NOVEMBER 27, 2019
News Advertiser PAGE 17
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Christmas Light Up Parade F riday, November 29, 2 0 1 9 Parade entry forms are available online at www.vegreville.com. Please submit entries to vegtown@vegreville.com by November 25.
6:00 PM 6:00 PM - 6:30 PM 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Countdown to Light Up Rotary Rendezvous Park Downtown Holiday Parade South down 50th Street Wagon Rides & Family Fun
Pictures with Santa Vegreville Centennial Library Cookie decorating Letter writing to Santa Free hot chocolate & wagon rides
Vegreville Recreation Centre Free Family Skate with Jr B Rangers
TOWN HALL - CONTINUED from PAGE 9 avg 658). For the rural areas including farms, smaller towns, villages and hamlets, the ratio is 1159 people to every officer (K Div avg 541). These stats while unsettling were clarified for the audience. Even though there is a disparity between Vegreville and Rural staffing, it does not mean that if there is a member attending to an issue in Mundare that another member who technically would be a “municipal” resource would not attend to something in Ranfurly. The detachment operates as a team to police the entire area they are responsible for. However, the lack of bodies cannot be discounted and does result in members being stretched thin at times, especially when considering the large coverage areas that all rural police forces must service. The audience was also informed of some of the Initiatives that the Vegreville Detachment is involved in. These
Dear Editor I seldom write letters to the newspaper, but after attending the Lakeland REA Annual General Meeting on November 6, 2019, I feel that perhaps my opinion might matter. Although my husband, Irvin, was Secretary Treasurer of the Lavoy Rural Electrification Association for many years, the meeting on November 6th was, I believe, for first REA meeting I ever attended. I have to say I was shocked and saddened by the lack of respect shown to those who attempted to acquaint the audience with the advantages of keeping the Lakeland REA operating. Many of us were at first unaware of the reason for the insistent motion to bring New Business to the beginning of the meeting rather than in the order according to the Agenda – which we had all received. The reason became clear when probably half the audience got up and left the hall as soon as the motion to conduct a series of Special General Meetings before December
include the habitual offender management program where members proactively check on these offenders with the ultimate goal of preventing them from re-offending, drug projects which resulted in 10 people charged with trafficking so far in 2019 (all were released by the courts), education with school resource officer Cst Lappa servicing Vegreville and Mundare schools and providing information and support with bullying, vaping, drugs etc. and other projects they are working on. There are also community initiatives that the RCMP are supporting including Citizen’s on Patrol, Rural Crime Watch and others. S/Sgt. Hyggen relayed the fact that most areas of crime have remained relatively stable with the exception of break and enters and vehicle thefts. Property crimes have increased and these areas are being addressed most aggressively by the Vegreville Detachment and K Division Initiatives.
31st, 2019, was passed. I found it unconscionably rude that so many people (who obviously had an agenda of their own) would choose to ignore the substance of a General Meeting that had really just begun! I’ve been a volunteer on several local committees over my 57 years in the Vegreville area and NEVER have I seen ANYone walk out on such a meeting. We may not always agree with what is being said at a meeting, but surely common decency demands that we hear both sides of any story. Thank you. Sincerely, Norma Cowan. --Thank you for your letter Norma. I too was at this meeting and must say, I feel your assessment is on the mark. You were also not the only one who felt that this meeting lacked decorum as was expressed by members who offered some sage advice. The LREA membership has an important decision ahead of them and hopefully they go into the special meetings with all of the information needed. - AB
Hyggen also conveyed one item from another town hall he attended where Solicitor General Doug Schwietzer spoke and described the Justice System as “broken”. While not news, this clearly bothered everyone in the room. Following his presentation, Hyggen fielded questions from the audience. Despite the group in attendance being small, they were engaged and passionate. Some wanted to voice an opinion, others ask questions and there were those offering to help. Citizen’s on Patrol was talked about as was the theme of accountability, both on the side of those breaking the law and the Justices of the Peace and Judges (the question was bluntly asked – ‘who is holding Judges accountable?’). One audience member asked about the rights of citizens to protect their property and families and another asked about how to get the message to Alberta Justice that we are not happy with the current state of our justice system.
As the meeting came to a close, Mayor Tim MacPhee shared a few words. Many people stayed for a while longer to talk amongst themselves and to members of law enforcement in attendance.
Grandparents and Me Bonds Generations
Grandmother, Val Miller eats the fruit pizzas with her grandchildren. (Rosanne Fortier/photo)
Rosanne Fortier News Correspondent Grandparents usually have a special relationship with their grandchildren as they have plenty of time to spend with them and can tell stories from generations ago. Vegreville and Area Parent Link Centre (PLC) offered another opportunity for grandparents to do interesting activities with their grandchildren when they presented the Grandparents and Me program on November 23. This program featured a scavenger hunt
around the centre where children had to find cards with pictures of different types of fruits on the card. From there, the children put these types of fruits on their own fruit pizzas. After this, Programmer for PLC, Litania Holyk read the children a story about grandmothers. Grandmother to Connor and McKinley said she enjoys this program because it gives her a chance to spend even more time with her grandkids. This program was followed by Pancakes and Play which all parents and children could attend.
