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Vol. 67, No. 48 | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2015 | 403-783-3311 | WWW.PONOKANEWS.COM

CONNECTING THE COMMUNITY

Berry feastPonoka kids Brody and Dyson Bowie shot this mule deer with their cameras Saturday, Nov. 21 behind St. Augustine School. This deer appears to know where the tasty berries are and it even stopped to smile for a photo at one point.

Photo submitted by Brody and Dyson Bowie

Broncs girls landa spot at provincials

Story on page 32

The long and colourfulhistory of

Chipman AvenueStory on page 5

2 PONOKA NEWS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2015

Friday, Nov. 27 • 4 - 10 pmSaturday, Nov. 28 • 10am - 5pm

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Shop our many freezers of better thanorganic beef, elk, bison, pork, chicken and eggs!

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Shop from Guests:Homemade turtles, caramel corn,Barn storm creations - chalk paintdemos & sales. Scarves, toques,bootcuffs, head bands, Perogies,

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Keep it real.

PONOKA JUBILEE LIBRARY BOARD VACANCY

The Ponoka Jubilee Library Board is seeking applications for an enthusiastic and community minded individual to join the Library Board.

Any persons interested in serving on the Library Board are requested to submit a completed Board Application Form to the Town of Ponoka on or before November 30, 2015.

Ponoka Jubilee Library Board application forms are also available at the Library, 5110 – 48 Avenue, Ponoka.

TOWN OF PONOKA SUBDIVISION & DEVELOPMENT

APPEAL BOARD VACANCIES

The Subdivision and Development Appeal Board has two upcoming vacancies.

If you are interested in serving on these Boards, please submit a completed Application on or before November 30, 2015 to the Town of Ponoka.

Board Application Forms are available at Town Hall: 5004 – 54 Street Ponoka, AB T4J 1N8 or on the Town’s website:www.ponoka.ca

TOWN OF PONOKA BOARD VACANCIESGreat Opportunities to get involved!

Dear Editor,A very important group

of Ponoka residents are at a crossroads.

The Town of Ponoka has decided to make some sig-nifi cant changes in how they deal with waste, com-post and recycling. Overall, I like the decision they have made - they are giving us

quality bins to use for our garbage and compost at a very reasonable price. No, it’s not perfect – some of us like the back alley pick-up, others have invested time and money into bins, carts and back alley nooks to place their garbage – all things we can recover from in a short period of time.

Let’s support Rising Sun Clubhouse

Understanding the new recycle and waste programAs town planners pre-

pare to rollout a new waste management and recycling program with Green for Life, environmentally minded res-idents are just as curious to understand how it will work.

Questions coming from inquisitive residents relate to the cost, size of garbage cans, frequency of pick up and how the Ponoka Rising Sun

Clubhouse fi ts into the plan.Donna Brinkworth, com-

munications offi cer for the Town of Ponoka took some time to explain the ins and outs of the program, which starts Jan. 4, 2016.

One of the biggest changes to the program compared to the previous waste man-agement program is the im-plementation of mandatory recycling. There are many Alberta communities that

make recycling compulsory to reduce the amount of recyclable materials that make it to the landfi ll, said Brinkworth.

“We’re joining the commu-nities around Ponoka who have the same program,” she said.

Part of the impetus behind the change is due to a re-quirement from the province for municipalities to reduce waste streams by 60 per cent.

BY JEFFREY HEYDEN-KAYE

The purpose of this letter is to support the Ponoka Rising Sun Clubhouse in view of the lasting impact the new residential recy-cling service will have on this non-profi t society.

Let’s begin with econom-ics. You have two choices:

1. Pay $6/month. This gives you recycling pickup every other week. You buy your own blue or clear bags. The company picking up the bags takes their profi t and spends it on “………” (something other than the well-being of Ponoka res-

idents).2. Pay $12/month. This

gives you recycling pickup weekly. You are provid-ed with a re-usable blue bin - saving you the in-convenience and expense of buying bags. Note: Re-usable, which supports sus-tainability, less waste, etc. This non-profi t society uses their income to enhance the lives of those who might otherwise be depen-dent on our tax dollars to live, eat, seek employment, housing and professional counselling and assistance.

And, dollars aside, the re-sponsibility and activity the recycling program brings to the Clubhouse Members is a priceless experience for those who might otherwise have a diffi cult time fi nding employment.

I do not bear any hard feelings towards the town, or the company they have contracted with to handle our waste, compost and recycling. The Town has entered into a fair contract and there are parameters that must be respected and adhered to in order

to get the best deal for the taxpayer. In fact, they have left an opening in this arrangement which will allow the Ponoka Rising Sun Clubhouse to continue the good work they do.

The Club’s mission state-ment: “The Ponoka Rising Sun Clubhouse society strives to enable past or present consumers of men-tal health services to live independent and self-suf-fi cient lives in the com-munity. It is the endeavor of the member- operated Clubhouse therefore, to help members feel involved as part of the communi-ty through life skills and recreational and work ac-tivities.”

When I fi rst came to Ponoka eight years ago, one of the things that stood out was how accepting our community is. I wasn’t exactly sure what made Ponoka so unique com-pared to the other eight communities I have lived in, but over time I think I have gained an under-standing.

Let’s continue to be the better person, the better community. Let’s support those that make this com-munity what it is - an open, accepting, compassionate community. For $12 per month, let’s take the high road and look after the people that make us who we are.

Greg Braat

Letters

For Ponoka, the garbage to recycle ratio is higher than it should be, considering it does not have a mandatory recycle program, says Brinkworth. As the town’s contract with the previous company was ending, town planners looked at ways to reduce the waste going to the landfi ll.

Recycle options for resi-dents

Residents will see an in-crease in their garbage fees to $6 per month to handle the recycling if they choose to go with the town.

The other option is to sign with the Ponoka Rising Sun Clubhouse for the recycling program. Profi t from the recycling goes directly to programming for clubhouse members, says Amanda Henderson-Kada, executive director.

The monthly cost for the program is $12 a month and existing or new customers will need to confi rm with the clubhouse their desire to sign on otherwise residents will automatically be included in the Green For Life recycle program.

Henderson-Kada said her biggest concern is that no agreement has been signed between the town and club-house and she has had only one meeting on Oct. 29 with the town since the plan was approved in September.

Henderson-Kada says what the program has done for her members has improved their quality of life with the program. For more informa-tion call the clubhouse at 403-783-5810.

How it all worksResidents will receive two

large garbage cans, one grey and one green, with wheels and a serial number as well as instructions on what can be accepted.

Pickups will occur every other week for garbage and every other week for recy-clables. “As people maximize their household recycling, it is shown to minimize the amount of waste house-holds produce,” explained Brinkworth.

Other municipalities have adopted a similar schedule due to the fact that landfi ll waste has been found to be

reduced from 60 to 80 per cent, explained Brinkworth.

If residents opt in for the Green for Life program, they will need to purchase clear or clear blue bags for recy-clables. A full list of what is acceptable is on the town website and on an ad on page 28 of this week’s newspaper.

The bins are designed to be lifted from the street by automated trucks and Brinkworth said one metre clearance around the bins is needed to collect the garbage.

Pickups will occur in three zones of town on three dif-ferent days:

* Zone 1 is east of the Battle River,

*Zone 2 is between the river and Highway 2A,

* Zone 3 is west of Highway 2A.

The green yard carts will accept yard waste through the months of May 1 to the end of October.

What remains uncertain is how the town will know which residents have signed with the clubhouse and what the agreement will be with the clubhouse.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2015 PONOKA NEWS 3

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Police investigating theft of guns from rural home

Investigators with the Ponoka RCMP are look-ing into the theft of ri-fl es and shotguns from a rural home last week.

Police received a call Monday, Nov. 16 that culprits entered a home on Township Road 420 through a side door to a garage. The suspects removed a safe that con-tained the fi rearms.

The fi le is currently under investigation.

Stolen vehicle found ransacked

A call of a suspicious vehicle at the intersec-tion of Township Road 430 and Range Road 262 alerted police to a stolen vehicle.

The call came in Nov. 21 at 2 p.m. Upon arriv-al at the location, police inspected a VW Toureg with the windows down and a rear wheel ripped off. Police say it ap-peared to be ransacked and the licence plates did not match the ve-hicle.

Further investigations found it was reported stolen out of Red Deer.

Red Deer man charged with trespassing

Residents of a Ponoka home had a rude awak-ening Nov. 22 at 3:17 a.m. after a man woke them up by banging on their door and trying to get in.

Police attended the home, located on 44 Avenue, and eventually found a 20-year-old man


Members of the Ponoka Integrated Traffi c Unit dealt with sev-eral collisions Monday, Nov. 23 after wintry road conditions affected the highway. A portion of Highway 2 near Blackfalds was closed for some time due to a serious collision.

Photo courtesy of the Ponoka Integrated Traffi c Unit

from Red Deer hiding in an alley. He was charged with mischief and tres-passing at night.

Break and enterPolice are looking for

culprits involved in the theft of tires from Ponoka Chrysler Jeep.

At approximately 3 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 16 police received the call. The matter is under in-vestigation.

Light bar stolenSometime overnight of

Nov. 14 culprits stole a light bar off of a vehicle parked on 61 Avenue.

The light bar is valued at $500. Police are inves-

tigating.Community Check

StopA community Check

Stop is planned for Thursday, Nov. 26 at 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. along 48 Avenue by the Ponoka Fire Hall and Ponoka Elementary School.

Police will partner with the Ponoka Fire Department, EMS and Ponoka Victim Services.

Wintry road condi-tions

Members of the Ponoka Integrated Traffi c Unit were kept busy Monday, Nov. 23 as the fi rst major snowfall of the season

hit central Alberta.A tow advisory was

called after road con-ditions deteriorated. Crews dealt with several collisions and vehicles in the ditch as a result of the adverse road con-ditions and one por-tion of Highway 2 near Blackfalds was closed due to a serious colli-sion.

If you have information on any crime call Ponoka RCMP at 403-783-4472 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

RECYCLE RECYCLE THE THE

PAPER!PAPER!


Your Guide To Local Houses

of Worship

CHURCH DIRECTORY

PONOKA WORD OF LIFE CHURCHPastor Rob McArthur 403-783-5659

Sunday @ 10:30 a.m.Corner of Hwy 53 & Hwy 2A (former Crossroads Restaurant)

www.wordofl ife.ca

SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCHPASTOR DAVE BEAUDOIN

6230-57 Ave. Ph. 403-783-6404 Saturdays 9:30 - 12 [email protected]

NEW COVENANT BAPTISTREFORMED CHURCH

Currently meeting at Ponoka Christian School 6300-50 St.Worship Service Sunday 10:30 a.m.

Everyone Welcome!phone: 403-783-6962 • www.baptistreformedponoka.org

PARKLAND REFORMED CHURCHSouth on 2A, West on Spruce Road 403-783-1888

Rev. Mitch Ramkissoon Worship Service 10:00 a.m. & 2:30 p.m.www.parklandurc.org

Associated Gospel Churches of CanadaCHURCH OF THE OPEN BIBLE

Pastor Jerry Preheim • Pastor Matt Sealy3704 - 42 St. Ponoka 403-783-6500

Worship Service 11:00 a.m. • [email protected]

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH PONOKASr. Pastor Paul Spate

Erin Dirsten - Fac. Youth & Family Min. & James Crosina - Fac. of Community Life5109 - 57 Ave. Ponoka www.fbcponoka.org 403-783-5533

Bible Discovery Hour 9:30 a.m. Worship Service 10:30 a.m.

PONOKA UNITED CHURCH Minister: Beatrix Schirner [email protected]

Sunday Service 10:00 am.

5020-52 Ave. Ponoka Phone: 403-783-4087

SONRISE CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH

Pastor W. DellemanWorship Service 10:30 a.m.

½ mile south of Centennial Centre for Mental Health & Brain Injury 403-783-6012 • www.sonriseponoka.com

ST. AUGUSTINE CATHOLIC CHURCHFr. Shimit Abraham CFIC

Mass Times: 7:30 p.m. Saturday; 9:00 a.m. Sunday5113 - 52 Ave., Ponoka, T4J 1H6 403-783-4048

[email protected]

ST. MARY’S ANGLICAN CHURCHRev. Donna Willer

Rev. Marty Tuer, Honourary Assistant5120 - 49 Ave. Ponoka 403-783-4329

Sunday Service: Holy Eucharist 10 a.m.www.stmarysanglicanponoka.com

TRINITY EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH

5501 - 54 Ave. Ponoka 403-783-4141Sunday Service: 10:30am Sunday School: 10:30am

Pastor Tim Graff • trinityponoka.ca

ZION CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIPPastor Fred Knip

9 miles east on Hwy 53 403-782-9877Jr. Church during service for children

Sunday Service 10:30 am

Religion

MIKE RAINONEHAMMERTIME

The reason for the season

By the time you read this, my wife Ruth, and I will be on our holi-days, visiting children and grandchildren in the States. Every couple of years we take two weeks, to enjoy (American) Thanksgiving and an

Yours truly has never been much of a swimmer, but fi nally, at the age of 73 and with the gentle but persistent persuasion of my now retired and fi tness recharged wife, I fi nally agreed to join an Aqua-Aerobics fi tness class for seniors. My fi rst session was the tough-est, as I shyly ventured out and found a shallow spot feeling a little like a skinny white fi sh half out of water, but then everyone around me ex-tended a warm welcome, and we got right into our brisk one hour session of splash-stretch-shake and shuffl e to the music.

At fi rst, I didn’t think that I was going to sur-vive the fi rst vigorous 15

At the age of 73 I fi nally took the

plunge

REV. JERRY PREHEIM

Church of the Open Bible

early Christmas with our very special grand-children. We have lots of fun and a few adventures with them.

It might seem strange, but isn’t Christmas com-ing earlier and earlier each year?

I am glad it’s here, but I can hardly believe it has come so soon!

Christian churches enjoy celebrating this season, each in their own special way.

For us at the Church of the Open Bible, this Sunday, (Nov.29), begins a four week emphasis on these four words: Hope

– Peace – Joy – and Love, culminating with our Christmas Eve Service. These four amazing words describe some of what God gives us through Christ Jesus.

Hope – The Bible says “God… loved us… and has given us good hope through grace.” 2Thess. 2:16. This hope is found in Jesus.

Peace – “Therefore being justifi ed by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ…” Rom. 5:1

Joy – “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may remain in

you, and that your joy may be full. John 15:11

Love – “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him might not perish but have eternal life” John 3:16

Just yesterday, I was out shopping and I wished the cashier a “Merry Christmas.” For me it’s just a nice way of saying “God Bless you”, and also remembering that “Jesus is the reason for the sea-son.”

Bye for now, hope to have another visit with you soon.

minutes and was mak-ing far too many waves, but once the real nice in-structor came over and gave me a few instruc-tions, I got into a slower and less panicky rhythm, relaxed, and started to feel pretty good. Some of the neat excersises that we attempted includ-ed: the leap frog jump, skiing, jogging, sit-ups, leg-stretches, football shuffl e, jumping jacks and some sort of a twist, and after a few wipe-outs and dandy dunks in the fi rst round, I managed to relax in the water and didn’t do too bad for the rest of the way. When the instructor asked us to ‘go grab our noodles’, I was quite shocked and then I realized that they were those long spongy things that we use to keep us afloat and balanced through the last set of exercises.

After it was all over it was a real treat to shuffl e over to the hot-tub for a soothing wind-down and a chit-chat with the rest of that vibrant and friendly bunch of seniors from all walks of life and sizes and shapes. Just like the rest of us, they are out and about having fun at their own speed and choice during so many casual fi tness and social sessions that are always being offered for all age groups throughout every community at fitness centres, recreation facili-ties, and other locations. I know that my wife and I have really caught the ‘fi tness bug’ and we will keep joining in on as many activities as we can. Many of the people that we have met tell us that they encourage oth-ers to join by car pooling, offering rides, or using the Handy-Van service to

get back and forth from their activities.

Let’s have a little fun*Only in our new era

would you hear these daily statements: The in-ternet broke down yes-terday so I went down-stairs to visit my family, and they really seem like nice people. Oh my good-ness, I almost went to the bathroom without my cell phone. Modern age little boy sent to his room utters to parents… ‘I am going to appeal this case all the way to grandma.’

