Move Up Issue 26 by VAULTmedia

MOVE work, live and prosper in northwestern alberta

Local Features

News

Opportunities

Events

Nature Based Businesses Pea Processing in NW Alberta Grain Farming Way Back When

Issue 26 ÂŹ MAY | JUNE | JULY 2020

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r e f Of

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Contents >>

MAY - AUGUST 2020

VOLUME XXVI

PUBLISHERS

Jenelle Van Slyke Tormaigh Van Slyke EDITORS

Jenelle Van Slyke Tormaigh Van Slyke

ADVERTISING SALES Tormaigh Van Slyke // hello@moveupmag.com LEAD WRITER

Talena Winters LAYOUT DESIGN

Jenelle Van Slyke Tormaigh Van Slyke AD DESIGN

Aimie Williams Jenelle Van Slyke Tormaigh Van Slyke PHOTOGRAPHY

Ç Grain farming way back when

p. 14

KCS Photography, Amy Koeker, Samantha Rose Photography, Virginia Moskalyk and Whitney Wiebe CONTRIBUTORS

Amber Armstrong, Northern Lakes College Staff, Jenelle Van Slyke & Tormaigh Van Slyke Move Up is published by VAULTmedia. No content herein, including designed advertising, can be reproduced without written consent of the publisher. 16,000+ copies are printed and distributed throughout northwestern Alberta and beyond. Move Up is 100 percent funded by advertising dollars. Have a great story idea? Please send us your press release for consideration.

moveupmag.com hello@moveupmag.com

Ç Feature | nature based businesses

p. 29

Also >> 19

REDI Prof ile: Proposed Pea Processing Facility

Library Board Introduces Little Free Libraries

Northern Lake College Prof ile

GO: Mighty Peace

$28 million facility proposed in REDI Region

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY BY SAMANTHA ROSE PHOTOGRAPHY

MOVE UP IS PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY

VAULTmedia

BLAST students design and build six mini libraries

Paying It Forward: From Alumni to Dean

Your guide to #stayhome resources

MOVE UP IS A PROUD MEMBER OF THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS

PREDA

PEACE REGION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE

#Li fesBetterUpHere | MAY - AUGUST 2 0 2 0 M OV E U P

COVID-19 MYTH VS FACTS

The COVID Collective is a collection of doctors, communicators and citizens on the frontlines of COVID-19. The group formed to provide the public with a continual, reliable source of evidence-based information about COVID-19. The collective "strives to provide evidence-based, vetted information for the public on a variety of topics that have been prevalent in social media circles." For more information, visit c19collective.ca

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Plan now, travel later Get a head start on planning your Northern Lights summer escape and visit

explorecountyofnorthernlights.com

#Li fesBetterUpHere | MAY - AUGUST 2 0 2 0 M OV E U P

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FROM the EDITORS

Moving forward with Move Up Magazine Hello! First, some housekeeping. You may have received a Move Up Magazine in your mailbox in late March. You may have also noticed it was from NWT, and it was their inaugural issue. We have no affiliation with that magazine. We contacted the publishers, and they volunteered to change their name. Moving forward, we are honoured to continue publishing Move Up Magazine uninterrupted, especially in these times of global change and uncertainty. As usual, we publish 16,000 copies— with approximately 12,500 copies mailed to our readers directly—reaching the majority of homes in our distribution region. We would like to thank our advertisers for making this possible. And, a huge thank you also goes out to you—our readers and advocates—for embracing Move Up and allowing us into your homes four times a year. Your support means the world to us. Many have said positivity and local good news stories

are needed now more than ever, and we couldn’t agree more. In addition to the many points of interest found throughout this issue, our main feature showcases four nature based businesses. In this feature, we learn about a multi-generational family of crop and livestock farmers who diversified their revenue streams and approaches in amazing ways. We meet a couple who moved here to follow their dream of owning and living off their land; now, they are growing food for the region using a community-supported agriculture business model. A local soap maker and wildcrafter who now sells natural skin care and wellness goods recounts her empowering do-it-yourself journey. And, last but not least, we stop and smell the flowers with a local woman’s captivating story of perseverance as she never gave up on her love for the floral industry and her community.

For future issues, we’re always looking for “Relocation Stories.” If you, or someone you know, has moved to our region in the past few years and has integrated into the community, please email us. Please also contact us at hello@moveupmag.com if you would like to advertise, partner, donate, suggest a story or just say hi. At Move Up Magazine, we strive to tell the stories of the exceptional, hard working individuals who make northwestern Alberta what it is—a remarkable place to live, work and play. Somehow, what results is more than the sum of its parts. As northwestern Alberta’s business and lifestyle magazine, we have

the pleasure of reaching out across a vast plain to find incredible stories of triumph and resilience. As long as these stories exist, we will strive to continue to do our part. Stay safe out there and take care of each other. We hope you enjoy reading about your friends and neighbours.

Jenelle & Tormaigh Van Slyke

#Li fesBetterUpHere | MAY - AUGUST 2 0 2 0 M OV E U P

At AQHI above 4, children and people with breathing problems should consider reducing strenuous outdoor activities. At AQHI above 8, anyone who experiences symptoms should reduce or avoid strenuous outdoor activities. Current AQHI data is available at

prampairshed.ca

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News 

County of Northern Lights and Town of Peace River Conclude ICF Negotiations

fter several months of productive negotiations, the Town of Peace River and County of Northern Lights are pleased to announce they have completed a new Intermunicipal Collaboration Framework (ICF) agreement. The ICF agreement will help the Town and County work collaboratively towards the mutual benefit of the region’s residents. This is done by enhancing and improving upon previous revenue sharing arrangements. The agreement also provides guidance for dispute resolution, capital project planning and other items that impact both municipalities. As part of the ICF the existing fire services agreement between the

“

This framework will be the basis for successful relationships between the County and the Town, and we will continue to build a stronger region together. Terry Ungarian Reeve, County of Northern Lights County and the Town will continue. “On behalf of the ICF negotiating committee for the County of Northern Lights, with the support of my council, I am pleased to see this agreement with the Town of Peace River reach a

successful conclusion. The process had plenty of challenges along the way but the more the two municipalities met, the more they understood each other’s needs. This framework will be the basis for successful relationships between the County and the Town, and

we will continue to build a stronger region together,” said Terry Ungarian, Reeve, County of Northern Lights. “Working through the ICF process with the County of Northern Lights provided a unique opportunity to better understand the challenges facing both municipalities. With this agreement we are now better equipped to meet those challenges in a more cohesive and collaborative manner. This will benefit residents in the region and help shape a brighter future for all of us,” said Tom Tarpey, Mayor, Town of Peace River.

#Li fesBetterUpHere | MAY - AUGUST 2 0 2 0 M OV E U P

 News

HLFD UNVEILS NEW FIRE TRUCK

PEACE RIVER TO OFFER FAMILY RESOURCE NETWORK

HIGH LEVEL IMPLEMENTS COVID-19 ASSISTANCE LINE

On Tuesday, March 17, the High Level Fire Department celebrated the arrival of Engine 2 with a viewing of the new truck and a dinner.

On April 9, the Town of Peace River announced it will operate a Family Resource Network Hub thanks to a successful Government of Alberta grant application.

The Town of High Level is working to assist to seniors and those with mobility issues in the community.

The vehicle replaces an older fire truck that had ongoing mechanical issues, as well as an apparatus on lease from Northern Sunrise County that was acting as a stopgap. HLFD was leasing an apparatus from Northern Sunrise County, but the truck was returned following last year’s wildfire season. Because it was needed in the community, Council authorized a replacement. The truck was built to specific design needs for HLFD including the ability to pump and roll—that is, the ability to move while supplying water. It has a number of features that allow it to target structure fires, with added features for tackling wildland fires— including a built-in sprinkler system.

In 2019, the Government of Alberta announced changes to the program that funded the Peace Parent Link Centre. These changes including a shift to a new program model. In early 2020, the Alberta Government started accepting Expressions of Interest for organizations looking to operate under the new model. The Town of Peace River understood what a valuable resource Parent Link had been in the community and submitted an expression of interest to operate a Family Resource Network Hub, and on April 8, learned the application was successful.

Beginning Thursday, March 19, the Town started a Seniors COVID-19 Assistance Line to help some of the most vulnerable people in the community navigate the social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the steps being taken to prevent its spread. Seniors can call the line for assistance with a number of different needs— including prescription or grocery pickup and accessing food, if needed. The Town is also able to offer a daily callback to check on their well-being. The service is available Monday to Friday from 8am to 8pm and on the weekend from 8am to 5pm. The phone number is 780-821-4010.

The Family Resource Networks will provide high quality prevention and early intervention services and supports for children ages 0-18 years old.

ICYMI

In Case You Missed It

St. Isidore Carnaval On February 14, 15 & 16, the Carnaval de St. Isidore celebrated its 38th year with the theme, "Invasion des émojis". The annual event 10

M OVE U P M AY - A U G U S T 2 020 | www.moveupmag.com

celebrates the vibrant francophone culture of Northern Alberta with music, food, snow scultures, games, competitions and winter fun for the whole family.

Have Your Say

We asked our ever-growing social media following:

How has your community rallied together during this time of widespread disruption? Have you witnessed examples of businesses or individuals going above and beyond to help vulnerable community members? Here is what you had to say:

Chris T. Grimshaw COOP,

a smile on every face during these difficult times. Clean, friendly, helpful. Store set up proper for distancing. Seniors shopping hours. Bakery running. Staff is working their guts out to keep shelves full. Friendliest store in Canada. Doesn't get better.

Melanie B. Organizations are rapidly changing how theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re serving their clients to ensure the safety of the worker and client. They are integrating new processes and relying on technology to connect. Horizon Learning Centre continues to support learners at home by using zoom, lending devices to clients who do not have access to computers and the board/staff meetings have all transitioned online. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sure there are examples of other organizations too.

Jesi L. The Great Canadian Dollar Store is offering curb side pickup! I was able to get some painting and crafting supplies from them without having to leave my vehicle.

Businesses are responding by changing their business models to focus on curbside pickup, online/text/phone ordering and delivery options. The Green Goddess has been working with the government to make hand sanitizer.

