Vegreville News Advertiser - March 13, 2024

Wendy Brook 45th Annual Music Festival

Rosanne Fortier News Correspondent

This year’s theme was, ‘A Time for Hope and Peace’. President Larissa Bombak explained that there were 273 entries this year which included: vocal (singing, choir, musical theatre), piano, strings, instrumental (recorders, hand chimes), band, Speech Arts (choral, poetry, readings, Reader’s Theatre, skits), Ukrainian Language (vocal and speech), and French (speech).

“The Wendy Brook Music Festival Association is a non-profit charity. Our festival de-emphasizes competition in favour of providing a supportive venue for performers of all ages. Adjudicators provide constructive comments and advice. Participants may perform in groups, quartets, trios, duets, or solos.”

This festival commenced with piano performances

where the most pleasant sounds were heard at St. John’s Lutheran Church on March 4 and 5.

Adjudicator Jan Janovsky stated that all the young musicians did an awesome job, and had great tempo. The helpful suggestions he gave were to take more time on stage before you leave and bring a portable keyboard when you go camping so they can play for their family and friends.

March 7 saw Instrument performances with Bob Bailey as the Adjudicator at Vegreville Alliance Church. There were also vocal pieces at Vegreville United Church on March 7 with Jennifer O’Donnell as the Adjudicator.

O’Donnell mentioned that the young singers did a

A.L. Horton School Singers. (Rosanne Fortier/Photo)

Wendy Brook - CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

County of Minburn Hosts Town Hall Meeting in Lavoy

Property crime, repeat offenders and justice system were main topics of conversation during a recent RCMP town hall meeting in Lavoy.

Around 20 people gathered in the Lavoy Hall for the meeting that was hosted by the County of Minburn. Vegreville Detachment Commander Staff/Sgt Colin Folk was on hand to provide information and address questions and concerns from attendees.

Several people brought forward concerns about property crime and the practice of RCMP catching criminals and the judges releasing the criminals creating a revolving door of repeat offenders.

A gentleman in the audience stated, “I don’t think we have a problem with the RCMP. We have a very big problem with the justice system. This catch and release the same as a fisherman does not work. If you let them get away with everything, soon they’re worse than ever. The justice system has to step up to the plate.”

Staff/Sgt Folk responded by saying, “There’s no doubt about it, but we have to be pretty careful when we are talking about the justice system because we are a part of the system, but the partnership is broken. If you ever go to court in Vegreville on a Monday afternoon and look around everyone that’s there to see the judge is there because we’ve put them there. What happens after that is totally out of our control. The Crown doesn’t even take our recommendations anymore….The judges just don’t put any substance to this stuff. It’s frustrating for us because we are arresting the same people over and over again. We are fighting with the same people over and over again. We are chasing the same people over and over again. We’re just as frustrated as everybody else.”

Staff/Sgt suggested people go to court

in Vegreville to see for themselves as anyone can sit in court and watch the proceedings. For example, “On Monday this week we had 102 people there to see the judge that we arrested and charged. Out of those 102, I don’t think any of them went to jail, and you can’t tell me all those 102 were first time offenders who stole a candy bar from a Petro Can.”

It was pointed out by an attendee that until property crime affect you, you don’t realize the effects of it. Staff/Sgt Folk stated, “Unfortunately, now with the loss of this innocent person that was mowed down by a stolen vehicle, that now the judges are going to start to see this is not a victimless crime.”

He was referring to mother of three, Kassandra Gartner, who was the Executive Director of the Fort Saskatchewan Food Bank who was tragically killed by who police described as a textbook prolific offender Peter Richard Ashby, who now faces a string of charges.

Staff/Sgt Folk said that at the end of the day it will take political push for the provincial government to take property crime more seriously. County of Minburn Deputy Reeve Tara Kuzio said they have been advocating for changes and will continue to do so along with other municipalities. With the upcoming Rural

Municipalities Spring Convention in a couple weeks’ time, Kuzio said they will have the ear of ministers to ask questions.

Kuzio also noted, “We organized this (RCMP town hall meeting) because we hear a lot of stuff from people and their frustration and we thought it’d be a great opportunity to build a relationship with the RCMP, what they’re doing and what they’re up against.”

She added that it may be possible to invite the local MLA if they host another RCMP town hall meeting in the future.

Staff/Sgt Folk also pointed out that they are in the early stages of starting a Citizens on Patrol program. “We’d like to roll that out for this area of the county as well with Vegreville. You guys being the eyes and ears of your community, and working with you guys. The COP program is great, but that takes resources to manage…Hopefully by June/July we’ll have the program up and running and people can sign up and be out helping us.”

He went on to say, “Once the criminals know that we have eyes and ears driving around and calling stuff in it really deters that crime. When you have a community that’s engaged in the COP program they (criminals) know that and they don’t want to be in those communities.”

Vegreville RCMP Warns of Grandparent and Emergency Scams

Vegreville RCMP is warning senior residents of a fraud targeting grandparents and seniors.

Fraudsters target seniors by calling

and pretending to be a family member in distress, the police, or a justice official claiming that a loved one or grandchild is in trouble, and needs money immediately.

Victims are told there is a gag order

from the courts and can’t speak to anyone about the situation. They are then advised to withdraw money from a bank and wait for a “courier” or to send the

Michelle Pinon News Advertiser

S/Sgt. Colin Folk Vegreville RCMP

Vegreville RCMP Detachment Commander Staff/Sgt Colin Folk. (Michelle Pinon/Photo

The announcement two weeks ago that the Liberals and NDP reached a deal on a national pharmacare bill was met in much of the media with fanfare. From Global News… “Canada’s pharmacare bill has officially been introduced in Parliament” Canadian Press… “Deal on pharmacare bill has been reached with Liberals ahead of March deadline, NDP says.” It was a good day for the Liberals and NDP in their ongoing supply-andconfidence agreement.

However, it didn’t take long for the political spinning to start. During a Thursday press conference, a very persistent reporter asked Pierre Poilievre, “Will you dismantle pharmacare?” Rather than answer, possibly out of frustration or the inability to get in a word amongst the chaos, Poilievre walked away without providing an answer. The Liberal media machine kicked in to high gear following what now seems like a setup to tell their followers “Pierre Poilievre refused to answer whether he’d cut Liberal pharmacare. Because he will.”

Not long after, the media was on the trail of provinces with an “are you in or are you out?” question. Ontario commented that they are taking a “wait and see” approach while Quebec with their own prescription drug program stated they were not interested. Alberta follows suit instead suggesting they too

would take the funding which is in many ways logical since healthcare is (supposed to be) provincial jurisdiction. Saskatchewan also asked for details before making a commitment.

One of the most telling events in the media circus surrounding the announcement was when federal Health Minister Mark Holland chastised Block Québécois Parliamentary Leader Alain Therien for suggesting that Quebec be compensated instead of joining the program. “It’s important not to criticize something that doesn’t exist,” said Holland.

And there it is folks. Right from the horse’s mouth. IT DOESN’T EXIST.

