Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Travel Tracks by Dave Heron

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Hey Kids - Read This Book 


Or perhaps not.

New York author Robert Sayegh, up until a couple of days ago, was not exactly a household name.
True - he's published his share of articles in fairly well known circles and worked on a number of TV projects, but mention his name at a party up until last week and you were likely to get the old deer in the headlights gaze from anyone who was still listening to you.

Now he's written a children's book titled, "The Secret Origin of Mirrors" which I can see is still drawing blanks.



Monday, June 27, 2011

From The Lions Den

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Submitted by Lion Lona Lineham

If you see a long, white Limo cruising through the streets of Turner Valley and Black Diamond on Thursday, July 21st, and wonder who the important people are that are riding in it ------ I will tell you. They ARE important people; they are 4 members of the Foothills Lions Club. They won the early bird draw (which was a free Limo ride to and from the event) for the 8th Annual "Golf 4 Wellness" Charity Golf Tournament. They also won the tournament last year. The tournament is sponsored by Sheep River Health Trust which is a charitable organization dedicated to raising funds to promote health and wellness in our rural communities. The Lions Club is proud to be a part of this charity.

Legion Leanings

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By Malcolm Hughes

It is perhaps not widely known that Turner Valley Branch 78 covers a large area of the Foothills. Its mandate is the care of veterans in an area stretching from Okotoks in the East to Bragg Creek in the West and Red Deer Lake in the North to Longview in the South. It includes Millarville, Priddis and the towns of Black Diamond and Turner Valley.

At this time, we wish to offer a warm welcome to our new members as well as all the members from Bragg Creek who have recently transferred their membership to our Branch.

The Branch is open for meals and relaxation from Wednesday to Saturday, with buffets available on Wednesday and Friday and menu items on the other days. There is also a Brunch available on Saturday mornings. In addition, the ladies Auxiliary runs meat draws and 50/50's on Friday evening. The sports programmes, except for golf, are all in hiatus for the summer.

Cross Conservation

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Why do Buttercups build me up?

Why did you build me up Buttercup? But your beauty didn't let me down, as the hit song might suggest. I recently had the pleasure of joining a few of our knowledgeable volunteers on a flora exploration at the Cross Conservation Area, during which I once again discovered some of the countless gems this area has to offer its visitors.

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Longview Link By Chey Nickerson

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Longview is about to be taken over with runners!  June 25th will be the 25th Annual K-100 Road Race. This year over 200 people will participate in the event which will commence in Longview at 6am heading west to Highway 541, then through the Highwood Pass. We wish everyone a successful run and a safe journey.

Speaking of runners… a few people have been running around doing A LOT of work on the planters you'll see throughout the Village! To Doreen, Ken and Rhoda: “THANK YOU” so much for all your hard work in the garden at the south end of town as well as all the planters through the Village. The PINK will be very visible in all parts of the Village for our “Paint the Town Pink” visit on August 18th.

Longview Library Literally Speaking

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Something For Everyone

We would like to thank all of you who support our library in so many ways. We appreciate your generous donations, your memberships (by the way, some are due and some over-due), those who give of their time in so many ways--volunteering for special events, helping in the library with shelving and other necessary jobs, bottle pickup and recycling collection and attending our educational programs.

We will be having a book sale at the Art's and Music Festival on August 20th and 21st, so be sure to look for us there.

Longview Looks at “Xtreme” Makeover

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The Longview ARC Society has teamed up with the Longview Recreation Board and the Serenity Park Planning Committee to move ahead with the two year A.C.E. Project Proposal they have been working on. The plan is to include:
    new playground equipment, outdoor exercise equipment and new benches and garbage cans for Centennial Park
    paving of the rink to include outlets for basketball and tennis nets for use in the summer as well as portable skateboard equipment
    Serenity Park and Veterans' Memorial proposed for in front of the Village office.

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Western Financial Walks With A Cause

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By Todd Curran

The Turner Valley Western Financial office held their Walk for the Cause on June 10th, participating in a 5km walk to raise scholarship money for Oilfields High School Graduates. This year’s recipient was Colton Short.
By obtaining sponsorship from insurance companies, money raised by Western Financial staff is contributed to the company's charitable organization, the Western Communities Foundation. “I'm very proud of the staff and we all really like to support that bursary,” says James Hall, the Turner Valley Branch Manager. “The $500 Exceptional Achievement Citation and Bursary Award is presented to students who display exceptional spirit, improvement or determination.”


Skipping Club Ropes Competition Funds

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By Todd Curran
A June 8th donation from the Lions Club presented by Larry Williams has the Turner Valley Skipping Club jumping for joy.

Starting as a lunch hour activity five years ago, the Skipping Club at Turner Valley School has grown to competition level and needed some funds to compete. “The team has worked hard; gotten so good,” says club organizer Dawn Jardie, who belonged to a skipping club when she was a student. “We brought home fourth and fifth place ribbons from the Provincials in May and one of our girls will be representing Alberta at the Nationals in Calgary this July.”

Sixth Annual Rhubarb Festival and Quilt Show Success

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Submitted by Muriel Dais


The sun came out just in time to shine on the Sheep Creek Arts Council Sixth Annual Rhubarb Festival and Quilt Show held on June 4th, following the Diamond Valley Parade. A steady stream of patrons came to sample the rhubarb pie or crisp with ice cream and then feast their eyes on the thirty-two quilts on display in the Gallery. Each guest was asked to vote on the quilt felt to be most pleasing. The number four quilt, labeled “Gramma's Country Album” submitted by Claire Leitch of Okotoks, garnered the most votes and thus won
the First Place Ribbon.

Friday, June 24, 2011

Happy Birthday

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Valley Neighbours Club hosted the Annual Over 80 Birthday Party again this year on May 27th. 72 people were in attendance including, Black Diamond Mayor, Sharlene Brown; Honourable Ted Morton, MLA; Longview Mayor Ivor McCorquindale and Turner Valley Mayor, Kelly Tuck.

Please go to www.gatewaygazette.ca to view the photographs of this important milestone. 


Morton Plans To Modernize

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Ted Morton, candidate for PC Party leadership, recently announced his plan to modernize the Alberta government and reform the Alberta PC Party.

"I am committed to strengthening our democracy, and a Ted Morton government will pursue an agenda of democratic renewal that will give Albertans the most transparent, accountable government in Canada," Mr. Morton said.

Fun, Food and Vet-ertainment

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In 1967 the Ladies Auxiliary to the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #78 in Turner Valley took on a daunting Centennial project.

They decided to arrange for veterans from the Colonel Belcher Veterans Hospital in Calgary to be transported to Turner Valley for dinner.

The event was such a success that they have been doing it every year since and are now considering making it a semi-annual event.

This year eighteen residents, three staff members and two drivers were treated to ham and scalloped potatoes, corn and turnips, apple pie (made by Irene Howard) and ice cream.  Twenty local veterans joined them, including 98 year-old Herb Padwick. Dinner followed Happy Hour and the group were entertained by 'crooner' Malcolm Hughes accompanied by Al Baldwin on piano.

One of the drivers, Frank, has been bringing this group out here for twenty-five years and takes the scenic loop every year.





Thursday, June 23, 2011

Dollars & Cents For Boys & Girls

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Jamey Eslinger of Transcanada Pipelines presented the Diamond Valley and District Boys and Girls Club with a $4,000 check on June 17th. “The funds will be a big help for our general operations over the summer,” says Shirley Puttock, Executive Director of the Club.

Summer programming for the Club runs from July 4th to the last week of August and is in need of volunteers. Teens are welcome to volunteer and receive High School Credits for their efforts. For more information on the summer programs, call the Boys and Girls Club at 403-933-4066.

Through their Community Action Team, Transcanada Pipelines has been donating to the Club for nearly 15 years, ensuring the Club's continued service in the community. Visit www.transcanada.com for more information.

Riverstone Lodge Grand Opening

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The Elders Development Corporation is pleased to announce the Grand Opening of Ridgestone Lodge on Saturday, June 25th from 11:00am to 4:00pm. The Ribbon Cutting Ceremony will take place at 12:00 noon with the Honourable Ted Morton representing the Alberta Government and Ralph Hubele representing Alberta Seniors and Community Support Services.

