November 20, 2022 Super Booster

GRINCH GRINCH

T HE T HE doesn’t stand a chance!

It seems the Grinch may be back! And, it shouldn’t be a surprise –it’s all because we are sneaking up on this most special time of year. With a wicked temper, his sour attitude, his depressed judgment and, of course, a heart that is two sizes too small, the grouch from Whoville, with or without his ally Max, could well be stalking Camrose businesses this week. Just in time for him to attempt to steal the very best of Christmas, including those wonderful, local, gift ideas (example being – purchasing a handmade quilt that was previously crafted with love by Quilting from the Heart staff), memories (such as those made from the joy of carolers strolling downtown singing famous songs), happiness (perhaps from a great outfit purchase made at Fringe Benefits), smiles (think of those dozens of people rushing down to Hauser Home Hardware, each certain to land the bargain of the decade on a new appliance) and family fun (a Christmas parade anyone?). Just imagine!

Don’t be like the Grinch! It’s Black Friday week, which means great shopping opportunities. It’s Midnight Madness – who can resist this? Read this edition of The Super Booster to see why the Grinch does not stand a chance this week in this community.

Photo by Ron Pilger

Grateful Grannies Christmas Market

By Lori Larsen

On Saturday, Novem ber 26 head on down to the Bailey Theatre for the annual Camrose and Area Grateful Grannies Christ mas Market to be held from noon until 3 p.m.

The Market will once again be held in the beau tiful Bailey, after two years of the Market being held at the Saturday Farmer’s Market.

“This year we feel we can once again safely em brace coming together in our traditional market at the Bailey Theatre,” said Camrose and Area Grate ful Grannies member Ja net Galenza thanking or ganizers of the Saturday Farmer’s Market for their gracious welcome during the past two years.

The Market promises a plethora of wonderfully handcrafted items and baked goods for attendees to chose from including: Scandinavian gnomes, quilting, knitting, jewelry and the traditional AIDS Angels along with scrump tious home baked goods.

The Grateful Grannies Market organizers are also hoping to have a vintage table of items sent up so attendees can purchase

some unique and interest ing items that claim a little history.

Proceeds from the Christmas Market will be used to support the inter national Grateful Grannies initiative, a grandmother to grandmother campaign that raises money to fi nance community based organizations which iden tify where funding is most needed and offers support to these areas of need.

Grateful Grannies is comprised of a dedicated group of grandmothers and grand “others” who along with other groups across Canada raise money to help support the African grandmothers.

Purchasing any items at the Market will provide much needed education programs and help to ful fill the needs of those far removed in miles but close to the hearts of those giv ing.

If you would like to donate handcrafted items or would like more infor mation about the Grateful Grannies group contact Ja net at 780-679-2676.

Angels making angels

Lori Larsen, Camrose Booster

On November 17, some of the Camrose and Area Grateful Grannies members gathered at Quilting From the Heart in a makeshift assembly line of angel making. A group of volunteers meet prior to the Grateful Grannies Christmas Market to put together beautifully handcrafted, each with unique personalities, AIDS Angels to be sold at the market.

Pictured left to right back row are Ruth Ford, Vera Lindsay, Linda VanSoest and Joanne Myrehaug.

Front row sitting are, left to right, Patrice Johnson and Ellen Parker.

It pays to stamp around Camrose

By Murray Green

The Camrose Stamp Around event is back this holiday season. You could win cash prizes each week as well as the grand prize.

When you are shopping at participating businesses pick up an entry form and start recording your pur chases. You can also use the QR code on your smart phone using the Camrose Now! app.

Every week a draw for $100 will be made and a winner announced. A grand prize featuring $1,500 will be made and announced on December 23.

Shop local and enter of ten for your chance to win. This is a Camrose-wide event, not just businesses downtown. See participat ing stores for more details.

Tofield receives recreation award

By Murray Green

Several Alberta Recre ation and Parks Associa tion (ARPA) awards were presented recently.