The big announcement was an announcement about an intention. It’s like being almost pregnant or announcing that you will propose to your significant other sometime in the future, and then ask, “Who’s coming to the party?”

The Act itself, Bill C-64 is a whopping three pages long give or take. It is entitled “An Act respecting pharamacare.” The first line of the summary begins with: “This enactment sets out the principles that the Minister of Health is to consider when working towards the implementation of national universal pharmacare…” Sounds concrete doesn’t it? It follows in the footsteps of Bill C-340 from June of 2013 “An Act to enact the Canada Pharmacare Act.” You can’t make this stuff up. This act has a similar yet shorter summary which goes like this: “This enactment enacts the Canada Pharmacare Act, which establishes criteria and conditions in respect of drug insurance plans established under the law of a province that must be met before a cash contribution may be made.” It goes on to indicate that a short title which may be used is “the Canada Pharmacare Act.” Which could be interpreted as somewhat disingenuous.

Now I understand that there are formalities and processes involved, but I have trouble with what appears to be smoke in mirrors, particularly when you look behind the curtain. The Act being bandied about by politicians is nothing more than elegantly crafted words of good intention. So, we now have two acts and no actual action. This is our tax money hard at work.

The other concern is with the discussions on sourcing of medications and procurement. Some claim that sourcing in bulk will save money, but when was the last time a large biopharma company gave out deals. With top CEOs making $33M - $120M, they aren’t likely to give too many deals just by asking them to play nice.

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland stated that the deal will not jeopardize Canada’s fiscal standing. The current track record of our federal govenment says otherwise.

I’m not suggesting that we don’t need such a program or that it isn’t a good idea. What we have now, however, is a lot of hype and promises. Promises that certain politicians hope will buy your approval and when the time comes…your vote.

Tell me what you think. Email me at abletters@newsadvertiser.com

MCSnet CEO Jerico VanBrabant said, “By building transit fiber to our network of fixed wireless towers, we are able to provide high speed internet to our rural customers that is on par or better than large urban areas. And with new wireless technologies, such as GigAir, we are able

section to our tower near Lindbrook, and Bruce to Irma.

• County of Minburn - 117.40 km of transit fiber including rural areas of Mundare and Vegreville, Ranfurly, Innisfree, Minburn, Mannville

• Two Hills County - 53.79 km of transit fiber along Highway 36 through Two Hills and towards St. Paul

to reach more rural customers to provide gigabit speeds.”

The Universal Broadband Fund (UBF) provides funding to improve internet speeds for rural and remote communities to meet internet speeds of 50/10 Mbps.

Since most MCSnet customers are located in rural and remote communities, the company was successful in receiving the $16 million grant funding that was officially announced on March 5.

MCSnet Chief Marketing Officer Rhonda Lafrance told the News Advertiser that transit fiber will be built in several counties including:

• Beaver County - 99.76 km of transit fiber including Holden to Bruce, a small

• Lamont County - 38.07 km of transit fiber through Chipman and Lamont Lafrance said, “The main purpose of this transit fiber is to connect it to our fixed wireless towers to improve internet speeds and scalability for future technology. One of these technologies is GigAir, using 60 GHz radios and millimeter wave technology. MCSnet currently has the largest implementation of this technology in the world (to our knowledge). GigAir is in many small communities around Vegreville, including Vegreville itself. We are also currently testing new technologies to provide much faster internet speeds for our countryside customers.

By moving customers in more urban settings, like towns and villages, to GigAir, we are also freeing up more internet capacity for our customers outside of town. Rural customers connected to these fiber-fed towers and nearby towers should see improvements in internet speeds.

We currently have over 25,000 customers in Northeastern Alberta including over 3,500 GigAir customers. We are a family-owned company that has been in business since 1995 and based in St. Paul, Alberta. We currently employ over 70 staff and pride ourselves on our exceptional customer service, reliable internet, and community investments.”

This is the fourth successful grant application that MCSnet has received to improve broadband since 2012.

Building fiber to the tower in Mundare. (MCSnet/Submitted Photo)

90 Years Ago – March 14, 1934

The roads in the Spring Creek district are almost impassible, as shown by the low school attendance. In some places, the roads are filled with several feet of water.

Andrew is continuing to grow. Pearl’s Café has just been opened and the two girls are to be congratulated for their enterprise.

It is understood from fairly good information that two Churches will be built in Andrew this year. It is evident the people of Andrew and the district believe the Church must go hand in hand with the school to make good citizens.

Don’t forget Mike’s Demonstration Day of Massey-Harris Implements on the 17th day of March at Dobbin’s Hall at 1:30 p.m. Moving Pictures.

Hog prices – Cadzow & Green 7 ¾ c. Truck price 8c.

A couple of rinks of lady curlers visited Mundare last Friday evening and took on the Mundare ladies with disastrous results, the Vegreville girls getting bumped by 27 to 7. Mrs. Rennie and Miss Heathy Stewart skipped the Vegreville rinks.

Wasyl M. Shandro received the tender for supplying the Shandro School with ten cords of wood.

75 Years Ago - March 16, 1949

Sealed tenders will be received by the Vegreville Ag Society for the main grandstand at the Vegreville Exhibition grounds. This is to demolish the stand and have all materials removed from the site no later than May 31st.

Optimistic forecasts for record high 1949 egg prices and presentation of officers’ reports covering “the most successful operating year in the seven years history of Alberta Poultry Producers Ltd.” highlighted the sixth annual meeting of delegates.

District pigeon fanciers think birds have something like radar in their heads. Birds released at Swift Current flew around for days before starting home and it is believed that an aircraft radio beam threw them off.

Work has commenced on a direct telephone line from Hudson Bay to Yorkton, the board of trade has been informed and it is anticipated the job will be completed this year. Under the present system calls between the two points are routed through Melfort.

New York’s most famous jail is The Tombs.

Australia is only slightly smaller in area that the United States. People have been walking on Leather for 4,000 years. Most of a horse’s pulling power lies in its hindquarters.

50 Years Ago – March 14, 1974

The Federal Government granted the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village $35,000.00 under the Local Initiatives Program. The money will be used to cover operating and maintenance costs to the middle of August, to extend the existing bandshell, and to restore Pylypiw House and the Dominion Telegraph Office, used originally by the North West Mountain Police, which was moved there from Pakan.

Miss Tracy Sorochan was announced the essay contest winner of the Education Week Committee of the Alberta School Trustees Association last week. Miss Sorochan’s essay was judged tops from a group of 1,000 entries.

Two Vegreville employees of Alberta Power Limited were honored on March 9th for long service with the utility company. Receiving 20-year awards were Henry Bandura, engineering assistant, and Peter P.P. Krysak, communication technician. Alberta Power Limited with its head office in Edmonton, serves 343 Alberta communities and has been providing electrical energy service since 1927.

Activities in the Vegreville Jaycees Polar Bear Pow Wow begin today with races and contests being staged on Main Street. Heavy snowfall on Thursday morning added much to the scene but is apt to conflict with attendance hopes.