*Sometimes the thoughts in our heads get bored and go for a stroll out of our mouths. The secret to happiness is a good sense of humour, and a bad memory! Don’t miss the CP Holiday train when it stops in Ponoka on Dec. 8 at 5:30 p.m., shop early if you dare, and have a great week, all of you…

WWW.PONOKANEWS.COM


Refl ections of Ponoka

Remember When...Photo from Ponoka Herald fi les

The Ponoka Co-operative Store was fi rst located on 51 Avenue in the mid 1930s, and served the community and districts for decades from their busting grocery, hardware, and dry goods departments. Some of the Co-op managers and staff of the 1950s standing from left to right are Cecil Stoddard, Ben Smuland, Margaret Leighton, Vera Eastwood, Shirley Oness, Ruth Henkelman, Bernice Wilkinson, Irene McKay, Marie Chizen, and Mary Stang, while seated in front are George Standard, Dick Johns, and Glenn McGarvey.

Photo courtesy of Fort Ostell Museum

An early 1930s photo of Chipman Avenue, the Ponoka main street that has been etched in history through countless com-munity changes and progress!

The long and colourful history of Chipman Avenue

Having had the great pleasure of living in Ponoka for over 50 years, I have also seen a great many chang-es and met a whole lot of super people and special characters along the way. I still love to drive around the community, as well as strolling down Chipman Avenue amongst the new, the restored and the origi-nal buildings, some of which have been there for over a century, and have been witness to the amazing and exciting history and growth that took place.

Since Ponoka proudly became a town in 1904, it has played host and warmly welcomed many thousands of citizens and families from all walks of life into a friendly urban and rural setting, which, through countless challenges, has managed to thrive and grow through several generations. The great legacy that they have passed on has and always will continue to provide many successes and amenities along the way, as well to present so many powerful tales and experi-ences for all of us to share, today, and long into the fu-ture. As one browses through the Fort Ostell Museum and our local history books, it is quite obvious to see that there was always something going on in and around this great community. The fi rst Chipman Avenue, which was later changed to 50 Avenue for a couple of decades, and then back to Chipman again during the ambitious Main Street Project in 2000, was originally named after Clarence Chipman, the Company Commissioner from 1891-1911, who orig-inally surveyed and planned many areas during the early progression of Ponoka.

*From the very beginning our town was always bustling with activity as new pioneers toiled hard and passionately to establish their new farms and

BY MIKE RAINONEFOR THE NEWS

homes, and as the population exploded many new stores, businesses, professionals, churches, schools, and other vital amenities were added to serve their growing list of needs. The early ‘heart of the town’ was likely the Canadian Pacifi c Railway Station, at which new citizens, visitors, and the mail and countless supplies arrived daily, along with the infamous ‘eleva-tor row’ and the stockyards along the track, to which the farmers and ranchers could bring their stock and grains to assure the vital income that was needed to purchase the supplies that were required to keep on going. The construction of the Provincial Mental Hospital in 1912 was also a milestone and strong im-petus for our local economy.

*Along Chipman Avenue, the fi rst hotels included the Royal and the Leland, which both had busy taverns, and the Temperance Hotel (for the teetotallers), which had posh surroundings and services, but no booze. It was tough during Prohibition from 1920-1933, when the Women’s Temperance Union took charge, but ille-gal stills were turning out lots of wicked moonshine, and a bottle could always be found somewhere. Many wild tales have been told about the well dressed pool sharks and gamblers and their ladies, and even a few of the ‘Chicago hoods’ on the run, who made many visits to town for some hot games, and quite often stayed for a week of action in the smoked fi lled up-stairs rooms of the local hotels. If anything got out of hand, the reliable ‘Town Police’ always kept it under

control, and were ably assisted by some of the com-munity ‘big boys’ and bouncers such as Harry Morgan, Metro Hyryck, Webb Frizzel, and many others.

*Parades and bands were always present on the streets of Ponoka, which were lined with vehicles through the horse and buggy days and carried on into the era of the Model Ts, and all celebrated many gala occasions for thousands of happy locals and visitors, including the Ponoka Stampede, which is now in its 80th year. Down the street from the Royal Hotel were the Empress and the Capital Theatres, which played host to activities and meetings all year round that featured Vaudeville shows, concerts, boxing and wres-tling matches, elections, and on and on. By 1928, the Elk’s Hall was a palatial social facility along Chipman Avenue that hosted gala dances, bingos, concerts, and other year round fund raisers and activities for the entire family.

*Ponoka Town and County have always been a great and active community of opportunity, as well for countless family sports and recreation activities, in-cluding baseball, fastball, hockey, curling, soccer, golf, tennis, and more, which all started with an outdoor skating rink, the fi rst big wooden arena in 1947, and on and on. Over all these glorious years in and around Ponoka, no matter what the activity might be, the successes have been achieved by the traditional hos-pitality, spirit, and friendship of the hosts, and that will never change.


Opinion

MUSTAFA ERIC

Editor

How to react to Paris attacksDear Editor

The attacks in Paris have caused a fearful response in Europe and North America. The reaction to these attacks has resulted in calls to limit or exclude Middle Eastern and African refugees from coming to countries that have the potential to offer safe haven. Refugees fl eeing an escalating, complicated and ever changing environment are, without a doubt, fl eeing from life threatening situations.

A ongoing fearful reaction, though, is in no way a

helpful response to diffi cult and complicated situa-tions. I am not saying that in the confusion and threat of a terrifying situation our most primitive survival instincts do not kick in. I am suggesting instead that after we’re dealt with these most powerful emotions, we need to have some thoughtful refl ection on a very complicated situation.

Like the glut of oil that had driven the price of gas to new lows, not only here in Alberta but world wide, we are globally affected by what happens thousands of miles away, whether it is the impact of a warming

planet or trade negotiations with Europe or the Pacifi c.While we identify strongly with the victims of the

Paris massacre and indeed grieve their loss, as we would any tragic event, having grieved we need time to think creatively about this immensely diffi cult and complicated situation.

An opinion quickly delivered with not much thought and with strong emotion is in no way how we deal with the most diffi cult decisions in our lives. Why should it be any different here?

George Jason

The environment and possible ways of protect-ing it have become the top agenda item at provincial, national and international levels as the calendar for next week’s COP 21 sum-mit in Paris progresses rapidly.

COP 21 is the 21st ses-sion of the Conference Of the Parties, members of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, where member governments will try to agree on ways of re-ducing carbon emissions and preventing further warming of the atmo-sphere.

In the run up to the meet-ing, Premier Rachel Notley pulled off and announced a spectacular deal over the weekend, accomplishing what was believed to be

Notley’s bold environmental planunachievable; she brought together parties, which were thought to be irrec-oncilable, oil companies operating in the province’s oil sands region, the First Nations opposed to them as well as environmental-ists who were sworn ene-mies of the oil produced in the province.

In doing so, she and hear team successfully persuaded all stakehold-ers that a plan could be worked to benefi t all of them and the people of the province.

While there was the predictable criticism from main opposition Wildrose Party, there was also in-ternational praise for Alberta’s bold move to cap carbon emissions by intro-ducing a carbon tax, not the least from the most outspoken international environmentalist, former US vice-president Al Gore.

At the federal level, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s invitation to premiers to represent Canada at the Paris summit altogeth-er appears to be a fi rm message to both domestic and international public opinion that our country will take a position at the forefront of efforts to pro-tect and preserve Mother Nature for future gener-ations.

And that’s commend-able.

As for current genera-

Letters

tions, in Alberta, here and now, what kind of burden or benefi ts will the new strategy bring to families, small businesses, big busi-nesses and other stake-holders?

Canadian Taxpayers’ Federation says carbon tax will amount to $320/year in 2017 per family, $470/year in 2018 and $900/year in 2030. Whether this is an acceptable cost for the sake of future gener-ations is a decision that every Albertan will have to

make for themselves.On the other hand,

Pembina Institute, a think-tank says the govern-ment’s carbon emission reduction plan, through its component of phasing out coal-based energy produc-tion by 2030, will improve air quality and as such will prevent emergency room visits for respiratory prob-lems, cut down asthmatic attacks and will save $300 million per year in health care costs.

So the picture is neither

totally black nor snow white.

But one statistic defi -nitely makes a point in favor of government of Notley’s determination to do something seri-ous to address the cur-rent situation: According to Environment Canada, Alberta produced 267 Mt of carbon emissions in 2013, which represents 36.8 per cent of the na-tional total that year.

As the foremost pollut-er of environment among

Canadian provinces and territories, Alberta need-ed to demonstrate that it was ready to do its part to reduce carbon emissions and Premier Notley seems to have done that, impor-tantly, with the consent of a wide range of stake-holders.

The plans have been laid out and the next step is careful implementation and monitoring of those plans by all parties who have a stake at their suc-cess.

5019A Chipman Ave., Box 4217, Ponoka, AB. T4J 1R6Phone: 403.783.3311 Fax: 403.783.6300 Email: [email protected] every Wednesday by PNG Prairie Newspaper Group in community with: Regional Publisher, Michele Rosenthal

Susan WhitecottonAdministration

[email protected]

Judy DickManager

[email protected]

Karen DouglassSales

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Jeff Heyden-KayeReporter

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Jordie DwyerReporter

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Mustafa EricEditor

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All editorial content, advertising content and concepts are protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is forbidden.


2016 Kinsmen PhonebookDeadline: Tuesday, December 15, 2015

IS YOUR LISTING... Not Included Incorrect In the wrong spot

IS THIS LISTING FOR : Business PersonalWhat does the current listing say?

Name: __________________________________ Phone No:__________________________

Address: ________________________________ Fax Line:____________________________ What changes do you want to make?

Name: __________________________________ Phone No:___________________________

Address: ________________________________ Fax Line:____________________________ Note: If your phone number listing is with Shaw please contact us as the directory listings are supplied by Telus only

To advertise your business in Ponoka’s “Local” phone book, call Susan at 403-783-3311.t

Please return this form to:Ponoka News

Box 4217 Ponoka, AB T4J 1R6or Fax: 403-783-6300

or email: [email protected]

PONOKA RISINGSUN CLUBHOUSE

Community BlueBox Program

For $12.00 per month

We will pick up your paper, clean tins, glass, No. 1-5 plastic and cardboard.

We also pick up cardboard from local businesses.

For more information on these programs please call

403-783-5810 Weekdays

Trudy Bratland, chair of the board of trustees for Wolf Creek Public Schools, presents assistant superintendent Jayson Lovell with the certifi cate of recognition for the division being nominated for the Premier’s Award for School Board Innovation and Excellence. WCPS partnered with three other school divisions on a program called Aspiring Leaders that is designed to identify and train school board staff wanting to move into administrative leadership roles.

Photo by Jordie Dwyer

Long-term planning at WCPS moving forwardWolf Creek trustees are

moving forward with the fi rst portion of a plan they hope will help get a look into the future.

At their regular meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 17, the Wolf Creek Public Schools Board of Trustees approved the recommendation from administration to hire Hugh Skinner to provide a report into what the school divi-sion could be looking at as future needs and challenges over the next fi ve years.

The report will delve into issues such as population growth, student transpor-tation, economic pressures and how each school will be affected by these and other factors.

Trustees chose Skinner as he has done similar work previously for the division and was also the lowest bidder for the task among the estimates provided. It’s anticipated his report will be back before the board by the end of January.

However, the board was advised administration is still searching for someone that can look into the other side of the long-term plan-ning issue - how many and what specialized teachers along with what kind of programming are going to be necessary for the division.

Administration stated it’s easy to fi nd someone to do the business, demographic side of the long-term plan, but since they typically

BY JORDIE DWYER don’t focus much on educa-tion issues, there is a need to fi nd someone with that kind of a background like a former superintendent. The board was told it could take some time to get that done.

Division recognizedSome province-wide rec-

ognition came as a bit of a surprise for the Wolf Creek Public School Division.

During the annual Alberta School Boards Association (ASBA) meet-ing in Edmonton two weeks ago, the division was con-gratulated for its work on a program to generate more leaders within the division.

Board chair Trudy Bratland then presented Assistant Superintendent Jayson Lovell the certifi cate that recognized Wolf Creek for their nomination for the Premier’s Award for School Board Innovation and Excellence.

The nomination came as a result of its partnership with three other school divisions on a program called Aspiring Leaders that is designed to identi-fy and train school board staff wanting to move into administrative leadership roles. The program was started three years ago and is about building capacity for strong leaders within the division in order to fi ll

posts that will begin to open at the various schools and in division administration over the next several years.

Lovell stated the division wanted to be proactive and that the program which focuses on what it means to be a leader has been very well received.

SRO Program The board received a

presentation from Lacombe City Police Chief Steve

Murray on just what they do in providing the School Resource Offi cer (SRO) pro-gram at the seven schools in their jurisdiction as part of board’s investigation into what various services are received through the program.

Both the trustees and Chief Murray said they were pleased with how the program is currently being operated and hope

to continue their partner-ship, which costs the City of Lacombe more than $50,000 annually and the division a little more than $45,000 along with a contri-bution from the County of Lacombe of $28,500.

It is hoped the board will also be able to get a pre-sentation from the RCMP on their SRO program that is provided to some of the division’s other schools.


Monday, December 7Monday, December 7thth

Doors open at 6:30pm • Performance at 7:00pmDoors open at 6:30pm • Performance at 7:00pmPonoka United Church, 5020 52 Ave.Ponoka United Church, 5020 52 Ave.

A musical evening lled with talented local artistsof all ages and tons of Christmas spirit! An appearance

by Santa Claus with treat bags for all children attending!Admission: Silver collection in support of Cystic Fibrosis and the Ponoka Food BankFor more information and details contact

Roy Scabar at 403-783-3250 or 403-783-7350

54th Annual Ponoka Kinsmen

Allowance not cutting it ?JOIN THE

PONOKA NEWSCarrier Team

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Reliable carriers are automatically entered into a monthly drawWIN an additional $50!

Keep up the good work and your name will be entered to win a$400 GIFT CERTIFICATE!

Each week the PONOKA NEWS reaches residents where they live, work and farm. In town our papers are delivered door to door by reliable carriers and WE COULD USE MORE HELP.

If you are interested in a LOCAL ROUTE please contactSUSAN WHITECOTTON at 403-783-3311

Dear Editor,Jordie Dwyer’s article in the Nov. 18

edition of the Ponoka News was a very revealing expose on the lack of aca-demic achievement at Ponoka Secondary Campus (PSC). His information gives a clear explanation of the very poor results shown by the Grade 9 students who wrote the Provincial Achievement Tests (PAT). However, further analysis is even more revealing.

I was able to obtain the Grade 9 PAT results for the past fi ve years. In Mathematics 9, the most revealing data is in the number of students who were marked absent or were excused from writing the exam. No doubt, some stu-dents may have been absent but the data shows that up to 37.2 per cent of the students did not write the exam in any given year. This obviously skews the test results. The results would have been much lower than reported if all students had written the tests. In 2014/2015, 28 per cent of the students were excused. Why were they excused? When this data is factored in, then only 31 out of the 75

students registered in Math 9 passed the exam. Only four out of the 75 students in Math 9 achieved the excellence level.

Science 9 is not quite as bad but still, many students were marked absent or were excused. In years 2011/2012, 32 out of 121 students did not have a PAT score because they were marked absent or were excused. In 2014/2015 even with seven per cent of the students being excused, only 53 per cent of the students passed the test compared to 82 per cent passing in the rest of Alberta.

In Social Studies 9, the percentage of students who did not register a mark ranged from 17.4 per cent, 31.7 per cent, 17.0 per cent, 17.8 per cent, to 9.3 per cent last year. Even with this number of students missing from the data, only 52.9 per cent of the students passed the PAT last year as compared to 73.1 per cent province wide.

Language Arts did somewhat better but still had a large number of students who did not record a result on the PAT. The percentage of PSC students not register-ing result ranged from 27.1 per cent, 32.8

per cent, 20 per cent, 17.8 per cent, and last year 10.7 per cent. Sixty per cent of the students who wrote the test actually passed as compared to 75.6 provincially.

Why are these results so low when compared to provincial average? Many would automatically jump to the conclu-sion that the teachers are not doing an adequate job. This could very well be the cause, but in most cases I feel that there are other explanations.

For the past few years, PSC has been a pilot school for new methods of teaching students. There is a much more open concept/discovery learning approach to the teaching of students. Computer usage now plays a much larger role in this new model. There seems to be a clear relation-ship between the new methodology and the very bad results on the PATs.

A recent article in the Alberta Teachers Association News reveals that heavy technology use can hinder student per-formance. The author of the study goes on to state, “Ultimately, we need to have teachers that feel empowered, not pres-sured, to make the best pedagogical de-

cisions around their particular students’ uses of technology and how much of their instructional time should be dedicated to those activities. This is a cautionary tale for school jurisdictions that have perhaps put too much emphasis on heavy usage of technology and too little on the rela-tionship between teachers, students, and the community.”

