Wider Horizons Spring 2022 by Lethbridge Polytechnic

{ A PUBLICATION OF LETHBRIDGE COLLEGE }

NEVER ENOUGH NATURE

CELEBRATING BLACKFOOT TERRITORY’S HOODOOS, COULEES, PRAIRIES AND PEAKS THROUGH STORIES AND SCENERY

, CLASS OF 22 GRADS ARE READY A PASSION FOR LEADERSHIP HONOURING EXCELLENCE SPRIN G 2 02 2

Editor’s message

I can’t write about what the mountains { VOL. 15 | ISSUE 3 | SPRING 2022 }

Wider Horizons is Lethbridge College’s community magazine, celebrating the successes and stories of students, employees, alumni, partners and friends. The magazine aims to educate, engage and delight its readers through compelling stories and images about Lethbridge College people, places and experiences. In addition to free distribution to our regional community, Wider Horizons is also mailed to all alumni and available on campus. Alumni looking to connect with the college or update their contact information can email alumni@lethbridgecollege.ca or go to lethbridgecollege.ca/alumni. Readers who would like to receive an e-version of the magazine, comment on a story, change their address or remove their name from our mailing list should email the editor at WHMagazine@lethbridgecollege.ca. Wider Horizons 3000 College Drive South Lethbridge, AB T1K 1L6 Publisher: Dr. Paula Burns Editor: Lisa Kozleski Guest editor: Dave McMurray Blackfoot storyteller: Mike Bruised Head Art director/designer: Dana Woodward Cover photo: Aaron Keeling Photographers: Jamin Heller, Aaron Keeling, Dave McMurray, Rob Olson, staff contributors Illustrator: Eric Dyck Writers: Jamin Heller, Tina Karst, Aaron Keeling, Paul Kingsmith, Tom Russell, Dawn Sugimoto Proofreaders: Diane Fjordbotten, Brenna Lowrie, Jennifer Yanish Distribution: Amy Taylor College staff contributors: Kristy Clark, Leeanne Conrad, Tanner Fletcher, James Harrison, Greg Kruyssen, Lawrence Krysak, Kristina Madarasz, Ron Ostepchuk, Shawn Salberg, Stephanie Savage

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Located on the traditional lands of the Blackfoot Confederacy, Lethbridge College is committed to honouring the land from a place of knowing. We honour the Siksikaitsitapi as both the traditional and current Land Keepers of this area, and we welcome all First Nations, Métis, Inuit and non-Indigenous peoples who call Blackfoot territory their home.

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mean to me without writing about what they mean to my dad, who grew up living in a small apartment above the sausage factory in Chicago where his parents worked. My dad’s family took just one true vacation during his childhood – a road trip in 1962 from their southside Polish neighbourhood to the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. From the moment the family car started making its way up to the 14,110 feet (4,302 metres) summit of the Pike’s Peak Highway, my dad dreamed of coming back to stay. It took almost 20 years, but he and my mom did just that, opening up a business 15 kilometres up the road from the turnoff to the same highway my dad travelled as a teen. That’s where I grew up, and every day as my dad drove my brother, me and our cool neighbour, Debbie, into school, he would stop before turning onto the highway, look up at majestic purple mountains that inspired Katharine Lee Bates to write America the Beautiful, and say with great conviction: “Good morning, Pike’s Peak!” I would always roll my eyes and whisper: “Come on, Dad. Cool Debbie is in the car!” And he would always reply: “I just never want to take this mountain for granted.” I totally took that mountain – and so many others – for granted when I was growing up. They were nothing more than my playground, the place where my brother and I with our friends would explore, race, climb, discover and dream. As I got older, I would tag along with my brother and his Boy Scout troop on their adventures, hiking the highest of Colorado’s mountains, the ones called Fourteeners – reflecting their 14,000-foot-plus elevation. It wasn’t until I left those mountains that I truly understood how magical they were, how lucky I was to grow up in their shadow, and why my dad said good morning to them every day. Wherever else I’ve lived and travelled, I’ve made a point to appreciate whatever beauty the land offers. But in my heart, it’s mountains that feel most like home to me. Once the pandemic started, my own family turned to the mountains more than ever for adventure and recreation, picking and planning new hikes each month, coming to love and appreciate Alberta in general – and Blackfoot territory in particular – in new and memorable ways. This special issue of Wider Horizons is dedicated to celebrating every aspect of the southern Alberta landscape, from the hoodoos, coulees and prairies to the rivers, lakes and peaks. My colleague Dave McMurray has generously served as a guest editor of this issue, and I hope you savour his story about the meaning of mountains as much as I did (see p. 16). Dave and I and the entire team are grateful for the time and teachings of Ninna Piiksii (Mike Bruised Head/Chief Bird), a Blackfoot knowledge keeper and PhD candidate who shared the Blackfoot stories of these sacred spaces with us, so we could share them with you. We hope the stories and photos in this issue remind you of the abundance and awe of some of the places that you might have taken for granted over the years. It would mean so much if they inspired you to do what my dad made sure to do each day – slow down, savour the view, and wish the mountains a very good morning. Thanks for reading!

Lisa Kozleski Editor

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SEEN ON CAMPUS

Photo by Rob Olson

2 4

President in action News and notes

48 50

From our kitchens Where are they now?

50 60

Makers, doers and thinkers The last word

A passion for leadership

Distinguished alumni

The last word

Dr. Paula Burns reflects on her nine years as president.

Celebrating four recipients of this year’s Honouring Excellence awards.

Check out the action inside the Val Matteotti Gymnasium, the site of championship runs and the world’s best fans.

60 1

President in action

The first “President in Action” photo of Dr. Paula Burns showed her decked out in her regalia just before her installation as president, smiling with elected officials and colleagues. The photo below marks Dr. Burns’ last “President in Action,” this time showing her starting to remove some of the personal items from her office as she prepares for her move to Langara College in B.C., while visiting with community relations advisor and board liaison Kristen DeMone (left) and Provost and Vice President Academic Dr. Samantha Lenci.

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In between, these photos have captured Dr. Burns engaged in every aspect of the community – receiving a poppy on Remembrance Day, cheering at a Kodiaks game, celebrating at Convocation (including awarding her daughter a diploma), finishing the Kodiaks 10-4 Road Race, riding her beloved bicycle along a rural road during the pandemic and so much more. Her action in and commitment to the community will be missed, and the entire Wider Horizons team wishes her well. Photo by Rob Olson

News and notes

FIVE QUESTIONS WITH THE SPRING 2022 VALEDICTORIAN MATTHEW HENRY EARNED A 4.0 GRADE POINT AVERAGE AND HAS BEEN HEAVILY INVOLVED IN MANY COLLEGE AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.

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Want to keep up on all of your Lethbridge College news between issues of Wider Horizons? Check out our news and events webpage (lethbridgecollege.ca/news) for the latest stories and all of the college news you need. And don’t forget, you can read past issues of Wider Horizons at widerhorizons.ca.

NATURAL RESOURCE COMPLIANCE STUDENT MATTHEW HENRY HAS BEEN NAMED VALEDICTORIAN FOR THE SPRING 2022 CONVOCATION, AND HE WILL LEAD THE PROCESSION OF GRADUATES AND SPEAK AT THE CEREMONY PLANNED FOR MAY 27 IN THE VAL MATTEOTTI GYMNASIUM. Henry, who was also valedictorian of his high school class of 13 students in Treherne, Man., has a 4.0 grade point average and has been heavily involved in many college and community organizations. In March, he took some time to answer a few questions posed by our Wider Horizons team. WIDER HORIZONS: WHY DID YOU PICK LETHBRIDGE COLLEGE?

Matthew Henry: Every single conservation officer and park warden I spoke with said to come here. If they didn’t study here themselves, they said they wish they had and that it was the best place to go in Western Canada. WH: WHAT WAS IT LIKE STARTING POST-SECONDARY DURING A PANDEMIC?

MH: I was learning from home the first year, and that was pretty isolating. You didn’t really get the chance to spread out your wings and experience the independence. But we did come to campus that first year for experiential weeks and that helped build connections and friendships. By the time we arrived on campus last fall, I recognized everyone’s face, even if we hadn’t spoken in person before. WH: WHAT HAS BEEN THE BEST PART OF THIS LAST YEAR?

MH: Interacting with classmates – whether we were working on labs in small groups, completing projects together or staying late after class to talk. Everyone is so passionate about the subject. It’s easy to get along with everyone. WH: DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR GRADUATES OR NEW STUDENTS?

MH: I would pass along advice one of my favourite high school teachers told me, which is that when it comes to choosing a career, to not sell yourself short. Find out what you’re passionate about and chase your dreams. All of the success I’ve enjoyed is because of that passion, because I just love what I am doing. And our instructors here at the college – they have an incredible amount of passion for their work, too. They left a job they love to come to the college because they care about mentoring the next group of people who share their passion. WH: HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT REPRESENTING THE SPRING GRADUATES?

MH: What stands out most to me is a feeling of pride. I am so proud to represent the program and the college. And I can’t wait for what happens next. During his time at the college, Henry served as a tutor, was a member of the Conservation Enforcement Club, volunteered with simulations done by the SPHERE lab for training health-care students, and gave presentations about career options to first- and third-year students in his program. In the community, he volunteered with the Helen Schuler Nature Centre and worked to revive the conservation outreach volunteer position for Natural Resource Compliance students. Henry plans to return to campus in September for two more years of study, with the goal of earning a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Conservation Enforcement.

EMPLOYEE EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNERS CELEBRATED Lethbridge College celebrated nine exceptional colleagues with Employee Excellence awards in March. They are: SERVICE AND INNOVATION AWARDS

Jason Lawrence, emergency and security manager and conduct officer Benjamin Northcott, nursing instructor and practice coordinator Cameron Reimer, career and academic advisor Dr. Nick Savidov, senior research scientist LEADERSHIP AND CREATING COMMUNITY AWARDS

Deanna Gonnelly, student success and advising manager Erin Howard, associate dean of the Centre for Teaching, Learning and Innovation Ryan Kaupp, heavy equipment instructor Frederick Manaloto, SPHERE simulation specialist Shari Strank, practical nurse instructor and practice coordinator

READY FOR SUMMER FUN? Make it a memorable summer with a week or more at Lethbridge College’s challenging, creative and confidencebuilding summer camps. They’re the perfect place to make friends, have fun and try something new. Register today! lethbridgecollege.ca/summercamps

Photo by Rob Olson

News and notes

CAMPUS KUDOS

Congratulations to the following Lethbridge College community members for making a difference in their life, work and community. Here are some highlights of their successes: Media and Information Technology students Lance AndersonPalvialok, Mario Cabradilla, Zach Richard, Rhett Ripplinger, Rochelle Sciortino and Denise Serrano created the winning pitch at this year’s Tecconnect Challenge. The team was one of six that competed to present initiatives to help local mustard producer Luco Farms grow their business. Dr. Kenny Corscadden, an experienced researcher and academic

leader who has led Lethbridge College’s Centre for Applied Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship to unprecedented growth, has been named Vice President – Research and Partnerships.

Joshua Day Chief (Environmental Assessment and Restoration 2013,

Rising Star 2020) was appointed in December to a three-year term on Lethbridge College’s Board of Governors. He is the CEO of AdvancedAg Inc., a family-owned company focused on producing beneficial blends of bacteria for crop and soil health.

PHILANTHROPY by the numbers Here are a few numbers that tell part of the story of the generosity of Lethbridge College donors in 2021. The college community appreciates every donor and gift.

300

NUMBER OF DONORS WHO MADE GIFTS TO LETHBRIDGE COLLEGE IN 2021

OVER S1.1 MILLION DONATED TO SUPPORT STUDENT SUCCESS

Trudi Mason, a collaborative academic and administrative leader,

was named the new Dean of the Centre for Justice and Human Services and started in the new role March 1.

Chef Doug Overes (Professional Cooking 1987, Distinguished

Alumnus 1992), chair of the college’s School of Culinary Arts, has earned the Canadian Culinary Federation’s Lifetime Achievement Award. The Equity, Diversity and Inclusion team welcomed Iskotoah’ka William (Billy) Wadsworth as a researcher on its team. Wadsworth is from the Kainai Nation of the Blackfoot Confederacy and has an extensive background in working with Indigenous research.

REST EASY THIS SUMMER

Between May 5 and Aug. 15, our residences are available for longor short-term accommodation. They are perfect if you are planning: • seasonal work, conferences or sports tournaments • weddings, anniversaries or reunions • home renovations or waiting for possession of a new home Enjoy our modern, fully furnished single suites, two-bedroom suites or four-bedroom townhouses. Email residence@lethbridgecollege.ca or call 403.329.7218.

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1.1M

PEOPLE WHO PLANNED GIFTS IN THEIR WILLS TO SUPPORT EDUCATION IN ALBERTA FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS

OVER $50,000 TO THE LETHBRIDGE COLLEGE FUND, WHICH ENSURES EVERY STUDENT HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED

PLUS, TOO MANY GIFTS-IN-KIND TO MENTION

5 50k

SCOTIABANK DONATES $150,000 TO SUPPORT STUDENTS Scotiabank has invested $150,000 to help high school students in underrepresented groups succeed at Lethbridge College. The generous gift, announced in March and to be shared over the next three years, will benefit the college’s Ready to Connect program, which supports students who align with traditionally marginalized populations, including Indigenous people, women, visible minorities, 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals and people with disabilities. Grade 12 students who align with traditionally marginalized populations

may be nominated for the program by a high school counsellor, and they may also nominate themselves. Once enrolled in Ready to Connect, those students will be paired with student mentors and will also work with the college’s Student Affairs professionals and their high school counsellors to explore career options, choose a field of study and ensure they meet admission requirements. Students in the Ready to Connect program will be heavily supported through their studies and will receive bursaries for completing program activities designed to complement their in-class learning. By the second year, students will focus on graduation and career advancement and can become mentors to the next intake of high school students. Scotiabank will also be involved in career mentorship through the program – connecting students with employees who self-identify with a similar underrepresented group. The first intake of 20 students is planned for September 2022. Over the course of three years, 60 students will benefit from the Ready to Connect program.

1ST CHOICE SAVINGS INVESTS IN THE FUTURE OF AG STUDENTS

Knowing that every great harvest starts with a single seed, 1st Choice Savings and Credit Union invested in the future of agriculture with a $55,000 gift to support student awards in the college’s Bachelor of Agriculture Science degree program and the Agriculture Sciences diploma program. The staff and leaders at 1st Choice Savings and Credit Union believe a strong southern Alberta economy grows from a healthy agriculture sector. The gift from 1st Choice Savings helps create new awards for students in these programs, which will directly support the province’s future agriculture leaders. Lethbridge College’s Bachelor of Agriculture Science flexible degree program ladders out of the college’s Agriculture Sciences diploma program. The new degree program is the only one of its kind in southern Alberta and is comparable to Bachelor of Science degree programs offered at the University of Alberta and University of Saskatchewan.

