Hanna bullfighter excited to be part of hometown rodeo
BY KATE WINQUIST
Walker Hutton will be living a childhood dream by participating in his hometown pro rodeo this weekend. From humble beginnings growing up on his family's ranch near Hanna, Walker has chosen to keep the area as his home. While weekdays are consumed by his bustling farrier business, it's the weekends that truly ignite his spirit, as he embarks on thrilling adventures at rodeos across Western Canada.
Walker's rodeo journey commenced when he was just a teenager. He cut his teeth in the Alberta High School Rodeo Association, fearlessly competing in calf roping, team roping, and steer wrestling. This fiery passion didn't wane as he pursued higher education in Odessa, Texas, where he continued to push the limits of his rodeo prowess. However, Walker's heart yearned for a different kind of heroism - the kind found in saving cowboys from raging bulls.
Setting his sights on bullfighting, Walker leapt into this exhilarating discipline, attending various bullfighting schools and honing his skills in countless practice pens. Now, for the past five years, he has established himself as a professional bullfighter, fearlessly protecting the daring bull riders from the fury of bucking beasts. Even on his precious days off, Walker dedicates his time to nurturing the next generation of bullfighters, imparting his wisdom through schools and day camps.
This summer alone, Walker's unwavering dedication has seen him lend his expertise to over 60 electrifying bull riding performances. And now, the stars have aligned as he proudly returns to his beloved hometown rodeo. Join Walker Hutton on his gripping journey through the gripping world of rodeo, where courage and camaraderie intertwine to create an unforgettable spectacle. Get ready to be captivated by the thrill of the ride!
Friday, September 15th
9:00-10:00 Queens visit JC Charyk School Grades K-6
10:15-11-15 Rodeo Queen’s to visit Eye Candy
11:00-1:30 Cooperators - BBQ - Meadowland Angus Burgers Proceeds to the Kiddies Korner
11:00 - 2:30 ATB Outdoor Street Market
11:00 - 2:30 Chili Cook-O -ATB Financial
1:00-2:00 Store Decoration Judging by Rodeo Queens
2:00-3:00 Rodeo Queen’s visit Hanna Lodge
3:15-4:15 Queens at Tacabree Country
4:30-5:30 Queens at Freson Bros
6:45 Stick Horse Races - Hanna Arena
7:00 Rodeo
Intermission - Wild Pony races Best Decorated Business Award
8:30 - 1:00 Rodeo Family Dance - Dally-Up and Dance
Saturday, September 16th
8:30-10:00 Pancake Breakfast - Outside the Arena - Elks
9:00-3:00 Roundhouse Western Trade Show
9:45-10:45 Queens at Buckbrush Farmhouse 11:00 - 12:00 Queens at Hanna Chrysler
11:00 - 2:00 Wood
Walker Hutton. PHOTOS SUBMITTED
A shirt on display at the ATM branch in Hanna
Employment Opportunity Public Works Operator 3
The Town of Hanna is seeking an experienced individual for the position of Public Works Operator This position requires a team member who is adaptable, motivated, and able to perform physical labour
The Public Works department of the Town of Hanna is responsible for the maintenance of streets and roads, the airport, water lines and distribution, wastewater collection and treatment, garbage collection, the municipal ce metery, vehicles, and equipment
Duties and Responsibilities:
Reporting to the Director of Public Works, the operator would be responsible for:
Operating and servicing a variety of both light and heavy-duty equipment such as backhoes, loaders, sweepers, and trucks, including tandem axle dump trucks
Using all types of hand tools (manual or powered, skilled or non-skilled)
Assisting in the maintenance of roads, utilities, buildings, and equipment
Assisting in the operation of water distribution, wastewater collection & treatment, and garbage collection systems in a safe, effective, and efficient manner, at all times within the requirements of the current License to Operate
Assisting in the repair and maintenance of town vehicles and equipment
Qualifications:
A valid Alberta Class 3 driver’s license is required (air brake endorsement is an asset)
Experience with a variety of equipment is required
Must be able to communicate well, both orally and in writing
Knowledge of municipal infrastructure and reporting would be an asset
This position is based on a 40-hour work week (typically Monday to Friday) The salary grid is $52,122 – $60,424 The Town of Hanna offers a supportive work environment, full benefits, and LAPP pension
Interested applicants are invited to submit a resume including a cover letter and a list of work-related references to address below
All applicants are thanked for their interest, however only those selected for an interview will be contacted
Brent Olesen, Director of Public Works
Town of Hanna Box 430 Hanna, AB T0J 1P0
Ph: (403) 854-4433
Email/Upload to confidentially submit your documents: http s://hanna ca/contact-us
The closing date for applications is Sun Oct 15, 2023.
Adult Community Choir
Tuesdays starting Sept 26 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
Centennial Place hanna ca/events
September 13, 2023
$3,000 Available
Community Services Board Grant
Is your group in need of funding? Maybe you qualify Application deadline is Sept 30 hanna ca/forms
Advertising Opportunity
Notice of Development
The following Development Permits were issued in accordance with the Town of Hanna Land Use Bylaw #9672012 Written appeals can be submitted to the Town Office
Date Issued: September 3, 2023 Appeal Deadline: October 4, 2023
Development: D40-23
Civic: 123 Shacker Crescent
Legal: Lot: 20, Block: 1, Plan: 7711378, Roll#:123000
Land Use District: R1 – Single Detached Residential
Proposed Development: To operate a homebased business renting out 1 RV & 1 Boat
Development: D44-23
Civic: 308 Railway Avenue West
Legal: Lot: 4, Block: 1, Plan:6133AW, Roll#: 90700
Land Use District: MH – Manufactured Home
Proposed Development: To operate a homebased providing personal services as a Reiki Practitioner
Wed Sept 13:
Thu Sept 14:
Fri Sept 15:
Sat Sept 16:
Sat Sept 23:
Public Hearing for Land Use Bylaw Town Office 9:00 am
Conversation Café (Free) - Lynks-10:00 - 11:00 am
Book Club Discussion Library 2:00 pm- Just Mercy Rodeo Friday Activities
Schedule at hanna.ca/events
Nomination for AB Volunteer Awards closes Rodeo Saturday Activities
Schedule at hanna.ca/events Craigmyle Pumpkin Fest
Conversation Café (Free) - Lynks-1:00 - 2:30 pm Rummage Sale - 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Include your event in the Community Calendar Contact the Town Office
Apex Utilities (formerly AltaGas) has informed the Town of Hanna that Neuterra Ventures Inc has been contracted to do work on the gas lines in Hanna
Note:
Alley access may be restricted Sept 14-Sept 19 will be Areas 23-29
This is phase 1 of 2
There will be no loss of service
There will be minimal impact to residents and businesses.
Check your front door for correspondence from Neuterra Sept
Stay Informed:
Sign up for the Town e-newsletter hanna ca Visit hanna ca/news
Sign up for SMS Notifications at hanna ca/alert
OPINION: Boy, am I glad that’s over with!
BY JOAN JANZEN
Carol Burnett, a popular comedian from the 1970s, described her daughter’s first day at kindergarten in her book “Carrie and Me.” When she realized she wasn’t going to be able to walk her daughter into her classroom, she was forced to leave her crying for her mother as the teacher held her hand. When Carol picked her daughter up three hours later, the youngster got in the car and smiled, saying, “Boy, Mommy, am I glad THAT’S over with!” Carol took her daughter out for ice cream and explained that school lasts more than one day.