Another issue that I feel needs to be addressed is the issue of declaring every second Friday a Professional Development Day. Students are performing very badly on PATs when compared to other schools across the province, and Wolf Creek has chosen to reduce classroom time by one day. To me, this makes absolutely no sense.

In conclusion, I would strongly sug-gest that if you are a parent who has a student at PSC that you get involved by asking questions that will assist your son or daughter to succeed in their future educational endeavors. Apathy will not bring about positive changes at Ponoka Secondary Campus.

Grant Sharp

Is use of technologyharming education?

Letters


QUESTION OF THE WEEK - Results and a New QuestionWe asked you what Town recreation facilities you use in the winter. Here’s what you told us:1. Aquaplex is used by 96% of respondents 2. Arena - 80%3. Outdoor Skating Rink - 41% 4. Ski Trails and Walking Trails tied at 10% each

Our NEW Question of the Week is“How do you fi nd out about Town news and events?”

Please let us know by going to our website at www.ponoka.ca and let us know if you prefer the website, Facebook, Twitter, or the Hometown Weekly News. Of course, we think you should check tham all!

SURVEY SAYS… Ponoka Top 10 List and top priorities identifi ed in Budget Survey

Ponoka has a new Top 10 List from its citizens following a Town-wide Budget Survey which ran for two months. Survey results also list the things Ponoka citizens value about our community. Information about values and priorities is important when making budget decisions and is a great start as the Town plans to invite greater public involvement in future budgets. This is the fi rst time the Town of Ponoka has invited the public to contribute to the Budget Process. Town Council places a priority on open communication. Last year the Town took opened the budget deliberations up to the public for the fi rst time. During the Budget Deliberations last week, Town Councillors frequently referred to the survey results over two days of discussions – particularly the high priority residents placed on safe neighbourhoods, and on snow removal. The survey targeted key audiences for the Town of Ponoka: Families, Seniors, Business, Industry, and Residents who call Ponoka ‘Home.’ Questions focused on neighbourhoods, business and industry needs, infrastructure and road maintenance, recreation and government services. Two other questions asked people to list what they believe the top three priorities for the Town should be, and how they would spend $20,000 in 2016. The survey questions followed the new Guiding Principles adopted as part of Ponoka’s new Corporate Strategic Plan. The Town has committed to always consider these Guiding Principles in its decision making: IN PONOKA WE ARE PROUD TO BE A SAFE, HEALTHY, READY AND VIBRANT COMMUNITY.Surveys were available both online and with paper copies located at Town offi ces and the Ponoka Family and Child Support Services lobby. The survey was only advertised within the Ponoka area, and a check on “IP” addresses confi rmed that online surveys were completed by a local audience. 265 people responded to the survey. This result is equal to or greater than results by percentage when compared with other Alberta municipalities who conduct online surveys. We hope to see the number of people participating grow over time because we know it is important to everyone that the Town listens to residents and taxpayers. Council receives the Interim Budget for 2016

at their December 8 meeting for approval. Safety and snow removal have been given strong consideration, as Councillors listen to resident’s feedback. The full results – data and graphs, are on the Ponoka website: www.ponoka.ca

PONOKA’S TOP 10 LISTThese are the Top 10 priorities identifi ed by Ponoka residents:1. Safe Neighbourhoods for families and children2. Access to healthcare for seniors3. Trained, professional fi re and rescue services close to home4. Well-maintained and safe infrastructure: safe, maintained roads and bridges, pothole repairs and snow removal

5. A Community Facility for sports and recreation6. A long-term revenue generation and debt management plan 7. Good services and infrastructure for business and industry8. Good water, utility and electrical services for residents9. Upgraded or new parks and recreation facilities 10. A walkable community

Top 3 Priorities Identifi ed1. Families and Children 2. Business and Industry 3. Well-maintained infrastructure

How would you spend $20,000 in 2016 or add $50to everyone’s annual tax bill?Budget Survey top results

1. Snow removal2. Recreation

Budget Open House top results1. Improve or expand trails2. Transportation for Seniors

HOMETOWN NEWS & EVENTSFEATURE NEWS

- Watch for your rolling cart delivery in December!The new Waste and Recycling Program takes effect January 4, 2016. This new program is convenient for homeowners and will ensure cleaner garbage pick-up, less wind-blown debris and fewer injuries for handlers. It also meets the Alberta government’s requirements to reduce waste going to the landfi ll, and to increase the amount we all recycle. Thanks for helping to keep Ponoka clean and green! All carts will contain information packages. This information will also be posted on the Town’s website Ponoka.ca

COUNCIL UPDATESNext meeting of Council: Tuesday, December 8. New time and location - 6:00 pm at the Ponoka County Boardroom. Agenda packages are posted on the website in advance of every Council meeting. Everyone is welcome to attend.

TOWN NOTICESTown Hall offi ces are now OPEN in our new location on 54 Street. Turn north at the Fire Hall corner.

Sign Up for Monthly Tax Plan payments - Please sign up by December 18, 2015 for the 2016 Tax Year. You will need to sign a form and be sure to bring a “VOID” cheque with you.Dog Licences are now available and on sale until January 31, 2015 for $25 each. After this date they will be the regular price of $40.Winter hours at the Waste Transfer Station have started: 10 – 4, Tuesday to Saturday. Remember - the Waste Transfer Station now accepting paint. Used Electronics can be taken to the County of Ponoka’s Waste Transfer Station.Recreation Schedules are online - Please visit our website to tell us what recreation facilities you use most often in the winter! Question of the Day is on the home page of Ponoka.ca Ice Rental: Small ice surface is available for rent. Contact Tamara @403- 783-0131Christmas Break 3 on 3 Hockey Challenge - December 29 and 30, contact Wes Amendt 403-783-0118

A BIG THANK YOU to the Lion’s Club for sponsoring our Public Skating

AQUAPLEX NEWSWe are offering a dedicated lap lane all day, every day (except during aquasize and swim club). Going stir crazy at home with your kiddo(s)? The wading pool is nice warm when it’s cold outside and it is open all day (even during swim club). So bring your kiddo(s) down for a swim and relaxing hot tub.Is your child struggling with a particular swim level? Would you like to “tune up” your stroke? Then inquire about having one of our qualifi ed swim instructors give you or your child a private swim lesson or two. We are now offering private swim lessons for all ages at any time, on any day (except during aquasize and swim club). Can’t fi t in a workout during the day? On Thursday nights from 7:30-8:30pm, we are offering deep water aquasize with Emily.Think you would like to become a lifeguard? Starting in January, Taylor will be coaching a junior lifeguard club at the Aquaplex. Stop in or call the pool for details.

Ponoka Fire Department Weekly ReportPONOKA FIRE WEEKLY REPORT: NOV. 12 - 19

For the week of November 12 - 19 the fi re department responded to 8 emergency calls• 1 Mutual Aid call • 2 Motor Vehicle Accidents• 1 Carbon Monoxide leak • 1 Canola Oil spill• 1 Outdoor Fire call • 2 Alarm Bells

Be in the new Ponoka Community Program Guide (Winter Edition). The deadline is November 30 – please contact Wes Amendt for more information: 403-783-0118Klaglahachie Fine Arts Society Presents Mary Poppins! First performances are November 27-28-29. Details and show times are on the Town Calendar, on Ponoka.ca home pageWinter and spring swim lesson registration will be available starting December 7

CP Holiday Train - December 8 Arrival at 5:30 PM; show from 5:45 – 6:15 pm. This is a fundraiser for our local foodbank! Please donate generously to those in need at Christmas.Ponoka FCSS Starry Nights Road Trip - December 3 Ponoka to Red Deer for shopping, dinner and a sleigh ride at Heritage Ranch; tickets on sale now - $40. Call 403-783-4462 for yours now!Board and Committee Vacancies – Great

opportunities to get involvedNew Heritage & Downtown Committee is seeking members representing Downtown businesses and the public at large. Contact our Economic Development Offi cer Stephen Novak at 403-783-0116.Ponoka Subdivision & Development Appeal Board and Ponoka Jubilee Library Board have vacancies - please apply by November 30, 2015. Application forms at Town Hall and on the website.

Thank you to the Ponoka FCSS for their ongoing support for the community. Yesterday the Town of Ponoka received a $5,000 donation to be used for special projects such as a Family Day celebration or next summer’s Day in the Park! Shannon Boyce-Campbell, Executive Director of Ponoka FCSS and Doug Gill, FCSS Board Chairperson presented three $5,000 cheques yesterday to the Town’s Wes Amendt, Director of Community Services, Dean Hill, Ponoka Food Bank and Deserae Hook, KidSport Ponoka. The Ponoka Food Bank also received an additional $1702.84 from the recent Empty Bowls fundraiser - thank you to all who contributed! Shannon Boyce-Campbell notes: “The proceeds allocated to the various groups are generated from FCSS’s Home Care Contract and re-invested in our community. The board and staff of FCSS recognizes the current economic challenges some families are facing and wishes to be of assistance where possible.” Left to right: Wes Amendt, Dean Hill. Deserae Hook, Doug Gill, Shannon Boyce-Campbell.

Two Ponoka Fire Department Volunteer fi refi ghters attended Safety Code Training in this period, bringing the number of certifi ed volunteers to four. Safety Code Offi cers must be on the scene of fi res and is required for command lead. Volunteer fi refi ghters are also attending Alberta Alert Training.

The PFD continues to host school tours, educating children about fi re safety. We were also pleased to bring Santa to the Annual Christmas Tree lighting on November 20. Santa rode on Ladder Truck #9. He said it was a nice change from fl ying in his sleigh but that he is getting the sleigh and reindeer ready, and making sure they have good safety practices in place for Christmas Eve.

A big thank you is extended to retiring PFD Volunteer Firefi ghter Dale Morrow who has given service to the Ponoka community for 30 years. We wish you well Dale, in all of your future endeavours.


Ponoka philanthropists dig deep for hospital foundation

Ponoka residents and businesses have shown they value the Ponoka Hospital and Care Centre as demonstrated by a strong turnout at the sec-ond Ponoka Festival of Trees.

The fundraiser is aimed at supporting the Ponoka and District Health Foundation, which rais-es money to benefi t the hospital. The kick off to the festival was Thursday, Nov. 19 at the Calnash Ag Event Centre with auc-tioneer Danny Hooper working the crowd to raise big dollars for the foundation.

The goal this year is to raise enough money, ap-proximately $50,000, for a new labour and delivery bed. Lisa Barrett, manag-er of acute care at the hospital said deliveries at the hospital have doubled in the last four years. A new bed will help doc-tors and nurses further improve births in Ponoka.

Before the auction even started, Hooper was able to secure a guarantee of


Auctioneer Danny Hooper manages to secure $5,000 from Mark Miller of MGM Land Services for the Ponoka Festival of Trees fundraiser Thursday, Nov. 19 at the Calnash Ag Event Centre. The dinner raised more than $50,000 for the Ponoka and District Health Foundation.

Photo by Jeffrey Heyden-Kaye

Auctioneer Danny Hooper works his fundraising magic at Ponoka Festival of Trees fundraiser Thursday, Nov. 19 at the Calnash Ag Event Centre. The dinner raised more than $50,000 for the Ponoka and District Health Foundation.


(L-R) Norm Nelson has a bit of a chuckle as Nell Liddle pours another cup of coffee for Dennis Fredrickson at the annual Festival of Trees seniors tea on Friday afternoon Nov. 20.


The annual Festival of Trees Breakfast with Santa on Saturday, Nov. 21, was a huge success with a sold out event, drawing a lot of excited, and as seen by this young girl, curious children wanting to meet Santa and fi nd out just what kind of things he likes to eat.


$5,000 from Mark Miller, of MGM Land Services, if attendees could raise $15,000. And they did just that with further dona-

tions from different indi-viduals and groups.

“We made $15,000 that we didn’t have 10 to 15 minutes ago,” stated

Hooper to a proud audi-ence.

The fundraising magic continued through the night with Hooper work-ing his comedic talent and auctioneer skills. By the end of the din-ner, more than $50,000 was raised, said Sherry Gummow, co-organizer of the festival.

“I think it was an over-whelming success,” added Gummow.

Hooper appeared dedi-cated to make the event a solid fundraiser. Rather than settle for a high bid of $200 for a package of more than 100 cupcakes, Hooper stopped the live auction and managed to auction off packs of a dozen cupcakes for $100, thereby increasing the money raised for that item.

Joanne McMillan is the past chairperson of the hospital foundation and she was encouraged to see such strong support from residents, consider-ing the economic outlook.

“We, as the recipients, are absolutely thrilled with the generosity and turnout,” said McMillan.

With attendance at the fundraiser twice the size as it was last year, many of the people pres-ent have probably had to use hospital services at one time or another, explained McMillan. She feels residents see how important the hospital is to the town.

Final fi gure for money

garnered from the fund-raiser was not available at press time, but Gummow said the committee would know it by next week. She added her thanks to the committee, volunteers, individuals and busi-nesses that stepped up to show their support.

Indeed, several times Hooper, seeing strong demand for a donated package would ask the business if they would donate a second one for the fundraiser. One ex-ample was the Laurie

River Lodge all inclu-sive package. After being asked by Hooper, owner Brent Fleck offered a sec-ond package and both went for $8,000 each.

“The sponsors this year stepped right up,” stated Barrett.

Breakfast with Santa proved to be an excit-ing part of the festival, which sold out complete-ly. Gummow added that offering catered service at the seniors’ tea on Friday was a welcome change for attendees.


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Santa Claus gets a hug from one of the many children that came down to the Kinsmen Community Centre for the annual holiday kick off event on Friday, Nov. 20. Santa arrived as usual on a truck provided by the Ponoka Fire Department and handed out a small gift to each child. Photo by Jordie Dwyer

Chill doesn’t hamper event success

There was a bit of nip in the air that made it almost a perfect time to kick off the holiday season.

A nice-sized crowd gathered at the Kinsmen Community Centre on Friday, Nov. 20 to celebrate the coming season at Ponoka’s annual tree-lighting ceremony, which was also marking the beginning of the community’s big Christmas shopping night - Almost Midnight Madness.

Before the brief speech from Mayor Rick Bonnett, those in attendance stayed warm with some free hot chocolate, enjoyed some Christmas carols as well as some free cookies.

Bonnett thanked the crowd for showing up and hoped that they would take advantage of the specials at the local businesses, adding it’s only through their support that Ponoka can continue to grow and prosper plus attract new business.

After thanking the Ponoka Chamber of Commerce for setting up the tree-lighting, Bonnett also put out a call for the public to have in their thoughts at this time of year those that are suffering in other parts of the world as well as the people of France who were greatly affected by the recent terrorist events.

Bonnett said we must cherish the relative safety and freedom this great country affords us, but not forget those that need our support during this time of year.

Following the lights coming on, Santa was on the scene - courtesy of the Ponoka Fire Department - handing out gifts and hugs to the many children that stuck around through the chill in the air.

As for the shopping extravaganza, there were few busi-nesses that weren’t busy during the fi rst few hours of the event with few parking spots to be had.

In addition, the annual Ponoka News food drive was a huge success once again - raising more than 1,000 pounds of food and more than $200 in cash donations, a signifi cant increase over last year’s donations.

BY JORDIE DWYER


SOLAR-WINDSOLAR-WINDWORKSHOPWORKSHOP

DECEMBER 10, 2015LACOMBE MEMORIAL CENTRE

9AM–3PM$20 REGISTRATION, INCLUDES LUNCH

PAYABLE AT EVENT WITH CASH OR CHQ

TO REGISTERLacombe County - Krista Pannenbecker 403-783-8959

Red Deer County - Chantelle Scott 403-350-2163Ponoka County - Justin Babcock 403-783-3333

FOR SPACE AND CATERING CONSIDERATIONSPLEASE PREREGISTER BY 4PM ON

DECEMBER 7TH

TAKE HOMETARGETS

• The basic outline of how the connection to the grid works

• Examples of Solar and Wind Systems now in use

• Examples of Costs and Returns acquire net working and contact information

• Equipment types and availability

• What’s happening in other Provinces

• What size is right?Economics Site Considerations

• Contractors / D.I.Y.

• Permits and the Paper Work

Ponoka Secondary Campus students will be out Tuesday, Dec. 1 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. collecting food and toys for donations to families in need. Organizers say toys for the 13 to 18 years range are needed. This photo from last year shows students accepting submissions to the cause.

File photo

PSC students campaign for Santa’s Anonymous

Students at Ponoka Secondary Campus (PSC) are in full swing cam-paigning across town for their Santa’s Anonymous program that brings food and gifts to families and individuals in need during the holiday season.

To help bring as much food and as many toys for families as possible, stu-dents will be out Tuesday, Dec. 1 at No Frills and Hamilton’s IGA from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. with school buses out front.

