November 25 Lamont Leader

Your news this week: Recalling the tragedy of 1960 - 6-11 Special fire helmets donated - 2 Road in brutal condition - 13 OPINION: Santa Covid Claus - 4

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Vol. 16, No. 1, Wednesday, November 25, 2020 www.LamontLeader.com

60th anniversary of our worst tragedy Inside this edition of the Lamont Leader we honour the memory of our 17 youth lost in a sickening accident which occurred on the morning of Nov. 29, 1960 at 8:55 am when a school bus carrying 41 students from Chipman and surrounding area was struck by a westbound freight train travelling 80 km/h at the railway crossing at Lamont. The lives of family and friends of the victims were forever changed. The 24 survivors were never the same, living with survivor guilt and the horror haunting their memories forever. The goodness of our community shone through the catastrophe when a recently organized action plan went into affect signalled by three short blasts of the Lamont fire siren. The race was now on to save the lives of 24 young students and the bus driver, most badly injured. Archer Memorial Hospital’s five doctors, 31 registered nurses and 42 students quickly took their posts as outlined in the 13 page disaster plan finalized in 1957. It took but 45 minutes to remove all the students from the wreckage with 25 admitted to hospital. Very many Lamont women were busy making and serving sandwiches and coffee to volunteers and terrified family. Specialists and nurses from Edmonton and neighbouring towns came to assist saving lives. Several changes came as a result of the accident including reduced train speeds and school bus safety. Please see more Pages 6-11

The scene outside of the Chipman School on Dec. 3, 1960 where services for seven of the 17 victims of the Lamont bus accident were held. Four additional victims had services at the Greek Catholic Church while four more were held at the St. John the Baptist Russian Orthodox Church. Two remaining victims had services held in Edmonton.

2 - The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, November 25, 2020

Good deed becomes fire helmets in Mundare Posing with new helmets are from left: Greg Orcheski, Guillevin Fire, Safety & Industrial; Dan McGee, Drager; Mundare Fire Chief Glenda Dales; Safety officer Dale McCarty and his wife Rhonda, who donated the cost of the helmets.

BY JOHN MATHER There’s an old saying that one good turn deserves another. Well that has happened for the Mundare Fire Department. Dale McCarty is the safety officer for the Mundare Fire Department and he’s served with the department for more than 40 years. In July of 2107, the McCartys were involved in an accident near Lamont and were rescued by firefighters from both the Lamont and Chipman fire departments. “We spent two months in the hospital,” explained Rhonda McCarty, Dale’s wife. When they arrived home from hospital they found the Mundare Fire Department volunteers had built them a wheel chair ramp up to their home, built fully to code. “We were able to use that after we got home,” he said. The accident wasn’t the McCartys’ fault and the cost of the ramp was included in the insurance settlement. “We got a quote on the cost of replacing the ramps and it was somewhere north of $5,000,” said McCarty. “We were able to get the ramps cost included in the insurance settlement because we needed the ramp, and then we decided to donate that money back to the fire department.” added Rhonda. And that’s where the second good deed comes into play The McCartys decided to purchase 10 vehicle extrication helmets to donate to the Mundare Department. “These helmets are much smaller and lighter than our regular fire fighting helmets,” stated McCarty. “We purchased the 10 helmets which allows our firefighters to have them when we’re on a

call which requires us to extricate people from car accidents. It would be used in very similar circumstances to the accident we were in.” McCarty said they considered several projects before settling on the helmets. “These will be with this department long after I’m gone,” he said. McCarty explained the helmets are specifically designed so “when I’m down on my hands and knees they stay on and as a rescuer I then don’t need to be rescued.” “We can get into smaller, tighter spaces than if we had our regular duty helmets on.” “We’re happy to be involved with this initiative,” said Dan McGee of Drager, the importer of the helmets. “The classic traditional firefighting helmet is quite big and if you go to a motor vehicle accident you’ll see helmets left on top of the vehicle as the rescuers work inside where the helmet doesn’t fit.” He said the new helmets were specifically designed, in Italy, to get inside smaller spaces and they had better side impact ratings and a more secured chin strap. The Mundare Fire Department purchased

the 10 helmets at cost through their supplier of equipment. The department isn’t allowed to purchase directly from the importer. “Guillevin and Drager both came up with a great price which allowed us to get a good deal,” said McCarty. “If we had bought them at the regular price we may have only got six helmets.” Fire chief Glenda Dales said the new helmets will be for specifically designated personnel because “we don’t want everyone wearing everyone else's helmets. “We have provided a spot in our rescue vehicle and they will always stay in that vehicle. When we go on any call we take the rescue vehicle.” McCarty said he got the idea for the helmets from the fire safety trainer with the Calgary Fire Department, who teaches courses attended by McCarty. “The fellow who does our safety training from Calgary wears one of those helmets and I liked the way it fits,” said McCarty. “If it’s good enough for him and he teaches us, then I felt those were the helmets to get.”

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The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, November 25, 2020 - 3

20114CH0 20114CH1 20123CH1

4 - The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, November 25, 2020

Opinion A visit with Santa takes a severe turn this winter BY JOHN MATHER Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. Those words were penned in response to a letter to the editor by Virginia O’Hanlon when she queried her father whether Santa Claus was real. He suggested she write her letter to the editor of the New York Sun because if “you see it in the Sun, then it’s so.” The response allowed one of the paper's editors, Francis Pharcellus Church, to rise above the question and address the philosophical issues behind it. “Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except if they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge. “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus!” That was the beginning of Church’s response written in 1897. It is reportedly the most reprinted newspaper editorial in the English language. So let’s fast forward to 2020. In the midst of a worldwide pandemic a child’s trip to Santa Claus to explain how good they have been this year isn’t going to happen. The Santa Claus at the Christmas market , the community hall visit or in the shopping mall has been replaced by the Covid clause! Not in here, not safe! No way! No how! It won’t be the normal Santa visit we’ve come to expect for the past century. Santa has for the good part been cancelled. And not by the cancel culture movement although give them some time and that may come to pass. No, in this age of face masks, and social distancing, boys and girls from around the world will be able to see Santa, but he will be in his own isolation bubble, safe from any outside infections or germs. Thinking about this, you have to think that in all previous years, Santa would probably be the number one super spreader out there, but in keeping with the season, let’s not go there. Nor should we ponder how he’ll distribute gifts around the world with all the various quarantine procedures in place this year.

Continued

No, now children can reach out to Santa through Facebook, Instagram, email, twitter, podcasts, or any other method of social media they can come up with. Santa is going virtual!!! They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. Those two sentences of Church’s response could have been written yesterday or any other day for the past few years. Look at the world around us. Where civil discourse used to be the norm, it has dissolved into name-calling and criticizing. Our politicians here in Alberta, at the Federal level, and most obviously in the United States have stopped trying to reach consensus when it comes to guiding how our society lives and evolves. Instead it’s the ruling party’s way or the highway. When someone posts a question on social media, or makes a general comment, it is often followed by name calling, insults and snarky remarks from people who used to remain quiet, but have now become keyboard

warriors because they have discovered they can hide out in plain site saying nothing of importance, yet remaining anonymous all at the same time. So this year, Santa will be in his bubble, while small children sit a goodly safe distance away. Want a photo with Santa? Two cameras will snap two photos which will then, through the magic of technology, be merged to form a shot showing the children huddling right close to the big man, whispering their innermost secrets. And a huge shout out to organizations like the Lamont Fire Department, which this Saturday will drive Santa around town in a fire truck for social distance visits with children who have made a request for a visit. For these kids Christmas might seem a little more normal. Their eyes will still light up and sparkle with joy at the prospect of speaking with Santa, even if it is from 10 feet away. Others can talk to Santa via Zoom or Facetime. For those in favour of snail mail, Canada Post, despite the pandemic, will still accept letters to Santa addressed to Santa Claus,

North Pole, H0H 0H0, Canada If they include a return address they will get a letter back. All letters to Santa must be written by Dec. 10. It will be different for sure this Christmas. Politicians, doctors, and no doubt social media experts will all want Christmas to be a lonely time this year with family visits done by Facetime or Zoom, rather than in-person family visits. Gifts by way of curbside pick up. All parties and gatherings must be treated the same way. At least it will cut down on the amount of nog I have to purchase. But when we get around to making those virtual New Year’s resolutions Dec. 31, … let’s make one where we try to be civil towards one another, more than we have been in years. Through the joy in the eyes and mind of a small child as he meets and talks to Santa, whom he truly believes in, let’s see if we the adults of the world can get some civility back into the mainstream of society, because as Church pointed out, “Yes, Virginia there is a Santa Claus.” And cancel culture. Just go away.