#Li fesBetterUpHere | MAY - AUGUST 20 2 0 M OV E U P

 News

GRIMSHAW FIRE DEPARTMENT SEEKS VOLUNTEERS

CNL, TPR & NSC OFFER CLEAR HILLS COUNTY PHOTO CONTEST DRIVE UP BIRTHDAY UNDERWAY CELEBRATIONS

The Grimshaw Fire Department is always looking for new members.

Celebrating a birthday during a pandemic can be tough. That’s why the Town of Peace River (TPR), County of Northern Lights (CNL) and Northern Sunrise County (NSC) are offering drive up birthday celebrations for respective residents until the end of May (and possibly longer, depending on the length of our current circumstances) where a fire truck will drive up with lights and sirens to enhance birthday celebrations.

This opportunity is open to all adults over 18 yearsold. The Grimshaw Fire Department also has a Junior Firefighter Program for anyone 15+, which is a great opportunity to gain new life skills and gain volunteer hours for youth. The Grimshaw Fire Department is composed of 20-24 volunteers at any given time, protecting the Town of Grimshaw and surrounding areas. Meetings are Tuesday nights at 7pm. Drop by the fire hall on Tuesday nights or call Lawrence Arnold, Fire Chief at 780-332-4626.

The program is intended for ages 4-12 and 75+ in TPR and CNL and ages 3-12 and 70+ in NSC. Please provide as much notice as you can. Please note that the fire service is first and foremost an emergency service and the celebration may have to be rescheduled if it coincides with an emergency.

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The Clear Hills County “Clearly an Area of Opportunity” photo contest is underway and they want to see your photos! Clear Hills County residents are encouraged to submit their best photos for a chance to win great prizes and to be featured in CHC’s 2021 calendar and other marketing materials. Photos should feature CHC’s great areas (eg. agriculture, industry, recreation and wildlife throughout various seasons). There is a chance to win a great prize every month for submitting your photos. Go to clearhillscounty. ab.ca for more information or contact Bonnie at 780685-3925 or email bonnie@ clearhillscounty.ab.ca

RMA SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION NOW OPEN In recognition of the importance of an educated population to the future wellbeing of rural communities, the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) established the RMA Scholarship Program in 1995. The RMA Scholarship Program is designed to encourage young rural Albertans to pursue further education, and thereby enhance the ability of these young people to make meaningful contributions to their communities in subsequent years. A scholarship in the amount of $1,000 is presented to one successful applicant from each of the five districts. The 2020 application term opened May 1, 2020 and closes August 31, 2020. For eligibility and application requirements, please visit https://bit.ly/RMAAward

PEACE RIVER AREA MONITORING PROGRAM Community Workshop on Vermiculture PRAMP offers an interactive presentation on: • The importance of keeping as much material as possible out of landﬁlls • The super composting Red Wiggler Worm • How to compost plant matter waste by vermicomposting • A demonstration of building and maintaining a vermicomposting bin A plastic bin, Red Wiggler Worms and supply of bedding will be supplied so you can begin composting. We would love to do a presentation for your community! Contact: Eileen Coristine 780.834.7075 PRAMP Education and Outreach Coordinator outreach@prampairshed.ca

#Li fesBetterUpHere | MAY - AUGUST 20 2 0 M OV E U P

GRAIN FARMING WAY BACK WHEN

Behind the scenes at Lac Cardinal Pioneer Village Museum's Demonstration Day By Talena Winters | Photography submitted

or over 20 years on the second Saturday of August, Lac Cardinal Pioneer Village Museum (LCPVM) near Grimshaw has hosted a threshing demonstration as part of its pioneer Demonstration Day. Several hundred people often come out to watch, but what spectators are seeing is only the final stage of the graingrowing process. Behind the scenes, local volunteers have sown and harvested

the grain using farming machinery and techniques that are all but obsolete. John Condrotte, 78, grew up near Grimshaw and has helped with the grain growing for the demonstration for nearly two decades. Before his father (Leo Condrotte, one of the founders of LCPVM) bought a modern combine in the 1950s, he and his brother would help harvest using a binder and thresher.

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“My father used horses to pull the binder, which would tie the grain into bundles. He got tired of horses, so he put me on the tractor. We had to keep it pretty close to the edge of the crop or he’d be hollering,” said Condrotte.

Threshing (also called thrashing) is the process of separating a grain head from the stalk. Before the first threshing machine was invented toward the end of the 18th century, this laborious process was done by hand.

Condrotte’s family would then group the bundles on end in stooks by hand and, after the grain was dried, run them through the thresher.

“A thrashing outfit would be made up of four to six teams, and they would go from farm to farm thrashing,” said Condrotte.

The machines continued to be used until they were replaced by more modern machinery like combine harvesters that simplify the process even more. Binding, stooking and drying the grain with separate machines and manual labour is the same process the volunteers still use today to prepare for the threshing demonstration. They use threshing and binding machines that were made in the 1930s and '40s. Every few years, local Lorne Campbell lets the volunteers seed a couple acres of his

land into wheat using an old six-foot Massey Harris tiller. “Come harvest time, a handful of volunteers show up to harvest and stook the grain. I get on the binder and George Veidt pulls me around with the tractor. Several other people follow behind to make the stooks,” said Condrotte.

20 bushels), which we can use for up to four years for the demonstration,” said Condrotte. On Demonstration Day, Leonard Chmilar, Vice President of the LCPVM Society, runs the threshing machine with the help of another crew of volunteers.

Once the grain is dry, which takes one to two weeks, they hook the tractor onto the hay wagon and load up the racks with bundles.

“We fire it up about three in the afternoon and get quite a crowd who want to watch. We donate the grain to a local farmer to use for their chickens,” said Condrotte.

“We usually get two racks full of bundles (around

While advancements in agricultural technology have

sent stooking and threshing machines the way of the flails and scythes before them, Condrotte is happy to pass on his knowledge from farming days past. “We’re always trying to round up new people because once we’re not able to do it, someone else should take over,” said Condrotte. “It’s important to give people a picture of the past and how things were done way back when.”

#Li fesBetterUpHere | MAY - AUGUST 20 2 0 M OV E U P

Proposed Pea Processing Facility

$28 MILLION PEA PROCESSING FACILITY PROPOSED REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE (REDI)

fter months of intensive research, the Regional Economic Development Initiative (REDI) and Mackenzie County are announcing their collaboration to propose a $28 million pea processing facility for the region. However, the success of this proposed project depends on investment from local pea producers (farmers), multinational ingredient producers and government grant money.

BACKGROUND

This joint project was formed after the Government of Canada announced the Innovation Superclusters Initiative (ISI), a $950 million grant funding five identified supercluster industries. A supercluster industry is an industry that attracts and generates considerably more economic activity by its very nature. The plant 16

ADV E R T I S E M E N T

protein industry is one such federally identified supercluster and $153 million has been set aside for Protein Industries Canada for innovations in processing and genomics. “We know there’s protein powder made from peas in just about everything, and we grow a lot of peas. So, we started working on a way to connect the two,” said Mackenzie County Councillor and REDI Chair Lisa Wardley. “We would like to figure out how to start producing that pea protein here instead of shipping our peas outside the region.” Pea protein is a perfect fit for wide-spread use in the plant-based food movement. It is used in Beyond Meat products, such as those found on fast food menus at Tim Hortons and A&W, and by companies like Maple Leaf Foods and Tyson Foods.

Plant proteins are a growth market as food companies look at ingredients that meet changing consumer demands. As people become more health conscious and focused on the sustainability and environmental impacts of the food they eat, the demand for plant-based protein will escalate. REDI Manager Andrew O’Rourke will be heading the project, and his previous position as Mackenzie County’s economic development officer means he has been involved with this project since the beginning. “The plant-protein market is forecast to be worth over $12.5 billion by 2024. And, the crops grown in the northwest region are of significantly high quality, especially our peas. Local pea crops can have a very high percentage of protein due to our short, intense growing season and our

long summer days where the region can get up to 23 hours of sunshine,” said O’Rourke. REDI “seeded” the project last year with $51,000 that was matched for an additional $51,000 by the Invest Canada-Community Initiatives (ICCI) grant. This grant provides financial support to communities for their foreign direct investment initiatives and activities. “Our current pea producers sell their crops to consolidators such as Richardson Pioneer, Cargill or Viterra, and then it’s often shipped off to China where the processing takes place. So, we commissioned an objective, third-party study to help investigate our options, mainly to see if there is a viable business case for a pea processing facility here,” said O’Rourke.

STUDY & FINDINGS

The study was presented at the REDI board meeting in February. Its findings are detailed in a 174-page report titled Business Case for a Pea Processing Facility. In short, the study finds a processing facility is economically viable and recommends “initiating the process of incorporating a company, developing a value chain and moving to construction of a dry processing facility.” The facility would employ 28 people and break down locally grown peas in a process called fractionation, which reduces the peas into the sum of their micronutrients—starch, protein and fibre. These ingredients can then be sold at a much higher overall price. “In the REDI Region, there are currently about 700,000 acres of arable farmland. On a good year, local producers grow 130,000 acres of peas. In order to create enough feedstock for the facility, local producers would need to grow peas on about 77,000 acres of land, so there is significant capacity to be sustainable,” said O’Rourke.

“

It’s important for us to diversify our northern economy, and the pea processing facility presents a really good opportunity for this northern region. BYRON PETERS Mackenzie County Director of Planning and Development

Mackenzie County Director of Planning and Development Byron Peters has been involved in this joint project as well as several other joint projects with REDI. Peters is optimistic. “It’s important for us to diversify our northern economy, and the pea processing facility, as well as any similar type of agricultural processing, presents a really good opportunity for this northern region,” said Peters. Peters urges those concerned about transportation logistics to not let an important opportunity pass them by.

“I think it’s very easy for people to get caught up on access to market challenges, but by and large, we’ve figured out how to overcome those challenges. I’d argue we have one of the best trucking industries in North America in terms of figuring out how to effectively and efficiently move product. So, the transportation challenges will work themselves out. We really should focus on the positives of what we have, and use them to capitalize on this opportunity,” said Peters.

INVESTMENT

REDI’s next step is to promote the study and encourage investment.