106th Annual Millarville Races

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While much may have changed around us in the last century, there remains at least one day where the clock can be turned back, allowing local farmers, cowboys and acreage owners to gather again for the old-style, hell-bent-for-leather Millarville Stock Horse Race, a grassroots fixture at the 106th Annual Millarville Races Friday, July 1st Canada Day, at the Millarville Race Track.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Turner Valley Triathlon

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By Todd Curran

Looking for something fun to do on Canada Day?  The Turner Valley Triathlon is taking place on July 1st and needs volunteers to help out with the running course, bike course, pool area, food and Kids of Steel as well as registration.

With hundreds of athletes competing, organizers are asking residents to refrain from parking on the bike routes on Edgar Avenue West to John Street and between Windsor Avenue to Main Street. Motorists can expect traffic delays on Main Street and along the bicycle routes, so please show participants some country care and courtesy.

Also, the 500th Triathlon registrant gets their fees waived, so you'd better register before someone else does!
If you can't participate as an Athlete, Volunteer or Sponsor, join the fun as a Spectator and cheer the competitors on! For more information please visit www.turnervalleytriathlon.ca



Work Hard, Play Hard At McLaren

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 By Todd Curran

The highly anticipated new playground equipment at C. Ian McLaren School in Black Diamond is installed and has excited kids clamoring and climbing.

Students have been waiting patiently for the apparatus since last year, when the school received a grant of over $43,000. Added to funds raised by the Lion's Club, the RCMP Classic Golf Tournament and donations of money and time from parents, the school came out with $92,911.18 to develop the playground.

Volunteers pulled together to install the equipment on June 3rd and 4th, completing the first half of the project. “We're really pleased with all the volunteers that came out,” says McLaren Principal Sherry Agasoster-Jones. “The kids love it and it's great to see them all on there.”

Plans for the second phase include constructing a gazebo and planting more trees around the playground area.

The project is scheduled for completion by the end of September 2011.

Okotoks Hosts Free Stampede Breakfast

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By Todd Curran

The Foothills Country Hospice is holding its first Annual Stampede Breakfast on July 7th!

The FREE breakfast is being held at Cornerstone Mall (Sobey's Parking Lot) in Okotoks, from 8:00am to 11:00am or until the last pancake is flipped!

George Canyon will be attending to meet YOU and sign CDs and pictures. He won't be performing that day, but he is donating all of the proceeds from sales of his autographed CDs to your Local Foothills Country Hospice!

A Country Band and Native Drummers and Dancers will be providing live entertainment and on top of FREE Pancakes, beans, sausages, juice and coffee, you can enter to win a new Barbecue!

We'll see ya there, pardner!







High River Pro Rodeo A Go!

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By Todd Curran

The June 23rd to 26th High River Pro Rodeo and North American Chuckwagon Championships in High River are ready to roll. They've got a new name, but will be putting on the same great entertainment at the same location.

Now called Guy Weadick Days, organizers changed the name of the event in honour of the sport's pioneers. The dusty fun kicks off with Family Night on June 23rd at 6:00pm providing free admission to kids and adult tickets for $10. All the performances offer great family entertainment, lots of laughs and if you're close enough, some dirt between the teeth.


They’re Back For The 8th Bloomin’ Time

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 The Town of Turner Valley is once again sponsoring the Community Bloomin' Boxes program. This program aims to enhance the appearance of downtown Turner Valley and Black Diamond by encouraging business owners to plant floral displays. The addition of these floral displays has had a positive effect on tourists as well as local business owners and residents.

From June through September summer floral arrangements are designed. As summer ends a number of the businesses convert their boxes to winterized displays adding a splash of beauty to ease us through what can sometimes be a long season. Each business owner is responsible for the planting and maintenance of their boxes and the administration of the project is done on a volunteer basis.

The arrangements are critiqued in two ways: the Judge's Choice, with winners selected by representatives from the Valley Neighbours' Gardening Club and the People's Choice Award where the public votes for their favourite display. Business owners can enter their display either as a garden or a container. Ballot boxes are placed in each participating business and from the ballots cast, names are drawn to receive prizes. The judges will also be awarding a prize to the Best New Bloomin' Box or garden which is open to businesses participating for their first time.

You are invited to check out the many beautiful displays that have been created for your enjoyment. Be sure to stop in and cast your vote in any of the participating businesses between July 1st and August 15th.

Anyone wanting information on how to participate or to be part of the Bloomin' Box committee is asked to call Carol at 403-933-4239.


Sunday, June 19, 2011

A Tribute To Dads

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A Dad is a person
who is loving and kind,
And often he knows
what you have on your mind.


He's someone who listens,
suggests, and defends.
A dad can be one
of your very best friends!
 

He's proud of your triumphs,
but when things go wrong,
A dad can be patient
and helpful and strong
 

In all that you do,
a dad's love plays a part.
There's always a place for him
deep in your heart.
 

And each year that passes,
you're even more glad,
More grateful and proud
just to call him your dad!

Thank you, Dad...
for listening and caring,
for giving and sharing,
but, especially, for just being you!

Happy Father's Day







Saturday, June 18, 2011

The Life of A Ruminating Artist

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It's the Waning period of another New Moon everyone. So that means, whatever you wish to repel away from you, now is your chance to get this in motion. The tides are pulling away from you now, so only imagine those negative things also pulling away. Now, back to The Arts!

This coming 'First Saturday', I will be holding an artist and art teachers' table at Okotoks Market Square event from 9:00am to 5:00pm. Because, as it turns out, my 3 dedicated, inspiring and aspiring private art students are graduating both from their high schools and from my own studio for the first time in 4 years! Meaning, their time slots are available this fall, for the first time in 4 years!

They will be in attendance at Market Square at The Okotoks Plaza displaying their best work either for sale and/or for public attention. Of course, as always I will have soft pastels available for the kids to create beautiful artwork on the sidewalks for you to admire.

Allow me to ruminate here, just for a moment. One of my graduates was nine when we met. In countless ways, her and I have grown together just because we 'get one another'. Comically, she bows to my “pure genius” when I've got a solution to a composition or perspective problem. But truthfully, she'll be able to hold her own rather well at art school. Another I have known for only 4 years, but we have created a mentor/student bond that will stretch over many years to come. Realizing the quality of her skill, and most notably (esp. in the art world), maintaining a positive attitude toward new experiences will get her above and beyond her dreams. My third graduate who travels in from Calgary, I have taught for 2 years. With his vast knowledge of ancient myth and how it relates to the now, he and I have made some leaps and bounds when it comes to inspiring and understanding each others' perspectives. I believe he joined my Inspiration Studio at just the right moment. And this is the beauty of student and master. Emily Carr, U of L and U of Vic: you are lucky to have these great minds join your schools.

As for my self, my aptly named, 'Inspiration Studio' eagerly awaits new, fresh, young minds to discover, enlighten and encourage your potentials!

~Love and light from The Real RobiN Thibodeau
allseasonchick@gmail.com

Views on Vision - by Dr. Charles A. Boulet

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Smoking Cessation


Do you smoke? Are you interested in quitting? You certainly have many good reasons to quit, including lung and respiratory concerns. Common sense also suggests that since the eyes are connected to the body, what you do to your body will also impact on eye health and visual function. In fact, I can generally tell if a person has been a smoker and how much they smoke based on the appearance of the eyes.

So, all that aside, about this quitting business. As an eye doctor, I'm concerned with the health and function of eyes and vision, and work to root out the causes of trouble with them. Smoking is such a pervasively poisonous activity and causes many problems that I (read 'the healthcare system') must deal with. It's a matter of closing the barn door after the horses have left. So, the best thing to do is to avoid trouble to begin with, but as any smoker will tell you, quitting ain't no simple thing. Even those facing a coronary bypass or lung surgery will struggle with this monster addiction.

For my part, I smoked for 20 years. In the end, 20 years of practice made me a rather competent smoker and I learned all the tricks of a true professional: Each and every moment and activity of the day was framed in the context of when my next puff would be; my life, as it turned out, was strictly designed to facilitate the feeding of my addiction. I would tell myself little stories like 'OK, after this paper is marked and this letter written, and after I make coffee and go to the bathroom, I'll step outside and have a smoke...'. Later, after the smoke, I would say something like 'ok, I'll get back to work, make a phone call or two, arrange a meeting then fix my computer and while I'm doing that, I'll have a smoke'. Sound familiar? Smoking became the punctuation that held together the sentence structure of my daily activities. Everything was about the smoking.