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The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, November 25, 2020 - 5

FROM WHERE I SIT: A Public Service Announcement

BY HAZEL ANAKA In March during the first Covid-19 lockdown, people were intrigued by the concept of staying home, working from home, teaching their kids at home. People tackled their overflowing drawers and closets, did jigsaw puzzles, enjoyed the sleep-ins, took on special projects. One of the most appealing aspects of the lockdown was the pyjama bottoms and sweat pant ensembles people wore during Zoom meetings. People truly believed this short-term

sacrifice would be enough to wrestle the coronavirus to the ground. As the weeks and months dragged on, the initial novelty wore off in a big way. People got confused by, angry at, and immune to the changing and conflicting advice for dealing with the pandemic. I, frankly don’t understand that attitude. This pandemic is a one-off. It’s a moving target. The advice changed and evolved as the pandemic taught scientists and medical experts one cruel lesson after another. Not only does no one have all the answers, the questions keep changing. Please cut the medical experts and even the politicians some slack as they all deal with their respective constituents, obligations, and competing interests. And, while we’re at it, can we stop using faux outrage at the experts as a reason to ignore what

is best practice based on the information we have at this moment? In case you need a few more reasons to wear a mask---you know other than the one about saving your own life and that of others---read on for some real-world benefits that haven’t gotten enough attention so far: One. Ladies, just think of the mega bucks we’re saving by not buying blush and lipstick. My hairdresser misses getting dolled up so much she wore a bright, bold lip just to clean her house and shocked her toddler son who’s never seen lipstick before. That makes me think about those people too young to know any life other than Covid and those who lived and died before the pandemic was a thing. Imagine missing the biggest story of the century. Two. Along with the relaxed dress code, personal hygiene slipped a

Lamont County land donated to Edmonton and Area Land Trust for nature preserve BY JOHN MATHER A 73-acre parcel of Lamont County land has been donated to the Edmonton and Area Land Trust and will now be open for all nature enthusiasts to enjoy. The Smith Blackburn homestead, located near Elk Island Park on Township Road 540, is in the Cooking Lake Moraine and consists of a series of wetlands and upland forest. According to Nikki Paskar, communications specialist for the Edmonton and Area Land Trust, the land was donated in 2018 and the Trust has spent the last two years developing it into a publicly accessible area with nature trails which allow foot-only access. “The trails and boardwalks were constructed by a local contractor and he maintain the trials for us,” said Paskar. “There are three boardwalks and some signage also on the homestead land.” She said much of the construction costs were covered by the Edmonton Community Foundation grant and, “We also have an

endowment fund specifically to support the stewardship of that land.” Paskar said that while the Land Trust does encourage donations from visitors there isn’t any cost to come and hike on the property. When people visit the Smith Blackburn homestead, they will see a variety of wildlife in their natural setting including black bear, deer, moose, beaver, wood frogs Canadian Tiger Swallowtail butterflies and many other species. According to the Land Trust’s website, the homestead is also an important breeding ground for migratory waterfowl and other bird species. The land is comprised of deciduous forest, dominated by Trembling Aspen and Balsam Poplar, along with Raspberry and Beaked Hazelnut. The landscape is dotted with wetlands containing willows, asters and cattails. This ecosystem, states the website, allows birds such as Great Blue Herons, Soras, Common Loons, and Common

Yellowtail to nest, raise their young and thrive. The niece of one of descendants of the original landowners, Patrick Anson Smith, donated the property to the land trust in memory of her late husband Cecil William Robert Smith. The Edmonton and Area Land Trust now has 14 lands where the public can go and explore nature in the greater Edmonton area. The Smith Blackburn homestead will be open year around although parking to the site is very limited, according to Paskar. Paskar said there is a modern house adjacent to the homestead site. “There was a log house in the early 1900s, and there are some barns and corrals. “When the landowner donated the land, she subdivided the land to take the modern house away and it is on a separate lot,” said Paskar. “You do have to go through he property to access the site, but there are signs asking the public to respect her property, Continued on Page 13

few notches. Many of us didn’t wash our hair for days and days. And I’m sure I’m not the only one who had furry teeth more than once in the last eight months. Three. Maybe there’s a connection to point number two (wink, wink) but I’ve had a lot of people tell me they didn’t realize just how bad their breath was until they started wearing a mask. So, even though we shouldn’t be within six feet of anyone else, it’s actually a public service when we keep our jungle mouth to ourselves. Four. Ladies, what

about those pesky moustache hairs? Some of us have a couple stray follicles that recur every few months. A magnifying mirror, pair of tweezers, and a steady hand eradicate the problem for a few months. You know you have a more pronounced problem when people walk up and offer to sponsor your Movember mustache. Again, a mask is a blessing. Five. Another plus…no one is subjected to the sight of our chapped lips and blistering cold sores. If we have a raging case of mask-ne

(a real condition of acne caused by wearing a mask for extended periods of time) no one can see the breakouts and wonder it it’s catchy. Six. We’ve all heard that our eyes are the window to our soul. But, that’s not the only ‘tell’ on our faces. Now, when wearing a mask, we can stick out our tongues, grimace, cringe when the boss or a co-worker says something dumb. And no one is the wiser. Consider this the latest public service announcement no one else is willing to make, from where I sit.

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6 - The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, November 25, 2020

60th ANNIVERSARY SECTION OF OUR WORST TRAGEDY

Dec. 3, 1960: Crowds gather outside of Chipman school attending a mass funeral for seven of the 17 victims

Bus driver stopped, then unexplainably proceeded over the tracks BY JANA SEMENIUK At the time of the 1960 Lamont bus accident, it was reported as the deadliest accident since 1936 by the Edmonton Journal: “Tuesday’s bus-train collision at Lamont Alta. was the highest death toll in any similar accident since Aug. 14, 1936 when 23 were killed in Louisville, Que. The 23 were riding in the back of a farm truck which collided with a freight train. It was the worst single highway accident in Canada.” According to municipal affairs

online, Lamont had a population of 632 in 1960. News outlets from all over reported on the tragedy, some as far away as London, England. The PalladiumItem from Richmond, Indiana carried the headline ‘Fear 16 Dead in Bus Train Crash’ while Argus Leader in Sioux Falls, South Dakota said ‘Train Hits Bus 16 Children Die.’ One additional child, Bernadette Hayduk, passed away the following day, bringing the toll to 17. The Nanaimo Daily News reported that the number of students on the bus

that morning was less than usual. “The bus usually carries 43 students on the Chipman-Lamont trip. Two didn’t make the trip; Florence Sloboda and Robert Motiuk.” Teacher Lois Stefura, who taught at Lamont High school at the time, was driving her car behind the school bus when the accident occurred. “Mrs. Stefura said she was driving to school along a highway that parallels the CNR track into Lamont. She said she was doing 60 miles an hour when she noticed the train behind her. She said it

passed her. The engineer began blowing the whistle some distance from the crossing. In front of her, the bus made a right turn to an access road leading over the track to the Lamont centralized school. ‘I thought if he (the bus driver) doesn’t stop, the train will hit the bus. But I saw he stopped and I thought everything will be alright. When I looked again the bus was pulling out onto the tracks. The train horn was blowing so loudly I thought everyone must hear it.’” Continued on Page 7

The Horror

Remains of the 1954 Mercury school bus that was torn in two by a freight train on Nov. 29, 1960 in Lamont, Alta. killing 17 high school students and injuring 26 others, including the 31-year old bus driver.