ARPA’s awards cel ebrate the outstanding achievements of individu als, groups, agencies and communities whose con tributions to recreation and parks have directly in creased the quality of life of Albertans.

Award recipients are selected annually by a vol unteer Awards and Schol arships Committee.

The A.V. Pettigrew Award is presented in hon our of Albert (Bert) Victor Pettigrew, a founding and charter member of the Al berta Recreation and Parks Association. Bert retired in October 1972 from the Ed monton Parks and Recre ation Department after 26 years of devoted service to Edmonton citizens.

In honour of his years of service to the people of Alberta and his profession, ARPA inaugurated the A.V. Pettigrew Award in 1972.

The Tofield Agriculture Society, the Town of Tofield and Village of Ryley have collaborated each year for the past 15 years to host the annual Total Ry-Tof Ball Tournament. The three groups demonstrate collaboration and partnership between regional municipalities as well as an agricultural society, to host an event that brings the region together in terms of participants, spectators and volunteers.

Gymnasts perform well at Camrose meet

Danika Hillyer of Camrose showed off her golden level routine on the balance beams.

Lacey Adolf finished her floor routine strong and quickly pointed that out to the judge.

Photos by Murray Green, Camrose Booster, at Academny of Gymnastics

Abigayle Ryshcka of the Camrose club was flying high in the gold level category on November 13.

Adelyn Sereda was flat out competing in the silver level and was judged by former Precision gymnast now judge Teagan Rombough.

Morley Ahlquist of Lacombe soared in the platinum level floor exercises event at the new facility in Camrose.

Brooklynn Church of Mulhurst Bay performed well in the Xcel platinum level category on November 13.

Holden Rural Academy opens new school

By Lori Larsen

The new Holden Ru ral Academy, a tuition-free Alberta public Charter School for Grades 7 to 12, was recently congratu lated on its opening by the Province of Alberta dur ing a presentation by MLA Jackie Lovely at a school assembly.

“The Holden Rural Academy was opened in record time, thanks to Karla Janzen’s commit ment and hard work,” said Lovely. “The school gives parents a choice in educa tion for their children. I’m glad we had some time to pause and celebrate the achievement!”

With a goal of placebased education Holden Rural Academy strives to meet the unique needs of rural students.

“The beauty of Holden Rural Academy and all the work they’re doing is on place based education,” ex plained Holden principal Brian Dewar. “And place based education is getting the kids out into the work force in the afternoons so we can show what we have to offer in the community, the Village of Holden and the surrounding areas. This a great idea.”

Superintendent Wes ley Oginski shared his thoughts. “It is exciting to be involved in an opportu nity to connect students with their community and with their home.”

For more information on the Holden Rural Academy, visit the website at https://holdenrural academy.ca/.

Submitted

The Province of Alberta presented Holden Rural Academy with a plaque recognizing the school opening in September. Pictured left to right are Gail Alger, Karla Janzen, student Rebecca Abbott, Camrose MLA Jackie Lovely, superintendent Wesley Oginski and Holden Rural Academy principal Brian Dewar.

Holden Rural Academy recognized

support they get in Cam rose, Shelley kept doing blankets for Blankets for Canada.

A giving spirit

By Lori Larsen

Giving is the one thing in this world that is not restricted by bor ders, will always be welcome and has the potential to not only make ripples but cause tidal waves of compassion.

Whether that be giving of time, support, funds or gifts (purchased or handmade), giving hearts just never get old.

In recognition of Giving Tues day on Tuesday, November 29, everyone is encouraged to give where, when and how they can to help make this a more cared for world.

Join other extraordinary people like Camrosian Shelley Schuett who has been giving through her love for knitting and crafting for years.

“My gramma (mom’s mom) taught me to knit when I was 10,” said Shelley. “And I knit every thing from blankets and sweaters to stuffed toys and slippers.

“I put my knitting aside for a bit after my husband passed away and I decided I wanted to do some kind of volunteering, but transportation is always an issue (blind since birth, Shelley only has a very small percentage of sight). So I researched something I could do from home.”

