PREP & WASH PERSON

Duties & Responsibilities: • Washing, cleaning and pre paint set up • Moving equipment in and out of wash area • Assisting in paint booth set up, assisting in final assembly.

Forklift experience required, must be mechanically inclined Full Time-permanent position – Benefits available Please send resumes by Fax: 403-350-1126 Or email : info@rennmill.co

Advertise here – It Works

www.rennmill.com

Mr. Tree

Firewood For Sale Pine and Birch in tote bags.

306-873-9556 Dealers Welcome

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16 LACOMBE EXPRESS

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2016

3 Day Sale January 8-10 Seedless Cucumbers

FRIDAY, Jan. 8 to THURSDAY, Jan. 14

Blueberries

Nature Valley or Betty Crocker Bars

Danone Greek Yogurt

Green House Grown No. 1 Grade Imported

Treats, Fruit Snacks or Mott’s Fruitsations Snacks 120-230g

Oikos or Activia - 4x100g

each

3 for

$

1.49

3 for

$

9.99

Co-op Fresh Lean Ground Beef

$

4.98

Co-op Gold Fruit

170g Package Imported

Frozen - 600g

each

$

$8.80/kg

.88

2

$

Black Diamond Cheese

$

.99

9

Campbell’s Chunky Soup or Chili 540ml Ready to Serve or 425g

$

7

Cantaloupe

each

.99

7

Cut In-store form Canada AA Grade Beef or Higher Aged 14 Days - Value Pack

lb

Co-op Market Town Big Slab Pizza

.99

3

lb

$17.61/kg

$ Large Size Imported

.99

2

Italian Bread or Italian Multigrain

12”x16” Meet and Cheese Combination

4 for

$

$

Co-op T-Bone or Wing Grilling Steaks

each Cheddar or Mozzarella, 907g or Cheestrings, 558g Pack of 28 - First 2

.99

3

Ground Fresh Daily Value Pack - Limit First 2

each

each

$

2 for

.98

9

$ 450g

4

Central Alberta Co-op English Estates Centre – Lacombe 403-782-6200 Open Daily until 9pm www.centralab.coop