The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, November 25, 2020 - 7

60th ANNIVERSARY SECTION OF OUR WORST TRAGEDY

Generous assistance Continued from Page 6 Stefura was the first person on the scene and was soon followed by many townspeople according to the Edmonton Journal. “They rushed to the scene on foot, those who lived and worked near the south side of the town - closest to the tracks - while others sped to the scene by car and truck. Farmers on their way to Edmonton and other motorists driving by quickly stopped and rendered assistance.” Within one hour of the accident, all victims were transported from the scene. Efforts to mobilize emergency crews attending to the tragic bus accident were done without today's luxury of internet and wireless phones. Alberta Government Telephones (AGT) governed communications in 1960, and on Nov. 29 the lines were jammed according to The Edmonton Journal: “Alberta Government Telephones refused to accept anything but emergency calls, while telegraph lines were also working to full capacity. A work crew was rushed by truck to Lamont 45 miles north-east of Edmonton, by Canadian National Telegraphs to set up additional communication lines.” It was discovered by rescuers that not all of the victims were to be found on the ground. The Edmonton Journal reported that “RCMP in

Edmonton said six bodies were found at the point of impact. Ten were still in the bus. The school principal, William T. Worbets, rushed to the hospital to assist in identifying the victims.” Victims were taken to the 100-bed Archer Memorial Hospital (renamed the Lamont Health Care Centre in 1992), filling it to capacity according to the Nanaimo Daily News. “The 100-bed Archer Memorial Hospital was taxed to capacity. Only a few beds were vacant when the accident happened. Four doctors, blood and medical supplies were rushed from Edmonton.” Once families were notified of the outcomes for their children, decisions had to be made as to how to conduct funerals and burials for 17 people with differing religious affiliations. A public meeting was held at the Chipman Village Hall the night of the accident. At the time, the Chipman Village Hall had a wooden floor and used a huge pot-bellied stove as the sole source of heat. As reported by the Calgary Herald, “More than 40 people gathered by 9:00 p.m. Nationality differences included Polish, Ukrainian, German and AngloSaxon Canadians. Implicit in everyone’s attitude seemed to be the grim realization that there wasn’t the time the space, the facilities, or the personnel to separately handle at once the funerals of more persons than normally die in Chipman (population of 216 in 1960) in six months.”

After much discussion, and prayers by each clergyman in each nationality, a decision was made. Prayers for those of all faiths would be held in the Chipman School auditorium on Friday night, Dec. 2. Each church would take unto their own for funerals the next morning Dec. 3. The next challenge was how to dig graves in the frozen ground. In the end, there was no shortage of volunteers as well as support from the province. As reported in the Edmonton Journal: “The provincial highways department dispatched a crew of 12 men and a backhoe to dig graves in the frozen ground while some 30 volunteers from Lamont and Chipman offered to help.” Prayer services for 16 of the 17 victims were held in the Chipman school auditorium on Dec. 2. One victim, Darleen Reinhardt, was buried in Edmonton that day. As reported by the Edmonton Journal: “An estimated 10,000 persons attended prayer services throughout the night and Saturday morning, walking silently past the open caskets which had been set out in the school auditorium Friday. Twelve RCMP officers directed automobile and pedestrian traffic on the streets by the school and the churches. Following final masses, the caskets were taken to church cemeteries and lowered into graves which had been scooped out of the frozen ground earlier in the week.”

Remembering with sadness, the students, families and community. Lamont United Church Our dear Barbara Anne, 60 years have painfully past. Our precious memories of you, will forever last. Our Love and Prayers are with you for ever. Knowing you’re in the arms of Jesus is our Hope and Treasure. Mother Polly, Sister Mae (Tom) and family, Sister Paulette (Ray)

Barbara Anne Pewarchuk sits with her youngest sister and the family dog in this photo taken just months before she was killed in the Lamont bus train collision.

60 years on: Bus accident haunts the survivors BY JOHN MATHER Tuesday, November 29, 1960 dawned much like any other late fall day in Alberta. Dark, cold, yet crisp and clear. Households throughout the county started coming to life – farmers moving outside to do farm chores while moth-

ers started getting their children ready to meet the school buses. Polly Pewarchuk and her family lived on a farmstead southeast of Lamont, about seven miles southwest of Chipman. She went through her usual routine of getting her three girls, Barbara Anne, Mae,

and Paulette, ready for the bus to go to school in Chipman. ‘Mom had the idea to get Barbara back from the bus because she thought she saw something wrong with her shoe, but we were already aboard, so she let us go,” said Mae. Continued on Page 8

60 Year Memorial

History has recorded the events of this tragic school bus/train collision that took the lives of 17 Chipman high school students on the morning of November 29, 1960. Fifty years later on November 27, 2010, a commemorative 50-year memorial service took place in the Chipman National Hall to honor their memory. Before a standing room crowd the survivors now had an opportunity to be heard and speak openly about how this event affected their lives - then and now. Following the 2010 commemorative service the Village of Chipman was entrusted with the safe keeping of the memorabilia collected by retired Chipman Grade 1 teacher Rose Motyka and accident survivor Veronica (Yanchuk) Tovell. A memorial plaque with photos of the 17 students is on display at the entrance of the Village of Chipman Office and is seen by everyone entering and leaving the building. Mayor Toni Nygren, Council and staff wish to pay tribute to the memory of the 17 Chipman students, their families, all the first responders including the Lamont School teachers who attended at the scene 60 years ago, and the survivors whose lives were suddenly changed on that day.

