Today's Woman 2024

TODAY’S WOMAN 2024

From local business owners to community volunteers, CEOs, and beyond, these remarkable women make us proud to call Lloydminster home.

Lisa Spence Page 10

Karla Whiting Page 15

Patricia Brockhoff Page 9

Olivia Amber Blyan Page 14

Carrie Pollard Page 8

Pam Beznoska Page 13

Cynthia Young Page 7

Lola Palik Page 12

Deanna Wandler Page 5

Krista Holden Page 11

A career in community under a new umbrella

This lovely lady needs absolutely zero introduction.

Perhaps it’s because she’s always been known as “Gail and Jim Hohne’s daughter,” or maybe it’s due to the fact she’s worked at and been the face of community newspapers in the Border City for over 25 years, whatever the reason, people like Deanna Wandler are pillars in the community, something the world needs more of.

Born and raised in the Border City, “Dee” got her start in the newspaper industry when the Meridian Booster’s then-owner, Byron Keebaugh, sought her out for a job in graphic design, which quickly turned into a sales position, and the rest is history.

With dreams of becoming an interior designer, Wandler took a year off after high school, but being a homebody, post-secondary education in Vancouver wasn’t in the cards at the time.

“I worked at our local IGA grocery store after high school and that’s where I heard about available positions for a graphic designer and reporter at the paper,”

she said.

“That’s where the work in the newspaper industry began, and I believe that was in 1994. The Source’s current publisher, Reid Keebaugh, his dad, Byron, owned the paper then and helped me get started.”

Byron sold the Booster to the Sun Media Network in 1995 but Wandler stayed on board for a decade selling newspapers, it was through these 10 years of selling that she really became a part of the community.

“Reid phoned me in 2005 asking if I wanted to come work with him and his team on this new paper they were thinking of starting,” she said.

“I wasn’t a huge fan of the corporate newspaper world as there were more restrictions on things like sponsorships, etc., and I loved the idea of being a locally owned community newspaper.”

Wandler started working with Keebaugh and the team at the Lloydminster Source in June 2005, with the first issue printing on Sept. 1, 2005.

“It was a great experience starting with something new,” she said.

“I kept selling newspapers and then Reid asked to me manage the sales team, and I was invited to become a shareholder in the company not long after that.”

Wandler also played an integral role in building up the client base for Reid and Wright Advertising, another one of Keebaugh’s businesses.

“I got as involved in the community as I could through those years,” she said. “I love the community. It’s my passion.”

During her years with the Lloydminster Source and Meridian Source , Wandler brought fresh ideas to the table, including the publication’s Today’s Women feature, something we at the Source are proud to continue in her absence.

Speaking of community, through her connections, Wandler was one of the founders of Lloyd’s annual Here Comes Santa Claus Day, she currently sits on the Lloydminster Rescue Squad’s Sirens and Sapphires Gala board, and has been heavily involved in the Lori Craven Memorial Ball Tournament since its inception.

After 28 years in the busi -

ness, Wandler decided it was time for a change, with Nov. 30, 2023, marking her last day with the publication.

“I needed a bit of a change. Losing both of my parents made me realize life is short. I was really nervous to look at something different because I love the community and the people I worked with, but it was time for a change.”

Photo courtesy of Sierrah Bennett Media

Being as actively involved as possible

Wandler lost her mom on March 9, 2016, with her dad passing on April 26, 2023.

“I truly believe newsprint is still a valuable asset, and I love watching businesses succeed, so I think that’s where the marketing thing came in,” she said.

“I always had a passion for helping businesses thrive, which is how Umbrella Marketing was born.”

Through Umbrella Marketing, Wandler still gets to fill her cup via community involvement while being her own boss. She’s also got her

sisters, Ashley Miazga and Carmen Brown, on board with the business.

“Ashley came on board and is carrying a lot of her own clients in helping them out.

She’s a part of the umbrella team,” she said.

“Carmen knows the administrative world and does my invoicing and stuff outside of her regular day job.”

With family always playing a major role in her life, Wandler explained running her own business which involved her siblings has been a long time coming.

“That was always my

dream. My family comes first, and we have such a great connection between all my siblings, and involving my family as much as I can means so much,” she said.

“My kids even help me with the business, so you might see them out this summer taking pictures and things like that. It’s a real family affair.”

When she’s not helping local businesses grow their client base, Wandler is active in the community, getting involved in as many events as possible.