NORTHSIDE LETHBRIDGE DODGE RENEWS COMMITMENT TO STUDENTS Northside Lethbridge Dodge has renewed its commitment to support post-secondary education at Lethbridge College with a $100,000 gift for the Rita Simons Memorial award. The March announcement follows an initial pledge of $100,000 over five years, made in 2017, to establish the awards. Rita was a child when she came to Canada from Holland. While education was important to her, she was only able to complete Grade 8 because of post-war family circumstances and the mindset of the time. At the age of 55, Rita returned to school to receive an education in health care. She graduated with honours. “By supporting students, we are continuing a family tradition of giving,” says Diane Simons, Rita’s daughter. “We want to emphasize my mother’s belief in the importance of education, having a strong work ethic and giving back to those who have helped along the way.” The Rita Simons Memorial award of $2,500 is given to eight students each year – four in the Automotive Service Technician, Carpenter, Electrician or Heavy Equipment Technician Apprenticeship training programs and one in the Automotive Systems program. The remaining three awards are open to students in any program, with a focus on students who are Indigenous, mature or single-custodial parents.

“BY SUPPORTING STUDENTS, WE ARE CONTINUING A FAMILY TRADITION OF GIVING. WE WANT TO EMPHASIZE MY MOTHER’S BELIEF IN THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION, HAVING A STRONG WORK ETHIC AND GIVING BACK TO THOSE WHO HAVE HELPED ALONG THE WAY.” Diane Simons

News and notes

TOP

TEN FROM THE DEN

Wider Horizons turned to the people who know the ins and outs of campus best – Lethbridge College employees – to get their picks of the top news stories from the past four months. Here’s what they had to say.

2 NEW INTERVIEW ROOMS PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH REPLICATED WORK ENVIRONMENTS

BLOOD TRIBE PARTNERSHIPS HIGHLIGHT LC EXTENSION’S COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

A classroom in the Andrews Building has been transformed into six separate interview rooms on either side of a corridor, which allows students to conduct a variety of interviews in a closed and safe environment. The rooms replicate the kinds of current and future industry environments grads will likely find working in public safety, social services and any organization where interviews

Lethbridge College has long been a destination for people looking for professional development and skills upgrading. In 2021, LC Extension worked with Blood Tribe Employment and Skills Training to run a pair of programs – an introduction to trades and construction program and a coding camp for high school students – to develop real-world skills for students from the Blood Tribe.

are a critical part of the mandate.

LETHBRIDGE COLLEGE NAMED A HEALTHY WORKPLACE GREAT EMPLOYER FOR THIRD YEAR

Lethbridge College was one of a dozen workplaces across Canada recognized this year for efforts to foster physically and psychologically safe and healthy workplaces. “This award is a way for us to continue to look at what we’re doing every year to support a healthy workplace,” says Laura Morden, Human Resources consultant and acting co-chair of the Health and Wellness Strategy Committee. “Our institution’s work of promoting a healthy workplace never stops, and we see great work happening across our college.”

LETHBRIDGE COLLEGE AND LIQUID AVATAR TECHNOLOGIES CREATING A CAMPUS IN THE METAVERSE

DONORS IMPROVE THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE IN ALL AREAS

From equipment to financial aid to workintegrated learning opportunities, donors make a difference in the lives of Lethbridge College students every day. In this current academic year, the college dispersed more than $650,000 in student awards to more than 450 students. One of those students was Reilly Callahan, a first-year Practical Nurse student from Lethbridge.

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In this first of its kind work-integrated learning opportunity for students, Liquid Avatar Technologies will provide 9,000 plots of land within its Aftermath Islands Metaverse – a network of spaces where users can create a virtual world parallel to their physical one. Students began engaging in the new program and mentorship opportunities this spring.

6 VR TEAM BRINGS AN ALBERTA HERITAGE SITE TO LIFE

Thanks to researchers from Lethbridge College’s Spatial Technologies Applied Research and Training (START) initiative, visitors to the Grande Cache Tourism and Interpretive Centre can follow in the footsteps of dinosaurs – virtually. Instead of bringing people to the tracks, which are located on steeply angled cliff faces that are almost totally inaccessible to the public, Mike McCready, the college’s President’s Applied Research Chair in Virtual and Augmented Reality, and his team, are bringing the tracks to the people. The team has created an immersive VR experience combining 360-degree imagery, spatialized audio and guided narration that enables visitors to experience the tracks and hone their paleontology skills with virtual activities – all without leaving the Interpretive Centre.

7 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE STUDENTS SHARE LITTER STORIES

Students in Lethbridge College’s School of Environmental Sciences didn’t just research the problem of litter last fall; they shared their knowledge with local elementary and junior high students. College students in Dr. Tali Neta’s Geographic Information Systems class worked in pairs last fall to collect data such as photos, location and types of litter using a free app called OpenLitterMap. Their data is now part of the app’s world map (openlittermap.com/ global), and one of the students is one of the most prolific app contributors in Canada.

PETER MANSBRIDGE HEADLINES DISRUPTOR SPEAKER SERIES

Award-winning Canadian journalist Peter Mansbridge was the fourth speaker to participate in the DISRUPTOR speaker series, which highlights people who have broken new ground, led in innovation and created opportunities for themselves and others. Presented by AgENT, in collaboration with Lethbridge College’s Digital Communications and Media program, “Off the Record with Peter Mansbridge” took place in March via Zoom.

10 ONE-OF-A-KIND OPPORTUNITY FOR WOMEN INTERESTED IN RENEWABLE ENERGY CAREERS

9 COLLEGE HOSTS SCREENING OF AWARDWINNING KAINAI DOCUMENTARY

Kímmapiiyipitssini: The Meaning of Empathy is an intimate portrait of survival, love and the collective work of healing in the Kainai First Nation in southern Alberta. Lethbridge College presented a screening of the award-winning documentary in November, followed by a panel discussion with local experts in health care, social work and addictions. The film follows filmmaker Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers as she takes viewers into her community and shows the impacts of substance use and the overdose epidemic. Viewers witness the change brought by community members with substanceuse disorders, first responders and medical professionals as they strive for harm reduction in the Kainai First Nation.

It’s now easier than ever for interested women to take the first step into an exciting career in renewable energy. Women Building Futures and Vestas are partnering with Lethbridge College to offer a Vestas Wind Turbine Technician Readiness program later this year, which will provide students with the entry-level skills needed to begin a career as a wind turbine technician with Vestas.

“THIS PROGRAM HELPS KNOCK DOWN SOME OF THE BARRIERS TO ENTRY FOR WOMEN WHO ARE INTERESTED IN CAREERS IN THE TRADES AND RENEWABLE ENERGY.” Jason Donkersgoed, director, LC Extension

You can read all of these stories and more at lethbridgecollege.ca/news. And thanks to our college colleagues who helped shape this list!

News and notes

KODIAKS KODIAKS

ROAR

IN2021-22 2021-22 SEASON SEASON IN The Lethbridge College Kodiaks relished the opportunity to return to Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) competition for the first time in nearly two years. Here’s a short summary of their seasons – check out gokodiaks.ca for even more news. SOCCER The Kodiaks men’s and women’s

soccer teams returned to the pitch in strong form, with the women going 5-1 and the men going 4-2 in the regular season, before both fell in the divisional semifinals. Both sides were well represented with ACAC awards, as Megan Morrison (first year, General Studies, Medicine Hat), Krista Van Diemen (first year, Criminal Justice – Policing, Lethbridge), Olivia DePasquale (second year, Massage Therapy, Airdrie), Ben Knight (fourth year, Open Studies, Manchester, England) and Jaden Veluw (fifth year, Nursing, Lethbridge) were all named as ACAC All-Conference players. CROSS COUNTRY A young Kodiaks

cross country squad also had many great individual performances to celebrate. Rookie Reggie Williams (first year, General Studies, Cardston) led the way with a sixth-place finish at ACAC Championships in Calgary, helping the Kodiaks men’s team place third overall in the team standings. Williams also finished 15th at CCAA National Championships. BASKETBALL On the hardcourt, both

Kodiaks basketball teams enjoyed great regular season success. The women’s team was one of the feel-good stories of the year, going an impressive 11-5 thanks to a breakout season from south division rookie of the year Courtney Deemter (first year, Nursing, Calgary). Deemter and her cousin 10

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Kirsten Barwegen (fourth year, Open Studies, Lethbridge) were both named ACAC first team all-stars. The Kodiaks men’s team had another outstanding regular season, going 13-3 while once again being led by ACAC first team all-star Orin Porter Jr. (fifth year, Computer Information Technology, Nevada). Women’s head coach Ken McMurray and men’s head coach Ryan Heggie were both recognized with south division coach of the year honours. VOLLEYBALL The Kodiaks women’s

volleyball team finished 8-8 in the regular season and made some noise in the playoffs with a 3-1 victory over SAIT in the opening round. The team proceeded to nearly knock off eventual ACAC champion Red Deer Polytechnic in the quarterfinals, falling just short in a tense 3-1 match. Fort Macleod student-athlete Jamie Brown (fourth year, Exercise Science) was named an ACAC all-star after delivering 188 kills, fifth most in the ACAC. The Kodiaks men’s volleyball team went 9-7 in the regular season but bowed out of the playoffs in the opening round after a closely contested match against SAIT. Nolan Moes (second year, Renewable Resource Management, Barrhead) took another step forward in his sophomore year, being named an ACAC all-star after a strong season that saw him lead the conference in service aces. FUTSAL AND INDOOR TRACK The Kodiaks

futsal and indoor track teams ended the season with a flurry of medals. Both men’s and women’s futsal teams earned bronze at ACAC Futsal Championships in Edmonton, with Jayna Timinski and Jaden Veluw being named tournament all-stars. Meanwhile across the city, the men’s indoor track team won a team bronze medal at ACAC Indoor Track Championships. The event was highlighted by a pair of silver medal performances from Aden Germain, Gunnarr Gibb, Logan Danyluk and Jack Bentley in the men’s 4x200m and 4x400m relay events. Germain also added a bronze in the men’s 300m dash. OFF THE COURT The Kodiaks success

this season wasn’t limited to the field of competition. The college’s student-athletes were recognized with a $1,500 achievement award for their incredible Make Some Noise for Mental Health campaign, which encouraged the entire Lethbridge College community to break the stigma surrounding mental health through the sharing of unique personal experiences and social media messaging.

support Kodiaks Athletics by funding initiatives and equipment that go beyond the normal scope of institutional funding.

KODIAKS BUILDERS NAMED TO ALBERTA SPORTS HALL OF FAME

GIFT SUPPORTS HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF STUDENT-ATHLETES

A gift from the Kodiaks Association means Lethbridge College student-athletes, coaches and training staff members will have a new tool to help diagnose, track and treat concussions, while safely returning studentathletes to action once they’re ready. The gift has allowed the Kodiaks to purchase and implement the HeadCheck Health system, which helps with concussion diagnosis and recovery. The Kodiaks Association is a dedicated group of boosters that has operated since 1996 with a mandate to

Two important builders of Kodiaks athletics were named as Alberta Sports Hall of Fame 2022 Inductees. Dr. Gary Bowie and Ben Brooks were among the first executive officers of the Western Intercollege Conference (WICC), which is now the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference. They, along with additional founding members Al Buttle and Gary Meadus, received the Pioneer Award for their contributions. Dr. Bowie was a key founder of the Lethbridge College Kodiaks as well as the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns. He spent several years as athletic director for both institutions, simultaneously. He also coached the men’s college basketball team to victory at the 1967 WICC championships. Brooks served as athletic director and basketball coach at Lethbridge College in the 1970s.

Tractor pulls Kodiaks team bus from snowbank The Kodiaks men’s volleyball team got a first-hand look at small town generosity this season when their bus became stranded in rural Saskatchewan. The team was on its way to Caronport Jan. 20 for a weekend series against Briercrest College. While road conditions were favourable early in the trip, freezing rain was causing serious issues east of Maple Creek. “We took it super slow, but we probably passed 40 vehicles in the ditch,” says head coach Greg Gibos. “Then we came across a jackknifed semi and waited about 45 minutes before we could keep moving.” Less than half an hour later, the Kodiaks found themselves at another standstill. A semi had jackknifed at the bottom of a hill near Webb. At that point, they decided to stay put until the slow-moving traffic ahead of them had cleared. The team waited on the idling bus for just over an hour before attempting the rest of the trip. Once in gear though, the tires spun, and the front end of the bus slowly slid to the shoulder where it cemented into a snowbank – stopping just short of the ditch.

YOU HAVE TO SEE IT TO BELIEVE IT

The video of an amazing goal featuring the genius improvisation of Kodiaks futsal player Jaden Veluw (fifth year, Nursing) officially went viral on social media in March. Veluw scored this incredible tally against the Ambrose Lions by knocking the ball off a defender’s back, then striking it with force straight out of mid-air, right past the outstretched arms of the diving keeper. Video of the goal was picked up by 7Futsal, a global futsal highlight Instagram page, and by the end of March, it had been viewed by more than two million people around the globe! Check it out at learn.lc/viralgoal.

Given the situation, it would seem a night on the bus was inevitable. But, as luck would have it, in the nearby village of roughly 50 people, the Kodiaks had a connection. Their outside hitter, Clay Thierman, grew up in Webb. “Once I found out the tow truck couldn’t come, I immediately called my friend Dave DeMars and asked if he could help us out,” says Thierman. “Dave agreed without question and within 10 minutes he was on scene with a four-wheel drive tractor and a few other friends – Steve Jensen, Quinn Jensen and Jace Jans.” Thanks to the efforts of Thierman and his friends, the Kodiaks made it to Swift Current just before 1 a.m. Despite the challenges of the trip, Gibos says he’s thankful for the outcome, noting it could have been much more serious. It was no doubt a memorable night for all involved, including the DeMars family who will be sporting some new Kodiaks gear around Webb – a token of appreciation from Gibos and the team.

NEVER

ENOUGH

NATURE CELEBRATING BLACKFOOT TERRITORY’S HOODOOS, COULEES, PRAIRIES AND PEAKS THROUGH STORIES AND SCENERY

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HENRY DAVID THOREAU CALLED IT THE

TONIC OF THE WILDERNESS

...AND EXPLORING THE HEIGHTS AND DELIGHTS OF THE OUTDOORS HAS SEEMED TO BE JUST THAT FOR MANY IN THE LETHBRIDGE COLLEGE COMMUNITY DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

s pandemic-time passed and colleagues, students and alumni continued to share stories of finding joy in nature, the Wider Horizons team started brainstorming. What if we created a special issue dedicated to the beauty and bounty of Blackfoot territory? What if we shared the stunning photos that were filling up our cell phones, and offered insider’s tips and insights of where to go, what to see and, sometimes most importantly, where to eat? What if we could get students and other employees across campus involved in some of the storytelling and photography? Most importantly, what if we invited a Blackfoot scholar and knowledge keeper to share the Blackfoot stories of this land with us – and with our readers?

It took almost a year to accomplish all those “what ifs,” but we did it. And the result is this 26-page special section focused on six remarkable areas in southern Alberta: Ninaiistáko (Chief Mountain); the Castle Wilderness area; Writing-on-Stone; Waterton; the Crowsnest Pass area; and Lethbridge’s own coulees. If you, like Thoreau, discover you need the tonic of the wilderness and believe that “we can never have enough nature,” we hope this special issue proves to be a useful guide for you this summer – and for seasons to come. Be sure to check out additional content – including so

many magnificent photos – online at widerhorizons.ca.