After several attempts over 20 years, I quit in 2002. Haven't looked back and I'm much better off for it. The whole process started with a simple premise: If I don't change the way I approach smoking, I will never stop.

I ended up developing my own smoking cessation strategy that, while it did not lead to 'cold turkey' quitting, it put me on a path that could only lead to the eventual reduction of the amount that I smoked to the point that I simply lost interest in it.

We are pleased to offer a no-charge smoking cessation program to our clients. It all starts with a general eye health and vision exam to determine what damage has already been done. The formal smoking cessation program starts from there and is done in clinic at a subsequent visit or at home via web-based readings and videos. It is non-threatening, but challenging as it forces people to start to think differently. One of the appealing aspects of the program is that it does not require people to quit. I know this sounds strange, but many people have followed this approach and have either totally lost interest in smoking or have greatly reduced the amount they smoke.

If I am to take care of your eyes and vision, it requires that I also address those factors that put you at risk. Smoking is a common severe risk factor for many eye and vision problems. If you are a smoker and have not had a comprehensive eye exam in some time, what are you waiting for?

For more information on help with quitting smoking, call for an appointment. You can also see the quit smoking program at www.LearningManagement.ca. Search for 'quit smoking' in the search box. The quality of the video is not great, but the program makes up for it.


Dr. Boulet is a former teacher and now operates Diamond Valley Vision Care in Black Diamond where he continues to work with children with learning difficulties.
Call 403-933-5552.
www.dvvc.ca and
www.LearningManagement.ca.





Friday, June 17, 2011

Gardens Galore by Karen Brewka

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Plant Sex

My beautiful blue- flowering alpine clematis met an untimely death recently during fence construction. It was a great vine in a great location so I will want to replace it.

There are lots of different kinds of clematis. The hybrids are the most easily recognized with large showy flowers in lots of colours and flower shapes. Different varieties of hybrids require different pruning techniques as the vines are not winter hardy.

Alpine clematis require no pruning unless they get a bit raggy looking when old. (Too bad humans can't get rejuvenated with just a bit of pruning. I would go for that.) They are very hardy, with single flowers in lots of different colours. They are not as showy as the hybrids but are very effective when all the flowers are blooming. They grow thickly and can be used as a screening element in the landscape.

Many people are familiar with the yellow clematis (Clematis tangutica). We see them on fence lines around the countryside and in some yards in town. These are listed as noxious in the new Alberta Weed Control Act so they must be controlled.

I was looking at the vines of my destroyed clematis and thought, maybe I can propagate these the same way I once grew some Virginia Creeper – by layering. Layering is a kind of vegetative propagation. It is an asexual as opposed to a sexual (cross pollination of flowers) means of making new plants. The genetic material is the same so the new plants will be clones. With sexual propagation, a mixing of genetic material occurs and when the resulting seeds are sown, there might be differences in the new plants.

The cuttings I took are called softwood cuttings because the plant already started to move water and nutrients around. Hardwood cuttings are those taken during dormancy when there is very little activity happening in the plant.

So, I took long cuttings of the vines and laid them in a soil trench about 3” – 4“ deep, covering all but a few buds on the growing tips. Roots should grow from the “nodes” or enlarged areas along the stems. After the roots grow, new shoots should emerge. The vines can then be cut between the new plants when they are ready to pot up or transplant.

It may take all summer, but hopefully, I'll get a few new blue clematis that I can plant in the fall. In the meantime, I'll just enjoy my new fence.

The Valley Neighbours Garden Club welcomes new members. For information call Bea at 403– 933–7131.

The Horticultural Club meets every second Tuesday of the month at 7:30pm. For information call Sheila at 403–931–3989.



From My Bookshelf....by Lynn Willoughby

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Minding Frankie - Maeve Binchy
"It takes a village to raise a child." This adage is the basis of Binchy's latest novel.

Noel is a single parent, and when he arrives home with newborn Frankie, the residents of Jarlath's Court are there to help him. In this microcosm of Ireland, the neighbours, with all their eccentricities, foibles and flaws, assist however they can.

It is this whole cast of characters and their social interactions, which keeps this book moving. People, restaurants and locales from previous novels pop up from time to time, but I enjoy that continuity and if you have never read any previous novels it will not detract from this one. These are ordinary people, in everyday circumstances, doing the best they can.

Binchy usually ends a novel with all the stories neatly tied and this is no exception. However, some are more successful than others, as life does tend to get in the way of the very best intentions.

This is a light summer read - a book you can pick up, put down, get sand in the pages and still enjoy.
- Quentins
- Scarlet Feather
…..and many others

The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency - Alexander McCall Smith
This prolific writer is a professor emeritus of Medical Law at the U of Edinburgh and has written not one, but four successful series of novels, as well as several children's books, TV, radio and internet series.

The No. 1 Ladies series was absolutely charming. My daughter introduced me to these books, then I passed them on to my mother. As the series progressed with them, we three generations progressed with them, and all of us were delighted with each new book, and with Mme Precious Ramotswe, her friends and family.

Located in Gabrone, the capital of Botswana, each book deals with a few set characters and also the people in the cases ‘investigated’. Precious observes, deduces, sets traps with great patience, drinks endless cups of Red Bush tea and wisely interprets the clues to solve each mystery.

The language, the locale and the characterization are stunning. There is a series of eleven books in all, plus Mme Ramotser's Cookbook, published in 2009. The series has been televised, broadcast on radio and is available on CD. How often can three generations of women enjoy the same books?

The series by McCall Smith I am reading now is "The Sunday Philosophy Club", and there are six books.

These stories centre around Isabel Dalhousie, a Scottish editor of an ethics magazine - The Review of Applied Ethics. The Edmonton Journal says "For those who like their mysteries leisurely and cerebral, this is a lovely offering,"

I was reading my current choice "The Careful Use of Compliments" while waiting at the doctor's office and he had read some and we had a wonderful discussion of ethics. The glimpses we get of Edinburgh and the surrounding countryside, make me want to visit.

Like The No. 1 Ladies  - there is a gentle wit and exploration of humankind and our foibles. If you are looking for some summer reading these are fairly short, easy to read and just delightful.

McCall Smith also has the "44 Scotland Street" series - five in all, that I have not yet sampled. Also, "2½ Pillars of Wisdom" which is on my summer reading list. His books are a great change of pace from the intense reading I love, but can also get caught up in.

Who Knew?
"A life without stories would be no life at all. And stories bound us, did they not, one to another, the living to the dead, people to animals, people to the land." ~ Alexander McCall Smith, "In the Company of Cheerful Ladies".

Happy Father's Day

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By Tanya Thibodeau

Daddy, Father, Pa, Pop – Whatever you call them, dads are pretty special!

In Canada (as well as several other countries), the third Sunday in June every year is Father's Day, a special day set aside to celebrate fathers, father-figures and fatherhood!

On this special day why not spend some time with your kids and grandkids to ponder a few thoughts.

Why do you think it’s important to have a special day for honouring fathers? Do you think there are differences between the roles of dads and the roles of moms? If so, what are the differences and why do you think they exist?

Make a list of reasons why dads, step-dads, grandfathers and uncles are so great! You’d be amazed at what you’ll learn about the kids in your life through their thoughts and perceptions on something we adults tend to take for granted.

How will you celebrate Father’s Day? In our over-scheduled, crazy hectic lives it is becoming more and more important to achieve balance. Special days like Father’s Day gives us all a great excuse to put away the BlackBerries, iPhones and other electronics and spend some time reconnecting with the flesh and blood in our lives. (Did you know that there’s this great stuff called grass and fresh air that surrounds us? It tickles our toes and refreshes our souls!)

Here are some great ideas to put to good use this June 19th - the best part is, they’ll work with every budget and all ages!

Create a Tradition
Make a small book of lessons you’ve learned from your dad over the years, read them together as a family each year, then add a lesson (or two) each year - what an awesome heirloom to pass on through the generations.

Make a Thoughtful Gift
There really is something terrific about a craft from the heart, no matter how old you get. You could make a photo-scrapbook, or a digital slide show with music and notations of fond memories. Dads forever love useful things, so why not make something that dad can use daily? Like a wooden oven rack puller or a bird house. Not a real ‘crafty’ kind of person? Put together a gift basket themed to your dad’s favourite hobby - wash bucket with treasures for his car, fishing kit or sports collections etc.

