Your news this week: Firemen donate to Ukraine - 2 Andrew mayor meets with EIPS - 2 Ukraine mom/son in Mundare - 7 OPINION: Silly season in Alberta - 4
Proud to be an Independent CANADIAN Publication
FREE
Vol. 17, No. 19, Wednesday, April 6, 2022 www.LamontLeader.com
Lamont’s Bob Mitchell becomes Canada’s longest serving firefighter BY JANA SEMENIUK Long-time Lamont volunteer fire fighter Bob Mitchell, 90, met another huge milestone last month after first achieving 70 years with the Lamont Fire Department this past Sept. and
seeing the Lamont fire station named after him. On March 24, Mitchell marked his 25,773rd day of service making him the longest serving fire fighter in Canada. The title was previously held by Fort
Lamont firefighter Bob Mitchell, 90, gets help serving the cake from Lamont Councillor Linda Sieker during an informal gathering celebrating his recent achievement of becoming Canada's longest-serving firefighter, March 29. Jana Semeniuk Photo
Saskatchewan’s Walter Thomas who served a total of 25, 772 days since first joining the Fort Saskatchewan Fire Dept. on May 1, 1947. He passed away, still on the fire departments’ roster, on Nov. 20, 2017, at the age of 95. Meanwhile, Mitchell was joined by approximately 30 members of his community in a small informal gathering at the Robert A. Mitchell Fire Station Number Four in Lamont on March 29. Regional Fire Chief Shayne Milliken addressed the crowd for the momentous occasion. “Many of us were around in Sept. when we had Bob’s 70th anniversary and a lot of the same things could be said. You are truly an inspiration and it’s been an honour to serve with you up to this point and we look forward to breaking that record each and every day you come around this fire hall,” he said. In a later interview, Milliken said another more formal gathering was unlikely due to the large celebration in Sept. to rename the Lamont Fire Station for Mitchell’s 70th year. “That’s where we really wanted to focus the effort - was to celebrate his 70 years of service,” he said. Miliken said the Canadian Volunteer Fire Fighters Association was pleasantly surprised to hear of Mitchell’s
achievement although it presented a small problem for them. “They give long service medals to those who have served for 30 years and longer usually up to the 50-year mark,” he said. “But they don’t have a 70-year pin.” Milliken said that as a result, the association is in the midst of creating a special 70-year pin for Mitchell. “They have even offered to donate it,” he said. Meanwhile, when asked how it felt to be Canada’s longest serving fire fighter, Mitchell, who was busy enjoying his cake, smiled and held a thumbs up. “It’s something I never thought about,” he said. “Then it happened.” In Sept., Mitchell shared his experience joining the fire department on Dec. 4, 1951. He said Lamont did not acquire a fire truck until after a big fire in 1950 consumed many local businesses and cost thousands of dollars in damages. “They had no fire equipment, so they ordered a fire truck in 1950 and when the truck came in ‘51 we had no fire crews,” he said. “I was just out of high school, and they asked me to join. I was one of the first people and the only one left today that I know of.”
Chipman Players raise funds for Ukraine
BY JOHN MATHER When the Chipman Village Players emerged from the pandemic to put on their first community production in two years, it coincided with the Russian attack on Ukraine. “Because there is such a large Ukrainian population in our area, we thought it would be a nice gesture to put a donation plate where the audience could make a donation for Ukrainian humanitarian aid,” said Chipman Players President Keiron
Willis. “It was a last minute thing, but we felt we should try and help in some way. Crowds came and supported the troupe in strong numbers this year, and last week Willis reported the group had raised $1,678. for Ukrainian Relief. At the end of each performance the actors also took a final curtain call wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the Ukrainian flag and stating, “We Stand with Ukraine.”
Val Retzlaff of Mundare’s Chicken Coop, left, on behalf of the Kalyna Country Quilters group, recently presented a pair of quilts to Tetiana and Tymofii Sviderski, who recently arrived in Mundare from Ukraine. The group is donating quilts to each displaced Ukraine refugee who is residing in the Mundare area. If you know of a Ukraine refugee please reach out to Val at the chicken coop.