Crowsnest Pass Herald

www.crowsnestpassherald.ca • 403-562-2248 •passherald@shaw.ca

Crowsnest Pass

Herald Serving the CnP SinCe 1930

September 2, 2020 ~ Vol. 90 No. 35 $1.00

Pass H e t H 90 an rald nivers ary sPecia l edit i inside on !

Back to School

David Selles photo

It’s back to school week for students in the Crowsnest Pass. While Covid-19 presents some challenges in returning to school, staff are confident in their abilities to provide a safe and fun learning space for students in the community. Read more about what schools are doing to prepare for the year on page 6.

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Honest, experienced approach to Real Estate.

2 – CrOwsnest PAss HerALD – Wednesday, September 2, 2020

~ COVID-19 update

CROWSNEST COMMUNITY SUPPORT SOCIETY ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

DAvID SELLES Pass Herald Reporter ALL NUMBERS ARE UP TO DATE AS OF MONDAY August 31.

Province wide, there have been 13,902 cases to date. Of these cases, 1,370 are active. 239 people have died from the virus.

September 15th, 2020 Location: 8102 19th Ave, Coleman • Time: 5:00 pm Everyone is welcome (social distancing measures will be in place at the location and masks will be required to be worn for the meeting).

The Society is currently looking for new dedicated Board members to volunteer on our Board of Directors.

If interested please contact James Woodall at 403-5633585 ext 22 for more information and to advise if you are planning to attend, as we will be limited on in person space due to COVID protocols.

Thank you

We would like to thank all our friends, neighbours and the community for all their support and well wishes, during the difficult time we had with the passing of Murielle.

We particularly want to thank Ken and Carol and all our close friends and neighbours for all their love and support. To Dr. Scrimshaw, who was always there for Murielle, thank you. The staff of CNP Home Care, their devotion and commitment to your job was over whelming, you made Murielle’s days much more comfortable.

To everybody who sent cards, donations and well wishes, thank you. Also to Fantins Funeral Chapel for all their help and support during this very sad time, your commitment to the service you provide was exemplary. To the community, you are the reason Murielle lived here for 40 years, thank you.

Thank you all, John Carlson and family

General contracting for earthworks both commercial and residential both large and small projects.

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Building construction projects.

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The number of cases in the South Zone by area is as follows: South Zone total: To date, there have been 1, 740 total cases in the south zone. 1,692 people have recovered from Covid-19 in the south zone. There are currently 24 active cases in the south zone.

There are no active outbreaks in the south zone.

Here is the community breakdown of cases in the south zone.

Crowsnest Pass: 2 cases reported, 0 cases are active, 2 case recovered.

Pincher Creek: 26 cases reported, 0 cases are active, 25 cases recovered and 1 death.

Fort Macleod: 33 cases reported, 0 cases active, 30 cases recovered and 3 deaths Claresholm: 16 cases reported, 0 cases active, 16 cases recovered.

C a r d s t o n County/Kainai: 103 cases reported, 2 cases active, 96 cases recovered and 5 deaths.

County of Warner: 59 cases reported, 2 cases active, 56 cases recovered and 1 death.

Lethbridge: 153 cases reported, 10 cases are active, 141 cases recovered and 2 deaths.

Lethbridge County: 32 cases reported, 2 cases active, 30 cases recovered MD of Taber: 38 cases reported, 1 case active, 37 cases recovered City of Brooks: 1,128 cases reported, 1 case active, 1,118 recovered and 9 deaths.

County of Newell: 32 cases reported, 3 cases active, 28 cases recovered and

1 death.

County of Forty Mile: 21 cases reported, 1 case active, 20 cases recovered Cypress County: 31 cases reported, 0 cases active, 31 cases recovered.

Medicine Hat: 62 cases reported, 2 cases active, 65 cases recovered and 2 deaths.

Oyen: 13 cases reported, 0 case active and 13 case recovered.

Vulcan: 25 cases reported, 5 active, 19 recovered and 1 death.

if you are a close contact of a person who tested positive for COVID-19 (provides care, lives with or has close physical contact without appropriate use of personal protective equipment, or comes into direct contact with infectious body fluids) • If you become sick with cough, fever, shortness of breath, runny nose or sore throat during this time, you must isolate for an additional 10 days from the beginning of symptoms or until you are feeling well, whichever takes longer.

Albertans with symptoms • You are legally required to isolate for a minimum of 10 days if you have a cough, fever, shortness of breath, runny nose, or sore throat that is not related to a pre-existing illness or health condition.

• The mandatory isolation period is 10 days from the start of symptoms, or until symptoms resolve, whichever takes longer.

Travellers • You are legally required to isolate for 14 days if you return to or enter Alberta from outside Canada.

• If you become sick with cough, fever, shortness of breath, runny nose or sore throat during this time, you must isolate for an additional 10 days from the beginning of symptoms or until you are feeling well, whichever takes longer.

Tested positive for COVID-19 • You are legally required to isolate for a minimum of 10 days if you have tested positive for COVID-19.

• Isolation period is for 10 days from the start of symptoms, or until symptoms resolve, whichever takes longer.

How to isolate If you are in mandatory isolation: • Stay home – do not leave your home or attend work, school, social events or any other public gatherings.

• Avoid close contact with people in your household, especially seniors and people with chronic conditions or compromised immune systems.

• You are prohibited from taking public transportation like buses, taxis or ride-sharing.

• Do not go outside for a walk through your neighbourhood or park. This includes children in mandatory isolation.

• You can get fresh air in your backyard, if you have one, but you must remain on private property not accessible by others.

• If you live in an apartment building or highrise, you must stay inside and cannot use the elevators or stairwells to go outside. If your balcony is private and at least 2 me-

Have symptoms but tested negative for COVID-19 • If you tested negative and have known exposure to COVID-19, you are legally required to isolate for 14 days.

• If you tested negative and have no known exposure to the virus, you are not legally required to isolate. However, it is important to stay home until your symptoms resolve so that you do not infect others.

Close contacts of confirmed cases • You are legally required to isolate for 14 days and monitor for symptoms

tres away from your closest neighbour's, you may go outside on the balcony.

Exemption for testing and emergency care If you or a minor child is in mandatory isolation and need COVID-19 testing, critical care for pre-existing medical conditions or emergency care, carefully follow the rules in the exemption orders.

• Pre-arrange your appointment and leaving your isolation area only on the date and at the time of your appointment.

• Follow all instructions provided by 811 or health-care providers.

• Use private transportation where practical.

• Maintain physical distance from others when shared transportation is necessary – travel directly to your appointment with no stops.

• Follow instructions provided by 911 if you require emergency care.

Residents can also download the Covid-19 exposure tracing features on smart phones and apps like AB trace together, which can anonymously notify people that they may have been exposed utilizing Bluetooth. Many healthcare professionals feel this is of huge benefit to anyone and everyone that has a smart phone and will help slow the spread of the virus in our community.

Albertans are encouraged to wear non-medical masks in public when it's difficult to maintain physical distancing of 2 metres at all times.

Wearing a homemade or non-medical mask in public is another tool to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

It hasn’t been proven that masks protect the person wearing it, but it can help protect people from being exposed to your germs.

Masks should complement – not replace – other prevention measures.

Continue physical distancing and good hand hygiene, and stay home when sick.

CIR Realty - Crowsnest Pass • 12921 - 20th Ave., Blairmore FRANK 3 Bedroom 1 1/2 Bath BUNGALOW • Solidly Built One Owner Home • Walk Out Basement • Double Car Garage • Potential for Secondary Suite MLS - $254,900

COLEMAN 3 Bedroom 2 1/2 Bath BUNGALOW • Formal Dining Room • Finished Full Basement, Revenue Suite Possibility • Under Ground Sprinklers in Front and Back Yards • Large Green House- Wood Stove Heated MLS - $285,000

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Thinking of selling? leT’s Talk 10 MINUTES EAST OF WATERTON PARK 3± Acres of Titled Bare Land • 2.5± Hours From Calgary • 20± Minutes To a US Boarder Crossing • Power Near By, Water Cistern On Acreage MLS - $120,000

Lynnette Melom - Realtor® 403.563.0222 • lmelom@shaw.ca

• • • •

EAST BLAIRMORE ACCESS Commercial Business High Visibility Location 20+ stalls Off Highway Parking and 3 Handicapped Large Partial Wrap Around Deck Approximately 19,860 Square Foot Lot MLS - $426,900

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MAIN ST. BLAIRMORE Restaurant Commercial Building On Busy Main St. Blairmore Approximate Seating Capacity - 46 Upstairs Living Quarters Approximately 4320 Sq. ft.

MLS - $330,000

Cliff Melom - Realtor® 403.583.5565 • cmelom@shaw.ca

Wednesday, September 2, 2020 - Crowsnest PAss herAlD - 3

In the lIne of fIre Between August 24 and August 31, Crowsnest Pass RCMP responded to a total of 54 calls for service including the following reported incidents.

Three (3) assaults, one (1) break and enter (residential), three (3) threat/harassment, one (1) mischief (vandalism), one (1) theft, two (2) disturbing the peace, three (3) other criminal codes, three (3) other provincial statutes, five (5) driving complaints, thirteen (13) motor vehicle collisions, two (2) assistance to general public, five (5) suspicious occurrences, three (3) assistance to other agencies, three (3) false alarms and six (6) lost and found.

Vehicle Damage On August 24th, 2020, there was a complaint of damage to parked vehicle on Tent Mountain Road while people were on a caving trip in the back country. The damage occurred between August 24-26. The owner noticed punctured holes in the

gas tank and the vehicle had to be towed to a garage for repairs.

Rescue On August 24th, 2020, at approximately 8:30pm, there was a complaint of an overdue camper in the Daisy Creek area. The male had not returned to his campsite. Police attended along with a Police Services Dog from Calgary Search and Rescue. The subject was located safe and sound with assistance of a helicopter the next morning.

