Columns & News

CAFCL’s Annual Charity Auction

Adan Shaikh, Camrose Booster

Camrose Association For Community Living (CAFCL) held their annual charity auction on October 23. This year’s theme for the auction was Once Upon A Bid.

Guests were encouraged to come dressed as fairytale characters. From left, Ashley Kambeitz, Dave McDougall, Nick Goetz, Desirée de Kock, Jon and April McCorquindale and Stephen Kambeitz.

President of CAFCL’s board Bart Orr emceed the event and thanked the sponsors for their donations. The night was filled with fairy lights and beautiful music as attendees enjoyed a delicious
meal before the auction.

Brian Dumont serenaded the guests with his singing. He chose songs from the popular movies based on fairytales.

Several local bakers and florists made fairytale themed cakes for the auction. Attendees could not take their eyes off of them. The auction for the beautiful cakes raised approximately $6,000 for CAFCL.

Camrose City Council

Adan Shaikh, Camrose Booster

Camrose City council and mayor for the next term have been elected. On October 27, the mayor and City councillors were sworn in by Steven Hansen. From left, councillors Don Rosland, Agnes Hoveland, Joy-Anne Murphy, Mayor PJ Stasko, councillors David Francoeur, DJ Ilg, Lana Broker and Lucas Banack. Missing from the photo was City Councillor Wayne Throndson.

Gagnon’s 1968 Mustang is a head turner

The car was originally the classic candy-apple red but the previous owner decided to paint it black, Gagnon has kept the car black making it stand out from the other Mustangs.

By Adan Shaikh

Dean Gagnon owns a 1968 Ford Mustang. The car came out the same year Gagnon was born, making it a fitting project for someone who values the craftsmanship of its time.

“I put new chrome on the whole thing, and fixed the interior and then got the motor running,” said Gagnon.

The 1968 model had a few subtle styling changes like its revised grille, side scoops and new safety features, that helped set it apart from the 1967 model. That year also offered a wide range of engine options, from the reliable six-cylinder to the high-performance V8s that made the Mustangs a favourite among enthusiasts.

“The motor has been modified, it’s a Ford 351 Windsor and has a three-speed automatic transmission,” Gagnon said.

The Windsor was introduced a year after his car was built, and it quickly became a popular upgrade because of its power and dependability. Many Mustang owners still favour it for its strong torque and easy maintenance.

The car’s body remains Gagnon’s favourite feature. Originally, it came in the classic red colour seen on many late 1960s Mustangs. Before he bought it, the previous owner had already completed most of the bodywork and repainted it black.

“The person who had it before me had all the body work done and the car painted. He had it sitting outside for about five years with nothing, all the parts stuffed inside, nothing done to it. So, I fixed it up ten years ago and, in the meantime, I collected all the parts for it. The most challenging part was just getting the brakes going,” said Gagnon.

Restoring the Mustang took a few years and a lot of work. Gagnon gathered original and reproduction parts over several years, gradually bringing the car back to life. He replaced the chrome trim, restored the interior and tuned the upgraded engine until it ran smoothly. The project turned a neglected shell into a fully functional piece of automotive history.
The 1968 Mustang today represents a time when performance and designs were unique. With its specifications, 1968 Mustang remains one of Ford’s most recognizable vehicles.

“Nowadays you don’t see many of them around,” Gagnon said.

For Gagnon, his favourite part about driving the car is the attention it garners on the road.

After years of effort, his Mustang stands finished and road ready, turning heads wherever it goes because it stands out among the newer models and the more commonly spotted red Mustangs.

A day of community and wellness

From left, CMHA team members Harmony Halvorson, Gina Freeborn, Terry Blumhagen and Kristy McKay, all dressed up for their Santa booth.

By Adan Shaikh

Canadian Mental Health Association Camrose (CMHA) is hosting their seasonal Community Blend Market, this event will showcase local vendors and the wellness community. “The biggest goal with the market was to get the community together, and also help raise funds to keep our services available to the community. This market doesn’t just benefit us but it benefits the vendors, the community and it benefits mental health overall,” said Harmony Halvorson, peer support worker at CMHA and the organizer of the event.

“A lot of people don’t know about CMHA and I feel this is a great way to get the word out that we are here in Camrose and we have a drop-in centre and so much more that we offer to the community,” explained Harmony.

CMHA is a national not-for-profit organization, working to provide support and connection within communities. In Camrose CMHA’s most availed and valuable program is Recovery College Camrose, a series of educational and well-being classes as well as a drop-in centre for those looking for a place to connect with professionals and other members of the community. “As a mental health organization we are not just here for when you are in crisis, we are here to build community, and to help you fill your cup,” shared Kristy McKay, peer support worker and organizer for the event.

