Columns & News

Chamber Awards of Excellence celebrate local businesses

By Adan Shaikh

The Camrose and District Chamber of Commerce held its annual Business Awards of Excellence Gala on February 21 at the Camrose Regional Exhibition, bringing together local business owners and community leaders for an evening of celebration and recognition. This year’s Mardi Gras theme added a festive touch, with masks and feathers that set the tone for a lively evening.

The evening opened with greetings from master of ceremonies Stephen Kambeitz, who noted that more than 150 businesses were nominated this year, marking one of the highest nomination counts in the history of the Camrose Chamber of Commerce.

“To me that says that we have a very strong and diverse business community in the Camrose area. It also tells me that we mutually support each other in those business endeavours,” said Kambeitz.

Chamber president Jennifer Fossen and executive director Aaron Morris thanked guests and business owners for their continued commitment to strengthening and growing the local business community. “Tonight is a celebration, a celebration of innovation, hard work and community pride. It is about recognizing not just the winners, but every single nominee here tonight,” said Fossen. “Running a business is no easy task. It takes long hours, tough decisions and daily effort to manage the challenges that come with operating, but it is also incredibly rewarding especially in communities like Camrose,” she added.

Awards were presented in 14 categories, recognizing local businesses for their impact on the economy through creativity and customer service. Following the ceremony, guests were treated to an exhilarating performance by The Grande Dueling Pianos, accompanied by signature cocktails to conclude the evening.

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Battle River Beer Co. won the Emerging Business of the Year Award. From left, Chamber president Jennifer Fossen; owners of the company Amy Fritz-Poepping and Dane Cockcroft, with sponsor of the award Clayton Sommer from MNP.

Executive director of Camrose Chamber of Commerce Aaron Morris presented the Outstanding Customer Service Award to Integrated Lifestyles’ Chris Sedgewick.

Irvings Farm Fresh won the Home-Based Business of the Year Award. From left, Fossen; Nicola, Alan and Cameron Irving with sponsor of the award Paul Heide of Brightview Financial and Chamber Plan.

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Camrose & Area Animal Shelter Society (CAASS) received the Community Development Award. From left, Morris; CAASS board president Sherry Lafortune; shelter manager Matt McKeil; and Beth Kushnerick on behalf of award sponsor Doane Grant Thorton.

Camrose Women’s Shelter (CWS) Bloom’n Deals received the Community Spirit Award. From left, Fossen, executive director of CWS Nora-Lee Rear, manager of Bloom’n Deals Shannon Stolee, and Alicia Tessier presenting the award on behalf of Wild Rose Co-op.

Romonda Kuntz, owner of From Kicks to Kids, won the Indigenous Business of the Year. From left, Morris, Kuntz and Bridget Lennartsson of Vinesation Olive Oils & Vinegars, sponsor of the award.

The Sweeterie won the Innovative Brand-Marketing Award. From left, Fossen; Marilou Yampolski, who accepted the award on behalf of Tania Greenwald, owner of The Sweeterie; and Matt Thompson from BDC.

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Camrose Neighbor Aid Center received the Greatest Impact Award. From left, Morris; executive director of Neighbor Aid Center Jaime Ocampos; and Stephen Kambeitz, who presented the award on behalf of Battle River Community Foundation, sponsor of the award.

Nufloors Camrose won the Franchise Business of the Year. From left, Fossen; Andre Blanchette from Nufloors; and sponsor of the award Kevin Gurr, owner of Boston Pizza Camrose.

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Bridget Lennartsson from Vinesation Olive Oils & Vinegars was recognized for Female Leadership of the Year. From left, Morris, Lennartsson and Tish Olsen, owner of Tish’s Fashions & Finery, sponsor of the award.

Shauna Chrabaszcz of High Gloss Homemakers won Business Leader of the Year Award. From left, Fossen, Chrabaszcz and Garratt Gutman, presenting the award of behalf of FortisAlberta.

Strada Coffee Company & Artisan Bakery won the Small Business of the Year Award. From left, Morris; owners of Strada Brynn and Madison Huseby; with sponsors of the award, Shauna and Greg Chrabaszcz, owners of High Gloss Homemakers.

Wild Rose Co-op was recognized with the Large Business of the Year Award. From left, Fossen; Rick Stang, operations manager of Wild Rose Co-op; and Michelle Wideman, executive associate at The Bethany Group, sponsor of the award.

