Vegreville News Advertiser - April 15, 2020

VOL. 73 NO. 16

73 YEARS OF SERVING THE COMMUNIT Y WEDNESDAY, April 15, 2020 The Only Locally Owned News & Adver tising Media in Vegreville .

Georgina Stark puts up an Easter Tree

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The Easter Tree in Georgina Stark’s front yard is her “Charlie Brown Tree” as she decorates it for Christmas and Easter.

(Rosanne Fortier/photo)

Rosanne Fortier News Correspondent

Georgina Stark has been decorating the tree in her front yard for three or four years

now during the Easter season for her grandchildren to enjoy.

This year, she planned to capture some photos of it to send to her

grandchildren since all seniors were recommended by the government not to have any visitors during Easter because of the COVID-

19 pandemic. However, Georgina still plans to have fun this Easter by doing puzzles, going for walks, and playing games on her IPad.

4-H Alberta Suspends In-Person Activities

No Substitute for Hard Work

See page 8 for story

See page 12 for story

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April 15, 2020

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WHAT’S INSIDE Agriculture...............8,9

Business........................... 5 Classifieds......................10

Community................... 15

Family.............................1 4 Marketplace...................13

Notices.......................... 16

Real Estate.....................11 School News..................12

Tenders.....................16 Tributes........................12

Parent Link Farewell Potluck Page 14

Home for Ranfurly Post Office Page 16

4-DAY WEATHER Thurs.

3°C

Fri. 6°C

Sat. 5°C

Sun. 12°C

MORE ON PAGE 15

LOTTERY NUMBERS Friday, April 10, 2020

3 9 10 14 15 19 20

MORE ON PAGE 13

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RCMP files from April 6 - 12 Arthur Beaudette News Advertiser April 6 08:53 – Call from a rural property in Lamont County to report that someone stole 50 – 75 litres of fuel from their fuel tanks overnight. Under investigation.

09:09 – Report of a stolen Dodge Ram from a residence in Vegreville. The vehicle was recovered two hours later near RR 150 and TWP 520. CCTV being reviewed.

10:50 – Report of mischief to a vehicle in Vegreville. The door handle on the truck was broken and the ignition was damaged. Nothing was reported stolen.

15:05 – Report from an individual who had their gas tank drilled while it was parked at work in Vegreville. Under investigation.

15:13 – Report of theft of a backpack leaf blower that was in the back of a pickup truck parked in Vegreville.

CCTV being reviewed.

15:33 – Complainant reported that while walking her dog at the reservoir, two people in a moving vehicle were letting their dog run loose and chase the vehicle. The dog then began to aggressively chase her and her dog.

When she asked the subjects of the complaint to put a leash on their dog they laughed at her. The plate on the vehicle that was provided came back invalid (incorrect number).

16:51 – Report of a break and enter to a rural church near Mundare. There was a door kicked in and pry marks on the door as well. Under investigation.

17:39 – Report of a dangerous driver on Hwy 16. The caller indicated that a semi hauling scrap vehicles had an unsecured load. Patrols were made but the semi was not located.

19:22 – Report of credit card fraud. A local lodging establishment reported that a tenant had paid for their room with a stolen credit card. The complainant did not want to lay charges but wanted the tenant to leave who did so within 24 hours.

20:33 – Responding to an alarm. The homeowner indicated she thought she heard glass breaking in the basement.

Members attended but found no broken glass or signs of entry.

April 7 16:57 – While at a Vegreville gas station, a vehicle left outside running was stolen. At 18:58 the vehicle was recovered in Camrose. A 24-year-old male from Wetaskiwin was charged with theft of a motor vehicle. The vehicle was transported by the owner back to Vegreville.

20:06 – Report of shoplifting from a Vegreville grocery store. Two carts of goods were taken and the license plate on the vehicle provided came back as stolen. Under investigation.

April 8 02:55 – Call to report 2 people near the Vegreville Golf course on a snowmobile. The caller was concerned with theft due to the time and the fact they were wearing backpacks.

15:46 – Report of a break and enter at a rural property north of Lavoy. A pressure washer was stolen from the shop. Under investigation.

18:14 – Report of a break and enter to sheds at the golf course in Vegreville.

Some sheds had doors kicked in and others had locks cut. Under investigation.

23:40 – Traffic stop conducted for document check. The driver possessed a GDL and had open liquor in the vehicle. A roadside demand was given and resulted in a positive result. The driver’s vehicle was seized for 7 days and his license for 30 days.

April 9 04:22 – Vegreville resident was arrested on outstanding warrants. During the arrest, it was discovered that the subject was carrying a concealed expandable baton. The subject was charged accordingly and released with documents for court.

14:50 – During a traffic stop it was determined that a female out of Edmonton had outstanding warrants.

She was arrested on the warrants and released roadside with documents for court.

20:08 – Vegreville resident reported that his license plate was stolen. After returning home from Ontario and selfisolating, he noticed the plate missing.

The plate was entered into the RCMP database.

April 10 10:04 – Report of a dark green Mazda pickup truck driving erratically. Patrols were made but the vehicle was not located. At 11:25, an off-duty police officer saw the vehicle at a local business. While unaware of the original complaint, the officer did feel the driver could be intoxicated and called it in.

Members attended and a breath sample was demanded and refused. The driver was charged with refusing to provide a breath sample and released roadside.

The vehicle was seized for three days and towed.

23:03 – Report of an assault between a brother and sister. Members attended and interviewed the complainant. A warrant is to be issued for the arrest of the brother.

April 11 02:10 – Report of an abandoned vehicle. It was determined that the 2005 Ford F250 was reported stolen on March 30th. The vehicle was recovered.

08:04 – A rural resident near TWP 531 RR 163 reports that their vehicle was broken into during the night and a long rifle (Tikka T3 – 233) was stolen.

Under investigation.

April 12 00:00 – Traffic stop for document check-in Vegreville. The driver was noted to have the odour of liquor on his breath. A roadside demand was given and filed. The driver arrested and transported to the detachment where he provided breath samples of 0.100 and 0.090 and charged accordingly.

The vehicle was seized for 3 days and the driver was released with documents for court.

01:35 – Call to assist Two Hills detachment on a file. The subject was located at his residence in his vehicle. The arrest and subsequent search of the vehicle revealed break-in tools along with methamphetamine and an imitation firearm. The subject was held for a bail hearing and later released by the JP on a no-cash bail with documents for court.

During the week there were 60 calls for service made in total including: 2 false alarms, 2 false 911s, 0 animal strikes and approximately 8 tickets from traffic enforcement.

Have questions about the blotter?

Reach out to us at blotter@newsadvertiser.com and we will do our best to provide answers to your queries.

april 15, 2020 News Advertiser PAGE 3 www.NewsAdvertiser.com

Vimy Ridge Day Honours the Courage and Sacrifice of Canadian Soldiers Michelle Pinon News Advertiser

April 9 marked the 103 Anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.