“I’ve always been passion -

ate when it came to fundraisers and events,” she said.

“I love designing, I love planning, and I get all of that from my mother; she was a great planner and loved putting on events and parties.

“That’s another aspect of Umbrella Marketing, it’s not just marketing; we’re also going to play a role in local fundraising.”

Whether it was the Moose Lodge, or the local bowling world, Wandler feels fortunate to have grown up as an active member of the community, something she credits her parents for.

“Mom and dad were a big part of the community growing up. I know people have to spread their wings and grow, but Lloyd will always be home for me,” she said, noting the community support she’s received since starting her own business has been immense.

“People come to me and ask what I’m doing now because they want to support me, which is amazing.”

As a mom, Wandler raised her two daughters and two stepkids, who she considers her own, and stays very busy

through their various sports and extracurricular activities.

“My oldest daughter is going to England in November to teach for a year and my second oldest has a year left in Saskatoon for addictions counselling and she’ll be working at Residents in Recovery this summer helping with programming,” she said. Wandler will certainly be missed within the walls of the Source.

“As you embark on a new chapter after 20 incredible years of service, I want to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude,” said publisher Reid Keebaugh.

“Your dedication, expertise, and friendship have been invaluable, not only in managing our sales but in every interaction we’ve shared over the years. Your professionalism and unwavering support have made a lasting impact, and I’m truly grateful for the guidance and friendship you’ve provided. Here’s to celebrating your remarkable achievements and looking forward to watching your next chapter unfold. Thank you for everything.”

Photo courtesy of Sierrah Bennett Media

Indigenous coordinator dedicated to truth

Cynthia Young is truly passionate about her culture and her job, which tie together perfectly.

As the Lloydminster Catholic School Division’s Indigenous Coordinator, Young provides Indigenous education to students at six schools in Lloyd.

When she’s not in the classroom sharing her teachings, she’s out on the land.

“I’m totally an outdoors person. I love to be on the land. I’m a gatherer, so I gather my food still.

“Ducks, geese, and moose are my main staple foods from the land,” said Young, adding she also enjoys fishing.

She and her husband, Michael, have been married for 28 years, and have two grown children and two grandchildren.

“They’re both very strong in their culture. We raised them that way, from when they were little. Same with our grandkids,” said Young.

“Our grandkids come with us all the time when we’re hunting, fishing, gathering.”

She has been with the Catholic school division for 22 years, and teaching about her Cree culture is always

something she’s been enthusiastic about.

“I had a dream I would teach Cree from pre-K to grade 12. And it wasn’t that long ago that dream came true; when I taught Pre-Ks how to count to 10, in Cree,” said Young.

“I love that I can teach people the best things about my culture.”

She said working with children is amazing because of their curiosity and openminded nature. She often brings in hides, furs, and many other hands-on learning tools to help them truly understand Indigenous teachings.

“I love their eagerness to learn, and I love that they’re so wanting to experience the world, and they’re so open.

“Children of today are way more open than we were allowed to be when we were young.”

She said they aren’t afraid to ask questions and speak what’s on their mind, which can sometimes be very interesting.

“Funny moments? I had furs in a clear bag and a young pre-K said to me ‘Mrs. Young, there’s something

wrong with your cats!’” she laughed.

Young is dedicated to ensuring she speaks the truth in teaching about Indigenous culture, and kids can always come to her with questions or just to talk.

“I always say Father, Creator pray for me because I’m guiding all these kids,” adding there are six schools with no less than 400 students attending each one.

“All these kids are coming to me for the answers for Indigenousness. So I make sure I’m telling the truth, and I stand by the truth.”

She says one of the best memories of her time as an Indigenous coordinator was when they were honoured with the Eagle Staff.

“Whenever we have the drums, those are the times when I’m just—like this is what we needed,” said Young.

“This is what needs to be taught in every school so people understand the Indigenous history. Just an understanding of where we’ve come from, because we have two gaps. There’s two generations where we missed the teachings.”

She said her children and

grandchildren are helping keep those teachings going as well. Growing up, they were often with their mom so they learned the teachings from a young age.

“My children went to the school as well. So it made it very nice for them to have a grounding, and to be able to start teaching their own teachings as well,

“Now they’re the knowledge carriers, carrying on our traditions, and soon my granddaughter will be the same way. She is a jingle dress dancer.”

Young says it’s very important for children to learn about where they came from,

in order to move forward.

