By Lori Larsen

On Nov. 12, Members of Parliament met to assist farmers struggling with the recent poor growing and harvest season that was cut short by adverse weather conditions.
Damien Kurek, Member of Parliament for Battle River-Crowfoot, met with colleagues from Alberta to address the crisis.
“We’re committed to working with our provincial counterparts and the ministers of agriculture to ensure farmers make it through this crisis.”
Kurek and his colleagues have committed to immediately act on the following measures: meet with the Alberta Government counterparts to collaborate on solutions to assist; demand that the Trudeau Liberals immediately complete the Business Risk Management Review promised two-and-a-half years ago, as requested by industry and stakeholders; call on the government to make agriculture relief programs more responsive to farmers in need and remove arbitrary boundaries in determining tax relief and benefits; call on the government to aggressively work to reopen the Chinese market for Canadian canola and call on the government to halt its plan to impose the carbon tax in Alberta. These additional costs for natural gas and fuel, used for drying crops and transportation, will cause additional harm to struggling farm families.
“This is a growing crisis that puts the stability and future of our agriculture in East Central Alberta, and all across western Canada at risk,” said Kurek. “The financial strain of this developing crisis could jeopardize the financial stability for many farm families and has the potential to impact the mental health of struggling farmers in our communities. The federal government must act quickly to respond to the real struggles of impact to farm families.
“The Prime Minister’s delay to appoint his cabinet creates even more uncertainty for our farmers. With the announcement of Parliament being reconvened in early December, there is an opportunity to show leadership on this file.”
For more information, contact 1-800-665-4358 or damien.kurek@parl.gc.ca.
The impact has the potential to affect farming families beyond the obvious as well. Any farmers feeling the strain of this crisis or may be experiencing signs of depression are encouraged to telephone the Mental Health Hotline 1-877-303-2642 or visit mymentalhealth.ca.

By Lori Larsen

The École Camrose Composite  High School Wall of Fame Ceremony will take place on Friday, Nov. 22 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the ÉCCHS library.
Dr. John Pattison-Williams
Dr. John Pattison-Williams was raised on the family farm north of Camrose, and graduated from CCHS in 2002. During his time at CCHS, he was active in music and athletics.
Dr. Pattison-Williams is a graduate of the University of Alberta Augustana Campus and the University of Greenwich in the UK, and holds a B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D.
Currently John is a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Alberta. In addition, he operates Pattison Livestock and Pattison Resource Consulting.
Among his accolades, John has experience as a wilderness guide in northern Canada, established a charity for HIV widows in Central Africa, committed to ongoing development work in Uganda, managed a multi-million dollar development project in India, made significant contributions to Canada’s food safety system, initiated leading edge research on the economic value of wetland conservation in western Canada, performed at London’s Royal Albert Hall and does extensive volunteer work in his church and led a horseback expedition through Central Asia.
Rajan Rathnavalu
Rajan graduated from CCHS in 1991. As Student Union president, he established the school’s first recycling program.
Rajan studied at University of Alberta Augustana Campus, McGill University and the University of Calgary. He has been recognized with the  University of Alberta  Humanities Medallion for highest grade in the Humanities; the James McGill Scholarship for academics, leadership, and community service; and the Queen Elizabeth II Masters scholarship at the University of Calgary.  He holds a BA in music from Augustana and a Master of Education from the University of Calgary.
He was involved in establishing Kadampa Buddhist Centres in Edmonton, Calgary and Toronto and he has done volunteer teaching in Bolivia, as well as engagement with Indigenous communities in Montreal, Calgary and Maskwacis.
Three years ago, Rajan founded the not-for-profit Newo Global Energy, a clean energy and education company.
Currently living in Camrose, Rajan is a Junior Fellow of the Ronning Centre for the Study of Religion and Public Life at Augustana and is a cofounder of the annual Spirit of the Land conference.
Dr. Brendan Lord
During his time as a student at CCHS, Dr. Lord was a keen participant in all aspects of the music program. Following graduation from CCHS in 1996, he enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts at University of Alberta Augustana Campus, with a major in music.
After graduating from Augustana, he earned both a master and doctor of Music at the University of Alberta. Brendan was awarded a Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship, a Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada Fellowship and a University of Alberta President’s Award.
He currently resides in Edmonton and is executive director of Choir Alberta. Working with choirs of varying ages and abilities, Brendan has directed the Sherwood Park Festival Singers, the Edmonton Public School Board’s All-City Children’s Choir and Sangkor Women’s Ensemble.
Doris Anderson
Doris taught Home Economics at CCHS from 1966 until her retirement in 1987. Her first  assignment was teaching foods, home management and clothing and textiles to junior high students. In subsequent years she specialized in foods for some years and clothing and textiles in others.
During her tenure, all junior high students were registered in both home economics and shop courses. Doris was popular with students and respected by her colleagues. She was known as a wise mentor to young teachers in both the Career and Technology courses and the greater school.
Doris also served in a number of community organizations, perhaps most notably with Bethel Lutheran Church. Even long after her retirement, she took a leading role in supporting the cause of public education in Camrose.
Currently she lives in Calgary and enjoys her three children, ten grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