Legacy Business of the Year award was presented to Hauser Home Hardware. The Camrose Chamber of Commerce board members presented the award to the Hausers. From left, Chamber board members Tova Olson, Grace Boden, Darrelynn Fair, Danny Drisdelle and Wade Cummings; recipients of the award Angie and Rob Hauser; and Chamber board members Shane Weibel and Ashar LaGrange. The couple also announced that they will be retiring from the business and hope that the new owners of the store will continue to serve the Camrose community with the same dedication that they did.

Augustana Student Art Showcase

Evelyn Cheung with her piece “Unconscious Disaster”. The third-year Bachelor of Fine Arts student is organizing this year’s Student Art Show and hopes this event will highlight the artistic talents as well as the wonderful art programs at Augustana.

By Adan Shaikh

Students at the University of Alberta Augustana Campus will open the doors to the 2026 Student Art Show on March 20, inviting the community to enjoy a wide range of creative work. The exhibit takes place downstairs in the Ravine Studio Building and begins at 4 p.m., with a wonderful reception running until 8 p.m. The show continues on March 21 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., giving visitors another opportunity to explore the display over the weekend.

Bachelor of Fine Arts student Evelyn Cheung is organizing this year’s event and expects to feature approximately 100 pieces. The exhibition will include works from a variety of disciplines and class levels, reflecting the range of talent across the campus.

“We are bringing back awards this year as well. There will be about eight or ten $500 scholarships, funded by the Fine Arts and Humanities department,” said Cheung.

The awards will be based on merit and judged by Julian Forrest, professor of Fine Arts at Augustana Campus.

Cheung noted that the addition of more senior-level art classes has resulted in an increase in larger, more developed pieces. “We have introduced more senior art classes this year, which yields a lot of the larger pieces so I am really excited, if not 100 works, I am expecting more sophisticated pieces,” she said.

The show offers students an opportunity to share their work publicly and receive feedback. Cheung said there are limited chances for students to exhibit their pieces during the academic year and hopes to see more opportunities created in the future. Guests can utilize this as an opportunity to purchase the beautiful artwork or even learn more about the programs and courses available at Augustana.

“I think art is so overlooked and it is so important to a lot of students because, believe it or not, the majority of students who enter the show aren’t art majors. They’re some of the best artists too, like computer science majors or biology and they will make this really incredible piece of art and forget about it for the rest of their degree,” she said.

Cheung added that the exhibition highlights the arts programming at Augustana, demonstrating that the campus supports both the sciences and the fine arts. Community members, students and faculty are encouraged to attend and connect with the artists behind the work.

For more information, contact Cheung at evelyn4@ualberta.ca

World Day of Prayer at St. Andrew’s

By Nadine Leming

World Day of Prayer is a global movement that focuses on informed prayer and action. This annual event has Christians from around the world unite on the same day to pray for issues affecting women and girls.

This international movement recognizes the hopes and concerns through thoughtful, intentional prayer. On March 6, St. Andrew’s Anglican Church will be hosting a special service at 1:30 p.m.

This year, the service will focus on issues faced by women and girls in Nigeria. This western African nation has a rich heritage and a diverse ecosystem, yet they face many challenges that include poverty, systemic oppression, religious persecution, gender discrimination, abuse and educational opportunities.

Nigeria has made great strides in other fields such as the financial sector and trade, education and healthcare, women and girls still face challenges.
Maternal and child health is an area that requires a lot more attention. Nigeria has one of the most critical pregnancy related mortality rates for mothers and children in the world.

World Day of Prayer is celebrated in over 120 countries. This year it starts in Samoa as prayers in over 90 different languages travel across the globe in a wave of support for Nigerian women and girls.

The community is invited to join the congregation at St. Andrew’s Anglican Church for this special service. For more information, go to www.wdpcanada.ca

Cornelius de Koning owns a 1964 Mercury Marauder

Cornelius de Koning and his wife enjoy driving on the highway in their classic ’64 Mercury Marauder.

By Adan Shaikh

Cornelius de Koning owns a meticulously restored 1964 Mercury Marauder. “I bought it from a friend of mine in 1976, who bought it new in Lethbridge in 1964,” de Koning said.

At the time, the car showed its age, but de Koning saw potential in its “razor-edge” grille and distinctive fastback roofline. His vision eventually became reality about 16 years ago, when he decided to completely redo the vehicle.