The four-day battle, which occurred from April 9-12, 1917 in Vimy, France. Terry Kuzyk, President of the Royal Canadian Legion No. 39 in Vegreville paid homage to the soldiers who fought bravely in that battle.

Kuzyk lowered the Canadian flag at the Legion Branch, and lowered the Canadian flag and placed a wreath at the cenotaph located at 4922-45 Ave. at sunrise on April 9.

Kuzyk stated, “We commemorate this event for two reasons. Firstly, it is considered to be a defining moment in the Canadian Army’s contribution to the victory in the First World War and secondly, because of the sacrifice of over 10,000 Canadian soldiers’ who were killed or wounded, to obtain this Victory.”

The Legion is a non-profit organization which assists Vegreville and surrounding communities, with a focus on Veterans and First Responders.

The Canadian flag at the cenotaph in Vegreville was lowered to half-mast at sunrise on April 9 to pay homage to the Canadian soldiers who fought bravely in that battle.

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April 15, 2020

A World of Trade-Offs Arthur Beaudette News Advertiser - Opinion “When the cure is worse than the illness.” This is a line that has become common from President Trump and repeated by others at an increasing pace.

We make decisions with trade-offs daily. For some, they continue to drink or smoke when they have been told it is killing them. Others may eat their way through diabetes into an early grave and others fall victim to the opioid epidemic.

These are all examples of things that, while I have described as trade-offs, are not a simple decision for some.

The much larger decisions are those made by our world leaders via our vote allowing them to do so. Financial decisions see a $500 million donation here, $50 million in a tweet there, it’s just money after all. Many of the financial tradeoffs come at a cost. We see funding for Veterans and seniors cut in a global give and take.

Canada has made some stark trade-offs that have quietly trickled through the coronavirus-dominated news stream lately. The first is new information that Canada, through our intelligence agencies, had warnings in early January as to the severity of COVID-19. At that time, instead of gearing up, closing borders and checking and expanding our national

Name: Jackie Coers Occupation: Assistant Manager Likes: my family, sports Dislikes: When there is no sports on tv, COVID 19.

stockpiles, officials chose the trade-off of listening to the WHO and telling us that infections would be rare. Now we are at 25,000 infections and Ontario healthcare professionals were told Friday they may have to re-use decontaminated N95 masks. In the 11th hour, a shipment arrived Tuesday to replenish supplies.

In another COVID-19 related trade-off, we are seeing our “ justice” system changing. Yes, the quotes were intentional.

We are seeing policing agencies in a mode where those arrested are released as a default rather than being incarcerated. A judge in Ontario stated that we were in “extraordinary, dire times,” when he released a man on bail who is accused of stalking his ex-girlfriend and then shooting a bullet through her apartment kitchen window. He cited the risk to the prison population and corrections officers.

If the two previous examples are not dumbfounding enough, Canada has made the decision to trade jobs for its principles. On April 9, (the afternoon before a long weekend) Global Affairs Canada quietly announced that Canada will resume sales of Canadian Light Armored Vehicles (LAVs) to Saudi Arabia. For those who do not recall Saudi Arabia is where journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed. It is also a place where women are denied basic rights and public beheadings and crucifixions are regular occurrences.

Amnesty International has also warned that Canadian Military equipment was being used in the Saudi war against Yemen where we have seen the death of over 100,000 people.

In our world of trade-offs, there is coming a time where we are going to have to decide on one more large trade-off. For some, they are already making this decision by not staying home, restricting travel and increasing risk of exposure.

They are potentially trading off their health and the health of others for their convenience and comfort. Singapore has indicated that they may be seeing a second wave of COVID19 beginning. Experts have stated that there will be multiple, ongoing waves of infections and South Korea has reported that patients who were thought to have recovered are retesting positive.

The current isolation efforts have the undesirable but predictable effect of grinding our economy to a halt. Alberta Premier Jason Kenny has predicted 25% unemployment in Alberta and the US is estimating an unemployment rate of 32% by July. There is an urgency for economies all over the world to find some way to resume activity before the current efforts drive us into a spiral ending in recession.

Spain, one of the hardest-hit countries, has started by lifting some restrictions for factory and construction workers and other countries are devising plans for similar moves.

Across Canada, there are discussions about which may be worse, the COVID-19 pandemic or our attempts to stem the tide which has already put intense pressure on unprepared governments and almost all Canadians.

Where will our next trade-off leave us? Canada has already proven it will make choices sacrificing its citizens and ethics.

I’m confident that the next decisions will boggle the mind.

Tell me what you think.

Email me at abletters@newsadvertiser.com

april 15, 2020 News Advertiser PAGE 5 www.NewsAdvertiser.com

Vegreville & District Chamber of Commerce Working to Assist Local Businesses Michelle Pinon News Advertiser Hand sanitizer has been in short supply since the initial outbreak of COVID19. And now the Vegreville & District Chamber of Commerce has been able to secure a supplier of the much-indemand product.

Chamber General Manager Michelle Henderson explained how it all fell into place, stating that Fort SaskatchewanVegreville MLA Jackie ArmstrongHomeniuk had reached out to the chamber and put them in touch with West of the 5th Distillery to make arrangements for the purchase and delivery of the product which arrived on April 6.

The Barrhead based company stated on its Facebook page last week that it has just increased its fermenting capacity. “Once everything is up and running we will be running 21 runs through our still a week producing over 5,000L of hand sanitizer a week for clinics, front line workers, seniors homes, food banks, truckers, grocery stores, liquor stores and so much more.”

The chamber is also doing what it can to support local businesses and encourage residents to shop local. “Now more than ever we do need to shop local. I think we’re a great town, a great community. We always face adversity headon and we always seem to have been able to work together, to come together, to do what needs to be done. These are unprecedented times, and even the stuff that’s happening is unprecedented. I’m trying to think of it as a glass half full. I think it’s going to change the way a lot of people do business. Not always ideal for some, and if businesses have questions and concerns to please

reach out.”

Henderson said that If they don’t have the answers they can access information and resources which are readily available from the Alberta Chamber of Commerce and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.

The Economic Developers of Alberta is providing participants with resources in a Resilience and Recovery Program which is designed to give economic development organizations and local government officials what they need to

help their communities.

The chamber is also planning to do a real-time survey to determine the expectations and needs of its members.

Henderson also said the Government of Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, has now established the Canadian Business Resilience Network to help Canadian businesses navigate the COVID-19 reality and prepare for recovery. For more information go to https://www.canadianbusinessresiliencenetwork.ca/

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April 15, 2020

from the pages of the vegreville observer

Compiled by Dan Beaudette

90 Years Ago – April 16, 1930

Until the unemployment situation cleans up, a ban in on in Alberta against immigration, the only hope of immigrants who will be welcomed being those who may come with the purpose and ability to settle on land of their own, with sufficient means to maintain themselves for a reasonable time.