Get Outdoors
Why not go for a bike ride, take a walk to the ice cream parlor, play some catch or take a nap together in the sun?

Give Dad Your Time
Sometimes, the best way to make Dad feel appreciated is to let him know that what’s important to him is also important to you. Take some time to learn more about your dad’s favourite hobby and why it’s his favourite hobby.

Do Something Nice
Celebrate all your dad has done for you this Father’s Day by returning the favour. Make him his favourite dinner or breakfast in bed. Wash his car. Clean out the garage. I promise you, he won’t be disappointed!

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Thursday, June 16, 2011

Faith Forum by Gloria Wessner - What's Missing?

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What is it you are looking for? Is it lots of money and success? A meaningful and permanent relationship? A nice house and car? A nice family to raise and enjoy? Inner peace that is there even when things are difficult and totally impossible?

It seems that it is always something that people are looking for – that one thing that will be the glue that will hold my world together and make me happy. Perhaps it isn't something that we need, it's who. There is a song by Johnny Lee (also sung by Waylon Jennings) called “Looking for Love,” and in it are these lines that ring true when looking for that 'something' that will complete and fulfill our lives:

“I was lookin' for love in all the wrong places Lookin' for love in too many places…”

Even in this song, however, what comes out is that he is looking for that one special person that would be a friend and a lover. He was looking for love in things and realized he was looking for that special person to love (and be loved by) in a relationship.

“Searchin' her eyes, lookin' for traces
Of what I'm dreamin' of
Hoping to find a friend and a lover”


Because we don't know what we're searching for, we often do look 'in all the wrong places' in our search to find that one true something. In real life, in our everyday lives, in searching for that special 'something,' we need to change our focus from that 'thing' to 'who.' That is why so many people don't find what they're looking for. Just like in the song, things (like those listed above) will not fulfill what that basic desire is that needs to be fulfilled. It's totally in the 'who.'

The words below answer all of the needs that we've been talking about. In our looking, we need to look for God; he is the 'who.' Here, in these words,  he promises that if we look wholeheartedly, we WILL find him and he will be FOUND by us. Then, when we find him, he promises plans for our good, to give us a future and a hope. This is not a blank check for a life full of bliss, but a commitment to us that everything that happens to us and we live through, HE knows already what that is and will bring us not only safely through, but be with us in everything right through to the other side.

”For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.  will be found by you,…” I says the LORD. (Jeremiah 29:11 – 14a NLT)

Sometimes we may not agree with God about what we go through and be unhappy with the way things turn out. But if we are truly committed to him as he promises he is committed to us, he will help us see that it truly was the best way, even if we don't understand it. We learn to trust him, even if we don't understand him.
Finding God is finding him through his son Jesus, whom God chose to die a painful death and then raised him to life again in order to provide that means to find our 'who.' Consider his words below:

"This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life (eternal life, living forever). God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.” (John 3:16 – 18 The Message, parenthesis mine)

Perhaps it's not that 'something' you've been looking for, but 'someone.' I know that I would not like to live my life without knowing God personally. He is the living glue that not only holds my life together, but gives it meaning, purpose and love, too.

Feel free to write me at: gloriawes@hotmail.com, and I would be glad to chat with you further.



Household Hints by Rosemary

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Baby and Bridal Showers

June is the month for weddings, and not surprisingly, a majority of babies are born in this spring month. We are preparing for a family wedding and the showers are about to start. A little help for the bride and groom, or for the Mom and Dad to be, is always welcome and having fun along the way is always an added bonus.

Find out if there is a preferred colour scheme; check first with those in the know if the recipients want their colour known. Sometimes parents to be want their baby's sex kept a secret until he/she arrives, sometimes a bride wants her colour scheme to be a surprise, otherwise go with the flow.

Setting up: Is there a preferred theme, and once again, can you use it or is it private. You can also decide on your own, storks are great for baby showers, hearts and flowers for weddings. Bridal showers can be for a kitchen, bathroom, linen or general. If the shower is to be a surprise work with the family of the guests of honour to decide the colours, theme, time and place that would work best for everyone. Send out invitations with enough time for RSVP replies. Prepare a room for the celebration with a decorated chair(s) for the guest(s) of honour and plenty of seating for other guests. A tried and true decoration stand-by is an upside down opened umbrella hung from the ceiling, filled with balloons. Don't fill the balloons with confetti; it's horrible to clean up after. Food and drink should be set up in a separate room so that the table can be tidied and replenished without disrupting guests. Try to draft some young family members to be “servers” and to organize games.

Gifting: Several types of gifting are optional; each guest may bring their own, if that's your choice, then specify on the invitation what type of shower it's to be so they can keep to the theme. It's sometimes easier to collect a money gift from each guest and have one person be responsible for the shopping so the gifts aren't duplicated and are consistent with the needs of the recipient. Set aside a day for wrapping, you might invite some of the guests over to help out and to have a cup of tea or a glass of wine. This may also help to introduce members of both families prior to the big event in a less formal setting.

Food: Finger food always - sandwiches, hors d'oeuvres, petit fours and plenty of solid small plates to hold them. Don't forget a shower cake as a center piece and focus for the table.

Drink: Best punch - twelve ounces of frozen orange concentrate, forty-six ounces of sweetened pineapple juice, 1 and ¾ cups lemon juice, 2 cups of sugar, 1 gallon of water. This recipe can be made several days in advance. If you want to use sparkling water instead, the punch must be made the day of; alcohol mixer can be added if you choose to your taste. A good trick is to freeze half of whatever punch recipe you use in ice cube trays, add before serving and your punch isn't watered down.








Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Travel Tracks by Dave Heron - *When I'm Sixty-four*

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“Will you still need me,
Will you still feed me,
When I'm sixty-four"
Lennon/McCartney were visionaries.

Arguably, some of these visions were a tad hazy as a result of the odd pharmaceutical mixed in with the afternoon tea.

Nonetheless, despite some historians suggesting When I'm Sixty-Four being about growing old together, it actually came about on a flight from London to New York as the Beatles were headed to appear on the Ed Sullivan show.

Paul McCartney in noticing that food portions even in 1st class were a tad leaner than they had been on earlier flights, visualized a day in the not too distant future when meals would disappear altogether and jotted down the words, "will you still feed me" on the back of a pawn ticket, and the rest as they say is history.
Frivolity notwithstanding, the fact is we become a bit less tolerant of shortcomings as we get older than we managed in our younger years.
Others' shortcomings that is.

Twenty years ago when the telemarketer called at 8pm to tell me I'd won a free trip, I'd listen to the pitch for a couple of minutes, say no thanks and hang up.

Ten years ago when call display came on the scene, I'd pick up the phone, utter a few obscenities in Aramaic and hang up.

Now in my 60's, I politely answer the phone, ask the caller if they need my credit card to cover the service charges, put the phone down and head upstairs to bed for the night.

A few years ago, some masochist introduced the self-serve kiosks at airports around the globe.
In theory, not a bad idea.

Walk up to an obscure mechanical device, key in a series of predetermined numbers and voila, a boarding pass popped out like a Pez dispenser.

It saved having to deal with surly ticket agents.

Until the damn thing broke down which statistically was more regular than an all bran diet.

Now you had to deal with 3 surly agents - one to figure out what was wrong, another to call maintenance and the 3rd to complete the task of checking you in at the counter.

The older I get the less tolerant I am of replacing a wheel with a triangle all in the name of cost cutting.
Boarding by row number's another one of these "what were you thinking" moves about as palatable as sitting next to someone who grinds their dentures for amusement.

Again - in theory, not a bad plan to expedite the boarding process.

"Passengers seated in rows 15 through 26 are now invited to board".

Followed by, "as well as those passengers who are members of our frequent flyer program, Costco members, residents of Alberta who've voted in 1 of the 3 previous Federal elections, 1st class and Business Class passengers".

That generally leaves me and 4 others standing around the hold room feeling like losers in the last round of musical chairs.

I suppose it's a good thing they don't hand out magazines on the flight anymore.

Looking at the 10 year old in 21C using Newsweek as a coloring book while I was relegated to scouring the pages of Teen World was starting to really irritate me - even when I was a youngster at 60, but now.................

