VOL. 73 NO. 39
73 YEARS OF SERVING THE COMMUNIT Y WEDNESDAY, September 23, 2020 The Only Locally Owned News & Adver tising Media in Vegreville .
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Beaudette Family Honoured for 50 Years of Service EDMONTON • LAMONT • MAYERTHORPE • SMOKY LAKE
Mayor Tim MacPhee presents the 50-year plaque to Dan, Albina and Arthur Beaudette. Also representing the town was Coun. Taneen Rudyk, front row on the far left, who serves as the Chair of the Economic Development and Tourism Board. In the back row from left to right are Vegreville News Advertiser staff Larry Ruptash, Hanlie Badenhorst, Teresa Beaudette, Samantha White, Pat Tremblay and Craig Horon. Missing in the picture are: Thomas Pilkington, David Fedoruk, Rosanne Fortier and Michelle Pinon. (Michelle Pinon/Photo)
Michelle Pinon News Advertiser The Town of Vegreville honoured members of the Beaudette family for their commitment to the community through the ownership and operation of the
Vegreville News Advertiser for the past 50 years. Vegreville Mayor Tim MacPhee made the presentation on behalf of town council, staff and the citizens of Vegreville on September 11.
Vegreville Spray Park Damaged by Vandalism See page 3 for story
Troy Ruptash Excited to Premiere his Movie See page 9 for story
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September 23, 2020
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God’s Calling Brings Pastors to Vegreville Page 8
Excited to be Back! Page 16
RCMP files from September 14 - 20 Arthur Beaudette News Advertiser September 14 08:03 – Members were called to a residential panic alarm where they found a senior female who had fallen and could not get up. The client declined EMS as she did not want the fuss and was in good spirits. Members assisted her and contacted a family member to inform them of what had happened. 09:34 – Report of a stolen quad in Minburn County. The subjects were also in stolen vehicles (2). Members found a tidy tank in a ditch and the ATV was later recovered. The stolen vehicles were both from earlier reports from Fort Saskatchewan and Lamont. Investigation is ongoing. 11:39 – Complaint indicating that a caller told the complainant that her credit card was used in Germany for an Amazon transaction. The complainant provided the caller her information over the phone. Later realizing that this was likely fraud related, the complainant contacted her bank, cancelled the credit card, and contacted the Canadian Anti Fraud Centre. 20:45 – Traffic stop conducted on Hwy 857 near Vegreville. It was determined that the driver had a warrant out of Edmonton. The warrant was executed roadside. The driver was also provided a ticket for failing to produce a driver’s license, registration, and insurance card (VP of $243) as well as a burned out taillight. This same driver was stopped the following day by traffic services near Mundare. He was issued 2 tickets. The first was for speeding @160 kmph with a VP of $495 & failing to produce a driver’s license (VP of $243). Later on the 15th this driver was stopped near Sherwood Park and provided tickets for failing to provide driver’s license (VP of $243), failing to provide registration (VP of $243) as well as speeding (130 kmph) holding a fine of $175. 21:26 – Report of theft of cigarettes from a Vegreville business. CCTV shows the subject with identifying characteristics. A description of the vehicle was provided. Investigation is ongoing. September 15 20:05 – Report of a mail package that was making an odd sound like a “siren”. Members attended and then contacted the sender who indicated it was a faulty CO2 monitor that was being returned because it would not stop making noise. September 16 02:20 – Request from St. Joseph’s
Hospital for assistance with a verbally aggressive patient. Members attended but when they arrived, they found the patient had already gone to sleep. 03:39 – Report of an unwanted, argumentative male who the complainant wanted removed from her residence. Members attended and located the subject of the complaint who was intoxicated. A relative of the subject said that they would take them and the two departed without incident. 04:53- Noise complaint received regarding the residence from the above call. Members attended and observed the loud music. The homeowner answered the door and indicated that she was listening to music and felt she was being harassed by the police. She was issued a $500 bylaw ticket for the music. 08:32 – 911 call regarding a vehicle that had gone off the road and was sinking in the water north of Mundare. Members attended and found that after being towed out of the water by the tow company, the vehicle was able to drive away. 09:21 – Traffic enforcement in the area resulting in 9 speeding tickets and other violations.
September 17
03:05 – Multiple reports of suspicious people riding around on bikes. One was described as a Caucasian male 6’ tall on a blue and white mountain bike, wearing glasses, dark clothing, brown shoes, and a backpack. This male was observed in Vegreville where there were reports of multiple vehicle break-ins the same night. The subject is known to police. 08:28 – Report of a stolen vehicle from a garage in Hilliard. The vehicle was recovered later that day in Sherwood Park where the subject was caught in the stolen vehicle stunting. The 25-yearold male driver from Edmonton and a 24-year-old female passenger from Edmonton have both been arrested and charged. The male has been arrested by the RCMP for similar offences approximately 12 times in the past. He is currently facing 5 criminal charges and 2 provincial charges related to this matter in particular. 17:44 – Members responded to a collision NE of Mundare involving a pickup truck and a grain truck. Upon arrival members determined that both the driver and the passenger had serious injuries and were transported to hospital. The investigation is ongoing and charges are being considered. Impairment and reckless driving are being investigated. 20:31 – Traffic stop conducted. It was determined that the driver was sus-
pended and admitted to having an imitation firearm in the vehicle. The vehicle was searched and a quantity of methamphetamine and ammunition were found. A 48-year-old male from Vegreville has been charged with driving while unauthorized, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, possession of methamphetamine, and three traffic safety offenses. The vehicle was seized. 22:44 – The first of 4 calls about an individual causing a disturbance at a Vegreville lodging establishment. The result was the arrest of a 46-year-old female now residing in Vegreville. The client was transported to hospital for treatment.
September 18
12:45 – Report received about playground equipment on Town of Vegreville property. Under investigation.
September 19
16:08 – Traffic stop conducted on Hwy 16. The 32-year-old male from Saskatchewan and his partner were having a conjugal visit on the side of the highway and had open liquor. The driver and passenger were both charged with transporting liquor in an open container which carries a $120 voluntary penalty.
September 20
01:33 – Report of a suspicious male in a rural area NE of Vegreville walking on foot looking for fuel for his vehicle. Members attended, located the male, and found the vehicle to be stolen out of Bonnyville. The 38-year-old male was arrested for being in possession of a stolen vehicle and failure to comply with conditions and on and is currently in custody. 09:18 – Report of a male banging on a door of a Vegreville business who drove away in a white car. Members located the vehicle, provided a breath demand for which the driver blew a fail. Subsequent breath samples provided confirmed that the driver was impaired. The 25-year-old male from Vegreville was charged and released with documents for court. 08:08 – Traffic enforcement resulting in approximately 26 speeding tickets and several other offences.
During the week there were 143 calls for service made in total including: 1 false alarms, 1 false 911s, 3 animal strikes, 4 wellbeing checks, and approximately 53 tickets from traffic enforcement.