Disappointment at the fact that no action was taken by the provincial government during the last session of the legislature, to close the beer parlors throughout the province as requested by the Alberta Prohibition association and the various U.F.A. and U.F.W.A. organizations, the prohibition forces will, if the plan meets with the approval of the provincial executive, invokes the Direct Legislation act to force the hand of the government.

Excavation is now under way on a building between the Holden Block and the Northern Hardware. This building, when completed, will be occupied by the Singer Sewing Machine Company, and while it will not resemble the famous Singer Building of New York, it will be a notable addition to the Main Street. Chas. Gordon is doing the work.

75 Years Ago – April 18, 1945

For several days, or weeks, work has been proceeding on the demolition of the Boston Café, located on Main Street next to the Prince Edward Hotel. This building, a relic of the past, has been a landmark – or an eyesore – for many years.

Sgt. G. “Bud” Akins returned home to Innisfree on Friday, April 13th, after five years’ service overseas with the Royal Canadian Mechanical Equipment Unit. He was welcomed by his wife, daughter, son and his parents.

Recent reports give the news that two former members of the staff of the Vegreville School Division, now on leave of absence, have been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. The two thus honored are Flight Lieut. Ivan Stonehocker and Flight Lieut. Percy Thompson.

Rev. Charles C. Armstrong, son of the late Rev. Dr. Armstrong, has been called to the Bentley United Church and will take over his duties there about July 1st. He has been pastor of the United Church as Waskatenau for some time.

A change in the Bank of Montreal staff took place this week when R.B. Hopgood headed for Westlock, where he becomes an accountant. He is succeeded here by P.L. Smith, late of Rimbey.

50 Years Ago – April 16, 1970

The provincial government announced its intention to proceed with construction of a new provincial building in Vegreville during 1971-72. Property for the building was acquired some time ago but since has been used as a parking lot. The provincial building is in addition to the federal public building which was approved earlier.

Winners of the Vegreville Heather Curling Club Championship and the Tower Plumbing Co. Ltd. trophy for the 1969-70 season was the rink of Nestor Dowhaniuk skip; John Pylypiuk, third; Bob Lowry, second and lead Adolph Ryll. Terry Soldan of Tower Plumbing was on hand to present the trophy.

The Vegreville Jaycess Unit won the Grant Fowle Red Cross Blood Donor Shield for having the greatest percentage of their members out to a recent blood donors clinic in Vegreville. Jaycee President Gerry Welin was on hand to receive the trophy presented by Red Cross President Andy Olinek.

The Scribney rink of Vegreville with Walter skipping, Nellie third, Floyd Sweet second and Lil Sweet leading, defeated the Ron Baker rink of Vermilion to take home the Grand Challenge trophies from the Innisfree Open Mixed Bonspiel last weekend.

25 Years Ago – April 18, 1995

Three outside walls of the Aquatic and Fitness Centre will be rebuilt this summer. “The building’s life expectancy will diminish if something isn’t done,” said town manager Richard Binnendyk. “We can’t wait any longer.” Estimated cost of the project is $360,000 which includes some inside work and improved air circulation.

At a recent public meeting, Barbara Ziegler received an honors award for her participation and dedication as a volunteer worker in the area of “Daffodil Campaign”, a section of the Canadian Cancer Society in Vegreville. Ziegler is an innovator. She took on the concept of visibility, thereby contacted almost every business sector convincing these to order and display live daffodils during “Cancer Week.” Then almost single handed, she delivered these to their business areas.

The Elk Island School board is considering a policy which would require students who fail to complete courses to post a bond if they re-register for the course. Under the School Act, a student has to attain a mark of 25% or higher and either attain 50% attendance and complete 50% of the course work to officially “complete” the course. Provincial funding is now tied to course completion. If students fail to complete a course, the school doesn’t get the grant funding.

Letters Welcomed

One role of the Vegreville News Advertiser is to promote dialogue on various issues of concern to area residents. We accomplish this by welcoming Letters to the Editor and allowing various issues to be debated through our pages. All letters must contain the writer’s name, address and phone number. Anonymous letters will not be printed, however the writer’s name may be withheld from publication in special circumstances deemed appropriate by the Publisher.

The Vegreville News Advertiser reserves the right to edit letters for length, clarity, spelling and grammar, taste or for reasons of potential libel. The Vegreville News Advertiser reserves the right to withhold letters from publication.

Cracking Down on COVID-19 Profiteers Sylvain Charlebois Dalhousie University

Even if they really haven’t had good reason, many Canadians have felt food insecure lately. Access to food has been a concern. Affordability is certainly a close second.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, consumers have occasionally taken to social media to report inflated prices by retailers. Even though the accusations were warranted in some cases, the evidence in other cases was weak at best.

While artificially inflated retail food prices are possible in Canada at any time, it’s highly unusual.

For one thing, the risks are too high for everyone involved. Social media makes it so easy to call out suspicious practices, whether or not the accusations are valid. We’ve seen cases like this already during the COVID-19 crisis.

But consumers appreciate knowing that someone has their back. The Ontario government last week became the first province to introduce fines for price gouging since the start of the COVID-19 crisis.

Corporations involved face fines as high as $10 million. Company leaders face fines as high as $500,000 and a year in jail.

These are severe sanctions.

But price gouging is difficult to prove, especially when it comes to food. Food inflation is not uncommon. Many factors the food industry has little control over influence retail prices, including currency, energy costs, labour costs – the list is long.

Most grocers make a razor-thin profit of one to two percent on billions in sales at retail. The margin of error is equally thin. If the Canadian dollar drops suddenly, for example, prices need to be adjusted quickly. That’s what led to the cauliflower price jumps a few years ago.

The only way to build a price-gouging or pricefixing case at the retail level is by accommodating whistleblowers.

That’s exactly what happened with the bread pricefixing scandal, which had been going on for 14 years.

The investigation required two companies, Weston Bakeries, and Loblaws, to out themselves to the Competition Bureau of Canada in order to launch a two-year undercover investigation involving five other companies. For their co-operation, Loblaws and Weston received immunity.

The investigation, according to some reports, cost nearly $500,000 and continues years after it started.

It’s safe to say, then, that these cases are difficult to prove and historical data is key.

Going to social media will only make things more difficult for anyone investigating.

The audience for the Ontario government’s new regulations against price gouging was clearly consumers, not industry. In a time of self-isolation, coupled with a sentiment of communal suspicion, it was the right thing to do, regardless of whether exaggerated food inflation is happening.