8 - The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, November 25, 2020

60th ANNIVERSARY SECTION OF OUR WORST TRAGEDY

Innocent day becomes horrific family crisis Continued from Page 7 (Adamyk) now 74-years-old. Once the girls got to Chipman, Mae and her sister Paulette went to class, while Barbara boarded a second bus to take her to high school in Lamont. At 8:55 a.m. that bus was torn in half by a train at the Highway 831 level crossing, killing 17 students - one of the worst bus train collisions in Canadian history. “I never got the chance to call her back,” recalled Polly, now 98 and living in Lamont’s Morley Young Manor. “Then a neighbour came over a short while later and said we had to get a ride to Lamont because a train had hit the bus and we had to find out what happened to our kids.” Polly is the last surviving parent of the accident victims. Polly Pewarchuk’s parents lived in a small farmhouse on the southwest corner of Highway 831 and Highway 15 in Lamont, where Webb’s Machinery is now located. Polly’s mom, and Mae’s grandmother knew Barbara rode that bus and she saw the accident happen from her home. “My grandmother saw the bus going,” remembers Mae. “She saw the bus cross the tracks and saw the train hit it. She went crazy. She knew Barbara was on that bus. She was basically delirious at what she saw. That haunted her for the rest of her life.” At Lamont, Polly went to Archer Memorial Hospital. She saw the neighbour’s daughter. “But I didn’t recognize her because she was so injured.” She kept looking for Barbara but, “I can’t find her anyplace. And then they tell us she’s not there anymore.” Mae remembers the three girls getting on the Chipman bus and saying goodbye to their mom and dad. “We went to Chipman and Paulette and I went to school,” she remembers. “The Grade 11 and 12 students went by bus to Lamont.” Barbara was 15 at the time of the accident. Mae remembers being in school in Chipman with her sister and an announcement was made that the buses were coming for all the kids and “we were to immediately return home.” “Some of the kids were like ‘oh boy a day off,’” she recalls, “No one knew what had happened or why we were going home. At my locker I saw our math teacher who was crying. “He was basically hitting his head against the wall, and I asked him what had happened,” she remembers. “And he just looked at me, and through his tears said, ‘Just go home child. Please go home.’ ” Then they heard rumours of a train/ bus crash. When the Pewarchuk girls arrived at their home, their parents weren’t there. The RCMP came to the house, said Mae, and asked if their parents were home. When the children asked about the rumour of a bus/train crash, the RCMP: would only say they were look-

Lamont County resident Mae Adamyk stands with her mom Polly Pewarchuk, 98, at the Morley Young seniors residence Nov. 15, 2020. Polly’s oldest daughter, Barbara was one of the students killed in the Lamont bus accident in 1960. She is the last surviving parent.

ing into it and were looking for the parents. “Then we started crying because we knew something was very wrong,” she said. Polly remembered the following days were pretty horrible because of the number of rumours circulating about the accident. “We suffered enough with her loss, but there were so many rumours started out there. That still hurts.” In the aftermath, Mae states, she and her sister were never told much about the accident. “My parents saw a lot and never did tell it to us.” She said when she saw photos at the 50th anniversary of the accident, she was shocked at the carnage they displayed. “All of a sudden after 50 years the truth of how the bus was mangled, the pictures of all those people at the memorial services… everything was just like a blur.” Area resident Ray Lopushinsky lived north of Lamont when he heard about the collision. His sister lived in Star where they ran a grocery store. “Her daughter Rosemary went to school in Lamont and always took the bus.”

He said someone phoned her about the accident. “She didn’t know where the bus was coming from that had been hit, but had just heard about the accident.” She asked Ray to go down and see if he could find out whether it was the bus Rosemary was on. It turned out it wasn’t. Ray made the short journey and stayed on the scene for more than 12 hours helping out in any way possible. “I was 24 and just worked on the farm,” he recalls. When he arrived on the scene in his 1957 Ford he describes the scene. “To describe it today, and I’m being polite, it was horrific. To see the train parked a quarter mile west of the intersection and to see the debris scattered across the south side of the railway track, debris from the school bus and students laying in the snow …..” Lopushinsky remembers it was a clear, sunny day by the time he arrived on the scene but it was cold. “I arrived shortly after 9 a.m.,” he said. “We moved the students to the hospital as quickly as possible. I think almost everyone had some sort of injury and some had obviously passed on which made the job that much more difficult.” He said, in a very still voice, he was

on the scene before police had arrived. Lopushinsky states the train was pulling grain cars which had openings with doors in them. The doors were two by six and he recalls there were about four to a car. “What we decided to do was to get those doors off the train and then we put the students on them. Using them as stretchers, we put them on the back of trucks and took them either to the hospital or the funeral home. “We didn’t have the facilities we have today, so we used the doors and took them to the hospital. If they hadn’t made it then we took them to the funeral home in town. He said as medical people arrived on the scene they took charge. Much more of the day was spent cleaning up debris from the wreck. “It took hours and hours cleaning that scene.” Lopushinsky still get haunted by the scene every time he crosses the track. He had a family member who was involved in the accident but survived. He knew many of the families involved and, while he didn’t know the students, he said if they get together they still talk about the accident. “It’s always a very difficult thing to talk about when we remember.” He feels it’s important to keep remembering the accident because it is history and must be shared for future generations. He remembers visiting students for months after the accident and sometimes they would play cards well into the evening. But Lopushinsky also remembers tensions running high in the town after the accident. “Family members had lost children and there were threats against the bus driver,” he remembers. “There were differences of opinion about whether the bus had stopped before crossing the track or not, but apparently he had.” He said while attending the court during the accident investigation he said he was surprised the engineer on the train didn’t slow down, but admitted he wouldn’t have been able to stop the train in time.” Witnesses at the time, he recalled, felt the bus driver may have mistaken the train light for the rising sun from the east and he didn’t see the train approaching. He also recalled during the funeral services local police were worried about possible attacks on the bus driver’s family and precautions were taken to keep an eye out for any potential trouble. “That was a very difficult thing to have to do since we all knew one another,” he said. It’s a day I’ll never understand completely,” he quietly states. Both Lopushinsky and Pewarchuk admit the accident brought the entire community together. “My parents got sympathy cards from all over Canada and the U.S.,” recalls Mae. “It touched the world.” But Mae adds people have learned from the tragedy. Continued on Page 9

The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, November 25, 2020 - 9

60th ANNIVERSARY SECTION OF OUR WORST TRAGEDY

Permanent memorial to victims in the works Code of silence to forget BY JANA SEMENIUK The tragic events of Nov. 29, 1960 are never far from the mind of Hrehorets Bus Service owner Tom Hrehorets. “I think about it every day. I’ve known about the accident since I was a boy and I’ve carried that knowledge with me,” he said. “Even as I drove school bus all of those years. Whenever I would cross those tracks, I shut the radio off and told the kids on the bus what happened and where and when it happened, and to always remember.” Up until the early 2000s, Hrehorets said he believed Lamont had already erected a memorial at the crash site. “I saw some kind of memorial near there and thought, ‘ok. They have a memorial there for the victims of the accident. That’s good.’ Then one day I decided to take a walk over to have a closer look and that’s when I realized it was a monument from when the Queen visited in 1978,” he said. Hrehorets added he was shocked and could not understand why a marker was not already there commemorating the accident. “I was on council at the time, and I asked them, ‘why don’t we have something there?’ and they said a lot of people don’t want that because it brings back bad memories,” he said. “But there was not one person in this county who was not affected by that accident.” Hrehorets explained the code of silence around discussing the tragedy over the years as well as ways people tried to forget. Continued on Page 10

No school counselling Continued from Page 8 “You look at all the amenities and the bus safety rules, well many of them were the result of that accident. “Back then there were 17 students killed and God knows how many families were impacted, but there was no such

thing as counselling,” she states. “We just went back to school and lived with it. I was 14 at the time and all I knew was I was hurt and angry, but our parents still protected us.” She remembers seeing the memorial put up by local resident Allan Carter at Aldon Auto. “There was a 50th anniversary in Chipman and people had provided

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Hrehorets Bus Service owner Tom Hrehorets stands at the 48th Street and Highway 15 railway crossing in Lamont where 17 high school students lost their lives in a horrific train collision with their school bus on Nov. 29, 1960. Hrehorets is in the planning stages of erecting a permanent memorial to mark the spot and honour the victims. him with newspaper clippings and photos from around the area. He had the space and so he created the memorial there. “It’s great that Allan’s saved some of this because no matter how much it hurts to look at it, it’s something that happened and we can only hope it never happens again.” Lopushinsky said in

most years there has been a remembrance service of some sort, but this year because of the pandemic there will be nothing. And finally Polly remembers the night of the accident - it snowed. A blanket of white covered up the pages of notebooks, school supplies and clothing remaining at the scene after a horrific day.