St. Paul RCMP Seize Firearms, Cash and Drugs St. Paul RCMP Submitted Saddle Lake, Alta. – On Sept. 15, 2020, a joint investigation between the St. Paul RCMP and Eastern Alberta District Rural Crime Reduction Unit (EADRCRU) resulted in the execution of a search warrant at a residence in Saddle Lake where a significant quantity of drugs and cash were seized. Assistance was received by the RCMP Emergency Response Team (ERT) and Police Dog Services (PDS) during the execution of the search warrant as a suspect male would not exit the residence and a short standoff ensued until he was eventually arrest-
ed inside. A subsequent search of the residence resulted in the seizure of: ·Approximately 230 grams of methamphetamine, 270 grams of cocaine, 37 grams of fentanyl ·$47,700 in cash ·Three firearms “The execution of this search warrant, seizure of drugs, money, and firearms was a success,” says Sergeant David Graham, St. Paul Detachment Commander. “All precautions were taken for the safety of the community and our officers.” Robert Faron Favel (39) was charged with multiple offences, including:
·Possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking (x3) ·Possession of a weapon contrary to an order (x10) ·Possession of proceeds of crime over $5000 ·Unauthorized possession of a firearm (X3) ·Possession of a weapon obtained by crime ·Careless use of a firearm · Resisting a peace officer He was remanded into custody after a judicial hearing and will be appearing in St. Paul Provincial Court on Sept. 24, 2020.
September 23, 2020
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Vegreville Lion’s Community Spray Park Damaged by Vandalism ground and benches were installed in the park. A tots and adult exercise area with specialized equipment was added in 2016.
Why? Some of the damage to the rubberized surface at the Vegreville Lion’s Spray Park. (Michelle Pinon/Photo)
Michelle Pinon News Advertiser
Why? That was the first question Frances Sawiak asked after learning about the recent vandalism to the Lion’s Community Spray Park in Vegreville. Sawiak, Treasurer of the Vegreville Lions Club, said she received a phone call from Mike van der Torre, Facilities Manager for the Town of Vegreville, Friday morning. Multiple areas of the playground’s rubberized surface had been punctured and ripped out. “We’ve had vandalism before, but nothing as bad as this,” stated Sawiak, who was extremely disheartened by the
senseless and deliberate act. “It has to stop,” added Sawiak, who said the outdoor recreational facility was developed for the entire community to enjoy. She said thousands of hours and more than $2 million was invested by community members, organizations, volunteers, and corporate sponsors to make the park project a success. Sawiak was very upset to think someone had deliberately destroyed some of the park, and she is asking everyone to keep their eyes open for any suspicious activity, and if they have any information at all about the incident to call RCMP. She estimates it could cost up to $60,000 to repair the damage to the rubberized surface, and those damages are not covered by insurance. The Lion’s Community Spray Park opened in the summer of 2010. Two years later the gazebo, themed play������ � �
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September 23, 2020
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Greta will NOT be Pleased Arthur Beaudette News Advertiser - Opinion By the time many of you get to read this, Parliament will be back in session and the latest Throne Speech will have been revealed to Canadians. There is much speculation as to the content, but one thing we can be sure of is that boots will be necessary. Not the low cut hiking kind, but real Alberta cowboy boots that are tall enough to keep the manure out. This Throne Speech may need to be pure genius to satisfy the average voter (for future election requirements) as well as enough of the opposition to keep them from bringing down the government. Voters will be promised additional billions in the form of various programs, green initiatives & aid. They only need to blindly believe in the brilliance of the Liberal plan. After all, rank and file Canadians simply don’t have the
Name: Ashley Rietveld Occupation: Stay-at-Home Mother Likes: my children, farming, spending time on the farm Dislikes: moths, winter.
intellect to understand the grand plan that will bring a better world. They also need to completely ignore things like... well... history. Look back to the 2015 election when we were told that it would be the last “first-past-the-post” election should Trudeau be elected. Unfortunately, since the reason for his win was that exact system, election reform fell by the wayside. After being elected in 2015 the Throne Speech was clear that a Trudeau government would “not resort to devices like prorogation…to avoid scrutiny.” Inconveniently, the WE scandal happened, and guess what? Prorogation was used... to avoid scrutiny. Funny how that works. The current buzz phrase is “Build Back Better”. During many speaking engagements over the last month, anyone within a stone’s throw of the Liberal Party offices made it clear that they were on a new trajectory to make a better Canada. They were going to “Build Back Better.” Personally, I wonder what has been going on since 2015 that we are now going to consider building back better. Was the goal for the past 5 years to “cripple, crush, and con?” Now that stage 1 has been achieved we must move on to the next stage and build things back. Cynical? Definitely. Curious? Probably. One has to wonder how short the memory of voters is when the next election does come our way. The last thing I wonder about is something from only 1 year ago. Before COVID and all the chaos that ensued. Something that Greta might also be wondering. Where are all the trees? In September of 2019, Justin Trudeau promised activist Greta Thunberg that Canada would plant two billion trees. His tweet... “We’ll plant 2 billion trees over the next ten years. That’s it. That’s the tweet. 9:58 AM · Sep 27, 2019.” Simple math works out to about 547,945 trees per day. Let’s call it an even 550,000 daily since there are holidays and sick days. So far, we are on track for... wait for it. ZERO. Not a single extra tree has been planted in the last year. When the question was posed to Natural Resources Minister Seamus O’Regan’s office by CTV News, the answer given was of course... COVID-19. Because we wouldn’t want any of those trees catching COVID or putting resources into work that can be done in the great outdoors where it’s easy to keep two meters apart. That’s just silly talk. The Liberal plan to have vast numbers of federal employees sit at home and get paid is much more effective and voter-friendly. I have officially planted more trees since Trudeau’s promise than our government. I did so without the $1.5 billion average budget that Natural Resources Canada has. So we are left waiting and wondering what the Throne Speech will bring in addition to copious amounts of manure. Will we need low cut hikers or sturdy cowboy boots? In any case, I doubt Greta would approve and you may not either. Tell me what you think. Email me at abletters@newsadvertiser.com
September 23, 2020
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Vegreville Fire Department Breaks Ground on Training Facility Town of Vegreville Submitted On September 15, 2020, the Vegreville Fire Department broke ground on the Vegreville Emergency Training Facility. The new training facilit y w ill a llow t he Fire Department to keep pace with rapid changes to training, which will pro-
vide a higher level of engagement to members. The Fire Department has fundraised for nearly three years to complete this project. The new training facility will be located behind the Town’s Emergenc y Services building and will be completed in the spring of 2021. The Town’s Fire Chief, Chris
Jardine said, “There has been a lot of work to get to this point. The groundbreaking is the first big step in the process since we started planning the project, and members are getting very excited about it. The support from the community and Town Council has been extraordinary, we are so grateful.
Having the training facility in such close proximity to the Fire Station will make training so much more f lexible for our crew, which is really important as our members all come from their day jobs to train. The new facility will improve our skills and ability to keep Vegreville, and its residents safe.”
Pictured from left to right in the back row are: Lieutenant Brayden Ferguson, Deputy Chief Mark Lucas, Lieutenant, and Johnny Dyck. In the front row are: Community Services Director Phil Rowe and Town Councillor Taneen RudyK.