By Lori Larsen

In Camrose, Family Day weekend has become synonymous with the Nordlys Film and Arts Festival. Residents mark their calendars for that weekend, which falls on Feb. 14 through 16 this year. Attendees wait in anticipation of enjoying a weekend filed with inspiring and amazing films, entertainment and socializing with other art and film buffs.
This year for the very first time, the organizers of the Nordlys Film and Arts Festival want to entice diehard festival goers’ and newcomers’ curiosity with a Nordlys Sneak Preview Night to be held at the Fox and Fable (4937-49 Street) on Saturday, Nov. 30, featuring a half-hour set of music by Night Howl.
The evening will begin at 7:30 p.m. and at approximately 8 p.m., Film Selection Committee chair Hans Olson will be sharing trailers of some of the films that will be featured in the February festival along with video clips about special guests.
Coined Cask Night, the evening will include a cask of beer created by Bent Stick Brewing specifically for Nordlys.
The band, Night Howl, is a unique four-piece band composed of stand-up bass, cello, electric guitar, and drums with sung-from-the-guts vocals.
Their music will have the dance floor shaking with sing-along party anthems woven together with orchestral melodies and dynamics that will pierce your soul.
“Some of our band members have been playing together for a few years with other projects, but Night Howl really fell into place at North Country Fair a couple of summers ago,” explained Night Howl vocalist and cello player Jenna Clarahan. “We’re all suckers for a good all-night whiskey-fueled jam around a fire that usually doesn’t stop until the morning sun is too hot to be under. These kinds of nights are what make us ‘born of mud, fire, and moon’–muddy cello and bass endpins around a fire, playing until the moon turns into the morning sun.
“We ended up finding each other at so many of the same jams that year at the fair that by the end of it, we knew we had to keep playing together.”
This is not the first time the band has performed in Camrose. “Camrose has a pretty special place in our hearts. We have quite a few friends and family members who live there and we always have a great time,” said Clarahan. “We’ve played the Bailey, and a couple of house shows–always ending the night/bringing in the morning with a big ol’ jam. Super fun. Oh, and the Windsor might be the best bar ever. I mean, pizza through a window! Hopefully one day we’ll play there, too.”
The band is excited to be part of the sneak preview for the Nordlys Film and Art Festival. “There’s going to be trailers for some of the different films, interspersed with a couple of sets from us, with time to chat and drink some brews.”
As for the Nordlys Festival itself occurring in February, the band is looking forward to attending as patrons. “Being a patron at the Bailey is not a bad gig though. That theatre is gorgeous and the sound is fantastic. It was great when we performed there last year. Both the Bailey and the Windsor have such history which brings a richness to the space. It makes a person feel like they are a part of something when they’re there.”
The audience is in for a special night of music and storytelling as the band infuses their sets with the stories behind the music.
“I think storytelling in songwriting is what really transports a listener into some other world. I like to say that it’s escapist writing because in that moment they can escape from whatever ‘real world’ troubles they have and be brought into a story that will hopefully evoke some sort of emotion that’s meant to be fun and temporary but still powerful.”
Clarahan reflected on the important role events, such as the Nordlys Festival have on not only the attendees, but the community as  a whole. “It’s events like the Nordlys Film and Arts Festival that bring people together and make community possible. My partner’s family started this festival many moons ago, and I hear them reminisce fondly of when it was held in a basement. Now, it has grown not only as an event, but to include so many dedicated people. It’s great to see and to be part of.”
The Nordlys Sneak Preview evening is sure to be a fun night out, pre-Christmas and pre-Nordlys. Come join others for a taste of what is yet to come during the Nordly’s Film and Arts Festival taking place Feb. 14 to 16, 2020, have a sip of brew and tap your toes to some soulful music.