Monitoring since the beginning of the crisis suggests price-fixing practices are almost certainly non-existent, although meat prices, especially pork and beef, are higher than expected. Even though some categories have seen increases, food prices have mostly behaved normally.

We expected food inflation of four percent this year, so prices should go up, regardless. Meat prices could go up by as much as six percent, so consumers should notice increases by now.

Nothing suggests prices are increasing due to abusive pricing since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak. In the dairy and bakery categories, prices were increasing before the virus started changing our lives.

When everyone is watching everyone else, it’s quite common – too common, in fact – to report any sort of irresponsible behavior or breaches to our public health regulations.

For any retailer to unjustifiably increase prices only to have its reputation damaged overnight would be unwise. So they’re being extremely careful.

Exceptions exist, of course, but consumers should be careful with the power social media gives them.

Instead of accusing retailers on social media, the Competition Bureau is the best place to go for protection. The bureau needs the evidence and the public’s co-operation.

Since the beginning of the crisis, we’ve seen plenty of false information and we need to be vigilant about finding accurate information.

One thing COVID-19 has changed is our access to discounts. Weekly flyers are getting thinner, and discounted food products are fewer and further between. Grocers are clearly focused on other issues, which is why we should expect fewer items to be on sale in stores.

Online, it’s even worse. In fact, online food shopping was never a place where bargains were easy to find. Grocers cover margins by keeping prices higher so consumers end up paying for delivery and the labour required to put together orders.

Convenience and safety are premiums grocers can charge for, and that’s not criminal. It’s just business.

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is senior director of the agri-food analytics lab and a professor in food distribution and policy at Dalhousie University.

april 15, 2020 News Advertiser PAGE 7 www.NewsAdvertiser.com

TELUS Candle Light-Up for Hope for COVID-19 Pandemic Rosanne Fortier News Correspondent

The TELUS candle was turned back on during the Lights of Hope event on April 7.

(News Advertiser/File Photo)

The TELUS candle is normally lite-up to kickoff the Christmas Light-up Parade in Vegreville during the holiday season as a whole. But on April 7, the TELUS candle was lite-up after the Lights of Hope’s event, and will serve as a beacon and icon of hope, and to express appreciation to our front line workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. As always, people kept to the rules of social distancing and almost everyone watched the parade and TELUS Candle Light-Up from the comfort of their homes.

The idea to have the TELUS candle rekindled came from Vegreville resident Kathy Reesik.

Reesik, who has resided in Vegreville for the past 13 years, was on Facebook looking at some of the other initiatives people had and thought of the TELUS candle. She said she thought about the frontline workers, seniors, and families who have all been affected by this

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emergency health crisis.

Reesik kept phoning and texting Vegreville Mayor Tim MacPhee for him to get permission from TELUS to re-light the candle. “I wouldn’t let it go. I just felt it’s too important to let go.” COVID-19 has been a total lifestyle change, added Reesik, who wanted to bring hope to people during this time.

The Town of Vegreville is encouraging residents to turn on their lights of hope, whether it be porch light, Christmas lights or candles. Photos of light displays can be sent using the hashtag #VegrevilleTogether.

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April 15, 2020

Spring a Great Time to Make a Greener Tomorrow

Tony Tymchyshyn, Municipal Services Manager for the Town of Vegreville, and Phyllis Sereda, Vegreville Materials Recover Facility Lead Hand, stand beside some of the baled recycled products

Michelle Pinon News Advertiser We’re now on the cusp of Spring. Even though the weather is starting to warm up, it’s still too early to do yard work or gardening. While many have been busy purging and cleaning for quite some time now, others may just be beginning the annual task of sorting and packing items they no longer want or use.

One of the great local resources available to Vegreville and area residents is the Vegreville Materials Recovery Facility (VMRF). Lead Hand Phyllis Sereda and Municipal Services Manager Tony Tymchyshyn have been working hard behind the scenes for many years to make it a first-class recycling facility.

VMRF recycles a vast array of products including newspapers, white paper, cardboard, solid plastic, film plastic, tin-aluminum, and single-use and rechargeable batteries and cell phones.

The facility, formerly the community’s curling rink, has been the hub of operations for more than 10 years and has seen a steady rise in the volume of products that are recycled. In 2019 alone, the facility processed 745 bales of cardboard, 180 bales of newsprint, 63

bales of white paper, 99 bales of solid plastic, 37 bales of film plastic, and 17 bales of tin-aluminum.

In 2019 VMRF confidentially destroyed 40,929.56 lbs. of resident and business documents. They collected and crushed 3,891 bulbs, 2,735 lbs. of fluorescent bulbs, CFL and incandescent bulbs. They collected 1,062 lbs. of ink-toner cartridges.

The Town of Vegreville also has a central drop-off centre just off of Highway 16A on Pacific Avenue, (behind the Dairy Queen). The town was also awarded $20,000 through the Alberta Beverage Container Recycling Corporation’s Community Champions Partnership (CCP) Program, and recently installed 25 large volume bins at town-owned facilities to better accommodate day to day use and seasonal traffic.

Other recyclable items like electronic waste, paint, household hazardous waste, tires, compost, automotive batteries, agricultural chemical containers, metals, wood, glass, and concrete can be taken to permanent collection areas at the Vegreville Sanitary Landfill which is located at 52321Range Road 144.

A Free Afternoon in Wide Open Spaces Rosanne Fortier News Correspondent Elizabeth and her daughter, Amber spent the afternoon on April 4 exploring the Elks/Kinsmen Elizabeth with her daughter, Amber and their dog, Jake. (Rosanne Fortier/photo)

Park in Vegreville with their dog, Jake. They said it was nice to just be in the park since they were almost the only people around.

april 15, 2020 News Advertiser PAGE 9 www.NewsAdvertiser.com

4-H Alberta Suspends In-Person Activities Amid COVID-19 Health Crisis Michelle Pinon News Advertiser 4-H Alberta issued a press release on March 30 to suspend all in-person activities and events to protect members, volunteers, and supporters of the program. The suspension of activities includes club, district, region, and provincial levels.

Clint McLaughlin, Leader of the Innisfree-Minburn 4-H Beef Club, said that “Instead, the kids will be “Achieving” their projects by recording a video of their project calves being led around their yard, fully groomed and ready for the show. The videos will be posted to our Facebook page in late May. We will be using actual weights to determine winners for rate-of-gain for the year, but we will not be able to have a traditional steer or heifer competition.

This year, we will be hosting an online steer sale through DLMS.ca on May 27. Bidders will be able to log in to the DLMS system or call in with a proxy bid. It will be a timed auction, starting at 9 am and ending at 5 pm, with the steers going to the location of the winning bidder’s choice. The calves will be weighed the week before on May 20th, and so they will be sold at a $/lb price.”