According to the report, “It can be very beneficial to have [local] producers as investors in the facility as they feel a stronger commitment to its success.” “We will actively be trying to attract investment and create a value chain of producers in our region. It gives producers a new avenue to market their product. REDI is open to speaking with interested local producers willing to learning more about this report,” said O’Rourke. REDI intends to present to Canadian and international companies looking to expand in the ingredients food sector. Professional informational videos were created and have been translated into Chinese, Japanese and Punjabi. REDI will use these as part of their investment attraction strategy to obtain foreign investment. There’s strong potential for more fractionation plants given the increase in demand for pea protein. REDI believes the region has a fighting chance of attracting that investment.

ADVERTI SE ME N T

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Left: Lena Wiebe // Photography by Whitney Wiebe | Right: Cabin In The Woods Bed & Breakfast // Photography by Amy Koeker

A MACKENZIE FRONTIER TOURIST ASSOCIATION MEMBER FEATURE

WHERE DREAMS GO TO RELAX

Cabin In The Woods Bed & Breakfast, La Crête

hen people think about “getting away from it all,” they often dream of a little hideaway in the country where they can escape from the pressures of modern living for a day or two. Then, there are those who already live in the country, but they still feel they need to get away. Where do they go? Lena Wiebe of La Crête has a solution—the cozy 629-square-foot cabin tucked into a corner of their six-acre property that she operates as Cabin In The Woods Bed & Breakfast. The remote location makes it perfect for both local and long-distance guests. “There was no bed and

breakfast in this area, and I’ve dreamt about opening one. I wanted to semi-retire and thought it would give me purpose. I love hosting people and decorating,” said Wiebe. Wiebe’s husband, John, built a cabin in their backyard in 2008 as a hobby. When he later said he’d like to move it, Wiebe jumped on the chance of making her dream a reality. “We cleared some trees off our yard and moved it to the side of our house. It’s a separate driveway and everything—it’s very secluded,” said Wiebe. They get a lot of local clients as well as those from out of town.

MACKENZIE FRONTIER TOURISM

“Parents who want a night away can come here instead of getting a babysitter for three days and driving to Grande Prairie or Edmonton. I decorate and make them feel very special. People come here for counselling retreats or couples on business trips— the wives will craft while their husbands are working. This is the perfect stop for people on their way to Yellowknife,” said Wiebe. Wiebe makes sure to honour the individual needs of her clients and tries to always be available to them.

love to meet me, so I greet them and tell them about our small community,” said Wiebe. The business is rated five stars on Airbnb with reviewer comments about her fresh baking and warm service. She often has repeat clients, a true testament to her hospitality. The Cabin In The Woods B&B is a dream come true—for both Lena and her guests. For more information or to book, call 780-285-1034.

“Locals like their privacy, so I leave them alone and they appreciate that, but people from other places

780-926-4233 mackenziefrontier.com info@mackenziefrontier.com ADVERTI SE ME N T

Photography submitted

A MACKENZIE FRONTIER TOURIST ASSOCIATION MEMBER FEATURE

A COMMUNITY GOLF HAVEN

Fox Haven Golf & Country Club, High Level

ox Haven Golf & Country Club has been serving High Level and area golfers for over five decades. The course is the most northerly 18-hole golf course with grass greens in Alberta. It boasts a clubhouse and driving range, The Bunker restaurant, and an on-site RV campground with both fully-serviced and poweronly lots. In other words, it’s a perfect northern golfing getaway. “During our long summer days, you can come out really early in the morning or start a round at 10pm and be done before dark,” said Edgar Lanctot, who has been manager since 2018. Fox Haven has always been a community retreat. They

frequently host tournaments for organizations such as the Oilmen’s Association, the Ladies Golf Tournament, High Level Minor Hockey and Mackenzie County. The course can even be rented for events like weddings. “There was a desire for golf in the region, so the course was built. Now we have an average of 140 members each season plus green fee players. The whole surrounding area uses it,” said Lanctot. The club hosted its first tournament on Labour Day Weekend 1969 after the community worked all summer to build the first nine holes. Since its humble beginnings, the course has undergone numerous

MACKENZIE FRONTIER TOURISM

ADV E R T I S E M E N T

improvements. The clubhouse was expanded in the ‘80s to make space for the restaurant and more, and the back nine opened in 2007. The club also developed 10 fully-serviced campsites, 20 lots with power only and an overflow area. “This year, we’ll be altering bunkers and hazards to increase playability and reduce maintenance costs. We’ll also increase the size of the ponds to make the course more resilient against drought. Bill Mc Neill and Kevin Morrison will be grounds superintendents,” said Lanctot. The public demand and support that birthed the club is also what has kept it in business all these

years. With operations potentially being impacted for the second year in a row (between 2019’s wildfires and 2020’s pandemic lockdown), that community involvement is more crucial than ever. “Without the support from our community, volunteers and local businesses, we couldn’t do what we do,” said Lanctot, who, as of this writing, is uncertain how the lockdown will affect their season. Whether they open sooner or later, a round of golf at FHGCC sounds like the perfect cure for #stayhome cabin fever. For more information, call the FHGCC at 780-926-3005.

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Little Free Libraries built by students in the BLAST program from L to R: Oil derrick for Zama City, Old Bay House for Fort Vermilion and a barn for Rocky Lane

LIBRARY BOARD INTRODUCES LITTLE FREE LIBRARIES BLAST Program students design and build six libraries By Tormaigh Van Slyke | Photography submitted

he communities of Zama City, Rainbow Lake, Blue Hills, La Crête, Rocky Lane and Fort Vermilion will soon be home to Little Free Libraries—a collaborative effort of the Mackenzie County Library Board (MCLB) and Fort Vermilion School Division’s Busy Learning and Serving Together (BLAST) program. What is a Little Free Library? Think of them as a 24-hour outdoor “take a penny, leave a penny” for books, and they’re so much more. For starters, each library’s design is typically as funky and unique as the community they’re built for. They give people an excuse to go for a walk to share something special or fulfill a curiosity of what their neighbours, or maybe someone who just happened to pass through, has read

recently. Some people leave messages for the next reader.

and they were right. I did,” said Wardley.

“I’m very excited to bring these to our communities,” said MCLB Vice Chair Kayla Wardley. “The little libraries will be a great addition to the region because they support and promote the importance of literature and reading as well as the sharing of good books. I hope these become a hub for recycling books and promote our regional libraries too.”

Wardley used the website to locate two libraries in Grande Prairie and made a point to personally visit them.

Little Free Libraries is a non-profit organization that boasts 100,000 registered book sharing boxes around the globe, and their website provides a map to all of them.

MCLB originally sought local contractors, but by last October things still weren’t lining up, so Wardley approached BLAST Program Coordinator Richard Halladay.

“This all started three years ago when a friend tagged me in a Facebook post featuring Little Free Libraries. They said, ‘I bet you’ll love this,’

“He immediately said, ‘yes, let’s do it,’” said Wardley.

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“I wanted to get a visual idea of what they were first. Then, I prepared a proposal to present to MCLB. Everyone on the board was very excited and supportive in bringing these into our region,” said Wardley.

A graduate from the University of Lethbridge,

Halladay has taught several subjects and grade levels over the last 24 years, and he has been the BLAST Program coordinator/ teacher since its inception nine years ago. “This project was a perfect fit for the program— construction, community service and a chance to encourage literacy and continued learning,” said Halladay. According to Halladay, the BLAST program engages high school students from four schools in learning outside the regular classroom setting. Construction is the main focus of the program; however, students are also exposed to a variety of other trades such as electrical, plumbing and cabinetry among others. “Students are given the

L: A Little Free Library in Sandy Springs, Georgia, USA // littlefreelibrary.org R: Students from the BLAST program build Little Free Libraries for Mackenzie County communities // Photography submitted

opportunity to learn in a work environment, doing various construction jobs in and around their communities,” said Halladay. Over the years, projects have ranged from the simple components of renovations to full blown construction. “Students have painted classrooms, installed flooring and built decks and sheds. BLAST has also had bigger projects such as the complete construction of large shops and a triplex for teacher housing,” said Halladay. BLAST’s mandate is to encourage students to serve their community and facilitate that service. “Projects for the community have included cleaning parks, shovelling sidewalks for the elderly and building playground equipment in parks. This is what led us to become involved with the Little Free Library project,” said Halladay.

Under Halladay’s direction, the BLAST students got to work. “The library board gave us several great ideas to represent each of the communities. Our job was to take the ideas and turn them into 3D, functional bookshelves. Once we built the shelves, it was a matter of building outward to make it look like a tractor or a rainbow. We had no plans to follow other than what we had drawn, so students could change and redesign during the building process if problems developed,” said Halladay. The result was six Little Free Libraries—an oil derrick for Zama City; a rainbow for Rainbow Lake; a log cabin for Blue Hills; a tractor for La Crête; a barn for Rocky Lane; and a miniature version of the Old Bay House for Fort Vermilion. The following students were involved in their design and construction: from Rocky Lane School,

Alex Dyck, Adrian Francis, Kole Kipling, Koleton Auger, Brandt Bulldog, Emma Patmore, De Andre Hamelin, and from La Crête Public School, Luke Martens.

map supports the attraction of tourists, similar to geocaching,” said Wardley.

“The plan was to do a grand opening in early June, but with everything that is going on and thinking about the safety of our community residents, we will install and open them when it is safe to do, so hopefully it will be this July or August,” said Wardley.

“They made my idea become a reality, and I can’t thank them enough. However, on behalf of myself and MCLB, I do want to thank Richard and all the students in the BLAST Program who worked hard to create, design and bring to life these Little Free Libraries. We could not be happier with the results, and we look forward to proudly displaying these in our communities,” said Wardley.

According to the Little Free Library website, 92 percent of people say their neighbourhood feels like a friendlier place and 73 percent say they’ve met more neighbours because of a Little Free Library. Wardley looks forward to seeing the little libraries do their magic. “Not only do these little libraries get local people out and about, the online

Wardley says working with Halladay and the BLAST students has been nothing short of amazing.

Wardley says depending on the feedback and community support, MCLB may organize a second phase of the Little Free Libraries, or even better, she hopes it encourages individuals to build their own.