Most people may have said the same thing – “Boy, am I glad THAT’S over with,” concerning the last three years; however, now we’re hearing news that suggests otherwise.
John Campbell, a retired nurse teacher, reported in a recent video the British Medical Journal stated, “Little is yet known about the transmissibility of the new virus or whether it may cause more severe disease, but scientists do not expect it to be much different from previous omicron strains currently in circulation.” John described the latest news we’re hearing as “panic, based essentially on no information.”
I listened to a two-minute clip on CTV news about the new strain of the virus. The words “fear and worry” were used five times as videos of ICU pa-
tients were shown throughout the news clip. When asked how serious the new variant is, the Toronto doctor replied, “We don’t know a lot yet about EG 5.1”. When asked if the new booster would offer protection against the new variant, he replied, “That’s another thing we don’t know”, but said he would be taking the booster.
What we do know is the recent report of the death of Sheila Annett Lewis, who was denied an organ transplant because she refused to get the vaccine. According to the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF), funds were being raised for Lewis to have a transplant in the States, but she didn’t make it on time.
In 2019, Lewis was diagnosed with a terminal illness and was placed on the wait list for a double organ transplant that would allow her to live out her normal life. After hesitating to take the vaccine, she was removed from the transplant wait list by Alberta Health Services.
In an interview with the National Citizens Inquiry, Lewis said she had a thorough head-to-toe test in order to get on the waiting list. It took a year to get all the testing done. They couldn’t find her record of childhood vaccinations, so she had to get all those vaccinations again, which she did. “They told me I was an ideal candidate for a transplant and couldn’t wait to get it done.” But that changed when she was told the vaccine was a requirement for a trans-
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plant. Lewis said she looked into it and had concerns.
John Carpe from the JCCF reported in an online interview, “Doctors knew when they started to pressure Sheila that it didn’t prevent transmission or getting sick.”
When taken off the waitlist, Lewis started court proceedings. JCCF stepped in to help her without charge because she didn’t have the financial resources herself. She lost and appealed it. The Court of Appeal felt they shouldn’t interfere and stuck to the lower court’s decision. The Minister of Health stated on Twitter that he agreed with the court of appeal’s decision.
A tearful Lewis said, “I’d never been to court in my life. I didn’t want to go to court. I didn’t want to hurt anybody. All I want to do is live and see my grandbabies, but it’s not going to happen now. It doesn’t matter what I do or if I have natural immunity. They wouldn’t do the test for natural immunity. They told me they don’t do it anymore.”
In March of 2023, Lewis presented a blood test she had obtained at her own expense, showing she had had Covid twice (once in 2021) and had natural immunity. “I was told I had high antibodies to Covid, extreme high levels was what I was told.”
When asked what’s the takeaway from this tragic event John Carpe replied, “Phone your MLA and say it’s inexcusable that government allows Alberta Health Services to engage in this
kind of unscientific and unethical discrimination that has no foundation in medicine and urge the Health Minister to inform the Alberta Health Services that they’re never again to do to other people what they did to Sheila Annette Lewis.”
Vinay Prasad, MD MPH has been sharing extensive research online throughout the past two years and commented on a recent video. “I would not advise anyone under the age of 65 who is healthy to get this vaccine, and that’s in line with the United Kingdom’s advice. I would not advise anyone who’s had Covid to get this vaccine. I can’t imagine there could be much benefit if you’ve already recovered from it,” he said. “It would be absolutely unethical to mandate this booster because it has no benefit to third parties.” If you disagree, you could email Dr. Prasad.
According to a report on Bridge City News, hundreds of fines are being quashed and money returned pertaining to pandemic-related charges. A judge recently ruled politicians shouldn’t have made the final decision on health restrictions.
As we move forward, I agree with the sentiment expressed by Carol Burnett’s young daughter, who said, “Boy, I’m sure glad THAT’S over with!” We cannot afford to walk down that path again.
Pop89: Convent mornings
BY MADONNA HAMEL
I read the big existential guns in university, though with great trepidation. I was in my twenties and had stopped going to church, though I still held dear the rituals, the hymns, holy cards, angels and saints. In sharp relief, “No Exit,” “The Plague,” “Nausea,” and “The Stranger” seemed dry, almost crabby, reminding me of the tragic and morose posturing of the over-thinking boys I fell for in college. I felt I was in another church, but without the lovely bells and smells, the heart-felt songs and prayers. The existentialists gave me no wiggle room; they cut us lovers of mystery no slack.
In fact, they scared me, they expected far much more restraint than any Mother Superior ever did. I could not read them in the confines of my apartment. I had to sit outside, beside the fountain or under a tree. I needed to be near frisky athletic freshmen tossing footballs or young poets, strolling among the roses. I remember loving the way Camus wrote, but hating the relentless dead ends of his character’s lives. What was the point of anything? After reading Nausea I was nauseated for days.
I feel nausea now. I wake up with it. I feel haunted by things I have no control over: my brother’s health, my friend’s losses, the vagaries of aging. It doesn’t help that I am lackadaisical about what I read in the morning. This year, I made a point of not reading anything online first thing in the morning and later in the day, limiting it to a half hour. Instead of searching the internet, I would supplicate to greater forces. Read books instead. I have three thousand of them, cramming shelves and climbing corners, after all. I think often of Pascal’s words about all the world’s troubles stemming from the inability of a person to sit still, alone in a room. Did he actually mean: not reading?
My first year in Val Marie, I woke every morning
Oyen Seniors meet for monthly meeting and pot luck
Twenty-four seniors came together at the Oyen Seniors Centre on September 6, 2023, for a delicious pot luck supper, which was followed by the monthly meeting.
The meeting was called to order by President Lynda Grudecki. She also was the winner of the 50/50 draw. The minutes of the June meeting were read and adopted, and the financial reports for the summer months were given and adopted.
Old business items were discussed. It was noted that repairs to the hail damages on the south side of the building had been completed with the installation of vinyl siding. There are still repairs to be completed on the upper wall and eves to be done that were not related to hail damage. The grant which had been received from the United Way Community Services recovery fund, which was designated for media equipment, has been used to purchase two TVs and a projector. Al’s Audio from Medicine Hat will install them in the building soon. The grant received from the Town of Oyen will be used to repair the sidewalk in front of the building.
A report on the 50/50 tickets being sold over the summer revealed that there were still a number of tickets which had not been sold. Thus, there was a motion to extend the date from September 30, which previously had been the draw date until November 1, 2023. If you are interested in purchasing a 50/50 ticket, please contact Jessie Battrum at 403 664 2515. Once again, rates for the rental of various rooms in
with a sense of elation. And I don’t just mean I felt “rested”, “positive” because I woke “on the right side of the bed”. I mean, I was filled with joy, delight, and enthusiasm. I clapped my hands with glee before entirely conscious, like a child on Christmas morning. I felt this way, every day of the year, but especially my first three months at The Convent, nestled in my narrow but comfortable bed in the basement room next to the boiler room. The room once belonged to the Mother Superior. But when the Ducan’s rescued the defunct convent from demolition and turned it into an inn, they dubbed it The Cinderella Room. I preferred to think of it as my cell, tethering me, anchoring me, like an anchorite.
The anchorites were one of the earliest orders of monastics who withdrew from secular society and focussed on communing with God and the angels. Julian of Norwich, the 14th century mystic, and perhaps the best-known anchoress, lived in a tiny room attached to the local church. Through a small window, she could participate in the mass. Through another small window, she could address any poor soul on the road looking for wisdom and solace.