Bring back real food on flights and I don't give a damn how much you charge me - I'll pay it.
Having to choose between day old chicken wraps and cardboard pizza at eight bucks a throw, I'd prefer to bring my own.
And if it weren't for having to endure Security opening the lunch bag, and in a stage whisper amongst 240 other passengers ask, "what in hell is *that*", I probably would.

Give me 20 minutes in a closed room with the moron committee that introduced seatback in-flight entertainment.
For openers, once you get past 60, seeing anything meaningful on the 5 inch screen's about as easy as reading the 3 digit security code on the back of a well used credit card in a dark room.
Assuming you can actually get the thing to work in the first place.

Oh - and the concept of charging for a 92 minute movie on a 90 minute flight?
May you and the clown that introduced the self serve kiosk wind up with 2 seats together by the fireplace in the afterlife.

I know now why we medicate more intensely as we age.
Has nothing to do with physical ailments.
Has everything to do with keeping our blood pressure down when enduring anything even remotely connected to airports.

I think I'll go back to listening to some old Beatles music.

In 1965, the legendary Lennon/McCartney team came up with another 'vision of the future' song that found its way on to the Rubber Soul album.
Track 1 - Drive My Car.
At least my luggage has a shot at getting there at the same time I do.

Adios until next time

Dave Heron


Dave Heron is the owner and operator of: Pace Setter Travel & Tours (1995) Inc;

P.O. Box 612, 49 Elizabeth Street, Okotoks.
Tel: 403.938.5454
Toll Free: 1.800.206.7223.
Fax: 403.938.5568
Email: pacesetter@nucleus.com



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Decoding QR Codes

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By Todd Curran & Tanya Thibodeau
What is a QR code?
A QR (Quick Response) code is a symbol that can be read by smart phones (like a Blackberry, iPhone, Android etc). The code consists of a bunch of funky black shapes and patterns arranged in a square on a white background.

These funky little “barcode” type things actually have data programed into them that a “smart phone” can then read (guess they got their name for a reason!).

The codes appear in publications, on signs, buses, business cards, or almost anything in print.

Users with a camera phone that has the right reader application can take a picture of this QR code (the lingo is “scan the code”) to display text, contact information, connect to a wireless network, open a web page in the phone's browser and much more.

Basically the code serves as a link between physical objects and cyberspace. The tech-savvy term is hardlinking or object hyperlinking.

How do they work?
Well, like most technology to most users - it’s pretty much like magic!  But at the end of the day, if you’re looking to learn the detailed technological answer you probably wouldn’t be looking for it here.

So in a nut shell, the code is generated for free online through one of many websites. The generated code is then used on whatever materials the code provider wants. The audience (reader, customer, member, etc.) then use their smart phone to scan the code to see what it says or does. Kinda like opening a cracker-jack box!

Now before you get frustrated trying to figure out why all your phone camera is doing is giving you a picture of the darn thing, don’t forget that you need an application (the software) on your phone first. Some phones come with it pre-installed, others don’t. So however you go about getting games or other cool toys on your phone is how you want to get the QR Reader on your phone. Still not sure? Ask a teenager in your life!

What are they used for?
Primarily developed for product tracking, the codes are becoming commonplace as convenient applications for companies, governments and other organizations to share information with mobile phone users.

How can businesses benefit from using them?
Beyond information sharing, the codes make for a great tool in tracking for marketing purposes. But as with all tracking, be sure to take it with a grain of salt and recognize that not everyone has a smart phone and not everyone may know how to use it - but every bit helps.

As for consumers, they can instantly access a company's website, product offers, online store, or any other information the company shares through the code.

How do I get one?Users can easily generate and print their own QR codes for others to scan and use by visiting one of several free QR code generating sites. At this point, we haven’t had the opportunity to test any of these sites ourselves, so we’re not going to make recommendations. However, you can do a Google search, look for reviews and/or give businesses a call who are using them and ask their opinions.



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Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Sheep River Library

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'Ride for Life' Art Show

A new exhibition of paintings of the foothills will be on display in the Sheep River Library starting June 17th featuring the work of well know artist Liz Sullivan. Her work features images from her experiences during last years' Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer.

The ride started at Spruce Meadows going south through Okotoks, High River and Nanton .....then west over the Porcupine Hills to overnight at Chain Lakes. The next day, the ride went north along the Cowboy Trail through Longview, Black Diamond, Turner Valley and back to Spruce Meadows. As a visual artist, passionate about cycling and the outdoors, Liz wanted to share the energy and feeling of this “200+ km event”. She created the “Ride for Life” series, dedicated to portraying this ride through the iconic landscape of the Alberta Foothills. It is appropriate that this show will be in the library when this year's group of close to 2,000 riders come through Turner Valley on June 26th.

The majesty and immensity of this natural space is captured in the lush, vibrant colours of early summer. The fresh green colours are also symbolic of “new life” and hope. Many paintings feature cyclists along various stages of the route; other landscapes feature the “foothill vistas” that the participants enjoyed along the way.
Liz completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Calgary and since then, has divided her time between art teaching and art production in her Inglewood studio.

Also active in the Calgary art scene, Liz has participated in local and traveling exhibitions with the Alberta Society of Artists and Visual Arts Alberta. Her work has been at the Leighton Foundation and Arts on Atlantic Gallery (Calgary) and for the next two months her work will be in Sheep River Library. Everyone is invited to the Opening Reception on Saturday, June 18th from 2 til 4pm. A portion of any sales will be going to the Cancer Foundation and to the library. You can view Liz's work at: http://lizsullivanart.com 



From The Lions Den

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Keep STARS in the Air

Submitted by Lion Lona Lineham

The last couple of days have been a close call for the residents of Turner Valley and Black Diamond with all the rain we have been having. Some folks say their rain gauge had shown 7 to 8 inches. Our sweet little Sheep River really went through a wild streak for a couple of days but, thankfully, did not overflow its banks in either of our communities. The Lions Campground in Black Diamond had to be evacuated Thursday night about 10pm when the river was close to overflowing its banks there. The residents were sent to the Arena and Turner Valley Campgrounds with their motor homes. All have returned now and are happily camping again.
I think we are all familiar with the STARS helicopter. Did you know? In 1985, Dr Powell met with community supporters and representatives from the Lions Clubs to establish an air rescue medicinal service. The Lions Clubs decide to take on the project as a fundraiser. Through the support of the Lions, STARS was established in Calgary on December 1st, 1985.

Today STARS is celebrating 26 years, has a total of 5 helicopters and has flown more than 19,000 missions. A new development is the STARS Mobile Simulation Program which the Alberta Lions have been involved in. This program offers rural and city health care providers a chance to enhance their skills in critical care crisis management through the use of a mannequin that can simulate complex medical and trauma conditions for training.

The partnership between Alberta Lions and STARS is making the difference for hundreds of medical personal and for thousands of people who will benefit from the advanced knowledge of health care providers in our communities.

The Lions logo is proudly displayed on all STARS helicopters in recognition of their contribution of more than $1,880,000.

Let's all help keep STARS in the sky.

The next Lions Bingo will be held on Friday, June 10th, at the Valley Neighbours Club, 6:30pm. This will be our second to last Bingo until the fall season of September. Hope to see you all out to support the Lions.

The Foothills Lions Club

“Serving Our Community”







Monday, June 13, 2011

Millarville 4-H Multi Club Has Achievement Day

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By: Wendy and Staci Arkes

On May 15th the Millarville 4-H Multi Club got together at the Square Butte Hall to complete this year's Achievement Day. We actually had a great day: Sunny and Warm. What a change from the last few years.

For Achievement Day each member was required to do a display based on a theme that they picked. This year the members picked Movies/TV Shows. From this theme they were required to make three food items that would be tasted and judged.

Denae Allbee picked Despicable Me, Jenissa Allbee – Titanic, Jade Boucher - Shrek, Katelyn Braun – Hotel For Dogs, Jessica Bryki-Carly, Elise Bunn – Heartland, May Bunn – Letters to Juliet, Jacqueline Jamieson - Beverly Hills Chihuahua, Haley McIvor – Nacho Libre, Kashley Meyer – Secretariat, Madison Peters – Scooby Doo and Sarah Sharp – Out of Africa.

The Members would like to send a big thank you to our judge, Lisa Willis, for being brave enough to try all of our foods.

We would also like to say a Big Thank You to UFA for sponsoring our Achievement Day. Your support is greatly appreciated.