25 Years Ago – March 16, 1999

By June 30, 1999, the 15 Alternative Level of Care (ALC) beds on the third floor of St. Joseph’s General Hospital will be closed. Currently, the third floor has already approved 14 patients for occupation but with the impending closures announced by the Lakeland Regional Health Authority in a news release dated March 11, 1999, these 14 have nowhere to go. Their futures lie within the long-term care Centre here in Vegreville or Mundare.

Chris Whitlock, along with her son Kirby are the new owners of Vegreville Sears. They currently own and operate two other Sears outlets, one in Wainwright and one in Vermilion where they currently reside. Chris and her son’s first day in the Vegreville outlet was March 8, 1999. A day later, Tera Iftody joined the Sears team behind the counter.

Steve Dills has been appointed Publisher of the Vegreville Observer, Roger Holmes of Holmes Publishing announced today. Holmes said he was pleased Dills had accepted the position. “Dills has the experience and skills that the Observer needs to become the newspaper of choice for Vegreville and area residents,” said Holmes.

On February 21, 1999, a 40 ft. container of clothing was loaded in the Hamlet of Beauvallon by the Beauvallon Adventist Community Services Society – ADRA project and sent to the Mukachevo area (near the Carpathian Mountains) in Ukraine.

Michael Zwaagstra Frontier Centre for Public Policy

It was just a few short years ago that the Pallister government introduced Bill 64. Among other things, Bill 64 would have abolished school boards and replaced elected trustees with provincial appointees.

The reaction was fast and furious. The Manitoba School Board Association and the Manitoba Teachers’ Society expressed their strong opposition. So did many parent groups.

In short, opponents claimed that Bill 64 was antidemocratic and draconian. They pointed out that since school trustees are accountable to the public through the electoral process, trustees are a vital part of the education system. In essence, trustees represent students, parents, and taxpayers.

When Bill 64 was withdrawn shortly after Heather Stefanson became premier, Bill 64’s opponents celebrated this decision as a victory. That’s why it’s ironic that many of the same people are now actively undermining the legitimacy of school trustees.

Specifically, we are seeing the weaponization of school board codes of conduct. Trustees who say anything offensive or politically incorrect are being suspended by their peers, sometimes for months without pay.

For example, former Louis Riel School Division trustee Francine Champagne was suspended no less than three times last year before she eventually resigned. Her offences consisted of making allegedly transphobic and racist Facebook posts and not submitting some paperwork on time.

Now, one can certainly argue that Champagne displayed questionable judgment. Elected officials, including school trustees, must exercise discernment in what they post on social media. It’s a basic requirement of the job.

Nevertheless, the rush to suspend Champagne essentially

short-circuited the democratic process. Whether one agrees with her or not, Champagne received the same democratic mandate as the rest of her fellow trustees. It’s a dangerous precedent when a school board majority uses its code of conduct to silence a trustee who refuses to tow the party line.

Similarly, veteran River East Transcona School Division trustee Rod Giesbrecht has received two threemonth suspensions during the 2023-24 school year. Giesbrecht’s suspensions resulted from the fact that he shared confidential information discussed during a closed board meeting.

Based on his comments to the Winnipeg Free Press, Giesbrecht thought it was essential that he speak with a Winnipeg city councillor about a piece of land that could potentially be a new school site. Whether he was right or not, removing Giesbrecht from his duties for months appears to be an overly harsh punishment. Less drastic options were available, such as temporarily limiting Giesbrecht’s access to confidential information.

The reality is that democracy is a messy business. Not only are elections often hotly contested, but debates happen in the public arena. Sometimes, the debates get heated, and often, it becomes difficult for colleagues on opposite sides to work together after disagreeing on an important issue.

And yet, that is exactly what they must do. Suspending trustees every time they say something other trustees think is offensive or every time they talk to the wrong person about a “confidential” matter short circuits the democratic process.

By rejecting Bill 64, Manitobans sent a clear message that they want democracy to be respected in school boards. Trustees have no business using code of conduct rules to remove pesky colleagues.

Ultimately, it is up to the voters, not their fellow trustees, to decide whether a trustee belongs in office. Michael Zwaagstra is a public high school teacher and a senior fellow with the Frontier Centre for Public Policy.

One role of the Vegreville News Advertiser is to

Health Care Public Engagement Session Held in Vegreville

Michelle Pinon News Advertiser

Around 75 people gathered together in a meeting room at the Vegreville Suites to provide input on the health care system on March 8.

It was the 40th public engagement session the Ministry of Health has held to date, with more than 60 scheduled at various locations throughout the province.

Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville MLA Jackie Armstrong-Homeniuk welcomed attendees. “Thanks for coming out today. This is a great turnout. I’m really glad that you were all able to come.

I also want to thank Minister LaGrange for coming out to two places within our riding, Fort Saskatchewan and Vegreville. It’s very important that we see the rural eye, and I’m really glad you came out today. Thank you Minister again, and I’ll turn it over to you.”

Adriana LaGrange responded in kind. “Jackie is amazing. You have one of the best MLA’s ever. She is a good friend and works so incredibly hard; probably harder than you know.”

LaGrange, a mother of seven children and grandmother of eight grandchildren provided a bit about her personal and professional background for attendees. I also run an active family farm with my husband. He’s third generation farmer, second on the land that we own. His dad settled there in 1942 when Red Deer was only 5,000 people. So, a long time ago. We also, up until recently, owned a trucking company and managed the trucking of a large hog operation. As well, I was school board trustee for eleven and

a half years, Provincial President of the Catholic Schools Trustees Association, for three and a half years, and Vice President for a year and a half and besides that I am a rehab practitioner by profession, so I worked with the developmentally disabled.

The reason I am telling you all of that is because I’m also like all of you, really just an Albertan who wants to make our system better. I didn’t get into politics because I had this aspiration of going into politics, nothing was further from my mind. Some days I’m still surprised where I am, but I am a person of faith and I believe I was called to offer my services and became the Minister of Education, and now I needed to go through the journey to understand the Ministry of Education so I can understand the Ministry of Health.”

The vast majority of attendees were health care workers, and LaGrange thanked them for what they do. “You do an incredible job and I don’t think you hear it enough.” She went on to say, “I hope you will see that we are determined to listen to you, and take what you have to say and actually put forward meaningful change, because I really believe that we need to do something differently.”

LaGrange pointed out that there is a lack of

structure, organization and planning within Alberta Health; but that nothing is insurmountable. “The greatest gift and benefit that we have in Alberta is all of you. It is the people that are committed to making things better within our healthcare system. Yes, we have challenges, we are not unique in those challenges. We are seeing them right across Canada and around the world. But what we have here in Alberta is a can do attitude. We are willing to do the hard work. We are willing to make the changes. We are willing to be nimble. We are willing to do what needs to be done to make things better.”