I imagine her dispensing spiritual sustenance the way fast food gets dispensed from a drive-through window today. Julian is most known for her phrase: “All will be well, and all be well, and all manner of things will be well.” That pretty much covers everything – no need for an extra package of salt or ketchup to accompany that one.
In his last section of The Waste Land, written one winter in London, T.S. Eliot repeats Julian’s phrase of reassurance, a reassurance the poet himself sought throughout the Second World War, and afterwards amidst growing materialism. Through Julian, Eliot found beauty in the practice of Aestheticism, with its focus on mysteries and rituals.
My own search for a life like Julian’s began when I packed up my car with boxes of books and sweaters, and my Mary icons and drove to Saskatchewan. All I
knew is: I had a month at the convent dedicated to just writing. I attributed my new happiness to my disciplined focus. But also to the silence and simplicity of my surroundings. And the omnipresence of Nature.
On evening walks, I would encounter meadowlarks, the occasional badger or porcupine appearing around the corner, always a deer bounding over a fence, sometimes a whole herd of antelope, a nighthawk diving directly in front of me, thrilling me, stoking my sense of wonder.
Every morning, I rose early, dressed hastily, and padded my way up two narrow flights of stairs to the kitchen. Waiting for my coffee to brew, I’d read the blackboard where visitors from around the world chalked their favourite quotes. My favourite: “The wind gives the grass a voice, the grass gives the wind a face.” Though I’m also fond of: “ In life, there’s rarely justice, but there’s always mercy.” Occasionally, the Ducans would cull the quotes, erasing the ones they didn’t like and adding a few of their own.
Then, I’d carry my coffee to the far end of the building, the rising sun reflecting in the glass cabinets full of old catechisms lining the long, shiny hall. By the time I reached my desk in the sitting room, a former chapel, I would know how to begin my first line. Beside me was the old confessional. Someone had impishly replaced the doors with sheer curtains. “Just to keep me honest?” I wrote in my journal. I also wrote: “I seem to be propelled by an impulse to examine my motives and beseech the divine presence to keep me free of too much thinking.”
And here’s something odd, I recently discovered the last words in Eliot’s Waste Land are: “And all shall be well and/ All manner of things shall be well/By the purification of the motive/In the ground of our beseeching.”
the hall were discussed and will be investigated and compared with rental rates in other facilities in Oyen. The meeting also involved a lively discussion on how we can make Seniors Hall more accessible to members as well as maintain the hall’s security. External security in relation to potential fire risk was discussed, as there are several trees around the building which would create such a risk. As changes are made, they will be reported.
The regular fall and winter activity of floor curling will commence this year on Wednesday, October 11. Curling begins each Wednesday at 1 P.M. All members are welcome to take part, and the membership fees include the activity of curling. Membership fees for the Seniors Group will remain at $20.00 per person. (Membership fees can be paid either at the next meeting or at the Floor Curling.) If you have any questions about the Floor Curling, you are invited to call either Beth Symes at 403 664 2462 or Heather White at 403 664 3854.
Some members discussed the possibility of adding Pickleball as an activity for members during this upcoming season. Lyle and Lorraine Guckert will be spearheading the investigation of what the interest in Pickleball would be in the broader Oyen Seniors community. If you have questions or interest about Pickleball, please call Lorraine or Lyle at 403 664 2499. Keeping to the topic of leisure, Joe Lazari has volunteered to represent the Seniors Group at the Leisure Society.
A tentative date has been suggested for the annual Christmas Banquet of December 6, 2023. Further information about this will be available after the October meeting.
The next pot luck and meeting for the Oyen and District Seniors group will be at 6 P.M. at the Seniors Hall on October 4. New Members are very welcome to attend.
THE DELIA GAZETTE
Delia community celebration
BY LONNI PED
Friday the 8th saw the Delia & District Seniors host a Wine and Charcuterie Social at the Drop In Centre, and there were four prizes available for winning. A huge Wine Basket was raffled off, and Margie Bremmer of Morrin was the lucky winner. Two door prizes were up for grabs; the six-pack of wine donated by Kensington Wine Market (Calgary) was won by Angie Moe of Delia, and the oil change donated by Drumheller Jiffy Lube was won by Bill Wulff of Drumheller. Lucky Carol Sisley of Delia won the 50/50 draw. Everyone raved about having a delightful time at the social. One guest visiting from Halkirk actually gave her shirt away, leaving her with only a bra and blanket to wear; just can’t see that becoming a new fashion trend, though. Drumheller’s Freson Bros. Market and Extra Foods deserve special expressions of gratitude for donating the food!
Saturday the 9th was the occasion of the family-friendly Delia Community Celebration! Main Street was the site of the event, with street hockey, sidewalk chalk art, face painting, temporary tattoos and a bouncy castle all happening during the day. Presley Battle sang for everyone on stage while people enjoyed free hamburgers, hot dogs, beans and coleslaw sponsored by Hanna’s Freson Bros Market and the perfect day ended with a spectacular professional fireworks display at the ball diamonds. Thankfully, the weather was warm and sunny for the event, as one Delian reminds us with an ugly picture posted online of her yard covered in snow
around this date in 2014!
Special thanks go out to the organizers and volunteers who make these events happen and for the sponsorship and donations relied upon to make the events more enjoyable, and especially to everyone who attended because, without you, there would be no reason or motivation to organize these special events and life would be boring, so Kudos To Everyone!
Upcoming event reminders are Cards and Coffee every Tuesday and Thursday at 9 a.m. and Cards and Pool every Wednesday night at 7 p.m. at the Delia Drop In Centre. Wednesday the 20th will be a Pot Luck lunch at noon, and on Thursday the 21st, Karen from Drumheller Family and Community Support Services will be bringing a guest speaker to the Drop In Centre to speak about the Dementia Day Program at 10 a.m. These events are open to everyone – just drop in!
Pickleball is just starting out for the season every Thursday at 6:30 p.m. in the Delia School Gym. It’s free, open to everyone and runs until June 2024.
The Delia Library has the Travelling Art Exhibit (TREX) Patch Portraits on display for public viewing in the library. The exhibit is free to everyone during library hours but only until Sept 30th.
Don’t forget Craigmyle’s Annual Pumpkin Fest is happening this Saturday, the 16th, from 10 – 2 p.m.! You don’t want to miss the hay ride!
If you have any news or shareable tidbits about people, places or events in our community, please send me an email at alonni1199@gmail.com. Until next time, stay well and enjoy life!
PHOTOS BY KATE WINQUIST, JORDAN ELLIOTT & SAM MCTAGGART
A friendly voice in a familiar tongue means a lot
Interpreter on Wheels helps patients access healthcare in 240 languages
BY SHERRI GALLANT
LETHBRIDGE — Healthcare appointments can be stressful for New Canadians who have difficulties speaking English.
But having access to professional medical interpreters offered through Alberta Health Services Interpretation and Translation Services can help relieve that stress. Patients who have difficulty speaking and understanding English can confidently communicate and understand the practitioner. The service is easily accessible by a phone call and request for an interpreter in the desired language.
South Zone has recently acquired Interpreter on Wheels units in Emergency Departments and Labour and Delivery at Medicine Hat and Chinook Regional Hospitals, and at Bow Island, Brooks, and Bassano health centres. The Interpreter on Wheels offers video as well as audio, enabling access to 240 different languages including American Sign Language for those with a hearing impairment.
Kayathiri Ganeshamoorthy, Provincial Lead for Interpretation and Translation Services, says having easily accessible professional medical interpreters is a priority.