“A couple years back we did a wellness fair at Mirror Lake, and we had wellness based businesses and non-profits come together to show what they offer. For this market and the ones to come, we want to combine the wellness and market idea to create a community event. At this market we will have a performance stage, where we will have a local band performing called The Locals and we will have bagpipes. For speakers, we will have Tim Parker and he will talk about addiction and we will have a poetry reading by local poet, Carmen Lea,” said Kristy.

“There will be a kids’ corner where we will have free face painting, crafts and the Family Resource Centre will be setting up an Indigenous educational presentation for the children. So they will set up a teepee, and all different hides and talk about grandfather teachings,” continued Kristy.

In addition to local vendors, several local organizations will be joining the event to showcase their services, including Halo Dogs, who will be setting up a spot where attendees can sit and meet with wellness dogs. “We have an accupunturist coming who will be doing mini accupuncture sessions. We have food vendors and a photo booth with Santa,” said Kristy.

The event is free of cost, however, donations to Camrose Helps’ Community Pantry are appreciated. “The goal is to have an event where people can come without having to spend any money, get something from it, and feel more connected to their community,” explained Kristy.

The market will be held on November 15 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Camrose Regional Exhibition (CRE). For more information and to learn more about CMHA contact communityblendmarket@gmail.com or call 780-672-2570 ext. 7.

Camrose Merry Christmas Fund

By Nadine Leming

Back in the mid-1960s, Chuck and Margaret MacLean wanted to do something meaningful for those less fortunate at Christmas time. That is when they decided to organize and deliver Christmas hampers filled with food and a small toy for families in need.

It was that goodwill gesture that grew into the Camrose Canadian Merry Christmas Fund, organized and delivered by the MacLeans, who owned the Camrose Canadian at the time. When they sold the paper, the non-profit organization carried on and is still active today with a core group of volunteers.

Over the years, the organization grew and evolved with a variety of community members passionate about this worthy cause, taking on leadership roles. Today, the Camrose Merry Christmas Fund (the Fund) works in conjunction with the Camrose Neighborhood Aid Center and runs as an independent non-profit that collects money from the community and uses it to purchase food to be packaged into the Christmas hampers.

Camrose Neighbor Aid receives the names of people in need of these hampers. The names come for a variety of sources including social services, local churches and sometimes from people sharing a family in need. Neighbor Aid screens each family and provides the list to the chairman of the Camrose Merry Christmas Fund. From there, the Fund takes over and plans the packing and delivery of each hamper.

The Fund also works with the Kinette Club of Camrose who organize the Silent Santa toy drive. The toys and other goods collected are packaged by the Kinettes and volunteers according to the list provided by Neighborhood Aid which includes the ages and genders of families. These packages are paired with the hampers and delivered together in time for Christmas.

In 2008, the Fund saw a 30 per cent increase in the demand for hampers, it was the first year they had a small deficit where the costs were slightly higher than the money collected. Since then, the number of hampers has ranged between 220 to 295 per year.

This year, along with the food bank the Fund’s fundraising goal is $50,000 to provide 412 food hampers. There is a call out to the community to promote awareness of this year’s need. Groceries for the hampers have been ordered in early October to take advantage of affordable pricing as it becomes available. This is done in faith that the community will rise to the challenge and provide donations to cover the cost.

There are several ways to support this community initiative by considering making a donation at the Royal Bank or Camrose Firehall. E-transfers can be sent to mchampers@telus.net, or online donations can be made at atbcares.com.

Another way to raise awareness of this year’s goal is to share with family and friends so they can consider making a financial donation or to help with packing and deliveries. To volunteer yourself to help pack or deliver hampers, you can email mchampers@telus.net. Packing hampers begins on December 17 with a delivery date of December 20 at 9 a.m.

The last way to help raise awareness is to consider a donation to the Fund at staff Christmas parties rather than spending money on small gifts for coworkers.

The Camrose Merry Christmas Fund thanks their community sponsors and volunteers. Without them, this annual campaign wouldn’t be as successful. The continued support helps provide a Christmas lift to those in need in our community.

Time to fill some shoeboxes

Hannah Klingbeil wants to remind the community there is still time to fill and drop off your shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. Drop off dates are between November 17 to 23 at Century Meadows Baptist Church.

By Nadine Leming

The deadline to fill and drop off shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child (OCC) (under Samaritans Purse) is quickly approaching between November 17 to 23 at Century Meadows Baptist Church, 3720-66 Street, Camrose.