Fixing it up involved a complete teardown, from the interior to the engine bay and body panels. The original interior was removed, cleaned, replaced, and renewed with extra attention. “Getting the interior done up right was the most challenging part,” he shared.

Originally, the Marauder was powered by a 352 cubic inch V8 engine equipped with a two-barrel carburetor. During the restoration, de Koning upgraded the powertrain to a larger 390 cubic inch V8 with a four-barrel carburetor, providing increased horsepower and torque while keeping the performance character of the vehicle.

The upgraded engine delivers strong acceleration and highway cruising capability, paired with a three speed automatic Cruise-O-Matic transmission. Introduced by Ford in the late 1950s, even today the Cruise-O-Matic is known for smooth shifting and durability. In the Marauder, it provides seamless power delivery across all driving conditions, making the car equally suited for cruising and highway driving.

“It can do 120 miles an hour and is in great shape,” de Koning said.

The body was taken to Rosetown, Saskatchewan, to be painted. “I tore the body apart and hauled it out there and they painted it and I hauled it back,” he shared. The paint was updated to the factory colour in which the Marauder was originally purchased, a light turquoise blue.

The colour highlights the car’s character and long profile. The distinctive design was created to have a blend of luxury and racing-inspired styling. Originally designed for NASCAR, the Marauder took home five NASCAR wins, and several USAC wins in the 1964 racing series.

For the last 16 years, de Koning’s Marauder has had an adventurous life, from being featured in videos to trips all over North America, the vehicle never really just sits in the garage.

“Somebody did a video for the internet on it once. It has been to Vegas and the West Coast,” de Koning said.

The car remains a source of pride for de Koning, reflecting the hard work and attention to detail he put into building it.

Camrose Animal Shelter requests land from City Council

By Adan Shaikh

The Camrose & Area Animal Shelter Society is asking the City of Camrose for a parcel of land to build a new shelter to replace its current facility.
The request was presented to council during the February 23 committee of the whole meeting, where shelter manager, Matt McKeil and board director, Debbie Cherkas outlined the challenges they face operating out of a small, retrofitted building that no longer meets the organization’s needs or modern animal welfare standards.

“The Camrose & Area Animal Shelter Society is asking for the City of Camrose to donate/allocate a parcel of land for us to build a new shelter on. We are asking for you to give us a three year deadline to do our fundraising. If at the end of the three years we have raised $400,000 we would ask the city for a one year extension to raise the final $100,000 necessary before we start the build. If at the end of the three years we have not raised $400,000 the land would revert back to the city. The shelter would not start building until we have raised half a million dollars,” said Cherkas.

According to the presentation, the existing space limits intake capacity, restricts quarantine and medical treatment areas, and hampers staff and volunteer workflow.

“The land we require would be for an engineered steel building with a 5,000 sq. ft. footprint and we need enough land for 30 dog runs, plus land for dog training grounds, a parking lot for 10 vehicles and land for a future veterinary clinic. The estimated total area that we require would be greater than 16,700 sq. ft.,” explained Cherkas. She shared the approximate cost of $625,000.

Council discussed the request and administration was directed to explore potential land options and report back with recommendations at a future meeting.

Members-at-large recognized by City of Camrose

Above photo from left, back row: City Councillors Lana Broker, Wayne Throndson, Don Rosland, Agnes Hoveland, Lucas Banack, David Francoeur, DJ Ilg and Joy-Anne Murphy. From left, front row: Lee Katchur, Rick Myers, Larry Cantelo, Mayor PJ Stasko, Carole-May Coty, Deanna Mason, Stacey Beach, Gerald Caron and Jon Hironaka. Missing from the photo were recipients Blain Fowler, Barry Graham, Allison McPherson, Margaret Holliston, Peter Hamm and Naomi Finseth.

By Adan Shaikh

Mayor PJ Stasko and Camrose City Council held a recognition service for the members-at-large serving on the City of Camrose commissions and committees. During the ceremony members whose terms concluded in December 2025 were thanked for their time and dedication and received certificates of recognition.

“Council recognizes the valuable contributions of all the members-at-large who’ve dedicated their time and expertise,” said Malcolm Boyd, City manager. “Their services played a vital role in municipal decision-making, aligning the city’s strategic focus, particularly in terms of increasing engagement with staff assistance,” he added.