“We always talk about that center tree, where our roots are and where we’ve come from, and how we grow.

That’s an important part.

“That’s the biggest thing for kids. They need to know who they are, where they’ve come from, and what it means to be who they are.”

Young said her husband Michael has also been a huge supporter of her work.

“I’m very fortunate that my husband is very supportive.

“Culturally, in anything we do—he’s right beside me. We live our culture every day, practise our culture every day.”

Pollard says positivity is key

Lloydminster Legacy Centre administrator Carrie Pollard loves to see people smile.

For nearly 17 years she and her team have been providing a fun, social experience for local seniors.

“They’re just so fun to be around, and of course, this place is where they come to have fun, right? Seniors are very into socializing, just

sitting and visiting,” adding that she has learned a lot from them over the years.

“It’s an awesome job. Every day there’s a different thing going on and people are always here to have fun and it’s a very upbeat place to work, for sure.”

Pollard was born and raised in Lloydminster and raised her two kids here as well. She says Lloyd is a

great place to call home.

“I know so many people, and there’s lots to do in Lloydminster.

“Doesn’t matter where you go, you run into somebody you know. It’s a great place to live.”

When she’s not at work she enjoys hanging out with friends and going to the lake, but she does spend a fair bit of time at the Centre because

there’s always something going on there.

“All the events that we have are stuff they like to do and we always have coffee and cookies and all that kind of stuff,” said Pollard.

“The social aspect is really important, especially since the pandemic. It took a long time for them to all come out but now they’re just out there.”

She says she has witnessed a lot of changes in the way seniors do things, over the years.

“I’ve seen a big change because they’re seniors that come here mostly and so they pass on and the younger seniors coming up are much more open to change.

“When I first started here, change was something that people did not like. And as I get older, I don’t like change either,” she laughed.

She said although many seniors are quite proficient in using a certain degree of the new technology there are still some who need a bit of help.

“The older ones, they don’t have the technology, a lot of them. And information and stuff is so hard for them to get now because everything is online,” she said.

One of the most important things that Pollard strives to do in her work is to keep things positive.

“Stay positive and upbeat and enjoy life. Don’t get down on everything that’s going on in the world. I try to keep everybody positive, I guess, is the big thing,” she said.

Helping deliver smiles around the clock

Not many people can say they’ve held down the same job for 25 years, Lloydminster’s Patricia Brockhoff, however, can say just that.

Born and raised in the Border City, Brockhoff has been the office manager at Wayside Dental for 25 years, a position she has loved since the very beginning.

“The best part of my day is helping people, and of course, that’s everybody’s lame answer, but I mean it,” she said.

“That includes everybody at Wayside, our staff, our patients. I love making sure everything goes as smoothly as possible.

“At the end of the day, knowing I did my best to help others do their best fills my cup.”

When she’s not steering the ship in the right direction at Wayside, she’s an active member of the community through various nonprofits and charitable organizations, as well as being a mom to Olivia, who’s nearing the end of post-secondary studies in Saskatoon.

“I lucked out when I got Liv. She’s is an amazing

human being,” she said.

“I’m a big believer in setting your kids up with life skills, and I’m not just talking about how to make a grilled cheese and do their laundry. Although she did do her laundry from Grade 2 on because I thought, if you can work an iPad, you can work a washing machine,” she added with a laugh.

Brockhoff has always tried to be the best role model she could for Liv, something she learned from her mom and grandmother growing up.

“My mom is amazing, my grandma is amazing. I come from a long line of very strong, independent women,” she said.

“There’s nothing my mom can’t do. She loves strong and firmly. And my grandma, same, a strong, independent woman. She’s 96 years old and still lives on the farm.”

Over the years, Brockhoff has learned a lot through community involvement, namely, you get out what you put in.

“I think the more time you spend putting your heart and soul into your community, the more it comes back

to you, the more people you know, the more you get a feel for the people that you live and work beside. It puts life into the community,” she said.

Looking at her volunteerism CV, Brockhoff has been involved with the Lloydminster Region Health Foundation committee, Special Olympics, the Bike For Breakfast fundraisers, and Lloyd’s Connecting Parents Supporting Families, to name a few.

“Connecting Parents is a non-profit about making connections and building fellowship within our community,” she said.