After eating Lunch, the members participated in their fun day activities. They did Cake Decorating, Cake Walk, Musical Chairs, Funny Money Auction and our 4-H Famous JELL-O Eating Contest. It was so much fun.

Our next Activity is our Banquet on June 12th. Stay tuned to find out what everyone received.





4H - Longview 4H Beef Club

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By: Kayla Hughes

The Longview 4-H Beef's achievement day was a huge success. Even though we had to change venues on short notice everything still worked out. The day started off at 10:30 with our judging competition, where there were Longview teams versus the Gladys teams, following with written judging at 11:00. Then the show kicked off at 1:00 with the heifer and cow/calf part of the show and the Longview champion heifers were: 2nd place - Josie Hughes and 1st place - Kayla Hughes. The Longview champion cow/calf results were: 2nd place - Hanna Dayment and 1st place - Reid Snodgrass. Reid Snodgrass and Kayla Hughes went on to win Reserve and Grand Champion Females of the show. Good job! Then on to the steer part of the show, the results for the winners of Longview showmanship were: 2nd place - Railey Tremblay and 1st place - Jessica Shewchuk. Jessica Shewchuk went on to win Grand Champion Showmanship. Good job! As for the winners of the Longview steers the results were: 2nd place - Jessica Shewchuk and 1st place - Keaton Cox. Keaton Cox went on to win Reserve Champion steer of the show. Good job!

Moving on to the sale, the charity steer sold for an all time high raising $21,739.65. The charity steer also was sold 3 times. The first group, the Longview Group, paid $11,000 then donated the money and had the steer sold again. Then the second group, S.A.L.E (Southern Alberta Livestock Exchange) Group, paid $8,900 then donated the money and had the steer sold once again. Then for the final time the donation steer, Freddie, was sold to John Lockhart. All $21,739.65 went to the High River District Healthcare Foundation and was much appreciated!

All in all the day was good to show all the hard work the members had put into their animals and was lots of fun!



Sunday, June 12, 2011

Longview School - Let Your Learning Soar

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On Friday, May 6th all students at Longview School invited their moms to a Mother's Day Tea. Students wanted to show their moms how much they love them and appreciate everything that they do. It was a very sweet and special day. Moms and grandmas had to wait outside the gym to be escorted hand in hand by their child/ren to their seats where they were served by their child/ren tea and treats. Each class did a choral reading of a poem about moms and had the opportunity to simply sit, chat and have treats with their moms.

The grade 5 guitar students went to Music Centre Canada (35 Elizabeth St. Okotoks) on Wednesday, May 4th for a field trip. Longview students were graciously invited by Kelly Vance, the owner, to tour the store, play a variety of instruments and enjoy a variety of musical performances. The students were treated like very special guests. They heard amazing performances by Mike who played drums and a variety of other percussion instruments. Mike even played a didgeridoo from Australia which the students loved the sound of. Jeremy shared his incredible talent for playing the acoustic guitar. He had this amazing technique of playing the guitar like a guitar and also playing it like a drum all at the same time. Greg played wonderfully the electric guitar and bass guitar for the students. All the musicians not only played their instruments, but spoke about the instruments. They talked about the parts of the instruments, the sounds they make and the technique of playing them well. The students were treated with a beverage and cookies and were given guitar picks, buttons, inflatable guitars, tattoos and colouring books. The students would like to send a BIG THANK YOU to Mr. Vance and everyone else at Music Centre Canada for an engaging and wonderful day.

Mr. Gallup visited Longview School on Tuesday, May 10th to work with our grade 5/6 art students. The grade 5/6 students have been busy over the past couple of weeks learning the techniques on hatching, cross hatching and stippling in creating shadows and contours in their drawings. Students have been working in the medium of pen and ink and have been sketching wildlife pictures based on photos of animals they have chosen. Mr. Gallop worked with students on their drawings and shared many helpful hints on how to improve upon their works of art. Mr. Gallup shared stories, techniques and his own art work with the students. This was an amazing workshop for our students. They greatly appreciated Mr. Gallup's talent and the time he took with them. Thank You!

Ms. Smith arranged for Clay for Kids to come and work with all of the students at Longview on Thursday, May 12th. Instructor Susan, from Clay for Kids, was at Longview School all day working with the different classes. Students received instruction and demonstrations in working with the medium of clay, including using a pottery wheel. Students then had the opportunity to create a piece of 3-dimensional art based on specific curriculum outcomes in the fine arts program of studies and with a theme pertaining to curricular outcomes in the areas of social studies and/or science. The Kindergarten and Grade 1/2 students made a piece about creeping and crawling creatures, Grade 3/4 students made a replica of the Taj Mahal and the Grade 5/6 class made spirit masks.

Millarville Community School Reunion 2011

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The fall of 2011 marks the 60th anniversary of Sheep Creek School moving to its new location in the hamlet of Millarville. The new school retained the name of Sheep Creek No. 4258 until about 1973, when the Foothills School Division changed the name to Millarville to avoid confusion with another Sheep Creek School in the province.

It started out with four classrooms but soon two more rooms were added and a portable was needed to accommodate all the students. Eventually the basement was finished so there was now a Science Lab and rooms for Phys Ed and Music. At this time a larger entrance was added so there was room for boots and room for children to remove them without falling down the stairs. In 1969, the school division rented the Ranchers' Hall so the students could have Phys Ed classes there. It still wasn't the best situation, but better than a small room in the basement of the school. In 1976-77 an addition was put on the north side of the school to house a gymnasium, library, principal's office, junior high washrooms and last but not least, staff washrooms. In 1998 a relocatable wing was added to the north side of the school. This gave us four new classrooms and more washrooms. In 2001, the new STARS Gymnasium was built and the old gym became the stage and change rooms.

On June 30th there will be a barbeque and family dance at the school starting at 5:00pm. Former students, teachers and community members will be able to tour the school and look at all the old photo albums from years gone by. We will have a silent auction of the former grade one quilts and the family dance will run until 10:00pm.

On Friday, July 1st everyone is invited to take in the Turner Valley Triathlon and then head over to the Race Track for the 106th running of the Millarville Races. On Saturday, July 2nd everyone can take in the Millarville Farmers' Market from 9:00am to 2:00pm. The rest of the afternoon will be spent visiting and playing baseball or soccer. There will be a special play area for the younger children.

From 5:00 to 7:00pm we will have a dinner of beef on a bun, beans and salads at the Main Hall. There will also be music and a cash bar. Please register by June 15th by sending a cheque made out to Millarville Community School and mail to Box 29 Millarville, AB T0L 1K0 or by stopping by the school any day during school hours. The total cost for both the Thursday and Saturday meals is $20 for adults, $10 for children aged 7 – 16 and children 6 and under are free. Please enclose your name, address, phone number and email address and the number of people in your family who will be attending. For further information and to download a registration form, please go to our school's website at: http://millarville.fsd38.ab.ca/whats-happening/special-events/ or you can call the school at 403-938-7832.





Saturday, June 11, 2011

Longview Link By Chey Nickerson

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The Longview Youth Group held a bottle drive on May 14th which raised $781.80. The money raised will provide youth learning and development programs and activities. A big thank you from all the YOUTH to Village and area residents for their generous support.

Don't forget the Strawberry Tea on June 8th from 2 to 4pm at the Community Hall in Longview. Stop by for some great strawberry shortcake and time to visit with friends. Everyone Welcome.

K-100 race is scheduled to be run from Longview on the morning of June 25th. This year is the 25th Anniversary of the race but if you want to catch a glimpse of it you had better be up early. The first of the relay runners is off at 6am on Saturday morning. For more information check out the website at:
http://www.hihostels.ca/westerncanada/1581/run_with_hi_general_race_information.hostel.

PPP, no I'm not stuttering, I want everyone to know what the P's stand for. We'd like everyone in Longview to PLEASE PLANT PINK when doing your gardens this summer for the “Wild PINK Yonder” visit to Longview on August 18th! At the rate the weather is going we may be putting in plastic pink flowers to welcome them. We welcome any pink ideas anyone may have for this event.

With all the rains in the area in the past week, we would like to ask that everyone use as little water as possible to avoid overloading the treatment plant. Thanks to everyone who helps conserve water in the times that are so important.