“Alberta continues to grow in population and diversity with 27.1 per cent of Albertans speaking another language other than English at home. By ensuring interpretation services are available throughout the province, AHS continues to support Albertans with comprehensive, safe care in their native language at our sites” she says. “We will work with each site and understand the local languages needed to leverage existing tools to access interpretive services.”
Interpretation and Translation Services also works to ensure Limited English Speaking (LES) patients as well as deaf and hard-of-hearing patients and healthcare providers have the tools they need to understand each other through professional medical interpretation and translation.
“I think within our program somebody's using interpretive services at least every week,” says Lindsay Schwab, a Registered Dietitian and diabetes educator with the Alberta Healthy Living Program (AHLP). “I use it, and it’s used multiple times a week by cardiac rehab education, nutrition services, outpatient education and others.”
The practitioner places a call, identifies the desired language, and within a minute an interpreter is on the line.
“Someone will come in with either a new diabetes diagnosis or who has had diabetes for some time and needs help with management,” says Schwab. “I'm often showing people how to use diabetes devices. We talk about food, how medications work, and what's happening in the body with diabetes.
Without professional medical interpreters, it’s very hard to understand.
“As a healthcare professional, it just makes me feel more comfortable that the client is hearing what I'm
saying. Without it, clients might have come in with a son or daughter who speaks some English and tries to interpret, but they don’t understand medical terminology and they would tell the parent what they think they heard, and that might not actually be correct.”
Schwab ensures her messages are understood by asking the interpreter to ask the patient to repeat back what they’ve just learned.
With an interpreter on board for the appointment, Schwab’s clients often want to bring up other medical issues.
“I can't help with those things, unfortunately, but if they do bring such things up, I'll let them know they have to see their family doctor for that. Sometimes they’ve already brought the issue up with their family doctor, but a professional medical interpreter wasn’t used and they didn’t feel understood.”
AHS Interpretation and Translation Services extends their support to Primary Care Networks and community physicians who would like to enroll, says Ganeshamoorthy.
“We encourage doctors to use professional medical interpreters,” she says. “When the patient understands and is understood, health outcomes are better. And having a patient give consent for treatment in their own language is critical.”
Dr. Mishka Singh, a Lethbridge family physician who came to Canada from South Africa in 2015, says she changed how she communicates with her patients here after working in a refugee camp overseas.
Plus, during her medical training in Cape Town, language could be such a barrier that communicating with patients sometimes had to be acted out like a game of charades because interpreters were not available. She learned firsthand how vital effective communication is, and today she often relies on a professional medical interpreter.
“When refugee and immigrant patients come in and I use a professional medical interpreter I ask more questions than I did before — questions about the daily life they left behind, their culture, the work they did.” Not only do such inquiries strengthen the doctor-patient relationship, but Singh adds that it improves diagnosis and treatment outcomes.
Schwab has been using the service weekly for five or six years, calling AHLP ‘early adopters.’ She’s learned to brief the interpreter with a quick overview of what she’ll be talking about to the patient before they get started.
Schwab says clients are appreciative of the services offered by AHS' professional medical interpreters to help them communicate.
“I think sometimes, especially when people come here without a family, they might not have heard their own language in a long time. When they hear it spoken in the office over speakerphone you can just see their reaction. I think it can be very isolating to be somewhere where you don't speak the language and you're trying to access healthcare.”
Registered Nurse Mel Stelfox poses with an Interpreter on Wheels unit at Chinook Regional Hospital in Lethbridge.
PHOTO BY JENNIFER VANDERLAAN
Community newspapers are living history books, recording all facets of the lives of community residents, as well as providing news that is relevant to them.
Councillors discussed the municipal assessor, with Macdonald stating she was very happy with Big Valley’s assessor. The CAO stated the village’s assessor knows the job very well and meets all the requirements of the Municipal Government Act (MGA). Mayor Dan Houle responded that in his opinion assessments in Big Valley the 2023 operating budget.
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Looking back: Esther elevator days
BY JOAN JANZEN
Back in October of 1923, the Alberta Wheat Pool opened for business. According to Esther and District’s history book “Sage Brush and Sifting Sand”, R.V. Bamber was the delegate from 1924 to 1928 for Esther when the Pool built the elevator in 1925. The elevators at Esther, Sedalia and Leo were the first three elevators built by the Alberta Wheat Pool.
Esther’s elevator was a 40,000 bushel structure built by Voss Bros at a contract price of $13,259.25. The elevator opened on October 10, 1925. A balloon annex was built in 1940, as well as an additional annex in 1956. During the sixties an electrically operated winch was added to replace the winch bars to move cars.
Beginning in 1938, agents resided in a house provided by the Pool. Elevator agents through the years were: Sye H. Ness 1925-1926, Shirley Fawcett 1927,
G.P. Field 1928-1929, A.W. Rowe 1929-1931, E.T. Adams 1931-1935, N. Holmes 1935-1937, C. Ferguson 1937-1938, W. Dalton 1938-1952, R.N. Hertz 1952-1957, C.H. Coates 1957-1961, R.L. Tonack 1961-1964, R.L. Halseth 1964-1969, E.D. Morgan 1969-1975, D.J. Storvik 1975-1979
The following is a list of past Alberta Wheat Pool Delegates: W.H. Caswell, Sibbald 1923-1924; R.V. Bamber, Esther 1924-1928; J. Woods, Sibbald 1929-1934; E.J. Norris, Sibbald 1935-1937; M. Padberg, Sibbald 19381944; R.R. Massam, Sedalia 1945-1955; E. Warwick, Oyen 1956-1976; V.R. Johnston, Oyen 1976-1981; C. Lamar, Acadia Valley 1976-1985; R.D. Bamber, Esther 1985 and later; K. Pratt, Esther 1984-1986; J. Kloberdanz, Kirriemuir 1986 and later.
The Esther elevator closed July 31, 1979, when the ownership of the elevator was transferred from Alberta Wheat Pool to the Historical Society.
Pam Stark Licensed Funeral
Grain trucks waiting to unload at Esther Elevator, 1953. Sye Ness was the first elevator agent at Esther.
YOUR BADLANDS BADGERS! Left to Right: Coach - Nolan Rattai, Carson Pearl, Rylan Caplette-Tarrant, Cohen Jorgenson, Dyson DuBussec, Josh Rolheiser, Jax Graham, Luke Caskey, Gary Dornan, Greg MacCormack, Cameron MacDonald, Caleb Oickle, Bryce Fitzgerald, Joshua Gallant, Max Bayne, Alex Maloney, Ayden Andersen, Mason Heintz, Dryden Pidlisny, Ryley Tweten, Pacey Philips, Coach - Zack Zinck, & Athletic Trainer - Tera Dziakewich Athletic. PHOTO BY CHRISTIE CASKEY
Ohtani the A.L. MVP; not as simple in N.L.
The sports world doesn’t yet know the winner of the Most Valuable Player award in the National League. Meanwhile, the presumptive Most Valuable Player award winner in the American League doesn’t know what his future holds.
Let’s start with Part II — the A.L. MVP. The 2023 season still has a couple of weeks to go, but Shohei Ohtani of the Angels winning the award will be about as surprising as Connor McDavid cracking the roster of the Oilers. Ohtani, the Japanese phenom who pitches and hits with the best in baseball, has put up spectacular numbers. At last glance, he led the A.L. in home runs with 44, in the OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) category by an enormous margin, was fourth in batting average (.306) and third in runs-batted-in. On the mound, he was 10-5 with a 3.14 earned-run average (third-best in the AL) and was the only pitcher in the league to limit opponents to a sub-.200 batting average.