In addition to the Stuff-a-Bus program, the school is also hosting its annual Santa Showdown, a fun hockey game with staff facing off against stu-dents on Thursday, Dec. 10 starting at 6:15 p.m. It’s all to help fi ll the many boxes around town, says organizer Karen David. Admission is $2 and some canned food. David says this is also an ideal time to bring gifts to families.

She said food hampers will be put together by

PSC students Dec. 10, 11, 14 and 15 with delivery scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 15. “I’m expecting an increase in need,” said David.

As for gift recommen-dations, David suggests gift packs are an ideal op-tion. Ear buds are another possible gift for teenag-ers. The deadline for the boxes to be picked up is fast approaching. David says Wednesday, Dec. 9 is the last day the boxes will be out.

This is the 34th year the program has been at PSC and David suggests students come out with a strong appreciation of what they have in their own lives.

“When we do the deliv-eries, that’s when the kids walk away with apprecia-tion,” she explained.

Hampers will most-like-ly have turkeys for fami-lies with kids and ham for families with no kids.

Anyone with any ques-tions on donations or where to go should con-tact PSC at 403-783-4411.


Food for the bank: Violet Smith (left) accepts a large donation of food, 1,003 pounds, and $244 cash from Judy Dick of Ponoka News Monday, Nov. 23. The donation was made by generous residents during Almost Midnight Madness Friday, Nov. 20.



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- 1144 sq ft 4 bdrms & 2 baths- Superb conditions w/upgrades- Renter in bsmt, great revenue!- Triple car garage & fenced- Landscaped, backs onto open area$289,000 ~ Call Bob

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NEW LISTINGNEW LISTING

p- Renter in bsmt, gr- Triple car garage &- Landscaped, backSOLDSOLD

- Beautiful 1,467 sq. ft. walk-out- 4 bedrooms & 4 baths- Fully finished; Many extras!- Large Kitchen w Island- Spacious Decks, front & back- Close to Ponoka & beautifully treed$499,900 ~ Call Bob

PRIVATE ACREAGE ONE OF A KIND- 1882 sq ft Gorgeous Bungalow- 9 ft Ceilings & Large windows- Hardwood, FP, Large Bedrooms- Beautifully landscaped- Stamped concrete driveway - Upscale home w many upgrades!$459,000 ~ Call Bob!

- 259 acres on 2 titles- 2,483 sq. ft. exective home- 23 x 68 ft. hanger w/

private runway- Gorgeous yard w/ orchard$1,250,000 Call Deb

COUNTRY SOLITUDE - 1.5 storey, 1,419 sq. ft.- 3 bdrm, 2 bath- 90 x 125 lot- Move-in Ready!$219,900 Call Deb

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Call Rizwan 403-783-0898

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Call Rizwan 403-783-0898$105,900

RIVERSIDE (PANORAMA RIDGE)

End unit town house backing onto the park. 2 bed with 2 ensuite baths & a half bath, walk in closet. Less than 5 min. walk away from grocery & gas. Near Centennial Center & golf course. MLS CA0058501


RIVERSIDE

$227,000TO VIEW ALL LISTINGS VISIT US ONLINE AT WWW.FIRSTCHOICEPONOKA.COM

TYLER FESSLERAssociate

Located in a serene developed neighborhood.1235 sq. ft. bungalow with fi nished basement. 4 bedroom & 2.5 baths. MLS CA0066635


LUCAS HEIGHTS

$260,047

4 bdrm & 2 bath bungalow, located on an oversized lot on a quiet street in Riverside. Many renovations have been done to this home over the years and include: kitchen, fl ooring on the main fl oor, bathroom and shingles. There is also a detached double car garage. Call Sandra or Tyler.

$275,000

NEW LISTING

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RIZWAN SYEDAssociate

CHANELLE LYONAssociate

LISA BONEAssociate

Beautifully fi n’d 2 bdrm townhouse, single att’d garage, appliances included. Located in Lucas Heights. Reasonable condo fees. Ready to move into. $230,000 + GST Call Sandra Lyon or Chanelle Lyon for more information

$230,000 + GST

LUCAS HEIGHTS

Over 1200 sq ft. home with everything on one level. 3 bedrooms and a 5 pc. bath, open concept, double attached garage. Located in the north end of Ponoka.

$225,000

NORTH END

Beautiful executive family home that is ready to move into! This 5 bdrm & 3 bath, 4 level split home has lots of wide open spaces & many upgrades. 2 bathrooms have been recently redone. Beautifully landscaped mature yard with new fence.Call Tyler or Sandra for more information.

NEW LISTING

$379,000

Ty and Karen enjoy a joint activity.Submitted photo

BBBS Ponoka match spotlightA huge grin spreads

across Ty’s face as he rushes out to give Karen a hug. Little Brother Ty

Jacobson and Big Sister Karen Douglass are just starting their 7th year of mentoring at Ponoka Elementary School and have been matched since

Ty was in grade 1.A running joke between

them is the length of Ty’s hair. Karen affectionate-ly teases Ty that she is taking him for a haircut

or bringing him a head-band. “She’s always look-ing out for me” responds Ty.

Karen has been a Big Sister since November

SUBMITTED 2009 and decided to start mentoring when one of her co-workers recom-mended it. “Mentoring is the highlight of my week and brings me so much joy!”

Some of the favorite ac-tivities that Karen and Ty like to do include making crafts out of duct tape and candy cane wreaths at Christmas. There big project last year con-sisted of designing and

building a giant rocket ship!

When asked how he feels about being matched with Karen, Ty says “the best thing about having Karen as my mentor is just being with her!”

One hour a week is all it takes to make a differ-ence in the life of a child!

Call 403-783-3112 to learn how you can be-come a mentor today!


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Cody Buffalo-Crier grabs one of the envelopes fi lling the tree at the Ponoka News offi ce as a thank you for him and his family dropping off a donation for the Ponoka Food Bank during Almost Midnight Madness on Friday, Nov. 20. The annual food drive by the local newspaper saw more than 1,000 pounds of food raised along with more than $200 in cash donations.


Increased food bank usecreating some concern

With the grips of winter and the holiday season quickly closing in, use of food banks is beginning to grow.

The annual Hunger Count report, released by Food Banks Canada last week, showed more than 852,000 Canadians - including more than 305,000 children - ac-cessed a food bank during the month of March. That is a troubling statistic as it demonstrates a 26 per cent increase (175,000 more people) from when the economic downturn began in 2008 and is the second consecutive year food bank visits have in-creased.

The real shock comes when much of that in-crease came in Alberta, where use has risen 23 per cent from one year ago.

Ponoka Food Bank pres-ident Dean Hill explained that while they have yet to see that kind of dramatic increase local-ly, they are seeing more

people drop in and antic-ipate use of the hamper program will go up soon.

“We have seen an in-crease in the use of our free food bin,” Hill said.

“People come in and take what is there, there is always something on hand. However, we hav-en’t noticed a big jump in the number of peo-ple getting hampers like they have experienced in other areas of the prov-ince.”

Hill stated they normal-ly get a hike in hamper applications around this time of year and might see a larger than normal increase this year due to the harder economic times.

“It always goes up at this time of year. However, we haven’t witnessed a huge jump because I think the area here has a more di-verse economy and the people may not have been hit fi nancially as big as in other places,” he said.

Hill added that through the tremendous support of the entire communi-

BY JORDIE DWYER ty - both monetarily and with food donations - the Ponoka Food Bank is doing its best to provide all it can.

And it’s the food bud-get that usually gets cut back, according to the na-tional study that involved more than 4,000 food pro-grams.

“In the short-term, peo-ple turn to food banks for diverse reasons – lay-offs, a sudden illness, a rent increase that eats into a family’s food bud-get,” stated Katharine Schmidt, executive direc-tor of Food Banks Canada.

“The underlying issue that has kept food bank use so high for so long is the fact that millions of Canadians are trying to make ends meet with in-comes that fall far below what is needed to afford the basic cost of living.”

The report also includ-ed several recommen-dations that would bet-ter support Canadians and reduce food bank use such as more in-vestments in affordable housing, increasing assis-tance in skills training to

get better jobs and better access to traditional and store-bought foods for

northern Canadians.A full copy of the

HungerCount 2015 report

is available at www.food-bankscanada.ca/hunger-count2015.


Christmas and new

year activities lined up

Don’t know if it has snuck up on everyone as much as it has us here at Ponoka Jubilee Library, but Christmas is now only one month away. We have two different events to help celebrate the Christmas season coming up at the library.

For families, we have a ‘Vintage Family Christmas’ on Saturday, Dec. 5 from 1 to 3 p.m. Come to the library to create popcorn and cranberry strings, sparkly wooden orna-ments, fabric bows and a star topper, all to place on your very own mini live Christmas tree. Trees are limited to one per fam-ily, but lots of kids can help decorate that tree. So come enjoy the afternoon, have a Christmas treat or two, and bring a pretty little tree home. Space is limited so you must sign up at the library to secure your spot either by calling 403-783-3843, or stopping by at 5110 48 Avenue.

Our second Christmas event is a wreath-making evening on Thursday, Dec. 10 at 6:30 p.m. Be taught to create a Christmas swag wreath, made from fresh boughs and all the trimmings. The cost of the class includes all supplies and instruction. Space is limited, so you must reg-ister and pay in advance; any questions, contact the library.

One other Christmas note, the library will be closed between Dec. 24-27 to allow staff time to cel-ebrate the holidays with their families. We will re-open the morning of Dec. 28 and will be open until Dec. 31 2 p.m., when we will be closing early. We will be closed on Jan. 1, but will be open regular hours, 11-4, on Saturday, Jan. 2.

BY JACLYN BERRY

continued on page 18

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It came as a complete surprise to you.

You had no idea. Not a clue, but it made you happy anyway. You didn’t even know it was possible, but there it was: Santa visits Grandma’s house, too. There are always gifts waiting for you at Grandma’s, and in the new book “Grandma’s Christmas Wish” by Helen Foster James, illustrated by Petra Brown, you’ll see what they might be.

Grandma loves you.That’s important to know.

She loves you every day, especially at Christmas because you’re her “Jingle Bells Baby.” She likes spend-ing the holidays with you, hanging stockings and dec-

A great Christmas gift for your grandchild

TERRI

SCHLICHENMEYER

The Bookworm

Looking into 2016, we already have a couple of events on the go. On Saturday, Jan. 23 at 7 p.m., we have our very fi rst ‘beer tasting’ at the library. Come try 10 different beers, from light to dark, along with some tasty food on the side. Tickets are available at the library now. We also have our fourth annual “Dinner at the Library” on Thursday, Feb. 25 from 6 to 8 p.m. The dinner is potluck, so we ask everyone to bring a dish to share. The library will be providing buns, drinks, plates and cutlery for everyone. Please sign up at the library so that we know how many people will be attending.

Don’t forget about Makerspace, tomorrow af-ternoon (Thursday, Nov. 26) from 3:30-5 p.m. Anyone 12+ can come to library to play with an Intuous tablet, a Makey Makey or a LittleBits kit. They’re super fun technology, so come

Activities lined upcheck them out.

Coming soon: For count-less readers, Christmas time means a delicious new holiday mystery from

New York Times bestsell-ing author Anne Perry. ‘A Christmas Escape’, her 13th novel for the sea-son, transports us to the

Mediterranean island of Stromboli for an uncon-ventional Yuletide adven-ture—and an unforgetta-ble volcanic encounter.

continued from page 16

orating the tree. She likes to play in the snow, catch you when you slide, and watch you open your gifts.

So will Grandma give you presents?

Yes! For sure, snuggles and kisses. Mistletoe and bedtime stories, memories, happiness and everything

a kid like you needs at Christmas and beyond. And she gives you the wish of a good Christmas this year, and forever.

But do you know what Grandma wants for Christmas? It’s not a ball or a doll or a new dress. You don’t have to wrap up

candy or perfume. No teddy bears or tricycles. What Grandma wants is easier to fi nd and she won’t be taking it back to the store. No, what Grandma wants are “some hugs and kisses from you…” That’ll make her smile - but you’ll never guess what’s Grandma’s

best present of all.Yep, it’s YOU! You make

Grandma happy and – should we say it again? She loves you very much. As much as a Christmas star. Even more than snow-fl akes. Ten times more than anything you could put in a box. You are her “twinkle of light” and her “candy cane kiss.” For Grandma, there’s nothing under the tree that’s better than the gift of you!

Certainly, 32 pages of story doesn’t seem like a good gift, does it? - especially when you consider that the words in “Grandma’s Christmas Wish” are few. But what you don’t know is that there’s so much more to this adorable little book.

The smallest people on your gift list, fi rst of all, are going to love this charm-ing story of a little bunny and his relationship with his Grandmother. Author Helen Foster James uses a sweet rhyme to get the point across, and the artwork is so irresistible that you’ll want

to reach inside this book and hug the illustrations by Petra Brown.

The hidden goodness in this book is that, once you’ve read it to your little snowfl ake, it becomes a keepsake thanks to the lined-and-ready page at the back, perfect for writing a note to your own beloved grandchild. There’s even ample room to attach a picture you can enjoy during next years’ holiday read-a-thon.

Just imagine the tradition that’ll make.

I believe there are two dis-tinct benefi ciaries to a gift like this: the 2-to-5-year-old who’ll unwrap and treasure it, and the Grandma who’ll personalize and give it. For both, “Grandma’s Christmas Wish” is the perfect holiday surprise.

“Grandma’s Christmas Wish” by Helen Foster James, illustrated by Petra Brown

c.2015, Sleeping Bear Press $15.99 / $16.99 Canada 32 pages

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(L-R) Ladies Auxiliary president Marlene Ferguson stands alongside the Meritorious Service Awards recipients Wendy Peavoy, Helen Churchill, Verna Raycraft, Dorothy Houghton and joined by vice-president Barb Burnett.


Volunteerism, dedication recognized by Ponoka Legion

Recognition of efforts by Legion members going above and beyond the ser-vice was the key theme during the annual awards night at the Ponoka Royal Canadian Legion.

The dinner event, held Saturday, Nov. 21 at the Legion Hall, saw a num-ber of people receive rec-ognition for their lengths of service to the Legion, though the two biggest awards were handed out for the long-term volun-teerism and dedication of those individuals.

Current president Sybil Evans was surprised with the Legion’s life member-ship award, while four members of the Legion’s Ladies Auxiliary - Helen Churchill, Dorothy Houghton, Wendy Peavoy and Verna Raycraft - re-ceived the highest honour that can be handed out, the Meritorious Service Award.

Evans, who is in her second term as president, has only been a Legion member for the past de-cade, but has been ex-tremely active in serv-ing the membership and the community as was pointed out during the awards presentation by Stan Orlesky, chair of the honour and awards com-

mittee.Evans spent four years

as the membership chair-man plus four years as the Legion secretary-trea-surer in addition to all of the commitments she has made to helping pre-pare for the weekly Friday suppers and various ca-tering functions, assisting with the Bingo commit-tee, fi lling in when need-ed and her community service with the United Church and the Sunshine Choir.

The honour came as a bit of a shock to Evans, who was kept in the dark about it until the last sec-ond.

“It’s certainly hum-bling,” she said.

As for the four Ladies Auxiliary members, each were pleased to have their families there to be part of what turned into a celebration of their com-mitment and legacy they continue to leave behind at the Legion and in the community.

In addition, the crowd provided two standing ovations during the cere-mony - both for individu-als that have been serving with the Legion for more than six decades. John Kocyba was honoured with a pin, medal and bar for his 65 years as a con-tributing member, while

Viola Ogilvie was recog-nized with a pin and bar for serving 60 years with the ladies auxiliary.

It is that work and dedi-cation that Evans believes is the reason Ponoka Legion hasn’t suffered the same fate as many others have across the country.

“We are very fortunate to have a great and ded-icated nucleus of hard working members that keeps us going,” she ex-plained.

“And those longer serv-ing members, through that dedication, encour-age the younger mem-bers and those that might want to join to participate when and where possible. I also believe the contin-ued success of our legion comes from the fact all of our schools in town remain intent on ensur-ing the youth never forget about the sacrifi ces made nor the people who sur-vived.”

The Legion also thanked several individuals and companies for the work they provided to fi x up the cenotaph. Certifi cates of appreciation were pro-vided to Phase III Electric, Elite Integrity, Chuck’s Concrete, Inland Cement, Tranquility Greenhouses, Sommer Home Hardware, Pederson Construction, Brodie Buksa, Eldred

BY JORDIE DWYER

Stamp, Beth Sykes, Mel McNeil, Wendy Rinsky, Ron Labrie, Kathleen Mennell and Neil LaLonde.

