spring 2015 • red deer Living 1
contents spring 2015
departments 7
OUTDOORS | Perfect strides Local runners enjoy the pastime and sport of running
VOL 5 • ISS 21
12 7
22
10 food | Let it grow! Try your hand at gardening this season 12 People | Hitting the right notes Musical creativity evolves into business acumen for Mike Clark 19 Culture | Find your voice There’s a crescendo of choral groups in the Red Deer area 22 Community | Safety City Red Deer’s miniature city-scape offers big lessons in safety
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24 Feature | Farm on High-tech family farmers working to feed the world 27 Health and Wellness | Skin savvy Don’t take your skin for granted when you enjoy the outdoors
columns 30 A SLICE OF LIFE | Springtime creations Building a home as the flowers bloom
items 6 Editor’s message
10 Cover photo courtesy Elna Edgar
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spring 2015 • red deer Living 5
editor’s message
Get growing this spring A couple of months ago, I took a chance and bought house plants. A lot of
PUBLISHER |
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houseplants. This investment in greenery came with some serious pangs of
A ss o c ia t e P U B L I S H E R |
hesitation, because even though I’m a farmer’s daughter with a background in
jim.zang@sourcemediagroup.ca
biology, of all things, I’ve decimated every house plant I’ve ever bought. But it’s been surprising: these plants haven’t just survived my care, they’re thriving. I’ve learned to care for them, and they’ve been giving us a splash of green life. And, they’ve also provided inadvertent inspiration for this issue of Red Deer Living. Growth can be evident, like my lovely little plants, or it can be intangible, like when you learn something new or take a chance or get creative. This issue is all about growth, and we start with a nod
A r t d ire c t o r |
Jean Faye Rodriguez
jean.rodriguez@sourcemediagroup.ca G raphi c d esig n er S
Rylyn Kvarnberg Dave Macaulay dave.macaulay@sourcemediagroup.ca
Megan Sereda
where you’ll learn how running has become a lifechanging activity for many Red Deerians. Spring planting is highlighted in the Food article, which provides tips
megan.sereda@sourcemediagroup.ca pr o d u c t i o n a d m i n is t ra t o r |
Colleen Leier
colleen.leier@sourcemediagroup.ca
on how to grow your own garden. Gardening can be as simple as pots on your deck or as large as a rented garden plot; local community orchards also provide a great way to enjoy fresh produce.
E D I TO R I A L
Jennifer Blair, Treena Mielke, Jock Mackenzie, Laurette Woodward P H OTO G R A P H Y
Next, you’ll get to meet Mike Clark, a local businessman who uses creativity — that he originally applied in the music industry — to grow his family-
Jennifer Blair, Tanya Lee, Jock Mackenzie, Laurette Woodward A d v er t isi n g
owned global group of companies. Stretching yourself creatively and finding your voice are the key messages in the next article, which describes the wealth of local choral groups. There’s also a chart that lists upcoming performances, so you can enjoy the benefits of music, too. Growth through learning is highlighted in “Safety City,” the miniature city-scape where children find out all sorts of real life safety messages. Then, we’ll look beyond the city limits to the surrounding farms. Nothing says spring like the new life and growth on a farm, but these days farms are growing in other ways, too. Technology changes and global food demands are creating high-tech businesses that still retain a family farm influence. As you head out and about this spring, you’ll likely spend lots of time outside, so make sure to read “Skin savvy,” which has important skin care tips. It’s also worth visiting the websites listed, where you’ll learn more about how to identify unhealthy changes in your skin. Finally, Treena Mielke provides the last words, as she recalls a time of huge growth for her family: the year they built a new home throughout the muddy and then beautiful spring weather. Spring is always a time of new and exciting things. Whatever type of growth you’re enjoying, I hope that these articles provide some little notes of inspiration and information that help you to have your own “house plant success” and grow in unexpected new ways.
6 red deer Living • spring 2015
Shelley Newman
shelley.newman@sourcemediagroup.ca
rylyn.kvarnberg@sourcemediagroup.ca
to the more intangible side of growth in “Perfect strides,”
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Jim Zang
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© 2015 Source Media Group Corp. Material cannot be reprinted in whole or in part without written permission from the publishers. Red Deer Living™ is published 4 times per annum and is available free through select distribution points in and around Red Deer. Source Media Group agrees to advertise on behalf of the advertiser without responsibility for claims or misinformation made by the advertiser and acts only as an advertising medium. Source Media Group reserves the right to refuse any advertising at its sole discretion. Red Deer Living™ accepts editorial submissions and letters to the editor by electronic mail only. Please forward any submissions, including your full name phone number and return email address, to reddeer.editor@sourcemediagroup.ca Contact: Source Media Group, 207, 5809 Macleod Trail SW, Calgary, AB T2H 0J9. Tel 403.532.3101, Fax 403.532.3109, Toll free 1.888.932.3101. www.sourcemediagroup.ca
outdoors
Perfect strides Local runners enjoy the pastime and sport of running By Jock Mackenzie
“R
unning changed my life,” says Rachel Lavoy, an accounting technician with the Red Deer Public School Board. “It is the single most empowering thing I have done for myself.” Her journey began in 2010 when she was looking for a fitness class. “I had Googled classes and the first hit I got was a Learn to Run class that started that evening,” she explains. “I emailed the company and asked if there was still room and the answer was, ‘See you tonight.’ There I was — committed.” Over four years later, Rachel is still running and she knows why — the other ladies in the class. “There were probably 20 in the class, and I’m still friends with over half of them. We pushed each other, supported each other and never gave up. Together, we progressed from learning to run for a minute at a time to doing half marathons. Now I can’t stop.”