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September 23, 2020
from the pages of the vegreville observer
Compiled by Dan Beaudette
90 Years Ago – September 24, 1930
Two fires featured the week-end and at both of them the brigade did as good work as was possible. The first fire was in the residence of N.W. Karpick. The fire consumed the interior of the house almost completely, but the outside structure was saved. The watchful eye of Const. Bob Henley saved Vegreville from what might have been a disastrous fire. This fire was in the unoccupied shack at the rear of the Prince Edward Hotel, and is owned by the proprietor of the hotel, Louis Milner. The fire started mysteriously and an investigation is now going on. Three cheers! The Ryley Main Street is receiving a good going over. Chas. Young has been grading it and it promises to be in better shape in a short time. Peter Lemiski has accepted a position in Third Bros. drug store. Peter is taking up pharmacy and after two years’ apprenticeship will return to the University to complete his course. Mr. Zukiwsky, near Willingdon, had his beautiful six-room house burned to the ground on Saturday evening. The fire was caused by a gasoline lamp having exploded.
75 Years Ago – September 26, 1945
Mr. and Mrs. Wasyl Ewaschuk have been notified that their son, Flight Lieut. Mike Ewaschuk, reported missing on February 4th, is now definitely known to have been killed in action, his body having been found and identified. H. Vernon of the Calgary Brewing Co. was in town last week end arranging for the transfer of the Management of the Alberta Hotel from Jack Moss, who has gone to Grande Prairie, to W. Hamilton late of Brooks, Alberta. Mr. Hamilton comes to Vegreville, well recommended as a hotel manager and no doubt will keep the Alberta Hotel up to its usual excellent standard. C.H. Langpap arrived home last week, having been discharged from the services. Elwood Langpap is on his way to Montreal to be discharged as well. Flight Lieut. Walter Barry is spending a day or so in town this week pending going to Calgary for discharge. Mr. Barry was instructor in Shop Work at the schools here and Mundare, and arrangements are under way for him to resume this work. Germans had 10,000 tons of bombs and shells filled with a new lethal gas, one drop of which would kill a man within 20 minutes. The London Daily Express adds that the gas was to have been Germany’s final V-weapon.
50 Years Ago – September 24, 1970
Two long time members of the town council, and the coordinator of the Emergency Measures Organization, were signally honoured at a ladies’ night sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. John Kushuta, former mayor, and Fred Muzyka who spent nearly twenty years as councillor were both presented plaques for their outstanding service to the community. Town Council discussed the matter of parallel parking with a number of citizens at a recent meeting following the implementation of the parking system on the entire length of Main Street some time ago. The delegation requested council to revert to angle parking and to develop vacant lots into parking areas in the downtown section. Council was sympathetic in the hearings but in the final analyses decided to retain parallel parking. R.E. Robert, president of the Vegreville Chamber of Commerce welcomed Dick Hislop to the business community of Vegreville. Mr. Hislop has assumed the managerial chair of Western Hardware Ltd. in Vegreville which he recently purchased.
25 Years Ago – September 26, 1995
Vegreville RCMP suspect a pair of simultaneous vehicle fires were deliberately set. Between 3:30 and 3:45 am, two vehicles parked within a block of each other burst into flames. A burning 1992 Lumina and a burning 1979 GMC pickup were spotted by a passing train and reported. Vegreville’s first female mayor will pass the gavel to a new mayor next month. Kay McKenzie, who’s been mayor since 1989, is retiring from civic politics. Four hospitals in the Lakeland region will see upgrading in the coming year, to the tune of $135,000. Two Hills Health Care Centre will undergo a chiller conversion and CFC containment, a project costing $60,000. Previously, Two Hills had been approved for minor repairs in the laundry. St. Joseph’s will see patient hand rails and protective coverings on the second and third floors, a project costing $40,000. Enrollment at St. Mary’s High School, as of the board meeting, is 149. Plans are proceeding with Alberta Education to request additional classroom and student gathering areas. Staff from the Bank of Montreal held a fall barbeque Friday, September 22 with the proceeds, $219,77 going toward the Jaws of Life fund. There were 196 hamburgers consumed.
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.
Alberta Needs to Take Tax Hikes Off the Table Franco Terrazzano Troy Media Contributor Here’s one thing Premier Jason Kenney and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau can agree on: hiking taxes would be a bad idea. “I cannot imagine a dumber thing to do in the midst of a time of economic fragility, an oil price collapse, and a global recession than to add a multi-billion dollar tax on the Alberta economy and Alberta families,” Kenney said when asked about a sales tax. Similarly, Trudeau acknowledged that “the last thing Canadians need is to see a rise in taxes right now” and that the feds “are not going to be saddling Canadians with extra costs.” Both politicians are right. More than 160,000 Albertans have lost their job since February. Thousands of small and medium-sized Alberta businesses are at risk of closing down for good. After five years of an economic downturn, Albertans don’t have any room in their budgets to write a bigger cheque to keep feeding our overweight taxman. But Alberta Finance Minister Travis Toews doesn’t seem to have got the memo. “I do believe it will be important Albertans have a discussion on the revenue side as well,” Toews told Calgary Sun Columnist Rick Bell. “From time to time, it’s healthy [to look at] the tax structure.” Toews went on to claim that some Albertans believe the health tax had “some value in recognition of the cost of health care and providing that connection.” Translation: Toews is flirting with higher taxes. Toews tried to reassure taxpayers that all this tax talk won’t occur until the Alberta government is “delivering the most cost-efficient government.” For context, the Alberta government would have to cut $15 billion from its budget just to be on par with Ontario or British Columbia. Maybe Toews means he will cut $15 billion in government
spending and if there’s still a massive deficit then he will talk taxes with Albertans? But here’s what taxpayers need to watch out for: marginal cuts that allow other provinces’ spending to increase to our levels. In this case, Toews could claim that our spending is in line with costs in other provinces even though Alberta taxpayers are still paying for a bloated provincial government. Given that Toews has yet to rein in costs, you can’t fault Alberta taxpayers for worrying that he may put the tax cart before the cutting horse. Even before COVID-19 hit, Toews projected a bigger deficit and was expecting to spend $2 billion more than the New Democrats did in their 2018 budget. Toews overspent the NDP budget Kenney once called a “fiscal train wreck of a budget.” It’s not just a provincial sales tax that Albertans need to be worried about. With Kenney promising taxpayers that as long as he is premier, “Albertans will have the final say through a fair referendum vote on whether a hypothetical sales tax should be introduced,” it’s unlikely the United Conservatives will go the PST route. Instead, taxpayers should be on guard for a variety of smaller or less transparent tax hikes, similar to Toews’ bracket creep tax grab introduced only a month after Kenney promised “a credible path to bring our finances back to balance without raising taxes.” By de-indexing the income tax system with inflation, taxpayers will be paying higher income taxes as we get pushed into higher brackets because of inflation, and as inflation eats away at the value of the tax-free portion of our incomes. Albertans are worried about providing for their families and businesses are worried about whether they’ll recover. Albertans don’t need to worry about the government reaching deeper into our pockets. Toews should immediately put Albertans’ minds to rest and renounce future tax hikes. Franco Terrazzano is the Alberta Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
September 23, 2020
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Harvesting Complete on Community Grain Project Michelle Pinon News Advertiser
Harvesting of the first crop of canola for the Vegreville Lions Club Community Grain Project took place on Sept. 17. Frances Sawiak, President of the Vegreville Lions Club, said volunteers combined 72 acres of the crop which was
grown on the corner of Highway 16 and Secondary Highway 857 near Vegreville. Sawiak said the project wouldn’t have been possible without the generous support of local businesses and their employees who donated their time, equipment, and expertise so the community as a whole would reap its benefits.