Assault On August 24th, 2020, there was a complaint of assault while camping at Lynx Creek camp area involving two females from Medicine Hat. The incident is under investigation.

Stranded Hikers On August 25th, 2020, at approximately 1:45pm, there was a report of stranded hikers on Mount Sentry that were unable to get down. Search and Rescue via ground was

~ rCMP news ~

not suitable and a helicopter from Canmore was called in to assist in the rescue.

Identity Fraud On August 25th, 2020, there was a complaint of identity fraud. The person was advised their social media account had been hacked. The offence originated in Ontario.

Found Bike On August 25th, 2020, there was a report of a mountain bike found in Blairmore by the pool.

The bike was recovered. If anyone is missing a bike, they can call the RCMP detachment to identify it.

Tresspassing On August 25th, 2020, there was a complaint of a male on a quad on private property in Coleman. The owner later noticed wires on his fence had been cut.

Arrest On August 26th, 2020, at approximately 6:30pm, there was a complaint of a male on railroad tracks in Coleman drinking beer.

The Simple Raven’s Post

by Avner Perl

Sorrow and Hope Summer is drawing to a close, and the deer are getting brave, closing in on my flowers. It happens every year at this time. Being a Canadian, I know that another cycle of death and resurrection is unavoidable. When I was living in Israel, I was waiting for winter and by choosing Canada I reversed the timing.

This world is perfect in a way by providing a balance between sadness and hope. The perfection is created by imperfection. Strange, but exactly what we need.

I think about the heaven that people wait to go to after death, and I can’t imagine how it may be achieved. Our world is as good as a world could be if we didn’t make it into hell, at least some of the time.

Without making an effort, I observe my world and become depressed. When our brief summers come to a close, I always become melancholic. The flowers are looking like a prisoner facing a death sentence. I remember the big debate we had here years ago when Canada abolished the death penalty. Some people predicted chaos while others said that we have no way to be sure we don’t execute innocent people.

Well, the truth is that nothing on this earth will remain alive in its present form forever. We are born stamped with an expiry date and we wouldn’t be happy otherwise. Striving for eternal life is the quickest way to die. A person in a physical body can’t live outside of the world’s recycling program. My faith tells me that I will always exist and be aware of it, so I believe it.

I assess the world situation right at this moment and here is what I see. Countries are hostile towards each other. There is a conflict between the US and China, and Canada is hurt by it. China is aggressive with Hong Kong and Canadians are suffering. Russia is aggressive with Ukraine, and Canadians are suffering. It seems as if there is no way to live in peace without taking sides. I remember the words of the last president Bush when he organized the Iraq invasion. “You are either with us or against us,” he said.

We are Canadians and don’t want to be with or against anyone. We live in a difficult climate and need to focus on life itself, not on who will profit from who.

Why can’t people just leave us alone? They don’t. Some wish to make money on our resources and others on our expertise and labour. Many always want us to fight on their side, as we did and still do. 159 Canadians were killed in Afganistan

Police attended and located a 29-year-old male.

He was arrested for 3 counts of breaching conditions of release, which included not being on CPR property. He was released on documents for Court.

Fight On August 27th, 2020, there was a complaint of three males fighting outside the 7Eleven in Coleman. Police attended but the suspects had left.

Intoxicated Males On August 27th, 2020, there was a complaint of intoxicated males running on main street. Police attended and located the males. They were arrested and lodged into cells until they were sober.

Suspicious Male On August 29th, 2020, there was a complaint of a suspicious male in a black vehicle checking the donation box at Island Lake Campground. There was no apparent damage to the box.

DiD you know?

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and 18 billion dollars were spent. It was Saudis who attacked the twin towers, not Afghanis or Iraqis. Canada has been a major contributor to the UN peace corps and Canadians are still playing a big role in improving people’s lives around the world.

Now we are being drawn into an internal conflict raging next door. A sickness is killing people and our neighbours politicized it. We would have been fine but our people are being affected by the right and left politics causing discontent amongst us. There is no way to keep all the fake news from crossing the borders.

The same is happening with our health care and education. We have a good system that works well for us cheaper than in the neighbouring country but their discontent is crossing the border. I personally face losing my life for a shortage of doctors and carelessness about not spreading the ongoing pandemic.

I can go on and on about the problems and blame others for the suffering and turmoil. It wouldn’t be fair since all humans have skeletons in their closets, including me. I wanted to use this article to paint a picture of heaven which will give us something to strive for. The storytellers have to build hope and not spread hate and desperation. We leave that job to the politicians and other so-called leaders.

Here in Canada, we have extra responsibility. The world looks at us for a good example.

Humans are on earth for about fifty to a hundred years in physical form and can choose to make the best of it. The big question is how. Do we build the most beautiful structures and impressive gardens? Should we lead in human rights?

Should we lead in study and science? What is our vision of heaven on earth? The bible talks about every man under his fig tree and beating swords into plowshares.

Would that do it?

I prefer to envision heaven from the Christian point of view. Not from popular religion but the teachings of a Jewish rabbi from long ago which started our new world. If there is one commandment above all, he said, its love. Laugh if you wish.

I believe that human culture has a basic flaw which we never overcame and is hounding us to this day and perhaps will destroy our civilization. It is the illusion of self. Can you imagine what would happen if any of your body parts began to compete with the rest of the body? This is what happened to us. We built humanity around selfish imagined importance of individual parts and it is destroying us.

The heaven I strive for is built as a human society where the words “I” and “self” are shunned. It’s a world where taking more than you can eat or use is considered evil and shame. I believe that we are capable of producing all of what we need, caring kindly for all people, and being polite and helpful to all living things.

I look through the window at the yellowing grass. There are two does and three now grown fawns. They eat what they can and hide from people, but not from my wife and I. We are considered as family. By the end of September, they will eat all of my flowers and in the winter they will consume the small willows and lower branches. In the spring amongst the flowers new spotty fawns will play and resurrection will happen again if human selfishness will not stop it.

Here is a link to my blog: https://thesimpleravenspost.blogspot.ca/ Feel free to check other articles and comment.

4 – croWSneST PASS HerALD – Wednesday, september 2, 2020

Editorial In last week’s issue of the Pass Herald we had a photo of Flumerfelt Park because of the vandalism that was done to the spray park. I can’t understand why any person would go out of their way to destroy something that means so much to people.

The water park we have in Coleman is amazing. Rarely do I drive by and see it empty in the summer.

When the boys were little I swear I spent many an afternoon hanging out on the grass watching them play. It usually ended in a fistfight, such is the life with boys but in the interim they had a blast.

The piggy bank in Flumerfelt was also broken into and what few coins were put in there, usually with a wish in tow, were pilfered.

I’m not sure what’s causing the rampant vandalism. Perhaps it’s the by-product of COVID and people with way too much time on their hands.

When my mother was a councillor she used to back anything that had to do with recreation. Her favourite phrase was you pay for it in recreation or you pay for it in policing. I wonder with no sports teams and a lack of activities for people, if this has contributed to the rise in vandalism.

Idle minds do idiot things! This summer I watched Quinn, who was the most active kid in the house, pretty much sit on his butt. He’s not interested in mountain biking or hiking like I am.

He’s spent every summer since he was 3 in swim club, training three hours a day and doing a swim meet every weekend. He didn’t have time to get into trouble. This summer though there have been a few fights about getting out of his bed, showering and doing something other then watching television and playing computer games. I feel like I’m banging my head against the wall with COVID restrictions and a 14 year-old as stubborn as me.

Quinn is a great kid, so I can imagine those kids in the same situation that aren’t as good. Perhaps they are stuck in a home with an abusive parent. Perhaps their family lacks the money to do sports, perhaps their peer group influences them and group mentality isn’t always a good combination. My guess is vandalism is the product.

We all need to be more vigilant. I never used to lock my car doors or my house, but now I think it’s imperative. I even lock my car downtown when I’m at work. I’m sad that I feel the need to do that, when in the past I had a comfort level that is gone.

We used to have a camera on main street Blairmore. It did a 360 rotation and it was well viewed.

People often ask me why we don’t have it anymore and it’s because someone cut the cord that made it work. I could fix it but the pessimistic part of me thinks it will just get vandalized again.

So I’ll leave this editorial saying that we can all do our part to try to be more vigilant in the community. If you see something and your stomach says it’s not right, listen to it and call the police. I’m sorry for all the young families that lost out on our beautiful water park and I’m sad that the taxpayer will have to foot the bill to fix it. Actually I’m not sad I’m more disgusted.

Letters to the the Editor Policy: The Pass Herald welcomes Letters to the Editor that examine issues, but reserves the right to edit for length, libel and syntax. Writers must sign letters and include first and last names, address and telephone number. Address and telephone numbers will not be published. Only in exceptional cases will the Pass Herald withhold the name of the writer and in those cases the writer must disclose his/her name, address and telephone number to the Editor. Electronic email will be considered an electronic signature.

Letters to the Editor do not reflect the opinion of the Pass Herald. Letters cannot exceed 1,000 words. We have limited space, but we do enjoy printing every article. So please, to allow everyone to express their opinion, keep the letters short and to the point. We do have the right to refuse any letter that in our judgement may contain libel or libelous opinions. Should a litigation result from your letter, you as the writer are responsible but so is this newspaper as the publisher.

The Pass Herald is a family owned community newspaper and therefore reserves the right to refuse any advertisement that in our opinion does not follow our mandate. We cannot accept advertisements or letters criticizing or disparaging other advertisers, companies or individuals or any advertisements directed to a religion or race.

The Benefits of Walking to School Megan Burland

When I was a kid, I did not enjoy walking to school. Once, after a major snowstorm, rather than driving me to school, my mom had my older brothers shovel me a path through the field behind our house so I could still walk - I was not a fan of this system.