Clint’s son Brad, who is a junior member of the club, said, “For achievement, at least we can still lead our calves around and show what we’ve we done with them this past year. I

Chipman 4-H Beef and Multi- Club Member Kaitlyn Elsner with her steer. (Submitted/Photo)

think we might be able to have a more successful sale because I think more people will be able to view it because it is an online sale and they will be able to call in or log in to buy a steer they want. I think it’s ok that we are still doing a rate-of-gain competition to compare the steers. We (the members) are all happy that we can still do a show and sale because it would be disappointing if we didn’t have the opportunity,” The Chipman 4-H Beef and Multi-Club are hosting a COVID-19 Sale Alternative, and have posted pictures of members and advertised the estimated prices and contact information on Facebook for potential buyers. Sales are on a first come first serve basis and are booked at the butcher for June 3. For any other arrangements,

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email the club chipman4h@gmail.com Club President Abigail Goy stated, “Sadly, our annual achievement day show and live auction have been canceled for this year. We are selling our market animals in the community, we have steers available in quarters, halves and wholes, we also have lambs. If you purchase from us we will deliver your order frozen, to your door, with no additional fees.

This is a huge change, and we are disappointed not to be able to show off all we have worked for, but as 4-Hers we change, adapt and overcome whatever life has to throw at us! This is a great opportunity for us to show the community the quality meat that comes from our club and the 4-H program.”

PAGE 10

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MR. CLASSIFIED

Call toll free from anywhere in Alberta

1.800.522.4127 or fax to 780.632.7981

Ask the Guys Dear Classified Guys, I've been renting a house from an elderly gentleman for the last three years. Then, a few months ago when he passed away, his three daughters inherited the house. While they have been very nice to me, they never seem to agree on anything.

Each one seems to think she is the one in charge. First, it was whether or not to raise my rent.

Then, it was whether to sell the house or keep renting it. It appears I'm stuck in a family squabble. I was thinking of moving, but a quick look through some classified ads told me that my rent is pretty reasonable. However, last week I found out that the electric bill hasn't been paid for the past two months. Electric is supposed to be included in my rent! Now who do I call? Can you guys help before I'm in the dark?

• • •

Cash: First, we might

suggest that you invest in a flashlight and some candles. Otherwise, you might be going to bed earlier than usual.

Carry: For three sisters who battle to be in charge, it seems none of them actually take control. It's bad

Duane “Cash” Holze & Todd “Carry” Holze 04/12/15 04/12/20 ©The Classified Guys®

enough to argue with your own brother or sister, but it's even tougher to be caught in someone else's sibling rivalry.

Cash: Since you haven't mentioned a lease, we assume you are renting month to month. In that case, maintaining friendly relations with your new landlords is in your best interest.

Carry: However, that doesn't mean you have to tolerate their family squabbles. Your first concern is to keep the electric on.

Cash: Contact one of them, preferably the one you get along with best, and explain the situation.

Since their father just passed away, the sisters may be unaware of the

April 15, 2020

electric bill issue.

Carry: Once you have the electric squared away, it's time to play game show host and settle the "Family Feud". Ask them who you should talk to regarding the house and then use that person as your starting point for future discussions.

Cash: If you'd like to stay in the house, consider asking for a lease.

Although renting month to month may have gone well in the past, having a written agreement with your new landlords could be beneficial, especially if your rent is affordable.

Carry: And if your electric ever does go out, just invite them over for a candlelight dinner.

Fast Facts Sister Act

Reader Humor Nosey Neighbor

Sibling rivalry is nothing new, but one competition played out in the newspapers for over 40 years.

Most of us have heard of the advice columns, "Ann Landers" and "Dear Abby", but few know that the authors were actually twin sisters.

Born on July 4, 1918, Esther Pauline Friedman and Pauline Esther Friedman went on to be the dueling advice columnists. Ester, known as Eppie, won a contest to author the column, "Ask Ann Landers", for the Chicago SunTimes in 1955. Her sister's column, "Dear Abby", would later follow as a competing column.

When I moved into my new apartment, I soon realized it was easy to know about everyone in the building. Just as I set down my last moving box, my new neighbor knocked on the door.

"Welcome to the neighborhood," she cheerfully exclaimed.

Within minutes she began describing all of my neighbors to me. "If you need artwork," she said, "visit Bruce in apartment 202. He's an art dealer. If you need someone to do your taxes, call Janice in 304. She's an accountant. And if you get locked out, just go see Jeff next door."

"Let me guess," I interjected.

"He must be a locksmith?"

"Not quite," she whispered.

"He just got out of jail for breaking and entering."

(Thanks to Christian M.)

Home Sweet Home You might think that people move from one place to another to find a newer or better residence.

However, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, only 19% of people who move do so to upgrade their current home. The top rated reason people move, nearly 26%, is due to family related issues. Other reasons that topped the list were work related reasons (16%) and moving from an apartment to finally own a home (12%).

•

•

Laughs For Sale

•

Do you have a question or funny story about the classifieds? Want to just give us your opinion? Email us at: comments@classifiedguys.com.

Hope this "apartment" is downwind

FOR RENT ent.

Afartm 2 Br, 1 Bth ediately. m Available im onth. /m 0 0 2 $1

www.ClassifiedGuys.com APARTMENTS

COMPUTERS

Adult Only Buildings at 5310-46 St and 4917 – 61 Ave in Vegreville.

Bachelor, 1 & 2 bdrm suites available for application and viewing. Rent incl.

Water, heat and Energized pkg stall.

Call 780-918-6328

VM SYSTEMS Looking for a new computer? VM SYSTEMS has all you’ll ever need in computers! Installation – Sales – Service – Internet. One call will get you in touch. Phone 780-632-2859 9am – 5pm.

Willowbrook 3 bedroom, 1 bath townhouse for rent April 1st. Nice neighbors, fenced yard, ample parking and is directly south of A.L. Horton School.

Rent is $875.00. For additional information and to view this unit, please contact or Murray at (780) 603-7772 or Linda at (587) 280-1727. NS/NP Arlington Place – 1 bedroom and 2 bedroom suite available. Very clean suites, quiet building, respectful tenants, and laundry on each floor. Rent is $725.00 to $775.00 and includes heat, water. NS/NP. Contact Murray at (780) 603-7772, or Linda at (587) 2801727.

AUTOMOBILES 2000 Windstar. Ex. engine & transmission. Body damage. For parts $750.

780-922-5999 2008 Dodge Calibar. Automatic.

Loaded. 150,000 Kms. Clean. $5200.