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10 - The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, November 25, 2020

60th ANNIVERSARY SECTION OF OUR WORST TRAGEDY

Accident memorialized in song BY JANA SEMENIUK While the tragedy of Nov. 29, 1960 is forever etched in people’s memories, it was also memorialized in the form of a song recorded by former Frains, Alta. resident Paul Kolmatycki in 1961 entitled ‘Teenage Tragedy.’ “It was so long ago I don’t even remember writing it,” said Kolmatycki, now 75, who spoke to the Lamont Leader during a phone interview from his home in Toronto. “I only remember we recorded it in someone’s basement and that a man named Frank Gay played guitar on it.” Kolmatycki, who was 15-years-old at the time, could only speculate as to what might have motivated him to write a song about the tragedy. “I did not know the victims personally,” said Kolmatycki. “My older sister thinks I may have gotten the names from the local newspaper after reading about the crash.” The song was written describing the day of the tragedy, including a possible reason for the crash as well as listing the first names of the victims. While Kolmatycki sang the haunting song, his five-year-old sister, Gloria Kaye, sang the harmony. “Gloria always had an amazing voice as a child. I can remember singing with her when she was three-years-old and realizing she could sing,” he said.

The song, recorded on a 45 with ‘Kae Label’ printed on it, has surfaced a few times over the years, most recently appearing as the focus of the podcast ‘Vintage Edmonton’ in 2017. In addition, a Camrose radio station made contact with Kolmatycki 10 years ago with questions around the song’s origins during the 50th anniversary of the tragedy. “I could not believe anyone even knew of this song. I was shocked. Gloria called me to say that a Camrose radio station wanted to talk to her about it, but she didn’t know what to say because she could not remember anything. She was only five years old at

the time,” he said. After recording the song, Kolmatycki explained he never knew what happened to it. “I don’t know who was in control of that record. At that time, I wasn’t very savvy, so whoever managed to arrange that recording probably got the benefits from it,” he said. “I never knew what happened to it, but somehow it got around and was distributed.” Although Kolmatycki did not remember very much around creating the song, its affect on those who heard it was lifelong. The recording is posted on a youtube account where listeners gather online to reminisce. One subscriber

commented, “I first heard it in 1967 and sort of memorized it and looked for it for a long time. A year or two ago we went to the crossing where it happened.” Kolmatycki, who eventually became a math teacher and then a vice principal for a collegiate, said he still enjoys music as a hobby. Two years ago, he wrote and recorded a song entitled ‘Skate with the Angels’ in honour of the victims of the Humbolt bus accident. And once again he not only listed the first names of the victims in the song’s lyrics, but he was also joined by his younger sister Gloria Kaye singing harmony. “I guess I am sensitive about tragedies,” he said. While Kolmatycki did not continue with a career in show business, his sister did. With her natural singing talent, Kaye went on to enjoy a long and successful career. Over the years she not only made guest appearances on many variety shows including The Merv Griffin Show and The Alan Thicke Show, she also added many soundtrack writing and performing credits to her name including her work on the movies ‘How the West Was Fun’ with the Olsen twins and the TV movie ‘Mermaid’. Kaye married Emmy winning composer Richard Bellis in 1980 and they currently live in the United States.

Monument needed Continued from Page 9 “I was working as an Aide in the high school and we were doing a big renovation and cleaning out the storage room. I found a big plaque with all of the names of the victims and it was not on the wall. I told the principal at the time this thing needs to be on the wall. And today it is on the wall by the gymnasium,” he said. “I’ve also been told that, at the time, if you were caught in the hallways talking about the accident you would be lectured by the teachers because they wanted to forget about it and didn’t want to stir up bad feelings. Back then there weren’t grief counsellors or psychologists that could talk to everyone about their feelings.” Hrehorets added that he worries over time people will forget. “Thing is that as the years go by, people forget. When the Humboldt accident happened, they said that was the worst accident (we) ever had. Humbolt had 16 victims and the Lamont Bus crash had 17,” he said. Hrehorets vowed to one day make sure that the victims from the tragic crash would never be forgotten. “A lot of people don’t even know what happened here 60 years ago,” he said. “The crash happened at the end of November in 1960. I heard that no one even celebrated Christmas that year.” Hrehorets explained what he hopes his vision will look like once it’s completed. “I would like to see a standing monument with all of their names and pictures along with what happened and when. I would like to put it beside the tracks, but we might have to put it near the Queen’s monument,” he said. “I would like to see this done before I retire.” Hrehorets explained his motivation to see the monument to completion. “This accident was the greatest tragedy before Humbolt. I just feel someone should do something. I feel like my purpose for being here is to make sure this gets done. I’m close to retiring from the bus business and I’m going to work towards getting this monument up,” he said. “I’m working with Remco memorials out of Edmonton and we’re doing up a draft of what it’s going to look like, how we are going to create it, and how much it will cost.” Hrehorets added that he will be looking for donations to realize his dream. “We will be looking for donations. Maybe we can add a spot on the monument that can thank the donors. There is still so much planning to do first. Maybe a committee, and we will need permission from town council,” he said. Hrehorets said that he is hoping to have the monument up by the 61st anniversary of the accident.

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The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, November 25, 2020 - 11

60th ANNIVERSARY SECTION OF OUR WORST TRAGEDY

Victims on the bus Killed in the crash DIANNE ANTONIUK (17) SHIRLEY DASKALUK (15) BERNADETTE HAYDUK (16) GERALDINE KOSHKA (14)

JOANNIE KOZDROWSKI (18) GENEVIEVE LUDWIG (18) KATHLEEN MALKEWICH (18) JENNIE OZDOBA 16) MARIE PAVICH (16) BARBARA PEWARCHUK (15) ROSALIN PYLYPCHUK (15) DARLEEN REINHARDT (16) SYLVIA SAWATSKI (18) VIVIAN SHARUN (17)

MARGARET WINNICK (15) TERRY WUETHERICK (17) WAYNE ZAPOTICHNEY (16)

Survivors Robert Antoniuk, 17 Judy Eglinsky, 16 David Ewasiuk, 16 Eleanor Ferrell, 17 Joan Ferrell, 17 Clarence Kitura, 19

Melonie Kitura, 17 Arthur Lauder, 15 Ellen Lauder, 16 Carol McLaughlin, 16 Peter Lipkewich, 15 Kenneth Motiuk, 18 Audrey Safranowich, 16 Sylvia Sharun, 17 Cynthia Starko, 16 Alice Woldanski, 16

Veronica Yanchuk, 18 Terry Cossey, 15 Joann Starko, 14 Donald Dzioba, 15 Robert Tompkins, 15 Keith Tompkins, 12 Tommy Tompkins, 13 JohnWinnick, 16 Frank Budney, 31 (driver)