Now, when I return to the neighborhood I grew up in, I realize just how close we lived to my school. I’m grateful that I was able to walk as this helped to teach me the value of physical activity.

Sure, I longed to take the bus like my friends, but walking to school was great exercise and taught me important skills.

When deciding whether your student is ready to walk to school, there are many important considerations including the complexity of the route. Parachute suggests that to cross a street safely by themselves, children need three important skills: • Ability to decide

on and use a safe crossing route • Ability to properly assess a vehicle’s speed • Ability to judge safe gaps in traffic While your child is developing these skills, an adult’s presence is important. Walking with your child can give you an excellent opportunity to talk to them about pedestrian safety and role model the principles.

Alberta Motor Association (AMA) does important work to promote pedestrian safety. Allison Purcell-Pike is a co-ordinator of the AMA School Safety Patrol. I asked her to share some tips for parents on how to know when your child is ready to walk to school. Here is what Allison had to say: “We all have an important role to play in building up our school communities, and traffic safety in school zones is a great example of this. Increased congestion around schools creates traffic safety concerns and

parents can play a major role in contributing to safer school streets.

“Parents should consider parking further away from the school and walking with their children. There are benefits to this beyond safety, including health and wellness, as well as time to connect with your child while enjoying nature.

“So parents should consider how to make walking to school an option for their children, some safety tips for this include to pre walk the route with students before the start of school, consider organizing a small group of close friends to walk together while remaining physically distanced.

“When students walk to school, remind them to pay attention to their surroundings, not having distractions such as devices, or ear buds when crossing, also to always use crosswalks, cross at corners and to never jaywalk.”

Purcell-Pile added it’s

important students remember to use the three P’s when crossing: point, pause and proceed.

POINT their arm to indicate to drivers that they wish to cross, PAUSE to check for traffic, making eye contact with drivers, and when it is safe to cross, PROCEED to walk, paying attention and checking as they are crossing. If AMA School Safety Patrollers are at the crosswalk, please give them space to run their procedures for a safe crossing and always continue to look while crossing.

If you are looking for more information, there are some wonderful resources available through Parachute by visiting https://parachute.ca/en /injury-topic/pedestriansafety/.

Megan Burland is a Health Promotion Facilitator at Lethbridge Community Health Services and can be reached at Megan.Burland@ahs.ca.

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Wednesday, September 2, 2020 - crowsnest PAss HerALD - 5

6 – crowsnest PAss HerALD – Wednesday, September 2, 2020

Livingstone schools prepare for unique school year DaviD SelleS Pass Herald Reporter

The new school year presents different challenges than previous ones with students set to return this week.

With Covid-19 still in the area, extra precautions are being taken to ensure the health and safety of staff and students.

The following information is taken from the Isabelle Sellon School website: Students are required to wear a mask on the school bus and at school. ● Staggered re-entryStudents with the last name A-L are requested to start Tuesday, September 1st. Students with the last name M-Z are requested to start Wednesday, September 2nd. ● School start times and end times are staggered this year. 8:25/3:05 for students in Gr. 4 Millis and Gr. 5 Koentges, 8:35/3:10 for students in Gr. 4 Funk and Gr. 6 C r a w f o rd / D a v i d s o n , 8:45 for students in Gr. 5 Davis and Gr. 6 Dalton/Shackleford. Students who walk home from school will be dismissed at 3:00. ● During the week of

Sept. 1- Sept. 4- students are required to meet in their cohort groups upon arrival to school and during all recess breaks.

Grade 4 - playground, Grade 5- tarmac, Grade 6soccer field. ● Recess breaks and lunch breaks are determined by the grade level cohort and will be taken at staggered intervals throughout the day. Recess and lunch breaks are not at regularly scheduled times. ● Please review the LRSD Re-entry plan with your child to discuss new safety protocols with your child(ren) prior to their first day. This plan is posted on our school website. It will also be helpful to have your child practice wearing a mask. ● As we start the new school year, students will be supported and guided with understanding new health measures and safety procedures.

Crowsnest Consolidated High School is also taking extra precautions.

Principal Christine McKie says grades will begin school on different days during the first week.

“We're staggering our entry. Tuesday is Grade 7 and 12 will come

back, Wednesday Grade 8 and 11 and Thursday Grade 9 and 10.”

Assistant Principal Jill Klapp says students have a set time they’ll be allowed to access the building.

“They'll be allowed access to the building at 8:25am. They're encouraged to line up in front of their door accesses.”

McKie says that upon entering the school, students will be greeted by herself, Klapp and their teachers.

“What we're going to do, is myself, Jill and the teachers that teach those grade levels will spend a chunk of time with them in the morning orientating them to the Covid-19 protocols that are in place now. They'll move into their classes after that and then those teachers will do icebreaker activities with students and begin the school year together.”

McKie says Grade 7 students will have their full school orientation following the Covid-19 orientation to make sure they’re familiar with the school.

A big change to classes this year is that students won’t be changing classrooms.

“We've assigned each cohort to one classroom.

We have the teachers travelling to the class instead of the kids travelling to the teachers.”

Masks and hand sanitizer are being provided for students and staff this year.

“There's mandatory masking in all common areas, hallways, shared spaces and where two metres spacing can't be maintained. The provincial government and the school division are supplying personal protective equipment. Each student is receiving two reusable masks and then the school has a supply of disposable masks as well.

All staff are provided with two reusable masks and a face shield. Sanitizer is being provided as well. Students can also bring their own sanitizer in their backpacks if they wish to do so.”

Klapp also says hand sanitizer will be available for staff and students when entering and exiting rooms.

“Student’s hands will be sanitized when they enter into the building.

They'll follow directional arrows for traffic lead by their first class teacher.

They'll be seated in front

facing rows masked. The students and staff will have access to hand sanitizer upon any entrance or exit of a room.”

McKie says there will be separate entrances for different grades to help limit overcrowding of entrances.

“We have separate entrances for the students. Once we've done all the orientation, students will know which doors they are to use.”

McKie highlighted a couple other changes to the school year as well.

“We're not assigning any lockers this year and there won't be any school sports for the fall. In Livingstone Range, we want to get students out of the building so the caretakers are able to do their jobs in terms of disinfecting classrooms and gymnasiums. So while our schools typically had after school use or evening use, that's all been put on the back burner so that we can keep the school as sanitized as possible and give our caretakers that time at the end of the day.”

Klapp says that students not taking the bus will be released early to limit hallway traffic “Students who don't take the bus will be re-

leased early at the end of the day to limit the amount of traffic in the hallways. Parents coming to pick up their children at the school are asked to park out front and wait for their kids there and are asked not to pick up kids where the busses are to limit congestions. Students are asked to exit the school at the nearest exit of their end-of-day class.”

Klapp says teachers have also created an outdoor classroom equipped with whiteboard space, logs and other seating for students to use this year.

“Teachers worked very hard to establish an outdoor classroom this year to help get kids outside of the building to promote their mental wellness.

Klapp says staff is confident students will be safe and that teachers are looking forward to a great school year.

“Teachers remain confident in their ability to keep students safe and are excited to have the students back. We're very excited to be together again.”

For more information on what the schools are doing this school year, you can visit their websites.

20091AA3

Wednesday, September 2, 2020 - croWSneSt PASS HerALD - 7

Women of Steel

Pastors Pen - Good Enough PaStor Billy KaraSz

One of the questions that constantly runs through our minds is: “Am I good enough?”

“Am I good enough” feeds that inner need we have inside to perform, please and pretend. “Am I good enough?” pushes us above and beyond to prove ourselves to everyone that our existence really matters. This can be and is very dangerous to our emotional and mental health. It also damages our spiritual lives.

When we experience conditional love, it feeds this particular question of “am I good enough?”

The truth is, in God’s eyes we are good enough.

There is nothing we can do to make God make us love us more, and there is nothing we can do to make God love us less.

His love for us is truly unconditional. We are good enough. When we can step away from this question and say, “Yes I’m good enough,” our focus can be on the right things.

We know we can improve, but that does not make us more worthy or valuable as human beings. Our worth is not found in our achievements – it’s found in our character.

Being good enough is the wrong question because it causes us all to question our value and

The Women of Steel Committee made donations to the Crowsnest Pass area. This is the 9th year donations were made to the Sparwood Food Bank, Fernie Women’s Resource Centre and the schools in the Crowsnest Pass. This year, Women of Steel supplied 90 backpacks full of supplies. The backpacks are made for students in need and it is all done anonymously. This year’s fundraising was different than previous years as the group could not hold their Bus Stop BBQ in Elkview or the annual Women’s Day of Golf in Sparwood due to Covid-19. The Committee is thankful for the help that was provided to them to ensure they were still able to provide the supplies for people in need.

Herald Contributor photo

worth as human beings and individuals. We all have our own particular stories that are undesirable, painful, shameful, or embarrassing. When we can walk into those stories and accept them as a part of us, we can experience the power of worthiness. Those stories don’t define us but we can use them for good. That’s what God does every day, brings good out of bad.

When we can love ourselves despite those stories and see our worth as a human being, then we

can love others and encourage others along the way.

God says that we are good enough just as we are, dysfunction and all.

He loves us totally unconditionally and desires for all of us to grow and connect with Him every single day. So it boils down to STOP asking yourself if you’re good enough, God created you and planned for you to be a part of this world at this particular time in history. YOU ARE ENOUGH!! Simply because YOU ARE YOU!!

Happy 50th Anniversary to Ken and Eileen Fisher!

50 years of wedded bliss.

Love from your family, Vicki, Tim, Shane, Tara, CJ, Jody, Kendal, Ron and The Yeske Families.

8 – Crowsnest PAss HerALD – Wednesday, September 2, 2020

Liver Awareness for Familial Intrahepatic Cholestatsis Woman with rare liver disease hopes to raise awareness about chronic illnesses

DaviD SelleS Pass Herald Reporter

Kealey Spolijarevic was diagnosed with Progressive Familial Intrahepatic Cholestasis (PFIC) Type 3 at the young age of 12.