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Rachel Lavoy with her boyfriend, John Jenkins. Photo by Jock Mackenzie
Red Deer Runners club enjoying a run just east of Red Deer.
Photo by Jock Mackenzie
spring 2015 • red deer Living 7
outdoors
“Most importantly is to start slow and to have fun. Begin by running for a minute, then walk for a minute and increase A from there.”
A Stacy Jones leading a clinic at the Running Room. B Tamara Rairdan and Laura Ebenal of the Running Room. C Runners from the Running Room. Photos A-C by Jock Mackenzie
Rachel’s story is mirrored by the enjoyment and success of hundreds of other Red Deerians who run. With more than 110 kilometres of soft and hard surface trails that traverse the Waskasoo Park system, it’s the perfect city to run — even in winter. Thanks to the City of Red Deer, the trails are graveled, which makes running safe. If you’re thinking of getting started, step one is B a good pair of shoes. “Get a great pair of shoes that are fitted to you,” says Stacy Jones, co-manager of the Running Room. “We offer gait analysis to fit you properly and consider your activity when suiting you up.” From that point onward, the rest is up to you.
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C “You put on your shorts, your running shoes and go,” says Tony Morris, longtime member of the Red Deer Runners club. “You can run whenever you have time: you don’t have to drive anywhere, buy expensive equipment or follow anyone’s schedule but your own.” He adds, “We all run a little bit better when we run with other people. We’re either mentoring or we’re learning. You socialize with nice people, and there’s a little bit of competition if you want that.” If it’s competition you desire, the choices runneth over. Local triathelete, Val Jensen, is going into her fourth year of organizing the Only Women’s Fitness Fun Run, where there are categories for everyone. There’s a 10K run with chip timing, as well as 5, 3 and 1K races and even races for the kids, including a 100 metre Diaper Dash. In last year’s race, a mom carried her 7-monthold baby alongside about 40 other children aged one and two, all decked out with race numbers and their race T-shirts. In another category, an 83-year-old pushed her grandchildren as she ran with her 60-year-old daughter. Yes, there’s something for everyone.
outdoors
E
D On the Victoria Day weekend, Val’s husband, Woody Paylor has given his name to the Woody’s RV World Marathon, a Boston Marathon qualifier. It’s also known as Alberta’s River Run because, unlike so many other marathons, this race utilizes not roads but the Red Deer trail system along the river. The race allows participants to enjoy the woods, ponds and islands in Heritage Ranch, often the goslings near the Kerry Wood Nature Centre, and the pastoral setting of the River Bend Golf and Recreation Area. This year’s 17th running will offer the full marathon, a half marathon, a 10K and also a kids’ race.
Looking for running events in 2015? Check out this snapshot of local activities. St. Pattie’s Scurry 5K
March 14/15
Blackfalds Family Fun Run
May 2
Only Women’s Fitness Fun Run May 9 Woody’s RV World Marathon
May 17
MS Walk (and Run)
May 31
Mud Hero
August 7,8,9
Chocolate Chase
August 30
The Spartan Race
September 12, 13
Harvest Run
September 13
Run With Heart
October 17
D start of the Only Women’s Fitness Fun run 2014.
f
G
E 83 year old grandma walked 5km with great granddaughters. f 100 Metre Diaper Dash. G Mother-Daughter race for all ages. photos D-g courtesy Only Women's Fitness Fun run
There are a few factors that can help whether you choose running as a competition or a hobby. A cheer squad of peers makes a huge difference, partners who are in it with you and know what you’re feeling. They can also add the incentive to get out when conditions are less than ideal. “Another important thing is having a goal in mind,” says Tamara Rairdan, co-manager and instructor from the Running Room. “Getting hooked up with a training program is a great idea.” Runners simply ask themselves how far they want to run and how long it should take. Being mindful of goals allows you to chart your progress. “Most importantly,” says Debbie Dyrland, president of the Red Deer Runners club, “is to start slow and to have fun. Begin by running for a minute, then walk for a minute and increase from there.” When speaking of her club, she notes, “We’re big on the social aspect and making it fun.” Perhaps the best testimony comes from Rachel Lavoy, “I do know running gives me clarity and an open mind. And any fi xable problem can be solved on a run. Running gives me energy, and then I can accomplish so much more in all aspects of my life.” rL
For more information on running opportunities: map of Red Deer’s Trail System www.reddeer.ca and search “trail map” The Running Room www.runningroom.com Red Deer Runners www.reddeerrunners.org (also on Facebook)
spring 2015 • red deer Living
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food
Let it grow! Try your hand at gardening this season By Laurette Woodward
Garden plots available through City of Red Deer. Photo courtesy Ken Lehman.