After browsing on the internet for organizations (not-for-profit) where she could use her incredible skills for knitting to help a good cause, Shelley discovered Blan kets for Canada, a not-for-profit organization devoted to creating blankets for Canadians who need warmth, dependent entirely upon donations.

“There is a chapter in Edmon ton and I got very involved in that Chapter,” said Shelley. “I used to go up to their “joining bees”. The goal was to knit eight inch squares that were then knitted into blan kets and given to the homeless shelters and facilities in Edmon ton. Because I lived in Camrose the organization also delivered blankets to the Camrose Women’s Shelter once or twice a year.”

Excited to be able to do what she loved but also give back, Shel ley continued her volunteering work with Blankets For Canada and when she moved to Milton, Ontario with her partner Roger, she started a Chapter out there.

After moving back to Cam rose, she admits that living in a larger centre was just not their cup of tea, they missed the small town atmosphere and wonderful

“But I started looking for other things to do for blind people and I found this group called Krafters Korner, a craft ing division of the National Federa tion of the Blind ( www.krafters korner.org) out of the US. “They are in every state and they have all kinds of divi sions and Krafters Korner is one of the divisions,” explained Shelley. “It is blind people teaching blind people how to do crafts through free telephone conference calling.”

It seemed Shelley found an other outlet for her passion for crafting, but also her incredible desire to give back to those less fortunate.

work with is Operation Christ mas Child. With a cause for her craft, Shelley was off to the races crafting a variety of beautiful and thoughtful little gifts for packing into Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes. Items include: little knitted washcloths folded into butterflies, small sewn games, beaded jewelry, bookmarks and tiny knitted stuffies, a tote full of which she recently donated to this year’s Camrose Operation Christ mas Child campaign.

Shelley has also taken on the task of tracking all the hours and items donated by this group in an effort to demonstrate that, despite being blind, a person can make a huge difference.

Recently, she also took over for the previous person who was seeking out the charities the group wants to donate to because she didn’t want to see the initia tive stop. “I love to do work for charities. It is my thing.”

Besides Operation Christmas Child, the group has donated to Operation Gratitude (crafting pa triotic items to be sent overseas to sol diers) and Mittens for Detroit.

Shelley ex plained that while deciding on donat ing to Mittens for Detroit, a spokes person for the ini tiative spoke to the Krafters Korner group relating the impact their dona tions would have on the recipients.

“She told us that in Detroit, they get requests for 50,000 pairs of mit tens a year and only

sisted on just getting a pair for his gramma.

“The volunteer helped him find a pair of blue mittens that would fit his gramma, and was later told by the librarian at that school that the young boy’s par ents had been killed in a car ac cident the year before, and his grandmother was now looking after him and his three brothers.

“We just think it is a pair of mittens, but for someone else it is the world. Just knowing that somebody out there cares is all they need to go on–to make a dif ference in their life.”

The list goes on of the many tenderly crafted items that Shel ley does to be donated to so many needy causes. She makes cards that she donates to an organi zation that distributes them to hospitals and senior care centres. “We leave them blank inside so the staff can write encouraging messages in them. And this is all through Krafters Korner, that I have got involved with these other charities.”

Besides making all these items, Shelly also pays out of pock et, not only for the supplies but any associated shipping costs. She did point out that while Krafters Korner does work for charities across the globe they don’t specify that has to be the chosen charity. “If you find a need in your com munity then you can give to them. If I found out somewhere here in Camrose (and area) needed mit tens or hats, I would knit them hats or mittens.

“If I see a cause and it is some thing I can craft I am on it,” gig gled Shelley.

For people who may not have the skills or time to do the actual crafting there are numerous other ways to give back too.

is most happy when she is knitting, beading or doing some other craft to make beautiful and thoughtful gifts to be given away where they are needed. Top photo. Shelley has recently taken up knitting the cutest little Teddy bears that will be donated to help brighten a child’s life. Photo to right. Shelley handcrafted slews of items including little washcloths, bookmarks, bead jewelry, games and other items that were packed up and donated to Operation Christmas Child, Shoebox Project.