Blackfoot storyteller: Ninna Piiksii (Mike Bruised Head/Chief Bird) Ninna Piiksii is a fluent Blackfoot speaker and a spiritual leader for sacred societies. He is completing his PhD in Cultural, Social and Political Thought at the University of Lethbridge where his research focuses on restoring the Blackfoot names of the mountains, valleys, trails and waterways in Paahtómahksikimi and across traditional Blackfoot territory. Special guest editor and writer: Dave McMurray, manager of Applied Research Operations. Dave runs the hiking and scrambling blog, peaksandstreams.com. Photography: Aaron Keeling, Dave McMurray and Lethbridge College employees Story: Lisa Kozleski | Design: Dana Woodward

MUCH MORE TO SEE The beauty and wonder of Blackfoot territory cannot be fully captured in 26 pages of a magazine, or even 26 volumes of a book. The views change with the time of day, the seasons and the years, as well as with the company you keep when you head out into nature. The Wider Horizons team encourages you to visit and re-visit these places and others in our region, being open to learn new lessons each time. In addition to visiting these memorable places yourself, we also invite you to take in more sights in these three ways:

• Check out the slideshow created by Lethbridge College employees throughout the summer and fall of 2021 and winter and spring of 2022. Just go to learn.lc/never-enough-nature to savour some of the most marvelous spots in our region.

• Visit the Galt Museum in Lethbridge before Sunday, June 19, to experience a new exhibit, Nitsitapiisksakoo: Nitsitapii Landscapes. Or contact the Galt to request the travelling exhibit be shared in your community. This exhibit has been co-curated by Ninna Piiksii (Mike Bruised Head), Itsinohtss piyaki (Rebecca Many Grey Horses), and Bobbie Fox, and it includes videos of Ninna Piiksii sharing many of these same stories in Blackfoot that he has shared in this special issue of Wider Horizons. More details can be found at learn.lc/galtlandscapes. • And last but certainly not least, Ninna Piiksii (Mike Bruised Head) says one of the best ways to learn about this land is to visit a Blackfoot elder or grandparent and ask to hear more stories. You won’t be disappointed.

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NINAIISTÁKO CHIEF MOUNTAIN Located in Glacier Country, Montana, on the eastern border of Glacier National Park and the Blackfeet Indian Reservation – and seen on a clear day from many places throughout Blackfoot territory (including Lethbridge College). Elevation: 2,769 m

A STORY OF

NINAIISTÁKO CHIEF MOUNTAIN

By Ninna Piiksii (Mike Bruised Head/Chief Bird), pictured above on Sage Pass on the Continental Divide.

will tell this story as the elders told it to me. It’s their stories I am reciting. The stories are not my own. I will start with Ninaiistáko, Chief Mountain. At the beginning of time, before being called Ninaiistáko, a story goes that Ksiistsi-komm (the Thunder spirit) came into a human form, and he had a falling out with the people because he captured the wife of a man without his permission. Thunder began to harm the people and was very hard on them. The man wanted his wife back, so the man and the people called on Omahkai’stoo (the Big Raven) for help. They asked the Raven to help them settle this, for the man to get his wife back and for Thunder to quit tormenting the people. And so Raven said, I’ll help you. And the battle went on for a long time. Thunder tried to hit Raven with his lightning, but Raven used his wings to cool the air so Thunder couldn’t use his lightning. And the battle continued. And finally, cold weather and winter came. And the lightning could not strike the people because of the cold. And finally they made an agreement, and Raven told Thunder to give the woman back and to stop tormenting the people. Thunder agreed, and said OK, I will give the people what they want. And with that, Thunder and Raven agreed to exchange their mountain homes. Thunder would now call Ninaiistáko (Chief Mountain) his home, and Raven would

KEEP IN

MIND

call Omahkai’stoo, the mountain we called Crowsnest Mountain, his home. Today, Ksiistsi-komm represents the spring, the warm season, and Omahkai’stoo represents the winter season. Thunder was to give the people a nináímsskaan – a bundle with a pipe – as a peace agreement. And Thunder agreed and told Raven that he would protect, and he would watch over them and guide them. And so they agreed. Thunder said: I will give this pipe to the people, and that way we will maintain peace forever. And the people, when they hear thunder, they will have to open this bundle, they will have to smoke it. I will give them songs too. The songs can only be sung with the ceremony. And they can transfer the pipes in the bundle to other people. And as long as they do these ceremonies, I will watch over them. I will watch over them as long as the sun shines. And thus Chief Mountain – Ninaiistáko – is the home of thunder. Chief Mountain is powerful. It has withstood all kinds of wars. It has withstood colonization. It has withstood European thought. And today many people during summer go to fast and pray there. They always make sure to offer tobacco, berries, meat, cloth and hide. And the Blackfoot and Blackfeet people, we honour that mountain, Chief Mountain – Ninaiistáko. The vision quest experience is still active with the Blackfoot people.

When heading out, remember that many of these sites are considered sacred by the Blackfoot people and are still used today for ceremonies and spiritual practices. If you come across cairns of stones or gifts left from a ceremony or prayer, you should leave the area untouched (although it is considered proper protocol to leave an offering of tobacco at these sites.)

RECREATION AS

RE-CREATION REFLECTING ON THE MEANING OF MOUNTAINS AND THE BENEFITS OF BEING OUTDOORS Story and photo by Dave McMurray, guest editor

e are beyond privileged to live in southern Alberta – a fact I am reminded of every time I hike in the coulees, stand in the clear waters of an east slope stream, or venture onto a mountain. This land that we share together shapes where we live, how we live and who we are. It is a gift and a responsibility. When Wider Horizons editor Lisa Kozleski graciously invited me to share what our southern Alberta landscape means on a personal level, I readily agreed, though I’m not sure I was prepared for the meandering paths of thought that I would find myself on. Every trip I make into the backcountry – or the front country – provides me with new layers of meaning, and sorting these into something coherent has been challenging. Indeed, as everyone has their own personal connections to the land, my reflections are limited and that’s why I’m glad to be only one voice in this issue. The photos and stories shared by members of our community are collectively powerful and serve to invite all of us into not only going outside and onto the land but reflecting on why we do. Recent scholarship has identified the psychological and physical benefits of spending time in the world-out-of-doors, including the effects it has on brain function and emotional well-being. For me, this rings true as outdoor recreation has always meant re-creation; that is, it returns me to a place of wholeness. Being outside is where I can experience risk and wonder woven together in ways that are otherwise unavailable. I will never forget when my kids were little, taking them to the trout stream of my youth and inviting them to turn over rocks to see

“FOR ME, THIS RINGS TRUE AS OUTDOOR RECREATION HAS ALWAYS MEANT RE-CREATION; THAT IS, IT RETURNS ME TO A PLACE OF WHOLENESS.”

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what was underneath. The excitement they showed when a stonefly nymph scurried away, or a caddis larva retreated into its casing was magical. Before it was simply a rock, but now they saw it as home to a myriad of life. That in one small part is what being outside as an adult allows me to recapture. Every time I see morning sunlight illuminate a band of red argillite or witness the intricate colours of a brook trout in the fall, I am brought back into wonder – and for me, that gives life. Beyond this, I love the coupled sense of adventure and exploration. When I see a mountain, my mind immediately looks for natural routes to the top. If there is a known track, that’s great because my experience will be different than anyone else who has used it before. Different day, different season, different weather, and so on. If there isn’t a documented route, the process of planning and actualizing it, adapting and changing course on the fly, and eventually making the top (and sometimes not), is incredibly fulfilling. For me, time on the land is relational. First and foremost, it means time with my own family, where my wife, Melanie, an elementary school vice principal, constantly looks for interesting natural artifacts that she can incorporate into a curriculum of outdoor play for children. As we walk together, her keen observations remind me that learning from nature needs to be done within nature and through the context of community. Fostering authentic attachment to the natural world is important for society on so many levels, let alone addressing climate change in a serious manner. Watching my adult kids take their love for the outdoors and translate this into their own contexts is truly special. I have been blessed to stand on many summits and wade many waters with my kids, and I remember each trip in vivid detail. It started with walks in the coulees when they were young and progressed from there. Indeed, there is something powerful about sharing an outdoor adventure with your children no matter their age – or yours. It’s not just the quantity of the time together, but the

Ninaiistáko Chief Mountain

“EVERY TIME I SEE MORNING SUNLIGHT ILLUMINATE A BAND OF RED ARGILLITE OR WITNESS THE INTRICATE COLOURS OF A BROOK TROUT IN THE FALL, I AM BROUGHT BACK INTO WONDER – AND FOR ME, THAT GIVES LIFE.”

constant shifting of focus and intensity of presence. Sometimes it is problem solving together to get past an obstacle or pick a fly pattern, sometimes it’s contagious laughter because dad fell, sometimes it’s stopping to admire a delicate alpine buttercup, and sometimes it’s comfortable silence – though that’s a hard one for our family! Healthy risk is important, and witnessing the grit that outdoor activities have built into my kids is something that I know will serve them well. The relational benefits of outdoor adventure extend beyond my immediate family. Hiking and scrambling have allowed me to develop deep friendships with truly amazing people. Spending hours and sometimes days on an adventure allows you to get to know a person beyond the superficial. It also allows a common story to develop – usually around something funny – and sharing a story is foundational to both family and friendship. In an age when many men lack quality friendships, I am incredibly grateful to my nephew Jeff, and friends Andrew, Brad, Lance, Mark, Raff, Sonny, and Zosia for what they’ve taught me through deep conversations and laughter – lots and lots of laughter. Finally, while all of this is true, there is also risk in romanticizing nature into something it is not. I am acutely aware that the natural world is full of lessons on the hardship and unfairness of life. It is also a place where even the most prepared individual or group may find themselves in trouble. As the saying goes, “the mountain doesn’t care,” and this reality translates into everyday life. One thing that I’ve learned in the backcountry is to be flexible because you never know what the mountain – or life – will throw at you, despite all of the planning you may have done. Reflecting on the fragility and harshness of nature translates into appreciation for life, however long or short that may be. As you look through the photos and read the stories in the following pages, I again invite you to reflect on your own experiences and stories from the land we share. Each time that we enter the natural world as watchful and engaged participants, we get a glimpse of the knowledge and power that surrounds us. If we’re open, these experiences can transform our everyday lives.

CASTLE WILDERNESS

A STORY OF

TATSIKI-MIISTÁKII THE MIDDLE MOUNTAINS/CASTLE WILDERNESS AREA By Ninna Piiksii (Mike Bruised Head/Chief Bird) | photos by Dave McMurray

he elders from Piikani and Kainai tell the story of the Middle Mountains, which come between the Livingstone Range Mountains and Paahtómahksikimi (Waterton). I heard one story of the Middle Mountains. I was given the names of some of the mountains in the area, but I was quite young. Within those mountains you don’t really feel the wind. The elders described the area as a prime camping area – no matter the season. There are still tipi and ceremonial rings out there. And the elders described it as being abundant of saaám (medicine) and for hunting ponoká (elk) and áwákaasii (deer). The area is abundant with fish, all the wild animals you can imagine, from kiááyo (bear) to makóyi (wolf ) and aapí’si (coyote), the sikihtsisoo (moose) and áápomahkihkinaa (mountain sheep). And the streams are abundant of ksísskstaki (beaver) and áímmóniisi (otter), all those that we used for spiritual ceremonies and for survival as food. With all the fresh water it is also abundant with píítaa (eagle) and áyinnimaa (hawk). It’s a magnificent area, one of the most peaceful areas on Earth. This area is still abundant with those animals. The only thing that is missing is iiníí, the free-roaming buffalo. One of these days soon I hope the buffalo will be able to roam free again. The Middle Mountains are where, originally in their passing, the Siksikaitsitapi (Blackfoot people) went to get their tipi poles.

They went to chop, to get the lodge poles that were abundant in that area, and still are today. Piikani and Kainai people still go up there to get their tipi lodgepoles. Back then they didn’t haul tipi poles across the prairies. Everybody was respectful and they leaned them against the trees. There are even stories of tipi pole sharing, leaving poles behind for the next group. These stories from the old people say for more than 10,000 years, we roamed and travelled this land. We possibly had over 100 bands and each band or clan travelled differently. That’s why our traditional territory spans from Big River (the North Saskatchewan River) to the other side of Ómahksspatsiko (the Great Sand Hills), to Otahkoíítahtaa (the Yellowstone River) and Miitsíístakistsi (the Rocky Mountains) beyond the Continental Divide. But times have changed. We have been made to be foreigners in our own homeland, in these mountains. We have been made visitors, and other nations are now settled there, and they’re not the visitors. We are, even though we were here first. That is why we need to keep the Blackfoot stories, the old stories, going. As Blackfoot people, we still pray to those mountains, to the water. We always will pray to our homelands and our territory. There’s no other Blackfoot territory in the world. This is our territory.

ABOUT TATSIKI-MIISTÁKIISTSI (CASTLE WILDERNESS) Much of this area is now part of the 105,000-hectare Castle Provincial Park and Castle Wildland Provincial Park. The parks are home to grizzly and black bears, wolverines, wolves, big horn sheep, cougars, moose and elk as well as an array of bird species. The floral and faunal biodiversity of this landscape is recognized as being the most diverse in Alberta, if not Canada, because of abundance and variety of habitat, and also a unique location where so many species are at the very edge of their range.

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ISTSI

DID YOU

KNOW?

Between 1858 and 1915 there were officially two Castle Mountains in the southern Alberta area. Thomas Blakiston bestowed the name to the iconic massif in what is now the Castle, without knowing that two days prior, James Hector had given the same name to a mountain in Banff National Park. To avoid confusion, the southernmost mountain was officially changed in 1915 to Windsor Ridge with the northern peak called Castle Peak, and the slightly lower southern peak, Windsor Mountain. Comprised of Paleozoic limestone, Windsor Ridge is a geologic anomaly and a relative youngster compared to the older mountains that surround it. Sources: Naming Canada: Stories About Canadian Place Names by Alan Rayburn and Peaks of the Canadian Rockies.

TOP 4 CASTLE AREA Great place to eat: Check out the Twin Butte General Store (Hwy 6, 14 minutes north of Waterton Park) for some of the best Mexican food north of the border.

Hike with breathtaking views: Table Mountain (8.6 km each way and worth the effort!)

Got kids? Check out the “Learn to Fish” program at Beaver Mines Lake.

Looking for more hikes and scrambles? SPIITAWAKASI (LOWELL YELLOWHORN/TALL DEER) SHARES:

WHAT THE CASTLE WILDERNESS MEANS TO ME The area known as the Castle Wilderness area is a very wonderful place to interact with. I recently bought a fishing boat and have been going to fish the last few summers in the area. Beauvais Lake is a very wonderful area to do this. The lake is small enough to paddle around and not get overstrained. This area has also been used quite extensively by the Blackfoot tribes as well it has been a traditional area of harvest. One area known as the Crow Eagle Reserve has seen a lot of cultural activity. It has been known to host special resources that the Blackfoot people utilize in their ceremonies. The area also holds a lot of lodgepole pine - the tree utilized for tipi poles. A lot of the Blackfoot people come here to harvest these trees for that purpose. One summer I was doing some wildland firefighting and fought a blaze known as the Lost Creek Fire. I spent a whole summer in the area battling the fire. I had the opportunity to interact with the area quite extensively with hiking. It is such a beautiful area to engage with. I also have been skiing at Castle Mountain, this is one of the most wonderful ski locations in Alberta from my perspective due to the nature of the location. It is easily accessible, and the crowds are not as large as other ski resorts making it very convenient. Story and photo by Spiitawakasi (Lowell Yellowhorn/Tall Deer)

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Here are three others that Dave McMurray highly recommends: the hike to Grizzly Lake and Ruby Lake, and for the adventurous, getting there via the ridge walk and scramble on Lys Ridge; the scramble from Pincher Ridge to Victoria Ridge (or vice versa) where you’ll be rewarded with loads of beautiful red, green and yellow rock; and the Middlepass Lakes, including a scramble to the top of Rainy Ridge.