Among the others pre-sented with awards and recognition were:

Service awards - 5 years (ordinary) Rick Burden, John Spink, Harold Neufeldt; (associ-ate) Edie Bennink, Jeffery Demchuk, Matthew Southwell-Monks, Dylan Hoar, William McGuire, Dave Hunka, Steven Tardiff, Jerry Witvoet, Beverely Woyen, John Crawford, Donna Monks, Tim Falkiner, Steve Kenney, Nila Jean McGuire, Melissa Sherrens, Deborah Witvoet, Barry Woyen; (affi liate) Robert Leavitt, Russell Buksa; 10 years - (associate) Bev Fry, Fran Kelly, Nancy MacKenzie, Chris Hicks, Alastair MacKenzie, Sybil Evans; (affiliate) Cheryl Kelly; (ladies aux) Brenday Bailey; 15 years (ordinary) Norm Clair, Doreen Fraser; (associate) Jordana Tigchelaar, Chad Peavoy; (ladies aux) M. Vieaux; 20 years (associ-ate) Dianne Lafl amme-

Betteridge, Emma Cook, Brian Leidenius, Margaret Mabbot, Ken McGarva; 25 years (associate) Harry Peterson, Jerry Kawamura; (ladies aux) Diane Henke, Wendy Peavoy; 30 years (ordi-nary) Emma Stoddart; 35 years (ordinary) Charles Disberry, J. Ferrie, Richard Lightning, Charles Bowie; (associate) Tom Hoar, Mike Hussey, Garth Olson; 40 years (ordinary) R.L. Delano, E.V. Lawes; (as-sociate) Cathy Akins, Jim Best, Joyce Crandall, L.P. Hewitt, C.W. Lawes, Doug Stoddart, Elizabeth Sykes, Richard Sykes, Shirley Hycha; (ladies aux) Verna Raycraft, Ethel Schimpf, Valerie Wagner; 45 years (ladies aux) Pat Myttenar; 55 years (ordinary) Jerry Reynolds.

Certifi cate of Merit - Deb Makus, Deborah Witvoet, Darcy Boyce, Marlene Perry, Barb Olsen, Red Cheyney, Diane Cheyney; Branch service med-als and bars - Dorothy Houghton, Stan Orlesky, Dave MacPherson, Jim Pinksen, Len Eichler, Sybil Evans, Diane Cheyney.

Treatment Techniques Offered

Owner Kenda Butterfi eld

MScPT, BKinPhysical Therapist

• Soft Tissue Mobilization• Joint Mobilization/Manipulation• Sports Injury Rehabilitation• Motor Vehicle Accidents• Repetitive/Overuse Injuries• Therapeutic Exercise• Graston ® Technique• Trigger Point Dry Needling• Massage Therapy – coming Dec 1

Also Offering Evening Courses for ALL levels of Heart & Stroke CPR. On site AED coming soon.

Call to inquire or to set up class dates and times.

HoursMonday, Wednesday,

Friday 8am – 4pm&

Tuesday, Thursday 12pm – 7pm

Phone: 403.790.2229Fax: 403.790.2228

Email:[email protected]

5022 50 AvenuePonoka, AB T4J 1S1

www.vantagephysio.com

OPEN HOUSEDecember 59am - 5pm


Education system benefi ts girls more than boysThe current education

system may well be doing injustice to boys and putting girls in a position of advan-tage, particularly during the elementary and early sec-ondary education, according to a scientist with extensive knowledge on the matter.

Robbin Gibb, Associate Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Lethbridge, made a presentation to in-terested Ponoka parents and educators on Friday, Nov. 20 at Ponoka Elementary School explaining how the natural difference in the pace of brain development between girls and boys may be allowing the girls to benefi t more from the current system of education as compared to boys.

“Brain develops at differ-ent rates in boys and girls,” Prof. Gibb said in an inter-view just before her hours-long presentation hosted by Ponoka Parentlink Centre.

“As they start school, girls

are already six months ahead of boys in terms of brain development,” she went on. “At the age of eight, the difference between the development rate increases to two years, the girls reach their maximum brain devel-opment at the age of 10 and boys only at the age of 15.”

With regard to how the education system benefi ts girls versus boys, Gibb said the education curricula were based on a model of stu-dents sitting and listening to teachers and this was working against boys, be-cause unlike their slower brain growth rate, boys are much more physical than girls as they grow up and need to be mobile.

“Girls are more mature and sophisticated at those ages compared to boys, they are able to multi-task and learning by sitting and lis-tening works for them,” she stressed. “But boys learn by doing, they are more focused on a single task, they want to build, they want to use

Boredom, poor decision sends man to jailIgnoring orders from police

just to see their reaction probably wasn’t the best op-tion for a young man when he could have ended up with just a speeding ticket.

Arden Nielsen, 20 from Ponoka, was handed an 18-day jail sentence along with receiving more than $1,500 in fi nes and a 90-day licence suspension after pleading guilty to one count each of excessive speeding and failing to stop for police in Ponoka Provincial Court on Friday, Nov. 20.

Back on Nov. 3, Ponoka

RCMP spotted a pickup truck on Highway 2A just north of Ponoka, clocking it at 147 kilometres per hour. Police pursued the vehicle into Ponoka, where the truck slowed down but didn’t stop - going so far as to drive around a second police cruiser with its lights on at the Highway 2A and 54 Avenue intersection.

The vehicle was fi nally corralled when it parked in the Tim Horton’s parking lot, but the driver refused to obey any of the police commands to exit the truck, forcing offi cer to conduct a takedown of the driver.

When asked why he refused to stop and didn’t want to get out of the truck, Nielsen responded by stating he was bored and then he wanted to see how tough the offi -cers were.

Prior to dishing out the sentence, the judge chas-tised Nielsen and indicated he certainly is in need of help.

“You are lucky you weren’t charged with fl ight from police. With this conduct, you shouldn’t have a licence, you are too immature and could have killed someone or yourself,” the judge stated.

“Roads are not designed

for that speed and you put lives in danger by these actions. At some point, you are going to have to learn your lesson and hopefully this time you spent in jail now will help do that.”

A dispute with a roommate ended with a man spending more than a week in jail.

Chad Vanderberg, 25 of Ponoka, pleaded guilty one count of assault and was given a sentence of eight days - equaling the time he had already served behind bars.

Vanderberg was arrested on Nov. 12 following a call of a disturbance at a residence

where he and his roommate had gotten into an argument over Vanderberg allegedly owing some money to the roommate.

When the room-mate attempted to enter Vanderberg’s bedroom in order to take some items to pay off the debt, Vanderberg pushed, kicked and punched the man to get him out. Once the man left, Vanderberg then grabbed a vacuum and threw it at him, destroying the machine when it missed the man and hit the fl oor.

For his part, Vanderberg admitted he reacted badly to the situation.

BY MUSTAFA ERIC

BY JORDIE DWYER

Asst. Prof. Robbin Gibb speaks to participants during her presentation an Ponoka Elementary School hosted by Parentlink Centre on Friday, Nov. 20. Photo by Mustafa Eric

their hands.”Referring to some of the

most negative consequences of this little known differ-ence, Gibb said even parents

may develop wrong percep-tions of their own boys if they don’t understand why girls may be more receptive of education and therefore

more successful at those earlier stages of education.

She was critical of the fact that nothing was being done to address the situation

at higher levels of govern-ment, but insisted that even individual schools could introduce some practices, including giving up on sit-ting classes, to ensure that boys can benefi t more from their time at school.

Ponoka CapitolTheatre

4904 - 50th St.Ph. 403-783-3639

PLAYING Nov. 27 - Dec. 3Nov. 27 - Dec. 3

AGES 12-64 $9.00

AGES 2-11& SENIORS

$7.00TUESDAYS

& MATINEES $6.00

3D$3 EXTRA

SCREEN #2

Love the Coopers

107 min2:00 PM

Sat & Sun8:00 PM Daily

Rated PG

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Mockingjay Part 2

137 min2:00 PM Sat & Sun

7:00 PM DailyRated PG

See Amid the Winter’s SnowRosedale Valley String OrchestraCentral Alberta Home School ChoirA concert in support of theChristian Life OrphanageMwanza TanzaniaDec 4 Clive Baptist Church, 7:30 pm CliveDec 5 New Life Fellowship Church7 pm, 20 Kelloway Crescent, Red DeerDec 13 Jeanne & Peter Lougheed Centre3 pm, 4501, 50 Street, CamroseA free-will off ering will be taken.

info: 403-783-3446 / [email protected]

Ponoka Drop-In ActivitiesPonoka Drop-In Activities5015 – 46 Avenue5015 – 46 Avenue

Drop-ins welcome at all events.Nov. 27 - Christmas dinner & annual meeting 5:30 pm. Bring table service. Tickets are $20, available at the offi ce or from executive.

Dec. 20 - 7 pm - Gospel Concert with “Strings n’ Things”

Regular Jam session every Saturday at 1pm

Billiards - Weekdays 1:00pm. Mon through Sat – 50 cents per game. Honour system

Monday Bridge 1:00pm

Monday Whist - 1:30pm

Monday Yoga - 6:30pm

Tuesday Canasta - 1:00pm

Tuesday & Thursday Exercise class 9:30am

Tuesday Pickleball 6:30pm Centennial Centre - contact Janice Mackie 403-396-3160

Tuesday Shuffl eboard - 7pm

Wednesday morning - PIANO LESSONS FOR SENIORS (Sara Driedger 403-790-1980)

Wednesday Sewing Guild 9:30am to 4pm

Wednesday Cribbage 1:00pm

Wednesday Yoga - 6:30pm

Wednesday Duplicate Bridge 7:00pm

Thursday Floor Curling - 1:00pm

Thursday Weaving 1:00pm Welcome to drop-in to see how it’s done

Thursday Bridge 1:00pm

Thursday Art Club Drop In Noon to 4pm

Friday “500” 1:00pm

Saturday Yoga 9:30am

Memberships available for 2016 - $10.00 per person. To rent our facility contact Dorothy @ 403-783-3027 or George @ 403-783- 3514 or

leave a message @ 403-783-5012. Rentals are increasing and we would like to invite our town administration, business groups, and general

public (Wedding, funeral, and Birthday groups), to inquire about rentals services and prices early in their planning. We may fi t your bill!


15114KA0

#whychanceit? | www.ahs.ca/influenza | Call Health Link 811

GOOD HEALTHISN’T

CONTAGIOUS.INFLUENZA IS.

CHANCES ARE YOU WILL BE EXPOSED TO INFLUENZA THIS SEASON.

Protect Yourself. Protect Others. Get Immunized.

HEY FOOTBALL FANSWATCH WATCH

THE GREY CUPTHE GREY CUPACTION ON THE BIG SCREEN!ACTION ON THE BIG SCREEN!

SUNDAY, NOV. 29 STARTING AT 2:00PMSUNDAY, NOV. 29 STARTING AT 2:00PM

Edmonton EskimosEdmonton EskimosVSVS

Ottawa RedblacksOttawa RedblacksAT THE LEGIONAT THE LEGION

Enjoy snacks, libations, chili & hot dogsEnjoy snacks, libations, chili & hot dogsDonations to the Food Bank acceptedDonations to the Food Bank accepted

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL403-783-4076403-783-4076

CALLN CALL

Jim E. Lysons,A. L. S., P. Eng. ALBERTA LAND SURVEYORPROFESSIONAL ENGINEER

R.R. #3, PONOKA, ALBERTA T4J 1R3

SUBDIVISIONS, PROPERTY BOUNDARIES, ROAD & DITCH DESIGNS,

MUNICIPAL ENGINEERING CONSULTANT

RES: 403-783-6756

GWYNNE DYER

Think Globally

“Of course, the whole point of a Doomsday Machine is lost if you keep it a secret,” said Dr Strangelove to the Soviet ambassador in Stanley Kubrick’s classic fi lm of the same name. Fifty years later, it would ap-pear that the Russians have fi nally watched the movie.

In Kubrick’s fi lm, a rogue American air force commander orders a nu-clear strike on the Soviet Union – but he doesn’t know that the Russians have built a Doomsday Machine that will auto-matically explode and spread lethal radioactive contamination all over the world if American nuclear weapons land on the USSR. So everybody dies.

Moscow doesn’t want the United States to make the same mistake in real life, so it has just let us know that it is building a mini-dooms-day machine. It wouldn’t destroy the whole world, just a half a continent or thereabouts – like, say, all of the United States east of the Mississippi River, or all of China within 1,500 km of the coast.

It is awkward to say this sort of thing through diplomic channels – “I have the honour to in-form Your Excellency that we can now destroy half of your country with only one explosion” – so the preferred method is to get the word out by an accidental “leak”. In this case, the leak occurred on 10 November in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, where President Vladimir Putin was meeting with his senior military offi -cers.

A cameraman for state-owned Channel One

A doomsday machine, or the next best thingtelevision “accidentally” fi lmed a general studying a poster of a new weap-on called “Status-6”, a giant torpedo (a “robot-ic mini-submarine”, the poster called it) that can travel up to 10,000 km at high speed carrying a huge payload – like, for example, a truly gigantic thermonuclear weapon. And the fi lm clip was broadcast all over Russia before the “mistake” was discovered.

The text on the poster was clearly legible. The “oceanic multi-purpose Status-6 system,” it said, is designed to “destroy important economic in-stallations of the enemy in coastal areas and cause guaranteed dev-astating damage to the country’s territory by cre-ating wide areas of ra-dioactive contamination, rendering them unusable for military, economic or other activity for a long time.”

“It’s true some secret data got into the shot. Therefore it was subse-quently deleted,” said President Putin’s spokes-man, Dmitry Peskov. But the complete text and a cutaway diagram of the Status-6 are now avail-able on a hundred web-sites, and the Kremlin doesn’t seem particularly upset.

Indeed, the government

newspaper Rossiiskaya Gazeta later reported de-tails of the weapon, with-out showing the diagram, and speculated that it would carry a gigantic cobalt bomb – just like the Doomsday Machine in “Dr Strangelove”, al-though a little smaller.

The explosive core of the warhead would be a massive thermonuclear bomb – perhaps as big as 100 megatonnes, almost twice as big as any bomb ever tested. Around this core would be wrapped a thick layer of cobalt-59, which on detonation would be transmuted into highly radioactive cobalt-60 with a half-life longer than fi ve years.

“Everything living will be killed,” the paper said. Konstantin Sivkov of the Russian Geopolitical Academy helpfully ex-plained to the BBC Russian Service that a warhead of up to 100 megatons would produce a tsunami up to 500 me-tres high, which together with the intense radia-tion would wipe out all living things up to 1,500 km deep inside US ter-ritory.

This is crazy talk, but the Russians have al-ways lived in fear that the United States might somehow develop the ability to destroy Russia without suffering serious

retaliation. And the truth is that the American mil-itary have never stopped looking for some way to do exactly that.

Back in the 1950s, when US Strategic Air Command really could have destroyed the Soviet Union with im-punity, physicist Andrei Sakharov (later the win-ner of the Nobel Peace Prize) actually proposed a weapon rather like System-6 so that Russia could take revenge from the grave.

The latest US gambit is anti-ballistic missile (ABM) defences to be based in Eastern Europe, allegedly to defend

against nuclear missiles coming from Iran.

But Iran doesn’t have any nuclear weapons, and it may never get them. Yet the American ABM system is going to be deployed in Poland and Romania in the near future. Moscow is there-fore convinced that the whole project is really intended to shoot down its own missiles shortly after launch.

There is no realis-tic possibility that the American ABM defences could really destroy all or even most of Russia’s missiles, but that is ex-actly what Putin is saying to his generals on the

sound-track just before the TV clip focusses on System-6.

System-6 is not sched-uled to be operational until 2019-20, and it may never be built at all. But the old game of nucle-ar one-upmanship goes on even though the two countries are no lon-ger really enemies. It is pointless and potential-ly very dangerous, and President Obama might usefully spend the last of his political capital put-ting an end to it.

Gwynne Dyer is an in-dependent journalist whose articles are published in 45 countries.

PLEASE RECYCLE YOUR PAPER!


15114DG0

We want to help. That’s why we’re proposing changes to laws that keep farm

and ranch workers safe and ensure they’re treated fairly.

• Ensuring farm and ranch accidents can be properly investigated so they

can be prevented.

• Making sure farm and ranch workers can still support their families if they’re

injured on the job.

• Protecting farm and ranch owners against the impact of workplace injuries

and illnesses.

If approved, laws that govern workplace safety and Workers’ Compensation

Board insurance coverage would apply to farm and ranch workers as of

January 1, 2016.