780-994-3005 2002 Honda Civic, Standard Drives Excellent Needs TLC $3200 780-9225999 Rare Super Charged 40th Anniversary Grand Prix. Loaded. $4700. Phone 780-994-3005 2010 damaged Dodge Caliber 125,000kms. Drives excellent. For parts. $1500. Phone 780-994-3005 2005 Mercedes Smart Car diesel, automatic, black, 192,000kms, $3900.

780-994-3005.

EDUCATION AIRLINES ARE HIRING - Get FAA approved hands on Aviation mechanic training. Financial Aid for qualified students - Career placement assistance. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance 888-686-1704 AIRLINE MECHANIC TRAINING – Get FAA Technician certification.

Approved for military benefits.

Financial Aid if qualified. Job placement assistance. Call Aviation Institute of Maintenance 866-453-6204

EQUIPMENT Retiring (equipment for sale) 875 Versatile tractor with 14’ (Degleman) mech angle dozer. Used very little.

Approx. 2500 hours on complete engine overhaul. New tires at same time. 20.8-38 duals radial planetares/ approx. 1000 hours on a new hydraulic pump, 90% of the time shedded.

1998-40’-820 flexicoil air seeder - 9” spacing and 550 lb. trip. Complete with a 1720 T behind air cart with a self-contained hydraulic system and a 20 horsepower motor (3 rollers).

Comes complete with a 2055 Valmar chemical applicator (like new). Cart and Valmar always shedded. Taking offers. Cell: 1-780-603-7754. After 8pm 1-780-632-7934

COMMERCIAL

FEED

For Rent: Main Street Vegreville store front. 3900+ sq. ft.

Landlord, motivated. Phone or text 780-632-0480

Wanted. Oats, Peas, Wheat, Barley, Canola: Dry, Wet, or Heated.

AlbertaFeedGrain.com 1-888-4838789

For Sale. 25 Round Hay Bales.

Mixture of Alfalfa/Timothy and Brome $55.00 Each * 220 Round Hay Bales No Rain $65.00 Each Near Chipman Call Al 780-363-2147

HEALTH & FITNESS GENERIC VIAGRA and CIALIS! 100 Pills $99.00 FREE Shipping! 100% guaranteed. 24/7 CALL NOW! 888889-5515

HOMES FOR RENT Advertise your

rental property here

for as little as $7.95 per week!

New 3 bdrm duplex Vegreville. $685/mo. Call 780-275-0089. New developments.

For Rent in Vegreville. 2 bedroom house, 1½ baths, 5 appliances, 3 decks, 2 patio doors, fenced, shed.

Many updates of siding, windows, flooring, kitchen & bathrooms.

Available May 1st. Prefer no pets. $800/mo plus utilities. 780-904-4125 Near Aquatic Center in Vegreville.

Approx 450 Sq Ft., 1 bedroom, fully renovated, kitchen appliances, washer/dryer, soaker tub. NS, NP. $600/m + utilities. Same DD. References required. Call or text 780-632-0480 Newly upgraded, partially furnished, 1 bedroom bungalow.

Available May 1st. Rent & utilities $450, excluding water. $450 DD. No pets. References required. Phone: 780-632-1941 2 bdr house in Vegreville. Close to downtown. $800/mo includes water but other utilities extra. DD same.

Non-smoking. No pets. References required. Call or text 780-940-4951.

LAND FOR SALE For Sale: 1 quarter section pasture.

SE-15-52-12-W4 (North of Ranfurly) Call Ron 780-215-8422

2004 Chev 4 x 4, new t/case, canopy, $3200. PH: 780-994-3005

LIVESTOCK Salers bulls for sale. Red, black & tan. Very Quiet. Semen tested and delivered. Scattered spruce salers.

PH: 780-768-2284 Yearling and Two Year Old Registered Red & Black Angus Bulls. Semen Tested. Brownalta Farms. 780-603-4882 LAKEFORD Registered Polled Hereford and Red Angus Bulls for Sale! Top Quality from a herd with over 50 years production history.

Contact Dan Prichard 780-385-2298 or 780-385-5125

MISC. Reach millions of homes nationwide with one easy, affordable buy in the NANI Network! For more information go to www.afcp.org/nani !! OLD GUITARS WANTED!! GIBSON, FENDER, MARTIN, Etc. 1930’s to 1980’s. TOP DOLLAR PAID. CALL TOLL FREE 1-866-433-8277 BECOME A PUBLISHED AUTHOR! We edit, print and distribute your work internationally. We do the work… You reap the Rewards! Call for a FREE Author’s Submission Kit: 866-951-7214

PRINTING The News Advertiser can help you with your personal and commercial print work needs: business cards, invoices, envelopes, posters and much more.

Phone: 780-632-2861 or email jobsubmit@newsadvertiser.com

REAL ESTATE Can’t sell your house? Get full value with monthly payments under rentto-own contract. Looking for 2-3 br. bungalow.

Up to $150k.

Immediately. 587-926-5631

V

TRUCKS

1993 Chev 4x4 Ext Cab. For parts. $650. 780-922-5999 2006 Ford 4x4 Crew Cab. New tires. $4600. 780-994-3005

2002 F250 Crew cab, 7.3 diesel.

Loaded. 410,000kms. $6500 PH: 780994-3005

WANTED

2004 Dodge Dakota 4x4 loaded, superb condition. Low km. $6,500.

780-632-3527.

Wants to purchase minerals and other oil and gas interests. Send details to P.O. Box 13557 Denver, Co. 80201

2000 Dodge Dakota V8, 4x4, farm truck. $1600. 780-922-5999

ADVERTISE to 10 Million Homes across the USA! Place your ad in over 140 community newspapers, with circulation totaling over 10 million homes. Contact Independent Free Papers of America IFPA at danielleburnett-ifpa@live.com or visit our website cadnetads.com for more information

2002 GMC 4x4 HD ¾ ton Service Truck 340k $3500 780-922-5999 1997 Ford 7.3 Diesel, 4 x 4, missing transmission. Nice deck, $2800. 780922-5999

april 15, 2020 News Advertiser PAGE 11 www.NewsAdvertiser.com

AB Government Message from MLA Armstrong-Homeniuk Dear friends, In the past month, daily life in our community has changed in many ways.

For many of us, this “new normal” can be an extremely challenging due to the uncertainty and stress that it brings to our lives. I want to take this opportunity to thank all of the workers who are supporting our community in this trying time. From the truckers transporting goods to keep our stores wellstocked to the doctors and nurses treating sick patients, to people volunteering their time and resources to help their neighbours, I would like to sincerely thank everyone for working so hard to support our community.

Public health officials here in Alberta continue to work around the clock to inform the public during the COVID19 pandemic. I highly encourage you to visit alberta.ca/COVID19 for the most up-to-date information, advice, and resources.