I NTO THE W I LD

Sweeping panoramas and picturesque valleys are the hallmarks of the Castle area. In this photo, General Studies instructor Brad Wolcott enjoys a ridge walk on Hollebeke Mountain near South Kootenay Pass. Photo by Dave McMurray

There is a place. A place with beautiful valleys, where you can get away and enjoy the bounty that nature provides. Recreational opportunities are abundant in this place, which is tucked away in the Rocky Mountains not far from Lethbridge. This place is the Castle Provincial Park and Castle Wildland Provincial Park. Most people who visit this place are not aware of its unique environment. Plants in this area are common with parts of the interior of British Columbia. The forests in the valleys are abundant with Engelmann spruce, Lodgepole pine, Douglas fir and sub-alpine growths. Many botanical treasures can also be found. If you are looking for huckleberry, mariposa lily and bear grass, this is your place. The eastern valleys in the area host diverse grasslands and native plants, and many rare plants are found here. If botany is not your thing, then maybe wandering to one of over 30 lakes in the area is more your speed, some of which are easily accessible for daytrips. Beaver Mines, Table Mountain and Castle River are hotspots for camping, hiking, flyfishing and family day trips. In the winter months, Castle Mountain Resort is popular amongst the snow seekers, and many a photographer can be found waiting for the right moment to capture the peaks above. This is a beautiful place. Maybe it can be your beautiful place. Story by Aaron Keeling, a student in Lethbridge College’s Ecosystem Management degree who will graduate in the spring of 2023.

WRITING-ON-STONE

A STORY OF

AÍSÍNAI’PI WRITING-ON-STONE

By Ninna Piiksii (Mike Bruised Head/Chief Bird) | photos by Jamin Heller and Sarah Yavitu

s far back as there have been Blackfoot people walking through this area, they have gone to Aísínai’pi (Writingon-Stone). The stories from the old people tell us that there was never a battle there. The Blackfoot have, since time immemorial, looked at Aísínai’pi as a sacred site and a safe place for passage. Even the enemy tribes and visiting tribes, they did not battle there. And they did not tamper with those drawings. The old people say it is a spiritual place, a place of significant human and spiritual import. The valley that includes Aísínai’pi, and the whole of Kináksisahtai (Milk River), has probably the most abundant pictographs and petroglyphs in Blackfoot territory and possibly all of North America. Those drawings at Aísínai’pi were to be there forever and ever, and they are not to be tampered with. These are places where you make an offering when you visit, of tobacco or berries or a bit of meat. All of the writing may look simplistic to the viewer. But just one circle is probably 1,000 words. And what’s behind that circle, a perfect circle that was drawn with sharp bones or sharp rock? Every petroglyph had to have some very deep significance to be drawn there. And the people who drew these petroglyphs probably had some very deep and profound reason to create that drawing. The early people put their markings on the rocks, and each of them has a story. Each of the drawings

has a story. And so people say 500 years ago they made these drawings. It could be true. And other people say well, why not 5,000 years ago? That also can be true. It is interesting to ask non-Blackfoot people, before we tell part of the story from a Blackfoot lens, “What did you get out of visiting Aísínai’pi? What do you think it means?” The old people say some of those drawings were not there the day before, and they go back there in the morning, and there would be a new drawing. And the old people would say, the spirits before us made some of those markings. Many people visit Aísínai’pi year after year, and it’s an honour that some people have of hearing song, voices and prayers. Others may go over there and never experience anything. And so it’s not for them at that time. It all depends on their respect for land, respect for the metaphysical world. And if somebody is not in tune with that, they will not experience that. They will not hear the sounds or voices or singing. For the Siksikaitsitapi (Blackfoot people), we feel it every time we go there. We’re so in tune with our ancestors and our lands. Like Ninaiistáko (Chief Mountain), we feel something every time we go to Aísínai’pi. And so we pray, or we put tobacco, out of respect for the Ancient Ones that we come not to harm them, not to disturb them, not to destroy, but we ask for knowledge through the dream world of what those stories mean.

ABOUT AÍSÍNAI’PI (WRITING-ON-STONE) The sedimentary rocks exposed in the Milk River valley were formed 85 million years ago at the edge of a great inland sea. Meltwater began eroding the soft sandstone after the last ice age and formed the coulees and hoodoos.

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DID YOU

KNOW?

A great way to experience Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park and the surrounding landscape is through a day or multi-day canoe or kayak trip. If you don’t have your own mode of paddling, you can rent canoes and kayaks in the town of Milk River. Options exist for everything from overnight to week-long trips, depending on where you start. There are also convenient campgrounds along the way, such as popular Poverty Rock. Flow rates drop throughout the summer, with June and July having the highest flow. If you haven’t paddled the Milk River before, join a local club or community where you will find plenty of advice and knowledge.

TOP 4

WRITING-ON-STONE Great place to eat: Hickory Street BBQ in Stirling (206 4th Avenue) is a delicious place to stop on your way going to or coming back from a day at Writing-on-Stone.

Hike with breathtaking views: The Hoodoo Trail (5.6 km each way) is one of the coolest hikes around. Bring lots of water and watch for snakes... and make sure you add this to your list this summer!

Got kids? Even preschoolers can navigate this trail, especially if you happen to come with friends and leave a car on one end so you can ferry the younger hikers back.

Looking for dinosaurs, but don’t have time to go to Drumheller? Stop by Devil’s Coulee Dinosaur and Heritage Museum in Warner – home of Canada’s first dinosaur nesting site.

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DIANE FJORDBOTTEN SHARES:

WHAT MILK RIVER MEANS TO ME What do the mountains mean to me? I’d like instead to talk about some remarkable southern Alberta landscapes that aren’t mountains but are still important to me. First is Devil’s Coulee near Warner, where 10 fossilized dinosaur eggs were discovered in 1997. The Devil’s Coulee Dinosaur Heritage Museum has both dinosaur fossil displays and artifacts from settlers, but my absolute favourite activity there is the Devil’s Coulee site tour. I love walking around the coulees, hunting for fossils in the dry bentonite clay – and finding some! So. Much. Fun. Second is Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park, which holds a special place in my heart. Hiking and climbing around the hoodoos with their haunting, wind-sculpted shapes are family-favourite activities. The petroglyphs and pictographs on the sandstone cliffs of the Milk River valley tell personal histories of the Blackfoot people, from ancient times through colonization. I was fortunate to have an Indigenous park interpreter on one of my many site tours, and her stories were powerful and meaningful beyond the beauty of the location. She told us that the Blackfoot people believe that the spirits of their ancestors are found in all of nature, and just as she was speaking an enormous, majestic buck appeared at the edge of the cliff. I would swear he listened to her stories while he watched our group for several minutes. This experience was profound and spiritual, and for me it underlined the importance of story and learning from place. Story and photo by Diane Fjordbotten, coordinator of the Learning Café

GARDENS OF STONE Have you ever seen a hoodoo? What about a tent rock? How about a fairy chimney? These are just a few of the names of the unusual landforms found at Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park. These sedimentary rocks along the park’s valley edge make for an amazing and enlightening stroll upon this UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is a special place – not just for the tourists, but more importantly for the Blackfoot people. The park contains some of the best archeological engravings and drawings on the sandstone walls in the valley. These sandstone walls and formations developed from what once was the edge of a giant and ancient inland sea. This incredible habitat provides not only unique animal species, but also amazing flowers and cacti. The self-guided trail along these sandstone formations twists and turns along the edge of the Milk River, at one point dropping down to the valley floor to provide views of the sandstone rock walls rising above. Every turn you take provides an opportunity to stop and appreciate something incredible, even if for just a moment. My advice? Take your camera and take your time. Staying on the trail is important in this area. The sandstone is fragile and easily eroded by excited and eager footsteps. Don’t let that discourage you as there are plenty of views, and maybe, just maybe, some appreciative and interesting little finds if you pay attention to the details along the way. Story and photo by Aaron Keeling

WATERTON

A STORY OF

PAAHTÓMAHKSIK WATERTON

By Ninna Piiksii (Mike Bruised Head/Chief Bird) | photos by Dave McMurray and Aaron Keeling

here are several stories about Paahtómahksikimi (Waterton). It is a descriptive name, about a lake created by water flowing from ice forming in the middle of the mountains and flowing into prairie. There are not too many lakes like that, from the mountains to the prairie. The Siksikaitsitapi (Blackfoot people) are categorized as prairie people, but we are more than that. We are also mountain people. We lived in the mountains. We travelled all over Paahtómahksikimi. The elders say we have been at Paahtómahksikimi since time immemorial. They talked about the present townsite of Waterton being under ice. Recent findings of tipi rings discovered after the Kenow Fire of 2017 affirm what our elders have said – that we have been here for a very long time. Everything has a beginning. Everything had to start. Those mountains were given to us, we believe, by our Náápi and Creator stories. For hunting, fishing, camping, ceremonies, fasting, vision quests, harvesting plants, animals – it is all there within Paahtómahksikimi. There are vision quest sites all throughout the park, and those visions in the mountains guided certain people to which medicinal plants to use. From there, the gifts they were given in terms of healing and doctoring, they passed it on to the people. These were our own natural pharmaceuticals. We knew about those a long time ago. We not only appreciate the aesthetic beauty of the mountains, but we look to the mountains for what they were truly worth. And that was to get these spiritual energies, this knowledge. That is why they’re so sacred to us. Those mountains and the visions that were attained there and given to those special people, 10 or 12 or 50,000 years ago, that is why we’re still here. The medicine people were able to heal us with plants from all the different mountains in Paahtómahksikimi. There are plants there that we cannot harvest on the prairies. There is

one valley there where it is the only place to find one particular root. There is no other place like it in Blackfoot territory. Our relationship with the mountains goes far beyond just climbing them. We offer the mountains tobacco, berries, even animal meats, leaving it for these mountain spirits. Some people cannot comprehend the word spirits or the metaphysical connections in the mountains. It’s beyond their thinking. And yet, we as Siksikaitsitapi, we knew about this a long time ago. And we still pay respect to those spirits. People who have passed on, we pray in turn to them and call on them for guidance. And so it is with culture and ceremony. A lot of our ceremonies were carried out in Paahtómahksikimi before we were forcibly removed, before we became foreigners to our own mountains, before we became visitors. One such ceremony was the Beaver Bundle Ceremony, which was started thousands of years ago after a spiritual experience where the beaver changed into a man and gave the people the beaver pipe and bundle. The last Beaver Bundle Opening ceremony in Paahtómahksikimi was in 1926. In 1858, Thomas Blakiston claimed the mountain there now named after him, and he named the whole area after his friend Sir Charles Waterton – a man who never set foot on that land. That broke wide open the colonial thought of naming mountains after European people. To this day, as Siksikaitsitapi, we don’t know the names of many of the mountains or passes or lakes in Paahtómahksikimi. The elders tell of stories that each mountain had its own spiritual name and even a spiritual song. The stories and songs have been absent since colonial settlement. It is important for Blackfoot names to make a comeback. The park should be bilingual, and it should include Blackfoot names and signs. The mountains have their own songs.

ABOUT PAAHTÓMAHKSIKIMI (WATERTON) Waterton was Canada’s fourth national park and, at 505 square kilometres, is the smallest in the Canadian Rockies. More than half of Alberta’s plant species are found in Waterton.

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KIMI

DID YOU

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Two favourite destinations for hikers, Bertha Lake and Bertha Peak, are named after Bertha Ekelund, whose father was one of Waterton’s first park rangers. During the summers of 1913 and 1914, M.P. Bridgland, who was responsible for naming many mountains in Alberta, took a romantic interest in Bertha when he was stationed in Waterton, eventually naming the peak after her. A similarly smitten young warden, changed the name of Spirit Lake to Bertha Lake as part of his courtship attempt. Bertha, who took pride in being the first non-Indigenous woman to explore many of the area’s mountains and valleys, may have also run a local gambling ring before becoming a fugitive counterfeiter. She was apprehended by the RCMP as she tried to escape to B.C. using the backcountry routes she once loved to explore. Recent Blackfoot interpretations suggest the Blackfoot name for Bertha Peak is Akiiohtaikiistakoo (Woman Spirit Mountain). Source: Being Bertha: How a Wayward Woman Became a Local Legend by Fran Genereux.

KERRY EDWARDS SHARES:

WHAT WATERTON MEANS TO ME Southern Alberta is blessed with so many incredible places. Just imagine, Alberta has six World Heritage Sites designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization – and five just happen to be here in southern Alberta. Our province has over one-quarter of the 20 World Heritage Sites in Canada, and that really speaks to the diversity of the landscape and the rich Indigenous culture. Having been involved with parks and protected areas (PPA) most of my career, camping has always been a big component in my life. WatertonGlacier International Peace Park is one of my favourite places, and wanting to get closer to the area, my wife and I explored the idea of finding a permanent campsite we could call our home away from home. In 2016, we found a spot on the Waterton River, which is just over 30 minutes from the Waterton Lakes National Park gate and also accessible to many other great locations in the Pincher/Crowsnest area. Waterton has always been a special place for me since first going to the location as a Lethbridge Community College student in the early 1980s. Once discovered, it soon was a destination for many weekends and later in life summer vacations. The landscape of southern Alberta is so dynamic you can move from mountains to grasslands to badlands easily within the same day. I have spent over 40 years within PPA Management, either learning about parks, managing parks, or teaching about park management here at the college and I can’t think of a better place to live and recreate than southern Alberta. Story by Kerry Edwards (Renewable Resource Management 1983) | photo by Aaron Keeling

TOP 4 WATERTON Great place to eat: There are so many wonderful places to eat in Waterton village, but our editor’s family tradition starts with a fully loaded hotdog at Wieners of Waterton followed by a scoop (or two) of ice cream.

Hike with breathtaking views: Bear’s Hump (in the village) is short, steep and worth every step. If you have friends visiting who have never seen the Rocky Mountains, this 2.8 km trail, which was rebuilt and rehabilitated after the 2017 Kenow Wildfire, should be on your list.

Got kids? Let them scramble, splash and study stones in Red Rock Canyon, a 0.7 km loop on the way to Cameron Lake.

Love a thrill? National Geographic rated the Crypt Lake hike as one of the “World’s 20 Most Thrilling Hikes” – and our team can confirm that claim! Starting with a boat ride from the village townsite, this is a memorable and mind-blowing adventure.