Members recognized at the ceremony included:

Blain Fowler – Camrose Airport Commission
Barry Graham – Camrose Airport Commission
Carole-May Coty – Camrose Arts Council Board
Stacey Beach – Camrose Arts Council Board
Larry Cantelo – Camrose Environmental Sustainability Advisory Committee
Allison McPherson – Camrose Environmental Sustainability Advisory Committee
Rick Myers – Camrose Police Commission
Lee Katchur – Camrose Police Commission
Margaret Holliston – Camrose Public Library Board
Peter Hamm – Camrose Public Library Board
Naomi Finseth – Camrose Public Library Board
Deanna Mason – Heritage Advisory Committee
Gerald Caron – Municipal Planning Advisory Committee
Jon Hironaka – Recreation Advisory Committee

ÉCCHS March athletics update

By Nadine Leming

The École Camrose Composite High School (ÉCCHS) Trojans basketball regular season has officially wrapped up, turning the focus towards the playoffs.
The grade nine girls’ team had a great developmental season playing with determination and grit that did not lead to a berth in the playoffs. Their coaches are very proud of the effort, hard work and commitment of the girls on the team. Coach Ty and coach Erin were also tirelessly diligent in leading the girls in a way that was greatly appreciated.

Finishing third place in the league, the grade nine boys’ team capped off a spectacular season by heading to the post-season. They travelled to Tofield, February 27 and 28 for the regional championships.

The junior and senior varsity teams have also concluded their regular seasons, motivated to move forward in the playoffs. Both the girls’ and boys’ junior varsity are excited to turn some heads in zone championships. Trojan pride will be on full display as they compete March 6 and 7.

The senior boys ended the season on a high note with a solid third place finish in the league. During the regular season, they exhibited high action play and determination. They get rolling in the playoffs hosting their first game on March 4.

With an outstanding performance this season, the senior girls’ team finished first overall in the regular season. They have laid the groundwork for what should be a memorable playoff run. The team received a bye for the first round of the postseason and will host their first game on March 9.

With basketball winding down with the playoffs at hand, the ÉCCHS Trojans are preparing for another exciting badminton season. Drop-in sessions will begin the first week of March. This will give athletes the chance to step back onto the court and prepare to re-establish their skills prior to the team selection.

Official tryouts for Trojan badminton will take place before spring break with sessions to help determine this season’s high caliber team. The school is looking forward to another solid and successful season of badminton on the courts.

Cooking with flare

The Camrose Adult Learning Centre is a hidden gem in Camrose. The international cooking class was a great way to share culture and food within the community. From left, Chef Sameer teaches Sarah, a class participant, in preparing naan bread.

By Nadine Leming

The Camrose and Area Learning Centre (CALC) is an organization that meets the learning needs for adults in our community at a foundational level. Their staff meets each learner in a way that is welcoming and non-judgmental.

Linda Olson coordinates English classes for all learning levels, helping students to feel confident as they increase their ability to communicate in a new language.

As part of her programming, she created a fun way for people learning English to come together and practice their new skills, while having the opportunity to share a bit of their culture with the community through cooking.

Six sessions of their international cooking class were held at St. Francis Xavier Church. Ron Baier, executive director at CALC said, “We would like to thank St. Francis Xavier Church for the generosity in providing the space for our international cooking classes.”

He continued, “Without this support, we would not have been able to offer this opportunity to our students.”

At one class Chef Sameer from Monte Carlo restaurant shared his Indian culture and food. He led the participants in his personal recipes for Naan bread, Tapioca Fritters, Butter Chicken and Chicken Biryani. Each ingredient he used was fresh, even making butter by hand.

CALC would like to thank the restaurant for sharing their chef for this class. The aroma coming from the kitchen was absolutely amazing.

Linda said, “Sharing our different foods and cultures is a great opportunity for making connections between newcomers and our community. Every cooking class features food from a different country: Japan, Morocco, India, Mexico, Ethiopia and Ukraine! We had a great time!”

For more information on CALC and the programs they offer, go to www.camroselearning.com

Local skiers at winter games

By Nadine Leming

This past Family Day weekend, there were many local athletes aged 11 to 16 competing in the 2026 Alberta Winter Games.

The goal of this event is to promote youth development and community spirit with sports ranging from archery to wrestling.

Camrose had a group of young skiers in Bonnyville that included Marielle Lunty and Ella Nelson.