I am very pleased to share that the Keystone XL pipeline will begin construction this month. Through a $1.5 billion investment, our government is ensuring that the project will be operational by 2023. This agreement is the culmination of six months of negotiations, rigorous vetting by officials to ensure the project’s success, and plans to minimize any risk to taxpayers. This announcement is welcome news for

Alberta’s energy sector, and will create over 7,000 jobs in Alberta during construction. By getting shovels in the ground this month, our government is taking bold action to re-take our economy and plan for economic recovery in the months to come.

This week, our government also met at the Legislature to pass important emergency legislation that will strengthen our province’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. These three bills were passed by the Legislative Assembly to support key measures that were previously announced in the fight against COVID-19: enforcing public health orders during the pandemic; protecting residential tenants from late fees evictions; and expanding the role of Alberta’s Orphan Well Association to support job creation. In the fight against COVID-19, our government is continuing to work hard for Albertans and strengthen our ability to fight the pandemic on all fronts.

Throughout this pandemic, I am reminded of the exceptional community spirit and resilience that is deeply ingrained in Alberta’s culture. It is by coming together and supporting one another that we will get through this trying time.

Sincerely, MLA Jackie Armstrong-Homeniuk

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News Advertiser www.NewsAdvertiser.com

April 15, 2020

Tributes MEMORIAM

SENIUK, Nicholas August 13, 1923 - April 17, 2014 In memory of a loving husband, father and Gido who entered eternal rest on April 17, 2014.

Every day in some small way Memories of you come our way; Though absent, you are ever near, Still missed, loved, always dear.

While you rest and sleep, Your loving memory we’ll always keep.

Dear God, take a message To Heaven above.

Tell him how much we miss him, And give him all our love.

Sadly missed and forever loved Marcia and the family

COERS, Colby October 13, 1990 - April 16, 2017 In Loving Memory of our Son, Brother & Uncle To lose someone so special is really hard to bear it hardly seems believable that you’re no longer there.

You left us far to early before your time, it seems and now you’ll never have the chance to fulfill all those dreams.

However hard it is though we’ll take comfort in the thought of all the memories we have and the happiness you had brought.

You always lived life to the fullest but ours won’t be the same until the day when we can see your smiling face again.

Missing you and forever in our hearts Love Mom & Dad Derek, Dina, Kayla & Families

CARD OF THANKS YALOWICA The family of the late Bill Yalowica would like to express our deep gratitude to all family, friends and neighbors for all the condolences, support and help at the farm during our time of sorrow. We very much appreciate all the phone calls, visits, messages, cards, flowers, gifts of food and donations to the Cross Cancer Institute.

A heartfelt thank you to Gordon and Patty of Autumn Rose Funeral Home for all their compassion and assistance. Many thanks to all the pallbearers.

Much appreciation to the Holy Trinity Ukrainian Catholic Church. To Father John for officiating the prayer service and to Father Damian for officiating the funeral and internment. And to the Cantor for assisting. We thank Lorraine and the ladies at the church, for preparing the coffee/donuts and the delicious lunch.

And Anna and Laura at Flowerland for arranging the beautiful casket flowers. Thank you Rachel for creating the beautiful photo board.

We are deeply grateful to the Vegreville Paramedics, the emergency department at the U of A Hospital, Dr. North and staff at the Cross Cancer Institute, and Dr. Pathan for all their kind and compassionate care.

Thank you again, The Yalowica Family

OBITUARY OSATENKO, Anton P. On April 9, 2020 Anton Osatenko of Willingdon passed away at the age of 81 years. Anton is survived by his loving wife, Gladys; one son, Allan; two grandchildren, Gail (Jim) and Anthony (Sabrina); five great-grandchildren; and one sister, Iris Roadhouse. Predeceased by son, Vernon; and his parents, Dorothy and Peter.

Due to Covid-19, a graveside service was held on Saturday, April 11, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. at St. Mary the Protectress Ukrainian Orthodox Church Cemetery, Borowich. Reverend Father Benny Ambrosie officiated.

Donations may be made in memory of Anton to the Borowich Church.

Photos, memories and condolences may be shared through www.parkmemorial.com PARK MEMORIAL LTD. VEGREVILLE 780-632-2000 FAMILY OWNED FUNERAL HOME and CREMATORIUM

No Substitute for Hard Work When it Comes to Success Michelle Pinon News Advertiser Members of the green and gold made a recent appearance at St. Mary’s Catholic School in Vegreville.

Edmonton Eskimos players Tanner Green, Kyle Saxelid, Ryan King and Kwabena Asare shared their personal stories and how they made it into the Canadian Football League.

Tanner Green asked the students how many of them play sports? The majority of hands went up. He asked the students how many of them thought they could take it further? Only a few hands went up.

He, too, didn’t think he’d take his love of football further. Tanner’s friends asked if he wanted to play in a men’s league, and unbeknownst to him, they

working hard and being dedicated.

“You have to give 110 percent at all times.” After graduation, he received a phone call from the Edmonton Eskimos and has never looked back. “To this day I don’t take anything for granted.”

Kyle Saxelid was never a jock in school, but his physical education teacher saw potential in him, a lanky fellow who stood 6’6” and weighed 120 lbs soaking wet. That teacher phoned his parents, and they decided Kyle and his sibling would have to play at least one sport. He started believing in his abilities and began taking school seriously, earning a 4.0-grade point average in high school.

“Grades were my ticket to college.” Kyle said he has two degrees and takes comfort in the fact that when his football

VIOLETTE, Pierre Joseph July 8, 1946 – April 10, 2020 On Friday, April 10, 2020, Pierre Joseph Violette, of Mundare, Alberta, formerly of Edmonton, peacefully passed away with his family at his side at the age of 73 years.

Pierre is survived by his loving family, his wife of 22 years, Cheryl; 4 sons Paul (Michelle) Ruggles, Pierre Jr. (Colleen) Violette, Michael (Trish) Violette and Kyle Lucyk; 2 daughters Tiffany Violette and Kirsty Lucyk; 5 grandchildren Damon Violette, Joel (Ashley) Ruggles, Dominic Ruggles, Ty Ruggles and Kristen Violette; 3 great-grandchildren Jax Violette, Amirah Ruggles and Willow Ruggles; 3 brothers Gilles (Bernie) Violette, Jean-Marc Violette and Ronald (Estelle) Violette; along with numerous nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

Pierre was predeceased by his grandson Jared Violette; parents Paul and Marie Violette; one brother Paul Violette and one sister Fernande (Bill) Garrison.

At Pierre’s request, cremation has taken place, and a celebration of his life will be held at a later date in Ontario. Memorial donations may be made to the Lung Assn. of Alberta and NWT. c/o 17420 Stony Plain Rd #208, Edmonton, AB T5S 1K6.