“I got involved with that and started doing a bunch of crafts, such as pony beading, scrap book ing, hand sewing–all different kinds of crafts.”

Not one to shy away from learning a new craft, she contin ues to take courses but is also now teaching knitting and pony bead ing.

“Two years ago, we started a class called Caring for Sharing,” said Shelley. “Once a month we find a charity, learn what that charity is about (and ultimately donate to the charity).”

The first Charity the group worked with and continues to

handle 30,000. That is how big the need is Detroit.”

The spokesperson also re lated one story in particular that brought Shelley to tears.

“At one school they had taken enough mitts for all of the kids and were handing them out. She (the spokesperson for Mittens for Detroit) said she had a little boy come up and ask if the mittens were just for the children. When asked why he was asking, the lit tle boy said he would like a pair for his gramma–blue ones.”

Shelley related that when the young boy was told to first pick out a pair of mitts for himself he in

“Marion and Dale Toogood (also amaz ing givers in our com munity) do a lot of charity stuff but she doesn’t knit or crochet. So she goes around to all the thrift markets and garage sales and buys yarn and brings it to me. That is her way of helping out,” remarked Shelley. “I love that because I go through so much yarn. I will never turn away yarn or craft supplies.”

Shelley admits she is a bit of a fanatic when it comes to craft ing and will go on craz es. Such as her most recent project of knit ting adorable stuffed teddy bears. Each with their own character, each bearing a tiny little heart, which I am convinced is Shelley’s way of giving a piece of her heart to every recipient of her goodwill.

Upon a suggestion, Shelley agreed to have the teddy bears donated during the Camrose Kodiaks Teddy Bear Toss game scheduled for December 3. Anyone interested in tossing a delightful handcrafted teddy bear are wel come to come and toss away and be a link in a chain of kindness initiated by Shelley, an amazing person whose lack of eyesight has never stopped her from seeing the need in others.

Lori Larsen, Camrose Booster Shelley Shuett

This is Ben.

Ben is six teen. Ben is a good k id

He works par t time. He plays spor ts

He gets decent grades in school

Ben doesn’t read The Booster Yet.

But he will. Just give him a few more years

Ben is a future Booster reader.

Ben still has a lot to learn –about life and about his communit y. R ight now, he has other priorities. H is parents and grandparents watch out for Ben and teach Ben, too. (He just doesn’t realize he’s still learning from them.) They tell him about job oppor tunities, communit y events, local business sales and other cool things they’ve seen in The Booster. Or, for that matter, on Camrose NOW! At around age 20, Ben will develop a k een interest in his communit y, in local businesses and The Booster, too. Stats have back ed this up – for about 60 years!

Be like Ben.

This is Bett y.

Bett y lik es to shop in Camrose

Not on Amazon or from websites where goods are shipped from countries overseas

Be like Bett y.

Bett y k nows that Amazon doesn’t donate to her church or her k ids’ school. She k nows that these website companies do not suppor t the Rotar y, K insmen or the facilities we enjoy here in Camrose and surrounding area. She k nows that local businesspeople give generously and are called on to suppor t numerous local initiatives

Betty reads The

Booster

mak es a difference

.

This is Brooklyn.

Brook lyn is a small business owner

Brook lyn wants to grow her business and increase her profit. Brook lyn believes in adver tising

She is a long-time user of The Booster

She uses Booster ads to tell people about new produc ts, to introduce new staff and to remind people about special occasions, such as impor tant business milestones

Even though Brooklyn also relies on social media, over 21,000 weekly Booster readers are too valuable to her sales and success to be overlook ed. And that ’s a ton more views than she gets from her Facebook “friends”.

Be like Brooklyn.

Brooklyn shops local for her adver tising.

These are Grandpa Benjamin and Grandma Beatrice.

They ’re both Booster readers.