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PAYING IT FORWARD

From Northern Lakes College Alumni to Dean

he Dean of Nursing and Allied Health at Northern Lakes College (NLC) has made it her mission to provide quality educational opportunities in the field of healthcare to northern Alberta students. For Kathy Reid-Soucy, this is not only a professional goal but a personal one, as well. Kathy’s a beneficiary of NLC’s rural and remote programming in northern Alberta communities. Now, she’s paying it forward. “I would not be in this position if it was not for NLC’s mission, vision, and values,” said Kathy. Kathy was a young mom with four children, living in the community of La Crête, when she enrolled in the College’s Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) program at the Fort Vermilion Campus in 1998. Her youngest child had entered kindergarten and she took the opportunity to add to her credential as a Health Care Aide, which she had completed via distance learning through Alberta Vocational College (now NLC) in 1996. La Crête is located 45 kilometres from Fort Vermilion, and Kathy made the one-hour round trip commute regularly over the course of her program. Though there were long days, sleepless nights and a tricky balancing act of

family and school, she persevered and obtained her LPN designation. Upon completion of her program, she worked in both the long-term care facility and the hospital in La Crête, quickly becoming the nursing manager. While continuing to work full-time as a manager and raising her young family, Kathy enrolled in Athabasca University’s distancedelivered LPN to RN (Registered Nurse) bridging program. Upon achieving her RN designation, she moved to High Level and became the General Manager of Aeromedical Emergency Services (AES). The most northern Alberta Health Services AES in Alberta, it included two aircraft and three ground units, and she also ran patch flights with smaller aircraft into remote communities like John D’Or Prairie, Fox Lake and Garden River. This move from her home community of La Crête meant Kathy no longer had her support system in place. With her four children still in school, but now older and participating in school sports and other activities, the task of juggling time and commitments became even more complicated. “When you move to a new community and leave your whole support system

behind, the key is to open yourself to allowing others to help you,” said Kathy. Along with obtaining her LPN and RN, Kathy also managed to find the time between training and work schedules to achieve her Primary Care Paramedic (PCP) in 2001 and Advanced Care Paramedic (ACP) in 2008, primarily to help fill the shift gaps often encountered by Emergency Medical Services. This “gap” became a driving force for Kathy to become a health educator. She observed there were never enough practitioners to meet the demand in the north. Kathy began teaching the clinical portions of the Practical Nurse (PN) and PCP programs with Northern Lakes College in 2011, soon becoming involved with instruction of the theory portions, as well.

Master of Nursing through Athabasca University. In short order, she became the Chair of Allied Health programs, overseeing ACP, Emergency Medical Responder, Health Care Aide and PCP. In 2018, Kathy assumed the role of Dean, Nursing and Allied Health, overseeing all health programming at the College. “My number one priority is giving students access to education in health programs they would not otherwise have. Education opens the door for everything,” said the former student turned Dean. “That is what NLC did for me.” Kathy retired from Northern Lakes College in March 2020.

In 2014, she became Coordinator of the Practical Nurse program and simultaneously began working toward her #Li fesBetterUpHere | MAY - AUGUST 20 2 0 M OV E U P

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AMBER L. ARMSTRONG | MANAGER, COMMUNICATIONS AND STAKEHOLDER RELATIONS | MERCER INTERNATIONAL INC.

REMEMBERING WHAT IS ESSENTIAL Resilience, adaptation and looking out for one another

n the span of a few short months, we have all felt, and continue to feel, the effects of a virus that is now the subject of all our conversations and seems to control our daily personal and work lives: COVID-19. While many of us watched with interest as the virus escalated in China, it was with a certain amount of denial that it could reach as far as northern Alberta; however, as international borders failed to contain this elusive strain, it quickly became paramount to create safety plans to keep our people and organizations safe. At Mercer, that has been and continues to be our focus. While most industries were directed to curtail or shut down to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, the forest products sector was recognized for its essential role to help protect and support society and was, therefore, designated as an essential service. Perhaps not understood by many, the pulp we produce at Mercer Peace River, both hardwood and softwood, provides end-user customers with the ability to produce mission-critical supplies to combat COVID-19. Our pulp helps produce items such as masks and filters, food product packaging, paper towels, toilet paper, diapers, cleaning supplies, personal hygiene

supplies, etc. Essentially, we supply the pulp that allows suppliers of essential products to continue manufacturing those items, and all essential members of our supply chains are operational during these times as well. Although the daily news briefings are everchanging, the consistent messages have been to minimize contact and create safety protocols, and so Mercer is continually re-evaluating our work environment. Our leadership teams have conducted an internal audit, looking for all opportunities where we could minimize contact, streamline processes and identify critical and essential staff while working with our contractors and vendors as partners in this undertaking. Some measures we instituted involved cancelling nonessential visits by external suppliers and other outside support services and increasing safety measures for visits by service

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technicians, truck drivers and delivery personnel. We mandated quarantines for those returning from travel, reduced contact spaces in lunchrooms and common areas, modified shift schedules in order to reduce team member contact between shift changes and mandated social distancing mill-wide. We instituted online screenings for visitors and contractors who were needing to access our site; and our sanitation and hygiene measures across Mercer were reviewed and reinforced. Individuals of our administrative workforce were offered the opportunity to work from home, and they have adapted well to this new way of doing business. We understood a team of remote working from home staff needs strong channels of communication. Utilizing technology, such as the Google Suite of products, has enabled our teams to collaborate, meet and chat on a continuous basis and stay connected.

Through our Mercer International risk management team, we understood having a platform to communicate consistent and up-to-date messages was critical. So, we created an internal website for our teams, where we host credible health and safety information. Using this portal, President David Gandossi produces a weekly video blog, and we share our daily situational meeting information with our team members, including guidelines, forms, FAQs and other relevant documents and links. With so many changes, and so many people affected, our normal routines are anything but normal, but there is one constant in all we do together to recognize what is essential. It is supporting the health and well-being of our people—our employees, communities, families and friends. Like the many adversities we have faced together in the past, this too we shall overcome. We will face this challenge head-on, with a commitment and resilience unlike we’ve had to demonstrate in the past, because we are stronger together. That, to us, is what is truly essential.

#Li fesBetterUpHere | MAY - AUGUST 20 2 0 M OV E U P

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FEATURE

#Li fesBetterUpHere | MAY - AUGUST 20 2 0 M OV E U P

A Family Passion for Growing Good Food By Talena Winters | Samantha Rose Photography

Bob Noble & Nora Paulovich & Jolene, Cara and Lee Noble Jackknife Creek Land & Cattle

n an era of small family farms selling to conglomerates and rural children migrating to cities, the Noble-Paulovich family is a wonderful exception. The family owns and operates Jackknife Creek Land & Cattle, a mixed farming operation near North Star in the County of Northern Lights. With the same forwardthinking spirit that led their

ancestors to homestead there, the family is growing the farm into the future with new ideas, direct-toconsumer marketing and sustainable agriculture techniques. “We sell pasture-raised beef that is butchered locally, dry aged a minimum of 14 days and then sold direct to our customer,” said Jolene Noble, driving force behind the farm’s freezer beef business. “When you buy beef from us, you know

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it’s from one animal and you know how that animal was raised. You know you’re supporting local.” Bob Noble and Nora Paulovich, both in their 60s, and their adult children, Jolene, Cara and Lee Noble, are the third and fourth generations to farm there, tending a plot of land Nora’s father broke using horses— just a mile away from her grandfather’s original homestead.

“My immigrant Ukrainian grandparents moved here in the 1920s. I’m very proud our kids are interested in agriculture and have come back to the farm,” said Nora. “I’m proud that my parents were on this farm and eventually our kids will be.” Bob, Nora, Jolene and Lee all have Bachelor of Science in Agriculture degrees from the University of Alberta. Cara is a Chartered Professional Accountant

(L to R) Bob Noble, Nora Paulovich, Cara Noble, Jolene Noble and Lee Noble

in Edmonton, but she is still very involved remotely doing the accounting and more. While the kids moved away to earn degrees and work experience, the plan was always to come home and continue the family business. “The farm hit a critical point where we knew if we wanted to grow, it was time for us to come back,” said Jolene. “I was thankful to gain experience and valuable contacts off the farm, but

Lee and I returning home meant there was enough labour to develop other enterprises.” In addition to raising cattle and selling them both through traditional and direct methods, the farm sells forage seed through Union Forage and fencing supplies through Gallagher. With such a diverse portfolio, everyone has a role to play.

“In busy times, we all help with all facets of the business—even Cara comes home to help. But, as a general rule of thumb, Mom and I focus on the livestock, and Dad and Lee are more interested in the grain and machinery. Our roles cross over; it just depends on who is home for the day,” said Jolene. “Jolene and Cara developed the website and online store together, and Cara is included in all the family

business meetings. I work full time as a manager at North Peace Applied Research Association (NPARA), and I work on the farm and help with the beef business,” said Nora. For the folks at Jackknife Creek Land & Cattle, farming and agriculture is not just a profession, it’s a consuming passion—even at the microscopic level. “It all starts with the soil,” said Nora. “Soil is teeming

#Li fesBetterUpHere | MAY - AUGUST 20 2 0 M OV E U P

Nora Paulovich

with organisms, which produces our plants, which feed our animals.” “We continually strive to be better stewards of the land. We spend a lot of time learning about regenerative agriculture, how to work with Mother Nature and the important role livestock plays. We’ve made a lot of changes to how we farm to improve our soil health, plant health and, by extension, our animal health. We hope that has a big impact on the nutritional quality of our beef,” said Jolene. They have plans to expand their freezer beef business and provide more support for their customers through both education and the recipes they develop and post on their website. “When Jolene and I are at farmers’ markets, people 32

Jolene Noble

ask questions like if our beef have growth hormone implants and if we use antibiotics. We love to discuss our practices and invite people to come any time to see how our animals are raised,” said Nora. “You get tired of hearing how cows are causing greenhouse gas emissions. So, it’s an opportunity to say, ‘Actually, cattle grazing on the grasslands puts more carbon back into the soil.’” Volunteering has always been important for the family, especially with their churches (of which they support two in their community) and 4-H Club. “We’ve always been involved in 4-H. My husband and I were both members of 4-H as kids, and then our kids were. I was a local leader for many years, and I’ve gone on to participate at district and regional levels. I’m now

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on the provincial council,” said Nora, who was inducted into the Alberta 4-H Hall of Fame in 2019 for her service. The family shares their passion in other ways, too. In the past, Nora and Bob organized cattle and pet shows in conjunction with the local Agricultural Society. In her role with NPARA, Nora organized the first Western Canada Conference on Soil Health & Grazing in 2015, which has recurred every two years and sold out each time. In 2018, she helped host a three-day Soil Health Academy (also with NPARA) about regenerative agriculture. “We’re passionate about growing food. I don’t remember a time, even as a little kid, when I didn’t want to be a farmer,” said Jolene.