Spolijarevic has spent some time in the Crowsnest Pass area as she grew up in Calgary and Cranbrook BC and says she hopes to raise awareness across Canada and beyond.

There are many symptoms that PFIC causes.

“My condition causes something called pruritis, which makes a person extremely itchy all over their body. It's like having an itch that even if you scratch is there forever. It can cause numerous other things like sleep

deprivation, jaundice and an increased risk of cirrhosis or liver failure. It's typically found in younger children.”

PFIC is a chronic illness and Spolijarevic says she hopes that through her story, she can help find better ways of dealing with the illness.

“It's a chronic illness so it's not something that can be cured at the moment. There's hope that eventually through new technology that we might be able to come up with something that can at least help ease some of the symptoms. Right now all we have is management through the use of medications.”

Awareness is a key component to helping find ways to cope and potentially cure an invisible

illness.

“I'm trying to make people more aware of it.

The fact that we're in the middle of a pandemic and invisible illnesses like mine aren't seen makes it harder. Illnesses like mine aren't noticed at all. You can't tell I have an illness.

This condition needs more research and it also needs more people aware of the fact this is causing problems for children and it's a serious condition. I'm hoping to just draw more attention in general.”

Spolijarevic encourages people to read up on PFIC to help raise the awareness of a need for further research.

“The best way to research PFIC is through the internet. There's quite a few upcoming

projects and also projects that have come out in the last few years that are looking at different options for people with PFIC, whether it be medication or other solutions.

The current treatments available aren't that good. It's also about getting more funding and more people aware of it so that research can happen. Research doesn't happen unless people know that the condition exists.”

Spolijarevic says she’d like to see more conversations around chronic illnesses in general as well.

“I would encourage everyone reading this to not only learn more about PFIC but also maybe go online and talk with friends and family and

learn more about chronic illnesses in general. You'd be surprised how many people are affected by chronic illness and how

they manage it. The more attention we draw to it, the more we can treat people and find new research.”

Fortis to upgrades lines DaviD SelleS Pass Herald Reporter

FortisAlberta will continue with its electrical distribution system conversion in the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass starting in late August.

Communications Advisor, Mona Bartsoff, says the upgrades are necessary to ensure Fortis' entire system is aligned.

"We've purchased the distribution system in the area in 2016. We realized the system needed to be brought up to the same technology that would align with the rest of our distribution system so we're putting in new poles and new wires to accomplish that.

This will be Phase 3 of the upgrades in the Crowsnest Pass area."

In 2018, Phase 1 in3” wide volved the construction of

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ple aware of the work being done in their area.

"What we've decided to do is as we're doing the project we'll be putting up signs on the power poles that tell people we'll be working in the area.

Eventually we'll have gone through Blairmore and brought it up to the standard of the rest of our system."

Currently there is one crew working in the area but Bartsoff says there will be three crews working on this project shortly.

When the new power lines are built and before they are energized, those impacted by a power outage to energize the new line, will be contacted at least 72-hours in advance by phone.

Before work starts in an area, residents who will be affected will be contacted by Fortis. 3.75” "We would recommend that people who are wondering if Fortis has their correct contact info to call us at 403-310-9473 and make sure so residents will be aware of any power outages."

Weather permitting, this work will be completed by the end of November.

Bartsoff also says that potential emergencies in other parts of the grid could affect the length of this project as crews may be pulled to emergency outages.

If anyone has any questions or concerns, they11500 can contact 1000, - 35thFortis St SEat 403-310-9473.

a new power line on the north side of Highway 3 towards Blairmore's main street.

It aligned the system with FortisAlberta's electrical standards and created an alternate power source for Crowsnest Pass customers, ensuring reliability.

In 2019, Phase 2 involved replacing power lines and poles in Blairmore on the east of town between 18 and 19 Avenues and 132 and 135 Streets.

This year's work will also be in Blairmore.

"This year all of our work will be concentrated in several spots in Blairmore all south of the railway," said Bartsoff.

The project will be done in different sections over the next few months and Fortis will be providversion ing signage to make peo-

deerfootinn.com

reservations@dfic.ca

wid

Wednesday, Septemeber 2, 2020 - crowsnest pass HeraLD - 9

John Pundyk.CoM

Simply Selles

403

Musings from you local reporter

562-8830

Royal LePage South Country Real Estate Services Ltd. My first two weekends back in the Pass after holidays have been fantastic.

I’ve spent both weekends outdoors in different parts of the area.

My first weekend back was spent with two friends of mine as we hiked up Sentry Mountain.

That hike was a tough one but the views at the top were very rewarding.

The way up was steep and difficult.

Nearing the top we found a cave entrance off to the right and took some photos before carrying on up the mountain.

Once we reached the top we rested for while and took in the view.

One of my favourite parts of mountain hikes is what you get to see in comparison to being on the ground.

The massive mountain ranges on the other side of the mountain you can’t see from the highway are magnificent.

It was an amazing afternoon and evening.

Our hike down was adventurous as we hiked later in the day meaning we were heading down after sunset.

We all had our headlamps and enjoyed a fun and different experience than we were used to.

It was one of the harder hikes I’ve done but I’m glad I’m able to say I’ve climbed another of the mountains in the Crowsnest Pass.

My second weekend back was split between time in Lethbridge celebrating my nieces sixth birthday and hiking with my sister, brother-inlaw and their four kids.

I took them to Allison Creek Falls and we enjoyed our walk there together.

It was their first time walking to the falls and since the water was a little lower than earlier in the year we were able to climb up the falls a bit.

It was a great afternoon that was finished off with a stop at the Old Dairy Ice Cream Shoppe in Bellevue.

While this summer may be coming to an end, I hope to enjoy more time exploring the area in September and into next year as well.

There’s just so much to see!

WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE

Canadian Prairie Pickers are once again touring the area!

Paying Cash For Coin Collections, Silver & Gold Coins, Royal Can. Mint Sets.

Also Buying Gold Jewelry

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We purchase rolls, bags or boxes of silver coins

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jpundyk@shaw.ca

BelleVUe Stunning mountain acreage with municipal water and sewer. Year-round stream feeds spectacular fishpond, stocked with rainbow trout. 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. High ceilings with open floor plan. In floor heat and wood burning stove.

Large master bedroom with ensuite. 31’ x 26’ heated garage and 200 Amp power service. Paved driveway with RV parking. Greenhouse and garden. $935,000 CALL JOHN MLS

26 KananaSKIS coURT Spectacular south-facing mountain lot. Northside of the valley, off Alberta Forest Trunk Road, and Forest Reserve. Sun exposure all year round. Suitable for a walk-out bungalow looking towards the South Range and the Flathead. No timeline to start building. 1/3 acre with all required services: water, sewer, power, gas, cable, telephone. $127,000 CALL JOHN MLS

7 IRonSTone Immaculate one level condominium with an attached oversize single car garage and main floor laundry. This-two bedroom, two-bathroom Coleman home is south facing with beautiful mountain views, and a deck off the dining room for a BBQ. Central air and airy open floor plan with vaulted ceilings. Beautiful hardwood floor and granite counters. $319,000 CALL JOHN MLS

coleman Six bedroom, 5 bathroom home facing the Flat Head Mountain Range. Incredible views. 2 gas fireplaces. High ceilings 3 levels. Total of 4,544 sq. ft developed with 3,144 sq. ft above grade. South facing walkout basement. Large decks.

Two soaker tubs. 4 pc ensuite in the master bedroom. Two-piece ensuite in a bedroom on lower level. Laundry room on each floor.

Great for growing family and entertaining. Attached double car. $629,000 CALL JOHN MLS

HIllcReST Fantastic value for the most discriminating buyer. This very large 20' x 76' modular home was built in 2002.

Excellent location with fenced yard in Monte Vista Park. 3 bedroom, plus a large Bonus room. Brand new luxury vinyl plank flooring just installed. Bright, spacious kitchen.

Beautiful large deck and 12' x 16' outdoor shed. $114,900 CALL JOHN MLS

coleman Newly refreshed 2 bedroom, main floor apartment condominium. New flooring, paint and newer appliances. Unit is close to laundry room and steps from the backdoor to the parking lot. Affordable, high quality accommodations in beautiful Crowsnest Pass. $105,000 CALL JOHN MLS

coleman - This 3 Bedroom bungalow is located in the Nez Perce area of Coleman. Beautiful mountain views and open vistas to the sunrise. Newer high efficiency furnace and an attached garage with double driveway.

Large family room in basement.

Lower level features a hobby room, currently used as a workshop.

Affordable mountain property located close to a great trail network.

Crowsnest Pass offers small town mountain living at its best. $289,000 CALL JOHN MLS

BlaIRmoRe One of a kind historic brick home located on an extra-large corner lot in Blairmore. This five-bedroom, four-bathroom home was built in 1920 with brick.. Self-contained apartment on second level. Amazing decks and backyard. Huge lot. Possibility of building another home without compromising the existing living and outdoor spaces. 24’ x 38’ garage, large garden shed and fenced RV parking. Phenomenal value and potential. $499,000 CALL JOHN MLS

BelleVUe Fantastic opportunity for commercial location along busy Highway 3. East and West bound traffic access. Currently occupied as a successful fly-fishing shop, known to fly fishermen throughout Canada and the U.S. Can be sold as a business to someone wishing for a change of pace or for a property that can be re-purposed. C1 zoning allows for different opportunities. High traffic volume in front of the property. $435,000 CALL JOHN MLS

coleman Solid 2 bedroom home with a newer 16x26 garage. Located on corner lot, very sunny Coleman location. Great mountain views. Fenced yard and RV parking. Affordable mountain get-away or revenue property. Very solid foundation for home in this price range. Crowsnest Pass offers tremendous opportunity for mountain enthusiasts. $135,000 CALL JOHN MLS

PaSSBURG DRIVe Affordable 3 acre lot with a well. Perfect place for a modular home and a large shop. Short drive to Crowsnest Pass and world class recreational areas that include fly-fishing, backcountry hiking, skiing and sledding. Incredible mountain views. $145,000 + GST CALL JOHN MLS

lUnDBRecK HoTel Live and work next to magnificent Alberta Rockies in Lundbreck.