W
ith spring peeking around the corner, we start hoping for the first hint of green. Perhaps you’re already anticipating the first harvest of tender lettuce or sweet radishes from your own garden. If you like growing your own food, or have even considered it, it’s a good time to think about what you’ll plant this year. And, although we have a limited growing season in Central Alberta, lots of food can be grown successfully here. There are even advantages to our location. “Because we have cooler nights, the plants store more sugar,” says Alfred Prins, greenhouse manager at Parkland Garden Centre. “You can taste that in the food we grow here.” Growing your own food can be something each person appreciates for different reasons. Some people like knowing what they put into the soil and that their seeds are free from
genetic modification. The freshness of the food is another benefit. Growing your own food could possibly save you money, but sometimes by the time you pay for tools, fertilizer, plants and seeds, the financial benefit can be limited. Backyard gardener, Megan Darby, says “gardening brings me joy. I like planting the seeds and waiting for the first little leaves to poke out of the soil. I like watching the plants grow and harvesting the garden. I even like cleaning it up at the end of the year. I just like it all,” she explains. “Maybe it is the feeling of being self-sufficient.” Darby began gardening as a child. “My mom would let me choose what seeds to plant and where,” she recalls. “It gave me a feeling that I
“There are very few absolutes in gardening. In mother nature there are always exceptions to the rule. Growing a garden is a learning process.” 10 red deer Living • spring 2015
Megan Darby’s backyard garden beds. Photo courtesy Megan Darby
food
was doing something important, and it still connects me with her.” Now Darby works with her four children in their garden. “It gives them an appreciation for how much work it takes to grow food. I think that’s good for them.” For beginners, the simplest plants to grow are potatoes, carrots, beets and lettuce, according to Alfred Prins. Also, tomatoes (bedding out plants are the easiest way to start) and herbs grow really well in pots that can be placed on a sunny deck. Just remember, potted plants need regular watering! Also, Prins says plants like cabbage and cauliflower grow well here, but gardeners should be aware they will have a few blemishes due to bug activity. Keep in mind that gardening can be a trial and error process. “There are very few absolutes in gardening,” says Prins. “In mother nature there are always exceptions to the rule. Growing a garden is a learning process.” rL
Gardening opportunities across Red Deer
I
planting the f you don’t have room for a garden in your parkside backyard, you might consider renting a garden Community Food Forest, september plot from the City of Red Deer. There are several 2013. photo courtesy locations available and plots range in price from $14 Ken Lehman. to $43. Registration for people who haven’t rented before is at the end of april. also, several community groups in Red Deer have “Community Gardens”. The City helps with the start up, and the community group prepares and manages the garden. Of note to those who enjoy fresh produce: in the fall of 2013 the City of Red Deer planted its first ever community food forest, located at the north end of the Parkside Gardens plots at 5320 67 Street. The City recently helped to start a community orchard in Mountview/Sunnybrook as well. People can go to these parks and pick their own fruit. Plants include: saskatoons, haskaps, apples, crabapples, apricots, pears, plums, goji berries, cherries and rhubarb. “The food forest concept works on the idea of designing and maintaining agriculturally productive ecosystems, which have the diversity, stability, and resilience of natural ecosystems,” says Ken Lehman, City of Red Deer’s Parks Ecological and Planning and Specialist. “As resources are stretched Ken Lehman and the demand for high quality food increases, there is a strong interest in urban, edible landscaping.” Lehman says the City is watching both gardens closely to learn what works and that will influence future landscaping choices. rL For more information on garden plots, community gardens and the community food forests, visit www.reddeer.ca and search “gardening opportunities.”
additional gardening tips from alfred Prins
i
f you have very sandy soil, raised beds and planters are a good alternative to planting in the ground. The right water. It’s the sodium in well water or City water that is bad for plants (not chlorine). If you can lather up easily in your shower, your water has too much sodium in it. The best way to overcome this is to use water from a rain barrel. or, if that isn’t an option, water heavily once a week rather than more frequently. The plants don’t get as much sodium that way. also, adding a lot of organic matter like peat moss, grass
clippings (without herbicides) and leaves will help balance the soil again. Backyard greenhouses are a good way of altering the climate and potentially increasing yield. also, sunny locations near a fence and/or house are often more sheltered and can increase the yield. fruit trees are most successful if they are planted in soil that is not heavy clay, and on a slope for drainage, with full sun. Fruit trees also need another tree of the same kind in the vicinity, for pollination. Keep the name of your fruit trees so you can ask gardening experts later for advice. rL
*Alfred prins is a Certified Horticulturalist and has managed parkland garden Centre’s greenhouse for 30 years.