They got hook ed on The Booster by watching their own parents read it week ly, and they star ted reading it back in 1952. That ’s 70 years ago!

Booster readers are ver y loyal. I n fac t, professional auditors relay the ver y exciting stat that on any given week, over 83 percent of the papers we deliver inside and well beyond the City of Camrose are browsed by faithful readers Ben and Bea farmed in the area for 40 years, for t y minutes east of Camrose. Ever y Wednesday, over all those years, The Booster arrived in their mailbox. They used its content as they star ted and later expanded their mixed farming operation. As they raised a family, their needs changed and they always found buys and bargains in The Booster year round Their children grew up and moved on and Ben and Bea’s needs for produc ts changed They sold the farm using a Booster adver tiser and now they live in Camrose. They bought their retirement home through a Booster adver tiser They buy groceries week ly using flyers delivered with The Booster The Booster has been par t of their family for decades!

Be like Ben and Bea. …and most everyone else!

Kinettes toy drive assists children

By Murray Green

More than ever the Cam rose Kinette Club needs new unwrapped toys and cash donations to make its annu al Countdown To Christmas Toy Drive a success.

The event is slated for November 26 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Camrose Regis tries, 5613-48 Avenue. “We packed up very few items last year to carry us over. We are really counting on the com munity this year to build our surplus. We don’t know how many families will be access ing our services yet, but we all know everything has in creased in cost this year–toys and gifts are not immune to this. We could definitely see our numbers increasing this year,” said club president Amanda Dyer.

“We do accept cash do nations or even gift cards which are used to purchase gifts for children where do nations have run short.”

The club has made the event all about convenience. Patrons can simply pull up and do a drive by drop off. “No one even needs to get out of the car, let us do the run ning for you.”

The toy drive is the pre cursor to Silent Santa cam paign where gifts are pro vided to those most in need in Camrose and area.

The club is also collect ing non-perishable food for the food bank during the an nual toy drive.

“We work very closely with Neighbor Aid through Silent Santa, so we find it fitting to assist them during the holiday season.”

The group is looking for gifts for all ages, however, the most needed group is those 12 and up. “These can be difficult years to buy gifts for this age group.”

Gift ideas include hair dryers, pocket books, gift cards for fast food restau rants, bowling gift certifi cates, swimming passes and movie gift certificates.

Once the toy drive has wrapped up, the gifts will be sorted according to age and sex. “Neighbor Aid does our entire intake. We then get a list with the child’s age and sex and we pack according to that. The hampers are packed and passed off to the Merry Christmas Fund who then distributes the toys with the food hampers.”

We are so fortunate to work with Neighbor Aid and the Merry Christmas Fund with this project, we’re grateful for all the work they do to make Christmas merry and bright for everyone.

“The Kinette Club would also like to thank the Lions Club for delivering the

toy hampers to the fire hall. Their help every year is so appreciated; they are defi nitely a cog in the wheel.”

To donate this year you can drop off your gifts at Superstore, Duggan Mall and Shuman Insurance. Cash donations can also be dropped off at Shuman In surance. If you have, ques tions about Silent Santa call 780-678-4496.

Deadline for donations is December 17, but the club will be collecting past the due date. To have your name added to the Silent Santa list visit www.neighboraid. ca and read the instruc tions on how to apply. You can also call Neighbor Aid at 780-679-3221. Toy and food hampers will be delivered December 17th by commu nity volunteers. Tax receipts are not issued.

Camrose Kinettes Silent Santa

from left are Meranda Bruneau,

Chief for the Day

By Lori Larsen

Jack Stuart

Grade

3 student Andrew Claridge was the lucky winner of the Camrose Fire Department Fire Chief for the Day con test held throughout Cam rose for any elementary school students.

The contest was part of the Fire Prevention Week –Plan Your Escape aware ness and eduction program offered by Camrose Fire Department during Fire Prevention Week, October 9 to 15.