“We do a lot of outreach and put on events for the groups of people that don’t normally attend things. We invite people from Residents in Recovery or places like that to attend or have information nights where we talk about mental health, or support your kids while they struggle with certain things, anxiety, ADHD, things like that.” Brockhoff’s non-profit work has spanned the Globe through various well projects in countries like Nicaragua and Guatemala, which are

also often paired with international dental aid missions.

“We would raise enough money to drill water wells in these countries. It’s amazing to see what the community is capable of in a short period of time,” she said.

On top of everything she already does, Brockhoff also works seasonal gigs wrapping Christmas presents in the winter and deadheading flowers in the summer with local businesses such as Home Hardware.

Spence leaves lasting impression

“ Always be kind, put a smile on.”

there for a chat as well.

“The kids. I always call them my kids. I like to hear about their day, I like to hear about what they’re doing outside of school,” said Spence.

“I mean, of course, we have some tough conversations, but usually we have some very open and honest conversations. A lot of kids need that.”

She also looks after some of the elite hockey players from outside of Saskatchewan who billet in Lloyd, making sure they have the proper credits for when they return to their home schools.

“This year we had probably 25 kids who billeted. With that brings its own challenges,” she said, adding she’s very familiar with the billeting process, as her daughter Alex billeted while playing elite hockey for three years.

as well.”

She and her husband Bill have always supported their two children, throughout their athletic journeys.

“It’s funny, we reflect on that now, as we get older. My kids are 25 and 22. I mean, life has gotten less busy but I still follow both my kids in their sports, so I’m still busy that way.

“But now I think I probably put more into my kids at school, and I like to go to watch their sports as well— especially hockey.”

Being active is a very important part of Spence’s life as well.

“My outings, when I need a break, is I like to run and go to the gym. My husband golfs, I tell him I’d rather go for a run,” she said.

Another thing Spence makes time for is to go help out on her parents’ farm, where she grew up—north of Alcurve.

rewarding parts of her job is when students come back to say hi after moving on from LCHS.

“When a student comes back and says, ‘you know Mrs. Spence, I really enjoyed talking with you, or you helped me get through. Or if it wasn’t for you I wasn’t graduating,’” said Spence.

“I get lots of little rewards too, with my hockey kids, when they leave and when they come back the next year, about how much they miss the school and they miss our atmosphere.”

When challenges arise, Spence says she can always count on her co-workers at the school and her family at home.

Primarily, she helps ensure Grade 12 students have what they need for credits to graduate and attend post-secondary schools, but she’s always

Those are the words of Lisa Spence, who has been working as a career guidance counsellor at the Lloydminster Comprehensive High School for 12 years and counting.

“So I truly appreciate the teachers that took the time with her. So I kind of become their mom, I mean not only do we talk school, we talk life, and we do some social-emotional counselling

“My parents are getting older, so it’s time to be out there. They’re still quite active on the farm, I just feel I should be there more,” said

“My working relationship with my co-workers is very good. In the school setting, our Grade 12 team is very strong, so I have no issues going to them if something is needed. We can definitely work through it,” she said.

“In my home situation, it’s my husband that I talk to. We’re very open, and we’re very open with our own kids.

The healing powers of sharing one’s story

Krista Holden has worn many hats throughout her career, but the common denominator throughout has been they’ve all revolved around wellness and the betterment of others.

“My mom has said, even from a little girl, I’ve always just wanted to help,” she said.

“I’m the oldest of four kids, so I was very involved in helping with my siblings, and my mom was a single parent. So I think it was something that came naturally to me.

“One of the things I think I’ve always loved about the work I’ve done is, I might have a tiny impact on someone’s life. But if I can

make it a little bit better, that’s amazing. Right?”

Most recently, she’s been the crisis interventionist at Lloydminster Sexual Assault Services, a role she’s held since last August, but she’s about to take a step in a different direction as Integra Engineering Ltd.’s new human resource business partner, a post she’s greatly looking forward to.

“I’ve spent my entire career working in human services and supporting families and individuals and lots of complex needs,” she said. “It’s been so rewarding, but there comes a time where you kind of have to press pause a little bit

because it does have an impact on us.”

Holden first got involved in human services through Midwest Family Connections, an organization she holds near and dear to her heart. Holden has also worked at the Thorpe Recovery Centre as a development coordinator and at Lakeland College as a wellness advisor, to name a few.

Through her own mental health journey, and with the love and support of her husband of 13 years, Christian, Holden founded the Lloydminster Maternity Mental Health Committee in 2015 to help mothers experiencing postpartum depression.