“We’ve always embraced new ideas, and there’s so much coming down the pipe. We’re excited to move forward with the family,” said Nora. As of the time this article was written, Jackknife Creek Land & Cattle intends to remain open amid the COVID-19 crisis. For information regarding safety precautions or general updates, contact them directly. For more information about their farm, products and services, go to jackknifecreeklandandcattle.ca

M A Grounded Partnership By Talena Winters | Photography submitted

Dan & Louise Brister Northern Lights Fruit & Vegetable Co.

any people dream of moving to the country and putting down roots, but few make it a reality. Dan and Louise Brister, 55 and 57, did just that when they planted their baby farming business in the rich Peace Region soil. Five years after its beginnings, Northern Lights Fruit & Vegetable Co. is growing and thriving, offering fresh produce to their customers all summer long on a crop share model known as Community Shared Agriculture (CSA). “We grow food naturally without pesticides and try to be sustainable in our practices. We want to work with Mother Nature and not fight or damage the environment. That’s always been really important to us,” said Louise.

In the CSA model, investors buy a share of the farm’s crop for the season. Northern Lights Fruit and Vegetable Co.’s packages start at $200, and the cut-off time to buyin is early June. Then, for 12 weeks, investors get a weekly food box delivery of seasonal vegetables. Contents vary based on what is being harvested that week. “What’s shared is the risk,” explains Dan. “You buy a share of the farm or crop and you get the produce if it’s a good year or the disappointment if it’s a bad year. If something happens to the farm mid-season, that’s it for the summer.” The Bristers are not strangers to risk or the importance of community, both necessities of embracing the farming lifestyle.

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Dan and Louise Brister

Before the couple got together, Dan had spent 27 years in the army. When he and Louise met in 2006, he was studying theology— he later trained as an institutional and spiritual care practitioner, skills he now utilizes through his private counselling practice. After working for a manufacturing company in Edmonton for 23 years, Louise was ready for a change, too. Her second career was the catalyst for the change from urban to rural living. “I wanted to get back to my rural roots, and Dan was okay with that,” said Louise. “So, I enrolled in the University of Alberta Agriculture program and earned a degree in Crop Sciences.” The couple looked around Alberta for a farm, viewing a whopping 24 properties before they found 320 acres

west of Dixonville, which they purchased in 2013. They spent as much time as possible at their new property developing ideas for their business. In the meantime, Louise did an internship with Ignatius Farms in Guelph, Ontario, to get hands-on experience. In 2015, they began their crop-share business while still officially living in Edmonton.

Dan’s first time living in a rural setting—and he loves it. “I wish we’d done it years ago. I prefer living here to living in Edmonton. Fortunately, my professional interests are fairly mobile, and it worked for me to come north,” said Dan.

“We didn’t want to live here without producing something, so we came up with an Arctic garden idea. Every year we incorporate something new—new equipment or facilities as our business and customer base grows,” said Louise.

In addition to serving CSA clients, they operate a pop-up tailgate vegetable stand two days a week in the summer and even stock some local restaurants and grocery stores. In the last year, they’ve expanded their offerings to include a winter vegetable subscription and an egg program, which have both been huge hits.

After Louise acquired her degree in 2016, the couple moved to their property and immersed themselves in their new lifestyle. While Louise was born and raised in northern Alberta on a small mixed farm, this is

“People know me as the Vegetable Guy,” said Dan, who operates the stand and takes a personal interest in every customer who comes by. “When I do counselling activities, people recognize me from the stand.”

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Dan lovingly refers to Louise as the farmer of the couple and himself as the labourer. “It’s on our business cards,” said Dan. “Louise is responsible for all farming operations and planning,” said Dan. “I’m more infrastructure and the public face of the business. I also do the heavy lifting and build whatever needs to be built. Apparently, I’m also the IT guy, which is ironic, as it’s not my strong suit.” The farm is a labour of love into which the Bristers have invested a great deal of effort—and their life savings. The couple have explored several methods to make the business side of the farm as sustainable as the food they produce. In addition to expanding their CSA programs, they have tried various methods to get the labour hours they need at a price they can afford. In the past, they have hired workers looking

for farming experience. This summer, they will have an intern from the University of Alberta’s agriculture program, and they will be piloting a labour share program they call “Labour for CSA.” “You come out and work eight, eight-hour days over four months, and in exchange, you receive one of our weekly CSA veggie subscriptions. If eight people participate in program, that will make up the labour hours of a full-time employee,” said Dan. The Bristers intend to continue to explore new options and programs that will build their community of client partners and help them achieve their goals of a sustainable farming lifestyle. They are grateful for the clients who have helped them get this far, and they return that loyalty by being flexible whenever possible while fulfilling their services.

in the first year and have stuck around, and we grew from there,” said Dan. “Our customers spread the word, and that’s why we’re successful.” As of the time this article was written, Northern Lights Fruit and Vegetable Co. intends to remain open amid the COVID-19 crisis. For information regarding safety precautions or general updates, find them on Facebook. For more information about their farm, products and services, go to northernlightsproduce.com

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Our customers spread the word, and that's why we're successful.

“We’ve got a core of customers who took a chance on us #Li fesBetterUpHere | MAY - AUGUST 20 2 0 M OV E U P

The Passionate Pursuit of Natural Goodness By Talena Winters | Photography by KCS Photography

Cheryl Bieda Misty Meadows Natural Soap & Apothecary 36

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ust north of Fairview, Cheryl Bieda, 55, lives on a farm with her husband, Frank Sr., and two of their four adult children. Their humble farmhouse is also serves as the home base of Misty Meadows Natural Soap & Apothecary, a passion turned hobby turned full-fledged cottage industry. “I’ve always had a do-it-yourself homesteader spirit and didn’t want to rely on a store for anything. I had eczema really bad on my hands, and I knew it was caused by something I was putting on them, not something I was eating. When I started using my own soap and hand balm, I noticed a difference. My hands cleared up,” said Bieda. Bieda has always been drawn to learning traditional skills, such as canning, baking, crocheting and gardening. Usually, when she wants to learn to do

Cheryl Bieda something, she dives in headfirst. When it came to her soap-making business, however, the transition was not as immediate. “I wanted to make soap back in the eighties, but I didn’t know anyone who did that. Finally, about 13 years ago, I bought a book and just did it. I don’t know why I was so intimidated. Soapmaking was another step to being selfreliant,” said Bieda. Bieda never guessed it would become a career. “My daughter started a Facebook page called Cheryl’s Emporium with a handful of salves and soaps I had at the time and my crocheting. I kind of fell into this business, not intending to sell anything,” said Bieda. Over time, the product line changed and grew, and the name changed to Misty Meadows Soap. In early 2020, the name morphed into its current iteration to encompass Bieda’s everexpanding catalogue of offerings. “When people come to my table at a market, they think I’ll only have soap, but I’ve got salves and balms, herbal teas, bath teas, ear oil, massage oils and more. I have a new fire cider made from apple cider vinegar. My first soap was honey oatmeal, which will never leave my product line,” said Bieda. While she would not call herself an herbalist, Bieda has developed a passion for herbalism and natural living, knowledge she incorporates into her products. “I enjoy plant medicine. I go wildcrafting or grow herbs to use in my products, and if I can’t, I order in organic herbs. The more I learn, the more I want to share. I want to live simply and naturally, and that is reflected in my products,” said Bieda. Bieda uses familiar ingredients like mint and lavender in her recipes as well as more unusual ingredients like plantain and wild roses, activated charcoal and even coffee. A signature element of her

soaps is the natural, uncut edge from the top of the loaf, often featuring decorative textures like flowers or coffee beans encrusted into a pleasing colour shift layer. Like her thriving business, that gradient was a happy accident. “When I started, I just thought that’s how you did it. I’ve learned how to make a smooth top edge now, but I kind of like the look of that soda ash on top, so now I take a spoon and rough it up, or I imitate a beehive on the honey oatmeal soap with bubble wrap. It’s just me getting bored and being creative,” said Bieda. Frank Sr. made most of her soap moulds from wood, and in the beginning her daughter Cassierae

would help make soap and bath bombs (as well as maintain her social media presence). These days, however, Bieda creates primarily on her own. “I make all the stuff, package it and design the labels. My family helps pack product in and out at markets, and they’ll come babysit the table so I can take a break, but for the most part, it’s just me,” said Bieda. Siobhan Kennedy (owner and maker behind Autumn Jade Studios jewelry) has taken over as Bieda’s social media magician, and she is killing it. The Misty Meadows Apothecary Instagram feed (with some photos by Kelsey Somerville of KCS Photography) is a thing of beauty, providing colourful behind-the-scenes #Li fesBetterUpHere | MAY - AUGUST 20 2 0 M OV E U P

peeks into Bieda’s life and process—not to mention making her soaps look yummy enough to eat. But this is all just the beginning for Bieda. “I have so many ideas in my head I need to get out. I want to create more products, but I also want to share the knowledge I’ve learned, such as recipes to make your own salves and vinegars or how to incorporate foraged herbs in food. There are so many uses for dandelions in baking, it’s crazy. I need to start a blog or something,” said Bieda.