Volunteers combine canola for the Community Grain Project on Sept. 17. (Vegreville Lions Club/Submitted Photo)
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God’s Calling Brings Pastors to Vegreville Michelle Pinon News Advertiser Calvin and Hannah Somerville are the new Campus Pastors of North Pointe Community Church in Vegreville. The married couple said the campus church in Vegreville will be an extension of the one in Edmonton. Even though they never planned on coming to Vegreville, they began to feel a strong calling after their Pastor Michael Voll talked about plans for the campus church during a Sunday gathering in late June. They say the calling has brought new focus to their lives. “Every time we drive into Vegreville there’s something exciting about it,” said Calvin. They both agree this is an amazing opportunity and describe the people they’ve met so far as the “kindest and friendliest” people. “There’s no better place than to be in the will of God. I feel at peace even though there’s so much going on,” said Hannah. The couple is in the process of selling their home in Edmonton, and Calvin said he can’t wait for the day to become a “Vegrevillian” and change the address on his driver’s license. They both agree Vegreville has captured their hearts, attention, vision, and dreams. They are looking forward to establishing the church and are so grateful for the support of
Hannah and Calvin Somerville are the new Campus Pastors of the North Pointe Community Church in Vegreville. They are standing in one of the rooms upstairs that’s being constructed. (Michelle Pinon/Photos)
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North Pointe Church in Edmonton as well as the existing members of the Maple Street Worship Centre, several of whom are pitching in their time and talents into the renovation. “We are so thankful to the people who pioneered this church, stayed the course, and kept its doors open.” They wanted to recognize Ed and Cheryl Koloszko for providing leadership to the church for many years. They say North Pointe Vegreville is a “come as you are” church and no matter what stage of life a person is at or whether they are a believer or nonbeliever. they want everyone to know they all are welcome. “No judgement,”
stresses Hannah, who wants everyone to feel safe and welcomed and to feel like they belong. The focus is to create a place that offers real hope, new life, and lasting purpose for residents of Vegreville and area. Hannah will be heading up the kids’ ministry once the church is up and running this fall. The plan is to hold their first Sunday gathering on October 11. Hannah said they are going to start the kids’ ministry for Grades 1-6. She says it will be a place where kids can learn about God in a fun-filled way. Eventually, they would like to operate a pre-school program in the church. The Somerville’s accepted the position on July 9 and have been actively involved in the renovation project ever since. Renovations will include changes to the foyer, stairs, and bannister, flooring, a fresh coat of paint in all the rooms, new bathrooms as well as installation of new lighting and sound system in the auditorium. The stage in the auditorium has also been extended with the idea of hosting concerts and plays in addition to regular Sunday gatherings and a variety of special programs for everyone in the community to participate in.
September 23, 2020
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Vegreville Filmmaker Troy Ruptash Excited to Premiere his Movie Michelle Pinon News Advertiser Vegreville Filmmaker Troy Ruptash’s movie ‘They Who Surround Us’ will be premiering at the Edmonton International Film Festival on October 9. Ruptash, who wrote, directed, produced, and starred in the full-length feature movie can hardly wait to return home, and for his family and friends to watch his movie at the Landmark Theatre in Edmonton Oct. 9 and 10. “I’m excited that it’s going to be premiering in Edmonton. And then we’ll have a screening in Vegreville so everyone who worked on the film and was so involved in supporting the film in Vegreville will all be able to see it together,” said Ruptash while on location in Vancouver on Sept.11.
in terms of being able to screen it in Edmonton and premiere in Edmonton so that everyone from the community could come and see it.” Ruptash said he had to keep the news secret for two-and-a half weeks, but did admit, “I did actually tell my parents. Getting them to keep the secret was the challenging part. Mom, she’d call up and ask, can I tell people now? Can I call people now? Not yet. Not yet. It was very sweet though because my mom and dad are so excited. I can’t wait for them to be in the audience because they are both in the movie. It’s going to be a lot fun.” The idea for the movie came from his desire to research his parents’ families who immigrated from Ukraine. “I wanted to tell a story that focused on people that came
businesses that helped support the project. “It really was a community effort. I feel like it was exactly what this competition is supposed to be all about in terms of creating community and bringing people together through the arts. What’s better than my own excitement even is to see the excitement of others and the community. I know so many people who had never been on a film set before and they got to see what it was like to be an extra in a movie and see what the process is like. And now they will be able to go to the theatre
Members of the Plain Lake Ukrainian Catholic Church congregation during the filming of the movie. (They Who Surround Us Productions/ Submitted Photo)
There will be two screenings of the movie on Oct. 9, one at 6:30 pm, and another at 7:30 pm. Ruptash said the 6:30 pm screening can also be viewed across Canada through Super Channel Fuse. In between each screening there will be a question and answer session with Ruptash with a few members of the cast and crew in the theatre. The Q & A’ after the 6:30 pm screening will also be broadcast on Facebook live. Ruptash said participating in a question and answer session is a great opportunity. “It’s great because normally you don’t get to interact with your audience much. But when you do this you get immediate feedback. It’s good for the actors and the filmmaker as well as audience because they can give their immediate response, and if they have questions they can go straight to the source.” As to how Ruptash heard about his film being officially selected into the film festival he said he was in Vancouver at the end of July to finish the film in person. “I got a text from my producer and she told me I could not tell anyone, but that we were definitely confirmed as being accepted into the Edmonton Film Festival. I was a little numb at first because it was such a dream come true
to Alberta from another country. That was really the inspiration. I changed some stuff because I wanted to make it universal, but that was the inspiration. Really, my great uncle actually was sort of the core of it, but the whole family and all the things they went through to get to Alberta.” Momentum for the movie began shortly after becoming a finalist in the Hometown Heroes contest that is sponsored by two producers in Hollywood. “I finished writing the screen play and within a year I had the movie financed and ready to go the following summer. We shot it in 2019 and now we’re getting it ready to premiere in 2020. It’s pretty remarkable actually. Many residents were extras in the movie and there were many
and see it. That’s such a big part of this. That’s what’s been so gratifying, the excitement of the community.” Ruptash doesn’t consider himself a hometown hero, even though that was the intent of the competition. “I feel all the people that I interviewed and met, those people are the hometown heroes. They are the people who really should be recognized…I think the people of Vegreville are the real hometown heroes.”
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Beach Party Held at Father Filas Manor
Residents of Father Filas Manor were treated to Beach Day Sept. 8. (Michelle Svitich/Submitted Photos)
Michelle Svitich Recreation Convenor Residents of Father Filas Manor in Mundare were treated to a beach party. “We had a barbecue lunch complete with dealcoholized beer, tomato juice and punch,” said
Recreation Co-ordinator Michelle Svitich. “Residents had fun learning the ‘Macarena’ and playing beach games such as beach ball bop , pass the beach ring, and throw the beanbag in the beach pail.” There was plenty of punch to keep everyone cool with all the activities, added Svitich.