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people
Hitting the right notes Musical creativity evolves into business acumen for Mike Clark By Shelley Newman
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people
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Photo by Tanya Lee
eing the vice-president of a global group of companies sounds quite intriguing, with lots of planning, travelling and managing of people. Comparably, a career in the music industry also sounds exciting but very different, with songwriting, touring and performing. What’s the common ground here? In this case, it’s local businessman, Mike Clark, who has navigated the waters of both professions. The secret to his success so far? His ability to see possibilities, combined with his creative, entrepreneurial spirit and an aggressive willingness to try. “It’s interesting, because I’ve found that I apply the same processes for business planning as I do for songwriting and other creative pursuits,” Clark says. “I’m constantly coming up with little individual ideas and storing these ‘up in the attic.’ Then, there is a period of rearrangement, reshaping and blending the ideas until they end up becoming something coherent and tangible.” These days, the tangible items that Clark comes up with are pretty big. As vice president of Canalta Controls Group of Companies, he has his sights set on continuing to expand his family-owned businesses, which focus primarily on the oil and gas sector but also include property holdings. “I’m quite a visual learner so one of the things I like to do is to create visual presentations — initially just for myself — that show what we are and what I think we could be,” he says. “Once they start to come together, I then share them with others as a ‘road map’ for us to work towards.” And when it comes what the companies could be, Clark plans for a future filled with possibilities and not limited by barriers. Over the last five years, Canalta has launched two new companies in Red Deer with additional regional branches in the USA, the UK and South America. Another recent addition was a steel casting foundry in India, and the launch of the South Korean material supply and inspection facility. A regional office in Singapore was incorporated in January and is the latest addition to the group’s global growth. Managing a global group of companies takes a great deal of coordination, and Clark notes that the planning is one part, “but a lot is about seeing opportunity, building and motivating a strong team to work towards a common goal and also being able to say ‘yes’ when the right opportunities arise.” Clark’s entrepreneurial spirit has been heavily influenced by his father, Derold, who started Canalta Controls Ltd. as an Electrical and Instrumentation services company back in 1986. “He is a true entrepreneur who started from the ground up. When my dad started the
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people
A
“A lot is about seeing opportunity, building and motivating a strong team to work towards a common goal and also being able to say ‘yes’ when the right opportunities arise.” business, he operated out of a van and our garage at home,” Clark recalls. “The work was definitely cyclical and somewhat volatile, depending on the needs of the regional oil and gas industry.” To help maintain a more consistent level of business and hold on to good employees during the slower times, Derold would buy used process control equipment to rebuild and sell back to industry. From there, Derold expanded Canalta’s efforts to include the purchase of a small gas plant and field and also into the production of new products for the natural gas industry. As Derold was growing his business, Clark and his siblings grew up learning about it. With his older brother, Craig, and younger siblings, Jennifer and Chris, they all had hands-on experience within the company. “All of us kids worked here as part-time jobs in junior high and high school,” he says. “There was a lot of sweeping, sandblasting, product assembly and even building maintenance. I also worked at Canalta intermittently throughout my University summers and beyond, while also pursuing other interests.” 14 red deer Living • spring 2015
Clark’s experience at the University of Alberta, he admits, lacked some focus. “I have to say that I realized the value of hard work and commitment later,” he recalls. “When I was at University, I focused on liberal arts classes, was heavily involved in athletics with the wrestling program and, in my spare time, I started to play the guitar. I had grown up listening to my mother, Arlene, play piano and guitar and so there were always instruments in the house and good music playing from her radio. Like me, she was also primarily a self-taught musician but became quite proficient at piano, guitar and singing in her own right.” Music started to take on a growing importance in his life, so after leaving the U of A, Clark enrolled in the music program at Red Deer College. He eventually left the program early to start travelling and playing with other musicians; at an open mic event in Calgary in the late 90s, he met the now well-known pop musicians, Tegan and Sara, when they were first starting out. “They were quite young at the time but already really dedicated to their music,” he says. “It’s funny because it really boiled down to the fact that I had my driver’s license and a car and neither of them did. I became their defacto driver and body guard — a big brother, really.” Clark worked with the duo for a few years, becoming their first tour manager while also pursuing his own songwriting and performing career. In 2004, he recorded and released his own CD, Darker Machines, which is still available today and has had songs licensed to various TV shows. After his years in the music industry, Clark began to realize it was time for a lifestyle change. He had travelled the globe and lived in a number of places including Vancouver, Los Angeles
people
B and Montreal, but he wanted to establish a different foundation his future, both personally and professionally. “I still really enjoy songwriting and playing the guitar, and I still even perform a bit,” he says, “but I knew a life exclusively in music just wasn’t for me. I’d seen ‘behind the curtain,’ and I knew that I needed a change.” When Clark turned 30, he officially returned to Red Deer full time, dedicating himself to Canalta Controls and to taking on a leadership role with the company. “My dad had taken a step back from the day-to-day operations at that point,” Clark says. “I became the lead from a business operational standpoint, and my older brother, Craig, who is an engineer, was in charge of the technical side and played an integral role in product design and other areas.” Craig left C to start his own business, Tradewinds Parts, but family still continued to play a big role at Canalta Controls. Clark’s younger brother, Chris, was involved with procurement for several years and now runs Fratter’s, an entertainment venue in Red Deer. His sister, Jennifer, has a computer science background and “continues to be the brains behind our enterprise resource managing system,” he says. “This software is related to everything
we do, for all of our companies, so this is a huge element to our business and a big part of operating and communicating effectively.” Outside of work, family became a big factor for Clark when he met his wife, Vanessa, six years ago. “Meeting her was a major game changer that affected all areas of my life — including Canalta — in amazing and positive ways,” he says. “When we met, the timing was perfect for both of us, and I’ve found that it takes away so many questions and brings such focus to your life when you have the right partner and also those little ones depending on you.” The couple now lives in rural Central Alberta with their two children, Andersen and Emily. With his focus on family, work and music, Clark continues to look ahead for new growth and opportunities for both Canalta Controls and his own business endeavours outside of the group. “To me, being in business is more like riding a surfboard than climbing a mountain; you know you’re going in a certain direction, but you can’t predict exactly where you’ll go or what might happen along the way, and there is no fixed final destination” he says. “You have to be open to opportunities and sometimes, when you say ‘yes’ to something new, that’s when you really grow as you work hard to make it happen.” RL A Mike and Derold Clark, ca. 1997. B Mike and Vanessa, with their children, Emily and Anderson. C The early years at Canalta; working in the instrumentation area. Photos courtesy Mike Clark
“Meeting her was a major game changer that affected all areas of my life in amazing and positive ways.” spring 2015 • red deer Living 15
LARADO LALOR DRIV VE
30 AVENU A E 22 STREET
LAZARO CLOSE
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culture
Find your
voice I
t might be because of TV shows like Glee, Canadian Idol and The Voice or movies like Pitch Perfect, but interest in singing in groups — known as choral singing — is growing. News article sources confirm these popular culture observations: choir memberships are on the rise around the world. Danica Hoffart, a performing arts instructor at Red Deer College says, “I think shows like Glee and Pitch Perfect have helped bring choral singing to mainstream audiences. Also, YouTube and other social media have allowed viewers to experience choral performances in small bites without leaving the comfort of their couches.” Why do people enjoy singing? For starters, it can improve your health. Studies show benefits to include: improved heart health, lower anxiety and stress, strengthened immune system and muscles, improved sleep, and an increase in endorphins. Research also shows singing improves mood. In the article, “Singing Changes Your Brain,” Time magazine reports that: “What researchers are beginning to discover is that singing is like an infusion of the perfect tranquilizer, the kind that both sooths your nerves and elevates your spirits.” Sheryl Brook, director of Red Deer’s Hearts of Harmony Chorus, an a cappella group for women, agrees. “Singing feeds the spirit,” she says. “It’s is a lovely expression of emotion. Singing helps to get the emotions out of our systems.”