Why would someone want to fill a shoebox? We are very blessed in Canada and this is a tangible way to give back; for many of the children, it will be the first real gift they ever receive.

This is the story of a Ukrainian mother who gives thanks for OCC bringing shoeboxes to refugee children. “The war started suddenly,” Elena, a teacher in Ukraine, said. “I prayed every day, ‘Lord, I trust in You. Give me strength, patience, and humility for this day.’” It wasn’t long before she and her daughter had to flee to Poland to escape the violence of the war. When they arrived, they moved into a hotel that was set up for refugees.

It was there that they attended an OCC festive outreach event held by a Samaritan’s Purse local church partner. Elena’s daughter received a shoebox. Elena commented, “I hope the children will value not only these gifts but the [Gospel] message behind them.”

Thousands of churches across Ukraine are distributing nearly 400,000 shoeboxes this year to boys and girls caught up in the ongoing conflict.
Getting started is as easy as stopping by one of the following businesses to pick up a shoebox or two: The Lefse House, The Sweeterie, Dollar Tree, Main Street 1908, Pedersen’s Florist, Vinesation, Fringe Benefits, Bra Necessities, J&L Laundromat, The Soap Stop, ATB Financial, Vision Credit Union on 65 Street, Twists & More and Coldwell Banker Battle River Realty.

Filling the boxes is easy by including a toy, hygiene products, school supplies and a piece of clothing. For those who prefer to pack online, you can fill up your box by going to www.packabox.ca. Follow “Operation Christmas Child Camrose & Area” on Facebook for packing ideas. Something new this year is each box has a unique QR code where you can track your shoebox.

Last year, Camrose & area was very generous and sent about 2,000 boxes. A thank you to Camrose residents who continue to pack shoeboxes every year.

If you have any questions or need more information, contact Glenda Strauss at 780-781-8080.

Rotary Club hosting Free Family Swim Day

By Adan Shaikh

Earlier this year, Rotary Camrose held a successful Free Family Swim Day that brought many families to the pool to make a splash. After seeing how popular the event was, this time around the organizers have decided to extend the hours to allow even more people to join in on the fun.

On November 9, Rotary Camrose will be hosting their next Free Family Swim Day from 1 to 4 p.m. at Ramada Camrose located at 4702-73 Street.

The pool only accommodates 25 people at a time, and there will be two sessions families can register for—the first session begins at 1 p.m. and goes until 2:30 p.m., and the second round begins right after and goes until 4 p.m.

Rotary Camrose began this initiative to bring local families a way to enjoy a day at the pool and meet the members of the club and learn about the work that they do in the community.

Families must register to attend the event by emailing Rotarian Lou Henderson at 780-678-5135 or by email at lou.henderson.rotary@gmail.com. All children must be accompanied by a parent for entirety of the event.

Rotary Camrose has led many local initiatives to enrich the lives of families in Camrose, some examples include the Rotary Youth Exchange Program, 644 Camrose Rotary Air Cadets program, Imagination Library and the Rotary Pavilion at Stoney Creek Park.

Take a Bite Out of Polio fundraiser

World Polio Day is observed globally on October 24 each year. Camrose Rotary Club members and friends commemorated the day with the Pints for Polio Pub Walk to raise awareness about the Rotary Club’s efforts to eradicate polio. This gathering served as a kick off to the PolioPlus campaign. From left, Olivia and Jackie Millington, Michelle Forbes, Tina Myles, Kevin Smook, Christina Rehmann, Morris and Lou Henderson, Ken and Lisa Rohr and Chris Rebus.

By Adan Shaikh

Rotary International has played an important role in vaccinating children worldwide against the devastating polio virus. On World Polio Day, October 24, Rotarians in Camrose kicked off a delicious local fundraiser called “Take a Bite Out of Polio”.

With the support of local businesses Rotary Camrose is now offering a punch card to the community featuring nine local restaurants, that will be offering free appetizers to the holders.

The cards can be purchased directly from Rotary members on the fundraiser committee, with all proceeds going towards the Rotary International’s PolioPlus fund. The card is valid until April 2026.

“Rotary Camrose actively supports this important cause and we want to invite everyone to participate and help us provide funds to vaccinate children around the world,” shared Rotarian Tina Myles. For more information and to support the cause email rccpay@gmail.com.

Reviving tradition for future

By Nadine Leming

The Viking Cup, after an 18-year hiatus, has been revived. According to LeRoy Johnson, Viking Cup coordinator and Chairman of the steering committee, “This is going to be special as in a way, we’ll be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the event,” even though there has been a hiatus of the tournament.