Friday, June 10, 2011

Local School Energized By Grant

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By Todd Curran

Turner Valley School got a charge out of receiving the $10,000 A+ For Energy Grant on May 25th.
Teachers Matt Berrigan and Kate Irving accepted the funds on behalf of the school for their green submissions to the BP Energy Education Program. “These teachers sent in great applications to instruct their students about energy,” says BP representative Melanie Ducharme. “We're sending both teachers to school at a conference on how to effectively use their grant money and learn more about energy. We're really happy we could make a difference here.”

The program has been running since 2007, has awarded over 190 grants to the tune of $2.3 million, impacting over 50,000 kindergarten to Grade 12 students and our local teachers are as happy to receive as BP is to give. “This money will make a tremendous difference to our 140 students,” says Matt Berrigan. “Understanding the environment is the perfect way to engage our school and work together.”

As the program is not exclusive to scientific understanding of the environment, the school plans to produce some educational videos using music and art to promote information on sustainable and non-renewable resources and carbon footprint reduction. “We're so excited for the opportunity,” Matt says.
Visit www.bp.com for more information on the Energy Education Program.





Thursday, June 9, 2011

Online or Inhand

The June 7th edition of the Gateway Gazette Grassroots edition is now on the Streets and don't forget you can also read it online in original print format (click the headline of this post).

All of our publications are made available online every time we publish - with the most recent version being posted right on our home page at www.gatewaygazette.ca.  Past editions (back to 2009) are then also available through our "Reader" section under "Archives".

We also upload all of the photographs from each edition to an online photo-album, also linked through our website, that you are welcome to view and even save copies for your own keepsake.  Since the print versions of our publications do have limited space, we also upload extra photos into this album of the ones we weren't able to print.

Please feel free to post your comments with feedback, thoughts, ideas and suggestions through the link at the bottom of this post or any other post within our blog.

We hope you continue to enjoy the Gateway Gazette publications - your Good News newspapers!

Legacy Oil And Gas Believes In Making A Difference In Their Community

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Legacy Oil and Gas Inc. representative Dave Grenwich extends a helping hand to the Diamond Valley Parade Committee Chair Barb Froud and Sharlene Brown, Mayor of Black Diamond, in sponsoring the Spirit of Alberta Marching Band from Magrath Jr./Sr. High School to the 42nd Annual Diamond Valley Parade.

Barb Froud says “it is one of the best small town parades in Alberta and leads up to the Calgary Stampede parade”.

Legacy Oil and Gas believes in making a difference in their community. They are active supporters of local initiatives, programs and events. Volunteerism is encouraged, and many of their employees and executives generously contribute their time and talents to a variety of charities and organizations.




Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Diamond Valley Chamber of Commerce

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Visitor Information Centre
 
Message from Chris Koene

Well, it seems that for the last couple of weeks my focus has been all about the Visitor Information Centre (VIC) - and there's no better time to be thinking about this than the start of tourist season!

We've been busy working hard to open the VIC, scrubbing it out from top to bottom, updating the brochures and info available and attending VIC training offered by Travel Alberta.

If you haven't been on our Facebook page yet, we opened the VIC last Friday, in time for the long weekend and we've already had well over 30 people through. If you haven't yet stopped in to update the brochures for your business, make it a priority to get in and do so and introduce yourself to our staff! If you are a member of the chamber we invite you to place promotional materials at no charge and for non-members we request $20 for the season to contribute to VIC operations.

This year we have opened the VIC earlier than before and will keep it open longer - until October 1st. For the spring it will be open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 12 noon to 6pm, with additional days and hours in July and August.

And we are still looking for one more part-time staff member for the VIC. If you know someone who is knowledgeable of our local area, and would enjoy being one of the welcoming faces to our visitors, let us know.

Finally, we are working hard to obtain VIC accreditation from Travel Alberta - which we are very close to achieving. Once we have this, Travel Alberta will provide us with highway signage and will place our VIC on their provincial Travel Alberta maps, among other benefits.

We look forward to sharing with you, in the fall, more specifics about the VIC and our plans for 2012! And, as always, your input is welcome.





Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Gazette Receives Media Award

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Thank you so much to the local Legion Branch for nominating us for this prestigious award!


Sometimes even newspaper people are at a loss for words. Such an occasion occurred on May 28th when Tanya Thibodeau and Pam Jones were honoured to receive the Royal Canadian Legion Media Award presented to the Gateway Gazette.  The citation accompanying the award reads in part:  “ In our appreciation, Branch 78 would like to request that The Gateway Gazette be positively considered (by Dominion Command) to receive a Media Award in appreciation for their time and consideration of the Turner Valley Legion.”

Sgt-at-Arms, Malcolm Hughes, in a congratulatory email said, “Let me congratulate you on an honour richly deserved. We do not present that Media Award lightly, evidenced by the fact that our recommendation has to go all the way to Dominion Command for approval in order to ensure that a very high standard for this award is maintained. In all my years in the Legion, this is only the second one that I have been part of. Well done, you have every reason to be proud of it.”

And proud we are. 

We simply cannot express deeply enough our heartfelt thanks to everyone who plays a role in the publication of the Gazette and who made it possible for us to receive this truly appreciated award.  That includes - YOU!
There were several important awards and honours presented at this ceremony. The Gazette will be showcasing these recipients in our June 21st, Grande section along with our coverage of the D-Day ceremony held on June 5th in Turner Valley.

Wanna Saddle Up With A New Saddle?

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What good are boots, chaps and cowboy hats without a finely tooled western saddle?

The Spicer family of Black Diamond Pharmasave donated this exquisite $5,000 saddle to raise money for the Longview Rodeo Association.

The saddle is on display at Navajo Mug in Longview and was made by Brent Eamor, who learned the craft from his famous father Felmar Eamor of High River.

Tickets are $5 each, available at Pharmasave and Navajo Mug, and the winner will be drawn at the Longview Rodeo Grounds on Saturday, July 16th. So cowboy-up and git on down to buy your ticket today!


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Monday, June 6, 2011

Media Award

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The Gateway Gazette was honoured May 28th at the Legion in Turner Valley when we were presented with the Royal Canadian Legion Media Award from Dominion Command in Ottawa. Thank you so much to the local branch for nominating us for this prestigious award. Thank you also to all of our loyal readers, advertisers, contributors and staff who make the Gazette possible and what it has become today.

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Personal Protection ~ Are we truly training like warriors?

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Since leaving my career in law enforcement I've been struggling with the idea of being a full time private trainer and martial arts instructor. I wasn't quite sure what that should look like. During my first month after quitting the Alberta Sheriffs Dept. I watched a lot of television as I asked myself, “What is it I'm supposed to be doing.” I recently found someone who helped me find the answer.

I found my answer in the most unlikely of places - yoga. FTS has recently partnered with Body Soul Connexions, a wellness company in Okotoks, AB. The owner and primary instructor H.F. shared with me her training regime and schedule. She trains most weeks 7 days a week, minimum 5. When she's not training or teaching in the formal sense she's researching, writing and thinking about training. She promotes healthy living and sets a high standard for herself in terms of diet and exercise. Sometimes when she's at home doing daily chores she'll drop into a pose or use chores and work as extra exercise. She walks, runs and rides her bike regularly. Some days she's up as early as 5am to train. Sometimes she goes away for 6 week intensives where her sleep, training and diet are strictly regulated so that her skills can advance to the next level.

The more she shared with me her training routine the more I questioned how often we, as warriors, or worse as warrior trainers, could keep up with that routine. Often we say that we train in the warrior arts or we train others to be warriors. Yet we eat crap food, don't regulate our sleep or manage our stress appropriately, don't go to the gym, skip training classes and don't really apply ourselves while we are training. We go to training conferences and use it as an excuse to drink to excess and miss classes the next day and we laugh about it. Then when we teach recruits or students we use terms like “live the warrior lifestyle”, “follow the warrior code” and “take care of yourselves 'cuz it's a tough role.” Well I can assure you, we don't train, or act, the way warriors used to.

We look at the sensationalism of warrior cultures, the Spartans, the Samurai, Ninja, Paladins and countless others, yet we fail to realize these warriors trained to the point of exhaustion daily for their entire lives. They would laugh at 99% of us if they saw how we “train.” We create conditions so safe that there's hardly any contact, no chance of a trip, slip or fall; we are afraid to move because we might get hurt or be sore the next day. We skip classes and workouts regularly because “I'm tired, I don't want to, I don't feel like it.” We wonder why most professional warriors, and even a large percentage of warrior trainers, are overweight. We refuse to invest in ourselves, complain when our employer doesn't take care of us or want our instructors to motivate, encourage and push us.