There’s a crescendo of choral groups in the red Deer area By Laurette Woodward
Above: Hearts of Harmony, sweet Adelines. photo courtesy Lilley photography©, 2014. What researchers are beginning to discover is that singing is like an infusion of the perfect tranquilizer, the kind that both sooths your nerves and elevates you spirit.
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spring 2015 • red deer Living
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culture
A ihana Youth Choir. B Brioso Children’s Choir. C soliloquy Mixed Chorus. D it’s Time Choir. photos courtesy Choral singers Unite.
“Singing energizes me” says Judy MacGillivray, a six year member of Brook’s chorus. “I can feel down and tired, but by the time rehearsal is finished, I feel good. I think singing is healing because the energy of it comes from within.” New to Hearts of Harmony, Lindsay Lundstrom agrees. “I love it. It lifts me and brings me joy. I feel such happiness when I’m here.” Lundstrom appreciates the opportunity to socialize with other choir members at rehearsal. After years focused on her career, Lundstrom had been looking for something ‘fun’ to do. “It gets me out of the house for a while, and it’s bringing me out of my shell,” she says. The Hearts of Harmony, part of Sweet Adelines International, is one of several choruses in Red Deer. While Hearts of Harmony is for adult women, there is also the Wild Rose Harmonizers, a male barbershop group based in Red Deer. Red Deer College has a choir made up of students that has been increasing in size over the last decade. Also, Choral Singers Unite is a fairly new organization in Red Deer that runs two adult singing groups (It’s Time — an a cappella jazz choir, and Soliloquy — an adult mixed chorus), a youth choir (called Ihana) and a children’s choir (called Br ioso) all under the leadership of Lisa Ward. Also, the Red Deer Chamber Singers has a mixed adult chorus of close to 20, with a wide repertoire. Add in several Red Deer schools with excellent
a
B choirs, and the result is quite a few opportunities for Red Deerians to find their voice… in the context of a chorus. Keenan Nooskey joined Ihana because he didn’t want to stop singing after high school graduation. “I just love the personal growth I’ve experienced,” says the 21-year-old Nooskey. 15-year-old Sean Cote, a second year Ihana member also appreciates the benefits. “Singing blocks out bad emotions and I feel the good ones.” “I can be shy,” says Cote. “I get nervous on stage, but when I’m in a choir I don’t feel alone; I am supported by the other choir members. When we’re singing together, I can understand other people’s feelings and feel the same as them.” “I love singing in a choir,” says Jessica Mickelson who joined Ihana four years ago. The 19-year-old feels Ihana has helped her grow musically, and she appreciates the opportunities
“i get nervous on stage, but when i’m in a choir i don’t feel alone.” 20
red deer Living • spring 2015
culture
“Choir builds community. Members leave rehearsals feeling like they’ve had connection with others through singing.”
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to travel and make new friends. Also, Mickelson says, “Singing is emotional. Music can describe things that words can’t, and that’s really special.” “Choir builds community,” says Lisa Ward, director of Ihana. “Members leave rehearsals feeling like they’ve had connection with others through singing. It’s exhilarating and good food for the soul.” “That’s what we’re here for,” says Sheryl Brook. “I love to see the light go on in women; I love to teach them to find their voice.” rL Can singing really change your brain? Visit http://ideas.time.com/2013/05/16/singing-changesyour-brain to learn more.