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Turning up Good Eating Rosanne Fortier News Correspondent Ana and Connor Nyeste are very interested in gardening. Besides helping their parents with their garden, they always helped their neighbour, Donna Deal with her garden. So, on September 14, they reaped the results as Donna let them take home a gigantic turnip and huge carrots from her garden. Donna said she credited the vegetables for growing so well because of all the sunshine and rain this year.
Ana and Connor said they thought these vegetables grew so well because Donna started to plant her garden in mid-April. When I asked the children what they were going to do with the turnip and carrots, Ana said they were going to make some turnip fries with the huge turnip and Connor said they were going to eat the carrots.
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Salute to Front Line Workers
Ana and Connor Nyeste hold up the huge turnip and carrots from Donna Deal’s garden. (Rosanne Fortier/photo)
Rhonda Ewasiw, Manager of Homestead Senior Citizens Lodge. (Rosanne Fortier/Photo)
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Citizens Share Their Opinions on Privatization of Health Care Rosanne Fortier News Correspondent An article by Janet French on CBC News stated Private Member’s Bill 204, the Voluntary Blood Donations Repeal Act, if approved by MLAs as currently written would allow private companies to give money to blood plasma donors in Alberta. Another article in Global News stated
the United Conservative Party government said to meet its goal to reduce surgical wait times; it will speed up the process to get a private surgical clinic approved in Alberta. When I asked some of the citizens of Vegreville what they thought of privatization of health care in the areas of paying blood plasma donors or having private surgical clinics available in Alberta to reduce surgical wait times, I received different responses. Gordon Miller said he didn’t really have an answer for paying blood plasma donors because he is not aware of that. “But when I think about it, I am not in favour of paying blood plasma donors, but I am 87 years old and I am not aware of all the current situations. But in principle, I do not believe in that.” However, Miller went on to say he was totally in favor of having private surgical clinics to speed up surgical wait times. “Alberta has a very good professional health care service between the professional people, medical people, and the government elected people and the people who work in the many health care departments. I am sure they can work something out. But when we have such a demand for services, if people have money and they can afford to pay, they should
be able to go and pay and get the surgery done. In my view, this will speed up the service for everyone because it will take so many people out of the system because there are people with money who can afford to pay for those services. Having money is not a bad thing; they earned that money. If they have been able to be successful and had some opportunities to earn money, that is good. But I am still absolutely in favor of public health care service but to complement public service, to have some fees for services is fine,” Gordon Miller said. Harry Babchuk said he thinks privatization of health care in any way is completely wrong. “I think society needs to have public health care and it shouldn’t matter how much money you have to determine the quality of health care you get. It is the responsibility of society as a whole to make sure that whoever gets sick or injured has access to health care. This is not an issue that someone should get rich on. If you want to see some information on how good private health care is, look up the stats on where the United States is compared to those countries that have universal health care. As for paying people to donate blood plasma, I feel we have not been paid to donate our blood before. I donated blood; I did not expect to get paid for it because you never know when you will need blood, and if you get paid for blood plasma that means whoever is paying you for the blood plasma, they will then sell it to those people who need blood plasma and that is just not right.” To date, surgeries performed in private clinics will be public funded.
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Two Hills Health Centre Receives Funding from Lions Club
Two Hills Health Centre Site Manager Tammy Tarkowski receiving a cheque for $10,000 from Adrian Coutu, a representative from the Two Hills Lions Club. (Two Hills Health Centre/Submitted Photo)
Two Hills Health Centre Submitted Two Hills Health Centre Tammy Tarkowski (Site Manager) receiving a cheque for $10,000 from Adrian Coutu, a representative from the Two Hills Lions Club, on Sept. 17. This monetary donation will be directed towards the purchase of equipment
and furniture for the health centre. In addition, Two Hills Lions Club graciously donated an extra $500 to the Two Hills Health Centre Rural Health Professions Action Plan (RhPAP). The RhPAP provides a range of information and resources directed to the attraction and retention of health-care providers to rural Alberta communities.
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Students Encouraged to Design their own Face Masks Michelle Pinon News Advertiser Face masks don’t have to be purely functional they can be beautiful. With that in mind, Vegreville entrepreneur James McCrimmon decided to have a design contest to give schoolaged students a chance to design their own face masks. “I wanted to give every kid a chance to win,” said McCrimmon. He divided the students into four groups, (K-Gr. 3, Gr. 4-6, Gr. 7-9, and Gr. 10-12). The three finalists in each group will have a mask made of their own design. There will also be 10 random draws from all of the entries. Each of the 10 winners will also have a mask made of their own design. The idea of the face mask design contest came as a result of a Calgary radio station asking him to donate some of his tub masks that he’s been selling since the spring. “I just thought it was an awesome idea, and thought we should do one.” The contest officially got underway on Sept. 14 and will run until Sept. 30. McCrimmon has sold approximately 12,000 of his reusable masks since April 3. “For every mask I make it saves 200 disposable masks.” McCrimmon said his face masks are very comfortable and extremely dura-
ble. The exterior of the mask is made from a polyester loop fabric and the inner layer is made from Military Grade Breathable Neoprene which is designed to wick away moisture. With adjustable straps and ear loops, the tub masks are completely adjustable and durable as they can be washed many, many times. He was glad to announce that he has been accepted as a national vendor with PharmaChoice, and his masks are now available at the PharmaChoice Vegreville Drug Mart, PharmaChoice Viking Pharmacy, Royal Care Compounding Pharmacy Mundare, and PharmaChoice Lamont County Pharmacy.
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September 23, 2020
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MR. CLASSIFIED
APARTMENTS Adult Only Buildings at 5310-46 St and 4917 – 61 Ave in Vegreville. Bachelor, 1 & 2-bedroom suite. Rent start from $645 to $825, DD Same. Rent incl. Water, heat and Energized pkg stall. Call 780-9186328 or 780-632-6878. Cute upstairs loft suite in house for rent in central Vegreville. Approx. 650 sq. ft. $725/mo. Utilities included except internet/cable. Suitable for one mature tenant. NS NP 780699-3143
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 780922-5999 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
COMMERCIAL GREAT LOCATION, READY TO GO! Health forces sale of Northeast Oregon 2-acre commercial property on corner lot. 40+ years RV sales & service business. Property includes 3-bay shop, sales office with 4 offices, retail parts store, 28x66 home in fenced-off area on lot. Super opportunity! $750,000. Ask for Tim, call 1-800-338-6562 (business), or 541-231-3839 (cell). Milton-Freewater, OR
COMPUTERS 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.