Ella started skiing at a young age, following in the footsteps of her older siblings. Her dad Steve said, “All three of our kids have taken ski lessons at the Ski Club in Camrose. In Ella’s case, she was very young when she started skiing with a soother in her mouth.”

Ella just turned 14 and competed in the U15 group for the games where she went up against 15-year-old racers where the competition was harder than competing in her usual U14 races.

Ella finished 10th in sprint and 17th in distance. As a team, Zone 4 finished in fourth place in the relay. One of Ella’s favourite memories from the games was the opening ceremony, commenting on how fun it was. Ella added, “We watched a couple of other sports too.”

Ella said, “It was really fun, you get to meet a lot of new people from all sorts of different sports.” The experience for Ella was a little different from other races she’s used to and she beat some girls whom she’s never beaten before.

Her dad Steve said, “My wife and I think she had the best races she’s had all season.”

One of her proudest accomplishments inskiing was winning bronze the last time she went to the Alberta Winter Games in grade six. She medalled bronze in the skate sprint and her team also received a bronze in team sprints.

Ella also wanted to give a shout out to her favourite coach Graeme Thain for all his hard work.

Marielle also had a positive experience at the Alberta Winter Games. She enjoyed the opening ceremony and the fun entertainment activities lined up for the athletes with her teammates. She also talked about how she enjoyed hanging out with other kids from Zone 4.

This was Marielle’s first time competing at the games, commenting, “I really liked the relay event that had two girls and two boys racing on the team.” She was very excited about experiencing the games and only a little nervous about what to expect in the athletes’ village.

Although she didn’t come home with a medal, Marielle had a couple of personal best times, one in the skate technical and distance event as well as in classic skiing event.

A highlight of the weekend for her was the athletes’ entertainment night. It was an opportunity for Marielle to connect with all the athletes competing in all the different sports.

For Marielle’s parents, this was a special experience as they were able to cheer on both of their daughters at the games.

Her dad Brendan said, “The whole atmosphere overall was really cool. It’s such a celebratory atmosphere. They (the athletes) are encouraged to participate and make friends, which is a good thing.”

Overall, both Ella and Marielle came back with great experiences of the Alberta Winter Games. They have created memories and made friendships that will last for years to come.

Gymnasts go to 2026 Alberta Winter Games

These young gymnasts recently participated in the winter games. From left, Mckenna Adloff, Lacey Adloff, Raina Johnston and Brooklyn McNabb all represented Camrose and are the first gymnasts to represent our community at this event.

By Nadine Leming

Lacey Adloff, Mckenna Adloff, Raina Johnston and Brooklyn McNabb are four gymnasts from the Camrose Academy of Gymnastics who competed in the 2026 Alberta Winter Games. They competed in December at the Pine Valley Gymnastics Resort in Tawatinaw, AB, in order to qualify for the games.
Lacey said, “I placed top four in the all around, so I got to go to the winter games.”

Her sister Mckenna placed third in the all around to secure her spot. Both girls are in Level 6 while their fellow gymnasts, Raina and Brooklyn are a little higher in Level 7. Lacey and Mckenna had a total of eight athletes in their level with another five athletes competing in Level 7 at the qualifiers in Tawatinaw, so the competition was tight.

Coach Nancy Luttrell explained, “There are two different team competitions at the games, one for the Level 6 and one for the Level 7.” Nancy was named the coach of the Level 7 team, but was also on the floor to help coach the Level 6 girls. She is an experienced coach having gone to the Alberta Winter Games several times before.

Nancy explained that the four athletes from Camrose trained between 10 to 15 hours a week that included one day in Wetaskiwin. She added, “They have spent several years competing. This year they had the experience to be equipped to do all the requirements and therefore made the team.”

Nancy prepared the girls a little bit as far as what the girls could expect at the games like the opening ceremonies, which were held in Bonnyville over the Family Day weekend, but she was excited to have the girls experience and enjoy the games.

Prior to the games, Lacey commented, “I’m excited to compete and meet new people.” Meanwhile her sister Mckenna added, “I’m excited to compete and for the opening ceremonies.” Raina remarked, “I’m excited to compete and be with my teammates.”

Nancy conveyed, “I like it when they (the athletes) go and compete. It’s exciting to see them do well. This will be the top 32 competitors from across the province and there’s no separate age groups competing for three medals and then the top team. I’m excited about their prospects for the team competition.”