LeRoy said, “There are a lot of good memories in the community of the Viking Cup.”

There have been people encouraging a rebirth of the tournament because of the legacy and fond memories of this event.

This tournament is wholly owned and operated by the Augustana Vikings Hockey Alumni Association and is a very important part of the culture of the University sports at Augustana as well as part of the culture of Camrose as it draws people together.
The rebirth of this tournament is a way for the Alumni Association to reintroduce this event back into the community. It has taken the host committee about three years to get to the point of relaunching the tournament in late December of this year.

In the past as an international tournament, there were teams from all hockey nations in Europe and North America, usually with their National 18-year-old teams.

This brought a lot of scouts to Camrose as the players were NHL draft eligible. The revival of the tournament will still see teams from Czechia, SAIT, Augustana Vikings, Midland University from Nebraska ACHA, and the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey All-Star Team (the best 20-year-olds in the league), turning the tournament into more of a university tournament.

LeRoy talked about reaching out to contacts in Europe when the committee started planning for the upcoming tournament. He said, “I reached out to one of my contacts and he gave me a list of people to talk to. I started to tell the one I phoned about the Viking Cup, and his response was, ‘Let me tell you about the Viking Cup. I was there in 1992 as a player’.”

This tournament will be more than a sporting event. It is about community pride and an exchange of cultures. This event will embrace history, youth and international relationships right here in Camrose.

For more information, email leroy.johnson2001@gmail.com.

Poppy Ceremony

Nadine Leming, Camrose Booster

The Camrose Legion, Branch No. 57 celebrated the kick off to the annual Poppy Campaign at the Camrose cenotaph. The funds raised from poppy donations help the Legion offer essential aid and support for Canadian veterans. Poppy boxes can be found around town at local businesses. From left, back row, Kerry Grettum, Police Chief Dean LaGrange, Mike Weaver and Donna Coombs. Front row, Lloyd Dool, Rita Dool, Mayor PJ Stasko, Fire Chief Eric Graham, George Forbes and Peter Steinman.

Turning the Page

By Nadine Leming

Steven Page’s voice is one of the most recognizable in popular music. He is a member of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame with former bandmates Barenaked Ladies (BNL) and has toured the world both with the BNL as well as a solo artist.

Since going solo, Steven has “turned the page” and has established a unique and diverse career path beyond the stage and studio. He will be returning to Camrose for his third visit on November 8, at 7:30 p.m. at the Lougheed Performing Arts Centre (LPAC). He will be performing with Craig Northey (of the Odds) and Kevin Fox as part of his trio.
Steven said, “We play a huge range of stuff going all the way back to the earliest BNL music, like ‘Brian Wilson’ and ‘The Old Apartment’ to some of my new stuff as well.”

He talked regarding how people have all these memories about how different songs have played a role in their lives and he wants to honour that by playing some of that material for audiences.
He reflected back on his time with the BNL and how as a band, they were able to travel the world multiple times and play some amazing venues. Now after 35-plus years in music, he still identifies with being a Canadian musician. He feels like it’s a great gift to continue to travel Canada and play to people wherever he goes.

Steven mentioned playing small venues adding, “I love it, the sound is always better. I like to treat shows like I’m catching up with old friends. It’s an opportunity to catch up on things since the last time we saw each other.”

The nice thing for Steven is it’s a chance to talk about how a song was written, of something that happened because of that song or banter about where we are now.

He spoke about how touring is different now than it was early in his career. He mentioned how artists used to tour to promote a new record, whereas now with streaming so prevalent, new music is used to promote a new tour. He grew up listening to all kinds of music and that fueled his passion for making music. Today he continues to tour because it satisfies his deepest needs to express himself.

Steven mentioned how amazing it is to connect to audiences. He said, “The thing I like the most about it is even if you play the same set list two nights in a row, each audience will experience it differently, making each performance unique unto itself. Each night what is shared between the audience and musicians is its own thing, worthy of celebrating.”
Steven has continued to see success after leaving the BNL in 2009. His departure has allowed him to speak openly about his personal experiences as he continues to play shows in Canada, the US and the UK.

For tickets to what is sure to be an amazing show, go to www.camroselive.ca.

Family Home

Adan Shaikh, Camrose Booster

Camrose Habitat for Humanity has helped another family achieve the dream of getting their own home. On October 10, Habitat for Humanity board chair Lee Foreman handed the keys to the family of five. From left, back row, Lee Foreman, Jessica Martin and Kashtin Montour with their children, front row, from left, John, Athena and Kashtin.