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THE SECRET LIFE OF PLANTS Tucked away in the southwest corner of Alberta is a place everyone needs to visit at least once in their life. Waterton Lakes National Park is one of Canada’s most beautiful places and represents a significant biodiversity with its four ecoregions: alpine, subalpine, montane and foothills parkland. With these four ecoregions are an unusually high number of more than 1,000 rare plant species. The park is graced with numerous flowers such as the fairy slipper and, of course, everyone’s favorite, bear grass! What most people do not know is that Waterton is also home to 175 plant and flower species that are considered provincially rare, and 20 of these can only be found in the Waterton area. Eight of these are moonwort (or grapefern), and the park has its very own: the Waterton Moonwort (Botrychium x watertonense) is the rarest plant found in the area. Unfortunately, it is not always visible because it spends most of its life underground, only producing one emergent leaf anywhere from three to eight years apart. When it does decide to peek into our world, it does so in such seclusion that most visitors to the park never see it. So as Lethbridge College Environmental Science instructor Henry Komadowski would always ask during his lectures: “What is the most important thing you should carry if you are out in the forest?” Your camera, of course!

Story and photo by Aaron Keeling

CROWSNEST PASS

A STORY OF

OMAHKAI’STOO CROWSNEST MOUNTAIN

By Ninna Piiksii (Mike Bruised Head/Chief Bird) | photos by Shanda Webber and Andrew Nugara

his is a story of Omahkai’stoo (Crowsnest Mountain/Big Raven Mountain). You have already heard about how Raven’s home place was originally Ninaiistáko (Chief Mountain), and how when Raven and Thunder got all of that settled, they agreed that Thunder would now occupy Ninaiistáko, and Raven would go to live at Omahkai’stoo. (See story on p. 15). As the old people say, Omahkai’stoo continually reminds Thunder to treat people well. And Omahkai’stoo looks out for the people in what we now call the Crowsnest Pass, as that pass has always been used by the Siksikaitsitapi (Blackfoot people) to reach the interior of British Columbia and even the coast. Omahkai’stoo is a marker, a guide, and that’s why it stands alone. That way, Raven can see far and wide. And Raven protects and guides the people through their journey through the mountains. Omahkai’stoo wasn’t only used by the Blackfoot people. It is also used by the animals, and it was a guide for the larger four-legged beings and all the other smaller, four-legged animals too. They, also, use Omahkai’stoo as a marker to know which direction they should go. And the birds that migrate use it, as a guide to know where to go when they move on. And those birds that stay year-round, they look at the Raven – now we call it the crow – they look at that as their home. The crow never leaves. There are a lot of crows all over. They

don’t migrate. They feel safe in that area, and through all the mountains where they live. Many Siksikaitsitapi would go to this area to fast, just as much as they do at Ninaiistáko. They have fasted there from time immemorial. The Siksikaitsitapi also used to camp a lot around Omahkai’stoo, back in what they would call the dog days. There are still a lot of tipi rings and sacred rock mounds there. The buffalo went way up there as there was a lot of good water, and you can still find today buffalo skulls and bones. But the people have been pushed back. The land now is not part of our Blackfoot and Piikani reserves, and we’ve lost that history of it. We’ve been pushed away. The colonial impact has taken this knowledge of the mountains away, and some of the mountain culture and mountain language – the names of all the beings and animals and plants and trees. Now we live in the prairie. We don’t know the names of all of those trees. The same is true of a lot of ceremonies from way back in the day. There is so much history that we’ve been disconnected from. But I think we can reconnect. It all comes back to the spiritual aspect of reconnecting with land. Omahkai’stoo is a guiding protective mountain. That’s why it stands all by itself. It almost stands away from the mountain range. I’ve heard our elders call it All Alone Mountain, and it has the respect of the human, spiritual and animal world.

ABOUT OMAHKAI’STOO (CROWSNEST MOUNTAIN) Elevation: 2,785 m The Crowsnest Pass is the richest archaeological zone in the Canadian Rockies. The oldest relics are stone tools found on a rock ridge outside Frank, Alta., from more than 10,000 years ago, at the end of the last glacial period.

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Andy Good Peak is named for one of the area’s more colourful settlers. A former Montreal detective, Andy married his American sweetheart, Kate, and the two set off on their honeymoon to find gold in the Klondike. They ended up in the Pass where they opened the Summit, a hotel that straddled the B.C.-Alberta border. Depending on which provincial liquor laws were the most liberal at any given time, they would move the bar from one end of the building to the other. A unique attraction at the hotel was a zoo that featured a tamed bear named Jim, a cougar named Leo, a monkey and an alligator. The Summit was renowned across North America for its fine food and dining. Unfortunately, despite her entrepreneurial skill in building the Summit, Kate was omitted from the mountain’s name. Sources: “The Top ‘O’ The World” Lethbridge Herald, April 14, 1923; John Kinnear, “Tracing the Flow of the Crow”; Canadian Mountain Place Names: The Rockies and Columbia Mountains by Glen W. Boles, Roger W. Laurilla, and William Lowell Putnam; 50 Roadside Panoramas in the Canadian Rockies by Dave Birrell.

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CROWSNEST PASS Great place to eat: You can’t go wrong with a cinnamon bun from the Cinnamon Bear Café in Coleman (8342 20th Avenue).

Hike with a breathtaking view: Take a trip to the wreckage of a 1946 RCAF airplane crash that sits below Mt. Coulthard and Mt. Parrish. Located about 7.5 km from the North Lost Creek trailhead, the site also serves as a quick stopover before a scramble to the summit of Mt. Coulthard.

Got kids? Take an hour or two to explore the stories and sights at the Frank Slide Interpretive Centre (and make sure you don’t miss the easy 1.5 km hike on the interpretive trail).

Want to go back in time? Visit the old Lille Townsite to check out coke ovens, fire hydrants, and building foundations that date to the turn of the 20th century – and get a better understanding of the coal mining history of the Crowsnest Pass.

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AMBER BAGU SHARES:

WHAT THE MOUNTAINS MEAN TO ME To me, the mountains mean heritage, home, comfort, beauty, peace and adventure. I grew up on an acreage west of Coleman (Willow Drive), with the river literally in my backyard and the mountains at the front. My grandparents moved to Willow Drive in the 1930s and had nine children. Three of those children then spread out to other acreages in Willow Drive, including my mother. My childhood memories include walking to my grandparents’ house and seeing wildlife along the way (funniest was the badger I thought was my grandmother’s dog and was trying to chase into the yard; he didn’t like that!); swimming in the river with the family in the summer and Dad coming straight from work to join us; walking in the mountains with my brother and the dogs; rescuing said brother when he got his 4x4 stuck somewhere in the back of beyond; and harvesting the produce of the mountains—fish, raspberries, strawberries, elderberries (for wine, of course), huckleberries, saskatoons, black currants, mushrooms, plants for herbal remedies, and the list goes on. Of course, I cannot forget the beautiful sunrises and sunsets I saw almost daily. I slept with my window open almost all the time and would awaken with the birds. I really miss hearing the ravens gurgling in the morning. I do not miss, though, the deer flies in the summer and the icy roads in the winter. I still enjoy the mountains on day trips in the summer. Lovely mountains. Story by Amber Bagu | photo by Shanda Webber

WHERE EAGLES DARE There are two eagle species in Alberta, the bald and the golden. People can occasionally see bald eagles in the Lethbridge area, but did you know that the Crowsnest Pass area is one of the best areas to observe a biannual golden eagle migration? In the spring, large numbers of golden eagles can be seen flying through the area in narrow streams in the sky. They fly north to Alaska and Yukon from as far south as northern Mexico. The migration begins in late February, and the peak period lasts until the end of April. In fall, the route reverses, and the eagles can be seen from mid-September to November. Ridgetops become nightly roosts until the first light of dawn, and the eagles’ daily movement in the sky ends as soon as it becomes dark. A good bird spotter can sometimes find the eagles resting on the peaks for the evening. For those who enjoy birding or bird photography, the journey to a small handful of designated observation sites in the area would make for an amazing outing, even for novices. Although the weather may not always cooperate and the skies may be clouded over, there is always a chance that your trip will be worthwhile.

Story by Aaron Keeling | photo by Kerri Martin

LETHBRIDGE COULEES

FOUR STORIES OF

KAAWAHKÓÍSTSI LETHBRIDGE’S COULEES

By Ninna Piiksii (Mike Bruised Head/Chief Bird) | photos by Shanda Webber and Andrew Nugara

am going to share some stories about the kaawahkóístsi (coulees) around sikóóhkotoki (Lethbridge), that were told to me by my grandparents and elders from Kainai. If you look at the landscape of the traditional Blackfoot territory, you will quickly understand that coulees are always close to waterways. So the first story about coulees is about the movement of the Blackfoot people. Imagine going on a journey, being part of a clan or a band – 100, 500 or 2,000 people – travelling on foot with your belongings. There are children and elders. Each clan or band had a group of scouts, young men who could run, swim, go into warfare. These scouts would navigate and guide the people, running ahead and checking out the whole area. In the summer, you would navigate across the rivers by walking on foot. And coulees would help you cross. Not every coulee was walking friendly. Scouts would have to find the best place to cross the river where it was shallow and safe for elders. Thousands of years ago, scouts knew the coulees and they knew the rivers. And the coulees and rivers all had a name. After the walking days, horses made travelling a little bit quicker. But they still had to manoeuvre the rivers. And more coulees could be used to navigate going down and back up from the river. Now there are tracks and if you really observe, you can see the ruts of the travois on the tops of some coulees. The second story of kaawahkóístsi is that they were almost like alleyways for hunters. Hunters knew where the animals

went down to drink water and where they came up. Hunters would manoeuvre in the coulees so the wind wouldn’t carry their scent, so the animals will not smell the humans. The coulees – as alleyways – would help the hunter harvest the game. The third story of kaawahkóístsi is that you could find berries there, many natural berry patches. People knew where to go to pick berries, and there were names for these berry spots. And those names are gone. I would encourage the reader to find out some of the names we know – for the coulees and for places in all of southern Alberta. People today – like the Blackfoot people since time immemorial – can use the coulees as a place to rest away from the wind. The fourth story about kaawahkóístsi is that they are a place to find medicine. Not all medicines that we harvest grow in the coulees, but many do. The same medicines that we harvest for human consumption, the animals also ate, and so imagine how healthy they are for us to eat. We give thanks for the kaawahkóístsi. I hope people will go to the coulees and think about where the Blackfoot people may have crossed and look for the alleyways the hunters may have used, and find the berries in summertime, and think about where the medicines might grow. The coulees are a living part of nature. These stories bring out the living contributions of the coulees. The coulees are alive. They will always be there. They are our friends.

ABOUT KAAWAHKÓÍSTSI (LETHBRIDGE’S COULEES) Coulees are the steep-sided, v-shaped valleys found along the river throughout Lethbridge. They – and the coulees throughout southern Alberta – were formed when the last glaciers retreated from the area, and they have been eroded by water and wind over time. Coulees are a sanctuary for wildlife and home to hundreds of native plant species. The word coulee comes from the Canadian French coulée, from the French work couler, which means “to flow.”

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If you can’t make it to mountains, you can enjoy your own “urban mountains” in the coulees. It is possible to plan hikes that allow you to match the elevation gains of small to medium-sized mountains while taking in a variety of interesting scenery. You may even discover some fossils along the way! You can also enjoy some technical climbing, as Lethbridge College instructor Brad Wolcott demonstrates in his parody (but also serious) guidebook, Selected Alpine Climbs in the Coulees of Lethbridge. In it, he details 26 of the 94 technical climbs he has completed, including the special tools and techniques that he uses.

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THE COULEES Great place to eat:

Lethbridge College’s Garden Court Restaurant has one of the city’s best views of the coulees. Enjoy student cooking and the beauty of our region by booking a table at facebook.com/LCGardenCourt or calling 403 320 3230.

Hike with a breathtaking view: Be sure to check out the newly opened Iissksiniip (Coming to Know and Learn) Coulee Walk, which was unveiled in September as part of Truth and Reconciliation Week and starts just behind the college.

Got kids?

BRAD WOLCOTT SHARES:

WHAT THE COULEES MEAN TO ME I love the coulees because they have led to many pointless adventures. With a little imagination (along with a heavy dose of stupidity), one can find all sorts of things to do in them. White water canoeing down a stream. Building obstacle courses with fallen logs. Spelunking in a tunnel. Alpine climbing up a ridge of dirt. You can do all of these things by yourself. Nevertheless, stupid and pointless activities are always more fun with others. As such, I love to venture into the coulees with my family and friends. Furthermore, the fun will continue after you return home. You can regale your “noncoulee friends” with epic stories of adventure. Likewise, you can remind your “coulee friends” of all the fun that you had together. My friends and I still talk about our escapades. Mark falling into Six Mile Creek and having to attend a meeting afterwards. Lance canoeing through thicket after thicket of thorny buffalo berries. Jeff tentatively squirming over a sheet of ice, only to fall through halfway across. Dave wondering if a belay anchor placed into dirt is actually a good idea. Great times! Story and photo by Brad Wolcott

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They can learn about plants, animals, soil and air at Lethbridge College’s Environmental Explorer Junior camps in July – including those in the coulees behind campus. Check out this and other great camps for young learners at lethbridgecollege.ca/summercamps.

Want to learn more? Stop by the Helen Schuler Nature Centre, which opened in 1982 and offers a wide range of interactive experiences that connect people to their local natural heritage. It’s open year-round and always worth a visit.

SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS The coulees are a special place for me. They tell me that I am home. They tell me that I need to slow down and focus on what is important. They tell me to listen. If anyone reading this has spent time in the coulees in Lethbridge, I praise you. If not, we should talk. I will even guide you in the right direction. Most of us take for granted that we have an amazing ecological area right in the city. It is a place teeming with biodiversity and distinct species. The coulees represent our river valley, wetlands, cottonwood forests, and municipally designated parkland. It is a place that demands attention, whether you just want to stop and enjoy the view, go for a stroll, or discover it in more detail. This is where things change a bit. Although it is a beautiful space, it is delicate. It needs to be cared for, just as if it was our own. Amongst the tufted grasses in the coulee is a small native grass named red threeawn. Its floret is purplish red at maturity and can be found amongst cheatgrass and blue grama, other grasses in the area. It is also a species of concern and considered endangered in various areas. The coulees are an everchanging community of biotic function, and they deserve respect from those who use it. And yes, there is natural erosion present along the hills, and at times it may not look like anything is alive because the weather is so hot and dry. Maybe this is all part of the plan. If we take good care of it, it will take good care of us. Story and photo by Aaron Keeling

NEVER ENOUGH NATURE The Wider Horizons team reminds all people who head out into Blackfoot territory to respect the land we share and leave only footprints. We also encourage you to share stories of your journeys with your family and friends when you get back home – and we would love to see photos of the places that matter to you, too. The prairie crocus is actually not a crocus; it is an anemone (Anemone patens) and found in the buttercup family. This furry perennial flowers in the spring and is known as a pasqueflower, getting its name from Passover.

Email photos of your favourite places to WHMagazine@lethbridgecollege.ca or post them on social media (and tag @lethcollege), and we’ll add them to our slideshow!

CLASS OF ’22

THESE

A OF

’22

A ARE

F O R W H AT ’ S

By Lisa Kozleski | story concept by Dawn Sugimoto | photos provided

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GRADS DIG DEEP TO FIND JUST THE RIGHT WORDLE WORD TO CAPTURE THEIR COLLEGE EXPERIENCE There are so many ways to describe the graduating members of the Class of ’22, such as smart, nifty, funny, alert, happy, eager, lucky, aware and great. Their time as students has certainly been a weird time in the world. There were plenty of moments when they felt tired and weary. Some may have had an awful moment or two as they pursued their goals and plans. But these grads are hardy and tough. They have heart, and they are a force of nature. They never lost sight of their dreams. Congratulations to the Class of ’22 – with special thanks to the students on these pages who shared some college memories (as well as a five-letter Wordle word that spoke to their college experiences) with the smart, savvy and witty readers of Wider Horizons! You are ready!