We also want your views on how we can work with employers to make lives

better for farm and ranch workers. For example:

• How should hours of work for farms and ranches be regulated?

• How should vacation leave work on farms and ranches?

• How do we make these changes while protecting family farms and ranches?

A town hall session will be held Tuesday, December 1 from 1:00-4:00 pm:

Red Deer College, 100 College BlvdSpace is limited, pre-registration is encouraged.

To learn more, take part in an online survey or attend a town hall near you,

visit work.alberta.ca/farmandranch

For further information, call 1-866-415-8690.To contact the Workers’ Compensation Board,

call 1-866-922-9221.

Farmers, ranchers and their

workers want to return home

safely after working hard all day.

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

www.ponokaageventcentre.com403-755-8490 | 3611 Hwy 2A, Ponoka

OPEN FOR BREAKFAST & LUNCH WEEKDAYS & SHOWDAYS

CALNASH AG EVENTS CENTRE

1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9 10 11 12

13 14 15 16 17 18 19

20 21 22 23 24 25 26

27 28 29 30 31

DECEMBERDECEMBERCALENDAR

Please check website regularly for furtherinformation & updates as info is. ‘Subject to change’

Free Family Ride Sponsored by the Ponoka Ag Society 10am – 4pm

Free Family Ride Sponsored by the Ponoka Ag SocieryCheckers Simmental Sale Barn 1pm

Boxing DayArena and

ConcessionCLOSED

Free Family Ride Sponsored by the Ponoka Ag Society 10am – 4pm

Barrel Practice Open Ride 9am – 4pm


Christmas DayArena and

ConcessionCLOSED


Barrel Practice Open Ride 9am – 4pmSilver Valley 4H - Arena 7pm – 9pm


Arena andConcession

CLOSED

Arena andConcession

CLOSEDPrivate Booking





Arena andConcession

CLOSED

Arena andConcession

CLOSED

New Year’s Eve‘Bulls, Broncs &

Bling’ 7pm followed by Cabaret


Barrel Practice/Open Ride9am – 4pm


Checkers Move In - Barn



Private Booking 8am – 4pm


Arena andConcession

CLOSED


Open for Breakfast & Lunch‘Weekdays’ 7am - 2pm / ‘Weekends’ 8am - 2pm

Good Feeder Steers 1000 lbs Plus: 185.00-200.00Good Feeder Steers 900 lbs Plus: 200.00-210.50Good Feeder Steers 800 lbs Plus: 215.00-223.75Good Feeder Steers 700 lbs Plus: 220.00-232.50Good Feeder Steers 600 lbs Plus: 225.00-253.00Good Feeder Steers 500 lbs Plus: 235.00-310.00Good Feeder Steers 400 lbs Plus: 280.00-325.00Good Feeder Steers 300 lbs Plus: 300.00-350.00

Dairy Steers 115.00-130.00

Baby Calves Dairy Type: -

Baby Calves Beef Type: 475.00-500.00

Hay: Sq Bales 7.00-13.50

Straw: Sq. Bales -3.00

Greenfeed: Sq. Bales -5.00

VJV MARKET REPORTMARKET REPORT NOVEMBER 18, 2015

On Wednesday, November 18, 2015 - 2408 head of cattle went through our rings

TOTAL - 2408

SLAUGHTER CATTLE

STOCKERS AND FEEDERS

D1 - D2 cows 110.00-117.00D3 - D4 cows 85.00-105.00Good Holstein cows 80.00-94.00Medium Holstein cows 70.00-85.00Heiferettes 130.00-140.00Bologna Bulls 120.00-135.00

Feeder bulls 150.00-180.00Good Bred Cows -Older Bred Cows -Good Bred Heifers: Cow/calf pairs (younger) -2650.00Cow/Calf pairs (older) -

Rd Bales -115.00

Rd Bales -Rd Bales -

Vold Jones & Vold Auction Co. Ltd. | Dawson Creek Auction

Vold Jones & Vold Co. Ltd. © 2006

4410-Hwy 2A, Ponoka Alberta, Canada, T4J 1J8

Heifers 170.00-185.00Heifers 190.00-202.00Heifers 190.00-216.00Heifers 195.00-220.00Heifers 200.00-231.00Heifers 220.00-270.00 Heifers 250.00-275.00Heifers 260.00-290.00

Chief Randy Ermineskin addresses participants at the grand opening of the new TacoTime outlet in Maskwacis on Friday, Nov. 20. Photo by Mustafa Eric

Maskwacis opens TacoTime outletIt was an exciting day

for quite a few stakehold-ers on Friday, Nov. 20 as Neyaskweyak Group of

Companies (NGCI) had the grand opening of “TacoTime” in Ermineskin, the fi rst ever restaurant of the franchise on a First Nation reserve in Canada.

The fast food outlet also makes history in that it is the fi rst in Maskwacis of an internationally known restaurant chain and the fi rst and so far only one on

BY MUSTAFA ERIC Highway 2A between Red Deer and Edmonton.

Trent Blind, chair of the NGCI Board of Directors said the idea of opening a TacoTime outlet at their gas station on the highway was conceived about a year ago and after a quick negotiation process was turned into a reality. He added that their franchise agreement with TacoTime would remain in force for 10 years and the business would employ some 25 Ermineskin residents on a permanent basis.

Blind said, together with the gas station, they had invested a total of about half a million dollars for the project.

Steve Nickersen of TacoTime, vice president for franchise development, said they were happy to see their fi rst outlet on a First Nation reserve in their 37-year-old operation in Canada. He said they provided training for the staff under their agreement with NGCI.

After Mountain Cree band

performed an honour song and speeches were made by dignitaries, including Ermineskin Chief Randy Ermineskin and Montana

Band chief Daryl Strongman, the ribbon cutting ceremo-ny completed the grand opening with participants enjoying free tacos.


Family Fun Night: The Ponoka Youth Centre hosted a family fun night Thursday, Nov. 19 celebrating International Children’s Day. The halls of the centre were full with parents and children. Here Chet Porterfi eld enjoys some Lego time during the night. Photo by Jeffrey Heyden-Kaye

15114AA0CARBON MONOXIDE

Keep your family safe. Install a CO detector.

For more safety tips, complete our CO checklist today at ATCOGas.com

Ponoka Community Christmas

If you are interested in volunteering please call Carla Prediger at 403-783-4078 or Val Schabert at 403-783-8799

Donations can be made by calling Bob Hepp Donations can be made by calling Bob Hepp 403-783-6165 or drop off at Rising Sun 403-783-6165 or drop off at Rising Sun

Clubhouse or Servus Credit Union - PonokaClubhouse or Servus Credit Union - Ponoka

December 25thRoyal Canadian Legiony g

Coff ee & Entertainment - 10 am - 12 noonCoff ee & Entertainment - 10 am - 12 noonChristmas Turkey Buff et Dinner Christmas Turkey Buff et Dinner

with all the trimmings -12 noon - 1 pmwith all the trimmings -12 noon - 1 pm

a proud community supporter

Th e handivan will be available for bookings through FCSS.


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amount is paid in full by the due date (12 months from purchase), otherwise interest will be charged in accordance with your card holder agreement. A $21.00 annual membership fee may be charged to your account subject to certain conditions. See in-store and your card holder agreement for details.

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TO BOOK YOUR SPACE CALL 403-783-3311

AD DEADLINE: Thurs, Dec. 3 at Noon • PUBLISHES: Wed, Dec. 16

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Trudeau must keep his promise to end boil water

advisories on reserves

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has vowed to re-duce boil water advisories on First Nation Reserves. But fulfi lling this important campaign promise will re-quire a bridge of trust.

A United Nations study published in 2009 found that First Nations’ reserves were 90 times more likely to be without safe drinking water than non-First Nation households. A 2011 study identifi ed 28 per cent of water systems on Canadian reserves to be under a boil-water advisory.

However, there is a way to bring quality water to many reserves. In a recent article, published in the Journal of Water Resources and Economics, we provide empirical evidence that First Nations that partner with nearby municipalities to supply their drinking

water are less likely to have a boil water advisory.

Our research fi nds that First Nations’ reserves take advantage of trade in water and sewer services just like many other municipalities do throughout Canada. For example, the York Region contracts with Toronto for drinking water. And the City of Guelph provides sewer services for the Village of Rockwood. In both cases, municipalities voluntarily entered into these agree-ments and mutually benefi t from the partnership.

While it may not be feasi-ble for many First Nations to enter into water servic-ing agreements with mu-nicipalities due to their re-mote locations, those First Nations that have entered into these agreements ap-pear to benefi t.

While not all First Nations that could enter into water servicing contracts will want to, barriers to this option can be diminished.

BY BRADY DEATONAND BETHANY LIPKATROY MEDIA COLUMNISTS

It is critical to know that investment in physical in-frastructure - water lines, for example - must be ac-companied by investments in social infrastructure - trust, transparency, and improved communication between First Nation and non-First Nation commu-nities.

This social infrastructure is critical to a successful water servicing agreement. For example, under some service agreements, mu-nicipalities agree to allow the contracting munici-pality to inspect their re-cords at any time during work hours. This access promotes transparency and engenders trust. But such agreements may be more diffi cult to secure between First Nations and munici-palities, particularly if there have been limited historic links between First Nations and municipalities.

continued on page 28


Fir Ever Green Fir Ever Green Tree FarmTree Farm

www.fi revergreen.com • 780-352-4368

Directions from Ponoka: Hwy 2 north to Maskwacis overpass, turn west, on Hwy 611 travel past Usona corner to Rg. Rd. 272, turn right and go north to fi rst crossroad, turn left go west to the fi rst driveway

OPEN 9:00 am - 5:00 pm DailyAfter hours by appointment

• Balsam Fir • White Spruce• Blue Spruce • Pine

Also Available: Artisan Gifts & Wreaths, Greenery, Firewood, Pre-Cut Trees, Tree Stands

U-Choose, U-Cut Christmas Trees

overpass turn

s

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Nov. 28, 29& Dec. 5, 6

(weather allowing)

Drop by the

Ponoka News

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beautiful

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PONOKA’S NEW WASTE AND RECYCLING PROGRAMROLL OUT THE CARTS FOR A CLEAN, GREEN PONOKA!

The Town of Ponoka offers its utility customers a weekly collection schedule which includes waste (Grey Cart), Blue bag, for recyclables and Yard waste (Green cart) in the summer months

(May 1 to October 31). Carts will be delivered to your home starting in December 2015. This new program helps to keep Ponoka clean and green! It also meets the Alberta Government's requirement to reduce the amount of waste going to the landfi ll, and increase the amount we all recycle. The Ponoka Rising Sun Clubhouse is a non-profi t based organization that also offers a Blue box program. If you wish to support this worth while community service please contact them for further details. Each cart will contain paperwork like the samples shown here.Zone map- You will receive a zone map and collection calendar for your zone for the entire yearPamphlet - A pamphlet that describes the programCart Placement - When and how to place your rolling carts on collection dayAcceptable items for recyclingThis material is also available on the Town website - www.ponoka.ca. Paper copies are available at Town Hall. For more information please call the Town at 403-783-4431.

To Blue Bagor Not to Blue Bag?ACCEPTABLE MATERIAL

Tin cans Milk cartons Tetra-pak drink containers

juice boxes Aluminum foil & pie plates Paper Plastic bottles and jugs with

recycling logo Boxes (fl attened) Newspaper Cardboard egg cartons Pop cans

UNACCEPTABLE MATERIAL Styrofoam Plastic bags or fi lm Lids of any kind Glass

CART PLACEMENTFront Curb Only

For additional informationplease visit the website at www.ponoka.ca orcontact the Town of Ponoka at 403-783-4431

Blue bags will be collected on alternative weeks

to rolling waste and yard carts pick-up. See the Calendar for details.

Blue bag recycling collection is easy, effi cient and environmentally friendly. By using blue bags you are protecting materials from the elements and preventing material from blowing around in the wind. Blue bags also allow a higher volume of recyclables to be placed out with greater ease, relieving you from throwing so much in the garbage.

*Blue bags do not need to be sorted.

Please fi nd a space outside, perhaps by your garage, for your rolling carts. Make sure the space gives you easy access to your front curb, where carts will be picked up. If you don’t have a garage, try along the side of your house, next to a back or side entry. Storing the organics cart inside the garage is not recommended.

Starting January 4, garbage and yard waste will be collected from new rolling carts. This is a front curb collection service. The new Waste and Recycling Program keeps Ponoka clean and green! It also meets the Alberta government’s requirements to reduce waste going to the landfi ll, and to

increase the amount we all recycle.The carts delivered to your home have serial numbers. These are recorded and will be associated with your address. The paperwork inside the carts includes:• A Calendar showing your NEW 3-DAY Collection Schedule• A Map of the Town that will show your collection zone• An explanation of our new Blue Bag programThe new rolling cart program will ensure cleaner garbage pick-up with less wind-blown debris, greater effi ciency and fewer injuries for handlers. It will also allow you to dispose of your lawn waste right from home.*Please note that Yard Waste Collection (Green carts) will run from May 1 to October 31.Calendars with pick-up schedules are also posted on the Town website - Ponoka.ca and are available at Town Hall.

NEW WASTE AND RECYCLING PROGRAMSTARTS JANUARY 2016

Trudeau must keephis promise

But it need not remain this way, and efforts are being made to improve these relationships.

For example, with funding from Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, the Canadian Federation of Municipalities runs the First Nation-Municipal Infrastructure Partnership Program. The program helps to facilitate water servicing agreements between First Nations and municipalities. It provides workshops and other resources - such as agreement templates and case studies - to reduce costs.

Building trust and providing high-quality water services between municipalities and First Nations requires investments in physical and social infrastructure. We can all help by communicating and learning more about each other.

Brady Deaton is the McCain Family Chair in Food Security and professor in the Department of Food, Agriculture and Resource Economics at the University of Guelph. Twitter@BradyDeatonJr. Bethany Lipka is a sessional lecturer in the Department of Food, Agriculture and Resource Economics University of Guelph. She also received her MSc from this de-partment.

continued from page 27

Anywhere, anytime, fi nd us online.www.ponokanews.com


2015 Campaign for

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Ag safety bill ‘onerous’ and ‘offensive’ - Strankman Bill should be education oriented, not punitive

Concerns are being raised that the new farm safety act, introduced in provincial legislature last week, will add mountains of red tape, deplete farmers’ fi nancial resources, and drastically alter “farm-life” as children across the province know it.

Bill 6, the Enhanced Protection for Farm and Ranch Workers Act, was introduced by the NDP gov-ernment on Nov. 17. The act, if it passes into law, would see farms and ranches sub-ject to Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) legisla-tion, require farm and ranch owners to provide Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) insurance for their em-ployees and themselves, and would see farm and ranches be accountable to employment standards and labour relations legislation.

Drumheller-Stettler MLA Rick Strankman, the agri-culture critic for the op-position Wildrose Party, echoed the disappointment otherwise expressed by his

colleagues about the lack of public consultation with the agricultural stakeholders across the province.

Strankman said that the manner in which the bill was proposed “has the ap-pearance of making up rules on the fl y.” With several high-profi le child-fatalities in farm-related accidents in the past few months, including one this past weekend where a 10-year-old boy was crushed under a piece of farm equipment, there are concerns the party is “legislating fi rst and con-sulting later.”

“(The bill) is going to be excessively onerous to farmers, I think” Strankman said. “We need to continue to educate, not legislate, toward the potential safety issues. Farmers need to be continually educated on all aspects of the agricultural arena.”

That doesn’t mean Strankman is against the concept of a farm and ranch safety bill, though he’s concerned that it has been drafted by a party with-out anyone “with (farm-

ing) dirt under their nails.” Alberta is currently the only Canadian province without one, and since Bill 6 passed fi rst reading last week, Strankman’s been looking into the legislation in neighbouring provinces.

To the east, Saskatchewan has had farm safety bills for roughly three decades, but according to Strankman, a lot of the small family farmers thought the laws only applied to the larger operations.

“The farmers that I con-tacted thought they were exempt,” he said. “They’re not, they’re just not po-liced.”

He said it wasn’t very practical for the small fam-ily farmer, whose offi ce was often the kitchen table, to have to complete and keep the necessary paperwork.

British Columbia also has OH&S and WCB legislation for its agricultural industry.

“From what we can see — and it’s early infor-mation — there doesn’t seem to be a difference before the legislation and after,” Strankman said of

ABP and the editor areleading us to serfdom

I must say I am not directly part of the cattle industry, nor do I reside from (sic) Ponoka anymore, but after reading the editorial written by Mustafa Eric on the checkoff program I felt I owed it to cap-italism and freedom to respond. If there had been no name attached to this edito-rial, my best guess would have been that Karl Marx himself had written it.