By Murray Green

Tre Twitty and Tayla Lynn want to keep their grandparent’s music alive to share with fans.
Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn were two icons in country music. Family members Tre Twitty and Tayla Lynn, grandchildren of the legends, will be performing A Salute to Conway and Loretta at the Bailey Theatre on Tuesday, Nov. 26 at 7 p.m.
“It’s an enormous honour that I can perform Conway’s music. It’s a responsibility to keep his music alive. I’m honoured that my family trusts me to go out and carry on the family music,” shared Tre. “Its about being an ambassador for him and us as a family. It is something I take very seriously. When you think of his peers like George Jones and Johnny Cash, Conway doesn’t get mentioned as much. I can go out and tell his story about his life and what he was like as a man and grandfather and as an artist. I just love to do that every chance I get.”
Conway Twitty dominated the charts with 54 number one albums and an astonishing 55 number one singles throughout his career.
“My dad and I used to do a show together for a little while and we played in Canada quite a bit. I quit playing music years ago and took up photography full time. Then I met Tayla at Loretta’s place a few years ago and we kicked around the idea of wouldn’t it be cool to go out and sing together and talk about our grandparents. We like to give an inside look at what it was like growing up with our grandparents.”
Tre didn’t know a lot about Tayla before then because he grew up in Mississippi and she grew up in Nashville.
“We knew each other’s families, but I didn’t grow up around the industry as much. Our parents grew up on the road together. I would only see my grandfather when he played shows that were close by or when I was on vacation. He performed about 200 shows a year, so he was pretty busy.”
Tre finds himself performing for mostly fans 60 and up in age, but since the current show began two years ago, they are attracting new fans.
“Conway has been gone for 26 years. When he died everything came to a stand-still. Now we are helping fans relive those shows. A lot of fans never saw him live, so we are giving people a chance to hear that music again,” said Tre. “Those songs are so special to everybody.”
Tre and Tayla just finished recording a song together, so music fans can also hear some new music to the Twitty and Lynn connection.
“We will have the opportunity to both share our music and our grandparent’s music,” added Tre.
“When Conway first started in music he was a rock and roller much like Elvis, Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly. My favourite song is a rock and roll number called ‘Lonely Blue Boy’ from when he first started. It made the top five on the pop charts in 1960. It was actually in an Elvis movie, but was cut from the movie and then given to Conway to perform. I talk about his starting as a rock singer.”
Loretta Lynn was a familiar name on the charts with 10 number one albums and 14 number one singles in her career.
The original singers teamed up to create the ultimate duo in country with five number one hits as a pair.

By Lori Larsen

Alberta Health Services is hosting a free Diabetes The Basics session for anyone working to manage pre-diabetes and Type 2 diabetes on Nov. 20 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Nov. 27 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at the Camrose Professional Centre, 5010-50 Avenue.
The session is offered to people at risk of developing diabetes, as well as those who have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes or Type 2 diabetes.
During the sessions participants will be given information on what diabetes is, foods that affect blood sugar, blood glucose monitoring and control, medications for diabetes, what to do during an illness, how physical activity affects blood sugar and the importance of foot care.
Registration is required as date and time are subject to change.
For more information and to register to attend, call the Alberta Healthy Living Program at 1-877-314-6997.

By Lori Larsen

Alberta Health Services (AHS) is offering a free Heart Wise session on improving heart health, some effective strategies to manage cholesterol and blood pressure.
The Heart Wise session will be held Nov. 26 and Dec. 3 from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at the Ferintosh Hi-U Centre, 1110 Glenmuir Avenue.
The session is open to anyone interested in developing a healthier lifestyle and recommended for local residents diagnosed with high blood pressure and/or high cholesterol, or people diagnosed with risk factors for heart disease, such as diabetes or family history.
The two-part group session presented by Alberta Health Services (AHS). Nutrition and Food Services professionals includes information on the causes, risk factors and complications of high blood pressure and cholesterol, heart healthy diets and lifestyle choices, how to measure blood pressure and creating an action plan to improve heart health.
Registration is required as date and time are subject to change. For more information and to register to attend, call the Alberta Healthy Living Program at 1-877-314-6997.
Alberta Health Services is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than four million adults and children living in Alberta. Its mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans.

