Community
Home front - Feb. 10
National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation in Canada is hosting a bowl-athon on Feb. 25 to promote the new organization that wants to develop support programs for people born with little or no skin, eye or hair colour or those who lose skin colour. About one in 25,000 have some form of albinism. NOAH Bowl-athon will be held at Heritage Lanes, from 2 to 5 p.m., with a silent auction and raffle. To contribute an item, call Lynne Ring at 403-346-5280. For more information, visit www.albinism.org or contact Carrie Lentz at carrie.lentz@live.com or 1-403-719-6704.
Central Alberta Women’s Outreach has teamed up with the Scotties Tournament of Hearts to ensure everyone gets home safe during the curling tournament. Volunteers will be at the HeartStop lounge offering to arrange for you and your vehicle to get home. The service will run from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Rides can be arranged ahead of time. Anyone who would like to help with the project can contact Women’s Outreach at 403-347-2480. The service runs from Feb. 18 to Feb. 26. READ
Dogged by sunshine
Amby Esslemont, left, and Cara Ouellette walk a number of their canine charges in the Riverside Light Industrial Park Wednesday. READ
Home front - Feb. 9
Fans and corporate sponsors helped Red Deer Rebels raise $26,250 for Kidsport, a charity that allows underprivileged children to participate in sports. The Jersey off Your Back event staged a silent auction for jerseys worn by Red Deer Rebels during the Feb. 3 game. After the game, Red Deer Rebel players took off their jerseys, autographed them and presented them to the winning bidders. Corporate sponsors Finning (Canada) and the Red Deer Rebels will present the cheque to Kidsport during their home game in Red Deer on Friday. READ
Home front - Feb. 8
If you needed a reason to break out the kilt for Valentine’s Day, then Kinsmen Club of Lacombe has the event for you. Their Valentine Ceilidh will help to celebrate in Gaelic fashion with great music and dancing at the Lacombe Memorial Centre on Saturay. The Celtic band St. James Gate will perform with special guests Red Deer Legion Pipe Band, Highland Dancers Kenzie and Dani MacAskill, Emma MacKay, and fiddler Paul Brooks. Tickets are available for $25 from Dwight Baird at 403-782-4715 or Arnie MacAskill at 403-782-7183. READ
Pond hockey
Red Deer Rebel Brooks Maxwell gets into the game with young hockey players Monday night on the rink at Grandview Elementary School during an Enmax Energy Pond Hockey game. READ
Weight loss pays off
The drive to lose weight gained a Lacombe man new wheels and a healthier lifestyle. READ
Ready for a winter walk
Donning warm gloves, City of Red Deer Councillor Lynn Mulder and Barb Marsh of the Kevin Sirois Fitness Centre at Red Deer College get ready for a stroll through City Hall Park on Monday. READ
Home front - Feb. 7
Red Deer College Symphonic Winds and the Red Deer Royals Drumline are just two of the groups set to perform at Normandeau School to raise money for the school’s music program on Feb. 16. The evening of entertainment starts at 7 p.m. will feature a variety of talent from the community. The school is located at 61 Noble Ave. Tickets are $5 or $7 for a family and are available at the door. For more information, call 403-342-0727. READ
Ready to roll
The annual Rimbey Sleigh, Wagon and Saddle Club cutter parade drew 37 entries on the weekend. READ
Home front - Feb. 6
A series of workshops on surface water quality will be held at the Quality Inn in February. The Red Deer River Watershed Alliance is continuing its public and stakeholder participation process for its Integrated Watershed Management plan. The workshops are designed to gather input on the draft water quality materials. The public is invited to attend the conservation/community organizations workshop on Feb. 22. The workshop runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. There is no cost. Other workshops scheduled are for the local government (Feb. 13); provincial government (Feb. 14) and industry/agriculture organizations (Feb. 21). More information is available on the Alliance’s website (www.rdrwa.ca) or by calling 403-340-7379. The Red Deer River Watershed Alliance is a multi-sector, non-profit organization that promotes the good use and proper management of water in the Red Deer River watershed. READ
Scouts celebrate local centennial
Scouts Jocelyn Mossett, left, Kiara Larocque, Cub Daniel Laqua and Beaver Tristan Johnson, all of the First Sylvan lake Group, join Jim Hicks, commissioner for the Waskasoo area, at centre ice at the Red Deer Rebels Calgary Hitmen game Saturday. READ
Home front - Feb. 3
Red Deer Emergency Services and Red Deer RCMP teamed up to help more than 1,000 patients in need of lifesaving blood products through the Sirens for Life blood donor challenge last month. The campaign ran from Jan. 3 to Jan. 31. Together with friends and family, the two teams donated 362 units, 24 new donors gave blood for the first time. The RCMP/Red Deer Emergency Services made 45 donations. TEach blood donation helps up to three patients. Canadian Blood Services reminds people that patients need blood every day and that more regular blood donors (every 56 days) are needed in Red Deer. Call 1-888-236-6283 or visit www.blood.ca to learn more about blood donation and to book an appointment. READ
Nominations extended for Red Deer Community Sports Banquet
If you have anyone you believe deserves recognition at the Red Deer Community Sports Banquet the deadline for nominations has been extended to Monday. READ
High climber
Presley Phypers climbs the monkey bars in the playground outside St. Teresa Aviia Elementary School Wednesday afternoon. READ
Home front - Feb. 2
Hunters will have the chance to see how their trophies from the 2011 season stack up among the records with a scoring session hosted by Red Deer Fish and Game Association. The association is hosting the scoring sessions for the first time in three years and are welcoming sportsmen to measure their big game antlers and horns taken last season. The free session will take place at Bower-Kin Community Hall at 58 Boyce St. from 1 to 4 p.m. on Feb. 5. The trophies will be measured using the official scoring charts of the Boone and Crockett Club. More information is available by contacting association president Kevin Wingert at 403-346-4641. READ
New Westlake boardwalk under construction
Tar-ific Construction employee Chris Closs works on the new boardwalk being install on the pond in the Westlake subdivision in Red Deer on Wednesday. READ
Cadet corps command change
Inspecting officer Maj. Bill Woollven, left, of Winnipeg chats with cadet Brad Saunders, 14, as Capt. Veronica Duncan, No. 24 Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron’s outgoing commanding officer, and Lieut. Carl Belanger, the new incoming commanding officer, inspect the squadron’s 80 cadets at Cormack Armoury on Tuesday night. READ
Best feet forward
Putting their big feet forward, Gonzalo Saavedra, left, and Dan Nguyen get ready for some snowshoeing in the schoolyard at Grandview Elementary in Red Deer on Tuesday. A mild forecast for the rest of the week should mean plenty of outdoor activities for local students. READ
Ice giants
Grade 5 Grandview Elementary School teacher Kevin Shilling, standing in the background, maneuvers his remote-controlled toy Zamboni around the snowbank rink as his students, Chanel Demas, Paige Stevens and Krysteena Foon appear giant like as they follow along behind the miniature. READ
Home front - Feb. 1
Central Albertans will be able to step inside the brand new Ronald McDonald House Central Alberta at a public open house on Saturday. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., people can tour the Red Deer facility, with children’s activities and a special appearance by Ronald McDonald. The $12-million Red Deer facility will open to families with critically ill babies, sick children and high-risk pregnancies on Feb. 27. The 11-suite house is at 3908 Gaetz Ave., near Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre. For more information, visit www.rmhcentralalberta.org or call 403-340-2007. READ