I am not going to sugar coat the fact that we have challenges. They are there. They are real. But until we actually face them and hear from all of you; some of the suggestions of how we can Health Care - CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

Fort SaskatchewanVegreville MLA Jackie Armstrong-Homeniuk, left, and Health Minister Adriana LaGrange. (Michelle Pinon/Photo)

good job and they had beautiful voices. Their words were clear and they had lovely expressions when they sang. A constructive tip she gave was they should try to use more energy.

Solo vocal performances, vocal ensembles, and musical theatre followed this.

March 8 rang in with Speech Arts performances with Crystal Hanson as the Adjudicator at A.L. Horton School and St. Martin’s Catholic School.

Hanson commented that the choral speech groups’ pieces were lovely and they all spoke so well. “Everyone had lovely expressions on their faces and they used nice gestures.

The solo performers stood up so confidently.”

March 11 bloomed in with Ukrainian pieces at A.L. Horton School with Adjudicator Irena Tarnawsky who said the Ukrainian Choral Speech Ensembles did very well. “Your actions added to the storyline and I liked the group rhythm. For the solo and duets, the performers had good posture and pronunciation.”

For a helpful tip, Tarnawsky suggested that they try to sing a bit higher.

Print Out Performs

Wendy Brook - CONTINUED from FRONT PAGE

A.L. Horton School Grades One and Two Choral Speech Group. (Rosanne Fortier/Photo)

Stephanie Krugliak performs a Ukrainian vocal solo. (Rosanne Fortier/Photo)

Suzanne Nelson performs. (Rosanne Fortier/Photo)

Illustrious Chipman Players Pawsitively Shine in The Vile Veterinarian

Michelle Pinon News Advertiser

The latest production of the Chipman Players pawsitively shone bright in the spotlight at the National Hall on March 9.

It was opening night of Rachel Davidson’s melodrama that was produced with special permission from Pioneer Drama Company, and cast members delivered the laughs and gaffes right on cue. Expecting the unexpected is one of the hallmarks of the local theatre company that has making audiences laugh for the past 15 years. This production was no different, and The Vile Veterinarian, played by Bruce McGregor had the audience in stitches with his off the cuff remarks.

Several cast members followed his lead, improvis-

ing with ease as things got wild and wacky on stage.

Of course The Vile Veterinarian and his assistant Nurse Kitty Litter (Caren Cossey-Kwasnycia) had their evil scheme to strike it rich from Woof Creek’s gold mine foiled.

All of the cast members performed well, including Anastazia Engman, a local high school student who played Hugh Kandoit, Polly Purina’s love interest.

Ironically, her dad Allan Engman was just reading a few lines to fill in one night during rehearsal and “got sucked into reading a part. He was the understudy for character Mort Gudge. It was the first time he had ever been on stage, and described it as an “amazing” experience.

Newcomers to the Chipman Players were: Warren Kelliher who played Charlie Horse, Ellen King who

played Sheila Gree, Christal Remus who played Liza. Keiron Willis, who played Polly Purina, stated, “I love the fact we have all these new people in the cast. Everyone adds a new spice to the soup, if you will.”

Commenting on the audience, Willis said, “I’ve got to say this crowd was different from what we usually have. I saw many new faces, which is wonderful to see.”

As to her assessment of the dinner theatre, Willis commented, “I think it went beautifully. Everyone had a good time. So that’s the most important thing. It was a lot of fun.” McGregor, who founded the Chipman Players, thanked the Village of Chipman for use of the hall, for Tom Hrehorets catering the meal and for everyone for coming out to the show that was another sold out success.

Cattle Claire (Jo-Ann Fontaine) announces decision to stay in Woof Creek. (Michelle Pinon/Photo) Ray Beeze (Bruce McGregor) tries explaining a few things. (Michelle Pinon/Photo)

School Nutrition Pilot Program in Vegreville Yields Positive Results

Michelle Pinon News Advertiser

The Community Association for Lasting Success (CALS) was one of nine non-profit organizations in Alberta to receive funding to operate a school nutrition pilot program. The initiative was done in partnership with school authorities during the 2022/23 school year.

CALS Executive Director Jen Dixon said they learned many lessons and are very grateful for the opportunity to participate in the pilot program. She noted that, “While CALS was the recipient of the grant, this program would not have been possible without our partners and volunteers.”

Dixon pointed out that, “We learned that to tackle hunger in schools, programs must be universal to ensure that all students have the opportunity to choose nutritious food options. Food insecurity is rising among the students in our community’s schools.

CALS conducted a survey for educators and parents alike and the resounding feedback was a significant decrease in stress for both the parent and the student when food was regularly provided in school. The students indicated that they were more likely to try new or different

foods because the same foods were being provided to the entire school and their friends and peers were eating it as well. Educators noticed a decrease in classroom disruptive behaviors and increased emotional well-being for their students from the pilot program.

CALS learned that taking on a program as large as this pilot program was, was a huge undertaking and required strong partnerships of like-minded people to successfully execute as well as a great deal of empathy, patience, coordination and strong desire to support students in our community. Thank you to Alberta Education for the opportunity to show that CALS can create an equitable school nutrition program that can include every student from every school in Vegreville.”

Dixon provided a breakdown of the participating schools and the total number of meals and snacks provided during the pilot program. Altogether, 1,135 students from A.L. Horton Elementary School, St. Martin’s Catholic School, St. Mary’s Catholic School, Vegreville Composite High School and the Next Step Outreach Program participated.

At A. L. Horton Elementary School 15, 390 meals were provided and 9,000 snacks provided. At St. Martin’s Catholic School 6,636 meals were provided. At St. Mary’s Catholic School 7,638 meals were provided. At Vegreville Composite High School 9,300 meals were provided. At Next Step Outreach Program 325 meals were provided.

After reviewing the data from the pilot program, the Government of Alberta has decided to provide all funding for the School Nutrition Program directly to school authorities. On Feb. 26, 2024, Alberta’s Minister of Education Demetrios Nicolaides announced a one-time $5 million grant to expand the province’s school nutrition program. It was pointed out that, “Alberta’s government has already provided $20 million to school authorities for the School Nutrition Program and the one-time grant will increase pre-existing funding by 25 percent bringing the total funding to $25 million to run nutrition programs for the 2023-’24 school year.

The School Nutrition Program Volunteer appreciation picnic. (Community Association for Lasting Success)

School Nutrition Program Coordinator, Christel Sen, Volunteers Leslie Gusnowksi and Rachel McTavish. (Community Association for Lasting Success)

Baba’s Best Catering Co. Dawn Bidulock and Carolyn Kowalchuk. (Community Association for Lasting Success)

Busy Year for Lamont County Emergency Services

This

Regional Fire Chief Bo Moore provided a year end update to members of Mundare town council on Feb. 20. Moore, who has been in his position for the past eight months, was accompanied by Deputy Regional Fire Chief Scott Calder, who began his duties on Sept. 25, 2023. Calder has been a paid on call volunteer with the County for the past 20 years.