She continued by saying, “I want to show that Central Alberta (Zone 4) is able to compete against Edmonton and Calgary.”

Day one of the games included individual top all round athletes competing in all four events. Their scores would be tallied to find the medal winners in the all round. The girls participated in the team competition on the first day of the games in hopes the top eight in each event will qualify on day two.

The girls have all returned from the games having achieved success. Both Zone 4 teams performed well throughout the weekend with both the Level 6 and Level 7 teams placing fourth in the competition. Lacey and Mckenna in Level 6 as well as Brooklyn and Raina in Level 7 hit their routines.

After the Level 7 competition was completed, Raina ended up in a three-way tie for second place all around. After the tie-breaking protocol was completed, Raina walked away with the silver medal for the all around due to her expertise on the vault where she received the high score of 9.75.

Mckenna qualified in the top eight girls out of 32 competitors for her performance during the balance beam finals for Level 7. Her performance on the beam was remarkable with her outstanding routine that won her a bronze medal.

Raina qualified in vault, beam and floor exercise in the Level 7 finals and was competing in a group of 30 girls from across Alberta. She also hit her routine on the beam but unfortunately was shut out of winning a medal.

Raina saw tremendous improvement moving up from an eighth place tie to winning a gold medal with her routine on floor exercise. She had another amazing finish on the Level 7 final event in vault that earned her a silver medal.

Lacey and Brooklyn also saw successes at the games as well with Lacey placing 12th on vault in level six while Brooklyn placed 14th on beam in Level 7.

All four of the girls enjoyed their time at the Alberta Winter Games and were the first athletes from the Academy of Gymnastics to compete representing Camrose at the games. They did our community proud with their performances.

Council takes action to defend residents on AISH

By Adan Shaikh

Camrose City council has unanimously approved a letter of support urging the Government of Alberta to pause the changes coming to the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) this summer.

At the regular council meeting on February 23, AISH recipient and resident of Camrose Connor Fleck utilized the public commentary section of the meeting to urge the Mayor and Council to write a letter of support to the Government of Alberta.

“AISH is not extra money, it is money people need to live when they cannot work because of disability,” said Fleck. “I am asking council to speak up for disabled residents. Please support stable and fair AISH funding, please support local programs that help people who are struggling and please include disabled people when you make plans on housing, affordability and accessibility,” he added.

With the implementation of the new Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP) all AISH recipients will be automatically switched ADAP. Only severely handicapped individuals will qualify for AISH moving forward, but will require reassessment.

With this motion Camrose has joined a growing list of municipalities advocating for greater consultation and transparency about AISH and similar action has been taken by the City of Edmonton on January 28. The motion was brought forward on behalf of the Camrose Interagency Group, who also submitted a letter of support backing the City’s advocacy efforts.

The Camrose Interagency, in a letter to the council, cited widespread confusion and anxiety among clients currently receiving AISH, noting fears of income loss, increased administrative burden, and limited access to medical professionals needed to complete reassessments.

The approved advocacy letter will be sent to the provincial government in the coming days.

BRCF supports Special Olympics

Kevin Gurr, past chair of the Battle River Community Foundation board, presents the cheque to Dawn Pollock, Chairperson of Special Olympics Alberta-Camrose. From left are Darby Marriott, an Augustana student volunteer, and Johnathan, a Special Olympics bowler. From right are Makaya Bentley-Ohman, an Augustana student volunteer and Keith, a Special Olympics bowler.

Submitted by Laura Young

The Battle River Community Foundation awarded a $2,500 grant to Special Olympics Alberta-Camrose. According to Carol Wideman, Past Chair of Special Olympics Alberta-Camrose, “The support we receive from the Battle River Community Foundation is greatly appreciated and makes a significant difference in the lives of Special Olympics Alberta-Camrose athletes.”

Special Olympics Alberta-Camrose has a strong adult activity program that includes 5-pin bowling at Tabb Lanes, swimming at the Camrose Aquatic Centre, and gym activities at Sparling School. The funds provided by the Foundation will go towards the greater development of opportunities for younger children, including the Young Athletes program, for kids 2-6, and the FUNdamentals program for kids aged 7-12.