Whether or not the ABP does a good job a serving its customers is beyond the point. Though from what I have heard from successful operators in the indus-try, and the fact that these checkoffs are mandatory, and not voluntarily (sic), makes it extremely doubtful that they do create value. But the most troubling part about the checkoff program and the editorial is the philosophy behind it. By sewing that these check offs must be mandatory is insinuating that beef pro-ducers are too stupid to fi gure out ways to market their commodity when left to their own devices; that free markets ar-en’t effi cient and that a big powerful cen-tralized government is needed to make business function “properly”.

This mindset is 100 per cent wrong; free markets do work. History cannot be any clearer. They have created unimaginable wealth, lifted millions from crippling pov-erty, lead to life changing innovation and have nearly tripled the average life span of humans since free market capitalism fi rst came around as economic system at the dawn of the Industrial Revolution. The cure to Canadas (sic) and Alberta cur-

rent economic slump is in fact more free-dom and capitalism not the non-sense proposed by the editorial in question. If you still have any doubts on the success of capitalism just ask the citizens of Venezuela how a government controlled economy is working out for them.

If the Alberta Beef Producers feel like there is a need to market the beef indus-try in Alberta better they should come up with a business plan and make the pitch to their check off customers like any other trader in the free market place would who thought they could provide value for value. A trader who has con-fi dence in their abilities would not be lobbying government cronies to acquire their customers by coercive force like the ABP is doing. Because of this the ABP has made it clear they do not have confi dence in their abilities.

As for last paragraph of the editorial listing the so called “mandate” of the newly sworn in Ag Minister, and quotes such as “free trade is anything but free” by the editor, should make the stomach churn of anyone who values freedom as these kind of programs and the ideology behind them will lead us down the road to serfdom.

I am well aware that with the recent elections of the far left NDP provincially, and the ever further moving left Liberals federally, that socialism is currently the fashionable thing. But being fashionable does not make it right or moral.

Denton Wierzba

STACEY LAVALLIEBLACK PRESS

Letters

the Pacifi c province.That has him optimistic

that legislature, if crafted properly, would help and not hinder Albertan farmers and ranchers. Early review of Bill 6 has him concerned, however, that the bill is heavy on punitive actions and added bureaucracy rather than education.

The measures laid out in Bill 6 “may be offensive to the small family farmer,” Strankman noted, adding that the larger farming op-erations, like large feedlots, chicken and hog opera-tions are already voluntarily working with OH&S and WCB, since it makes sense to protect themselves using the legislated standards.

A more education-ori-ented bill would work, Strankman said, much like seatbelt legislation worked when fi rst introduced.

“More and more people now put on their seatbelts because they realize the safety aspect,” he explained. “Not because they could be fi ned.”

As always, though, there are people who won’t wear their seatbelt, and an edu-cation-oriented safety bill would still need teeth for the farmers who won’t adapt. Striking a balance between teeth and exces-sive paperwork is the key, Strankman said.

Another concern ex-pressed by Strankman, his party and many agricultural stakeholders is how the bill will affect children on the farm.

“It’s a normal lifestyle for kids,” Strankman said. “There’s lots of children on the farms who go out and feed and water the animals, work with 4-H animals, and

so on.”Under the legislation, he’s

not sure how the regula-tions will play out, either positively or negatively, for children, and that requires more study.

The Wildrose Party is hop-ing the bill will now go to committee where it can be studied and ammendments recommended.

“We want to debate it at length,” he said. “If we do get to go to committee and provide ammendments, then the government can be held to task at that level.”

With a majority, and the NDP can choose to ignore recommendations by the opposition MLAs; howev-er, the process does allow MLAs like Strankman en-sure the “arguments have been provided on behalf of the people who democrati-cally elected us.”


BRIGHT & CLEAN

OPEN 6am-11pm

daily!3 sizes of washers2 sizes of

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Comfortablesitting area

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4205 64 ST., Ponoka • 403-783-8382P o n o k a • W e t a s k i w i n • L e d u c

Actors ready for Mary Poppins production

The sets are painted, the makeup and costumes ready and actors have their marks in place for the pro-duction of Mary Poppins set to open Friday, Nov. 27 at the United Church.

Hosted by Klaglahachie Fine Arts Society, the play is set for the next three weekends and leads Emma McCormick (Mary Poppins) and Perry Wilson (Bert) say they have enjoyed the pro-duction process.

“The transformation that the characters go through is very signifi cant,” said McCormick.

“I didn’t expect the play to be as deep as it is,” she added.

One of the biggest chal-lenges has been juggling technically diffi cult songs along with a high level of attentiveness needed for the dialogue. She added that the actors, production and others involved in the process have made this a memorable play.

Anyone familiar with Mary Poppins will remem-ber Miss Andrew (Kyla Hoogers), nicknamed “The Holy Terror” who causes some worry among the Banks family. McCormick says attendees will enjoy the interaction between the two.

For Wilson it is the story line that is something to remember, “Because it’s a story of redemption that anyone can identify with. Plus it has a healthy dose of magic thrown in.”

He feels Mary Poppins and Bert are angels who provide some inspiration to people they interact with. The challenge, says Wilson, is to show the magic on a


Mary Poppins is set to start Friday, Nov. 27 at the United Church for the next three weekends. Here actors rehearse a scene during a full dress rehearsal Thursday, Nov. 19.


live stage. Despite those challenges, the actors and production crew have put together something mem-orable.

“It’s the kind of show you could watch three or four times and still get some-thing out of it,” explained Wilson.

The well known play has one additional element in

its decorations and dis-play, explains director Kevin Ferguson. The production crew has added the ele-ment of Steampunk. Think 19th-century steam pow-ered technology with aes-thetic designs, it’s a visual display that adds a unique look to the production.

“It’s Mary like you’ve never seen her,” stated Ferguson.

This paper is

100% 100% RecyclableRecyclable

Are you passionate about Ponoka’s Heritage? Do you have ideas to share to make our Downtown Revitalization a reality?

The Town of Ponoka is seeking members for the new Heritage & Downton Revitalization Committee:

• Five (5) Members representing Downtown Businesses • Two (2) Members representing the public at large

If you are interested, please contact Stephen Novak - Economic Development Offi cer at 403-783-0116 or [email protected]


Everyone is welcome to join us for a day of shopping, gift wrapping, festive music and treats!

Let our Elves help you shop for Mom and Dad, Grandpa, Grandma... something for everyone on your list!

When you’re done your shopping our Elves will be glad to help you wrap and tag your gifts so you take them home ready for the Christmas tree.

Enjoy holiday treats and a visit with Santa.

We’re bringing the stores together for our unique, indoor, kid-friendly, affordable, fun one-stop shopping party!

Saturday, Dec. 5, 2015 | 10:00 am - 2:00 pm@ St. Augustine School, 5520 - 45 Ave. Cr., Ponoka

For info call 403.783.3888

Children’sChristmasShoppingParty

Selfies with SantaAvailable for a $2 donation

to Ponoka Community Christmas dinner.

PONOKA & DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ST. AUGUSTINE SCHOOL PONOKA 4H BEEF CLUBS

SPONSORED BY:

Canadian women still held back as leaders in the workplace

Randstad Canada’s fourth annual Women Shaping Business study – conducted in partner-ship with Ipsos Reid – has found that despite efforts to achieve equal-ity in the workplace, nearly three-quarters (71 per cent) of working Canadian women are in roles below the manage-ment level, and cite the number one barrier to leadership at work is an employer’s fear of ab-sence due to family obli-gations (47 per cent). The study also discovered that only fi ve per cent of working Canadian women are employed in STEM (science, technol-ogy, engineering, math) fi elds, presenting a major inequality in these key areas for Canada’s future workforce and economy.

“Change is hard, but it’s critical for business-es that want to grow and fl ourish,” said Faith Tull, senior vice presi-dent, human resourc-es, Randstad Canada. “Our research shows that organizations that promote and support women perform better in an array of areas, in-cluding fi nancially, but we’re still seeing a large gap between men and women in leadership positions, particularly in those important STEM fi elds.”

Other concern-

ing fi ndings from the 2015 Women Shaping Business study include:• More than

three-quarters of working Canadian women believe there is a divide compared to men in the work-place when it comes to salaries, infl uence in making import-ant decisions, pro-motions, and getting the best jobs, tasks or projects.

• 42 per cent of work-ing Canadian women believe they don’t ob-tain leadership posi-tions because their employer fears a pos-sible maternity leave.

• 27 per cent of work-ing Canadian women who are not in a STEM fi eld might have pur-sued a career in these areas if they had had the right support or guidance.

• Confi dence is a prob-lem with working Canadian women within STEM fi elds, with 28 per cent of those surveyed who work in STEM fi elds citing their personal confi dence as the rea-son they can’t reach a leadership position - compared to only 21 per cent of all work-ing Canadian women citing this same bar-rier.

• In person lunches/coffee (38 per cent) and social media

tools like Facebook (37 per cent) are the top ways women pre-fer to network.

“In order to remain competitive, to attract top talent and promote gender diversity in more senior roles, Canadian employers need to en-hance their offerings to alleviate workplace stress related to fami-ly obligations,” Ms. Tull added. “Making leader-ship opportunities ac-cessible and attractive for women starts with nurturing a work culture of fl exibility, openness and empowerment.”

The full survey results can be found at www.womenshapingbusiness.ca

About the Women Shaping Business pro-gram: Launched in 2012, Randstad Canada’s Women Shaping Business pro-gram aims to explore the challenges and opportuni-ties for today’s Canadian women in the workplace. A key element of the pro-gram is a nationwide sur-vey conducted annually by Randstad Canada in col-laboration with Ipsos Reid, asking Canadian women how they feel the coun-try has progressed toward more equal workplaces. This year, the survey was conducted between August 17 and 21, 2015. A sample of 1,005 working women (including 303 managers and executives) were inter-viewed online.

Randstad Canada’s Women Shaping Business study shows 47 per cent of those surveyed believe it’s because employers fear absence due to family

what prevents women from advancing to senior roles?Employers fearing absences due to family obligations

Employers fearing possible maternity leave

Existing perception of women in managerial roles

Less willingness to relocate for more senior positions than men

Personal confidence

A lack of executive sponsors or mentors for female employees

22%

38%

42%

47%

21%

16%

What prevents women from advancing to senior roles?

(CNW Group/

Randstad Canada)

CNW STORY


SERVICES OFFERED • Personal & Corporate Income Tax Planning

• Tax Return Preparation • Accounting & Audit Services• Estate Planning

• Business Advisory Service• Government Program Assistance

Ponoka Offi ce: 403-783-3315

Bashaw Offi ce (Tues): 780-372-3627

Wetaskiwin Offi ce (Mon & Thurs): 780-352-6488CHARTERED PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANTS

Business Hours:Mon. to Thurs. 9:00 am – 4:00 pm

Bay #2, 5012 48 Ave.(located next to Ponoka Dental Centre)

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Call for an appointment Call for an appointment TODAYTODAY 403-790-2700403-790-2700

SportsBroncs girls land a spot at provincials

The Broncs senior girls

volleyball team is head-ing to provincials.

The team was seeded

second at the start of zones last weekend in Sylvan Lake with home

team rivals HJ Cody Lakers determined to win. However, the Broncs

The Broncs senior girls volleyball team celebrate after winning zones last weekend in Sylvan Lake. They head to provincials Nov. 25 to 28. Photo submitted

Stampeders lose twice in overtime with same scorePonoka Stampeders had an interesting weekend of two

games, both on the road, fi rst in Three Hills on Friday, Nov.20 and later in Stettler on Saturday, Nov.21, both lost in overtime and both with a score 5-4.

In Three Hills, Ponoka boys were the fi rst the get on the scoreboard in the second minute of the game with Jaizen Threefi ngers but could not hold onto their lead when the hosts scored three in a row to fi nish the fi rst period 3-1 ahead.

But Stampeders were not to be tamed. Although Thrashers increased their lead to three goals midway through the second period, Nate Higgings scored twice in the second half of the second period to keep the Ponoka boys in the game. In the third, Brendan Scott put the last number of the regulation on the scoreboard for Stampeders to send the game to overtime.

It was the hosts who managed to create scoring op-portunity in overtime and sent Stampeders home with a single point.

As for the game in Stettler the following night, Stampeders head coach Tyler Fiveland said “It was our game but we found a way to lose it.”

Stampeders led all the way until the end of the second period but were eclipsed by he Lightning offense and lost the game again in overtime. In the fi rst period, the

sole score came from Austin Ancion for the Ponoka side. Early in the second, Mik Doell made it 2-0 for Stampeders, Lightning responded and so did Ponoka with Cody Lemon. The hosts scored again and Stampeders responded once more with Brendan Scott and the score was 4-2 for the Ponoka boys at the end of the second.

But it was all Lightning in the third period and when they scored twice in just 12 seconds, Ponoka could not reel from the shock and as the game went to overtime, the hosts managed to take the lead to end the game.

Coach Fiveland was happy with the effort on Friday night in that his players did not give up on the game and staged a comeback when they were 3-1 down to send the game to overtime. He attributed the loss to a “mental breakdown” among his players, which led them to stray from the game plan to focus on offence too much neglecting defence. As for Saturday night’s game in Stettler, he plainly said “We screwed up.” He said the boys didn’t communicate well and made some simple mistakes, which were capitalized on by the hosts.

As for his goal of being a playoff team this season, Fiveland said it was still possible to reach that objective and for that they would need to win a minimum of four more regular season games to go to playoffs.

Stampeders were scheduled to play against Blackfalds on the road on Tuesday, Nov. 24 before taking on Stettler Lightning at home on Wednesday, Nov. 25.

Brendan Scott of Ponoka Stampeders scores unassisted in the second period, taking the score to 4-2 in favour of Stampeders, as Stettler Lightning goalie Zac Weiss unsuccessfully tries to block it. However, Stampeders lost to Lightning in overtime 5-4.

Photo by Moush Sara John


BY MUSTAFA ERIC

felt differently, but get-ting the win was going to be tougher than antic-ipated.

Coach Ron Labrie said the pool the Broncs were placed in was especially tough with Wetaskiwin and Camrose looking to take Ponoka out of the running. First up was Wetaskiwin in the fourth spot in the league.

“Our fi rst match was in-credibly diffi cult against Wetaskiwin as it went to a third and deciding set,” said Labrie.

The Broncs were down 11-14 in the third set, but rather than give up the team rallied and earned their fi rst win. Next up was Camrose and a slow start hurt their chances where they subsequently lost the fi rst set.

Labrie said the second set proved a decisive win for Ponoka. The athletes capitalized on that mo-mentum and secured their second win of the series defeating Camrose in the third set.

“The semifi nal match

would be against Innisfail, a young and tal-ented team,” said Labrie of their next challenge.

The Broncs were strong in the fi rst set with solid passing and serves to grab the set against Innisfail. However, Innisfail took advantage of a series of unforced Ponoka errors early in the second peri-od. The lead proved too great and the Broncs lost the second set tying the match 1-1.

“Not unlike the pre-vious two matches, the Broncs prevailed 15-11 in the third and deciding game,” said Labrie.

This left Ponoka to face the undefeated Lakers in a fi nals match that proved less challeng-ing than expected. The Broncs won two sets with strong margins — 25-17 and 25-16 — and earned a spot at provincials. “The girls would not let off the gas pedal,” Labrie said.

The Broncs head to the 3A girls provincials championship from Nov. 25 to 28 in Bonnyville.


Invites you to celebrate ourInvites you to celebrate our

GRAND OPENING!GRAND OPENING!Saturday, November 28, 2015Saturday, November 28, 2015

1:00 – 4:00pm1:00 – 4:00pm

Ribbon CuttingRibbon CuttingMeet the CoachesMeet the CoachesOpen Gym TimeOpen Gym Time

RefreshmentsRefreshments

5800 Hwy 2A, Ponoka5800 Hwy 2A, Ponoka

Everyone

Welcome!Come CheckIt Out!

In the story headlined “Vold, Flewelling take CFR by storm” on page 23 of the Nov. 18 edition of the Ponoka News erroneous-

ly indicated that bare-back rider Jake Vold had been bucked off during a performance at the Canadian Finals Rodeo.

Vold did earn points on all six of his rides during the CFR. We regret any inconvenience this may have caused.

Correction

Ponoka’s Wyatt Avery goes after the loose puck and eventually puts it in the net despite the efforts of two Blackfalds defenders and the goaltender. The Atom A McDonalds squad would hang on to win 7-6 on Friday, Nov. 20. Photo by Jordie Dwyer

Atom A squad earns fi rst victory of the seasonIt was a good week-

end for the Ponoka’s McDonald’s Atom A squad as they managed to clinch their fi rst victory of the season.