Large cinderblock building includes a restaurant, tavern, seven rooms, plus spacious manager's suite. 1.57 acres of land allows for plenty of parking. Large lawn. Huge garage.

Close to Crowsnest/Castle rec area. Affordable opportunity for a new lifestyle. $250,000 CALL JOHN MLS

WANTED

PRIme BUIlDInG loTS

UnDeRGRoUnD PoWeR SeRVIce anD all oTHeR UTIlITIeS

DEAD OR ALIVE

Timberline ridge in Bellevue offers a sunny location, beautiful mountain views and wide paved streets. These prime building lots are available at affordable prices, from $68,000 to $140,000. Large and fully serviced lots have underground power, easy topography, and are ready for the spring building season. Crowsnest Pass offers unparalleled value in the Canadian Rockies. Active, friendly community. CALL JOHN FOR MORE INFORMATION MLS

Canadian Prairie Pickers

24 IRonSTone

4-bedroom, 3-bathroom, bungalow with vaulted ceilings and open floor plan. Hardwood flooring, alder wood cabinets and quartz counters. Stainless steel appliances and gas fireplace. Master suite with large walk-in closet and 3-piece bathroom. Double car garage. Main floor laundry hookups and downstairs laundry. Spacious family room downstairs with wide stairway. Ample parking and beautiful green space. $334,000 CALL JOHN MLS

are once again touring the area!

Paying Cash For Coin Collections, Silver & Gold Coins, Royal Can. Mint Sets.

Also Buying Gold Jewelry

$ $

$

We purchase rolls, bags or boxes of silver coins

$ $

$

KananaSKIS WIlDS

South facing, stunning mountain views and mature douglas fir trees. Great building site. All services, including water, sewer and high speed internet at property. Special mountain community, northside of the valley above Coleman, just off Kananaskis Hwy. Beautiful 1/3 of an acre fully serviced lot. $119,000 CALL JOHN MLS

PAYING HIGHEST PRICES

PAYING HIGHEST PRICES

To arrange a free, discrete in-home visit

To arrange a free, discrete in-home visit

call Kellie at 1-778-257-8647

call Kellie at 1-778-257-8647

Bonded since 1967

Bonded since 1967

New ShowhomeS

10 – Crowsnest Pass HeraLD – Wednesday, September 2, 2020

ChrIS' reStaUrant For Rent

Services

To inquire about the availability of an apartment for rent in Blairmore call 403-562-8144.

Is alcohol affecting your life? Alcoholics Meeting are Wednesdays and Sundays at 7:00 pm at the Lion’s Club, 12130 Ave. Blairmore.

1-TFN

1 TFN/NC

AWNA CLASSIFIEDS Employment Opportunities BLANKET THE PROVINCE with a classified ad. Only $269 (based on 25 words or less).

Reach 90 weekly newspapers.

Call NOW for details. 1-800-2826903 Ext 4; www.awna.com.

Feed and Seed PINTAIL WINTER WHEAT. Extremely hardy, very high yielding, Awnless. Excellent for Forage or Grain. Low Inputs - High Profits.

Call 403-556-2609 or text 403994-2609; mastinseeds.com.

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, 1-877-2505252.

For Sale INTEGRITY POST FRAME BUILDINGS since 2008 BUILT WITH CONCRETE POSTS. Barns, Shops, Riding Arenas, Machine Sheds and more, sales@integritybuilt.com 1-8669 7 4 - 7 6 7 8 www.integritybuilt.com.

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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.

1-844-453-5372.

Services DO YOU NEED TO TELL THE PUBLIC SOMETHING RIGHT NOW and would like this message seen across Alberta. The Blanket Classifieds or Value Ads reach over 600,000 Alberta readers weekly. For as little as $269.00 + GST for a blanket classified or $995 for a Value Ad, get your message out! Business changes, the need for staff, items for sale, cancellations, Tendersµ. As people are increasingly staying home, they will rely on this information even more to stay informed in your area and across the province.

KEEP people in the loop. The 89 Weekly Community Newspapers can help. Call this newspaper NOW or email classifieds@awna.com for details. 1-800-282-6903, 780-4348746 X4. www.awna.com.

First Choice Property Management is currently seeking a property manager/maintenance worker to manage our apartment building and town houses This position requires a team player that is detailed oriented, possess strong leadership skills with good communication and decision capabilities.

The successful candidate MUST be knowledgeable of the Residential Tenancy Act (RTA). Computer skills and proficiency (emails, Microsoft office suite) is required.

Key responsibilities include but not limited to: Managing rental procedures for residents which includes inspecting, advertising vacant suites and schedule viewings with prospective tenants.

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Obituary

Part-time Dishwasher

apply with resumé & references 7802-17th ave., Coleman • 403-563-3093

In memory of

Ken StenSOn

Time slips by and life goes on But from our hearts you’re never gone We think of things you used to say And all that you would do We think about you always We talk about you too We have so many memories But we wish we still had you Love you Papa Mary, Diane, Dale, Melisa, Caleb & Ryker

WILHELM “WILLY” WENISCH August 20, 1935 ~ August 17, 2020 It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Willy Wenisch on August 17, 2020 only three days before his 85th birthday.

Willy was born in Schwabhausen, Germany on August 20, 1935 to parents, Anna and Josef. In 1951, he moved to Canada with his parents and brother, Joe where they worked on the family farm together. Willy relocated to the Crowsnest Pass in the mid1950s where he gained employment as a labourer with the Burmis Lumber Company. He was soon promoted to heavy equipment operator, notably their D6 CAT dozer. Also around this time, Willy won the heart of a lovely young lady, Marie Hill. The happy couple married on August 24, 1957 and went on to be blessed with two wonderful children, Sheila and Michael.

Willy and Marie owned and operated Wenisch Contracting Ltd., a successful logging business with various pieces of heavy equipment that was incorporated on October 20, 1969. Willy had an incredible work ethic and was renowned for his skill as a dozer operator. Building roads was his specialty and he left his mark on many places in the area such as the mines at Coleman Collieries and Tent Mountain. Although logging was his passion, after Marie passed away in 2009, Willy transitioned his business to excavating, etcetera and it remains successful to this day thanks to the skills he passed on to his son, Michael and his grandson, Chad. He taught them to work as a team and how to accomplish every endeavour.

Willy was a character – he worked hard and, in his younger years, played hard, too. There are many stories to be told about him and they all include lots of laughs and good times. Willy loved horses – at one time owning twentyfive mini horses with Sheila, and he raised various kinds of exotic birds when he held an odd and unusual bird license. He was a very generous man who would lend anything to anyone and he was always ready to lend a helping hand. Willy did things his way and made no apologies for being himself. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

Left to mourn his passing and celebrate his life is his daughter, Sheila (Jerry) Kumiszczo of Hillcrest AB; his son, Michael (Aline) Wenisch of Cowley AB; his grandchildren, Dakoda (Dan) Kuftinoff, Derrek (Alex) Wenisch, Kyla (Robbie) Reid, Chad Kumiszczo, Nicholle (Dustin) Auger, Courtney (Darren) Furtado and Shantele Wenisch; his great grandchildren, Drake, Mikka and Mila; as well as his extended family and a multitude of friends.

He was predeceased by his wife, Marie Wenisch in 2009; his father, Josef in 1979; his mother, Anna (Shotz) in 1980; and his brother, Joe in 1984.

A Private Service will be held at Fantin’s Funeral Chapel. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations will be gratefully accepted by the Alzheimer’s Society (#306, 10430 – 61 Ave. Edmonton, AB T6H 2J3, or www.alzheimer.ca), or the Kidney Foundation (6007 – 1A St. SW Calgary, AB T2H 0G5, or www.kidney.ca). Condolences may be registered at www.fantinsfuneralchapel.ca.

Fantin’s Funeral Chapel entrusted with the arrangements. (403) 562-8555

In memory of my Brother

Ken StenSOn

I MISS YOU

I cried the day you passed away, I still cry today, Although I loved you dearly, I couldn't make you stay.

Your golden heart stopped beating, hard working hands at rest, God broke my heart to prove to me He only takes the best.

Forever in our hearts, Your Sister Jean and Charlie.

Wednesday, September 2, 2020 - crowsnest pass HeraLD - 11

1-403-634-4956 Coin Certification Coin Grading Collection Appraisals Estate Appraisals

A&K Self StorAge Located in the Frank Industrial Park

Units range in size from 5' x 10', 10' x 10', 10' x 15', 10' x 20', sea can 8' x 20' and a 12' x 20' building with auto garage door.

Units are finished inside with hard board or plywood and freshly painted.

Some units are inside chain link fenced area. All units have interior lighting.

Area is secured by exterior lighting.

Residential & Commercial Excavating Landscaping • Snow Removal

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summit storage • Secured by Video • Dry & Clean • 24 hr Access • Caretaker on Site • 1280 CU Ft. 8x8x20 • Free Local Transport to Storage • RV Storage • Water Available

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Real Estate Centre

Crowsnest

t&s self storage

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Units in Frank Industrial Park

5’x10’ • 10’x10’ • 10’x15’ • 10’x20’

Call 403-563-8384 - availability & Prices

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12 – CROWSNEST PASS hERAld – Wednesday, September 2, 2020

A Special Proposal

ProPerty for Sale

2033-135 Street, Blairmore • 1977 14 X 68 mobile home in good condition • Nice east Blairmore lot - 60 feet wide by 90 feet long • 3 bedrooms – 1 bathroom • Large new 10 X 20 ft. attached storage room Very good Blairmore location. Excellent revenue property or summer cottage. Plenty of room with lots of parking front and back - cars, boats, RV’s. Kid’s playground and school bus stop across the street.