The funds provided to Special Olympics Alberta-Camrose will directly support program delivery, volunteer development, and outreach. This includes: the purchase of soft play equipment; the training of volunteers and coaches in early childhood development; creating take home kits for families to reinforce learning and physical activity at home; and hosting “Family Play Days” to celebrate inclusion and raise awareness of programming for youth.

Special Olympics Canada, the national organization, states on its website its mission, which is to be “…dedicated to enriching the lives of Canadians with an intellectual disability through sport.” The complementary vision, “…that sport will open hearts and minds towards people with intellectual disabilities and create inclusive communities all across Canada,” is a sentiment shared by Special Olympics Alberta-Camrose.

The grant for Special Olympics Alberta-Camrose is provided by the Kevin and Allyson Gurr Fund.
The Battle River Community Foundation exists to support organizations in east central Alberta that benefit the local communities and positively impact the future.

Grants from the Battle River Community Foundation are primarily made possible through the generosity of individual donors and organizations that have created endowment funds. The principal of these endowment funds is kept intact, and the income is made available annually to support local projects and organizations.

Since it was founded in 1995, the Battle River Community Foundation has granted over $10,469,392 to support charitable activities in the Battle River Region.

Camrose Minor Soccer

By Nadine Leming

The U17/19 girls’ soccer team won silver in their Sherwood Park U19 league recently. The game was tied at three at the end of regulation forcing a shoot-out with the opposition scoring to take gold.

The girls held their own in a highly competitive game against the team winning gold. They now move on to represent the Central Alberta Soccer Association in Provincials.

Minor soccer also saw two U13 teams qualify for Provincials as well. The U13 girls Wightman and U13 boys Schmidt/Bowman will represent the Central Alberta Soccer Association.

The girls saw three victories while the boys had four straight wins. Both teams battled hard with the girls bringing home the gold and the boys securing the bronze medal.

Provincials this year will be held in Edmonton, March 13 to 15.

Soccer is more than just a sport, it’s an opportunity to be a part of something bigger. It unites and empowers players. It also guides and equips players fostering that sense of community.
Regardless if you are a player, coach, referee, volunteer, or sideline cheerleader, you play an essential part that grows from a local grassroots level all the way up to elite competition. This is what makes the Camrose and District Soccer Association a wonderful organization.

Reflections

By Bonnie Hutchinson

“Don’t Worry!!”

My daughter and son-in-law like to take a winter break. For several years they’ve gone to Arizona. This year, the U.S. didn’t feel safe. They decided to visit Puerto Vallarta in Mexico. Here’s what unfolded.

Sunday, February 26 email from my daughter.
“There is a situation in Puerto Vallarta. The government arrested (maybe killed?) a cartel head guy and now the area is in a Code Red due to deliberate fires, car bombings and gunfire. Airport is closed, stores are shuttered, events cancelled, people told to stay inside.”

“We were at a sports bar (yes, on Sunday morning) watching the Canada/U.S. gold medal hockey game when the announcement came. They locked the doors and told us to shelter there, which we did for about 45 minutes. Then they wanted to release their staff, so we were out on the street.

“Banded together with some other Canadians and walked about 20 minutes to our hotel – very cautiously. We were not in danger and we are now safe and sound in our resort.

“We have submitted our location to the Government of Canada Travellers website, just as an extra precaution.

“Most people seem to think this will be short lived. We are scheduled to fly home Thursday. I will keep you posted.”

She closed with two words: “Don’t worry!!”

Oh sure. “Code Red, deliberate fires, car bombings, gunfire, closed airport, shuttered stores, events cancelled, people told to stay inside” – but don’t worry.

I flashed back to one of my grandmothers. When she was concerned about something and others tried to reassure her, she would say, “Well I worry,” as if that settled everything. Some family members joked that the rest of our family members didn’t ever have to worry about anything, because Grandma was managing the worry function.

This week, I became the Grandma who worried.

***

Tuesday, February 24 email from my daughter: “Good morning!

“It was a quiet 24 hours, with no violence that we are aware of. International flights are resuming today and the airline website currently indicates our flight will be leaving on schedule tomorrow. Hope that remains true!

“We will forfeit our planned excursions and not go far from the resort area until it’s time to head to the airport. Two more days of lounging by the pool in the hot sun. Sigh.

“Many staff were unable to get to work yesterday, but transit is operating again so that will help. Hopefully food deliveries will also resume. Not sure how many days of supplies the resort keeps on hand...