UPCOMING CHOIR EVENTS TO ATTEND name of Chorus / Group
Type of group
next public performance
Contact information
Choral singers Unite-Brioso, ihana, soliloquy and it’s Time
Adult a cappella jazz chorus, adult chorus, youth chorus, children’s chorus
May 8 Living stones Church
www.csusreddeer.com
Hearts of Harmony
Women’s barbershop
May 23 Living stones Church
www.heartsofharmony.ca
red Deer Chamber singers
Mixed Chorus
May 29 sunnybrook United Church
www.chambersingers reddeer.com
Wild rose Harmonizers
Men’s barbershop
May 30 Crossroads Church
www.harmonizers.ca
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community
Red Deer’s miniature city-scape offers big lessons in safety
Safety City By Jennifer Blair
A A The mini city-scape in winter. Photo by Jennifer Blair. B Local firefighters and EMS staff provide highlights during Safety City’s summer camps. C Indoor learning at Safety City. D Judy Douglas. Photo by Jennifer Blair. Photos B and C courtesy Safety City
22 red deer Living • spring 2015
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ot every community can boast a city within a city, but that’s just what you’ll find on the east side of Red Deer. There, a miniature city-scape draws thousands of children from across Central Alberta every year for a hands-on lesson in safety. And they all leave Safety City saying the same thing: “This was awesome!” “They love it,” says Judy Douglas, executive director of Safety City. “Children are like little sponges — they soak it all up, and they go home eager to talk about it.” Safety City was opened in 2001 as a way to teach safety lessons to children in a way that’s both fun and informative. “The mission of Safety City is to prevent serious injury now, not when we have to mend the hurt,” says Douglas. Today, Safety City offers lessons in fire, traffic, bicycle and farm safety to roughly 3,000 children each year. School programs run throughout the fall and spring and, during the summer, families can register their children in Safety City’s summer
camp or even hold a birthday party at the school. And in every program, the children learn to do by doing. “Every program starts with a safety lesson in the classroom, and then they move on to do some activity,” says Douglas. “They always practice what they’ve learned.” The classroom is equipped with things like a storyboard that walks through pedestrian safety lessons and a model home that shows fire hazards. Once they leave the classroom, the children put what they’ve learned to good use in Safety City’s miniature city-scape, complete with small storefronts and roadways, barn and two-story Fire Safe house. “When they move out to the Fire Safe House, they’ve learned how to make their homes as safe as they can and the importance of a fire escape plan,” she says. Throughout the home, the children identify fire hazards and help the firefighters fix them. But the real lesson comes when the house fills with smoke and the children have to practice what they’ve learned to get out of the house safely.
community
Keep river safety in mind
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Spring is just around the corner, and though the weather may be warm, that doesn’t mean it’s safe to go near the river, says Kathleen Raines, executive director of the Safe Communities Coalition of Central Alberta. “It’s well into May before the ice starts to go off the river, and the weather starts to get warm way before that,” she says. Even the river banks require caution in the spring, she says. “The banks are really not safe until a long time after the weather starts to warm up because they’re really muddy and, in some cases, still have ice build-up on them.” And once summer hits, river safety becomes even more important for people. “People need to plan ahead and be safe when they’re on the river this summer,” says Raines.
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If you’re planning on floating down the river this summer, keep these three things in mind:
1 Prepare before you go on the river
“It’s just so much better for kids to be aware and know that they need to act safely. Injuries are almost always preventable.” It’s much the same on the streetscape, where the children practice the rules of pedestrian, traffic and bike safety. “Half the time on the streetscape, they’re pedestrians, and they have to practice all the things that a pedestrian needs to do to be safe,” says Douglas, adding that the other half ride miniature quads to act as vehicles for the pedestrians. But some of the greatest lessons at Safety City aren’t necessarily taught in the classroom or on the streetscape, she says. One day, a mother brought her son into the school looking for information on bike safety. “He had been in a biking accident only about a block from home,” says Douglas. “He had a total of about 79 stitches internally and externally.” The boy went to the Safe Biking program to share his story, says Douglas. “He said, ‘If I had had this program before I got hurt, I might never have gotten hurt.’” And that awareness is the real benefit of the programs Safety City offers. “It’s just so much better for kids to be aware and know that they need to act safely,” she says. “Injuries are almost always preventable.” RL
“Checking the weather is really important,” says Raines, adding that floaters should know how long their trip down the river will last.
2 Stay safe with the right equipment “You can’t buy safe flotation devices at the dollar store,” she says.
3 Survive
Raines recommends that floaters wear life jackets, know how to swim and stay sober. “Drinking and being on the river do not ever go together.”
For more information on river safety, visit centralalberta.safecommunities.parachutecanada.org
Red Deer River
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feature
Farm on By Jennifer Blair
Doug Sawyer
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f you were to visit Doug Sawyer on his cattle farm near Pine Lake, you’d probably find just what you’d expect to see: a man in a Stetson and cowboy boots herding cattle on horseback. But these days, Sawyer spends just as much time at a desk — one of the new realities of farming for the future. “It’s changed a lot since I first started farming,” says Sawyer, who raises cattle with his wife and two children. “In the winter, we’ve got feeding and chores to do, but now we also spend quite a bit of time on the phone and on the computer making management decisions.” People the world over have embraced technology, and farmers are no different: they use apps, social media and smartphones to keep up with the latest farming trends and manage the dayto-day business of farming. “We’re constantly trying to improve the systems in which we raise cattle — things like our carbon footprint, water usage and the whole environmental impact that we have,” says Sawyer. Most Alberta farmers, he says, have stringent standards in things like environmental stewardship, animal care and food safety — in part because it’s the right thing to do, but also because their bottom-line depends on being good stewards of the land and their animals. “When you have good animal welfare,
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High-tech family farmers working to feed the world they produce more. The healthier your land and your water is, the more efficient you’ll become,” says Sawyer. “We’re proud to raise a product that is environmentally friendly and is done under the highest safety and welfare standards anywhere in the world.” And that will be even more critical as the world’s population grows. The World Health Organization is predicting a world population of 9 billion by 2050, and that means producing more food with less water and land. “The reality of feeding this hungry world is a daunting task,” says Sawyer. “The reality is that we’re going to have to step up to the plate and become much more efficient than we’ve already been.” Farming has certainly become more efficient because of technology — but that doesn’t mean it’s become easier. “We had a drought in 2002. We had BSE (or mad-cow disease) in 2003,” says Sawyer. “It’s been a difficult struggle right up until this past year or two for cattle producers.” Input costs — like fuel, fertilizer, livestock feed and seed for crops — have risen “unbelievably high”
over the past five years, he says. In 2013, Alberta farmers spent $1.2 billion on fertilizer, $676 million on machinery fuel and a staggering $1.3 billion on livestock feed. And that doesn’t include the rising cost of land, labour and equipment. “Up until this past year, (input costs) were certainly increasing at a far more rapid rate than what our return was,” says Sawyer. That’s part of the reason that Elna Edgar, of Edgar Farms, has diversified the family’s farming operation over the past 30 years. “We wanted to diversify and become price-makers,” says Edgar, who produces grain, cattle and vegetables near Innisfail with her husband, daughter and son-in-law.