MACKENZIE HARRISON

TINA WATTERS

Natural Resource Compliance

Bachelor of Ecosystem Management – Fish and Wildlife

Hometown: Sparwood, B.C.

Hometown: Born in Georgetown, Ont. and raised in Sylvan Lake, Alta.

GREAT LC memory My favourite memory was probably the first experiential week during year one of my program. I remember a very specific moment while standing waist deep in stagnant goose-poop-filled pond water. I knew that the fact that I was having a great time – regardless of the encompassing smell – meant I had joined the right program. I haven’t had one moment where I felt like this isn’t exactly the program I’m supposed to be in and the path I’m supposed to be taking.

GREAT LC memory Procrastination nights in the library! Those nights when my friends and I found a table in the library and spent ALL evening working on the assignments we had been putting off – buckling down and only taking breaks for the pizza, yoga, dog destress, and other activities put on by the wonderful coordinators.

My program involved the study of fish, their habitats, their histories, their importance to the ecosystem, and the legislation protecting them. My goal career’s title is often referred to as a “fish cop.”

I was going to pick “study” as my word but then thought of FIELD. The experiences we got to have in the field, learning and improving our hands-on skills, gave us a better understanding of our future careers.

CLASS OF ‘22

JONALYN ESQUIVEL

SARAH HATT

Business Administration – Accounting

Renewable Resource Management

Hometown: Lethbridge

Hometown: Edmonton but Lethbridge is home!

GREAT LC memory A favourite memory I have from the college would be being able to get to know my classmates throughout the two years. It made the experience more meaningful by being able to relate to each other through our accounting interests and made it less stressful to persevere through our classwork.

GREAT LC memory “Returning” to campus! After completing the first year fully online, it was great to actually step foot on campus and connect face to face with instructors and classmates.

This word closely relates to my time here at the college because all my professors had faith in their students. The way they encouraged us and believed in our abilities allowed me to be the best student I can be.

Returning to school as a mature student has renewed my passion for the outdoors and wildlife.

MATTHEW HENRY Natural Resource Compliance Hometown: Treherne, Man.

JOVELYN ESQUIVEL

GREAT LC memory Late nights spent studying in the lab that were made so much better by having lots of laughs with friends.

Business Administration – Accounting

GREAT LC memory My favourite memory at the Lethbridge College would be my first day of my second year at the college. My first year attending here was all online due to COVID-19, and I missed out on the real college experience. Walking through the doors on the first day, I was nervous but excited to finally be in the classroom and in the presence of my fellow classmates. Seeing everyone’s faces that day for the first time in person was memorable, as it made me feel ecstatic and motivated me to want to learn.

My Wordle word that relates to my experience at Lethbridge College is “value.” This is because the professors valued our education and prioritized our success. I also always felt that everything I learned in all my classes was of value and importance.

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I came to Lethbridge College to pursue my dream career, and this dream is what keeps me excited every day.

Hometown: Lethbridge

PEDRO HERDES Exercise Science Hometown: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

GREAT LC memory My program at the college was great. It started as an interesting unknown for a foreign student, but it ended as an awesome, hands-on learning experience, with great mentors.

Beginning this journey was actually a fresh start for me, and also the program is coming to an end for me but it is just the start of this new stage of my life.

KAREN MITCHELL

EDNNA STOBSCHINSKI

Exercise Science

Renewable Resource Management

Hometown: Magrath

Hometown: Tepatitlán de Morelos, Jalisco, México

GREAT LC memory The day I realized everything that I had learned in the past three semesters linked directly into what I was learning in the fourth. It was like a massive puzzle that was slowly coming together, and it took the entire time to bring them all on to the same table and then connect them.

I learned to trust the process of learning in the order that was set out for the program, even though some of the learning didn’t make sense at the beginning. I found I could trust myself to do well. I learned to trust each teacher, understanding they wanted me to do well.

AILENE MCMAHON Unit Clerk Hometown: Lethbridge

GREAT LC memory One of my best memories from my college experience was writing a research paper in my English class. I know this might sound strange, my best memory being an assignment... but I have never been the English type and this was the first time I was offered the opportunity to excel in an English class. This meant so much to me because I proved to myself that I can do hard things. I also uncovered a passion for research and pragmatic thinking. Thanks to Catherine Euston for uncovering this within me and shaping my future career choices.

My college experience has been the catalyst for so much of my personal and professional growth. I know so much more about myself, I have so many more invaluable life skills, and I have gained an amazing first career and so many friends and mentors. I have also regained my desire to continue growing and improving because of the opportunities provided to me by the college.

GREAT LC memory There was one time one of my best friends (and classmate) and I were walking down a hallway by Centre Core on just a regular day heading to class, and we were singing “Crazy Little Thing called Love” by Queen, snapping our fingers to the rhythm. As we were about to pass a corner, a college staff member walking in the opposite direction of us heard us singing, and as we finished one line, she jumped in to sing with us too. We did not stop to chat or anything right away; we just kept going with our days, but now with a smile on our faces and thinking - this person has good taste of music.

I chose this word because it encompasses my passion for plants, which emerged throughout my studies in Renewable Resource Management. But it also beautifully reflects my sentiment with the college: a community with different lumps, each one different, with a specific role, connected in a middle stem, and working towards the same goal. It didn’t matter if the day was gloomy or sunny, I always found people who supported me whenever I needed help, whether those were my instructors, staff, or my peers. I am grateful for all that I learned in the classroom and in the field, and I will continue to pursue the warm sunshine, as I know my community will have my back.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF ’22 FROM THE WHOLE COLLEGE COMMUNITY! To check out more Convocation stories and celebrations, go to lethbridgecollege.ca/convocation.

A PASSION FOR

leadership, learning and relationships Story by Lisa Kozleski | photos by Rob Olson

OUTGOING PRESIDENT REFLECTS ON NINE YEARS OF LEADING LETHBRIDGE COLLEGE

r. Paula Burns, Lethbridge College’s eighth President and CEO, made it clear from the start who she was and how she would lead. “I’m excited to bring out the best in everyone here,” she said in her first interview with a communications student her first week on campus in February 2013. “I look forward to seeing everyone shine.” “I want people to be working in their areas of strength,” she said in her first Wider Horizons story. “I look for opportunities for people to contribute in the highest possible way.” “I am committed to taking the solid foundation built by this vibrant community and expanding it even further,” she said in her installation ceremony in April 2013. “It is

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my true pleasure to provide leadership to help the college write the next important chapters of its history.” Burns spent more than nine years writing some of the most interesting, exciting, challenging and rewarding chapters in Lethbridge College’s 65-year history. Those chapters will come to an end in late May, when Burns leaves the college to take on a new challenge as President and CEO of Langara College in Vancouver. She leaves a positive and powerful legacy at Lethbridge College, where she focused on developing the people and culture within the college, strengthening the college’s ties to the city and southern Alberta communities, and providing increased learning and research opportunities for students.

“FROM THE BEGINNING, PAULA’S VISION WAS TO ENSURE LETHBRIDGE COLLEGE OFFERED A DIVERSE AND ACCESSIBLE POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION TO ITS STUDENTS. NOW, NINE YEARS LATER, LETHBRIDGE COLLEGE IS LEADING IN MANY AREAS IN POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION IN ALBERTA. SHE’S DONE AN INCREDIBLE JOB OF LEADING THIS INSTITUTION.” MIKE MARCOTTE Chair, Lethbridge College Board of Governors

When announcing her departure in January, Dr. Paula Burns said: “Our college is filled with people who embrace challenges, put our students first and see that our college is at its strongest when we work together and support each other.”

“WHEN MY HUSBAND VALERIO AND I FIRST MET PAULA, WE FELT SHE UNDERSTOOD THE NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS AND HAD GREAT VISION FOR THE COLLEGE TO MOVE FORWARD IN THIS EVERCHANGING ENVIRONMENT. OVER THE YEARS AND NUMEROUS DISCUSSIONS WITH PAULA, I FELT SHE ALWAYS HAD THE BEST INTEREST OF THE STUDENTS IN MIND.” FLORA MATTEOTTI Friend of Lethbridge College

This page: Dr. Burns called Convocation one of the best days of each year at Lethbridge College. Opposite page, left: Dr. Burns addresses the crowd at a Pride Flag Raising ceremony. Opposite page, right top: Dr. Burns is joined by then-board chair Randy Jespersen and then-MLA Maria Fitzpatrick to help open up the Trades, Technologies and Innovation Facility in 2017. Opposite page, right bottom: Dr. Burns is enveloped in a hug by Blackfoot Kaahsinnoonik (Grandparent) Peter Weasel Moccasin.

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I Burns oversaw numerous achievements during her time with Lethbridge College, including:

• The completion of the successful $27.8 million Possibilities are Endless campaign in 2016. • The opening of the Trades, Technologies and Innovation Facility in 2017, which was the largest construction project in the college’s history. • Significant growth of the college’s Centre for Applied Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. • Development of many Indigenous-related initiatives, including the creation of the President’s Indigenous Advisory Council; the college receiving a Blackfoot name, Ohkotoki’aahkkoiyiiniimaan – Stone Pipe, the permanent raising of the Blackfoot Confederacy flag and the opening of the Iissksiniip Coulee Walk. • A focus on diversity and inclusion, including opening a Pride lounge in 2018 and multi-faith room in 2019, and research into the college’s equity, diversity and inclusion needs.

n looking back on her time leading the college, Burns recalls being hired by “a bold board who wanted to see Lethbridge College on the map,” not just in terms of enrolment numbers, but with innovative programming, pioneering applied research, thriving community partnerships and strong relationships with people – students, employees, alumni and friends of the college. Even with the challenges posed by the pandemic, Burns says the college community has achieved the goals laid out in her team’s early strategic plans – ones that called for leading and transforming education in Alberta, and for inspiring and facilitating learning and innovation to meet economic and social needs. “We’re now a college of choice,” she says. “We offer everything from certificates to diplomas to apprenticeship to degrees. We have extensive opportunities for applied research, and we’ve built more pathways to access education. We’ve engaged with the larger community and region. We’re collaborative and we build on success. We’re small enough to care and big enough to get things done. And we continue to focus on the students, who are at the heart of all we do.” She says she has so many vivid and happy memories she’ll take with her as she moves to her new role. A few that stand out include the absolute fun of Coulee Fest,

“THE FIRST TIME I MET PAULA, SHE WAS VERY WARM TOWARDS ME. I JUST SAT BACK AND WATCHED HER, AND I THOUGHT SHE WAS A

VERY SMART LADY. AND EACH TIME I MET HER, I GOT MORE AND MORE RELAXED BY HER. THE SENSITIVITY SHE HAS TOWARDS THE INDIGENOUS STUDENTS HERE IS SOMETHING THAT REALLY HIT MY HEART.” BETTY-ANN LITTLE WOLF Blackfoot Kaahsinnoonik (Grandparent), Lethbridge College

which “was always a dream of mine to have a great big community party, and it exceeded every expectation”; the pride of seeing the support for and success of Kodiaks teams grow over the years (including a national championship); and the celebratory energy during the opening of the Trades, Technologies and Innovation Facility – even the race car doing doughnuts in the brandnew parking lot. She’ll savour the meaningful moments, too, including presenting her daughter, Karleen, with her Child and Youth Care diploma in 2018 (and she says she looks forward to doing the same with her son, Kelson, at this May’s convocation); and receiving the gift of a Blackfoot name, Piita’gaaksiimaaki – Eagle Whistle Woman, in 2018 by the college’s Kainai Kaahsinnoonik (Grandparent) Peter Weasel Moccasin.

Even the challenging moments provided her with opportunities to learn and grow. She looks back on and is impressed at how the college was able to pivot quickly and nimbly during the pandemic, explaining that “it wasn’t all that difficult because we had a strong leadership team, and the whole campus came together in collaboration.” And after non-confidence votes by the faculty association in 2015 and 2016, Burns says she took time to reflect, listen and recommit to the goals and direction of the college. “It was a time of learning and connecting with people and building trust, about taking time to understand different perspectives,” she says. “Even though not everyone wanted to move as quickly as we did, we were able to build mutual respect and work toward our shared goals.” While she knows that the new president, who is expected to be named this summer, will come with their own vision and goals, she says she would encourage that person to get to know the people and their passions.

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“PAULA IS A REMARKABLE LEADER BOTH AT THE LOCAL AND NATIONAL LEVELS. HER VISION AND HER PASSION FOR POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION AND INNOVATION MAKE HER A STRONG AGENT OF CHANGE AND PROGRESS, AND SHE HAS DEFINITELY EARNED THE RESPECT OF HER PEERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.” DENISE AMYOT President, Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan)

It’s advice that has served her well, and it has guided her from the very start of her time at Lethbridge College. It was right there at the start, in her installation speech, when she said: “I see my role as one where I guide us to build on the strengths of the past, set a vision for the future and, most importantly, nurture a culture of trust that encourages every person here to work from their passion and strengths and be leaders. I lead out of my passion for leadership, learning and relationships. And as someone who loves change and knows my calling as a transformational leader, I could not be more excited.”

The Wider Horizons team would like to thank Dr. Paula Burns for her support of the magazine and her willingness to help on any story the team was working on over the years (including 27 different President in Action photoshoots). The team wishes her well as she heads out to write the next chapter in her inspiring story.

“I AM GLAD I GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN FROM PAULA’S ENDEAVOURS AS SHE IS AN INSPIRING LEADER. I WISH HER THE VERY BEST IN HER NEW JOURNEY AND THAT SHE CONTINUES ADVOCATING FOR HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION FOR POST-SECONDARY STUDENTS AT LANGARA COLLEGE.” EDNNA STOBSCHINSKI LCSA President 2020-21, Ecosystem Management 2022

Opposite page, left: Dr. Burns poses for a photo with her daughter, Karleen, at Convocation in 2018. Opposite page, right: Dr. Burns brought her pandemic puppy, Bella, to the office to introduce her to the team in 2021. This page: Over the years, Dr. Burns became well known for her stylish socks - one of many creative and inspiring aspects to her leadership style that will be missed.

From our kitchens

{ Chef Dave Poszmik }

BRUSCHETTA PIZZA Story by Lisa Kozleski | photos by Rob Olson

| SPRING 2022

Chef Dave Poszmik (Chef Apprentice 2017) created this recipe at the end of a long shift at Firestone Restaurant, where he’s worked for 12 years, most recently as a sous chef. It was his turn to cook the shift dinner for his colleagues, and so he took some bruschetta mix, a handful of cheeses and a freshly made pizza dough, slid it into the brick oven for just a few minutes and voila! The end result was an homage to his Italian heritage and an instant staff favourite that he was eager to share with readers of Wider Horizons. Chef Poszmik, who grew up in Welland, Ont., and attended the Niagara-on-the-Lake Culinary Apprentice program before moving west, decided to redo the whole program at Lethbridge College. He says he’s grateful for the experience. “This program is very well done, with better hands-on training, smaller class sizes and attentive instructors,” he says. “My advice for new students going into the Culinary program would be to take the WATS apprenticeship program. It’s organized well, provides in-depth training and lots of hands-on practical learning. Plus it’s easy to do because there is one day of class per week, leaving time to work full-time during classes.” He loves his work – especially the thrill of a busy rush. “That’s when everything and everyone is working together to please all of our hungry guests,” he says with a smile, and he feels “the pride we have when guests truly enjoy their experience at Firestone.” To enjoy some of Chef Poszmik’s other creations at Firestone Restaurant, book a table by calling 403.329.3473. To make a reservation at the Garden Court Restaurant, where Chef Poszmik and other Culinary alumni learned their trade, call 403.320.3230. Bon appétit!