Bus driver endured courtroom drama prior to acquital BY JANA SEMENIUK School bus driver, 31-year old Frank Budney, was lucky to be alive. The Nov. 29 1960 bus accident that claimed the lives of 17 students, not only left him unconscious for five days, and without memory of the accident, it also gave him an uphill battle recovering from his own severe injuries, not to mention the lifelong psychological trauma. Budney had only been driving the bus for approximately one month after previous bus driver John Basaraba resigned due to his concerns about the mechanical condition of the bus, specifically the brakes, as reported by the Edmonton Journal at the time. Speculations around the cause of the horrific tragedy would fuel charges against the married father of five for criminal negligence, and cause the accident to be under intense scrutiny. The Edmonton Journal reported on Feb. 9, 1961 that Budney would be facing charges. “At the inquest held in Edmonton last week, a six-man jury ruled that Budney drove onto the crossing when it was unsafe to do so, and was operating the bus without having a proper license. The jury also found that the train was travelling at an excessive speed.” During the inquest, evidence was presented from many witnesses, uncovering possible causes of the crash such as Budney’s lack of awareness around seeing and hearing the approaching train, whether the bus stopped before proceeding across the tracks, possessing an incorrect license for driving a school bus, as well as possible mechanical failure of the bus’s brakes. As reported by the Edmonton Journal, during the crash inquest, several witnesses testified to seeing the bus stop at the tracks before going forward, including 16-year-old Audrey Sanfranovich who survived the crash. Lois Stefura, a Lamont high school teacher who was driving behind the bus when the accident occurred was asked “’Were you close enough to be quite certain the bus stopped?’ She

replied ‘Yes.’” Meanwhile, questions also surfaced around how well Budney would have heard the train whistle within his bus. William Johnston, a bus driver for the Lamont School Division, said it was impossible to hear a train whistle unless the bus doors were open, as reported in the Nanaimo Daily News. “He said, “The train has to be practically in front of you before you can hear its whistle.” Mr. Johnston said all the windows on the bus he was driving that morning were frosted over with the exception of the windshield, which was covered by frost shields.” Students had also testified that the bus was very noisy that morning and the rattling windows were frosted over. The Nanaimo Daily News also reported that “students said Budney had not left his seat at the crossing on the morning of the crash.’” John Basaraba, who had driven the school bus before Budney, testified at the inquest that he had problems with the bus’s brakes, as reported in the Edmonton Journal, Feb. 3, 1961. “Mr. Basaraba said he complained about the brakes ‘a few times’ during October 1960 to the bus owner, Gregory Moshanski. He said every time he complained, the brakes were repaired immediately in Mr. Moshanksi’s garage. Under questioning, Basaraba said he sometimes had to use the gears to slow down and sometimes had to turn off the ignition to stop the bus.” Joseph Sipos, a Lamont mechanic employed by Johnny Moshanski, brother of the bus owner, testified as to recent work completed on the bus, as reported by the Edmonton Journal. “He stated an inspection was completed on the bus on Aug. 29, 1960 and it was found to be in good running order. When asked if he inspected the brakes between Aug. 29 and Nov. 29 he said ‘Yes we did.’ ” Sipos was then questioned around receiving complaints from Basaraba regarding the brakes and whether he reported the complaints to the owner. Sipos indicated he remembered reporting the complaint once to Mr.

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Moshankski in November.” Further into the Edmonton Journal article was additional information uncovered by questioning of the mechanic. “When asked if this complaint in Nov. had been taken care of immediately, Sipos said ‘not right away, as there wasn’t time to find out which wheel was giving trouble.’ Under questioning by Mr. Whittaker (counsel for bus owner Gregory Moshanski) the mechanic said that usually when a driver complained the complaints were attended to.” Meanwhile, the Journal also reported on the post-crash inspection done by another mechanic, Roman Fedun who testified that he inspected the wreckage of the bus under instructions by the RCMP. “He said the master cylinder of the brake system was full of fluid. He told the court that he had taken off the two back wheels and the two front wheels. He said the brake lining on the back wheels was new and that the lining on the front wheels was about ‘half worn out’. He also stated that the brakes on the front wheels with the half-used lining could be made to work perfectly if set properly. He said he could not tell if it had been properly set up because the bus was too badly wrecked.” In addition, Joe Frankiw, an employee of the highways department, testified he was driving a sand truck which sanded the crossing the morning before the accident and there was no snow between then and the time of the crash. Temperatures on the morning of the crash were between -8 and -10 F. Other accusations towards Budney centred around his drivers license. While bus drivers at the time were required to have a Class ‘A’ operator’s license to drive a school bus, Budney admitted to having only a Class ‘B’ license that was expired, according to the Calgary Herald. “The only (valid) license he had at the time of the accident was an ordinary Class ‘D’ license, held by most motorists. He had about four months’ worth of bus driving experience in

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total. He received the medical examination required for a class ‘A’ license but had never gotten around to taking the other tests for an ‘A’ license, Budney said. In 1959 he had taken written tests for a ‘B’ license but failed. Budney stated he was never asked about his license by any member of the school board.” Inquiries of the early morning glare from the sun as another possible cause was also examined. “The bus driver said the early morning sun had at times been troublesome at the crossing when it glared on the rails. But he said ‘I could see far enough to cross safely.’ Additionally, in the Herald, rumours were explored about Budney possibly being impaired from all night drinking and card playing the night before. “No evidence was found to support this,” reported the Calgary Herald. In the end, as reported by the Edmonton Journal, Budney was acquitted of his charges on Oct. 11, 1961. “The judge, Justice J.V.H. Milvain said he was fully satisfied that Budney, though he exercised a degree of care that was less than it might well have been, stopped his bus on the approach to the crossing. The judge said it was easy to say, in the easy confines of a courtroom, that the accident might have been avoided if Budney had left his seat while the bus was stopped, gone to the door and looked out. However, without knowledge of the actual circumstances immediately prior to the collision, he said this could not go beyond speculation.” The justice went further in his comments as reported in the Edmonton Journal, “He urged legislators to ‘give thought to formulating a set of clearlydefined regulations’ that would control the operation of school buses. These regulations, he suggested, should ‘rigidly control methods under which persons are licensed to drive these vehicles.” Frank Budney passed away this past June 2020 at the age of 90. He was predeceased by his wife of 62 years, Lorraine, at the age of 81 in 2015.

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12 - The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, November 25, 2020

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The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, November 25, 2020 - 13

Road condition concerns Lamont councillor BY JOHN MATHER The condition of Range Road 201 from Highway 15 to Township Road 560 has gotten under the skin of Lamont County Division 5 Councillor Neil Woitas and he wants something done about it. He was pretty vocal that he wants it done sooner rather than later

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Land donation

can still access her parking lot.” She said one of the beauties of the land is it’s pretty secluded and “is just a good way for people to get away and view nature.” While the majority of the Edmonton and Area Land Trust properties are located east of Edmonton, others are near Morinville, Devon

Continued from Page 5 which is still a seasonal home for her family.” “We just removed some of the corrals,” adds Paskar. “To make it safer for wildlife.” “We ask people don’t park right in front of the gate, so the landowner

from the get go that road’s been being beat up.” He said he’s been getting calls from ratepayers, who have forgotten about the haulage on the road and when they travel down the road and it’s damaging their vehicles. “They’re hauling hundreds of loads of gravel and clay into the job site,” he added. Woitas said the road was getting pretty soft and County Peace Officer Derek Wright had posted road closed signs at the intersection of 201 and Township Road 560. “They didn’t water the roads like they were supposed to,” claimed Woitas. He added one farmer claimed he couldn’t see his cattle for the dust. Woitas said AMR after being contacted by

Wright did get some water trucks and started watering the road. He said in the past week trucks have continued hauling, but the road’s surface has deteriorated to a slick clay surface, with any gravel having been sprayed off to the ditches. He added there had been a meeting with the AMR and then it rained, and when he passed over the area with a heavy farm truck he could barely get through. “From the CN tracks to where they’re turning off, about a mile and a quarter, it’s a total disaster,” he said. “The road was frozen and I barely made it through. It’s total grease and it needs gravel.” Continued on Page 15

PROFESSIONAL

Motor Vehicle Accidents, Fatal Accidents, Wills, & More Elizabeth J. Tatchyn, B.A., LL.B BARRISTER & SOLICITOR

etatchyn@biamonte.com Speaks Ukrainian Edmonton: 780-425-5800 * *

LEGAL ISSUES? Ronald W. Poitras Barrister & Solicitor Serving Lamont and Area Since 1977 Wednesday 1:30 – 5:00 pm by Appointment

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Is now available for septic cleaning

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5004 50 Street, Mundare

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20

REAL ESTATE

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Business Directory

Thank you for shopping local

By appointment only

at Smith Insurance Service, Main Street Lamont

MAJOR REALIGNMENT FOR DRAGSTER DIRECTIONAL DRILLING & HYDROVAC SERVICES ONLINE BIDDING ENDS FRI., DEC. 4 - NOON Viewing Dec. 2 & 3, 8am - 5pm or by app. Call Chad (306) 380-1115 5908 51 Ave. NW, Edmonton, AB 9LVLW 2XU :HEVLWH )RU 3KRWRV 'HWDLOV

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T h a n k Yo u to our frontline workers WE CUSTOM PRINT!!