By Ron Pilger

Santa’s coming to town and will be taking down wishes of children, but also helping to fulfill the needs of those in our community needing a helping hand.
In the spirit of love and giving, weekend appearances by Santa Claus at Le Chateau Hotel, starting on Sunday, Monday, and Friday, Nov. 29 every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, are designed to get the people thinking as much about others as they do their our own individual needs.
“When parents, or grandparents, bring in a child for a photo with Santa, or deliver their written wish list for Santa to take back to the North Pole, we also encourage them to bring a gift for Camrose Women’s Shelter,” noted Ken Phuah, general manager of the east end Camrose hotel. “We have set up a donation box in our lobby where items destined for the Women’s Shelter can be deposited.”
Some suggestions to assist the Camrose Women’s Shelter, pertaining to the most urgent needs of those served by the busy shelter, include: gift cards, personal care products, pajamas (women, children and teens), new make-up, hoodies, slippers, hair dryers, combs and brushes.
Le Chateau Camrose hotel will also make a random draw on Dec. 23 from all Santa letters received and help him deliver the favourite gift requested by that particular child.

By Lori Larsen

The Christmas season is one of the busiest times of year for retail sales and, in the rush to purchase, consumers are being warned to be extra cautious of what and who are around them.
In an effort to help consumers protect themselves from becoming victims of fraud, theft or robbery, the  police suggest the following safety tips.
When entering your pin at a debit machine, shield the machine so an onlooker cannot see what numbers you enter.
Always take your print out receipts with you and make sure the machine clears out of your transaction before leaving.
Be conscious of people in close proximity to you, especially when they seem to be too close for the circumstances or seem to be lingering or looking over your shoulder. This is also helpful in protecting yourself against being robbed at a debit machine. Be extra cautious in darker hours when using a bank machine. If something does not seem right, go to another machine or go to the bank teller.
If someone randomly engages you in conversation, pay very close attention to what you are doing and your personal property such as purses, briefcases or packages.
When loading items into your vehicle, never leave your purse unattended. Keep the items you are loading into your vehicle in your eyesight at all times. Criminals will use ploys, such as asking directions or dropping something close to you, to distract you from your items.
Always be aware of where your children are when loading your vehicle. Ensure children are safely in the vehicle, but do not leave the vehicle running or keys in the vehicle. Never leave your child unattended in a shopping cart.
If you see anything suspicious, contact your local police. Camrose Police Service complaint line is 780-672-4444 or general inquiries 780-672-8300. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers by phone at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or by Internet at www.tipsubmit.com or by SMS (check your local Crime Stoppers www.crimestop pers.ab.ca for instructions).

By Murray Green

The parents association of Sparling School are still fundraising for new playground equipment.
The second annual Sparkling Sparling Market will be held on Nov. 30 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Sparling School to help raise funds.
“Each year we have had a few fundraisers to help gather funds to help build the playground and last year we had our first market. This market brought in a lot of people and a variety of vendors from around Central Alberta,” said Annmarie Latour, organizer of the event.
More than 40 vendors attended from home based businesses, homemade artisans to homemade goodies. There is  a gift for everyone.
“The silent auction will be packed full of unique items to bid on. Money raised from the silent auction will go back to the school to help build that playground. We are asking Camrose and area residents to come out and support the school, relive memories of when they attended the school and shop from their favourite vendors,” she added.

Births
- To Britney Stewart and Bradley Selin, of Camrose, a son on October 11.
- To Kerri and Joel Shepherd, of Donalda, a daughter on November 6.
- To Michelle Ovelson and Philip Eriksson, of Camrose, a son on November 8.
- To Charity Gosling and Jason Sinclair, of Camrose, a daughter on November 8.
- To Darcie and Jesse Stang, of Camrose, a daughter on November 9.
- To Dominika and Trent  Fahselt, of Camrose, a daughter on November 9.
Deaths
- Ron Badry of Camrose, on October 30, at 80 years of age.
- Francis S. Komarnisky of Holden, on November 8, at 88 years of age.
- Rosalyn Anna Nelson of Armena, on November 8, at 78 years of age.
- Robert Herbig of Camrose, on November 8, at 74 years of age.
- Kaye Arlene Nicol of Camrose, formerly of Carleton Place, ON, on November 9, at 78 years of age.
- Edwin Dwight Perrault of Heisler, formerly of SK, on November 11, at 73 years of age.
- Wanda-May Korenchuk of Camrose, on November 13, at 67 years of age.
- Gladys Vioncek of Daysland, on November 15, at 72 years of age