CFD Fire and Life Safe ty Educator Captain Jeff Knopf visited all the el ementary schools in Cam rose during Fire Prevention Week, providing education to the students on the im portance of planning and practicing a family fire es cape plan.

Knopf suggested stu dents take home the fire es cape template and help the family set out a fire escape plan.

Students were then encouraged to enter their family escape plans into the contest to win the excit ing honour of being Chief For the Day.

“We made a draw of all the entries and Andrew was the winner.”

During the CFD regu lar practice held on Novem ber 15 Andrew, along with his mother and six-year-old sister were picked up in a big shiny red limousine (also referred to as a fire truck), and escorted back to the hall where Andrew relieved CFD Chief Pe ter Krich of his duties for the two hour practice, in a “formal” patching over cer emony.

Andrew was then pre sented with a bag full of swag and given a tour of CFD Fire Hall, then it was down to business.

“Chief For the Day Claridge took over Chief Kirch’s job of ensuring the firefighters were all getting the most of the evening’s training,” smiled Knopf.

Andrew spent the next two hours observing, learn ing and high-fiving CFD’s volunteer firefighters as they went through three different emergency mockups and training, including: fire extinguisher training, repelling down a building and practicing moving hose through a “smoky” build ing.

All-and-all Andrew did a fine job at his temporary duties and by his own, somewhat shy, admittance was excited to be a part of the hometown heroes team, even if for just a day.

Photos by Lori Larsen, Camrose Booster

Camrose Fire Department Chief Peter Krich relinquishes his duties to Chief For the Day Andrew Claridge.

Andrew helps the firefighters keep the static ropes taut during a rappelling training session.

Andrew was presented with a “bag” full of swag, including a trophy, water bottle, toys, chocolate treats and more.

Andrew holds up a fully activated hose to check out just how heavy they can get.

Andrew gets a feel for what it is like to drive one of the big fire trucks.

CFD Fire and Life Safety educator Captain Jeff Knopf explains the use of the “Jaws of Life” in emer gencies.

Midnight Madness

By Lori Larsen

Friday, November 25 will be one of the most won derful times to be in Down town Camrose taking in the sights and sounds of the holiday season during the annual Midnight Madness event.

Bring the family or a group of friends or just en joy a special “you” night out on the town while getting in some holiday shopping.

Take a ride on a horse drawn wagon as they clippity clop around down town. Rides will be leav ing Founders Square on 51 Street.

Bells will be ringing and voices will be singing as shoppers are entertained by the sounds of EmBellish and local carolers.

Be sure to let children know that Santa and Mrs. Claus will also be mill ing about, listening to the wishes of young and not-soyoung alike.

The splendor of the lights, the festive decor and glimpses of horse drawn wagons and jolly old St. Nick make Midnight Mad ness a special holiday tradition.

Lori Larsen, Camrose Booster File Photo

Children, of all ages, but especially the young ’uns, are always excited to get a pre-Christmas visit in with Santa and fill him in on all their wishes.

By Murray Green

If

If you are just sending a card or parcel locally, then you can wait until Decem ber 20. But if you are send ing a regular parcel with in the Camrose region, it should be sent by December 16.

If your regular parcel needs to get across Canada, then it is best to send it by December 9, unless you are going with Priority Post.

Shipments to the Unit ed States should be sent by December 12.

International opera tions are still significantly affected by shortage of air cargo capacity. These are suggested dates if you want the parcels to be delivered before Christmas.

If your parcel is going to Africa, Caribbean, South America, Middle East, or Asia by small packet, November 28; Australia, December 5; China, India or eastern Europe, Decem ber 5; Switzerland or Unit ed Kingdom, December 5;

Japan or Netherlands, December 9; France or Ger many, December 9.

They will deliver on weekends in many com munities, add more parcel pickup locations and hours at many post offices will be extended as the holidays get closer. Check with your local Canada Post outlet for more details and updates.

Send your Santa letters no later than December 9, to receive a reply before the holidays. Address: Santa Claus, North Pole, H0H 0H0, Canada.