The total call volume in Lamont County in 2023 was 324, compared to 329 in 2022. He pointed out that 24 of 153 calls were in the Town of Mundare and the remainder of those within the district. Moore said that represented 48 percent of the total calls in the county. “They were first in district or assisted with those calls in the district,” noted Moore. Of those 24 calls, eight were medicals, six were fires, five were alarms, three motor vehicle collisions, one

gas leak and one public service (power incident). Moore went on to say that the average members attending a call in Mundare was 7.1 and the average shoot time 7.6 seconds. Moore pointed out that the average of 7.1 members attending “is almost double the average of some of the districts.” Moore added that it is a very good response out of Mundare district and appreciated the dedication and service appreciate the firefighters provide within and outside of the town limits. He also advised council that LCES is taking extra steps in preparation for the 2024 wildland season. As everybody is aware, 2023 was a horrible fire season for the Province of Alberta, so we’ve taken extra steps to prepare…In the preparations, we’ve put another brush truck into service…that gives us four brush trucks within the county. We moved the ATV to a central location to have a better reach for calls for service. We have two off-road all-terrain vehicles in service in the county. We have applied

for four public works staff from Lamont County to attend a dozer boss class with Alberta Wildfire…What that does is allows public works staff the opportunity to use radio communications with Alberta Wildfire and with the Fire Services.”

LCES will also be hosting a wildland grass fire suppression class.

Other steps include:

• Hosting an upcoming wildland grass fire suppression class

• Securing vendor agreements with ground crews and helicopter for water bombing services

• Establishing preferred vendor list for water truck companies

• Looking into contracting additional private wildland crews

• Working on putting a Fire Behaviour Analyst on contract

• Secured funding for six weeks extra duty crews for spring fire season

• Purchased drone with thermal imaging for a variety of applications including brush pile inspections

A new command truck has been ordered for spring delivery as well as two new tenders for fall 2025 delivery, purchase of selfcontained breathing apparatus cylinder, new fire records management system and purchase of drone with training of 10 pilots.

CWRS S Wheat

AAC Brandon - improved FHB resistance, most widely grown CWRS variety in Western Canada for 5 years

AAC Wheatland VB - wheat midge tolerant very good lodging resistance

CWSWWS S Wheat

AC Andrew - In demand for both milling and feed industry, great silage option

Fababeans

219-16 - shorter height and improved yield over CDC Snowdrop, smaller seed size than Snowbird

Yellow w Peas

CDC Canary - improved standability, early maturity

AB Advantage - improved grain and forage yields, increase in plump and bushel weight, smooth

Drone in flight. (Michelle Pinon/Photo)

Controlling the drone. (Michelle Pinon/Photo)

Aerial view of Lamont County administration building. (Lamont County Emergency Services/Submitted Photo)

An Ingenious Ukrainian Music Experience

Rosanne Fortier News Correspondent

For the first time, Gerdan presented their Canadian Tour, ‘Spring Will Come’ Concert to approximately 225 attendees at Vegreville Alliance Church on March 7.

This event was meant to support people affected by the war in Ukraine and around $9,000 was raised. The instant, this Ukrainian folk singing group from Chernivtsi, Ukraine appeared and sang, they were a crowd-pleaser. Their performances were powerful and soulful.

Founder of Cobblestone Freeway Tours Vincent Rees trans-

lated what the songs they performed at the show meant in English. “Even though some of our songs are tragic, we are hoping in the future, we will be singing songs of victory.

We will sing a few songs that had been stolen by the Russian aggressors who pretend it is their songs.

We keep fighting the good fight. One of our songs is about a beautiful Ukrainian romance.”

The audience issued a standing ovation at the end where they requested an encore which the group agreed to do.

Attendee Joanne Roufosse commented that the show was breathtaking and invigorating. “I didn’t understand the words but felt like I still knew the songs.”

Gerdan group members Pavlo Gradzhii, Julia Fedorutsa, and Anton Ivanitskyi explained that they grew up in Ukraine.

“Right now, Julia and Anton live in Ukraine while Pavlo resides in Germany because of complications with electricity and other issues due to the war.

Five of our colleagues are taking part in battles against the Russians’ aggression; they are just ordinary people but now they are soldiers helping in the war.

Is your preschooler experiencing developmental delays or challenges with speech-language or

development—big or small? The PALS program could help!

This music theatre was created in 1994 by one of the best drama directors in Ukraine and one of the most famous actors of that time. Then at some point, they decided they wanted to create a theatre studio for kids to teach them how to sing. We all joined when we were eight and Julia joined at nine-years-old where we had to audition by singing, and reading poetry where they decided if we could sing or not with the group. We also performed in drama theatre before.” Julia joined in 1999, Anton joined in 2003, and Pavlo in 2008.

“Our list of accomplishments is very long. We took part in different festivals and concerts. Around 15 years ago, there was an international drama theatre festival that took place in Chernivtsi and we won a first place award. But our main achievement is that the audience loves our performances.

Our favorite parts about singing are we are singing about the history and our roots but also about the current situation and the relationship between people and the heroic actions of the people of Ukraine and how it makes us proud of them.

We feel so much energy when we sing about some of the songs that are 100 or 200-years-old and we like to do something new but not forget our roots while we perform the pieces.”

Organizer Cindy Baydala on behalf of the Vegreville Cultural Association (VCA) wanted to express their gratitude for everyone who helped in making this event a success.

Gerdan sings and performs light actions. (Rosanne Fortier/Photo)

Some of the many attendees. (Rosanne Fortier/Photos)

Members of Gerdan L-R: Pavlo Gradzhii, Julia Fedorutsa, and Anton Ivanitskyi. (Rosanne Fortier/Photo)

Some of the items that were for sale. (Rosanne Fortier/Photo)

Female Trailblazers Recognized on International Women’s Day

Jackie Armstrong-Homeniuk

Submitted

On Friday March 8th we celebrated International Women’s Day to recognize the important contributions women have made and continue to make to the social, economic, and political landscape of our province. As we commemorate the achievements of women in our province, we reaffirm our commitment to advancing gender equality in Alberta.

Alberta has a long tradition of female trailblazers; in 1917, two Albertans became the first women elected to public office anywhere in Canada and Alberta is home to the Famous Five who fought for women to be included as persons. Our government continues to recognize the incredible achievements of Albertan women and wholeheartedly believes that when women can fully participate in our economy and society, our province thrives.

Alberta’s government is investing $681 million in 43 priority school projects, including 19 projects approved for full construction funding, 16 for design funding, and eight for planning funding. When complete, these projects will provide 35,000 new and modernized spaces for students across Alberta. I am elated about this funding as it will ensure that Albertan students continue to receive world-class education and the opportunities, they need to become successful adults.

the

In Budget 2024, the Government of Alberta announced $1.8 billion for the planning, design, and construction of major highway and bridge projects. Among these projects is the replacement of the Vinca Bridge which will aid the heartland’s transportation sector, establishing a critical link in Alberta’s High Load Corridor. This new bridge will save time and money for those traveling in the area and will support heavy loads from the Edmonton area to major industrial and oil sand regions in northeast Alberta.