BY BRUCE PENTON Sports Columnist
So, give Shohei the trophy. But hold the massive cheque that he was hoping for as a free agent following this once-in-a-lifetime statistical season. Ohtani tore the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his elbow in mid-August, effectively bringing his pitching season to an end. Whether he will undergo Tommy John surgery for the second time in his career remains to be seen, but Ohtani still plans to take a regular turn at the plate as the season winds down with his Los Angeles Angels out of the playoffs again.
That $800 million to $1 billion free-agent contract is now a big question mark. Will teams be paying for a slugging outfielder or a pitcher-slugger with a history of arm trouble? Big decision. Expensive decision. Meanwhile, over in the National League, Atlanta’s Ronald Acuna, Jr., may have to halt construction of the trophy case he’s having built especially for the 2023 MVP trophy. While he was the acknowledged leader, and likely winner, for most of the season, he suddenly has some company in the MVP race. Acuna, Jr., is the first player in MLB history with a 30 home-run, 60-steals season (and likely to hit 70 steals), and the Braves are the runaway leaders in the N.L. East, but
Sibbald News
BY WANDA MOLZAN
Congratulations to Seth and Bailee Eaton on their wedding day. They were married on August 5 in Medicine Hat. It was a beautiful wedding on a beautiful day!
I’m glad to hear that Shaune Switzer is feeling better. He was in the Oyen hospital for a night, then went to Medicine Hat for a CT scan. Showed an abscess behind his tonsil. Then, once back in Oyen, they flew into Calgary (to save the ambulance for the Oyen area, and the flight was coming back to Calgary from the Hat). It was an amazing, smooth ride.
Last night, the ENT(ear/nose/throat specialist) tried to extract pockets of infection from the top of his throat. Quite difficult, but Shaune was a champ! He was admitted to Foothills for aggressive IV antibiotics. He got home from the hospital and right into the combine—the life of a farmer.
Marika, Trent, and family were to Kelowna. They left on August 17. Brandt’s ball team won provincials AA U13 tier 1, and which means that they play in westerns, which is the top team from BC, AB, SK, and MAN. Games start Friday AM. The boys played one game and won. The tournament was cancelled due to the wildfires, so they headed home.
Trevor, Katie and Charlotte were home on August 12. On their way here, they found out that Fort Smith was evacuated due to fires. Jeremy, Ashley, Sawyer and Billie came home on the 13th for the
Mookie Betts of the Dodgers is making a late charge. Unlike A.L. MVP voters, those casting ballots for the N.L. award will actually have to put some thought into it. Acuna has a big edge in batting average and steals, but Betts leads his rival in three important categories — OPS, home runs and RBI. Those making a case for Betts also point to his versatility. A regular outfielder, Betts has filled in due to injuries at second base (48 games) and shortstop (16). A valuable guy to have at manager Dave Roberts’ disposal? You bet.
Voters will either pick A or B (Acuna or Betts). The choice is much simpler in the A.L.
• Jack Finarelli, at sportscurmudgeon.com., quotes Swedish playwright, August Strindberg: “I loathe people who keep dogs. They are cowards who haven’t got the guts to bite people themselves.”
• Phil Mushnick of the New York Post: “Drunk gamblers are now the most welcomed patrons at sports events as they best fit the officially authorized financial goals. Buy a ticket. Buy lots of booze. Bet with an official gambling sponsor.”
• Janice Hough, of leftcoastsortsbabe.com: “The New England Patriots have waived QBs Bailey Zappe, Malik Cunningham, leaving Mac Jones without a backup. Wonder if Bill Belichick got an ‘I’m available’ call from Tom Brady?”
• German tennis pro Alexander Zverev on the scent of marijuana at the U.S. Open: “(Court 17) smells like weed. It definitely smells like Snoop Dogg’s living room.”
• Eamon Lynch of gulfweekusatoday.com, on Zach Johnson’s choices for the U.S. Ryder Cup team: “… if it (U.S,. team) loses, the firing squad will be loading muskets before the European guys sober up from the celebrations.”
• Comedy writer Brad Dickson of Omaha, a devoted Nebraska Cornhuskers’ football fan: “Good news, Husker fans, most of the offensive line from last year is back. Bad news, Husker fans, most of the offensive is from last year is back.”
• Comedy writer Torben Rolfsen of Vancouver:
night.
Trevor and Katie went to Lac la Biche to visit Katie’s family. On Sunday, Trevor took Katie to Edmonton to fly to Inuvik to work at the hospital there. They are asking nurses from NWT that had been evacuated and could come to help at the hospital there. Trevor and Charlotte came back to the farm to help with the harvest as Marvin is unable to help at all this year. There was little to harvest. They do not know when they will be able to go back home at this time.
Congratulations to Brian and Heather on their 50th wedding anniversary and 70th birthday celebration. It was a great time, and so good to see so many people there. Great job on the pig roasting, Greg.
There were lots of kids at the Cereal Kids rodeo. Quinnlee and Maverick took part in it and had a great time.
Clark and Byrne Huston were to see Johnny Reed Concert at the Drumheller Badlands in the valley. After the concert, they went to Laura and Dwayne’s for a farewell to Khiara, who is going to Nova Scotia to attend University. Have a great year, Khiara and I know you will do great there.
Clark and Byrne were to the Labor Day Classic football game in Calgary. They were very happy with the outcome of the game.
Jim and Georgine were to Sibbald on the long weekend to take yearlings to Lethbridge to auction.
Malissa and Ty Corbiell and Ty’s parents, Brad and Tammy Corbiell were also home for the long weekend and loaded cattle to take to the auction in Lethbridge.
“Tough to watch Alek Manoah clowning around in fried chicken commercials while he’s trying to put his career back together in Buffalo.”
• Steve Simmons of Sunmedia, on the Braves’ Ronald Acuna, with 60-plus stolen bases, getting married on the day of a game in Los Angeles: “Apparently, no one has ever walked down the aisle faster.”
• RJ Currie of sportsdeke.com: “A Galapagos tortoise named Diego has reportedly fathered 800 offspring. It’s been named an official mascot for the NBA.”
• And from the website onelinefun.com: “Today a man knocked on my door and asked for a small donation towards the local swimming pool. I gave him a glass of water.”
Care to comment? Email brucepenton2003@yahoo.ca
Town of Oyen Library: Booknotes
FICTION:
Good Bad Girl, by: Alice Feeney
The Breakaway : A Novel, by: Jennifer Weiner
The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp : a Murder Mystery, by: Lionie Swann
Unorthodox Love : A Novel, by: Heidi Shertok
NON-FICTION:
Prairie: Seasonal, farm-fresh recipes celebrating the Canadian Priaries, by: Dan Clapson
CURBSIDE SERVICE OPTION:
The library is currently open as usual, but we have added a curbside service option as well. If you prefer to pick up materials this way, please call ahead or email to let us know which day to put them out.
Dayna Wilson, Library Manager
Library Hours: Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 12-5; Tuesdays 2-7, 403-664-3644 ext. 2
aoymlibrary@marigold.ab.ca www.oyenlibrary.ca www.facebook.com/OyenLibrary
Hand Hills Little Britches Rodeo
Traffic Bylaw: 48 On. 48 Off.
With the camping season coming to an end, the Town of Hanna would like to remind all recreational and vehicle owners of the 48-hour parking bylaw when parking holiday trailers and boat trailers on public roads.