Crowsnest River and walking path at the backdoor.

Recently reduced to $105,000.

Price is firm. Cash sale only.

Call 403.829.3091 anytime • EMNZL@SHAW.CA

MLS LD0158618

Bellevue Underground Mine played host to a unique proposal this week.

Dustin Crowe dropped to one knee inside the historic mine and asked Britt Odegard to marry him. The couple has been dating for a year and a half and felt it was the right time to take their next step together.

Crowe is from Kimberly BC and his family has a history in mining, which is where the idea came from for an underground proposal.

“My family being from Kimberly, my grandfather was foreman of a mine there for 30 plus years and my father spent 40 years as a miner as well. It runs in the blood. I am a geology graduate from the University of Alberta. Geology and mining has always been in the history of my family.”

Odegard is from Calgary so the Crowsnest Pass serves as a sort of middle point for the couple to meet, which is why this was the location.

“This has always been a cool area for us because it's the Crowsnest Highway meets the Cowboy Trail and we'd never done it before so that's where the idea came from.”

Odegard says she had no idea the proposal was coming.

“I did not see it coming at all. Sometimes I try and ruin Dustin's surprises before he even does them. I was literally shaking the whole time. Everything felt like it was a regular tour. There was nothing ever in my brain where I thought this was going to be the moment. That's exactly what I wanted. It's like a dream. The amount of work that went into this astounds me.”

The couple is currently aiming for a 2021 wedding and will be looking into venues in the Crowsnest Pass as their potential wedding location.

PHOTOS BY SYDNEY BOHMER

2 – 90th anniversarY Crowsnest Pass heraLD – Wednesday, September 2, 2020

The Crowsnest Pass Herald th

90

AnniversAry

Serving the people of the Crowsnest Pass for 90 years.

Allied HArdwAre Blairmore 403-562-8844

~ Celebrating 90 Years ~ LiSa Sygutek Pass Herald Publisher It just seems like yesterday we rented the Lions Pride Hall in Blairmore to celebrate the 80th Anniversary of the Pass Herald. I

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remember vividly sitting around the table with Gail and Buddy and my father Willy. Betty was there along with Mike and Nathen our reporter. People came in droves and visited with us and celebrated the milestone of our business.

Today I write a story about the Pass Herald 10 years later. I no longer have Buddy, Gail or Willy, but I still have Mike and Betty and we’ve added David to the group. We can’t have an open house because of COVID, but I can celebrate the fact that we are still here in the Crowsnest Pass, 90 years of history we have made and are making.

My mom became partners with Buddy when I

Congratulations to the Pass Herald on Celebrating 90 years of news in the Crowsnest Pass!

was a baby. I grew up under my mom’s desk pretending to answer the phones, “Pass Herald, Lisa speaking�. I still say it today and sometimes I remember those days and do a secret smile to myself.

We’ve had the paper in different places throughout the Pass. We were first housed in the old Riversdale building across from the Greenhill Hotel, then we moved to the building presently housing the gymnastics program. My parents at that time opened up a Honda Dealership, selling Pick-A-Pop and running the office out of the back room. We then moved to the Mall in Blairmore across from Scotiabank where we had Crowsnest Registries. Our fourth office was in the building beside Garry’s Barbershop and today we are in beside John’s Barber Shop.

When I was around 10 I started delivering the Pass Herald door to door. My dad would pick me up from school and we would start my paper route. I would often sit in the back of his red and white Ford with a bundle of papers, jumping over the edge and running up to the houses.

When I hit my teens I started inserting flyers every week. Buddy was a tyrant about the flyers, they had to face a certain way and be folded into the paper in a certain fashion.

Being Gail’s daughter, we would have blow-ups, I would quit and walk home but somehow I always showed up the next week.

In 1999 when Keiran was 9 months old we had an employee walk out of

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the office. My sister was working at the time in the registries and my parents were in Vegas. Dee Dee asked me to come help out at work, so I packed up my son, threw in a jolly jumper and off to help I went.

Twenty-one years later I’m still here.

Sometimes I wonder why. I don’t make a ton of money, I work pretty hard and I keep trying to save what many perceive to be a dying industry.

I guess I do it because I really believe in what a newspaper represents. We are the last voice of the people, the document history of the community and we are the check and balance about news in the community. Buddy loved this place more then I can put into words and I guess sometimes I stay because I promised him I would.

I have been sued once and I lost. I have worked countless nights and cried.

I have stuffed flyers until my hands were black, but I will tell you every time I walk into this building on a Wednesday morning and I smell the paper, still slightly wet, my heart does a little flutter.

I applied for and attended the Alberta Weekly Newspaper Association presentation for my mother’s Silver Quill for 25 years in our industry and I made sure Buddy was recognized for his Golden Quill for over 50. I ran for and won a seat as a member of his prestigious organization and sit on the governance committee. I have spoken on CBC about the role of rural newspapers in this country and I

have met with the Government of Alberta to tell them why newspapers matter.

We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you the readers. Whether it’s the Bricks and Bouquets, my editorials, the fantastic stories from Avner and John or David’s reporting, you are still reading the Pass Herald. Each week over 2000 people read the paper.

When people ask what I do for a living I tell them that I own a newspaper and you know I still feel a sense of pride.

When Buddy first died it was hard to walk into the office. Now I come in and look at photos of Buddy and my mom and hope they are proud. I smile at them and thank them for giving me an opportunity few get. I get to work for myself and I get to have a voice. Recently I was invited as a guest speaker at the University of Lethbridge to talk as a woman about business, generations and politics. I never would have been afforded this opportunity had I not worked in this field. Every Monday night as I lay the paper to bed I remember the wise words of Buddy who once told me, “Lisa never forget the power of the press. You will always have the last word because you buy your ink by the barrel�. It’s a mighty sword to wield and yet I will continue as have the generations before me. So please take a moment to celebrate the 90th Anniversary of the Pass Herald, the second oldest business in the beautiful Crowsnest Pass.

Chris’ restaurant

Coleman

Coleman 403-562-3093

Coleman 403-563-3242

Wednesday, September 2, 2020 - 90tH AnniversArY Crowsnest PAss HerALD - 3

The Crowsnest Pass Herald th

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Serving the people of the Crowsnest Pass for 90 years.

A brief history of the Crowsnest Pass Herald Herald Staff

The paper was founded in 1930 by O.A. Botter, who was a station agent for the Canadian Pacific Railway in Blairmore. The newspaper was one of several operating in the area at the time, and aimed to serve all of the various communities

five times a week, and was printed on 8.5 Xx14 inch coloured paper.

Eventually the page size was increased to the standard tabloid size it remains today, 11X17 inches.

The Herald adopted a twice-per-week publishing schedule that it retained for many years,

On June 7, 2017, Lisa Sygutek accepts a Quill for Buddy Slapak and Gail Sygutek who both were recognized for 67 and 47 years in the newspaper industry.

located within the valley.

The communities in the Crowsnest Pass were, and would be for the next 50 years, separate entities.

The Pass Herald would report on multiple town council meetings school board meetings, and the special events in each of the communities.

Originally, the Pass Herald was published

finally settling on a weekly Tuesday publication date.

Numerous owners and partners ran the newspaper over its first two decades, including Harold Pinkney, of F.M. Thompson Company Ltd. in Blairmore. Shortly after the Second World War, the Herald was purchased by Elmer Thomp-

Fantin’s

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Funeral Chapel

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son, who invented the well-know Thompson Chain Delivery. Thompson published the paper for a short time before selling to Trevor Slapak and Harry Draper in 1951.

Trevor Slapak, known about town as Buddy, bought Draper’s share of the business in 1952 and became the sole owner.

He remained with the paper until his death, the longest standing newspaper editor in Canada.

Trevor’s father, Charlie Slapak, ran the press with Trevor, and the paper was printed in a Chief 24 Offset press.

At one time in the early 1970s, the Pass Herald owned a complete job printing shop that survived until the age of computers. In time, computers replaced all of the printing and production operation.

During tough times in the late 1970s, Trevor attempted to sell the business but failed, and considered closing it. The Pass Promoter, recently established in the community and then owned

by Rick Gillis, was offered the Herald for $5000, but declined, instead deciding to use the money to buy a new camera.

Pass resident Gail Sygutek stepped forward and purchased half of the business in 1977, buying new printing equipment as well. The new partners shared many of the newspaper’s duties, with Gail

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originally handling production duties before shifting into a role as publisher. Both Trevor and Gail remained owners of the Pass Herald until their deaths. Gail passed away on November 8, 2015, Trevor passed away on Feburary 14, 2017. Lisa Sygutek was gifted the business by both Trevor and Gail and remains the publisher and owner today.

During its heyday the paper was delivered door to door in the Crowsnest Pass by as many as 27 carriers, at a cost of 25 per week.

Today, with 90 years of history behind it, the Pass Herald is the only locally owned and operated newspaper in the Crowsnest Pass and employs 3 full time and 7 part-time employees. The Pass Promoter shut the doors on August 28, 2013 after 40 years. The shortlived Crowsnest Pass Free Press lasted until September 25, 2013 after 47 weeks in publication.

The Pass Herald continues to publish a weekly newspaper focusing on daily life and issues in the Crowsnest Pass. Through life as a small, local busi-

newspaper hopes that with the support of the community it can continue to chronicle local events for many years to come.

Happy 90

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anniversary pass Herald!

ness is never easy, the

Congratulations from your Royal LePage Team!