~ EVENTS ~ Fliers, posters, tickets, 50/50 raffle

The Lamont Leader lmtleader@gmail.com

14 - The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, November 25, 2020

The

CLASSIFIED AD RATES $10.75+gst first 25 words 39¢ each additional word PICTURE BOLD $10.00 $5.00 WEEKLY REVIEW Ph. 780-336-3422 Email: vikingreview @gmail.com TOFIELD MERCURY Ph. 780-662-4046 Email: adsmercury @gmail.com LAMONT LEADER Ph. 780-895-2780 Email: lmtleader @gmail.com ________________________

AUCTIONS AUCTIONS WOODWORKING & MECHANICAL TOOLS, VINTAGE SADDLES, Enclosed Trailers, Vehicles On-line Timed Auction, MAS Sales Centre, Blackfalds, AB - Nov 26 – Dec 1. Selling Good Quality Tools from an Estate and a Seizure as well as JD ‘R’ Diesel Tractor, Lawn & Garden Equipment & Much More. www.montgomeryauctions.com 1800-371-6963. ________________________

CARD CARDOF OFTHANKS THANK I am finding it hard to find the right words to thank Kerri Davis of Viking and Sara and Shane Mascarin of Wainwright. These three people made my No. 1 Wish come true - to be able to drive an Electric Car before I leave this Earth. Kerri secretly went online asking if someone who owned an Electric Car would consider sharing their car to complete this Wish. Sara and Shane offered to come to Viking for me to drive their new Electric Car. How many total strangers would be so kind? Sara was brave enough to be my co-pilot as we went for a drive in her Chevy Bolt. The car was so quiet, handled well and had lots of ‘Pep!’ I was on Cloud 9! These three young people are now Special Friends to this 94-year-old Stranger. Please accept my Heartfelt Thanks. The world needs more people like you! In spite of COVID-19 we had fun out in the fresh air. Thanks also to all those who sent me greetings online, from as far away as Norway. Gratefully, Eunice Gulbraa ________________________

FEED SEED FEEDAND AND SEED HEATED CANOLA buying Green, Heated or Springthrashed Canola. Buying: oats, barley, wheat & peas for feed. Buying damaged or offgrade grain. "On Farm Pickup" Westcan Feed & Grain, 1-877-250-5252.

________________________

EADER

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L

THE LAMONT

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county

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COMING EVENTS COMING EVENTS

HEALTH HEALTH

HELP HELP WANTED WANTED

SERVICES SERVICES

FIREARMS WANTED FOR DECEMBER 12th, 2020 LIVE & ONLINE AUCTION: Rifles, Shotguns, Handguns, Militaria. Auction or Purchase: Collections, Estates, Individual Items. Contact Paul, Switzer's Auction: Toll-Free 1-800-694-2609, sales@switzersauction.com or www.switzersauction.com ________________________

HIP/KNEE REPLACEMENT. Other medical conditions causing TROUBLE WALKING or DRESSING? The Disability Tax Credit allows for $3,000 yearly tax credit and $30,000 lump sum refund. Take advantage of this offer. Apply NOW; quickest refund Nationwide: Expert help. 1844-453-5372. ________________________

Vegreville Family Dental, located next to the Boston Pizza in Vegreville is looking for a very enthusiastic Registered Dental Assistant to join our team on a part time or full time basis. Our practice is committed to and focused on providing excellent quality patient care. We are looking for someone who is professional, reliable, possesses excellent interpersonal skills, is warm and friendly with patients. We offer competitive wages commensurate with experience as well as a great and friendly work environment! Travel or relocation assistance will be considered for the suitable candidate. If this opportunity sounds interesting to you, please apply to vegredental@gmail.com. ______________________________ WE ARE HIRING: Round Hill & Dist. Agriculture Society is looking for a GROUNDS KEEPER and/or HALL MAINTENANCE person.

CRIMINAL RECORD? Why suffer employment/licensing loss? Travel/business opportunities? Be embarrassed? Think: Criminal Pardon. US entry waiver. Record purge. File destruction. Free consultation. 1-800-347-2540. www.accesslegalmjf.com ________________________ GET BACK ON TRACK! Bad credit? Bills? Unemployed? Need Money? We Lend! If you own your own home - you qualify. Pioneer Acceptance Corp. Member BBB. 18 7 7 - 9 8 7 - 1 4 2 0 . www.pioneerwest.com. ______________________________ Roy's Handyman Services. Flooring, trim work, basement finishing, decks, fences, kitchen cabinet installs and carpentry work. Call 780-662-0146 or 780-232-3097. ______________________________ Drywall Taping/Texturing 35+ Years No Job too small!

FOR FOR RENT RENT Smaller 2 bedroom house for rent in Viking. Available immediately. Close to school, clinic, and hospital. $850/month including utilities and appliances. Call 780-336-6089 or 780-336-6088 for more details. tfn ______________________________ 3 Bdrm Apartment in Viking available Sept. 1. Call 780-336-6089 or 780-336-6088 for more details. ______________________________ 1 Month Free Rent Apartment for Rent in Killam. Large, clean, nonsmoking. Call Chuck at 780-2637290 ______________________________ 3 Bedroom Townhouse for rent in Viking, AB. $950/mo. including utilities. Available now. Call 780-5630191. tfn ________________________

BUILDING FORSALE SALE BUILDING FOR INTEGRITY POST FRAME BUILDINGS since 2008 BUILT WITH CONCRETE POSTS. Barns, Shops, Riding Arenas, Machine Sheds and more, sales@integritybuilt.com; 1-866-974-7678; www.integritybuilt.com. ________________________

FOR FOR SALE SALE 4 - P205/55R 16 Motomaster SE3 tires on rims for a Pontiac G5. $200.00. Ph: 780-662-2334 ______________________________ Round hay bales for sale. Call 780662-2491 ________________________

HAY SALE HAYFOR FOR SALE Hay for sale. Alf/Tim/Br/Cw mix Rounds $50. 2019 Rounds $35. Small square shedded bales $6. Majority no rain. Phone 780-942-4107 late evenings. ________________________

HEALTH HEALTH GET UP TO $50,000 from the Government of Canada. Do you or someone you know have any of these conditions? ADHD, Anxiety, Arthritis, Asthma, Cancer, COPD, Depression, Diabetes, Difficulty Walking, Fibromyalgia, Irritable Bowels, Overweight, Trouble Dressing...and Hundreds more. All Ages & Medical Conditions Qualify. Have a child under 18 instantly receive more money. CALL THE BENEFITS PROGRAM 1-(800)211-3550 or Send a Text Message with Your Name and Mailing Address to 403-980-3605 for your FREE benefits package.