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 888-6861704
FEED Wanted. Oats, Peas, Wheat, Barley, Canola: Dry, Wet, or Heated. AlbertaFeedGrain.com 1-888-4838789 Mixed Hay for Sale. No Rain & Some With Rain 780-603-4812
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HOMES FOR RENT Advertise your rental property here for as little as $7.95 per week! 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 3 Bdrm Mobile Home, N/P PH: 780208-9608 New 3 bdrm duplex Vegreville. $685/mo. Call 780-275-0089. New developments. Cute little house for rent in Willingdon, Alberta. $675/mo. + utilities. 2 bedroom 1 bathroom. Approx. 750 sq. ft. Large yard with shop/single garage. 85km to Fort Saskatchewan. 35km to Vegreville. 780-699-3143
Call toll free from anywhere in Alberta
1.800.522.4127 or fax to 780.632.7981
LOTS SANDY LAKE TWO HILLS COUNTY. LAKEFRONT 75’x250’ LARGE DOUBLE GARAGE 24’x24’ METAL ROOF. LARGE STORAGE SHED 14’x12’ WITH DECK, KITCHEN, FRIDGE, MICROWAVE. EXTRA 2 SHEDS. 34’ MOTORHOME SOUTHWIND’89. LARGE COVERED DECK WITH METAL ROOF. PATIO FURNITURE & BBQ. BRICK OUTDOOR BAKING OVEN (PEECH). FIREWOOD. 2 FIRE PITS. POWER WITH YARD LIGHTS. OUTDOOR BATHROOM. GRAVEL DRIVEWAY. FENCED & GATED. COMES WITH DRIVING LAWNMOWER TRACTOR, TOOLS & KITCHEN SUPPLIES. LOTS OF ROOM TO RIDE QUADS, PLAY VOLLEYBALL & STRESS RELIEF. VERY WELL KEPT. GOOD NEIGHBOURS. PICTURES CAN BE SEEN ON KIJIJI. $75,500 EXCEPT LATE MODEL CAMPERIZED VAN ON TRADE. CALL 780-446-4190
MACHINERY For Sale: 750 Massey combine. Shedded. Low hours. Field ready. $5,000 OBO 780-658-2253 For Sale: Two 542 cockshutt combines. One new grain scoop and square bale 10 bale stooker. Brand new grain sweeper never used in a package. 780-632-1602
MISC. Reach millions of homes nationwide with one easy, affordable buy in the NANI Network! For more information go to www.afcp.org/nani
Custom Bin Moving 14’–19’ Hoppers/Bins. New and used bins for sale. Wayne (cell) 780-632-0455
LAWN AND GARDEN
New authors wanted! Page Publishing will help self-publish your book. free author submission
5 Steel Bins, Wooden Bottom, 2 2300 bu. $4,000 ea. 3 - 2000 bu. $3,000 ea. To Be Moved. 780-9963716
10x Your Vegetable Garden!! Mushroom Compost for sale. $35/ Log. 5+ $30/Log. 10+$20/Log. Contact: 780-264-2277
!!OLD GUITARS WANTED!! GIBSON, FENDER, MARTIN, Etc. 1930’s to 1980’s. TOP DOLLAR PAID. CALL TOLL FREE 1-866-433-8277
kit! Limited offer! 866-951-7214
PERSONAL Retired single Ukrainian gentleman (73) looking for a non-smoking female companion 65 and up. Enjoys outdoors, coffee, and cultural events. Have own vehicle and enjoys road trips. Box 1060 Redwater, AB T0A 2W0
TO GIVE AWAY To good home. Farm kittens. Litter box trained 780-632-2622
V
TRUCKS
1993 Chev 4x4 Ext Cab. For parts. $650. 780-922-5999 2006 Ford 4x4 Crew Cab. New tires. $4600. 780-994-3005 2000 Dodge Dakota V8, 4x4, farm truck. $1600. 780-922-5999
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. 780-922-5999 2004 Chev 4 x 4, new t/case, canopy, $3200. PH: 780-994-3005 2002 F250 Crew cab, 7.3 diesel. Loaded. 410,000kms. $6500 PH: 780-994-3005
WANTED Wants to purchase minerals and other oil and gas interests. Send details to P.O. Box 13557 Denver, Co. 80201 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
September 23, 2020
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Hole-in-One for Vegreville Golf Enthusiast Michelle Pinon News Advertiser September 7, 2020. It was a very special day for golf enthusiast Steve Kereliuk who shot a hole-in-one at the Vegreville Kinsmen Golf Course. The 89-year-old golf aficionado’s stroke of luck came on the 6th hole on Labour Day Monday. “It was quite calm. Well, actually it was very, very cold because I was dressed quite heavy. I had to have two jackets on. But like I said, you know, even a blind chicken will find a kernel of grain sometimes. So, I was pretty lucky. It felt good anyway. It was the first time my son had ever seen anyone hit a hole-in-one and it happened to be me. We had the golf course to ourselves. It was cold. No wind. No one wanted to get out there.” His daughter Crystal was also playing with the duo and got to share the special moment. He joked while saying, “I can’t lie to you, it was a fluke. It was on hole number 6, and I have a 5 hybrid that I use, and I managed to hit it right off the tee and it went into the cup. It took one bounce and was rolling pretty fast, and it hit the flag dead on. So that’s pretty good.” The distance from the tee to the cup was approximately 125 yards. “Not really far. I can’t hit the ball very far anymore. That’s why I said it was a f luke.” He watched the ball go all the way down the fairway. “I couldn’t believe it. There it was. The ball was sitting in there. We walked up to it, and sure enough, it was in the hole. According to the records here, I don’t think there’s anyone my age who’s gotten a hole in one. I’m 89-years-old. I’m going to be 90 on the 15th of October. Three years ago, July 14, I got my first hole in one on number 9. You know you wouldn’t believe it. My favorite hole is number nine…The thing is, once you hit your ball off the tee or whatever, you never know what’s going to happen…I can’t say I knew exactly what I was doing.” Despite the rainy weather this season, Steve has been able to golf 50 (ninehole rounds) this year. “That’s pretty good, even for this year.” He is hoping
Vegreville would host it. It didn’t matter what the weather was like, Thursday you went out there. If the weather was bad you dressed up for it and you played. It was so much fun. “ Eighty-nine-year-old Steve Kereliuk standing by the cup after shooting his hole-in-one on Sept. 7. (Randy Kereliuk/Submitted Photo)
Tofield Golf Course & drivinG ranGe Nine Challenging holes! Single membership: $480 Couple membership: $740
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Located on the south-side of Hwy 14 at Tofield Book tee time online or call 780-662-3457 to get a few more rounds in with his usual golfing partner, his son Randy, before the season ends. Steve said he played golf a couple of times before moving to Vegreville in 1960. He began playing golf fairly regular in the late sixties and said he would carve out some time to play when he could take a break from his drive-in restaurant business. He was also fortunate to share many special memories golfing with his late wife Virginia whom he was married to for 65 years. The couple joined the Antique Road Show, a senior citizens group, whose members would travel and play at different golf courses in the east-central region of the province. “Every Thursday we would go. We looked forward to it. You golfed with someone different every time you went out. It was nice. About twice a year
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Tributes MEMORIAM
DAVIS, Bud In loving memory of a dear father and grandfather who passed away September 26, 2016. Remember him with a smile today He was not one for tears Reflect instead on memories Of all the happy years. Recall to mind the way he spoke And all the things he said His strength, his stance, the way he walked Remember these instead The good advice he’d give us His eyes that shone with laughter So much of him will never die But live on ever after As we loved you, so we miss you In our memory you are near Loved, remembered, longed for always Bringing many a silent tear. Always in our hearts Bernie, Lorraine & Vincent