Here are some key points to remember about RV and trailer parking from the Traffic Bylaw #640-82.
• Must not be parked on the road longer than 48 hours. (48 On)
• Must be moved to private property once the 48 hours is up. (48 Off)
• Must always be attached to the towing vehicle.
• Power cords must be suspended to allow clear passage.
• Must be registered and insured.
• Cannot be used as a living place.
Note: A temporary parking permit may be requested if you need to exceed 48 hours.
If you have concerns about a trailer that’s been parked in the same place for too long, you are invited to talk to Hanna Municipal Enforcement about it. You can phone the Office and ask for Tracy, pop in during business hours, or use the online form found at hanna.ca/report-a-concern. All submissions are confidential.
Your cooperation and contribution toward keeping Hanna beautiful is appreciated.
The news from BYEMOOR & ENDIANG
By Les and Rosemary Stulberg
Harvest in the area is well underway. An early harvest this year was advanced due to the summer drought. Farmers got a bit of a break with the recent rain delay, something we’ve seen very little of lately.
Congratulations to Doug Harrold of Byemoor on his silver medal win in Bocce at the Alberta 55 Plus Summer Games, Aug. 17 – 20, in Brooks – Newell. Good job, Doug.
Congratulations to Kendal and Kelsey (nee Keith) Andre on the birth of their daughter Amelia Joan Marie Andre on Aug. 27 in Medicine Hat. She weighed eight pounds two ounces. Amelia is also welcomed by big brother Wade. Also, congratulations are sent to the grandparents Brian Keith and Jodi Johnson and great-grandma Deanna Johnson.
Marj Sorensen had a lucky day on Aug. 29 while playing crib at Manor II in Hanna, at the regular Tuesday crib meet. Marj was dealt a 28 point hand. She had a King and three Fives and a Five turned up. Congratulations Marj, those hands don’t come up very often.
Sympathy is extended to the family of Dale Kobi who passed away on Aug. 18 at the age of 84 years. He was one of four children born to Bill and Betty Kobi. Dale and his late wife Joy (nee Gridley) raised a family of two children, Janine and Kevin.
Dale was well known for his bale hauling business and for his love of chuckwagon racing, a sport he participated in until the time of his death.
Our thoughts are with the Kobi family in their sad loss of this active gen-
tleman.
Sincere condolences go to the family of Marsha Mailer who passed away on Sept. 1 at 43 years of age. She was the daughter of Cathy and the late Rod Mailer. Marsha and her husband Ryan Nixon have two children Emma and Connor Nixon.
Our thoughts are with Marsha’s family and friends in their sad loss. She was a popular young woman, taken far too soon.
Sympathy is with the family of Phyllis Starling who passed away on Sept. 3. She was 88 years of age. Phyllis and her husband Ben farmed many years in the Hackett district, between Byemoor and Botha, where they raised their two children Malcolm and Melanie.
Phyllis was well known for her artistic talents in painting and pottery. Her talent can be seen in many murals around the area and many people have pieces of her work in their possession.
Our thoughts are with Phyllis’ family in their sad loss of this fine lady.
Happy Birthday wishes go out to Mickey Tucker who celebrated her 87th birthday on Sept. 10. Best wishes for many more happy birthdays, Mickey. Humour for the Day —
“My wife told me if I wasn’t home in an hour she was giving my supper to the dog. I was home in half and hour, I love that dog.”
“If a man says he will fix it, he will. There is no need to remind him every six months.”
“Don’t be mad at lazy people. They didn’t do anything.”
The Hand Hills Little Britches Rodeo was held Saturday, September 9. More photos can be found on page 15 and on our Facebook page! PHOTOS BY KATE WINQUIST
Special Areas looking for feedback on updated Land Use Order
The Special Areas Board is in the process of updating the Land Use Order and is looking for feedback on proposed changes from the public. The current Land Use Order was last updated in 2015 and needed to be reviewed to help streamline regulations, reduce red tape and support clear and understandable development processes. The review process first began in 2021 and has included members of administration, development officers and planning staff from Palliser Regional Municipal Services. With the initial draft of the updated Land Use Order now complete, Special Areas wants to hear from the public on proposed changes to this important municipal planning document.
To ensure the updated Land Use Order considers the impacts and opportunities for Special Areas residents and stakeholders, a two-phase engagement process is being planned. The first phase of this engagement will take place over the fall and will include both online and in-person engagement opportunities. The draft Land Use Order document is currently available on the Special Areas website, along with a summary report that highlights some of the major changes being proposed. Residents, businesses, and other affected stakeholders are encouraged to review these documents ahead of the information open houses being planned later for this fall. Feedback provided during public engagement will help inform revisions to the draft document.
Once the draft document has been finalized based on feedback from this public engagement, it will be taken to the Special Areas Board for first reading in early 2024. As a part of Special Areas regular consultation process, a public hearing will be scheduled to allow members of the public to share feedback on the draft document directly with the Board. This public hearing will take place ahead of any additional readings of the Land Use Order document and will be widely advertised to make sure interested parties can attend or can send in written submissions. The Board will use feedback received throughout the public consultation process to make sure the updated Land Use Order aligns with community’s wants and needs.
Learn more about the Land Use Order review project by visiting www.specialareas.ab.ca/services/ land-use-order-review/
Alberta leads the way in employment growth
Minister of Jobs, Economy and Trade Matt Jones issued the following statement about the August 2023 Labour Force Survey from Statistics Canada:
“Alberta’s job numbers continue to tell an exciting economic story as more people build a future and find great jobs in Alberta. In August, 17,700 additional Albertans found employment, with an increase of 99,100 employed Albertans since August of last year. The unemployment rate is 5.7 per cent while the number of full-time jobs is 2.1 million and full-time employ-
ment fuels job growth across sectors.
“The programs and policies Alberta’s government have created mean businesses keep growing and major companies like Coca-Cola, Teknol and Flair Airlines are choosing to invest here, creating exciting job opportunities for Albertans in a range of sectors. Strong employment means more families can count on regular paycheques.
“Our efforts to make life more affordable are working. Alberta’s inflation rate has generally been below the national
average – while average weekly earnings are seven per cent higher than the national average.
“Long term, the employment trends are favourable too. In the last 12 months, Alberta’s employment has grown by 4.1 per cent, above the national average of 2.5 per cent.
“Alberta’s government will continue to create an investment-friendly environment that encourages new employment growth and ensures Albertans can count on good jobs for years to come.”
PRAIRIE LAND ARCHERS COMPETE IN SOUTH AFRICA: Four members of the Prairie Land Archers competed this summer with team Canada in a World Competition in South Africa. The Prairie Land archers were Vance Laughlin (Youngstown), Sean Murphy (Altario), Holly and Natalie Karg (J.C. Charyk Hanna School). Each country that participated sent three teams, an Adult team, a Junior team and a Development team. Vance Laughlin and Sean Murphy were on the Junior Team and Holly and Natalie Karg were on the Development Team. The Junior Team won Gold in Bullseye and Bronze in 3D. Vance was 3rd for Junior boys 3D and 3rd for Junior boys Overall Champion. The Development Team won Silver in both Bullseye and 3D. Holly was 2nd for Development female Overall Champion. Team Canada as a whole won the tournament. SUBMITTED
Stay active and safe while heading back to school
School is back for many families across the province, and Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors encourages parents and caregivers to talk with their kids and teens about active and safe ways to travel to school.
Help your child plan for active travel.
• Talk with your child or teen about ways they can walk or wheel to school, such as riding a bike, scooter or skateboard.