Ingredients

METHOD

For the bruschetta mixture

For the bruschetta mixture:

4 ........................................................................... diced Roma tomatoes 1/2 ....................................................................................diced red onion 3 cloves............................................................................... minced garlic 2 oz. ...............................................................................chopped parsley 1 tsp. ................................................................................................ sea salt 1 tsp. .....................................................................................black pepper 1/2 oz. ..................................................................................... lemon juice 1 oz. .......................................................... shredded parmesan cheese 1 tbsp. ............................................................................Italian seasoning 1 tsp. ...........................................................................................dried basil 1 tsp. ...................................................................................dried oregano

1. Dice the tomatoes and red onions, and mix with the rest of ingredients.

For the herb-infused oil 1 1 1 1

cup ..................................................... canola or other vegetable oil tbsp. ............................................................................Italian seasoning tbsp. .........................................................................................dried basil tbsp. .................................................................................dried oregano

For the pizza 1 .................pizza dough (from a grocery store or recipe online) 3 oz. ...........................................................................................mozzarella 2 oz. ......................................................................................... feta cheese

For the herb-infused oil 1. Add all ingredients into a sauce pot and heat on the stove for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

To make the pizza: 1. Preheat oven to 425F. 2. Line a pizza pan with parchment or aluminum foil and grease with oil. 3. Spread out the pizza dough. 4. Brush the dough with the infused oil. 5. Spread the mozzarella cheese across the dough, leaving a half-inch rim for the crust. 6. Spread the bruschetta mixture across the dough. 7. Top with feta cheese crumbled across the pizza. 8. Bake at 425F for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the crust is a nice golden colour. 9. Remove from the oven. Cut pizza into the desired amount, serve and enjoy!

Where are they now?

Makers, Doers and Thinkers Celebrating the Lethbridge College alumni who are building community and making their mark in memorable ways.

FEATURING:

Earla (Cassels) Legault Rehabilitation Services 1981

| SPRING 2022

SHARING THE SUCCESSES OF OUR ALUMNI

IN THEIR CAREERS AND THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES. Makers, Doers and Thinkers Featuring

If you ask Earla (Cassels) Legault about the Rehabilitation Services Class of 1981, she’ll tell you they are the unsung alumni making a difference in their communities.

ALUMNI UPDATES We love hearing from Lethbridge

College alumni! You can find additional updates online at widerhorizons.ca. To submit your news to share with

Ten of the 14 graduates in their class still keep in contact today – a group of

women whose friendship was forged early in their time at Lethbridge College, on a chilly team-building camping excursion. “We rock climbed, we rappelled, we had so much fun,” Earla says. “We got to know each other outside of the classroom, as women, and we’ve been there for each other because we built that bond.” Described in the college’s 1979 course calendar as an “exciting new social science program,” Rehabilitation Services prepared graduates for working with people with physical or developmental disabilities and psychological disorders as well as with geriatric clients. “It was a really, really great program,” Earla says. “If you think back to 40 years ago, there weren’t as many supports for people with disabilities as there are today. It was neat to be on the ground floor as those offerings became more people-centric.” After graduation, Earla began working as a group home supervisor for the Canadian Mental Health Association. She later moved to British Columbia to become a rehabilitation worker in a provincial institution. “And then I moved to Haida Gwaii,” she says. “There were no rehabilitation services positions available, but I always had an interest in the library, so I started working there.” Earla spent the next 20 years in libraries, and toward the end of her career, became a library outreach manager. Her fellow graduates enjoyed careers in community health care and hospitals; primary, secondary and postsecondary schools; youth detention centres; government agencies and more. In addition to sharing a Christmas newsletter to keep tabs on each other, the Class of ’81 organized 10-year and 20-year reunion camping trips. Last summer, the group got together again at Lake McGregor, north of Lethbridge, to celebrate 40 years since graduation – and 42 years of friendship. “We’re maybe not distinguished alumni or career virtuosos,” Earla says, referring to the college’s annual Honouring Excellence Awards, “but we’ve all been instrumental in our communities. Rehabilitation is meant to help empower people so they can do better. That kind of work sometimes flies under the radar, but it’s important. These are all exceptional women.” Three months after our initial interview with Earla, she wrote to inform us of the passing of one of her former classmates, Lee Peters. Lee attended the 40th anniversary reunion at Lake McGregor last summer and remained very close with her college friends over the years. She also met her husband, Bill, at Lethbridge College. “Lee delighted in the love and support of her classmates,” Earla says. “We all grieve her loss. She will be deeply missed within the alumni.” Story by Tina Karst | photos submitted

your classmates and the college community, drop us a note at WHMagazine@lethbridgecollege.ca.

2021

Tabitha Fehr

Therapeutic Recreation – Gerontology Tabitha is working towards earning her degree in Therapeutic Recreation at the University of Lethbridge.

Karsen Marczuk

Digital Communications and Media Karsen is working as a video journalist with CTV News Lethbridge.

Jaxon McGinn

Digital Communications Media Jaxon is a reporter for Sunny South News in Coaldale.

Christine Moser

Exercise Science 2021, Massage Therapy 2019 Christine was recognized as the cowinner of the Kinsmen Female Sports Person of the Year by the Lethbridge Sports Hall of Fame. Christine was part of the 2020 class of athletes whose induction was delayed by COVID-19. She played three years for the Lethbridge College Kodiaks from 2017 to 2020 and was named the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference South Women’s Player of the Year in 2019. Christine tallied five goals and three assists that season. She was also awarded ACAC All-Conference and Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association Academic All Canadian honours. 51

Where are they now?

2020

Allyson Carroll

Renewable Resource Management, Ecosystem Management student 2022 Allyson moved to Saskatchewan to work with the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s conservation team. When not busy working out in the field, Allyson says she enjoys camping, sports and exploring new places across the country.

She says she is excited to get to work with the Nature Conservancy of Canada this summer and hopes to be able to promote all of the valuable ecosystems Saskatchewan has to offer.

Toby Drozdz

Digital Communications and Media Toby writes: “I celebrated one year as a marketing coordinator with Redcliff

ALUMNI AT WORK – Bourbon and Butter

Bakery in March. I am also continuing to work as a part time marketing associate with J&M Roofing Inc. and Redcliff Family Dental Centre, all in the Medicine Hat area.”

Grace Evans

Digital Communications and Media Grace works at Community Futures Chinook, which helps people in the region turn their business ideas into reality through free business planning and coaching.

Matthew Marthaller

Criminal Justice – Policing Matthew told the Alumni Engagement team: “I got a job working in telecommunications in Calgary. I use what I learned in the Criminal Justice – Policing program to interact with my clients to promptly achieve resolutions to issues.”

Sharyn Ogden

Bourbon and Butter – a new Lethbridge restaurant featuring menus that are full of passion, creativity and intrigue – was born out of pandemic pandemonium. Ryan Snider (Cook Apprentice 2008), Marc Gedrasik (Cook Apprentice 2007), Graeme Glaister and Morgan Boucher – who had all worked together in restaurants before the pandemic and all lost their jobs in the midst of it – decided to come back together in early January to open Bourbon and Butter at 330 6th Street S. Ryan and Marc have worked in a variety of kitchens and food service, and they are glad to have the help of two Lethbridge College apprentices this spring: Connor Lozza (Culinary – first year) and Merek GobleLidstone (Culinary – second year). “Connor and Merek have fit right into our team at Bourbon and Butter,” says Morgan. “They are eager to learn, apply the new skills from class and create dishes they have fun serving. Chefs are artists; it takes many different talents, passions and forward-thinking individuals to grow a restaurant team.” We are proud to celebrate these Alumni at Work!

In each issue, Wider Horizons and the Alumni Relations team feature area businesses that employ a large number of Lethbridge College grads. If you’d like your business showcased in a future issue, email WHMagazine@lethbridgecollege.ca.

| SPRING 2022

Child and Youth Care Sharyn tells the Alumni Engagement office: “I have been employed at The Camrose Open Door for the past two years. I started there as a youth support worker and then was promoted as an employment program coordinator working directly with atrisk youth and young adults who, for various reasons, have found barriers to gaining employment.”

2019

Lauren Arp

Criminal Justice – Policing In the winter issue of Wider Horizons, Lauren wrote that she was working with the Commissionaires in Red Deer while waiting on brain surgery. She sent this update in recently: “I just defeated brain surgery!”

Sarah Deluca

Administrative Office Professional Sarah works as the administrative assistant of Ecole St. Mary Elementary School in Lethbridge.

Ryley Lopushinsky

Bachelor of Applied Arts – Justice Studies Ryley is in the final year of law school in Northern Ireland.

Chris DeLisle (Electrician Apprenticeship 2008)

Mona Thakor

Business Administration – Accounting Mona is working as a banking advisor.

2018

Amanda Nilsson

Heath Care Aide According to an article in the Vulcan Advocate, Amanda was named the new administrator for the Village of Lomond. Amanda told the newspaper: “What prompted me to apply for the CAO position was not only the enticement of no longer having to have an hour commute every day, but also the ability to spend more time with family. Another reason that motivated me to apply for the position is that I now feel like I will be able to be so much more involved in the community of Lomond, for example through being on local community boards such as the fire association board, cemetery board, and the recreation board.”

Tiffany Trinh

Bachelor of Nursing Tiffany tells the Alumni Engagement office: “I’m currently working in the hospital on a Pediatric unit! I’m also pursuing my master’s in nursing. My dream is to work at Lethbridge College one day to teach first-year nursing students!”

2017

Alyssa Dyck

Medical device reprocessing Alyssa writes: “After graduation, I worked in the surgical suite for three years and then decided to come back to school and do my practical nursing. I am currently in my second year finishing up classes.”

Chris DeLisle calls the education he received at Lethbridge College the

backbone of a very successful career so far. After completing his Electrician apprenticeship at the college, he went on to work as a wind turbine technician, and he soon discovered he had a passion for helping others learn. So he returned to Lethbridge College for seven years – first as an instructor in the Wind Turbine Technician (WTT) program and then as chair of the School of Renewable Energy. During his time at the college, DeLisle helped to secure grant funding for the nacelle now located on campus, created industry partnerships, and earned awards for teaching, leadership and creating community. He left the college to join Goldwind as the senior training manager in 2020, and since then, his work has included fostering and strengthening international relationships with the training team in Australia and the site team in Panama. DeLisle continues to support the WTT program. In addition to referring and hiring college graduates, he recently added Goldwind to the list of companies employing electrical apprentices who will likely attend the college for their training. He has also worked with Goldwind to support the program through sponsorships and the creation of student awards, and he serves as chair of the WTT Program Advisory Committee.

2022

HONOURING EXCELLENCE

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD RECIPIENT

Where are they now?

Tara Grindle (Communication Arts and Multimedia Production 1996)

Tara Grindle isn’t sure if it’s the result of growing up in a small town or a

lifetime of being involved in team sports, but being a part of the community has always been important for her – and that has led to a rewarding career in public service. One of her first roles after graduation was working for an organization that helped prevent injuries in children, and she later moved on to an advertising agency. Next came a job as marketing coordinator at Gas King, which she says taught her about the importance of giving back. Grindle went on to work at Chinook Health where she built campaigns around cancer screening, immunization awareness, chronic disease management and more. After nine years, she realized she was ready for a new challenge in public service. So she then joined the Communications team at the City of Lethbridge, where she’s worked for six years, most recently as manager of Communications and Engagement and a member of the executive leadership team. Grindle is active in the community as well, playing in co-ed and women’s volleyball leagues for 25 years and serving as the sport chair for the Special Olympics Provincial Summer Games, volunteering for the Scotties Tournament of Hearts and Skate Canada, and volunteering at her children’s schools.

2022

HONOURING EXCELLENCE

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COMMUNITY LEADER AWARD RECIPIENT

2016

Jonathan Guignard

Digital Communications and Media Jonathan joined CTV Barrie in Ontario in 2021 and is working as an operations floater. His journalism career began at a weekly newspaper in southern Alberta after graduation. After a short stint there, he moved to Red Deer to report at a daily newspaper before making the switch to radio and joining the Sunny 94 team in Lacombe, Alta. Jonathan then moved to Regina and began working at Global News as a digital broadcast journalist. During Jonathan’s time in Regina, he covered everything from sports to city council to politics both for television and online. Jonathan, who speaks English and French, says he is a sports fanatic and can often be found in front of a television watching his favourite teams – the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Blue Jays and Toronto Raptors.

Shantelle Yablonski

Interior Design Technology Shantelle, senior design consultant with Superior Cabinets Saskatoon, was inducted into the National Kitchen and Bath Association’s Thirty under 30 program class in February. She was selected from hundreds of nominations throughout North America through a rigorous selection process, recognizing her as an outstanding professional in the kitchen and bath industry. The NKBA’s Thirty Under 30 program recognizes accomplished young professionals under the age of 30 who are making waves in kitchen and bath design, remodelling, sales, and manufacturing.

“To be a part of this year’s Thirty Under 30 class means I’ve been recognized for my contributions to the industry by my colleagues and peers, which is an extremely high honour for me. I’m so grateful and ecstatic to have been selected,” she said.

Stacey Demedeiros

Rachel CrowSpreadingWings

Communication Arts – Broadcast Journalism Rachel was named the first head of content for the Institute of Communication Agencies of Toronto. Her new role will allow her to work with many businesses and industries both nationally and internationally, and to create and collaborate professionally and personally while helping others network and build their brands and passions. Founded in 1905, the ICA is the not-for-profit association for Canadian advertising, marketing, media and public relations agencies.

2015

Jessika Guse

Communication Arts – Broadcast Journalism Jessika tells the Alumni Engagement office: “I’ve since moved up in the industry and am now working full-time as an online journalist for Global Calgary along with freelancing.”

Adam Reiter

Criminal Justice – Policing, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Adam started work as Nanton’s new bylaw officer in February. According to the Nanton News, Adam had worked as a community peace officer for Foothills County for two years, and the County of Grande Prairie for 2.5 years. He also had worked as a transport officer for almost two years with the province’s Commercial Vehicle Enforcement branch. He told the newspaper that working in a small town appealed to him.

2013

Kyle Moore

Communication Arts – Broadcast Journalism Kyle is reporting the weekday morning news for KixFM106 in Peace River. He says his biggest passion is covering sports and doing hockey play-by-play, and he also enjoys classic video games.