Cattle at the Edgar Farm. Photo courtesy Elna Edgar
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The World Health Organization is predicting a world population of 9 billion by 2050, and that means producing more food with less water and land. spring 2015 • red deer Living 25
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Elna Edgar. Photo by Jennifer Blair
“With traditional farming — growing grain and taking it to the elevator, or raising cattle and hauling them to the auction mart — somebody else is telling you what your product is worth. You’re part of something you have no control over.” While the Edgars still produce traditional grain crops and cattle on their farm, they’ve also branched out into grass-fed hormone- and antibiotic-free beef and market garden vegetables like asparagus, peas and beans that they sell at farmers’ markets and in their own country store. “This way, we’re going directly to the public,” says Edgar. “The public is telling us whether they like our product or not.” For her, connecting with consumers directly helps put “a lot of misconceptions” about farming to rest. “I always say, ‘Come on out to the farm. Come see what we’re doing. Come walk a mile in our shoes,’” says Edgar, who opens her farm each summer to visitors for u-pick vegetables and an annual asparagus festival. “We really want people to come out and be better-informed consumers.” But like Sawyer, the Edgars face plenty of challenges, most of which boil down to things outside of their control — like last summer, when the Edgars’ crops got
Freshly picked garden peas, destined for a farmers market. (l-r) Doug and Elna Edgar, with their daughter and son-in-law, Keri and Randy Graham. Photo courtesy Elna Edgar
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“hammered” with hail. “We had five different hail storms that came through,” she says. “Last year was a horrible year for us.” Diversifying has helped the Edgars weather those tough times. “This past year, cattle prices were ridiculously great. We’ve never seen prices like this,” she explains. “So although we got absolutely decimated with the crops, we partially made up for the loss with the cattle.” Despite the challenges that come with farming, Edgar can’t imagine doing anything else. “It’s not an occupation, farming,” she says. “It’s a lifestyle. It just gets in your blood.” And Sawyer agrees. “That’s who I am. That’s what I do. When you’re an agriculture producer, it just becomes part of who you are,” he says. “It’s quite an easy business to take pride in. The ability to provide food for a hungry world is something to be proud of.” RL
“It’s not an occupation, farming. It’s a lifestyle. It just gets in your blood.”
health and wellness
Skin savvy Don’t take your skin for granted when you enjoy the outdoors By Shelley Newman
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he warmth of the sun. After many months of wearing layer upon layer of clothing, trying hard to stay warm through the cold winter weather, the spring sun is like a welcome friend. However, as you welcome this particular friend back into your daily routine, don’t forget to take some extra precautions so that you don’t get burned. The bite that comes from a sunburn is the result of a combination of rays, namely ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB). The Canadian Dermatology Association (CDA) describes how both types of rays can impact our cellular structure, but they do so in different ways. UVA radiation is more consistent throughout the year; it doesn’t cause the typical redness of a sunburn, but it does penetrate deep within the tissue, reaching areas such as collagen and elastin fibres. UVB, on the other hand, does
change seasonally, becoming stronger in the summer and weaker in the winter, as the earth tilts in relation to the sun. This type of radiation also causes the redness typically associated with a sunburn. When you head out to enjoy the outdoors this spring, be sure to put on sunscreen with a minimum SPF 30 broad spectrum that protects against UVA and UVB. But, the often-overlooked message is that you should be using sunscreen all year round. “The best way to protect your skin is with a proper home regime that includes daily sun protection,” says Sandy Jennens, office manager at Aesthetic Solutions in Red Deer. With 25 years of experience working as an aesthetician, she has seen every type of skin, and she often sees it when people are trying to correct the effects of sun damage. “Prevention is the best form of defence when it comes to any type of sun damage,” she says.
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Looking to keep your skin healthy and happy? Don’t forget these important tips:
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Check your skin regularly for any changes Consult your doctor if you suspect any problems Use sun block with a minimum SPF 30 Cover up with appropriate clothing and hats Seek shade when the sun is at its peak
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health and wellness
“The skin is the largest organ in the body, and it’s so important to nourish it with a proper routine that includes cleansing, toning, using a serum and moisturizing.” Prevention comes from wearing sunscreen, covering up with clothing and a hat, and seeking shade or the indoors when the sun is at its peak. Another important prevention activity is to check your skin, regularly, for any changes. “Early detection of change is essential,” says Jennens, “so people should check their skin regularly and contact their doctors if they fi nd anything out of the ordinary.” Sun damaged skin may exhibit different types of signs. Photoaging is premature aging of the skin, caused by repeated exposure to UV rays. Signs of photoaging include wrinkles, discolouration and changes in texture, which are typically visible when you compare areas of skin that are regularly exposed to the sun to areas that are not exposed.