To send condolences, please visit www.autumnrosefuneralhome.com AUTUMN ROSE FUNERAL HOME LTD. VEGREVILLE, 780-603-5800

Edmonton Eskimo Kyle Saxelid made some time for a little one-on-one following a presentation to students at St. Mary’s School in March.

put together film clips with highlights of the season and sent them to colleges.

Soon after, he received a call from St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia and Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec asking him to play on their football teams. He decided to make the most of his shot at Concordia University. After graduation, the Edmonton Eskimos phoned, and he signed on with the team.

Kwabena Asare grew up in Brampton, Ontario. He admits staying in classes day in and day out was a struggle. He never played football until Grade 12. “When I started I was terrible. But I jumped in because my friends were doing it.”

Kwabena developed a love for the game, and worked hard to improve his skill level in football. “I knew I would have to be better than these guys to go further. “It brought me focus and drive, and then I knew what I wanted to do with my life.” He said said you can only achieve a higher level of success by

career is over, he will have his education to use that as a fallback plan.

Ryan King, who hails from Sherwood Park, said he never had a problem getting accepted by colleges and universities, but had “no takers” when it came to offers to join their football teams. With a 68 percent average, Ryan knew he would have to work on academics before he could fulfill his dream of playing pro football. “At the end of the day, you have to invest your time and energy into reaching your goal.” He suggested they surround themselves with “like-minded people” and keep “pushing yourself” to reach the next level.

All of the players participated in a question and answer period. Students who asked questions received mini footballs, and they all wanted to know about their training, pre-game routine, and some of the highlights of their career.

The students showed their appreciation to the players, cheering loudly and a hearty round of applause.

april 15, 2020 News Advertiser PAGE 13 www.NewsAdvertiser.com

Vegreville Fire Department Responds to Structure Fire Michelle Pinon News Advertiser Members of the Vegreville Fire Department responded to a structure fire on Tuesday, April 14.

In a statement, Vegreville Fire Chief Chris Jardine said, “At 8:06 am, the Vegreville Fire Department, Vegreville RCMP, and AHS Emergenc y Medical Services responded to a structure fire located on the 4400 block of 49A Street. The fire was in a single-story, unoccupied dwelling.

Fire crews entered the dwelling and quickly extinguished the fire. There were no injuries reported, and the cause of the fire is undetermined at this time. Crews left the scene at 11:11 am.”

The Vegreville Fire Department responded to a structure fire shortly after 8 a.m. on April 14 at 4400-49A St.

PAGE 14

News Advertiser www.NewsAdvertiser.com

Parent Link Centre Farewell Potluck Rosanne Fortier News Correspondent On March 2, Vegreville & District Parent Link Centre, (PLC), held its monthly potluck. It was also the organization’s farewell potluck.

A slide show in the foyer showcased pictures from the past 14 years. “So, there are some old pictures and some new pictures of parents, children, and staff that were with Parent Link Centre,” stated Tasha Homeniuk, Support Coordinator for PLC, said, “There are a lot of good memories in these pictures and they are really fun to look at because they show when some of the kids were babies and now they are teenagers. Some of these families attended tonight’s potluck.

For activities, we made a memory quilt where each of the parents decorated and coloured one of the cloth squares. We also photocopied these pictures so the children could decorate them and put them on a bulletin board.

Then every month, we have a potluck and we have a theme. This month’s theme was letters of the month and to carry on with that, we kept it on with the letter m and m is for memories so families brought in food that was from their favourite memories from Parent Link Centre. So, if they liked the time we had pie day, they brought a pie, if they liked when we did macaroni necklaces, they brought in macaroni, if they liked Reindeer Lane, they brought reindeer shape cookies.”

Families eat together. (Rosanne Fortier/photo)

Some of the food at the potluck that brought back memories of happy times from the past at PLC. (Rosanne Fortier/photo)

Families socialize together. (Rosanne Fortier/photo)

April 15, 2020

april 15, 2020 News Advertiser PAGE 15 www.NewsAdvertiser.com

Alone Together During COVID-19 Michelle Pinon News Advertiser Lisa Topilko and her Mom Terry share a love of music and have found a couple of different ways to stay connected during the ongoing COVID-19 emergency medical crisis.

“I knew Mom was feeling lonely so I thought we could sing together over the phone.” They started doing that in mid-March.

On April 1, Lisa and her husband Marvin visited with Lisa’s parents Terry and John Kubin on the deck outside of

their home on Woodwynn Farms, which is located 12 miles southwest of Vegreville. “We visited through the glass,” said Terry. Even though it was a chilly day, (-15 degrees Celsius) they provided blankets for Lisa and Marvin to sit on and bundle up with during their visit. “At least we were out of the wind,” said Lisa, who is hoping warmer weather will soon be on its way.

“She’s so thoughtful,” said Terry, who was touched by her daughter’s kindness and generosity.

Terry is a member of the Concordia

Lisa Topilko talks on the phone with her parents Terry and John Kubin during a visit to Woodwynn Farms on April 4.

Concert Choir, and Lisa taught music at A. L. Horton School for 22 years. “She is the only one in the family with formal training,” said Terry, and part of that training included having to learn 17 instruments. While Lisa is no longer teaching, she continues to share her talents as a community programmer with Family and Community Services in Vegreville. Her area of specialty is adult and seniors programs, and spoke enthusiastically about her work.

Terry and Lisa also keep in touch on

Facebook and share plenty of emails.

“My Mom and I are extroverts,” said Lisa. She added that her mom is a “very engaged” volunteer and is missing her activities with the walking group, church group, and palliative care society. While volunteering has been paused for the time being, you can be sure the mother-daughter combination will continue to enjoy musical interludes and visiting with each other every chance they get.

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April 15, 2020

New Home for Ranfurly Post Office Michelle Pinon News Advertiser April 1 was opening day for operations at the new Ranfurly Post Office.

Post master K irby Lopaschuk said, “We want everyone to know that the Ranfurly Post Office is up and running in its new location in the Ranfurly and District Recreation and Agricultural Society Building.”

He went onto say, “This will enable us to keep the Ag. Society building operat-

ing and useful to the community. This will be the Post Office’s permanent location.” Previously, the post office was located in in the last postmasters home.

“They had moved away, and the post office had to be moved.

It was temporarily moved to the Ag. Society building while the Ag. Society renovated a new location within the building for it.”

Without the support of the Ag. Society and Senior Citizens Club, which allowed Canada Post to operate there, Lopaschuk said there would be no post office in the community. The new post office has 90 boxes to serve residential and business customers.

Take on a Fun Fitness Booster Rosanne Fortier News Correspondent Ryan and Shawna know how important exercise is to boost a person’s immune system and it is extra enjoyment when the experience is shared with a pet. So, on April 4, they went for a walk with their dog Toby.

Ryan and Shawna with their dog, Toby.

(Rosanne Fortier/photo)