2012

Crystal Collins

Conservation Enforcement Crystal recently received the Conservation Officer of the Year award in the Northwest Territories. From 2007 to 2020, Crystal worked in a variety of roles in Manitoba before making the move north to the South Slave Region of N.W.T. She was recognized for her vast contributions and willingness to assist in multiple regions, including being a first responder for the Jean Marie River flooding by assessing and documenting damages, assisting displaced and distraught residents by helping to direct inquiries and getting firewood and other supplies where needed, taking care of managing wildlife and protecting the temporary tent village as things were sorted out. Crystal also assisted the Deh Cho with helping to train a new officer and through wildlife management in Fort Liard and through doing a stint on the Liard highway monitoring/ compliance patrols. Crystal served as president of the LCSA Ducks Unlimited student chapter while a student at Lethbridge College.

Early Childhood Education Stacey writes: “Since graduating, I have taken over the director’s position at the francophone childcare centre in Lethbridge. It’s given me a great opportunity to work in the field and also use the French language on a daily basis. There is a whole francophone community in Lethbridge that most people don’t even know about.”

2011

Tianna Fieguth

Criminal Justice – Policing Tianna works as a training unit officer with Lethbridge Police Service.

Kim St. Amant

Practical Nurse Kim has been working in the dialysis program at Chinook Regional Hospital since graduation, and at Taber Acute Care since 2016.

2010

Teigan Reamsbottom

Communication Arts – Advertising and Public Relations Teigan sent the Alumni Engagement office this message: “I started a new gig with Scotiabank as regional marketing manager. I have tried to get in with a corporate bank office in Toronto since moving to the city five years ago, so I am incredibly grateful to have finally been given the opportunity. Also exciting news – there’s been a tremendous response to the hilarious Sylvia Browne clips I’ve posted from The Montel Williams Show. As of this morning, I signed a contract as cocreator, writer and researcher for an official Sylvia Browne film project with an Emmy- and Oscar-nominated film company! I can’t say anything more at this time and it can take years for these projects to finally reach the big or the small screen, but I’ll share details as soon as I’m able!” 55

Where are they now?

Amanda Lawrence

2009

2005

Business Administration – Accounting Sarah was featured in an article on Kindersley Social about the business she launched in 2017, Dragseth Bookkeeping. In the article, she said “Bookkeeping was never on my radar until I went to college. I initially enrolled in the business program for business management. After my first year I realized I was drawn to the accounting side of the program and made the switch from the management program. Fast forward to today and I love what I do! Bookkeeping is the heart of a business, everything is linked in one way or another, it’s like a big puzzle each month. It’s a rewarding feeling when you complete the puzzle, and it all makes sense. I’m very detail orientated, and this career path just made sense to me.”

Professional Golf Management Dave was featured in an article on Lethbridge News Now about his transition from playing rugby competitively to competing in adaptive sports following a life-changing accident. His injury occurred when he was skiing in Banff and fell out of bounds in 2019. While attempting to return inbounds, he triggered a level two avalanche that threw him over a 100-foot ledge, which resulted in five broken ribs, one punctured lung and one collapsed lung, and a fractured vertebra that left him paralyzed from the waist down. As part of his recovery, he discovered Rocky Mountain Adaptive, a non-profit based out of Canmore that promotes awareness for adaptive sports and raises funds to purchase sporting equipment. “I found the people at Rocky Mountain Adaptive, and they opened my eyes to what accessibility and adaptive sport could be like.” He said the team at RMA helped him rediscover his joy for sports, and he has since gotten involved in rowing and sit-skiing.

Sarah Dragseth

Clint Weir

Professional Golf Management Clint was featured in an article in the Swan Valley Star and Times about his role as general manager at the Swan River Golf and Country Club. He told the newspaper: “As far as the club goes, I love this club and have been here 10 years now. I’m very passionate about this course. I’ve gone through the early struggles here and watched this course become successful. When COVID-19 hit, I was worried I wouldn’t have a job but, instead, we’ve seen some of the most phenomenal results. Being able to do so many things here at the Swan River Golf and Country Club has made it a rewarding career and now we can plan for the future.” 56

| SPRING 2022

Dave Sagal

2002

Timothy Romanow

Renewable Resource Management 2002 Fish and Wildlife certificate 2001 Timothy works as the executive director of a watershed planning and advisory council and is the lead chair of the Transboundary Grasslands Partnership between Montana, Saskatchewan and Alberta.

Correctional Studies Amanda was recently named the coordinator of Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) in Fort Macleod. According to an article in the Fort Macleod Gazette, she comes to Fort Macleod after 13 years with Barons-Eureka-Warner FCSS. She was the first in her family to pursue post-secondary education and said in the article: “I had some of the best instructors in my life at Lethbridge College who showed me that learning was never finished and if you wanted something bad enough, you went out and did it.”

Leta Pezderic

Renewable Resource Management, Fish and Wildlife certificate Leta was the featured speaker at a Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) presentation in March titled “NatureTalks: Species at Risk from Summit to Sage.” Leta works as the grassland stewardship manager for the Alberta region of the NCC. She spent nearly seven years with the Oldman Watershed Council as their program coordinator before joining the NCC team in 2015.

2001

Heather Hersberger

Early Childhood Education Heather writes: “I worked with children and adults with disabilities for 10 years, and then went on to work at Louise Dean Centre and Dr. Clara Christie Learning Centre for 10 years. I moved to Melfort, Sask., to become a director of three daycare centres, and then moved to Saskatoon and became an early learning and childcare consultant.”

1999

Scott Ring

Agricultural Technology Scott received the “Montana Wastewater Operator of the Year Award” in March. Scott previously worked with irrigated agriculture in southern Alberta, and currently works with the Lakeside County Water and Sewer District.

1998

Richard Loeppky

Alexandra Carnio (Business Administration 2012)

Renewable Resource Management Richard tells the Alumni Engagement office: “After graduation, I returned to Winnipeg and attended the University of Manitoba where I earned my Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science. I spent several years working in the private sector as a project manager for soil remediation projects. In 2007, I became the environment and sustainable development manager for the RCMP. In 2018, I moved over to Health Canada and am now the senior manager for the tobacco and vaping compliance and enforcement program for Western Canada.”

Bill Scales

Civil Engineering Technology Bill writes: “I have been in construction management for most of my career and spent 21 years with Stuart Olson Construction before moving to Ward Bros. Construction about two years ago. I have been fortunate enough to be part of some great projects here at home in Lethbridge, including the new expansion at the hospital, the new YMCA (ATB Centre) and now the new Agri-Food Hub and Trade Centre at the Exhibition!”

1990

Troy Ormann

Irrigation Technology Troy was recently named the Town of Pincher Creek’s new asset management coordinator. He is responsible for coordinating the town’s infrastructure asset management program and is in the process of verifying some of the assets listed in the software. In an article in Shootin’ the Breeze, he said: “I’m very excited to be working with the Town of Pincher Creek as an asset management co-ordinator. I am looking forward to expanding my journey on asset management within this beautiful community and making new connections with team members and the community.”

Alex Kulas Carnio made a mark during her time at Lethbridge College,

including being elected president of the Lethbridge College Students’ Association at the age of 19. Ten years later, her leadership skills continue to serve her well in her career as an entrepreneur who has founded two businesses and created over 30 jobs within her community – and who has no plans of slowing down. After graduation, Carnio earned a Bachelor of Commerce in Entrepreneurial Management degree from Royal Roads University and began her career in the business consulting and entrepreneurial world. She first created her own business, Simplified Social, a digital communications agency with a team of six full-time employees. In 2021, Carnio led the acquisition of the firm to a larger agency, Bluetrain. That same year, she created a new childcare and co-working centre, called ProducKIDvity, whose mission is to better the life of working parents. It is the first centre of its kind in Canada. Carnio has hopes to franchise the model across Canada. Giving back to the community is an important part of Carnio’s work as an entrepreneur. She has established a scholarship program for Lethbridge College marketing students and regularly aligns her business to give back to local community programs.

2022

HONOURING EXCELLENCE

RISING STAR AWARD RECIPIENT

Where are they now?

Kathryn Iwaasa (Nursing 1994)

1982

Kelly Damphousse

Kathryn Iwaasa began her nursing career at Lethbridge College,

earning a Nursing diploma in 1994 and then went on to earn a Bachelor of Nursing degree in 2004. She has spent the majority of her career working with the Alberta Kidney Care South program. Her responsibilities include overseeing five dialysis units, two peritoneal dialysis clinics, two chronic kidney disease clinics and a transplant clinic, as well as more than 150 health care workers. Early in her career, Iwaasa worked as a psych nurse and a medicalsurgical nurse before moving to dialysis in 1998. She became a clinical nurse educator in 2005, a unit manager in 2007, and one of four patient care managers of Alberta Kidney Care South in 2017. In this role, Iwaasa participates and leads several ground-breaking initiatives to improve access to treatment and improve patient outcomes for individuals and families affected by kidney problems. Some of those initiatives include: a fall risk program; chair of the Practice Direction Document Committee; piloting the Patient Education Plan to encourage and empower patients to participate in their care with the assistance of nurses; supporting the Blood Tribe First Nations Community Hemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis Initiative; and leading on the implementation of COVID-19 protocols.

2022

HONOURING EXCELLENCE

Career virtuoso AWARD RECIPIENT

Law Enforcement, Distinguished Alumni 1992 Kelly was named president of the Texas State University system in April. He most recently served as chancellor and CEO of Arkansas State University. “Dr. Damphousse is a respected university and community leader who possesses the knowledge, experience and passion to lead Texas State to new levels of achievement and success,” says Chancellor Brian McCall. In the announcement about his new position, Kelly was described as an accomplished scholar who has conducted extensive research on terrorism and substance abuse. After gradating from Lethbridge College, he earned a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Sam Houston State University and a master’s degree and PhD in Sociology from Texas A&M University. “As a first-generation college student, I am humbled to be considered for the presidency of such an accomplished university, strategically located in the middle of the Texas Innovation Corridor and primed to become a Tier One research university,” he said following the announcement. He will be Texas State University’s 10th president. To submit your news to share

with your classmates and the college community, drop us a note at WHMagazine@lethbridgecollege.ca.

| SPRING 2022

FAMILIES IN FOCUS

The Gratrix Family Venturing out into the world of higher education is often

filled with the dreams and hopes one places upon themselves in seeking opportunities for personal growth. For a young man who decided to further his education after hearing such positive feedback from recent graduates, James “Jim” Gratrix (Renewable Resource Management and Conservation Enforcement 1990) chose to begin his journey at Lethbridge College. As a requirement prior to submitting his application, Gratrix was asked to share additional general information in offering supporting rationale toward his career choice. “They asked me to do research prior to submitting the application, and I talked to Fish and Wildlife officers, the majority of whom had gone to Lethbridge College, and it was reputed to be the best program available at the time,” he says. With hands-on teachings from former instructors who included Roland Mah and John Fallows, Gratrix looked ahead at the opportunities his training provided with a diploma in Renewable Resource Management and a certificate in Conservation Enforcement. After graduation, Gratrix worked in Kananaskis Country, and when that term ended, he worked at the City of Calgary in their Animal Control division. It was a job he considered temporary as he was really seeking an occupation as an Alberta Fish and Wildlife Officer or as a Conservation Officer in British Columbia. Plans changed when, in 1993, Jim met Marilyn, who already had an established career in the oil and gas industry in Calgary. “As we built our life together, it seemed very unfair to ask her to leave her career in Calgary for small-town Alberta or B.C.,” he says. “So I worked at Calgary Bylaw in various roles from September 1990 to December 2018.” Jim and Marilyn married in 1994 and raised their daughters in Calgary. After Katherine and Abby both graduated, Lethbridge College was their destination. Abby, the eldest, enrolled in the Bachelor of Nursing program in 2015, completing her first two years at Lethbridge College before finishing her degree requirements at the University of Lethbridge in 2019. Abby is currently working at the Chinook Regional Hospital specializing in stroke and acute medicine. “I loved my time at the college,” Abby says. “It feels so much like a community. Every day I learned something new, and I’m going to be in the Master of Nursing program this fall. One day I’d like to return to the college and teach.”

Katherine decided to pursue a career in either law enforcement or in the legal field. She enrolled in the Criminal Justice – Policing program and after graduating in 2018, she transferred to the Mount Royal College Criminal Justice program. In 2020, Katherine graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice, and she is currently studying Law at the University of Saskatchewan. In reflecting on her academic career, Katherine acknowledges her family: “I give a lot of credit to my parents for all their support.” When Jim began his studies in the 1980s, he had no idea that one day, his children would follow his footsteps to attend Lethbridge College – and both Jim and Marilyn Gratrix are proud they did. Story by Tom Russell (Communication Arts 1987)

Are you a multi-generational Lethbridge College family? If at least three members across one or more generations attended Lethbridge College, let us know by emailing WHMagazine@lethbridgecollege.ca. We’d love to profile you.

The last word

THE LAST WORD

Illustrated by Eric Dyck

Kodiaks fans rejoiced in the news that spectators could return to the Val Matteotti Gymnasium to cheer on student-athletes this winter and spring. The building has been the site of countless thrilling moments, buzzer-beaters, championship runs, roaring cheers and tears of joy (and disappointment) over the years. Here are a few of the memorable moments:

Our playoff win against SAIT in the Val this season is a big highlight for me. We played so confidently, so clean, and even after a third set loss (after winning the first two), we didn’t feel the defeat we normally would have. I am so proud knowing that I played even a tiny role in the development of confidence in so many young women and knowing that when they leave the Val at the end of their college career, they will carry that confidence with them out into the world.

Anna Schwark (Corrections Studies 2015)

I have two memorable moments – the first being the MVP of the 1989-90 President’s Invitational Men’s Basketball Tournament, and the second being a part of the 1988-89 Kodiaks men’s basketball team that was one of the first teams inducted into the Kodiaks Hall of Fame in 2017. With the first, we were coming off a year where we were ranked No. 1 in Canada but fell short, finishing second at the CCAA championship. In this tournament we got back on top by winning it all, and, with the help of my teammates, I was awarded the MVP of the tournament.

Jim Kaminski (Recreation and Leisure Services 1992)

As an athlete, I never had the opportunity to actually compete in the current Val Matteotti but the “old Kodiaks pit,” which is currently the Food Court. It was infamous for collecting dust on the floor which meant home games when you had to wear white jerseys – we looked like we hadn’t washed in days! As a grad and current athletic director, it was seeing the “sold out” sign posted at the men’s volleyball conference championships gold medal match in 2019. The Val had never been sold out before. Every time the Kodiaks scored a point – the roar of the crowd and all the blue thunder sticks banging together as though rehearsed by over 1,200 people who don’t know each other – was one for the ages!!!

Todd Caughlin (Recreation Services student 1986-87)

| SPRING 2022

NEXT ISSUE:

The last word is yours...

You’ve got great taste!

One of the best parts about studying and working at Lethbridge College is the chance to experience Culinary student creations in the Food Court and Garden Court. Did you have a favourite meal on campus? Were you a Culinary student with memories of working behind the scenes? Just email WHMagazine@lethbridgecollege.ca or share your stories socially by tagging @LethCollege and #LastWordLC, and we’ll share them in our next issue. We can’t wait to read your submissions!

Big ? THE

QUESTION Which instructor made the biggest difference during your time as a student at Lethbridge College? In 50 words or less, let us know who went above and beyond in the classroom, labs and fieldtrips, and we’ll celebrate that instructor in a future issue and online. We can’t wait to hear from you!

WHMagazine@lethbridgecollege.ca

Wider Horizons Spring 2022

Articles inside

The last word

From our kitchens