DERDAK, John Jan 6, 1920 – Sept 24, 1970 50 long years have come and gone, As our treasured memories keep living on. Always loved and remembered, Alice & Family
GULEVICH, Chad April 23, 1990 - September 22, 2016 We little knew that day, God was going to call your name. In life we loved you dearly, In death, we do the same. It broke our hearts to lose you. You did not go alone. For part of us went with you, The day God called you home. You left us beautiful memories, Your love is still our guide. And although we cannot see you, You are always at our side. Our family chain is broken, And nothing seems the same, But as God calls us one by one, The chain will link again. Love you forever and always, Mom, Dad and Lee
DELAWSKI, Joseph “Mackie” January 17, 1929 - September 24, 2013 Gone is the face we loved so dear, Silent is the voice we loved to hear, Too far away for sight or speech, But not too far for thought to reach, Sweet to remember him who once was here, And who, though absent, is just as dear. Morris, Michelle & Family
OBITUARY
BEVERIDGE, David Roy July 30, 1953 – Sept 17, 2020 After an extended illness it is with great sadness that the family announces his passing. He leaves behind, his wife of 25 years – Diane. Loving father of Melanie (Darcy), Lindsay (Richard), Natasha (Jason). Brothers: Robert (Pat), Wayne, Jim (Rose). Sister: Hazel (Dan). Grandchildren: Cade, Morgan, Teague, Roman, Kai, Olivia, Alexzandr & Jaxson. Numerous nieces and nephews. A large in-law family. He was predeceased by his parents, Robert and Mary Beveridge, Sister: Shiela and husband Ed, Sister in law, Pat. His friend and brother in law - Peter. As a heavy-duty mechanic he had a knack for electrical wiring and taught many people the finer points of that skill. A quick smile that showed the twinkle in his eyes. Always up for an adventure including hunting in his early years. Unforgettable and loved always. Godspeed! A Private Family Service was held on September 19th, 2020 at the Pickardville Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, a donation to a foundation or charity of your choice. Expressions of sympathy may be forwarded to the family by visiting westlockfuneralhome.com. Westlock Funeral Home and Cremation Ltd. 780-349-3474
OBITUARY
OBITUARY
POLISCHUK, Peter March 11, 1927 – September 18, 2020 On Friday, September 18, 2020, Peter Polischuk of Mundare, Alberta passed away at the age of 93 years. Peter is survived by his loving family, son Peter (Cindy) along with their sons Jordan (Mikayla) and Jaden (Kaitlyn); special companion and friend Patricia Tompkins. Peter was predeceased by his wife, Anne; parents Nicholas and Parascavia Polischuk; siblings Anne (John) Zyla, Mary (Harry) Slepanki, Lloyd (Jeanette), Paul (Rose) and Olga Polischuk. The family would like to thank all the staff at the Lamont Health Care Center for their outstanding care and compassion. It is greatly appreciated. At Peter’s request, cremation has taken place. A private graveside service will be held at the Sts. Peter & Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church Cemetery – Mundare. Memorial donations may be made to the “Mary Immaculate Hospital (Mundare) Foundation.” To send condolences, please visit www.autumnrosefuneralhome.com AUTUMN ROSE FUNERAL HOME LTD. VEGREVILLE,780-603-5800
JOHNSON, Wayne August 21, 1963 - September 14, 2020 Loving husband, brother, father and papa was taken away from us very suddenly to go to heaven to join everyone watching over us. He is survived by his wife Roberta; brother Shane (Trandis) Johnson; sister Nicole Johnson (Melissa, Johnathan, Felix Ruzek); son Joseph Davis; daughters Kayla Vandevord (Cody Ricard); Cheyenne Vandevord; Katrina Johnson (Cody Fraser); grandchildren Sierra Davis, Justine Davis, Tegan Ricard Johnson, Aiden Ricard Johnson; special family friends Jennifer Clyne, Donald Taylor, (Rose, Timothy and Mason); as well as numerous relatives and friends. You will be missed always, and always remember you made a big difference in all our lives. A private family memorial service will be held at a later date. Memorial donations may be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Weber Funeral Home 780-672-3131 www.weberfuneralhome.ca
YARMOVICH, William William Yarmovich, a long time resident of Ryley, AB was born on February 20, 1930 at Hafford, Sask.; he passed away peacefully at the Tofield Hospital on September 20, 2020 at the age of 90 years. A private service will take place on a later date. Cremation has taken place and inurnment will take place at the Ryley Cemetery on a later date. Weber Funeral Home 780-662-3959 www.weberfuneralhome.ca
Excited to be Back! LASCHUK, Sophie May 1, 1941 - September 14, 2020 On September 14, 2020, Sophie Laschuk of Lamont (formerly of Andrew) passed away at the age of 79 years. Sophie is survived by her eight children; John (Pat) Mayko, Les (Karen) Mayko, Wayne (Pat) Mayko, Dave (Lori) Laschuk, Marie (Tom) Gall, Anthony (Shari) Laschuk, Bernadette (Kevin) Lentz and Loretta (Al) Bolt; twenty grandchildren; Beth, Erin (Jamie Dziwenko), Tim and Josh (Maggie-Kas) Mayko, Austin (Taryn) and Rachel Mayko, Ryan (Leanne) and Kim Mayko, Aaron Laschuk, Courtney, Jason and Dane Gall, Meghan, Melinda and Allena Laschuk, Derek, Justin and Brenden Lentz & Shaun and Ben Bolt; four great-grandchildren; Logan and Brielle Mayko & William and Samuel Dziwenko; one brother Peter (Betty) Dashkewich; one sister-in-law Sonia Dashkawich; one brother-in-law Nick (Cassie) Laschuk; along with numerous nieces and nephews. Sophie was predeceased by her husband Victor, first husband Joseph Mayko; parents Dmytro and Lena Dashkewich; and her brother Orest Dashkawich. A Public Viewing was held on Thursday, September 17, 2020 from 5:30-7 p.m. at Autumn Rose Funeral Home in Vegreville, Alberta. Due to covid restrictions, a private Divine Liturgy of Christian Burial was held on Friday, September 18, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. at Sts. Peter & Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church in Mundare Alberta. Interment to follow in the church cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to “Mass intentions” or to “Lamont Health Care Centre”. To send condolences, please visit www.autumnnrosefuneralhome.com AUTUMN ROSE FUNERAL HOME LTD. VEGREVILLE, 780-603-5800
Club Reporters Zane Gunderson and Kate Albrecht The Holden 4-H Beef club participated the annual Highway Clean Up on Saturday, September 19. We cleaned Highway 855 from Holden north to Highway 626. It was great to see our friends, leaders and all of the parents.
Our leaders Kent and Robbie gave a safety presentation then we got right to work! This year, of course, the safety presentation included reminders to social distance. The leaders were organized with hand wipes and individually packaged snacks. When the job was complete, we ate delicious pizza.