While the current [COVID-19] lockdown has put all her summer market plans on hold, she still offers sales online through her website and through her partner store locations throughout the Peace Region. Despite her aversion to technology, she is breaking out of her comfort zone to explore new ways to help her customers online. “I was going to start doing herb walks here on the farm. It’s amazing how many plants grow here that you can make into teas, food and medicines. If the lockdown continues,

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I might borrow my son’s phone and do a virtual one,” said Bieda. Like everything else she’s tackled, Bieda pours her whole heart into every pan of soap or salve she makes. She tries to honour Mother Earth with her sustainable practices and ensures purity through high-quality ingredients. She plans to continue to share her passion and knowledge with others who join her on the journey. “In everything I make, there’s part of me in there,” said Bieda. “We all need to help each other, because

we’re all in this together.” As of the time this article was written, Misty Meadows Soap & Apothecary intends to continue business operations amid the COVID-19 crisis. For information regarding safety precautions or general updates, contact the company directly. For more information about Beida's products and services, go to mistymeadowssoap.ca

Kimberly Fix

Making a Brighter, More Beautiful Community By Talena Winters | Photography by Virginia Moskalyk

Kimberly Fix Kimberly's Blooms

alk to Kimberly Fix, 43, of Fairview more than a few minutes, and two things become obvious—she is passionate about her community, and she is passionate about flowers.

When Fix opened her flower shop, Kimberly’s Blooms, just before Mother’s Day in 2018, it was the culmination of a dream over a decade in the making. “I’d promised myself I would start a flower shop if the town needed one after my children were out of school. When the time came, a lot of people were telling me I should do it. So I dove in, bought a building, and two months later, I opened,” said Fix. Fix grew up in Fairview and had intended to go into Early Childhood Education. An unexpected pregnancy changed her plans, and she and her boyfriend, Don Fix, got married and settled in Fairview to raise a family. When the youngest of their three children started school, Fix took a job working at The Flower Hut. “I loved it. After I worked there for a year, the owner decided to sell. I was devastated. I couldn’t buy it at the time, so I got a job as an educational #Li fesBetterUpHere | MAY - AUGUST 20 2 0 M OV E U P

Victoria Noullett, Edna Fix and Kimberly Fix

assistant at E.E. Oliver School. But after my youngest graduated, I finally opened my flower shop,” said Fix. Fix loves arranging flowers specifically to meet customer’s needs. She especially loves doing funerals—since she usually knows the deceased or the family, creating those arrangements holds special meaning. “Because I’ve lived here my whole life, I want to make sure my shop keeps that small-town feel. I want my customers to know that I will always be available to help them and can customize to whatever they need. We’re not limited by a franchise affiliation,” said Fix.

During the COVID-19 lockdown, Fix has been serving her customers with curbside pickups and nocontact deliveries. Under more normal circumstances, she teaches classes and makes in-person deliveries. “I’ve done wreath classes at Christmas and I did a teacup arrangement class at a little girl’s birthday party. I have done a rose bowl class at the senior’s lodge complex, and I want to do more. I love making deliveries there—all the residents know who I am,” said Fix. The lockdown has made some aspects of her business more challenging, such as keeping up with social media to let people know what’s available and dealing with interruptions in the

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floral supply chain because of lockdowns elsewhere. However, she has been keeping busy and staying positive. “There have still been deaths in the community, and I need to serve those customers. People are calling to send things because they are not able to go see their loved ones. We’re working through the challenges and taking it day by day,” said Fix. Fix has two employees. Laina James, who works on a casual basis during busy seasons, worked with Fix at the Flower Hut and was one of the instigators who pushed her to start her new business. Parttime employee Rebecca Wurz owns a flower farm near town. She previously

worked at a different flower shop that existed between the tenures of the Flower Hut and Kimberly’s Blooms. Fix plans to address a need for more giftware options in the area. “I have some giftware and am looking to expand the line. I am continually looking for neat things to carry. I’m passionate about local items—made in Alberta or Canada. You don’t know what’s going to sell, so that’s the most challenging part,” said Fix. Fix and her husband, who runs the local General Motors dealership, are both hardworking people, usually putting in six days a week. They see it as one way to contribute to their community.

Rebecca Wurz and Kimberly Fix

“We’re both very passionate about keeping Fairview going. Little shops like mine are important to give people the choice to shop locally,” said Fix. “I like to give back to the community, especially kids groups, so I give donations when I can, and I volunteer on the board of the local Chamber of Commerce. Without the help of local businesses, a lot of kids groups wouldn’t be able to run.” Fix believes flowers should be part of every occasion, and she certainly practices what she preaches. Along with her considerable talent, she pours her love and passion for the community and small businesses into every arrangement she makes.

the hustle and bustle and being part of the community. I like using my creative side on a daily basis too,” said Fix. “You can’t ever have a bad day at the flower shop when you’re making beautiful things. I love it every day.” At the time this article was written, Kimberly's Blooms intends to remain open amid the COVID-19 crisis. For information regarding safety precautions or general updates, contact the store directly at 780-835-5459. For more information about products and services, go to kimberlysblooms.com

“

I want to make sure my shop keeps that small-town feel.

“I like being in a store where you know all the customers, #Li fesBetterUpHere | MAY - AUGUST 20 2 0 M OV E U P

M OVE U P M AY - A U G U S T 2 0 20 | www.moveupmag.com

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

24-HOUR EMERGENCY INCOME SUPPORT CONTACT CENTRE

If you are facing an unexpected emergency, you can apply for emergency financial assistance. You can get help when a situation is caused by unforeseeable circumstances beyond your control, and it presents a severe health risk, and you cannot access other resources or wait until your next paycheque or Income Support benefit cheque. Emergency financial assistance helps with basic needs like shelter, food, clothing and transportation.

â&#x2DC;&#x17D; 1-877-644-5135

FAMILY VIOLENCE INFO LINE ADDICTION HELPLINE

Telephone advice and service referral for adults and youth requiring addiction services. The Addiction Helpline is a tollfree, confidential service that provides alcohol, tobacco, other drugs and problem gambling support, information and referral to services. The Addiction Helpline operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is available to all Albertans.

â&#x2DC;&#x17D; 1-866-332-2322

KIDS HELP PHONE

Kids Help Phone is Canada's only 24/7, national support services. We offer professional counselling, information and referrals and volunteer-led, text-based support to young people in both English and French. Whether by phone, text, mobile app or through our website, you can connect with us whenever you want, however you want. Our services is completely confidential--you don't even have to tell us your name if you don't want to.

â&#x2DC;&#x17D; 1-800-668-6868 đ&#x;&#x201C;ą TEXT CONNECT TO 686868 đ&#x;&#x2013;Ľ KIDSHELPPHONE.CA

DISTRESS LINE

The Distress Line provides confidential, non-judgemental and short term crisis intervention, emotional support and resources to people in crisis or distress. We also support family, friends and caregivers of people in crisis. Our Distress Line Service provides crisis intervention, suicide prevention, family violence prevention, emergency intervention and response, emotional support and community resource referral. When you reach out we will listen to your situation, provide emotional support, explore options with you and connect you with local resources and referrals.

â&#x2DC;&#x17D; 1-800-482-4357

The Family Violence Info Line provides information about family violence programs and services, as well as advice and support. The services offers an 24/7 toll-free helpline in Alberta for anyone experiencing family violence or abuse, or who knows someone who has questions about family violence. Support includes referrals to family violence programs, resources and services and staff trained to respond to crisis situations.

â&#x2DC;&#x17D;

310-1818

HEALTH LINK

Do you have a health concern for yourself or your child? Call HealthLink for quick and easy advice from a registered nurse 24/7. They will ask you questions, assess symptoms and determine the best care for you.

â&#x2DC;&#x17D; 811

CHILD ABUSE HOTLINE

We all have a pole to play in keeping children safe and supported. While parents are primarily responsible for their children's wellbeing, the Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act requires you to report a concern if you believe a child is at risk of abuse, neglet or sexual exploitation. You can report anonymously or give your name and telephone number. We never reveal your identity to others.

â&#x2DC;&#x17D; 1-800-387-5437

MENTAL HEALTH HELP LINE

Provides toll-free, 24/7 telephone service, which offers help for mental health concerns for Albertans. Provides confidential, anonymous service, information about mental health programs and services and referrals to other agencies, if needed.

â&#x2DC;&#x17D; 1-877-303-2642

REPORT PRICE GOUGING

Albertans have the right to a fair marketplace, particularly in times of uncertainty. Hand sanitizer, toilet paper and other items are in high demand because of COVID-19. Alberta businesses can reasonably raise prices, so long as increases aren't taking excess advantage. The Consumer Protection Act prevents businesses from grossly raising prices with no explanation beyond what is reasonable and available elsewhere. Report any prices that seem unreasonable to our Report-a-Ripoff line.

â&#x2DC;&#x17D; 1-877-427-4088

CANADA SUICIDE PREVENTION SERVICE

Crisis Service Canada is a collaboration of distress and crisis centres from across Canada, offering Canada's first nationally available, regionally delivered suicide prevention service available to anyone thinking about or affected by suicide.

TEXT4HOPE

Feeling stress, anxiety and depression due to the COVID-19 crisis? We can help. We're a free service providing three months of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)--based text messages written by mental health therapists. Text4Hope is an evidence-based tool that helps people identify and adjust the negative thoughts, feelings and behaviours a pandemic might be expected to provoke. Through a set of daily messages, people receive advice and encouragement helpful in developing healthy personal coping skills and resiliency. There is no cost to subscribe.

đ&#x;&#x201C;ą TEXT COVID19HOPE TO 393939 TOWN OF HIGH LEVEL COVID-19 ASSISTANCE LINE

Have you self isolated? Do you need help picking up groceries, prescriptions or mail? Call for COVID information or to schedule daily call in checks (if requested). We're open Monday to Friday from 8am to 8pm and Saturday and Sunday from 8am to 5pm.

â&#x2DC;&#x17D; 1-888-456-2323 đ&#x;&#x201C;ą TEXT 45645

â&#x2DC;&#x17D; 780-821-4010

FIRST NATIONS AND INUIT HOPE FOR WELLNESS HELP LINE

FAIRVIEW AND DISTRICT VICTIM SERVICES

Providing 24/7 telephone and chat crisis intervention counselling support for all Indigenous peoples across Canada.

â&#x2DC;&#x17D; 1-855-242-3310 đ&#x;&#x2013;Ľ HOPEFORWELLNESS.CA COMMUNIT Y AND SOCIAL SERVICES HELP LINE

211 is a free, confidential service that provides information and referral to a wide range of community, social health and government services. The vision for 211 is to be the primary source of information and gateway to human services for individuals and planners.

Assistance for victims of crime and tragedy. 24-hour crisis intervention. Free and confidential.

â&#x2DC;&#x17D; 780-835-4557

CROSSROADS RESOURCE CENTRE WOMEN'S SHELTER 24-hour crisis line.