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Skin cancers may also be caused by sun damage, and the CDA describes the most common types of skin cancers as basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma. Some factors to watch for when checking your skin for changes include noting the size, shape, colour and border of any spots you see. If there are changes or if a spot looks distinctly different from others, be sure to consult your doctor. When it comes to protecting your skin, it’s important to remember that it’s a vital part of your body and your health. “The skin is the largest organ in the body, and it’s so important to nourish it with a proper routine that includes cleansing, toning, using a serum and moisturizing,” says Jennens. “Knowing what your skin should look like and taking care of it are essential steps to preventing damage down the road. rL For more information, visit: Canadian Dermatology association www.dermatology.ca Canadian Cancer Society www.cancer.ca
| Advertising Feature | Shanna Soehn
Classic Cleaners and Tailors
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lassic Cleaners and Tailors has been in operation in Red Deer for 32 years, and they are looking better than ever after their recent renovations. The bridal section has been expanded with a bridal pinning area, a section to do bridal alterations and a new fitting room. Having been in Red Deer for so long, Classic Cleaners and Tailors feels that it is important to be involved in the community. “Red Deer is such a great city that it’s important to give back,” says Shanna Soehn, a third generation dry cleaner. There are two main avenues that they use to support Red Deer. Every year, Classic Cleaners participates in the Coats for Kids program. “We collect coats, clean them for free and then donate them to families and people in need,” says Soehn. “We also
sponsor the Red Deer Royals by cleaning their uniforms for free.” Classic Cleaners and Tailors is always on the cutting edge when it comes to their business. Not only do they do international training every three months to keep up-to-date on the new cleaning techniques, but they also use a new dry cleaning machine – the SystemK4. “We switched to the solvent K4 three years ago,” says Soehn. “It’s biodegradable and nontoxic.” Using this new system has enabled Classic Cleaners to be approved by the Green Cleaners Council. “We are one of only four cleaners in Canada to be part approved.” The bridal side to this business is impressive. “We are a member of the Association of
Photo by Tanis Reid
Commitment to quality and community
Classic Cleaners staff
Wedding Gown Specialists, one of only eight in Canada,” says Soehn. “Every year, we get international training on cleaning and preserving gowns.” “As for the tailoring side of the business, we cover everything from repairs, alterations and custom pieces.” Classic Cleaners and Tailors specializes in making a bride’s wedding dress perfect from the moment she wears it, to the moment she passes it down to future generations. n
spring 2015 • red deer Living 29
a slice of life with Treena Mielke
Springtime creations Building a home as the flowers bloom
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remember that winter. It had been long and cold, and I was so tired of driving to and from work every day. I remember thinking I wanted to drive until I drove right out of the black and white landscape that was winter and end up in the happy, colourful land of spring where flowers bloomed in gay profusion and people wore shorts and sandals and really cute sunglasses. It seemed that every day that winter I had to contend with white ice or black ice or white out conditions where hope, faith and desperation were the only things keeping the wheels on the road. Yes, commuting was defi nitely losing its appeal. But, even as I peered through my cracked windshield at the dirty, snowy fields, I knew spring was there, hiding in the tightly furled buds on the trees and the few brave shoots of green grass that were beginning to poke up through the crusted snow in roadside ditches. That, in itself, was exciting, but that was the year spring held its own special appeal: we were building a new house. We had started the project in late winter and, with optimism born of naivety and hope, we planned to be all settled in by the time barbecue season rolled around. I remember when we picked the lot on which our new beautiful house of dreams would sit. When I looked around, all I saw was a snowy field, the backside of which was dotted with several naked trees, their bare skeletal branches stark silhouettes against the winter sky. I shivered, my mittened hands wrapping my winter coat tighter around myself. I liked the price, which was had a red slash through it and said ‘reduced,’ but not much else about that lot appealed to me.
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But, my husband saw much more than a snowy lot with a few misplaced trees on it. He saw a stately two-storey house, built with a wrap-a-round deck facing the lake. When you sit on the deck, he explained, you will be able to see a patch of blue through the trees. That would be the lake, he said, explaining it to me carefully, as if he were talking to a child. The deck will be all enclosed with stairs going down to the main floor. We will have patio doors on both the upper and lower levels and the kids will come and bring their friends and hang out in the backyard. And then we will light the barbecue and cook steaks or maybe burgers, depending how much this house costs, he added as an afterthought. “Okay,” I said weakly, wondering if this was the time to bring up the possibility of buying a Jacuzzi tub. I remember that spring. It seemed like it rained every day and, more often than not, we sloshed through mud and gravel armed with paint cans and hammers and determination to bring the house closer to becoming a home. And, somehow, when barbecue season rolled around and a patch of blue was barely visible through the tender green leaves of spring, it happened. We moved in. And, sure enough, one night when the delicate breath of spring caressed our skin ever so gently, we found ourselves sitting on the newly fi nished deck, watching the kids hang out in the backyard. “We need a fence,” I said to my husband. “And I want to plant some sweet peas, and then I will put a lilac tree over in that corner.” “Yeah, maybe next spring,” he replied, expertly fl ipping the burgers. “Okay,” I murmured, complacently, but with confidence, because I had a secret. Just like a warm spring follows a harsh winter, I knew that miracles — even building miracles — can happen! rL
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