“My first experience as a mom, my baby didn’t get to come home, he was very sick and subsequently died. Aedan would have been 16 this month and he’s an important part of our lives as a family,” she said.

“Life after loss isn’t easy to navigate, however, I will forever be grateful to Aedan for making me a mom, and Elliott, a little brother.”

Before giving birth to Elliott, who’s now 11, Holden explained she suspected she may be susceptible to postpartum depression given her experience with Aedan.

“Postpartum depression doesn’t discriminate,” she said.

“I was really good at putting on the mask like lots of women are, because we are embar -

rassed and we feel shameful that we aren’t enjoying this time and a lot of us aren’t sleeping and eating. We’re not talking to anybody about what’s going on.

“I did. I was honest, for the most part. My husband knew, but I don’t think he knew to what extent because I think we just thought, ‘Maybe we have to get into a rhythm like lots of new families?’”

It wasn’t until Holden returned from maternity leave while working for the City of Lloydminster that reality really set in.

“I was sitting at an early years coalition meeting in a professional capacity,” she said.

“We were talking about different assets in our community that families would access and someone said, ‘Hey, Krista, you just got back from maternity leave. What assets did you guys access, you might have some really great insight.

And I remember at that moment thinking, do I let them in on my dirty little secret? Do I tell this roomful of professionals that I am really struggling? And so I did. I shared and it was really emotional.”

With the Lloydminster Maternity Mental Health Committee, Holden helps mothers access resources they may not have even known existed while making sure no one gets left behind.

“We were able to do some research within our own community to find out what the care pathways were and how we make ensure families don’t fall through the cracks and get the support that they need,” she said.

A recent event Holden thinks should be on everyone’s radar is Flora’s Walk, which took place in Bud Miller All Seasons Park on May 2.

“Flora was a young woman in Toronto, she was single, and she

wanted to have a family. She went through fertility for years before she got pregnant. She did get pregnant and had a beautiful baby girl, I believe, and four months later, she lost her life. She fell through the cracks and should have been diagnosed with psychosis,” she said.

“It’s heartbreaking to think a baby is coming up in this world without a mom. Right? And because she was a single parent, there isn’t a dad either.”

For Holden, working through postpartum depression starts with a conversation.

“I think we make this assumption it only happens to certain people. I think when we come forward and talk about it, it’s not about ‘oh woe is me,’ it’s about ‘it can happen to anybody.’ And I think it’s important that we do get curious.”

Palik celebrates 30 years at Southridge

Kids learning through play. That’s been a goal of playschool teacher Lola Palik in her 30 years at Southridge.

remember I had a couple of little kids who needed extra help and the psychologist said, when they start school we’ll help them,” she said, adding that now it’s recommended children attend playschool.

“Playschool is such a stepping stone for socialization and kindergarten readiness. Learning through play. I am not a strong believer in working in workbooks, I don’t think it’s necessary—not at 3-5 (years old),” said Palik.

Before she began working at Southridge Playschool, Palik was a welder at Universal Industries (now Foremost), but when she had children and her husband left it put her at a crossroads.

“So I looked at my options. I could have lots of money, but never be home for my kids. Or I could be home for my kids and have no money,” said Palik.

the job at the playschool, and she took evening classes to get her early childhood certificate. But she wasn’t sure she’d do it long-term.

“I had a five-year plan, I was going to do it for five years, and then I thought no, I’ll wait until my youngest graduates.

“And then she went off to hairdressing school and I’m going, um…ok what am I going to do? I like my job, and now here I am. You could not do this job if you didn’t like it,” said Palik, whose students call her Mrs. P, adding she teaches 97 kids this year, 19 to a class.

Over the years she has definitely seen and heard some interesting things from her students. One that still sticks out in her mind was during the first year.

brother.

“She said her brother, an RCMP officer, had come into town, totally in uniform. He had never seen his uncle dressed up … he’s only four, right?

“Uncle thought it was a big joke to put handcuffs on dad and they went out together. The little boy got up in the morning, dad’s not there, because they went out celebrating,” Palik laughed.

“What I regret the most is not keeping a journal of all the things that kids have said to me.”

Palik says one of the best things about teaching kids that age is seeing their growth throughout the year.

“You just see all these personalities and the growth. We’ve got some kids who have special needs, and just watching them mimic the other kids and learning from the other kids.

Things looked a little different when she set out on her career in 1993.