â&#x2DC;&#x17D; 1-877-835-2120 (TOLL FREE) PEACE RIVER REGIONAL WOMEN'S SHELTER

â&#x2DC;&#x17D; 211 đ&#x;&#x201C;ą TEXT 211 đ&#x;&#x2013;Ľ AB.211.CA (LIVE CHAT)

â&#x2DC;&#x17D; 1-877-624-3466

ALBERTA SUPPORTS

HIGH LEVEL SAFE HOME

â&#x2DC;&#x17D;

â&#x2DC;&#x17D; 1-888-926-0301 (TOLL FREE) â&#x2DC;&#x17D; 780-926-3899

Alberta supports can help you access more than 30 programs and 120 services for seniors, people with disabilities, parents and families, homelessness, financial assistance, abuse and family violence prevention. Call between 7:30am to 8pm, Monday to Friday.

1-877-644-9992

Our shelter offers women a safe and secure environment where they can access counselling, housing and other supports.

For women and children dealing with family violence or crisis situations.

LIBRARY RESOURCES 

peacelibrarysystem.ab.ca/eResources

The Peace Library System, which supports 26 member public libraries in Northwestern Alberta, has a ton of great eResources available for you to use right now.

DON'T HAVE A LIBRARY CARD? NO PROBLEM!

Just fill out a form online using the URL below and once your application has been processed, you'll be issued a temporary barcode and PIN, which will allow you to access the eResources listed below while local libraries are closed. This is a free temporary eResources card. When your local library reopens, please visit in person to pick up a plastic TRAC card and get access to the full range of services and to borrow physical items.  peacelibrarysystem.ab.ca/get-a-library-card

ALBERTA HEALTH SERVICES

Alberta Health Services (AHS) is Canada’s first and largest provincewide, fully-integrated health system, responsible for delivering health services to the over four million people living in Alberta, as well as to some residents of Saskatchewan, B.C. and the Northwest Territories.

ALBERTA LAW LIBRARIES

A provincial network of law libraries existing to provide research support and information services to the public and the legal community.

ALBERTA NATIVE FRIENDSHIP CENTRES

Access contact information for friendship centres across the province and much more!

A TO Z WORLD FOODS

Access recipes and culinary information from nearly every country in the world! Search by ingredients, country or by recipe to find your next meal idea.

AUDIOBOOKCLOUD

AudioBookCloud is an online audiobook library collection of streaming audio books for all ages. The audiobooks are not downloadable but can be listened to 24/7, with no check-outs or wait times. To read, the only thing you need besides a device and a browser is an internet connection.

BLACKFOOT DIGITAL LIBRARY

Access audio, images, videos and documents with information and stories about Blackfoot culture. You can sort through content based on geography, tribe, keyword and format.

CLOUDLIBRARY

Get some of the newest and your old favourites using cloudLibrary. One of four eBook catalogues available to the Peace Library System, cloudLibrary offers a large catalogue of eBooks & eAudiobooks that all library patrons can access with an internet connection. Read and listen at home or download your titles onto your mobile devices and take them to go.

CODIFY

Updates daily with all provincial and federal Canadian legislation (bills and acts) that is being introduced, updated, and receiving approval/ assent.

CONSUMER REPORTS

Consumer Reports is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping consumers make informed choices ALBERTA RESEARCH PORTAL about products, services, and safety. Alberta Research Portal gives anyone They put over 4000 products through within Alberta access to millions of rigorous testing each year. You can primary documents from institutions use this resource inside and outside all over the world. A fantastic CANADA GENWEB PROJECT resource for students, teachers, and A gateway to free Canadian genealogy of the library. You will be asked for your library barcode when accessing researchers, this portal lets you access resources, organized by province. Consumer Reports outside of the the Gale Primary Sources collection, library. a resource with 69 unique primary CANADIAN FINANCIAL source collections, including extensive resources related to First Nations and LITERACY DATABASE CYPRESS RESUME Find resources, events, tools and Indigenous peoples, the Associated Get help creating high quality information on budgeting, money Press Collections, Smithsonian resumes, cover letters and reference management, insurance, saving, Collection Online, Archives of sheets for entry level and professional investing, and taxes from various Human Sexuality and Gender, Sabin positions. This resource is available Americana, and 25 titles from the Gale Canadian organizations. to all library card holders inside and Virtual Reference Library. outside of the library.

CANADIAN LEGAL ANCESTRY LIBRARY EDITION INFORMATION INSTITUTE Access to over 60 million Canadian (CANLII) records, including birth, marriage, and death records, census records, military records, immigration and naturalization records and more.

Access to this resource has been temporarily expanded to library cardholders working remotely, courtesy of ProQuest and its partner Ancestry.

CanLII is a non-profit organization that has been engaged by the law societies of Canada to establish, operate, maintain and provide to the law societies a website dedicated to providing continuous access to a virtual library of Canadian legal information. CanLII's goal is to make Canadian law accessible on the Internet.

DICTIONARY OF CANADIAN BIOGRAPHY

A searchable online collection of approximately 8,500 detailed biographies of noteworthy Canadians.

EARLY CANADIANA ONLINE This virtual library holds the most complete set of full-text historical content about Canada, including books, magazines and government documents.

FAMILY DOCTOR

This site is operated by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) and contains information about diseases and conditions, prevention and wellness, and more.

GLENBOW ARCHIVES

This website offers resources for those performing genealogy research with a specific focus on the Prairie Provinces and Métis ancestry.

GOVERNMENT OF CANADA JOB BANK Explore careers, read about the job market, and more.

HISTORICA CANADA

Historica Canada is Canada's largest independent organization devoted to enhancing awareness of Canadian history and citizenship.

INDIGENOUS CINEMA

Access 200+ short and full length films by Indigenous directors for free through the National Film Board of Canada.

JOHN HOPKINS MEDICINE HEALTH LIBRARY

Guide to the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of conditions from A to Z.

LAW CENTRAL ALBERTA

LawCentral Alberta is a portal or collection of links to law-related information and educational resources on justice and legal issues of interest to Albertans.

LAWS FOR LANDLORDS AND TENANTS IN ALBERTA

Learn about the laws that apply when renting a place to live in Alberta.

LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA

Library and Archives Canada’s (LAC) collection is the shared documentary heritage of all Canadians and spans the entire history of our country. The collection contains materials in all types of formats from across Canada and around the world that are of interest to Canadians.

LYNDA.COM

Lynda.com is a video tutorial library available to all patrons looking to improve or expand their skills. The site offers thousands of videos and is constantly expanding to ensure patrons have the most up to date information on software, skills, tasks, careers and more.

MEDLINE PLUS

Health information from the National Library of Medicine in the United States. Easy access to Medline and health topics, medical dictionaries, directories and publications.

MONEY MATTERS

Money Matters is a free introductory financial literacy program for adult learners. Their workbooks are used in classrooms across Canada, and are full of learning and activities that can be adapted according to the needs of individual groups.

MONEY MENTORS

Money Mentors is an Alberta-based, non-profit credit counselling agency. They offer a number of services to help families and individuals, from credit counselling and money coaching, to retirement planning and community financial literacy.

MY HEALTH ALBERTA

This site was built by the Alberta Government and Alberta Health Services to give Albertans one place to go for health information they can trust. Healthcare experts across the province make sure the information is correct, up to date, and written for people who live in Alberta.

MY MONEY COACH

Learn how to save money and make smart financial choices with this free Canadian resource.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FRIENDSHIP CENTRES

The NAFC offers contact information for friendship centres across the country, resources, as well as information about programs and initiatives the organization is working on.

NATIVE COUNCELLING SERVICES OF ALBERTA

For almost 50 years, NCSA has assisted Aboriginal people gain fair and equitable access to the justice, children’s services and corrections systems in Alberta.

NEWSPAPERARCHIVE

attend small live classes to practice. There are 70+ foreign language and several ESL courses available.

power of the Internet. They also have special resources dedicated to 50+ adults

RBDIGITAL AUDIOBOOKS

TEENBOOKCLOUD

RBdigital Audiobooks offers simultaneous borrowing of 300+ eAudiobooks meaning no waitlists! Use on your computer or download the mobile RBdigital app today!

NewspaperARCHIVE is the world's best resource for historical and genealogical information. Their unique RBDIGITAL MAGAZINES archive spans more than 400 years RBdigital Magazines offers full color, of family history, small-town events, interactive digital magazines for your world news and more. enjoyment. Browse from your library's collection of popular titles with no holds, no checkout periods, and no NOVELIST K-8 limit to the number of magazines you This kid-friendly eResource contains can download. Use on your browser or book reviews and enhanced subject download the RBdigital app today! access for over 60,000 fiction titles aimed at the K-8 population.

NOVELIST PLUS

Need a book recommendation? Use NoveList to search by dozens of appeal factors, look at the list of similar titles, authors and series and get a good look at book awards and their winners.

OLDER ADULT KNOWLEDGE NET WORK (OAKNET)

Information on Albertan and Canadian law to help protect the older adult.

ONLINE REFERENCE CENTRE

Provided by the Alberta Government, the Online Reference Centre is available to educators and students in Alberta to ensure everyone has equal access to high-quality resources.

OVERDRIVE

Bestselling fiction and non-fiction titles for you to download in ebook and audio book formats. Patrons log in with their library barcode and PIN and are able to check out and download up to ten titles at a time.

OVERDRIVE KIDS EREADING ROOM The Kids eReading Room is part of OverDrive and collects titles for kids 0-12 years of age.

PRESSREADER

PressReader allows patrons to read all of their favourite newspapers online. PressReader has over 7,000 eNewspapers and eMagazines from 120+ countries, in 60+ languages.

PRONUNCIATOR

Pronunciator is an online language learning system that offers training and studying through courses at your own pace as well as the ability to

READ ALBERTA EBOOKS AND PRAIRIE INDIGENOUS EBOOK COLLECTIONS

PLSB has partnered with the Book Publishers Association of Alberta (BPAA) to make over 1,000 Albertapublished eBooks available to readers across the province. These eBooks can now be borrowed through the Cantook Station platform on public library websites. The collection is augmented quarterly in March, June, Sept and December, and represents a wide range of genres including memoir, literary fiction, mystery, poetry, historical, scholarly, educational, children’s, graphic novels, young adult and speculative fiction. The collection also contains a small and growing eAudiobook selection.