And yet people who do yoga, an activity that doesn't prepare you for life or death conflicts, an activity that for the most part is recreational and therapeutic, are up at 5am training 1, 2, 3 times a day, 5-7days a week. Yet trying to get a martial arts student to commit to 3 - 90 minute classes per week is like pulling teeth. Am I the only one that sees something wrong with this picture?

I didn't tell her I was writing this article so out of respect for her privacy I won't use her name, but thank you H.F. for the inspiration and for showing me what it means to be a professional. I for one am getting off my butt, no more excuses for missing class or workouts, no more eating junk and trying to justify it to myself, no more abusing training and learning opportunities as excuses to destroy my body. For years I've thought of myself as a warrior, but wasn't really applying myself to that standard. I urge all of you to evaluate your training and ask yourself who's more of a warrior? You, for all your talk and lip service, or the H.F.'s of the world who are truly taking their craft seriously?

Stay safe, be well.
Sensei Tom Gillis
www.ftsma.com
tom@ftsma.com

 

Getting Ready for Summer at Sheep River Library

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The volunteer Garden Group is working on the flower boxes located at the front entrance of the library and in the ATB Reading Garden in preparation for our summer kick off during the June 4th  Black Diamond Parade and Community celebrations that follow in Millennium Park in Turner Valley. Watch for the Sheep River Library float in the parade and come to the library during the afternoon to buy VHS tapes and books that will be on sale on the front patio. Bargain prices of 25 cents per item will get you good books to read during the summer and VHS tapes to view if we have rainy days.

Teen Summer Library Experience:
From now until the end of August, Teens 12 to 18 years can take part in a variety of reading challenges with awesome rewards. These challenges include completing suggested activities, reading a number of books over the summer months and writing a book review or story. Bonus prizes are provided for two of the challenges to everyone that completes them and a final prize is given to every teen that completes all five challenges.
The Grand Prize is winner's choice of one of the following – a Kobo e-reader, a Flip Ultra HD Camcorder, $150 Gift Card at a shopping mall or an 8Gb iPod Nano. Prize will be awarded to the winner of the draw in early September. Teens that complete all five challenges will be eligible for the draw.
For program details and to REGISTER ONLINE, grab a brochure from Sheep River Library, get out your library card and go to: teensBOOKingit.weebly.com.

Missed out on buying a TILE to support the library? Well, your contributions are still needed! You may have noticed that there are empty spots in some of the frames on the donor wall. A contribution in the hundreds will get your name in one of these spots.

If you have been in the magazine section lately, you will see renewal cards on many of the publications. Magazines are paid for by the generous donation of library patrons. Just take the renewal slip to the front desk, give the necessary funds to the staff and your donation will be sent off. Your name will then be put on the Magazine Donor Wall giving recognition for your generous contribution.

Seniors Week is fast approaching and many celebrations will be held by churches and organizations in the Diamond Valley area. The library has chosen to Celebrate Seniors a little later in the month of June. With funding from Turner Valley FCSS, a special celebration will be held June 28th during the Terrific Tuesday Talk and Tea. Please mark this event on your calendars, and plan on taking part in this very special day full of entertainment, door prizes, flowers and treats.


From The Lions Den ~ Submitted by Lion Lona Lineham

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Submitted by Lion Lona Lineham

The Foothills Lions Club is very proud of one of our long standing members - Bob Lochhead. "The Ministers Senior Service Award" will be presented to Bob at a special ceremony in Edmonton (June 8th) during Seniors Week. This award recognizes Albertans who volunteer their time to make a difference in the lives of seniors and has recognized 80 recipients since its beginning 14 years ago. We, as Lions, have realized we had a special member long ago. Lion Bob has always been one of the first to step up for whatever has to be done in our Club. I am sure almost everyone in Black Diamond and Turner Valley know him and are aware of the helping hand he provides wherever it is needed.
CONGRATULATIONS BOB!!!! You are so deserving of this award.

Spring is here --- we did our first Bar-B-Q on Saturday, May 24th for the annual Diamond Valley "Project Green Day". About 50 volunteers set out early in the morning to clean up along the river, pathways, trails and parks. Another group of about 5 volunteers worked very long and hard on the beautiful little pocket gardens along the main street of Black Diamond. The Lions Club had a fun day serving all the volunteers coffee, juice and muffins before they left and hamburgers and donuts when the work was finished. All the work these volunteers did will benefit the towns of Black Diamond and Turner Valley, the flora and fauna of the Sheep River Valley and all those who live down stream. Volunteers are most welcome for the Fall River Clean-Up which will be September 7th. What a great way to help your community!!

"The Longview Youth Group" (George Teichroeb along with 3 youths) came to our May 3rd meeting to give the Lions Club a thank you for the donation we gave them a few months ago. It was so nice to hear that the youth, and the adults accompanying them, had a good time on their outing.

The Alberta Treasury Branch held a month of fundraising for The Children's Hospitals - The Foothills Lions Club gave them a donation of $500.00.

Bingo Players ---- we only have 3 more Bingos before we quit for the summer. Let's see you all out for these games. The next Lion's Bingo will be held at the Valley Neighbours Club on Friday, May 27th at 6:30pm.

The Foothills Lions Club
“Serving Our Community”

 

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Millarville-Stockland 4-H Beef Club - 4H on Parade

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By Hunter Egeland

Our club had it's general meeting on April 13th where we handed in our record books to be marked. On April 19th, I went to the Sun Country radio station in High River and recorded a blurb on our club which is to be played on AM 1060 at 12:40pm Saturdays. We also got a tour of the station. On April 27th we had our project meeting where we watched an interesting video on how to clip your animal. I am going to try to clip my heifer Gillian this week so hopefully any mistakes will have grown in by the big show at the Stampede Grounds at the end of the month.

We had our annual highway cleanup on Saturday, May 7th. The rain stayed away long enough for us to finish our stretch of highway. Afterwards we went for pizza at the Priddis Cafe and Grill, it was delicious. Thanks to Geoff and his crew for supplying the pop for all of us.

It's hard to believe 4-H On Parade is just around the corner, the heifer show will be on May 27th, the steer show on the 28th and the big sale on the 29th. Please stop by our stall and say "Hi" if you can make it down to the show and sale. We have 9 members who will be selling their "top notch, home raised Alberta beef" steers. If you would like more information about purchasing one, please call Susan Jeffery. Have a great May everyone!


Gardens Galore: The More the Merrier

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By Karen Brewka


In Turner Valley, the local garden club meets at Valley Neighbours regularly during the winter. Getting together a few times during the summer as well, the club is a great place to share garden talk. The challenge of growing gardens in the foothills is one of the reasons people like to learn and share stories and information. People in the club trade plants and seeds, host guest speakers, go on garden tours and excursions, and contribute to the beautification of the town.

The Millarville Horticulture Club is a major contributor to gardening in the foothills with their book Gardening Under the Arch. They published the second edition in 2006. You can find out more about this group on their website. The Calgary Horticultural Society, with over 5000 members, is one of the largest in North America.
There are thousands of gardening clubs, horticulture associations and plant societies in North America, millions around the world. The people belonging to these groups have been instrumental in ensuring the beautification of communities, the preservation of natural environments, the growth and spread of new varieties of plants and an appreciation of the importance of the natural world. Of course, you have to watch out for the people belonging to the orchid societies. Apparently they get a bit obsessive and weird. They will even admit to an addiction once they start growing, breeding, showing and trading these beautiful flowers.
Whether you are gardening in a window box or on an acreage, sharing successes and failures with others is a delight. Growing and nurturing plants touches something in ourselves and brings us closer to others. One of the most successful activities at extended care facilities is gardening. Even people with Alzheimer's can find memories when working with plants, as they can when listening to music.

Come and meet some of the people in the Valley Neighbours Garden Club at their plant sale on June 4th at Valley Neighbours - 133 Sunset Boulevard SW. The sale gets under way after the parade. There will be perennials, annuals, vegetables and all manner of plants available at the sale, all contributed by club members.
The Valley Neighbours Garden Club welcomes new members. For information call Bea at 403 – 933 – 7131.

The Millarville Horticultural Club meets every second Tuesday of the month at 7:30 pm. For information call Sheila at 403 – 931 – 3989.