John Pundyk - 403-562-8830 Sonya Coccioloni - 403-563-0139 Bill Field - 403-563-0128

Congrats Crowsnest Pass Herald!

90 years strong; You are an inspiration to our business sector!

4 – 90TH anniversary crowsnesT Pass HeraLD – Wednesday, September 2, 2020

The Crowsnest Pass Herald th

90

AnniversAry

Serving the people of the Crowsnest Pass for 90 years.

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The Pass Herald celebrates 90 years of local news Herald Staff When you think about it, it’s really quite amazing that the Crowsnest Pass Herald is celebrating its 90 anniversary this summer.

How long is 90 years?

It is higher then the average life expectancy of a Canadian citizen, which means that there aren’t many people left who remember when the Pass Herald opened its doors in 1930. It makes us the second oldest business in the community, behind only Morency Plumbing and Heating which started in

1909.

How long is 90 years?

The Pass Herald was here, reporting on local news and events from the multiple communities that made up this area, during the Great Depression, when Highway 3 was constructed, and when Blairmore elected a Communist town council. We were here when brave locals marched off to serve our country during the Second World War, and we were here when the survivors returned. The Pass Herald was here during mine closures and though hard economic times. We were here when all of the current schools were built, when the hospital was constructed, when amalgamation brought the towns together. We were here when the Coleman Opera House burned to the ground, when floods washed across the land, and when the Lost Creek fire menaced the community. We were here with the industry when it went into crisis mode when social media took the majority of advertising revenue from print news. We are hear when the world shut

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down with COVID-19 In short, 90 years is a long time for a locally owned and operated business to survive in a small town, but here we are, and here we intend to stay.

We couldn’t let such a special occasion pass by without taking the time to acknowledge these nine decades of history. A great part of the Pass Herald’s history can be attributed to previous owners Trevor Slapak and Gail Sygutek. but we must also recognize and pay thanks to the hundreds of others who, in roles large and small, have contributed to the newspaper’s success over the years.

We also thank you – yes, you. You are the readers, the advertisers, and the subscriber. You have written letters to the editor, picked our paper up in the local stores, and shared your morning coffee with our articles. Some of you have been with us for decades, and others have only recently joined us as we chronicle the life and times of Crowsnest Pass.

We want you to know that we value each and everyone of you, and hope you

will continue to support us as we move into the future.

The Pass Herald has come a long way in 90 years, after all. From single page printed locally on a Gestetner printer to a Multilith 1250 and then a Chief 24, thorough to the age of computers and the Internet, we have adapted and improved. Though it all, however, our mission remains the same, a focus on covering local issues, events, and opinions, from one end of the Crowsnest Pass to the other.

We invite you to take a look through the following pages, as we explore the history of the Crowsnest Pass Herald and the many important community issues and happenings that our newspaper has covered over the past 90 years.

We thank the many local businesses and individuals who have contributed their congratulatory messages to this commemorative issue, and the many former employees who have phoned or stopped to see us during the buildup to this occasion. Thank you, everyone. Here’s to 90 more.

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Wednesday, September 2, 2020 - 90TH anniversary crowsnesT Pass HeraLD - 5

The Crowsnest Pass Herald th

90

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Serving the people of the Crowsnest Pass for 90 years.

The Pass Herald was here....

1960 - The West End School in Blairmore closes, and Isabelle Sellon School opens its doors.

1961 - The Bellevue Mine and the Greenhill Mine are closed by West Canadian Collieries. They had not been in operation since 1957.

1962 – Famous Crowsnest Pass photographer Thomas Gushul passes away. The M.D. McEachern school opens its doors, while the Hillcrest School closes down.

1963 – The Cameron School in Coleman closes, and Horace Allen School is opened. Clemence Jepson is elected as mayor in Bellevue, and becomes Alberta’s first female mayor.

1964 – The Empire Hotel in Coleman, which was built in 1904, burns down.

1967 – Charley Drain is elected MLA for the area, and would be reelected in 1971.

1968 – The Frank post office is closed.

1969 – The Sentinel power plant ceases operation.

1970 – The Crowsnest Consolidated High School opens its doors, while the Blairmore Central School is closed. In Coleman, the lone-running Coleman Journal ceases publication.

Henry Lee, a pioneer in the area who is credited with discovering the sulphur springs in Frank and whose father once reportedly owned title to the entire land of Crowsnest Pass, passes away at the age of 94.

1973 – The Rinke and Sons Lumber Company is formed in Burmis.

1975 – Fred Bradley is

elected MLA for Pincher Creek-Crowsnest. A small earthquake shakes the area.

1976 – Jerry Rejman is elected Mayor of Coleman.

He would go on to be elected the first mayor of the amalgamated Municipality of Crowsnest Pass three years later.

1977 – The Crowsnest Mall opens for business in Blairmore.

1978 – The strip mine at Racehorse Creek is closed, as is the Vicary Mine. The Frank Slide is designated an official historical site.

1979 – Blairmore, Coleman, Hillcrest, Bellevue, Frank, and Improvement District No. 5 amalgamate to form the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass.

1981 – Charbonnier House, the mansion formerly used by the manager of Western Canadian Coal in Blairmore, is demolished to allow for the construction of a provincial building.

1983 – Coleman Collieries shuts down the last of its operations. The last session is held in the old provincial court house.

1985 – The Frank Slide Interpretive Centre opens.

The Crowsnest Pass Historical Society acquired the former Coleman High School building to use as a museum.

1988 – The Olympic Torch goes through the Crowsnest Pass on its way to the Winter Olympics in Calgary.

1989 – The Municipality takes control of the old hospital which was to become the Crowsnest Learning Centre, as a new

hospital had been built nearby in Blairmore.

1995 – The Nippon Institute to Technology purchases the old Blairmore courthouse. Floods cause problems throughout the area.

1997 – Rinke and Sons Lumber Company in Burmis closes its doors.

1998 – The Turtle Mountain Playground in Frank is demolished.

1999 – The Holy Spirit Church in Coleman and the St. Cyrll’s Roman Catholic Church in Bellevue are closed. The Bellevue Arena is demolished.

2003 – The Lost Creek Fire flares up south of the Pass, burning for nearly a month and forcing the evacuation of Hillcrest and south Blairmore before it was contained in mid-August.

2008 – Pass Herald owner Gail Sygutek is awarded the Order of Crowsnest Pass for many years of public service to the community.

2011 – Residents celebrate the Blairmore Centennial.

2012 – Council makes a decision to cancel Thunder in the Valley citing growing costs as the major reason why.

2013 – The Coleman’s Senior Centre was restored. Then MLA Pat Stier cut the ribbon at the opening.

2014 – The Centennial Anniversary of the Hillcrest Mine Disaster.

2015 – A train carrying crude has two cars derail in Frank. No serious damage caused. Publisher Gail Sygutek passes away after a lengthy illness with ALS. 2017 – Canada cele-

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brates 150 years and the Crowsnest Museum opens their APP Barracks. Editor Buddy Slapak passes away.

2018 – Publisher Lisa Sygutek ran for council and won a seat.

2019 – The Municipality completes the Downtown Coleman Revitalization Project. The project saw major upgrades to roads and infrastructure.

2020 – 100 year anniversary of the only armed train robbery in Canada just outside Coleman. The Pass Herald also celebrates its 90th anniversary.

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Crowsnest Community support soCiety

Five rivers pizza

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CONGRATULATIONS

Congratulations on serving the Crowsnest Pass Area for 90 years.

6 – 90th anniversary Crowsnest Pass heraLD – Wednesday, September 2, 2020

The Crowsnest Pass Herald th

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Serving the people of the Crowsnest Pass for 90 years.

Coverage and controversy: the role of a small town paper Herald Staff

Come closer, and I’ll tell you the nest kept secret in town.

The Crowsnest Pass Herald, believe it or not, is not and has never been universally popular among every day local residents.

All right, so it’s not exactly a secret. Throughout it’s 90-year history, the Pass Herald has seen and been a part of its share of controversy. The

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Herald has had differences of opinion with more than one politician or decision maker over the years, and has at times suffered either financially or in local opinion circles because of it.

There is, of course, that old variation on the Abraham Lincoln quote – you can please all the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time. I could simply throw that at you and be finished. How-

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ever, I think it goes a lot deeper than that, and touches on the fundamental issue of the role of a newspaper in a small community.

When I started working at the Pass Herald in 1999 I realized very quickly that this paper carried with it a long tradition of having an opinion.

That tradition continues to this day, and I’d like to help you understand why.

As a publisher, part of my job is to make sure we present local issues as impartially as we are able, giving space to both sides of any disagreement (and there have been many). I know that there will be people who will accuse a newspaper of bias if any space at all is given to a person or viewpoint they dislike, but that doesn’t bother me because those sort of people are everywhere.

frank slide liquor

Pass automotive

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This newspaper’s articles provide both sides of council debates and other issues whenever possible.

However straight factual coverage is not the only job of a newspaper.

There are two things that readers of any paper should be aware of.

The first is that the employees of newspapers are residents of their community in the same way anyone else is. They are invested in the well-being of the area and desire a future for the area as much as anyone else.

When all the factual, even-sided coverage is complete, they are still local residents who hold opinions about the issues they listen to and investigate every week.

Newspapers, large and small, contain sections that are devoted to these opinions. In the

case of letters to the editor, these are the opinions of the readers in the case of editorials and columns, these are the opinions of readers; in the case of editorials and columns, and these are the opinions of the newspaper’s employees and guest writers.

Opinions are a natural part of human living and society, and no one has to agree with anyone else’s.

The second thing is that these opinions matter, especially at the local level. On the federal and provincial level, there are numerous opinion related checks and balances established related to politics and decision-making. The opposition criticizes the government; unions criticize companies; watch dog groups criticize corporations.