HELP HELP WANTED WANTED Viking Cold Beer and Liquor is looking for a Cashier •40-50 hours every 2 weeks •Cashier Experience and Proserve an asset •Daily duties include: Lifting required/stocking shelves, cleaning and tidying •Working in a warehouse environment •After 6 months, health benefits start Please apply within! ______________________________ APIARIES OF ALBERTA are looking for Five Apiary Technicians $17$19/hr depending on experience for full time (40+hrs/wk) employment March thru October 2021. Must have a min of 3 years (seasons) working fulltime on Canadian style commercial apiary in the minimum capacity of Apiary Assistant. Gerard 780-6624449 RR4 Tofield, AB. gsieben@mcsnet.ca ______________________________ Viking/Beaver Family and Community Support Services (VBFCSS) is hiring for their Home Help Casual Aide position. Duties for this role include light housekeeping services and seasonal cleaning to assist elderly and disabled community members to remain in their homes longer and encourage their participation as active community members. Activities will take place throughout the eastern portion of Beaver County, including the communities of Kinsella, Viking, Bruce and Holden, as well as potentially at rural properties. The successful candidate will have a desire to work with others to improve their wellbeing, access to a reliable personal vehicle, and provide a clean police record check including vulnerable sectors, as well as a Children’s Services intervention check. Applications for this position will be accepted until December 2, 2020. Thank you for your interest in this position. Please note that only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. Resumes can be submitted to DChrystian@vbfcss.ca or mailed to VBFCSS at Box 688, Viking, AB., TOB 4N0. For more information, please contact Dawn at 780-336-4024. ______________________________ Kendale Truck Parts is now hiring. Looking for full time automotive dismantler. Monday-Friday 7:30-4:30. Must have mechanical experience and own tools. We are located south of Chipman, just north of HWY 16. Please call 780-819-3521 or email resume to kendalek@shaw.ca

Caught You Looking! Advertise in the Classifieds today!

Grounds Keeper responsibilities: lawn and grounds up-keep, cleaning campsite and recreation building. Hall Maintenance responsibilities: minor repairs, snow shovelling and assist with event preparations. For more information please call Humphrey at 780-679-4449 or Paula at 780-672-6719 or mail your resume to: Round Hill Ag Society, #9 Township Road 484 East, Round Hill, AB T0B 3Z0. All applications must be received by November 30, 2020. ________________________

LAND RENT LANDFOR FOR RENT 5km West of Viking 9-48-13-W4 600 acres Grain Storage Any questions, contact Fred Ruzicka at 780-336-3456 Bids can be mailed to Box 278 Viking, AB T0B 4N0 By November 30, 2020 ________________________

LAND SALE LANDFOR FOR SALE VERY INEXPENSIVE 2 QUARTERS OF PASTURE LAND, Central SK, for sale. 8 other good quarters may be available. Requires fencing. Great hunting $74,900. Call Doug at 306-716-2671. ________________________

REAL REAL ESTATE ESTATE House for Sale. 5228-54 Ave in Viking. Motivated to sell! A fixer upper home that is ready to move in but could use some handyman work. 1 bedroom main level, 3 bedrooms upper level, main level bath, laundry room. Appliances include fridge, stove, dishwasher, washer and dryer. Shingles 3 years old, hot water heater 1 year old. Oversized lot with mature trees. 2 sheds on property and raised garden beds in back yard. Asking $30,000! Contact 780-336-1180 for more info.

Experienced drywall taper/texturer here to help you with any job big or small. Don't want to do it yourself, give me a call! Based in Killam but willing to travel Hand taper by trade but have experience with boxes, roller/flusher, taping tube. No bazooka exp. Have own tools (10-12" boxes, pump, angle box, roller, flusher, hand tools, etc.) Also do ceiling texture. Non-drinker, just want to work. Willing to work with existing taping crew. Call 780385-2106 or 780-385-1251. ______________________________ Shane’s Stucco & Drywall Service Shane Hollar Stucco (Traditional & Acrylic), Drywall, Stone, Textured Ceilings, Tile and Spray Painting 780-336-4832 shanes.stucco@gmail.com ______________________________ Carpet and upholstery cleaning - residential and commercial. Truck mount unit, sewer backup, and flood cleaning. Auto and RV cleaning. Call Glenn and Cindi Poyser, Fancy Shine Auto and Carpet Care at (780) 3843087 ______________________________ Painting Quality Residential and Commercial Painting Betty Tkaczyk 780-632-8749 or 780-688-3564

The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, November 25, 2020 - 15

Road a disaster Continued from Page 13 He said a further meeting with Lamont Chief Administrative Officer Stephen Hill resulted in AMR stating they would put some gravel down, but then it snowed and now Woitas wonders whether anything will be done. Woitas estimates the road needs about 400 tonnes of gravel to make

it passable. “When the weather warms up again, the water is going to make it softer.” He feels AMR should have been fixing the road all along as they went. He said he’d like to see the County bring in a contractor to fix the road. “If we have to wait until spring we’re hooped.” “That road has to be fixed. It needs gravel so people can use the road again.” he said.

Councillor Roy Anaka agreed wondering why AMR wouldn’t have maintained the road as they went. Stephen Hill told council he had spoken with AMR and reported they will continue to repair the road and they will put gravel down across the affected area. “They do apologize for the inconvenience for the inability to use the road fully,” he told council. “I’ve told them there

are spots where the clay cap has been broken through and by grading the road organic material has been put on to the remaining clay cap and they are responsible for fixing the road.” Reeve David Diduck asked if the road use agreement stated AMR would do any repairs to the roads at their cost, and Hill agreed that was so. Woitas said while there were few residents living

Successful Mundare Fire and Rescue fundraiser sets December menu The Mundare Fire and Rescue monthly take out dinner has become very successful, according to fire chief Glenda Dales. “People are getting quite used to this and word is spreading,“ she said. “Dinner pick ups include our loyal local Mundare residents as well as people from Vegreville, Andrew, and Sherwood Park. There is one family from Edmonton that makes the trek out every month.” Dales said the dinner fundraiser started out a couple of months ago “just trying to find a bit of normalcy in this crazy world. “It allows people the chance to ‘eat out’ in the comfort of their own home,” added Dales. “As well, fundraising is extremely difficult, so this allows us to do some ‘safe fundraising.’ ” For the December meal, because Christmas is soon to arrive and turkey is usually on everyone’s menu Dales said the department has decided to go with pasta and meatballs, garlic bread, caesar salad and dessert dinner. Everything is pre order only. When you pre order you are asked what time you would like to pick up your meal (between 4:30 - 6:00 p.m.) and it will be ready for you. The December meal is Friday, Dec. 4. Dales added that the department is encourag-

ing people to drop off a donation for the local food bank. “We are also asking people to drop off non perishable items for the foodbank since we can not do our annual door to door canvas for the Christmas Food Bank Hampers,” she said.

on the road it was a well used road for people travelling from the north to Highway 15. “It’s only about one mile, but it’s a total disaster,” added Woitas. “If they put some gravel down hopefully it will work in.” He estimates about 600 loads of rail ballast had been hauled into the site since the summer. “We have to get it done,” he said. “Get a price and hire a contrac-

tor to get it done.” Hill said he would be keeping close tabs on the situation and would inform council when he had a reply regarding what AMR was going to do to fix the situation. He added he had every indication from them they were securing the gravel to do the repairs as council was meeting. Council passed a motion for administration to follow up on the situation.

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16 - The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, November 25, 2020