ANNOUNCEMENTS 50th Wedding Anniversary
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Avelina Aguilar Caponpon.
Belen with her children, grand children and great grandchildren.
Nearly a Century of Blessings
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velina “Belen” Aguilar Caponpon recently celebrated her 92nd birthday. She was born in Quipot, San Juan, Batangas, Philippines, on November 2, 1928. She was married to Francisco Caponpon (deceased) on December 29, 1960. Her husband was a successful farmer, and together they were blessed in rearing four children in the fear of the Lord: Rodney (Medilyn), Marjorie (Sam), Imelda, and Bong (Joy Mellicent). Belen is further blessed with amazing grandchildren: Franz (Linda), Shae Lynn, and Breanna (deceased). However, more than that, she was gifted with two marvelous great-grandchildren: Eliana and Oliver. Belen is the eldest of ten. Her five brothers and four sisters all emigrated to the USA while Belen chose Canada, and in 1997, she joined her sons and their families. As a seamstress from her late teens on, Belen also worked as a colporteur for the South Central Luzon Conference, Philippines,
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Alberta Adventist News
displaying a remarkable knack for selling books. As one of the pioneer pupils of the Quipot Seventh-day Adventist Elementary School, she was instrumental in the reopening of that school when it closed. She also served as the treasurer of that school. Belen has a superb ability to reach people and touch their lives in a deep and positive way. She likes to cook, and in her spare time, she enjoys hosting small-group gatherings. Avelina is a member of the Red Deer Seventh-day Adventist Church. She supported and involved herself in various church and community services. She was also an adviser and treasurer of the Red Deer Fil-Can Group. She is a very well-respected leader and considered a matriarch. She is passionately called “Inay (eenigh) Belen” (“Mommy Belen”). —Submitted by Marjorie Caponpon Santos
DECEMBER 2020
rni and Elvine Skoretz celebrated their 50th anniversary in Banff and Lake Louise on August 30. They met at Andrews University (1969) and were married on August 30, 1970, in Vegreville, AB. Over the past 50 years, they have made friends and were active in church families across Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, and California. They have three children: Justin, Orlando, FL; Kimberly, Los Angeles, CA; and Rachelle, Los Angeles, CA., and five grandchildren: Nate Skoretz, Sara Skoretz, Gabe Skoretz, Sidney Innes, and Isabel Innes. Arni earned his master's degree in social work from Wilfred Laurier University (1984) and retired from Alberta Social Services in 1996. He taught social work at Canadian Union College (CUC) from 1986 –2018, now named Burman University, and serves on the School's Board of Directors (1990-Present). Arni also created the Canadian Accreditation Council — world accreditation of children and adult services. Elvine graduated from CUC in 1971 and was a financial advisor and president of their financial, insurance, and real estate business, Achieve Excellence Investments, Inc., established in 1986. The couple currently lives in Red Deer, AB, where they have resided since 1984.
