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Your Independent Local Newspaper Established in 1918 VOLUME 103: ISSUE 17
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2020
WWII VETERAN HANS CHRISTENSEN DIES AT 104.
www.tofieldmerc.com
PRINCIPAL MUENCH SAYS LOVE IS THE ANSWER.
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SEE PAGE 5
What’s Inside
Tofield resident to spread joy among seniors MOUSH JOHN Editor When Tofield’s Carmelle Stewart decided to engage her children by teaching them what it means to be kind and how to give back, she decided to tap into Tofield community’s unused Christmas cards. “Amidst all of life’s changes since March we have been doing our best to focus on gratitude and seeing COVID as an opportunity to connect with each other at a deeper level and experience our
relationships as a family in a whole new way,” Stewart said. “Raising our children to know the importance of having compassionate and caring hearts, thinking of others, and how we can support them, is one of our top priorities, now more than ever!” Stewart explained that each year they try and do an act of service. “We always try to give back as often as we can, and this year for Christmas our hearts felt so deeply for the elderly people who are living in
Break-ins and mischief keep Tofield RCMP busy PAGE 4 Stewart’s children display some of the cards that were donated by the community. Now they are busy writing messages for all the seniors as part of the project.
this strange time of isolation and distance from the people around them,” Stewart added, which is why she wanted to reach out to the elderly in the community to cheer them up. According to Stewart, they wanted to do something that would bring some joy and spread some love to this especially isolated group of people. “My kids and I really put our thoughts and
hearts together and came up with the idea to send each senior a personalized card from each of us, as well as some homemade crafts they could display and enjoy year round,” she explained. “We are also including an additional blank card and envelope for each of them to ‘write us back’ if they so choose to. “It will be a great opportunity to keep the connection going and hopefully develop some
meaningful relationships with them. We’re hoping to make them smile and remind them how much they are cared about, even when they feel alone.” Stewart and her family have been working on this project for a few weeks now and anticipate to work on it however long it takes. Their efforts are focused on 100 seniors, and the residents Continued on Page 7
Loose Ends: Socalled Christmas songs PAGE 5
Editorial: A Promise of Hope PAGE 6
Northern Sawwhet Owls fly from BBO to Saskatchewan and beyond PAGE 8
Our COVID-19 Response & Commitment DUE TO EVOLVING COVID-19 SITUATION, OUR OFFICE WILL BE TEMPORARILY CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC AS OF MONDAY, DECEMBER 14 To clarify, our paper will still be published each week and our staff will still be working between the office and at home during usual hours. We ask that in order to practice responsible social distancing, all ad bookings, subscription renewals, print orders, inquiries, and payments that were planned to be made in-person, be made by phone or email instead at this time.
Email: adsmercury@gmail.com • Phone: 780-662-4046 Friday, Dec. 11 @ 5pm will be the deadline for all in-person Fill the Tree donations. You can continue to donate to the Food Bank via cheque to Box 150, Tofield, AB T0B 4J0