“I think the biggest thing was playschool wasn’t recognized as early education when we first started. I

“I have four kids. They all went to playschool, and I always volunteered on the board and I subbed for Southridge, and then they asked me if I was interested in a job.”

She was happy to accept

A little boy came to her and told her ‘My dad got arrested’ and then he just walked away. So at pickup, she went to the mom and said, ‘I just thought I’d let you know he was telling me that your husband got arrested. She was quite embarrassed, and not too happy with her husband and

“Or kids who don’t speak English who all of a sudden learn. They learn so fast.”

The playschool board is helping Palik celebrate her 30th year on May 11 by hosting a come-and-go tea at the Legacy Centre from 1-5.

All in the family at Northern Factory

Alot has changed at Northern Factory Workwear since Pam Beznoska began working there in 1993.

She started as a manager when the doors opened that year and bought the business out with her husband, Neal, in 1999. They have since expanded with locations in Saskatoon in 2004 as well as a dedicated Red Wing Shoe Store there in 2013, Red Deer in 2017 and Kelowna in 2019.

With four grown children, Amanda, Kyle, Matthew and Tara-Lynn, nine grandchildren and a 10th on the way, Pam knows the business she has cherished for over 30 years will be in good hands when they eventually hang up the reigns.

Until then, she’s trying to get back to her roots.

“The best part of my day is probably talking to and helping customers,” she said.

“I don’t get to be on the floor as much as I used to because of other responsibilities, but when I’m able to be on the floor and actually interact with the customers and help them, and they leave happy and with what they’re looking for, that’s

what makes me happy.”

Pam explained her kids all went off and pursued their own careers before ending up back in the family business, with all four currently in management training to be future owners/operators.

“They all worked through the stores when they were in high school, went off and did their own careers, had opportunities to come back and decided that’s what they wanted to do,” she said.

Tara-Lynn, who currently manages the Lloydminster location, explained she grew up watching her mom ‘see people for who they are, as well as their potential’ without judgement, which often resulted in new hires at the store.

“Everybody should have equal opportunity to make a living and be the best they can be,” said Pam.

“It doesn’t matter if you have a disability or are not as fortunate as others to be able to have ‘things.’ Everybody needs to have an opportunity to be involved in the experience of work. Everyone deserves a chance to prove themselves.”

This character trait is one

of many Tara-Lynn feels blessed to have inherited.

“I’m a lot like my mom in I like helping people, and I can help people through employing them,” she said.

“You get to give people opportunities, and you get to grow as a person, so I think being similar and wanting to help people, this is the best place to be.

Tara-Lynn explained she and her siblings were always taught not to judge a person for where they are in life because you don’t know

what that person has been through.

“People who don’t have much are often looked down on because they don’t have more, but we were taught not everyone gets the same opportunity, and that’s important to remember,” she said.

Being a part of the community has also always been important to Pam, which is evident when looking at the long list of charitable work over the years.

“We were a part of the

community through schools and activities and had the store going at the same time,” she said. “There was a lot of community support to get us going, so we always wanted to be able to give back to the community and have done so through volunteering, sponsorships, sock drives, different levels of hockey, baseball, soccer, we have scholarships at Lakeland College. We’ve also supported the women’s and men’s shelter as well as the Native Friendship Centre,” said Pam.

A younger Pam Beznoska during her managment days at Northern Factory Workwear. Supplied Photo

Animal lover makes a difference

Olivia Amber Blyan has always loved animals.

She began by providing a roof for strays, and her love of pets only grew. “It all started when I wanted a dog, but wasn’t in a position to be able to afford one,” said Blyan. “So I started out fostering for Furbabies, and then I met Lonnie (Boothman) and started rescuing with

her, and it just kind of lit a fire under my butt.”

When Furbabies closed down last summer she decided she still wanted to help animals in need, this time using social media to get the job done.

“Somebody needed help with a dog with porcupine quills, and I just started making posts on Facebook, asking for donations to help out this dog,” said Blyan.

“The average person doesn’t have that kind of money—especially in today’s economy, to be able to afford something like that, so I just thought, you know, even if a bunch of people donated five or 10 dollars, that would add up quick. It just kind of took off from there.”

Blyan, who works in the human services field, said the most she’s raised to help pets and owners in need so far is about $3,500.

“Lonnie Boothman

taught me a lot. The animal lover community in Lloydminster and surrounding areas is amazing.

“One of my posts even made it out as far as B.C. and a lady from B.C. donated.”