Alberta has also allocated an additional $45 million in new funding for the Water for Life program to address Alberta’s changing water needs. The Water for Life program works to maintain a safe, secure drinking water supply, promote healthy aquatic ecosystems, and ensure reliable, quality water supplies for a sustainable economy. This funding is vital to ensure a healthy, secure, and sustainable water supply for our communities, environment, and economy.

Alberta Environment and Protected Areas are launching a new, easy-to-use online tool to help water license holders save time, manage their licenses, and stay up to date. The new Digital Regulatory Assurance System (DRAS) is a secure online platform that will help

Health Care - CONTINUED from PAGE 7

make things better, we’re not going to find the solution. We could throw a gazillion dollars at things. Just give us more money. I’m not a fan of throwing more money at a problem until we get to the root causes because what we end up with is just more expensive problems, and we’ve got a lot of expensive problems that we have to fix.

I am really thrilled to see so many people here, because that means you care. We all care. We want to make things better.

I’m hearing a lot of really great ideas and also, lot of identification of problems as we do these engagement sessions. So, really be candid, we need to know the good, the bad and the ugly so

license holders submit reports, apply for renewals or amendments, receive email reminders, and track their status.

This system does not change or replace any license already issued to Albertans and does not affect the priority number on any license. Your confidential information is not being saved, shared, or used any differently to ensure the protection and privacy of all users’ confidentiality. This new program will help modernize the water management system to speed up the process and make it work better for Albertans while also speeding up our province’s drought response. We ask all water license holders in Alberta to ‘move’ their water licenses issued before November 2021 to the online system by the end of this year.

we can actually make a tangible difference.”

Different tables were set up and the bulk of the time was spent going through the engagement process with professional facilitators before feedback was shared at the conclusion of the session.

Town of Vegreville Deputy Mayor David Berry provided his thoughts, stating, “The session was well attended and very informative. I appreciated the opportunity to speak openly and direct. The participants included many in a broad range of health care professions, and a significant amount of excellent feedback was provided to the Minister.”

Reg

June

Joe

July

Colleen Albert

Submitted

Ukrainian missionary Yaroslav Boychenko performed a piano recital ‘From J.S. Bach to Jesus’ at St. John’s Lutheran Church on February 25. The small audience was richly blessed by the beautiful classical music and by the testimonials of Pastor Slava and his colleague Pastor Leif Camp.

It has been said that J.S. Bach was the fifth gospel writer and Boychenko said that he was brought to faith through Bach’s music and through the ministry of the Lutheran church in Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia.

Boychenko and Camp are in North America to raise funds to build a church in Nizhniy Novgorod.

The Lutheran congregation in this area was established as early as 1580 but, under communist rule, the parish was officially closed, and any Christian ministry was forbidden. Since 1990, the Lutheran Christians have been striving to re-establish their congregation. Missionary Pastor Leif Camp was sent from the U.S.A. to Nizhniy Novgorod in 1996 and has been assisting their efforts to build a church there.

The Nizhniy Novgorod congregation now has over 85 permanent members of German, Ingerman Finn, Estonian, Ukrainian, and Russian descent, as well as some other

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From L-R: St. John’s music director Colleen Albert, Missionary Pastor Leif Camp, Concordia Lutheran Seminary acting President Rev. Dr. Joel Heck, Pastor Yaroslav Boychenko, organist for Immanuel Bruce Maarit Otto and St. John’s Pastor Greg Kjos. (Colleen Albert/Submitted Photo)

A super heavy wide load made its way from Edmonton to Fort McMurray from March 6-9, passing through the Two Hills region on two of those days. Photographer Peter Robitaille captured some impressive images of the mega load that was 8.7 metres wide, 10.2 metres high, 69.5 metres long, weighing 444,000 kilograms and carried by 192 wheels. (Peter Robitaille/Submitted Photo)

Rosanne Fortier News Correspondent

From February 16 to 19, local archers were triumphant when they competed at Grande Prairie at the Alberta Winter Games.

Local Vegreville Wildlife Federation coach Jamie Lowes and coach Miranda Rendle (Lloydminster) took nine archers from Vegreville, Lloydminster, Chauvin and Wainwright.

The Zone 7 archers came home with six medals (four of those brought home to the Vegreville Wildlife Federation Archery Club).

The Zone 7 team placed in the following medal standings: first- U15 Male compound - Silas Skinner(Chauvin, AB), first - U15 Male Compound - James Lowes (Vegreville, AB), second - U17 Male Compound - Shaemus Miller (Wainwright, AB), second - U15 Female Compound - Adiana Monaghan (Vegreville, AB), second - U17 Female Recurve - Kate Bibkewich(Vegreville, AB), third - Mixed Team Compound - Silas Skinner and Ellyott Perillat (Vegreville, AB).

Other team members placed the following:

Tobias Lehmann (Vegreville) U17 male Recurve-sixth,, Ellyott Perillat (Vegreville) U17 female compound-fifth, Sophia Mouyios (Vegreville) U15 female compound-eight and Tasin Behm (Lloydminister) U15 compound male-eight.

Zone 7 Zone Representative Valerie Lowes explained, “Coach Jamie was impressed how the athletes competed but was more impressed by the sportsmanship and support that the archers showed to their team and other competitors.

The team had some ups and downs during the competition but they gave it all they had! The archers have since competed at regionals and will be heading to provincials in April.

The experiences that the archers and coaches had were once in a life time and created life long bonds and new friendships.”

Archers expressed what competing was like for them.

Tobias Lehmann said, “My experience was awesome. I started shooting a compound bow recreationally only 10 months ago. I changed to a recurve bow in December only a few days before the Zone 7 tryouts. I made the Alberta Winter Games team in U17 Recurve. Since the Winter Games are every two years, I won’t be able to compete next time around.

The Alberta Winter Games were awesome as it felt like the Olympics as we travelled as a team from Vegreville to Grande Prairie, slept in sleeping bags and ate with the athletes in a local high school.

I had only three competitions in archery before going, only been shooting Recurve for about two months and didn’t have all the fancy equipment that my competitors had. I was able to win my first round in the double elimination. I did win an end in the rounds when I lost. One of the ends was against the Gold Medalist. That was cool! I didn’t win a medal, but I had so much

fun and built friendships with others from our Zone 7 team. I got along with even the people I was shooting against and got a couple of phone numbers to stay in contact with.

I will be completing in the Indoor Regionals soon in Edmonton and U18 Provincials in Blackfalds in April.”

Archer James Lowes commented, “The experience was amazing! I met tons of nice people, made some new friends, and got to do what I love-shooting archery!

The highlights were winning the gold medal and shooting tens.

I believe I did well because I put the work in for it and did what my coach told me.

I challenged myself by getting myself to be prepared and go and compete.”

When James was asked what he plans to do from here, he admitted that he wants to try out for Alberta Winter Games in two years as it will be in our zone. “I just competed at Regionals and am waiting for my results. I will also be competing at Provincials in April.”

