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Your LOCAL Media since 1918! VOLUME 107: ISSUE 20
www.tofieldmerc.com
Wednesday, January 15, 2025
Ryley deputy mayor Brian Ducherer resigns Kari Janzen Staff Reporter
At the Village of Ryley’s Committee of the Whole meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 7, Deputy Mayor and councillor Brian Ducherer formally resigned from Council, stating he is going to fully retire and travel. “First, I would like to thank the Residents of Village of Ryley for all their continued support over the past 13 years as councillor. It has been an honour to serve the community, and I’m so grateful for the support and camaraderie I receive experienced. During my time on council I have cherished the opportunity to work alongside dedicated colleagues and contribute meaningful projects that have impacted our community. “I am writing this to formally resign
from my position as councillor to focus on my total retirement and where my travels may take me,” Ducherer said, reading from his resignation letter. Ducherer thanked his fellow councillors over the years, and said he is proud of what they have been able to accomplish. “I want to express my heartfelt thanks to all of the incredible individuals that have made my time on council so significant in my life. It has been such a rewarding journey, and I’m so proud of what we have accomplished together. “I wish you all continued success for this wonderful village that I have called home for the past 16 years. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you,” he said. After saying this, Ducherer returned his laptop and took a seat with the public in attendance. Chief Administrative Officer Glen
Hamilton-Brown said that because Ducherer waited to resign until the new year, no immediate election is needed to replace Ducherer, as the general election will take place in October. “Ducherer actually waited for January 1 and the Municipal Government Act (MGA) states that an election is not required in the election year if it’s after January 1,” he said. Ducherer served as the mayor of Ryley most recently from Feb. 21, 2023 to Oct. 10, 2023, and previously served as mayor from Feb. 12, 2014 to Oct. 20, 2015. “At the January 21 regular council meeting, Council will determine who of the current councillors will fill the Deputy Mayor position, leaving a vacant councillor position until the October election,” office manager Jessica Whamond said.
Village of Ryley Deputy Mayor and councillor Brian Ducherer formally resigned from Council at the Committee of the Whole meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 7. KARI JANZEN PHOTO
Local woman facilitates program providing a gift for nearly 100 seniors Kari Janzen Staff Reporter
Sonya Martens, a local Mary Kay representative from the Hastings Lake area, shared the joy of the Christmas season by supporting and giving back to 95 local seniors who live at the Tofield Senior Citizens Lodge and the Sunshine Villa. “It was my joy to fundraise for gifts for the seniors in our community. It’s all about blessing a grandparent, and if you look at all these cards that went along with the gift, they are signed by the people in the community who sponsored the project,” she said. Martens, who regularly has a table at the twice-monthly Tofield Community Market, handed out the gifts to nearly 100 seniors at the Sunshine Villa on Friday, Dec. 20 and the Tofield Lodge on Monday, Dec. 23. Each gift included a pair of socks, foot lotion, and a holiday card, packaged neatly to appear as a snowman. This was the first year Martens had done the Bless a Grandparent project in Tofield. “This is the first time I’ve done it in Tofield, but I have done it in Sherwood Park before, and I did Leduc this year too,” she said.
“It was very successful. People love giving to the seniors in this community. As I told the residents before we handed out the gifts, these are not just from me, these are from people who stopped by my table at the Tofield market, who gave towards this project to bless a grandparent. I said, just know that you are really well loved in this community,” Martens said. “This shows that it is not all about sales, but it is about loving on people. It recognizes seniors and that they are not forgotten. One lady in Leduc told me this was Local Mary Kay representative Sonya Martens standing facilitated the Bless a Grandparent the only gift she received. Thank project in the Tofield area this year, raising enough funds to buy 95 Tofield Lodge and Sunyou to all who donated,” she said. shine Villa residents a gift at Christmas. KARI JANZEN PHOTO
Excited recipients of the Bless a Grandparent project. SONYA MARTENS PHOTOS
Vanessa Holden helped Sonya Martens hand out the gifts to the residents at the Tofield Lodge on Monday, Dec. 23. KARI JANZEN PHOTO