• For younger children, map out the route and practise it together.
• For older children and teens, help them think through the details, such as the route they’ll use and how much time it will take to get there. They may need your advice to avoid busy, high-speed roads. Keep safety top of mind.
• Talk with your child or teen about gear, such as bright, reflective clothing, that will help them stay safe when they’re wheeling to school.
• Help them take the bike helmet YES test to make sure their helmet fits properly.
• Talk with your child or teen about staying alert when walking or wheeling to school. Remind them to put their phones and earbuds away so they can be aware of what’s going on around them.
• Role model safe active travel. For example, if you’re walking to school with your child, cross the road only at marked intersections or crossings. Explain traffic signs and lights. If you’re biking to school together, be sure to wear your helmet too.
Support safe active travel in your community.
• Help your child connect with other kids who walk or wheel to school – it can be motivating, social and fun for them to travel together.
• Listen to your teen’s ideas about how to make active travel more appealing. For example, help
them advocate for more pathways or bike, scooter or skateboard storage racks in public places, or take part in community cleanups or outdoor art projects.
For ideas on what they can do, visit Physical activity: Bike racks or shelters.
Classifieds
ANNOUNCEMENTS
GET YOUR MESSAGE SEEN
ACROSS Alberta. The Blanket Classifieds or Value Ads reach over 600,000 Alberta readers weekly. Two options starting at $269 or $799 to get your message out! Business changes, hiring, items for sale, cancellations, tenders, etc. People are increasingly staying home and rely on their local newspapers for information. KEEP people in the loop with our 90 Weekly Community Newspapers. Call THIS NEWSPAPER now or email classifieds@ awna.com for details. 1-800282-6903, 780-434-8746 X225. www.awna.com.
EQUIPMENT FOR SALE
BLANKET THE PROVINCE with a classified ad. Only $269/wk (based on 25 words or less). Reach almost 90 weekly newspapers. Call NOW for details. 1-800-2826903 Ext 225; www.awna. com.
FEED AND SEED
ALBERTA FEED GRAIN:
Buying Oats, Barley, Wheat, Canola, Peas, Screenings, Mixed Grains. Dry, Wet, Heated, or Spring Thresh. Prompt Payment. In House Trucks, In House Excreta Cleaning. Vac Rental. 1-888-483-8789. WE BUY DAMAGED GRAINHeated, Mixed, Tough, Light, Bugs, Spring Thrashed....Barley, Wheat, Oats, Peas, Flax, Canola. “On Farm Pickup”. Westcan Feed & Grain 1-877250-5252. For Sale
WHITE SPRUCE TREES: 5’ average $50. Installation ONLY $19. Includes: hole augered, Wurzel Dip enzyme injection, bark mulch application, staking. Minimum order 20. One-time fuel charge: $125-150. Crystal Springs. 403-820-0961. Quality guaranteed.
HEALTH
HIP/KNEE REPLACEMENT. Other medical conditions causing TROUBLE WALKING or DRESSING? The Disability Tax Credit allows for $3,000 yearly tax credit and $30,000 lump sum refund. Take advantage of this offer. Apply NOW; quickest refund Nationwide: Expert help.
CLASSIFIED AD RATES (20 words or less). $10.00 plus GST. Additional words are 20¢ each. Deadline is Friday noon. 306463-2211
Coronation RCMP charge male with arson for Church fire
On September 5 2023, at 12:57 p.m., Coronation and Consort RCMP responded to a 911 complaint of a structure fire at the Evangelical Free Church in the Town of Coronation. Witnesses on scene provided video and witnessed a male attend the church earlier in the morning with a jerry can. The male was later seen returning to the Church just before 12 p.m., and leaving soon after, just before the fire was reported. As a result of the investigation, Coronation RCMP have charged Nickolas Guy Fortier (23), a resident of Coronation, with:
• Arson
• Mischief Over $5,000
Nickolas Guy Fortier was released on an Undertaking with conditions. His next court appearance is set for Oct. 13, 2023, at 11 a.m., at the Alberta Court of Justice in Coronation.
If anyone has further information on this incident or video please contact Coronation RCMP at (403) 578-3666.
Members of the public who want to report suspect suspicious activity or property related crime in their community can call local police, or contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Crime Stoppers is always anonymous.
Less than 2 weeks left to apply for Alberta Blue Cross’s® Built Together grant program
What will you build?
Five $50,000 grants are up for grabs with Alberta Blue Cross’s Built Together grant program—and eligible organizations have until September 18 to apply. Each year, this program awards grants for healthy living infrastructure projects across Alberta in 1 of each of the following areas: Edmonton, Calgary, a secondary city, a rural community and an Indigenous community. Alberta Blue Cross encourages community leagues, school councils, municipalities and other non-profits across Alberta to apply for the Built Together grant. The application form can be found on the Alberta Blue Cross community website.
From gyms, cycling paths and playgrounds to skate parks, sports courts and outdoor rinks, Built Together has provided more than $2 million in funding support to 43 projects since the program’s inception in 2013. Funding for the program comes from the ABC Benefits Corporation Foundation.
“As the Built Together program applications near closing date, we encourage Albertans to apply for this grant that helps to build active living spaces in communities across the province,” says Brian Geislinger, vice-president of Corporate Relations and Community Engagement at Alberta Blue Cross. “Not only does publicly accessible infrastructure promote physical activity, but it also provides opportunities for social connection. By supporting community wellbeing, this program is one of the ways that Alberta Blue Cross steps up as a partner in wellness to Albertans.”
More information about the program is available on the Alberta Blue Cross community website.
About Alberta Blue Cross As an Alberta-based, not-for-profit organization, Alberta Blue Cross covers more than 1.8 million Albertans and has a unique focus on supporting the health and wellness of Albertans.
Hanna RCMP nabs suspect in possession of stolen vehicle
On August 29, 2023, a Hanna RCMP officer conducted a traffic stop of a minivan in the parking of a business in Hanna. The driver was found to be unlicensed and in violation of a release order which prohibited her from being behind the wheel of a motor vehicle.
Sergeant Rob Welsman stated, “Upon closer inspection of the vehicle, it was determined the license plate on the vehicle belonged to a different vehicle, and the vehicle itself had been reported stolen.”
The driver, 53-year-old Wanda Charlton, a resident of Drumheller, was arrested and charged with possession of stolen property under $5000 and failure to comply with a release order. Charlton will make her next court appearance in Hanna on Oct. 25, 2023.
HOSPITAL LADIES
John F. Stodalka, Ronald B. Baba, Marilyn A. Herrmann, Bryce R. Farrell, Darren E. Folkersen, Ashley D. Herrmann, Mario M. Mudri
D. Herrmann
Mario M. Mudri
The Hanna Food Bank held a barbeque fundraiser last week on September 7 in front of Friesen Bros. grocery store. All the food was provided by Freson Bros. and the smokies and hotdogs are distributed for donations. Freson Bros. helps out many organizations in the community by making this activity open to many.
PHOTO BY HARLAND LESYK
Esler Stanley Logan
May 7, 1933 - Sept. 2, 2023
Esler was born May 7, 1933 at the Saunders barn (now Gordon Woods yard) to parents Frank and Edna.
He grew up on the family farm and went to Lewis School, 2 miles away for grades 1-6, grades 7-9 at the Cappon School, 3 mile horseback ride across the country. After grade 9, he decided that was enough schooling and took up working instead. The story goes that he spent more time at the Cappon Post Office playing cards, then actually going to classes.