“Everything is subject to change, of course, but right now all is well for us.

“I will stay in touch.”

Whew! I could stop prowling around online for “Mexico” and “Puerto Vallarta.”

***

The phrase, “shelter in place” became an irritation for my daughter and son-in-law. They had planned, while they were in Mexico, to do many things. None of them included hanging around their hotel. This is NOT the holiday they imagined.

Their last few days in Mexico, they were able to see a few sights. But they – and I! – were happy when they left Mexico and landed safely in Edmonton.

***

The past week, it’s occurred to me that of North America’s three countries, Canada is the only one that feels safe. I am hugely grateful that “safety” for most of us, most of the time, is not something we worry about. We never have masked and armed government agents or cartel members yanking us from our cars or homes. Once again, I’m grateful to be in Canada.

***

I’d love to hear from you. If you have comments about this column or suggestions for future topics, e-mail Bonnie@BonnieHutchinson.com. I’ll happily reply within one business day.

Laurel nadon 2019 — Homespun By Laurel Nadon

Homespun

By Laurel Nadon

Going for gold

Every four years, we spend our spare time watching as much Winter Olympics as possible and this year was no exception. We enjoyed it so much, in fact, that we watched some figure skating we had missed two days after the closing ceremonies for Milano Cortina 2026.

When the Olympic Games first start up, it gives me a thrill of excitement – the best of the best in their sport, coming together from around the world, to compete and see who comes out on top. There were 93 countries represented, uniting diverse nations through sport.

We gathered in our living room to watch ski jumping, speed skating, big air, figure skating, freestyle skiing, bobsleigh, luge, curling and biathlon. We discussed the sports at length from our couch, including this important topic: what Olympic event would you do? I decided that I didn’t want to do anything that involved being too high or too fast or that risked death or serious injury. That left … curling, though I could probably throw my back out doing that too. Hmm, if we were in mixed doubles curling then my husband and I could compete together! We could even get small matching Olympic ring tattoos. (My husband disagreed that this was the sport for us, so my Olympic dreams have been dashed.)

The more we watched an event, the more we became experts on that sport. We commented on landings, precision and speed. I wondered what it would be like if an average person was included in each race, just to give us a better understanding of just how skilled the athletes are.

There’s always funny moments at the Olympics too, like the pet wolfdog who got loose from a local yard and went for a run on the trail at the women’s team cross country free sprint qualification event. The dog even sprinted down the final straight with the skiers; spectators thought a wolf had wondered onto the course. He was quickly caught and returned to his family, with footage of the dog joining the race going around the world. There were epic crashes and injuries like American alpine ski racer Lindsay Vonn who broke her leg and had to be lifted by helicopter from the slope during the women’s downhill event.

And then came the men’s hockey final, what seemed to be the main event. Half of my family woke up in the wee hours of the morning to watch who would be victorious between Canada and the U.S. in their bid for Olympic gold. It turns out that silver is a shockingly devastating medal to receive. I can understand why silver gets such a bad rap in most sports; after all, you typically have to lose to receive silver. Some athletes would maybe even prefer to receive a bronze instead, because at least you win bronze. However, a silver medal at the Olympic Games, where you have bested countless other skilled athletes, is surely a tremendous accomplishment. Maybe with time, grieving gold becomes celebrating silver, but it’s hard to have one of those “stop crying and smile” moments while the cameras are rolling, as the Canadians experienced.

Then the U.S. men’s hockey team did something I wasn’t expecting – they brought out the #13 jersey of late NHL player Johnny Gaudreau as well as his two young children onto the ice, to share in the Olympic moment. Gaudreau and his brother Matthew, also a hockey player, were killed in August 2024 when they were struck by a vehicle while they were cycling on the eve of their sister’s wedding. Their parents, widows and children were in the stands watching. Now that’s devastating.

We saw more than one cringe-worthy interview where athletes were asked about how it felt to be disqualified, or to place fourth, or to have had their Olympic dreams shattered. It feels horrible, that’s how it feels. We wished that some of the athletes had a bit more time to process their loss before being asked to talk about the experience (though I know the media were just doing their jobs).

Not everyone who qualifies to represent their country came home victorious, and at times it was hard to watch such highs and lows of emotion. For some, just getting to compete was living their Olympic dream, no matter how they placed. Dreams were both made and crushed, and we can’t wait to watch these winter sports again in another four years.