Back row from L-R: Miranda Rendle, Sophia Mouyios, Ellyott Perillat, Shaemus Miller, Adianna Monaghan, Tasin Behm, and Jamie Lowes and front row from L-R: Kate Bibkewich, James Lowes, Silas Skinner and Tobias Lehmann. (Valerie Lowes/Submitted Photo)

Tributes

May 5, 1936 - March 19, 2017

Another year has passed

Since God called you away

But still we miss you

Each and every day.

What we wouldn’t give to take one more walk

Or just quietly sit and have one more talk.

Miss you Dad and always will

For though you’re gone we love you still.

Forever loved and deeply missed;

Lori Dea and Darcy, Lorne and Lori, Todd and Mayumi and Families

MURPHY, Florence

December 1, 1934 – March 15, 2020

You can only have one Mother

Patient, kind and true; No other friend in all the world, Will be the same to you.

When other friends forsake you, To mother you will return, For all her loving kindness, She asks nothing in return.

As we look upon her picture, Sweet memories we recall, Of a face so full of sunshine, And a smile for one and all.

Sweet Jesus, take this message,

To our dear Mother up above; Tell her how we miss her, And give her all our love.

Love Your Daughters

Patrica Murphy and Jeannette (Dewey) Watt, All Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren

ORLESKY, Alec March 13, 2003

In memory of our brother, uncle, great uncle Alec Orlesky who passed away on March 13, 2003. He put his arms around you, And lifted you to rest.

God’s garden must be beautiful, He always takes the best.

He knew that you were suffering, He knew you were in pain, He knew that you would never Get well on earth again.

He saw the road was getting rough, And the hills were hard to climb,

So he closed your weary eyelids, And whispered “Peace be Thine.” It broke our hearts to lose you. But you didn’t go alone, For part of us went

SCAMS - CONTINUED from PAGE 2

money via courier to another location. Oftentimes the initial contact takes place over the phone and the caller makes attempts to sound professional and urgent.

Here are some tips from the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre to help protect yourself from emergency and grandparent scams:

• Remember that the courts won’t ask for cash to bail someone out of custody, and will require people to be present in court.

• Be suspicious of calls that require immediate action. Hang up! Call your local police and contact the family member directly.

• Never send cash, cryptocurrencies or any other funds to unknown persons, unverified addresses or bank accounts.

• Utilize the Vegreville RCMP’s parking lot safety exchange location when conducting buy/sell transactions to ensure you are meeting sellers in person, in a safe environment before transferring any funds.

The RCMP encourages everyone to report all frauds to police, by phone, in person, or using the RCMP app.

MURPHY, Kenneth George

November 13, 1956 - February 14, 2024

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the death of Kenneth George Murphy of Mundare, Alberta, who passed away peacefully February 14, 2024, at age 67 years.

Kenneth is predeceased by his parents, Edward and Florence Murphy and Ken’s sister Shirley Nelson.

Kenneth is survived by 5 children: Albert Murphy; Ken Murphy, Jr.; Angelina (Clint) Hartwell; Rene (Julie) Murphy; Arlene Murphy; 15 grandchildren; his long-time girlfriend, Anne Mandiuk of Vegreville; Aunt Verna Lena Pezderic (Golden, BC); two sisters: Jeannette (Dewey) Watt and Patricia Murphy; many cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.

A special thank you to Vivian Boomhower of Vegreville AB for all your help during our loss.

Memorial Service to be held at a later date.

TRAUDT, Peter

May 30, 1927 - March 12, 2024

On Tuesday, March 12, 2024, Peter Traudt of Vegreville, Alberta passed peacefully into the arms of Jesus at the age of 96 years.

Peter is survived by 4 children, Karin Schubert (Les), Larry Traudt (Gail), Loretta Traudt, and Rosemarie Martin; daughter-in-law Charlene Traudt; along with numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren. Peter was predeceased by his wife Klara and son, Raymond. A Funeral Service will be held on Friday, March 15, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. at the Emmanuel Evangelical Missionary Church on the correction line (15110 HWY 626) – Vegreville with Pastor Michael Clark officiating. Interment to follow in the Church Cemetery.

To send condolences, please visit

www.autumnrosefuneralhome.com

AUTUMN ROSE FUNERAL HOME LTD. Vegreville, 780-603-5800

accounts.

If someone calls claiming to be a lawyer collecting bail money for a friend or relative, hang up and do not send money to anyone, contact the friend or relative directly, and immediately call the police.

Help protect seniors from fraud by sharing the following tips:

• If you get a call claiming to be a loved one in trouble, or a police officer saying they’ve arrested your loved one, and “need money” - hang up the phone!

• Be suspicious of calls that ask you to immediately act and send money.

If you see a crime in progress, dial 911. If you wish to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-2228477 (TIPS), online at www.P3Tips. com or by using the “P3 Tips” app available through the Apple App or Google Play Store.

Social Media

Have a conversation with your family about grandparent and emergency scams. Remember, never send cash, cryptocurrency or any funds to unknown people, addresses, or bank

• Do not meet up or give anyone your address to collect money from you.

• The Canadian Criminal Justice System doesn’t let you pay bail with cash or cryptocurrency.

• Report it to the Canadian AntiFraud Centre!

Fraud prevention means being suspicious of phone calls, texts, or emails that require “immediate action” to help a relative with an emergency or legal matter by transferring money or funds. Hang up, call the police, and contact your family member directly.

STAFFORD, Alfred (Al)

S/Sgt. Colin Folk Vegreville RCMP

The RCMP is asking motorists and their passengers in Vegreville to wear seatbelts. Proper use of a vehicle’s safety restraint can reduce the likelihood of death or serious injury if a collision occurs.

“The cabin space of a motor vehicle is designed to be your best protection in the event of a collision. Wearing your seatbelt ensures you remain in the cabin of the vehicle in the event of a collision. Even in a low speed collision wearing a seatbelt properly will reduce your risk of an injury”.

Vegreville RCMP wants drivers and passengers to remember the following when it comes to seatbelt safety:

• Seatbelts must be worn by all occupants of a vehicle.

• The lap portion of the seatbelt should be snug across your hips, with the shoulder belt resting across the middle of your chest. Be sure the seatbelt is not twisted, and the latching mechanism moves freely along the belt itself.

• Wear a seatbelt even when you’re on backroads, private property, or only traveling a short distance.

• Motorists are responsible for ensuring both themselves and passengers under the age of 16-years-old are using proper occupant restraints.

• Fines for seatbelt infractions is $162

• It is recommended that seatbelts be worn when riding an off-road vehicle, if the vehicle comes equipped.

For more traffic safety information, follow us on Facebook @RCMPinAlberta and X @ RCMPAlberta.

Contented babies spent their time exploring and having fun during the most recent session of Infant Mess Makers program offered by The Community for Lasting Success (CALS) at the Senior Citizens Sunshine Club of Vegreville.

Erika Trufyn, Family Literacy Coordinator said nine families attend with 10 children and 10 caregivers present.

Trufyn said, “Our Infant Mess Makers program combines parent discussion and child development topics along with a sensory activity. Another important part of our programs is the oral component through songs and connections between parents and children.