ROMANCEBOOKCLOUD

RomanceBookCloud features a core collection of over 1700 eBooks in many categories, from inspirational to paranormal to military to LGBTQ. The books are not downloadable but can be read 24/7, with no check-outs or wait times. To read, the only thing you need besides a device and a browser is an internet connection.

SOLARO

Get access to homework help based on your provincial curriculum, grade and subject. Just log in with your library card!

TECHBOOMERS

Here, you'll find tutorials on the most popular and useful websites on the Internet, from social networks and dating sites to everyday tools for getting directions and knowing what the weather's going to be like. You can even learn how to listen to music, watch videos, and have phone calls right on your computer through the

TeenBookCloud is an online database of eBooks perfect for middle school and high school readers with a robust selection of Graphic Novels, Enhanced Novels, eBooks, classic literature, National Geographic videos, educator resources, and audiobooks. The collection is available online around the clock. No downloads, no waiting! If you can access the internet, you can be reading, watching, or listening to fantastic content.

THE CANADIAN LEGAL RESEARCH AND WRITING GUIDE

A legal research help page that focuses on strategy and effective use of primary and secondary sources in both print and electronic formats.

TRANSPARENT LANGUAGE ONLINE

Transparent Language Online is the most complete language-learning system for independent learners with 100+ languages currently on offer, including Indigenous languages like Cree and Ojibwe.

TUMBLEBOOK LIBRARY

TumbleBookLibrary offers animated and narrated story books, narrated eBooks, traditional eBooks, graphic novels and videos for kids (pre-K to grade 8).

TUMBLEMATH

TumbleMath is the most comprehensive collection of math picture books for grades K-6 you will find anywhere... all in the amazing TumbleBook format complete with animation and narration. The books are accompanied by supplementary materials such as lesson plans and quizzes.

VOICES OF AMISKWACIY

Launched by Edmonton Public Library in 2017, Voices of Amiskwaciy is a platform supporting the creation, sharing, discovery and celebration of Indigenous content. You can simply watch videos and look at pictures or contribute your own stories.

WILLOWNET

Willownet provides legal information for Albertans experiencing violence in a relationship.

LIBRARY RESOURCES CONTINUED... WORLD BOOK ONLINE

World Book provides access to seven educational sites that can carry patrons from their infant years through and past high school. Patrons can use these websites inside and outside of the library simply by logging in with their library card.

WORLD BOOK: ADVANCED

A resource for teens doing research. This site is a step up from World Book: Student and for those who are experienced with research.

WORLD BOOK: EARLY WORLD OF LEARNING

A resource for pre-schoolers and young kids. This site will read aloud to you as well as promote learning, reading and understanding through games, fairy tales, stories, songs, colouring pages, and videos.

WORLD BOOK: KIDS

A resource for young kids and children beginning to do research and homework. The website offers a fun and easy way to browse through and compare animals, places, and objects.

WORLD BOOK: KIDS: WORLD BOOK: STUDENT ENCICLOPEDIA ESTUDIANTIL A resource for kids and pre-teens doing research and homework. The HALLAZGOS A resource for kids and children beginning to do research and homework. The site is very similar to World Book: Kids but offers all of its content in Spanish.

WORLD BOOK: KIDS: L'ENCYCLOPEDIE DECOUVERTE

A resource for kids and children beginning to do research and homework. The site is similar to World Book: Kids but offers all of its content in French Canadian.

UPCOMING EVENTS

These events are still tentatively scheduled at the time of printing. Please contact the event schedulers and hosts to confirm any cancellations, rescheduling and postponements. Stay safe, and have fun.

PIONEER VILLAGE MUSEUM

OPEN MAY 14 TO SEPT. 7 OPEN MON, THURS, FRI, SAT & SUN FROM 11AM TO 5PM

Located in the MD of Peace Group bookings and tours can be made by contacting Winnie Gayton at 780-332-4947 or Marie Brown at 780-332-4659.

*VIRTUAL GRAND OPENING* ANNIVERSARY CHUCKEGG CREEK WILDFIRE DISPLAY MAY LONG WEEKEND

Mackenzie Crossroads Museum

BIG 4 RODEO JUNE 13 & 14

Lac Cardinal Hall, MD of Peace Major rough stock events, ladies barrel racing and a rodeo dance.

CAR SHOW JUNE 13

Lac Cardinal Hall, MD of Peace Hosted by the Town of Grimshaw and the MD of Peace.

WANDA HALEREWICH MEMORIAL BARREL RACING JULY 11-12

Lac Cardinal Hall, MD of Peace

PIONEER VILLAGE MUSEUM PANCAKE BREAKFASTS

SCHEDULED FOR MAY 16, JUNE 13 (IN CONJUNCTION WITH A CAR SHOW), JULY 18, AUG. 8 (IN CONJUNCTION WITH PIONEER DEMONSTRATION DAY ), SEPT. 5 AND SEPT. 26

site offers a step-by-step guide on how to do a research project as well as offers all the tools needed.

WORLD BOOK: TIMELINES

A resource for pre-teens and teens doing research. You can create your own from scratch with your own events or pre-made events or edit premade timelines with your own events or other pre-made events.

RESOURCES FOR PARENTS Help your kids learn from home!

KHAN ACADEMY

An online educational platform with exercises, instructional videos and a personalized learning dashboard with free tools for parents and teachers.

KhanAcademy.org

SCHOLASTIC LEARN AT HOME Day-by-day projects to keep kids reading, thinking and growing.

bit.ly/slah1

SPARK SCIENCE FROM HOME

Spark shares DIY experiments, innovative online challenges, science education content and curated content from STEAM community leaders

sparkscience.ca/spark-science-from-home

SQUIGGLE PARK

Squiggle Park (ages 3 - 8+) and Dreamscape (ages 8 - 15+) deliver content in a way proven to help kids master foundation reading skills through play.

squigglepark.com NORTH PEACE STAMPEDE JULY 31, AUG 1 & 2

Lac Cardinal Hall, MD of Peace

MINDFUEL

Award-winning STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) learning resources for K-12 students. Mindfuel has suspended its subscription service to provide complete access while schools are shut down.

mindfuel.ca

THERE IS NOTHING ELSE LIKE IT

OUR MISSION The Mile Zero Regional Multiplex is a multi-purpose facility offering a wide variety of physical activity and wellness opportunities designed to promote active living including walking, running, cardiovascular & weight training, hockey, figure skating, basketball, badminton, volleyball, tennis, dance and much more.

TO BOOK A RENTAL IN OUR FACILITY CALL

780-332-4005 EXT. 0

www.grimshaw.ca | The Mile Zero Regional Multiplex is located at 4609 50 St. in Grimshaw, AB.

LOCAL PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES TOWN OF HIGH LEVEL FACEBOOK WEEKLY UPDATES Mental Health Monday Tik Tok Tuesdays Workout Wednesdays Throwback Thursdays (History Book Posts) Family Friday (Family Activities for the Weekend)

TOWN OF HIGH LEVEL AT HOME ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS

The High Level FCSS and Parent Link are working on providing at home activities for kids. Pre-registration required. Activities include busy bins, Lego contest (create your best lego creation for a chance to win a prize) and a gardening project (in partnership with Cass Hale and Sunscape Gardens to get indoor gardening kits to families).

â&#x2DC;&#x17D; 780-821-4010

ART ATTACK AT HOME

High Level Community Services is working on providing at home activities for adults. Pre-registration is required.

â&#x2DC;&#x17D; 780-821-4010

FOOD HAMPER & FAMILY KITS

Food Hamper deliveries for families (with fresh food enhancements) and family kits to go with the hampers (mental health information and games). Contact the Town of High Level or the High Level Native Friendship Centre for more information.

â&#x2DC;&#x17D; 780-821-4010 â&#x2DC;&#x17D; 780-926-3355

HIGH LEVEL LIBRARY CURBSIDE PICK UP

Please call ahead to arrange a pick up time. Pick up is available Mon. to Fri. from 12pm to 5pm and Sat. from 12pm to 2pm.

â&#x2DC;&#x17D; 780-926-2097 ð&#x;&#x201C;± TEXT 780-841-6542 FAIRVIEW FOOD BANK 780-835-2632

â&#x2DC;&#x17D;

PEACE RIVER SALVATION ARMY FOOD BANK

The Salvation Army Food Bank is offering delivery of hampers to seniors and clients that are self-isolating within Peace River. Open 9:30am to 3pm.

â&#x2DC;&#x17D; 780-624-2370

GRIMSHAW & BERWYN FOOD BANK

Operating hours are Mon. & Wed. from 10am to 12pm. Donations of monetary and non-perishable food items are accepted at the Grimshaw School Complex, the Co-op and churches in Grimshaw and Berwyn.

â&#x2DC;&#x17D; 780-332-2382 â&#x2DC;&#x17D; 780-332-4522

MANNING & AREA FOOD BANK

Please call ahead and your bag of food will be brought to you at the door. If you receive a bag, please bring it back the next time you visit the Food Bank. Open Fridays from 10am to 12pm and 1pm to 4pm. Located at the Manning Adult Learning Centre.

â&#x2DC;&#x17D; 780-836-2664

GROUND LEVEL YOUTH CENTRE FAMILY FUN ACTIVITIES

The Ground Level Youth Centre has modified its programs (for ages 10-29) for participation from home. The GLYC is offering weekly kits at no cost. Each kit will feature a selection of activities fitting a theme. Please message the Youth Centre on Facebook to arrange for delivery. Please register by Wednesday. The kits will be delivered on Fridays.

â&#x2DC;&#x17D; 780-624-2162

MANNING TOWING/LORENZEN'S OILFIELD FREE GROCERY DELIVERY FOR SENIORS

Visit their Facebook page for scheduling details. Call Freson Bros. directly at 780-836-3285 to order and pay for your groceries and Manning Towing will deliver it to the doorsteps of seniors in need. Don't forget to include your street address when you place your order.

â&#x2DC;&#x17D; 780-836-3285

MANNING TOWING

we are Creatives for hire. VAULTmedia

hi@Vaultmediamarketing.com