Comedy great white north style

By Nadine Leming

Fans of Whose Line is it Anyway or Thunder from Down Under will want to be at the Lougheed Performing Arts Centre (LPAC) on November 9 at 7 p.m. as Canadian Steam: A Music and Comedy Show with Mildly Sexy Lumberjacks rolls into town. The cast of this show have crushed it on stages like Just for Laughs, and have picked up Canadian Comedy Awards.

Canadian Steam is polite, but not tonight. The show is a flannel-fueled night of comedy and music. The audience will be entertained by hilariously improvised songs and sketches. There will be just the right amount of “eh”-rotica through enthusiastic dance moves and cheeky Canadian charm.

This show was developed by creators at The Comedy Department and will be a laugh out loud exhibition sure to delight the audience. These flannel-clad performers have been sent out to prove that Canada isn’t just nice, it’s extremely funny. The audience will decide if they have proved this as true by cheering and laughter. If not, they will politely hang up their plaid and retire to their humble log cabins.

Equipped with silky serenades, maple syrup and some of the most modestly sexy bods on either side of the Rockies, these lumberjacks are on a mission to bring the comedy and heat. If you’re in the mood to step out of the doldrums, have a night out on the town or looking for some mayhem, this show is one you won’t be disappointed with.

For more information or to get your tickets, go to www.camroselive.ca.

Reflections

By Bonnie Hutchinson

Happier in 5 minutes

November is my un-favourite month. Dark in the morning. Dark by late afternoon. Brown or white blah landscape. Winter coming soon, if not already here (granted that this year we’re having a beautiful long-lasting autumn). Frequent grey skies. The only November “holiday” is November 11, which is sobering and sad – lest we forget.

In that context, I was attracted to an article called, “25 ways to feel happier in the next 5 minutes” from a website called happier.com. Here are ten, including a few of my personal favourites that weren’t on their list.

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1. SMILE. When your emotions lift, so does your face. When you smile, your body thinks you’re happy and releases “happiness” hormones.

2. STRAIGHTEN UP. When you’re feeling down, you tend to slouch. The simple act of sitting or standing straighter lifts your mood.

3. MOVE. Walk. Stretch. Crank up the volume and jump around to loud music. It’ll improve your mood.

4. GO OUTSIDE. Even on cold nasty days, a few minutes outside can blow away some of a downer. On a gorgeous day, a few minutes outside is a definite mood-lifter.

5. LAUGH. In Norman Cousins’ “Anatomy of an Illness,” he describes having a life-threatening illness. He checked out of hospital and into a hotel and watched comedy movies non-stop. His recovery was amazing.

6. GIVE YOURSELF A TREAT #1. A frugal friend mastered the art of the tiny inexpensive treat. She adored visiting flea markets and finding bargain trinkets that made her smile.

7. GIVE YOURSELF A TREAT #2. The same friend also learned when not to be frugal. For example, she loved good coffee and would sacrifice in other areas to purchase her favourite blend of expensive bold coffee.

8. HELP SOMEONE. Doing something kind for someone else is a mood-lifter, especially if it’s unexpected (random acts of kindness).

9. LET IT GO. Choose to let go of old resentments, no matter how justified. You’ll make space in your brain and heart for more happiness.

10. SAY “THANK YOU.” In a note, at the grocery store, via text message – expressing gratitude lifts your energy.

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In thinking about quick fixes to feel happier, my mind went another place.

I’ve learned something that I didn’t know when I was younger: Sometimes the best thing to do with a down time is sit with it. Don’t try to mood-alter. Don’t try to fend it off. Don’t try to talk yourself out of it. Just sit with it.

Sometimes, just sometimes (it may take more than five minutes), a kind of peace arrives. A softening of the heart. A gentle releasing of anger, dread, sadness, anxiety, frustration, discouragement or whatever. Sometimes there comes a kind of peaceful acceptance that is a gift. The unbearable becomes more bearable.

Peaceful acceptance doesn’t change any of the outer circumstances or inner angst that may trigger your low mood. It’s not exactly “happy” but it is comforting and comfortable – a place of compassion for the human condition. Surprisingly, sometimes acceptance actually makes it easier to change what needs changing.

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Our culture doesn’t have much patience with discomfort. It’s almost like we think everything is supposed to be easy and fast. Takes more than ten seconds to download a movie? Forget it and move on. Got a pain? There must be a pill.

But nature moves at its own pace. We are creatures of nature, though the more urbanized and technologized we become the more we lose touch with that.

Older cultures understood that life includes pain as well as joy, exertion as well as ease, night as well as day, winter as well as summer, times of disintegrating as well as times of building. Being able to accept all that may be a secret of lasting happiness.

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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.