September 23, 2020
Dear Editor, Racism is serious and it deserves serious discussion. I contend that Brian Giesbrecht’s article is not serious. Relevant facts are missing, including the voices of those who claim to have been victims of racism in Canada. Below are just a few examples. “Indigenous people are vastly overrepresented in the Canadian prison system, in 2020 making up 30.04% of the offender population compared to 4.9% of the total population.” This discrepancy requires explanation. Not to include this in an article on racism should “raise a red flag” about the intention of the author. There are other race-based discrepancies as well, such as in “carding”, a process where people
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are randomly (supposedly) stopped and questioned by police to collect information about them. Between 2008-2013 Blacks makeup 8.1 percent of the Toronto population, compared to 24.1 percent of those who were “carded”. None of this is in that article. To summarize with an analogy to reading an article about a case of spousal abuse: Would you not find it “suspicious” if that article contained only the opinions of the alleged abuser, but none from the abused, and other relevant facts about the case were missing? - Albert Liem ---
Albert, thank you for reading and for your letter. As an opinion piece, the author cited information complimenta-
ry to his stance. We all know statistics can be presented in many ways. One example: Women make up approximately 50.5% of Canada’s population yet represent only 16% of the prison population. Does this indicate there is a problem? The piece focused on Canada being a racist COUNTRY. I don’t believe anyone is suggesting there are not racists or racist practices in Canada. There are likely many people in positions of power who are racist as well. This is not uniquely Canadian by any stretch. We appreciate you voicing your opinion in response to the piece by Brian Giesbrecht. Discussion on racism is important. We can all be better. – AB
Pat Dehid For the News Advertiser eek! The longest one-syllable word in the English language is: screeched.
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September 23, 2020
Harvesting Autumn Best Rosanne Fortier News Correspondent It is the time of the year when a lot of people are harvesting the fruits and vegetables from their gardens or trees. Sometimes, an anonymous person allows people to pick certain fruits from their trees. This was what happened when a generous lady in Vegreville allowed Antoinette Fortier to pick a large pail of paradise apples from her tree. There were so many apples that Antoinette had to store some of the apples in the fridge. Some of them she donated to her friends. Antoinette decided later on to make some juice out of the apples which she discovered is a perfect way to use them up when you don’t have the storage space to keep them.
Antoinette Fortier juices the paradise apples she picked from a anonymous donor in Vegreville. (Rosanne Fortier/photos)
Research from Mayo Clinic indicated that juicing extracts the juice from fresh fruits or vegetables and the liquid from these have most of the vitamins, minerals, and plant chemicals. They added that some people believe drinking juice is healthier than eating the whole fruits as your body can observe the nutrients better and it gives your digestive tract a rest from digesting fiber. However, there is no scientific evidence to prove this while they added that whole fruits and vegetables are still healthier to eat as they have healthy fiber which is lost during juicing.
September 23, 2020
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Vegreville Town Council Allocates Funding for Infrastructure Projects Michelle Pinon News Advertiser Members of Vegreville town council spent a considerable amount of time in closed session discussing which infrastructure projects and how much money would be required to complete them during their regular council meeting on Sept. 14. Earlier in the meeting, Town Manager
ground at 49 Street would cost between $60,000 to $100,000. Another improvement project that was listed was walking trail improvements. The estimated cost to pave the walking trails would be $165 per meter for asphalt and $100 per meter for gravel. The last option would be to rebuild the base and pave Pysanka Park Road at a cost of $790,000.
Cliff Craig outlined the parameters of the Municipal Stimulus Program during a report to council. He explained that the town would be receiving a total of $678,505 under the provincial government grant program. In order for municipalities to receive the funding, they are required to submit their applications before Oct. 1, 2020. Construction on projects must begin in 2020 or 2021, and all funds must be expended before Dec. 31, 2021, or the funds would have to be repaid to the province. However, projects may continue past this date using other sources of funding. It was also stipulated that municipalities “must indicate the amount of funding required” in both 2020 and 2021 for each project. As well, projects must: • Sustain and create local jobs. Enhance provincial competi• tiveness and productivity. Position communities to par• ticipate in future economic growth. Reduce municipal red-tape to • promote job-creating private sector investment. Craig then presented the various options to members of council. The first option was for a ramp for the bridge in Pysanka Park, estimated to cost $11,500. Another option included various renovations at the museum. “The various renovations at the museum to turn the facility into a functional community events centre. This would include the washroom expansion, electrical-power relocation, kitchen development, flooring, wall removal, door addition, and LED lighting upgrade to the entire facility is about $150,000. Upgrades to the Kinsmen Playground at Pysanka Park that would include replacement of the wood chip base with proper drainage and base materials and added expansion for wheelchair accessibility. Improvements to the large playground at 47 Street would cost in the neighbourhood of $150,000 to $200,000. Upgrades to the small play-
After the report, Mayor Tim MacPhee stated, “Sometime tonight we will walk out of here with some direction.” He then asked if any members of council wanted to discuss the item, and there was no verbal response from any of the council members. At the end of the regular meeting, council went into closed session to discuss the item. According to the MGA items discussed under intergovernmental relations can be discussed in closed session as it involves legal, land, or labour related matters. Mayor MacPhee said shortly before 10 pm council came out of closed session and made a motion as to what projects the town would be applying for under the program. That motion was not, however, was not recorded on the livestream via youtube. According to information supplied by the town, the projects and estimates that were approved include: Museum Event Centre, (including landscaping) - $200,000; Ramp for Bridge at Pysanka Park - $12,000; - Kinsmen Playground at the Elks/Kinsmen Pysanka Park -$120,000; Walking Trail Improvements - $196,000. MacPhee said the town will not be contributing any funds to the projects. As to whether the projects are going to be put through the public tender process? MacPhee responded by saying, “The numbers are low enough on each project that we don’t have to go to public tender because we’re splitting it into many different projects. If it’s over $350,000 then you need to go to a tender process all through western Canada. But anything under we can have our own decision making.” He added, “We’re trying to get as many local people as involved as we can.”
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News Advertiser
September 23, 2020
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Constituents Express Concerns Regarding Surgical Wait Times Jackie Armstrong-Homeniuk MLA for Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville. Dear friends and neighbours, I have heard from constituents with concerns around surgical wait times. Alberta’s government has taken action. The new Surgical Recovery Plan calls for surgical activity to reach pre-pandemic levels by fall, increasing to 125 percent of pre-COVID levels—to up to 150 percent as needed, by 2021. This means that Albertans will receive the surgery they need at high quality, safe facilities when they need it, and within clinically recommended wait times. This will be achieved through multiple initiatives. This will have positive affects for people right here in Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville. Palliative care is another important issue that affects many families here in our community. Palliative care helps to preserve the dignity of the individual by affirming their life and by providing spiritual, emotional, and family support at a very difficult time. Alberta’s government has announced the first $6 million in funding that will eliminate the co-pay for end-of-life drugs and establish new group supports, including in-person, online, and Alberta’s first telephone grief line. I want to recognize this past week was National Trucking Week. Truckers are some of the hardest working women and men out there. Day and night, rain or shine, snow, fog or ice, truckers are
out there doing the essential work that keeps Alberta’s economy going. Truckers hold a special place in my heart as I am proud to be the daughter of a tireless hardworking trucker that hauled the materials necessary to build this great province. Truckers ensure Albertans have the fuel, groceries and clothes they need for their families. Thank you to our truckers for all they do every day to keep our province moving forward. I was pleased to host Transportation Minister Ric McIver recently as he visited Vegreville to begin his commercial carrier engagement. We met with agricultural and heavy haulers to discuss regulatory changes and get feedback on red tape reduction in the transportation industry. Carriers in Fort Saskatchewan—Vegreville operate not only close to home, but across Alberta and Canada. I want to thank Minister McIver for listening to the concerns of people on the ground right here in our riding. It is an honour to serve as your MLA, Jackie Armstrong-Homeniuk, MLA for Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville.