At the age of 15, Esler took up his lifelong vocation of farming.
Tomkins and sports trips with Gerald and Loreen Johnston, Darrell and Rita Anderson as well as Ken and Joan Mick, as long as he could drive, absolutely no flying.
In February of 1954, Esler met the girl of his dreams, Annetta Bishop, at a dance in Oyen. They married May 28, 1954 and celebrated their 69th anniversary this year.
Esler and Nettie were blessed with 7 children, 6 boys and 1 girl.
Esler was an excellent farmer and provided his family with a great life of working, sporting events and just good country living. With 6 boys he became a very good delegator of work. When there was something that needed to be done, it was to be done yesterday, no procrastinating.
Esler kept busy in the community. He was active in the Cappon Community with the annual Cappon picnic and making curling ice at the rink, which was just down the hill from his yard. He also sat on numerous committees for the Special Areas Board.
Esler wasn’t a big traveler, but he loved going to ball games, hockey and curling, to watch his kids play and later grandkids. Esler and Nettie did enjoy going on gambling trips with Jerry and Helen
Esler retired and they moved to Oyen in 2000. He was very active in the Sr. Rec Club until his health started to fail.
Esler was admitted to the Oyen LTC in Feb. of 2020, just 25 days before the dreaded Covid Closures. He battled dementia for 5 plus years and succumbed to the disease at Oyen LTC Sept. 2, 2023, with his family by his side. Esler leaves to mourn; his loving wife Nettie, brother Miles (Vallery) Logan and sister-in-law Doreen Smith, children; Stan (Gert), Joan (Neil) Jorgenson, Bruce, Rod, Cal (Tracey), Barry (Erin), Jerry (Marcy). 17 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren, as well as numerous extended family members.
Esler was predeceased by his parents Frank and Edna, sister Gladys (Ted) Scarff, sisters-in-law; Ileen (Heff) Waterhouse, Hazel (Art) Chaplin, Faye (Wilfred) Ball and Rita Logan, brother-in-law Daryl Smith. Nieces Sandra Adams, Vicky Burns and Linda Breland. Nephews; Roger Ball and Sheldon Smith. Memorial tributes may be directed to Oyen and District Health Care Foundation Box 1, Oyen, AB T0J 2J0 or to a charity of donor’s Choice
A Celebration of life was held on Sunday, Sept 10th, 2023 at the Royal Canadian Legion in Oyen, AB
To leave messages of condolence please visit ofsmacleans.com
Funeral arrangements in care of MacLean’s Funeral Home, Oyen, Alberta.
ACADIA VALLEY
* Yoga in The Valley Thursdays from 7:00
- 8:00 PM in the Hall. Call/text Jamie 403548-5146 for more info.
* Gymnastics - Cactus Gym Club’s Fall Classes start September 9 until November 4 at the Acadia Valley Event Centre. To register or for more info, contact Michelle Hutton at 403-502-3050.
ALSASK
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 17
• Celebrate the 40th time Alsask has hosted a fundraiser for the Terry Fox Foundation. Join us for a full pancake breakfast by Oyen Lions from 9-11am for $10/person. TF t-shirts available for $25 plus local products for sale by silent & live auction. Make a donation for a candle and light it in memory or in encouragement. Cash out before noon. Donations can be made online at TerryFox.org to the Alsask run or by e-transfer to Alsask.TF.Event@ gmail.com (provide name and address in message for charitable receipt).
BIG STONE
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 24
• Big Stone Vintage Horsepower Trail Ride & Potluck Supper 2:30 PM Big Stone Community Hall. Come in any old truck or tractor – rusty, shiny, original condition or restored. Ride through Blood Indian Park. Potluck supper to follow 6:00 PM at Big Stone Hall. No cost. Come out for an afternoon & evening of community gathering and fun. For more information, contact Kirby at 403-854-1554.
CEREAL
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13
• Cereal Golden Centre in-person meeting for all 50 years and older. Starts at 11:00 AM inside Cereal Agencies building.
* Mondays - Cereal Board of Trade BIN-
GO. Doors open 6:30 PM. Bingo starts 7:30 PM at the CJ Peacock Centre.
* Tuesdays - Cereal Cottages Weekly Coffee Time 9:30 AM
CRAIGMYLE
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16
• Pumpkin Fest 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM at Craigmyle Historic Church
ONE STOP WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT
* Wednesdays - 9:30 AM Coffee at Craigmyle Historic Church
DELIA
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7 - SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30
• Art Exhibit at the Delia Library
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13
Delia In Bloom meeting 2:00 PM at the United Church
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14
Senior meeting 10 AM at the Drop In Centre
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 18
Elks meeting 7:00 PM at the Delia Community Centre
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20
Noon POT LUCK at the Drop In Centre
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25
Ag Society meeting 7:30 PM at the Curling Rink
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26
BINGO 7:00 PM at the Delia Community Hall
* Tuesdays & Thursdays - 9:00 AM Coffee & Cards at the Drop in Centre
* Wednesdays - 7:00 PM Cards & Pool at the Drop in Centre
* Thursdays - Pickleball 6:30 PM at the Delia Gym
HANNA
FRIDAY & SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 & 16
Hanna Indoor Pro Rodeo (see advertisement in this paper)
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21
BINGO 7:30 PM at the Hanna Senior Centre
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26
• Hanna Lacrosse Association Annual Meeting 7:00 PM at the Links upstairs boardroom Provincial Building. Please use south doors when entering. Important meeting to discuss the path going forward for the Spring 2024 season.
• Hanna Adult Community Choir 12:30 PM at Centennial Place. Free with no experience necessary. Join us as we prepare for our Christmas performances. Sponsored by the Town of Hanna.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 3
• Hanna Adult Community Choir 12:30 PM at Centennial Place. Free with no experi-
ence necessary. Join us as we prepare for our Christmas performances. Sponsored by the Town of Hanna. OCTOBER 15
• Referee Clinic in Hanna at Lynx Boardroom West Door. Register online at Hockey Alberta. Must be 12 years of age or older as of December 31, 2023. Contact Ryan at 403-854-9174.
OYEN
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26
• Terry Fox Walk at Oyen Public School
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27
• Oyen Family Community Support Services presents their annual Activity Fair from 3:00-7:00 PM at the Royal Canadian Legion. Lots of Information, Lots to see! Free Live Amazing Entertainment Jordan Sabo! Also a delicious homemade Supper for only $10 from 5-7 pm. Please call our office to book your spot to showcase your services!! 403-664-2255 See You all There!
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29
• Orange Shirt Day
• Fun night at the Oyen Seniors Cen-
tre. Games and Socializing. BYOB and snacks. 7:00 P.M. to Midnight. Call Lynda Grudecki 403 664 0908 for more information.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4
• Regular Pot Luck supper and meeting for Oyen and District Seniors.
6:00 P.M. at Oyen Seniors Centre.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11
• Floor Curling begins for this season for Oyen and District Seniors.
1 P.M. at the Oyen Seniors Centre. Call Heather White 403 664 3854 or Beth Symes 403 664 2462 for further information.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 22
• Ref Clinic at the Oyen Arena. Register online at Hockey Alberta. Must be 12 years of age or older as of December 31, 2023.
SATURDAY & SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2728
• 6th Annual Highway 41 Pheasant Festival
* Oyen Town Council meet 2nd Tuesday of every month 7:00-9:00 PM in Council Chambers
The Badlands Badgers met in front of their dugout before their home opener against the Neutral Hill Wranglers. PHOTO BY CHRISTIE CASKEY