Cont’d on pg. 7

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Wednesday, September 2, 2020 - 90th anniversary Crowsnest Pass heraLD - 7

The Crowsnest Pass Herald th

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Serving the people of the Crowsnest Pass for 90 years.

Coverage and controversy: the role of a small town paper cont’d from pg. 6 On the level of local politics and government, opposition parties do not typically exist. In small towns especially, the local media is in a unique position to observe the town’s politics and provide opinions to the public about decisions that are made.

Those decisions ultimately and rightly fall upon the town’s elected representatives, as does the responsibility for any consequences. A small town paper, however, should never be afraid to criticize those decisions, to bring opinions on the issues before the public, and to speak its mind.

I would argue that such criticism is not only important, but that it is central to the role that a small town paper can, should, and must perform.

It’s no secret that being critical has cost the Pass Herald a certain amount of revenue throughout its history and perhaps even more so in modern times when, surely by coincidence, councillors once critical of the paper are the same ones who voted in favour of tendering out municipal advertising, a move that at the time harmed both papers.

To put it plainly, the Pass Herald would have made a lot of more money over the years if it had closed its mouth, kept quiet, and refused to offer opinions or criticism on local happenings.

We haven’t done those things, and we don’t plan to. This isn’t because we are hateful people and it isn’t be-

cause we sit around planning how best to make people angry. It’s simply because we are Crowsnest Pass residents with opinions to share, people who care as much as anyone else, and it is simply because criticism is health.

This is a role that all small town papers should play. We in the media must always live up to our obligations to provide timely, factual reports of current events, but we must never lose sight of our position as critics of

local policy and direction.

If something cannot stand up to a little criticism, after all, one must wonder why it deserves to stand at all.

For the past 90 years, the Pass Herald has not only been a lens on the community, it has also been a voice, stirring debate and forcing discussion on issues that might otherwise have been left alone or taken for granted. As we move into the future, we promise to keep talking.

Trevor “Bud” Slapak, editor of the Pass Herald passed away February 14, 2017.

We won’t please everyone all the time, but we probably wouldn’t be doing our job if we did.

The best analogy regarding owning a newspaper came from Buddy when I took over the paper, he told me, “Lisa remember the power of the press and sometimes you need to remind people that you never get into a fight with a woman who buys her ink by the barrel. You will always have the last word, use that power wisely.”

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8 – 90Th anniversarY crowsnesT Pass heraLD – Wednesday, September 2, 2020

Looking Back

Given that the Pass Herald is celebrating and commemorating its remarkable 90 years of publication, I thought it might be interesting to step back into my column archives with the paper and revisit the myriad of stories that have been foisted on you the reader. An overview of a decade’s worth of Looking Back, if you like.

While some refer to me as a historian I think maybe I might be more of an elaborate storyteller, a weaver of tales, so to speak. I do go to some research depth on stories but not to the level of a true historian such as the respected Ian McKenzie. So while I have been writing now for 14 years for the Herald, it is only in the last 10 years that my columns have been permanently posted in a special on-line archive.

What say we dip into this archived collection and wade around in the veritable cornucopia of woven stories therein.

I usually average about 22 columns a year which is a lot of research, even if I am just skimming the surface. Inevitably it is the stories of local interest that seem to garner the most feedback. When I get up close and personal, do family histories or my own recollections, these pieces seem to resonate the best. If I ever do a book, it will definitely go in this direction.

The first year of posted archives, in 2009, my topics were all over the map, topic-wise. A lot of the stories had war aspects to them, like the 1942 Japanese submarine attack on a West Coast lighthouse (War on Our Doorstep) a piece on the atomic bombs (Little Boy and Fat Man Revisited) the history of the swastika (Reclaiming a Spiritual Symbol) Valour at Sea – Canada’s Merchant Navy story, and a piece on the fall of the German Reichmark after 1919.

That last one got reworked 10 years later in the 2019 issues because around 2015 I was allowed to post a lot more pictures on line and in the printed version, so I got to show off my collection of post World War One Reichmarks.

In 2010 the columns with local flavour included: how coal was cleaned at Greenhills Mine in 1930, a tribute to Coleman’s volunteer firemen, a look back to 1960 with memories of hanging around Nez Perce Creek as a kid, some Orpheum Theater history and my favourite, “Set ‘Em Up Again Kid” about the hazards of pin setting at Carl’s pool hall in downtown Coleman. I also got to acknowledge Martin Hruby and Jack Doddsley’s tragic loss in 1983 in the accursed BC Coal hydraulic coal mine.

The year 2011 got to be a real hodge podge with the local pieces touching on Thomas Gushul, my memories of bucking coal at Vicary Mine, looking back at the 2005 September snowstorm blackout here, some interesting museum stories and an exploration of the zinc smelter in Frank. My favourite of that year was called Children of the Plane Crash and profiled the relatives that came to visit the DC-3 Dakota remains and place a plaque on behalf of Senior Officer William Sealey. Sealey perished along with 6 others in that 1946 tragedy. I have since acquired a letter from a pilot who flew the same day, one flight ahead of Sealey, and who offers his theory on what happened. Perhaps I should get that out there someday as it is significant.

2012 had a bit of local flavour including a piece of fascinating history called, The Bells of Holy Trinity Church. Those beautiful historic bells stand outside the church as a symbol of its unification into one place, just like the Crowsnest Pass did. I wrote about helping an Australian retrace his grandfather’s footsteps to Corbin and introduced everyone to Mrs. Mundie’s scrapbooks. Mary Mundie’s clippings are fabulous and I will continue to dip into them to profile local stories from 1964 till the year 2000. I also reminded everyone that Thomas Blakiston missed our Pass in 1858 in a piece called, The Discovery of the Crowsnest Pass (Almost) and followed up with a story on his naming of Gould Dome and its subsequent renaming as Tornado Mountain in 1915.

2013- The year of the flood. I photographed the action early that morning from Hillcrest to the lakes and it was spectacular. Almost got arrested trying to get the front page shot at the washed out CPR crossing. I wrote about how the Americans bullshitted the Argo storyline, German POW’s in Canada, the story of the bouncing bomb and stiffed a few people with my April Fool’s piece entitled, Who was Loof Von Lirpa? The story of Randy Fabro and I running the US border (Eureka and Back-Just Barely) got a lot of feedback but the one that really resonated with people, near and far, was one called, Tales from the House on the Hill.

I even got an email from a retired nurse in Alaska.

2014 was also a year for local stories of interest. I profiled Chris and Nini Peressini, found a long thought missing small locomotive from Hillcrest in Moosejaw (The Little Engine That Could) explored the Sleepee Teepee motel story and the history of the Roxy Theater. That was the year we commemorated Hillcrest’s 100th and Steve Hanon, Myriah Sagrafena and myself coordinated an aerial drone shot of 189 kids at Horace Allen school spelling out the number 189.

It was like herding cats getting them together but it was a spectacular shot.

2015- More war stories, this time about how horrific tunnel warfare was in World War One (A Nightmare at Mount Sorrel) and the follow up piece called, A Mountain, a Major and a Tunneling Company. It reveals how Mount Coulthard was named, a peak that our publisher, now a climbing maniac, went up this summer. Locally I visited the old lime kilns (The Cycle of Lime) and Il Bosc- Stories from East Bushtown. In that one you can learn about Duke Scodellaro, a fabulous hockey player that is credited with developing the very first goal-glove blocker.

2016 – Year of the Watershed. I spent a huge amount of time researching all the watersheds in our area and ran a five column profile of them complete with maps. It gives a real educational overview on how important these drainages are. All the way to the Hudson’s Bay! Again the focus this year was mostly local with stories about my connection to that Alaska nurse (An Outsiders Perspective) a piece on my remarkable Grandmother, who lived to 104 (Katie Agnes Photos frop top: Jack Doddsley's marker at Passburg, and Alexander Selkirk) high school graduation memories and a piece called Growing Up on Six Street which has an Plaque places at DC-3 plane crash site by family, Cast ending that still touches me and hopefully you if you chose to check it out again.

2017- I bought every book about the Prince of Wales Hotel and did a three part series on its history. Thank God it bells at Holy Trinity- a fascinating history, CPR bridge wiped out in east Blairmore, 189 kids from Horace Allen survived the Waterton fire because it is an iconic structure. Locally I revisited the 1923 and 1948 floods here and the honor the Hillcrest men lost. near miss grass fire in October that shut Coleman down and left us without power and ready for evacuation. There are 12 great images that you can see on line with this story entitled, In the Absence of Light – There Was Fire. I was also lucky enough to meet and interview Joey Coccioloni before he passed and tell his story, Tales of a York Creek Trapper.

2018 – I really got caught up in a couple of local stories, one on Frantisek Vejr (Frank Wejr) from Frank which ran four parts and the Kerr Legacy here in the Pass which ran three parts. I still have one more Kerr part to go to finish up the story on the one and only Kay Kerr and family. Lots of great on-line pictures with these projects. I also got swept up in the dambusters story again with two stories and revealed a local connection (Daniel Revie Walker) to this remarkable piece of history. My wife and daughter actually stood on one of the surviving dams in Germany and I got really weirded out when I discovered that a flight sergeant named John Kinnear was killed on that mission. Go figure.

2019 – This year started with the cancer discovery in Lorraine’s kidney on her 80th birthday and got worse in late October when a ct scan revealed its après surgery spread.

I persevered through this using the column as a distraction. So again, a four part series on one of my favourite people –Gunter Koci. It is the definitive story of coming to Canada and building a new life. A Long Journey into Happiness was another two part series on the Marietta Mancini story which touched me deeply. Sometimes it takes a few columns to do a story justice.

All in all the stories are what I hope you the readers have enjoyed. There are well over 220 of them on line and I invite you to dabble in whatever interests you in the on-line archives. I’m just connecting the dots here in the Crowsnest Pass.

By John Kinnear

The Last Ten Years