People can either send money directly to the vet or e-transfer.

“I’m pretty transparent. I keep track of it.”

Blyan is also working with a rescue team to help control the number of animals in need through their spay/ neuter program, Zoe’s Animal Rescue, based out of Edmonton.

“An owner will come forward or I’ll find someone that needs a dog that needs to be spayed or neutered and then Zoe’s pays for it … to try and help ease the stray population, unwanted litters,” she said.

“Some of those dogs out there are having litters, back to back to back.”

She said some people

think that if you spay or neuter your animal it will make them less protective, which is not generally the case.

“Somebody found a dog yesterday and he’s at Weir’s right now, apparently fighting for his life. They think he has distemper,” said Blyan.

“Thank God somebody found him, and at least he’ll know the love of the person who picked him up and the love of the vet staff.”

This time of year can be when a lot of diseases surface too, as the weather warms up.

“Parvo lives on forever, like you need to specially treat your house and your yard— parvo is really bad, it takes a lot of puppies out there and it’s so painful for them.”

If people want to donate, they can get in touch with Blyan, or put money on her account at Weir’s Veterinary Clinic, under her name.

Olivia Amber Blyan spends time in the park with her dog Aries.

Ensuring equality for all walks of life

Born and raised in the Border City, Karla Whiting is another perfect example of a community calling one home.

“I moved to Vermilion to take Interior Design Technology at Lakeland College, then south of Toronto for a bit to see what that was all about, and I spent some time outside of Saskatoon, but I always made my way back home,” said Whiting.

Many in the community may know her through the various boards and organizations she volunteers with, but by day, she’s the fund development team lead with Inclusion Lloydminster, something she’s quite passionate about.

“I’m also the employment coordinator for Saskatchewan youth within our community,” she said, explaining the job opportunity came about through friends as well as her now husband, Jason Whiting, but more on that later.

“I look after the Inclusion Lloydminster breakfast, connecting with donors and things like that, and I absolutely fell in love with the work. I already knew I loved the organization, but working with them and the clients is a

very rewarding job.

“It doesn’t really feel like a job.”

Inclusion Lloydminster is a family-based non-profit association that advocates on behalf of children and adults with developmental disabilities and their families. Their annual fundraising breakfast took place two weeks ago at the WLS Convention Centre with over 400 people in attendance, a sight that took Whiting’s breath away.

“The fundraising breakfast was beyond any words I could put together,” she said. “I’m still trying to process having that many amazing volunteers in one space to hear what we’ve been up to, and the outcome that came from it is exciting.”

Before her work with Inclusion, Whiting owned and operated her own interior design company, while keeping active in the community through service clubs like the Border City Rotary Club, which she’s been a member of since 2011, with a small break when she had her son, Emmett in 2015.

“I love being able to give back to the community that’s been so good to myself, our

family and friends,” she said.

The rewarding aspects of a greater community really hit home when Whiting became a mother, and although she feels fortunate she never experienced postpartum depression, the journey to motherhood was a long and emotionally draining one.

“My journey to having my son was a tough one. There were a few years of fertility treatments at the Edmonton clinic and then in Calgary. There were a few failed attempts, and those pieces can really break a person down. I call Emmett our miracle baby,” she said, explaining she also experienced a placenta bleed early on in the pregnancy and was put on extreme bed rest.

“My options were given to me, and they were both bleak. There was no promise I’d be able to bring my baby home even if I went on bed rest. I took care of myself and was able to welcome my son into the world in February of 2015, and he’s the best gift any can ever ask for. Emmett is nine now.”

Through sharing her experience, Whiting learned she wasn’t alone in her journey,

which created a network of support and understanding.

“Having someone walk alongside you, experiencing something similar is life-saving,” she said.

Karla wasn’t always a Whiting, but after getting to know each other better and discovering there was something there, Karla Furman became a Whiting in October, (her second marriage) and the rest, as they say, is history.

“Jason’s older than I am, so he was done school well before I was, and our paths really didn’t cross until our adult years,” she said. “We were both involved in the

Rotary group, both volunteering for a lot of the same events and services projects and then our friend circles just started to cross throughout the last three or four years.”

These days, the couple pushes the envelope for community involvement together, trying to outdo the other for the greater good.

“You don’t see a lot of young people volunteering, so having a younger perspective and different resources are great assets to have. With us, if one’s volunteering, the other is being voluntold they’re helping.”