Each week we have new topics and discussions and different safe messy play. This week we provided a ‘cake dough’ sensory experience. Babies were able to feel the dough, squeeze, taste, and explore

as well as use some of the extra materials in play as well.

Many people look at messy play as what it is- a mess- but in reality, messy play is crucial for a growing baby or child. It has an important role in brain and early development to provide opportunities for children to actively use and engage their senses. From birth to early childhood, children use their five senses to explore and try to make sense of the world around them.

This program is just as much for moms and dads as it is for infants. Caregivers can connect with others, participate in adult learning, and engage with their little ones. This program combines parent discussion and child development topics along with

a sensory activity.

Another important part of our programs is the oral component through songs and connections between parents and children. Each week we have new topics and discussions and different safe messy play. This week we provided a ‘cake dough’ sensory experience. Babies were able to feel the dough, squeeze, taste, and explore as well as use some of the extra materials in play as well.”

Lyndsay Kuchik, who came with her son Kane, gave her testimony. “I believe all of the CALS programs are amazing and worth being attended, but being that my little guy is still so young, there aren’t too many that he can participate in. So when this program was announced, I was very excited! I highly recommend any parents, especially new parents, to get out and try one of their programs.

Kane seemed to enjoy the program, as much as a 4.5-monthold can. There were no tears, so I take that as a good sign. He has gained a feel for new textures, getting more comfortable in group settings, and most importantly, made some new friends.”

Babies having fun during the program. (Rosanne Fortier/Photo)

A petition with 900 signatures from Lamont County residents was hand delivered to the Minister of Municipal Affairs’ office on Feb. 12.

That information was confirmed by Stephanie Harrold, a Lamont County resident, who was one of a handful of volunteers who began collecting signatures early in the New Year.

Harrold is a member of a citizens’ advocacy group petitioning for a Municipal Inspection and Audit of Lamont County finances. The group is called Voice of Lamont County Community Awareness, a Facebook group that has more than 370 members.

The goal was to collect 850 signatures, with the minimum requirement of 778 signatures. Harrold explained that they wanted to have a buffer in terms of the number of signatures collected. “We were very happy with that number. We did meet and greets and then decided to get our boots on the ground and started driving door to door about two weeks before we had to hand it in.”

Admittedly, Harrold said, “We weren’t sure how that would be received going onto their farms, but people were awesome.” Harrold said they only encountered a handful of people who did not want to sign the petition. “A lot of people were happy to see us. They were thankful we were doing what we’re doing.”

Overall, Harrold said, “It was actually very rewarding going door to door.”

Several volunteers were quite nervous to do that, “but it was very well received going to door to door, so we’re very glad we did it.”

Petitioners also heard concerns that ranged from road conditions and maintenance, flooding issues, why taxes and allocation of tax dollars, as well as infighting amongst councillors and if they were being well represented by elected officials.

Harrold said they have already received a letter from Municipal Affairs (MA) acknowledging receipt of the petition and MA staff who will be validating signatures on the petition. MA has 45 days from Feb. 12 to complete that and send a formal response back to the group. “So, it’s wait and see right now.”

Harrold was asked if they have received any indication on what possible steps or actions Municipal Affairs could take in regards to the petition, and she replied no. “Even the Municipal Affairs website is vague. We’ve seen reports from other towns and counties that have done them.

Sometimes they set parameters councils have to abide by, but they don’t say what their procedure is. There was really no sense of how this will play out…So, it’ll be interesting to see what they decide next.”

According to a media update supplied by Lamont County for the Feb. 27 coun-

cil meeting, “Council received a briefing on a petition submitted to Municipal Affairs related to Municipal Inspection. Questions were raised around the potential costs of an investigation if this were to proceed as all costs are passed back to the municipality. As of Feb. 27, there has been no update or direction by the Minister of Municipal Affairs on any next steps related to this petition.”

The briefing was accepted as information by members of council.

World Day of Prayer

Rosanne Fortier News Correspondent

It was an insightful and peaceful time when St. Mary’s Anglican Church hosted World Day of Prayer at Vegreville United Church on March 1.

Around 50 people attended and a few saw the service via Zoom. The featured country this year was Palestine and the theme was ‘I beg you…bear with one another in love.’

Attendees prayed for Palestinian women and the country in general.

A pamphlet supplied by the World Day of Prayer Committee of Palestine wrote that the geographical area that is home to the State of Palestine as well as modern Israel has witnessed the invasion of various powers throughout history including the Assyrians (8th C BCE), Romans (63 BCE) and Ottomans (16th C to WWI.

Historic Palestine’s geographical area includes Bethlehem, Nazareth, the River Jordan where Jesus was baptized, and eastern Jerusalem.

It is estimated that there are over five million Palestinians living today in Palestine and Israel. The total number of Palestinians around the world amounts to over 12 million in countries as far as the United States, Canada, Brazil, Chile and Honduras.

Palestine has been significant to three

monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam for over 3,000 years.

At the end of the service, Rev. Laureta Blondin announced that the host for next year’s WDP will be Vegreville United Church.

When asked, Rev. Blondin said, “It’s always an honour to be the host church but I think it was particularly poignant and special this year to host the event because the service was written by Palestinian women. I personally appreciated their efforts to highlight the theme of loving our neighbours and promoting peace regardless of how difficult our circumstances are.”

Local Achiever Shayla S. Dube’s Life

News Correspondent

Vegreville resident Shayla S. Dube has lived in Canada for almost 20 years.

To celebrate the first anniversary of her debut book, Ndebele Positive Affirmations in Alphabet: Amazwi EsiNdebele Ayisiqiniseko Shayla did a reading on February 26 at Vegreville Centennial Library.

When Shayla was asked about her background. “I am a Bantu and Nguni person with Southern African roots. Before all the academic and professional accolades, I am a mother first to three beautiful humans whom I co-parent with my partner of 16 years.”

She went on to mention her achievements. “I wear many professional hats as a registered clinical social worker and board-approved clinical social work supervisor with over 13 years of postgraduation experience working with diverse children, youth, and their families, 11 of which were spent serving the

Town of Vegreville with Alberta Health Services. I now run a private practice full-time, where I spend lots of my time developing and facilitating workshops on multiculturalism, equity and inclusion using anti-oppression and intersectionality lenses nationally.”

I am the founder and clinical director of Wellness Empowered Counseling and Consultation Services where I also provide equity and cultural safety consultation services and organizational wellness workshops on various topics that include anti-bullying, respect in the workplace, time management, emotional and cultural intelligence-oriented leadership, antiracism, anti-oppression, stress management, micro-aggressions and decolonizing mental health.”

When asked how she gives a voice and empowers Black people. “I am a subject matter expert speaker on issues of race, racialization, and racism notes and I enjoy facilitating trainings that are tailored to unique organizational needs.”

Local Author Shayla Dube does at her book reading. (Rosanne Fortier/Photo)

Local author Shayla Dube beside the displays for Black History Month at Vegreville Centennial Library. (Rosanne Fortier/Photo)

Ardythe Butler. (Rosanne Fortier/Photo)