In the fi rst of their two games at home last week-end, the team hung on to beat Blackfalds on Friday night (Nov. 20) by a count of 7-6, but couldn’t keep that momentum going and were doubled up 8-4 by Clive on Sunday, Nov. 22.

Ponoka head coach Chris Palechek was really happy with the team being able get a mark in the win col-umn.

The scoring went back and forth in the opening

20 minutes with the vis-itors notching the fi rst goal just over two minutes in, followed only seconds later by one off the stick of Ponoka’s Luke Simanton - his fi rst of three on the night.

Blackfalds would regain the lead 10 minutes later, but Jakub Palechek would get Ponoka back on even terms with a powerplay goal with less than fi ve minutes left in the fi rst period.

Ponoka would get the momentum heading to the intermission by taking a 3-2 lead on a goal by Wyatt Avery, who jammed home a loose puck on a scramble in the Blackfalds goal crease with just two seconds remaining in the

frame.Jaiden Bandet scored to

put Ponoka up by a pair about two minutes into the second period, only to have that advantage disappear on a pair of Blackfalds goals late in the frame.

Simanton got his sec-ond goal about fi ve min-utes into the third to put Ponoka up 5-4. Blackfalds would tie it two minutes later, but Avery would get a short-handed goal with a little more than seven minutes left to regain the lead.

Simanton got his hat trick marker, and the even-tual game winner, with just under two minute re-maining in the game.

Ponoka got a scare

BY JORDIE DWYER though, as Blackfalds got within one in the fi nal minute, but that would be as close as they would get.

Sunday’s match up with Clive was the complete opposite, with the visitors taking charge from the fi rst puck drop.

Clive outscored their hosts 4-1 and 3-2 in the fi rst two periods on their way to the victory.

Simanton would again earn a hat trick for Ponoka while Bandet scored the other goal.

The Atoms will have this weekend off before hitting the road for two games versus Blackfalds and Forestburg.

Results from other Ponoka teams in action over the weekend included the Lacoka Bantam female

team remaining unbeaten in seven games this sea-son with a 3-1 win versus Leduc; Calnash Trucking Atom B squad falling 8-6 to Lacombe on Saturday, Nov. 21. The Peewee A Elks were dumped 8-3 in Blackfalds, the Bantam Moose lost 8-4 in Sylvan Lake and the Lacoka Peewee female squad came out short los-ing 3-2 in Warburg.

Super League curling results

Wednesday, Nov. 18 marked the fourth week of the Adam’s Chevrolet Super League Curling. With the season now half over, the playoff picture is starting to take form. The teams atop the standing in both Pool “A” and Pool “B” hold strong leads over their opponents. Going into the last week of round robin, the standings are as follows.

Pool “A”Classic Granite Works- 245

Stebner- 240Lea- 175Waldren- 135McKelvie- 90Ponoka Professional Pharmacy- 75

Pool “B”Sherrer- 255Baron- 230Brake- 175Adam’s Chevrolet- 145Riske- 80Walton- 75

SUBMITTED

de BROEKERTPieter

Pieter Johannes Willem de Broekert was born on August 15, 1926 in Rotterdam, Netherlands to parents Maria and Anthoni de Broekert and passed away on November 13, 2015 at his home in Ponoka, Alberta with his daughter at his side. He is lovingly remembered by his daughter Carla (Don) Patterson and his son Chris (Pati) de Broekert; his grandchildren Kim (Greg), Clint (Audrey), Jaclyn (Ben); and his niece Ria. Pieter was predeceased by his wife of 56 years, Willy. A private family gathering will take place at a later date. To express condolences to Pieter’s family, please visit www.womboldfuneralhomes.com

Arrangements Entrusted To PONOKA FUNERAL HOME

~ A WOMBOLD FAMILY FUNERAL HOME ~403.783.3122

NICHOLSONAdolphine 1921 - 2015

Adolphine Nicholson of Lethbridge, beloved wife of the late Helge Nicholson, passed away on Monday, November 9, 2015 at the age of 94 years. Adolphine was born on May 13, 1921 in Bashaw, Alberta. She is survived by her children Harold (Rose) of Lethbridge, Bonnie of Vancouver; grandchildren Mark (Trish), Lana, Laura (Cory); eight great grandchildren; one great-great grandchild; sisters Helen, Marlene (Dale); brother Clarence (Anne) and numerous nieces and nephews. Cremation has been entrusted to Martin Brothers Funeral Chapel Ltd. A Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 pm, Thursday, November 26, 2015 at Evergreen Funeral Chapel, 16204 Fort Road, Edmonton. In lieu of fl owers, memorial donations may be made to the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Alberta.

EVERGREEN FUNERAL CHAPEL & RECEPTION CENTRE, CEMETERY & CREMATION CENTRE

780-472-9019

DUGGANShirley Marie Duggan passed away on November 12th, 2015 at the Ponoka Hospital and Care Centre with family by her side. Born March 2, 1929 in Ebenezer, Saskatchewan; Shirley was predeceased by her parents William and Margaret Barrett, her loving husband Robert in 1992, three brothers (Bill, John and Gerald) and two sisters Bernice Hainstock, and Louise McCaffrey.

Shirley and Bob moved to Ponoka in 1972 from their farm in Melville, Saskatchewan raising her children and working at the local Auction Market and Jones Agencies, kept life busy and interesting. Shirley and Bob retired to Candle Lake, Saskatchewan in 1984. They built their beautiful log home creating many memories with visiting family, summer stays by grandchildren and many cherished friends. Urged by her family to move closer to them, Shirley moved back to Ponoka. Spending her last 4 years residing at Legacy Place, she continued to be very active initiating card games, driving herself to visit family and friends and many social outings. Shirley was a wonderful caring daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend to many. As a talented crafter, Shirley’s beautiful paintings hang on the walls of many loved ones and her meticulously sewn quilts tuck family in each night with as much love as one could possibly impart. Family was of absolute importance to Shirley. Shirley will be greatly missed by her son Timothy Duggan (Marsha) of Lacombe, AB; her daughter Katheleen Bishop (Rick) of Morningside, AB; her four grandchildren Nathan (Lisa), Becky (Keith) Mellissa (Ryan), Shayla; great grandchildren Regan, Avery and Carson; sister Anais Rosin (Yorkton, SK); brother Arthur Barrett (Jenny) (Dalemead, AB); and many nieces and nephews. A private Memorial Tea was held at the Candle Lake Community Church on Sunday, November 22, 2015 at 1:30 p.m. for close friends and family. To celebrate Shirley’s life, in lieu of fl owers, donations in remembrance may be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. To express condolences to Shirley’s family, please visit www.womboldfuneralhomes.com.

Arrangements Entrusted ToPONOKA FUNERAL HOME

~ A WOMBOLD FAMILY FUNERAL HOME ~

LANKDennis Howard

May 20, 1939 - Nov. 16, 2015 Dennis passed away peacefully at the Ponoka Hospital and Care Centre on November 16, 2015. Dennis was married to Emily in 1959 in the small Ukrainian community of Vegreville. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Emily; children Kelly (John) Bell, Lorri (Dave) Heaslip, and Jim (Traci) Lank;

grandchildren Kelsey, Amy, Ryan, and Corrina (Levi); and fi rst great-granddaughter Freya. Dennis also leaves behind two sisters, two brothers, and numerous family members. Dennis’ most memorable times was when he was in the Royal Canadian Air Force as a certifi ed Air Frame Mechanic and travelled across Canada with the Snow Birds Aerobatic Team. As a sports enthusiast, he played fast ball with the Army-Navy Vets, lightweight boxing, and played hockey as a goalie in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan while in the Air Force. Dennis was an avid antique collector and salesman. Pride was shown when re-fi nishing furniture and old stoves. Dennis never passed a dog without saying “hello” and giving it a little scratch and pat. They always knew he cared. His love for animals stemmed into the Harness Horse business and raced in the “A” Circuit in Western Canada. He was a man of few words but carried his messages with great wisdom. Dennis always liked a good road-trip as he would often show up on your door step at any given time. He will be greatly missed. A Memorial Service will be held on Monday, December 21, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. at the Royal Canadian Legion in Ponoka. In lieu of fl owers, please donate to the Palliative Care Unit at the Ponoka Hospital and Care Centre, 5800-57 Avenue, Ponoka, AB T4J 1P1. The family would like to thank Dr. Bunting, Dr. Joe, Lisa and all the staff involved in the exceptional care and compassion to our father. The respect shown to our family was greatly appreciated, and did not go unnoticed. - The Denny Lank Family. To express condolences to Dennis’ family, please visit

www.womboldfuneralhomes.com.

Arrangements Entrusted To PONOKA FUNERAL HOME

~ A Wombold Family Funeral Home ~

1-877-223-3311

County CLASSIFIEDS

5019A Chipman Ave. Box 4217 Ponoka, AB T4J 1R6 FAX: 403-783-6300 EMAIL: classifi [email protected]

REACH OVER 217,000 READERS With one of

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Announcements What’s Happening50-70

Employment700-920

Services Directory1010-1430

Items Buy/Sell1500-1990

Agriculture2010-2210

Rental & Real Estate3000-4310

Vehicles5010-5240

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Obituaries Obituaries Obituaries

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Celebrate Your MarriageCelebrate Your MarriageWith a Milestone Announcement • 1.877.223.3311Remember to share the news with your friends & family! 403.783.3311403.783.3311

A big thank you to the Paramedics, RCMP, and Sheila from Ponoka Funeral Home,

who supported us at the time of my dad’s passing at our home.

They were kind, caring, compassionate and endlessly patient in our time of need.

we would also like to thank Dr. Chan for his care of dad for the time he resided in alberta.

CARLA AND DON PATTERSON

The family of Gerard Peters would like to extend our sincere gratitude for all the phone calls, texts, visits, cards,

fl owers and food. A special thanks to Northcott CareCentre and Ponoka Hospital & Care Centre doctors and nurses for their compassionate care. Also, thanks to all

those who helped make our day easier: PonokaFuneral Home, Sheila, Bob Hepp Catering, Ponoka

Legion, Mark & Dirk Stolk, Graham Gordon andDr. Doreen Scott for offi ciating the service. It is truly

comforting to know that many shared in the celebrationof his life (dash) The Peters Family

The family of Joan Watson wishes to express their deep appreciation to those who have offered such kindness, support and messages of sympathy and comfort in our bereavement. We especially wish to thank Dr. Chan, the staff at PGH, and Marlon and Sheila at Ponoka Funeral Home for your sincere and personal dedication to your chosen vocations. The care Mom and our family received from each of you was extraordinary. Mom was so grateful for each person who was a part of her life.

Arts & Crafts Shows ..................50Class Registrations....................51Coming Events ..........................52Lost ............................................54Found ........................................56Companions ..............................58Personals...................................60Bingos........................................64Fitness & Sports ........................66Happy Ads .................................70

What’s Happening#50 - # 70

ComingEvents 52

ComingEvents 52

Bentley ChristmasCraft & Gift

SaleSat. Dec. 5th

10 AM to 3 PMBentley

Community HallLots of local

vendors with a wide variety of items for your

shopping pleasure!

EDBERG CHRISTMAS MARKET

Sat. Nov. 28, 10 - 42 mi. South of Edberg,

1/4 mi. East. ONE STOP CHRISTMAS

SHOP!403-785-6177

Tired of Standing?Find something to sit on

in Classifieds

Looking for a new pet?Check out Classifieds to

find the purrfect pet.

ComingEvents 52

ComingEvents 52

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• Ponoka News• Stettler Independent• Bashaw Star• Castor Advance• Weekender• Lacombe Express• Pipestone Flyer

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or Local 403-309-3300

ComingEvents 52

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• Ponoka • Rimbey• Eckville• Sylvan Lake• Lacombe• Pipestone Flyer

Starting at 25 words for $45.90

Call toll free 1-877-223-3311

or Local 403-309-3300

Lost 54$5000 REWARD

leading up to or for thefi nding of 14 missing

simmental cows and 13 calves. Cows have a brand of TLX on the left rib and also possibly a brand of

PG (‘G’ is backwards) on the left rib. Calves are probablyunbranded. Went missing

in Alliance/Sedgewick area. Phone 780-386-3745

or 780-888-1258.

Meetings 59ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS

Monday night meetings at the Anglican Church Ponoka 8:30 p.m. Phone 403-783-0719 for info.

Professionals 810

Meetings 59AL-ANON WEEKLY MEETING

FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY OF ALCOHOLICS.

Tuesdays 8 p.m.Neighborhood Place

5110 - 49 Ave., PonokaFor more info 403-783-4557

ALATEEN Weekly meetings

Tuesdays @ 8 p.m. Neighborhood

Place5110 - 49 Ave.

PonokaFor more info.

403-783-4557 or 403-783-8371

Meetings 59THURSDAY AA Meetings

at 8:30 p.m. in theCatholic Church basement.

52 Street & 52 Ave.Ponoka.

403-783-4347403-783-3442

TOWN OF PONOKAFINANCE MANAGER

Ponoka is an attractive and progressive community where people of all ages enjoy a balance between the rural and urban lifestyles. Boasting one of Alberta’s lowest utility and tax structures, Ponoka offers competitive infrastructure, excellent transportation route access, a skilled workforce, along with affordable residential, farm, industrial, and commercial properties. The community of Ponoka is home to approximately 7,000 residents and employs about 80 staff on an operating budget of $15 million.Under the direction of the Director of Corporate Services, the Finance Manager will supervise a team of Accounting Technician’s in the day to day operations of the towns fi nancial operations.Duties include: ° Assist in coordinating the preparation of the annual Operating and Capital Budgets as well as 10 year Capital Budgets ° Review expenditures against the budget on a monthly basis and provide statements to Directors ° Preparing for and participating in internal as well as external audits ° Update and create various fi nancial statements and reports ° Manage the tangible capital assets and work with staff to develop procedures ° Identify and apply for grants applicable to all areas of the Towns operations ° General accounting duties such as reviewing general ledger, working with managers and reconciling various accountsThe successful applicant will possess the following skills and abilities: • Should have or be actively pursuing their CA, CMA or CGA • At least three years experience supervising staff • Experience in a municipal environment is an asset but not required • Experience working with Diamond Software an assetApplicants are asked to email resumes to [email protected] by November 29, 2015Salary will commensurate with experience and will include participation in LAPP and Health & Dental benefi ts. Hours of Work are Monday to Friday 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, 35 hours per week. The Town of Ponoka supports personal and professional development on an ongoing basis.*The Town of Ponoka thanks all applicants for their interest, however only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Rimbey Implements Ltd.

Al York General ManagerAl York General Manager

Rimbey, AB

Cell: (403) 783-0593

Bus: (403) 843-3700

Fax: (403) 843-3430

AG EQUIPMENT

AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES

A & JA & J AUTOMOTIVEAUTOMOTIVEREPAIR6701 - 46 Ave.

Ponoka, AB T4J 1J8(403) 783-8755

Al DickhautOwner/Operator

A & J AUTOMOTIVE

Al DickhautOwner/Operator

A & J AUTOMOTIVE

6701 - 46 Ave.Ponoka, AB T4J 1J8

(403) 783-8755

ANIMAL SERVICES

WETASKIWINREADY MIX

• Residential • Commercial• Agricultural

OPEN MONDAY TO SATURDAYPh: 587-786-3142

[email protected]

CONCRETE SERVICES

FOR ALL YOUR ELECTRICAL & INSTRUMENTATION NEEDSFOR ALL YOUR ELECTRICAL & INSTRUMENTATION NEEDS

•ELECTRICAL•ELECTRICAL• INSTRUMENTATION• INSTRUMENTATION

Jim KellyJim Kelly403-304-3707403-304-3707

Trent KellyTrent [email protected]@live.com

ELECTRICAL SERVICES

18th Annual

Lacombe Memorial Centre, 50 Ave. & 52 St.SATURDAY, Nov. 28, 2015 10 am – 4 pmAdmission: local Food Bank donation

CRAFTS & GIFTSLacombe Christmas Faire

PONOKA NEWS 35WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2015

Card Of Thanks

Th e right place to fi nd

the right person for

the job.

403.783.3311403.783.3311

Employment#700 - #920

Employment#700 - #920

Caregivers/Aides................710Clerical ..............................720Computer Personnel ..........730Dental ................................740Estheticians........................750Hair Stylists ........................760 Janitorial ............................770Legal ..................................780Medical ..............................790Oilfield ................................800Professionals......................810Restaurant/Hotel ................820Sales & Distributors ..........830Teachers/Tutors..................840Trades ................................850Truckers/Drivers ................860Business Opportunities......870Miscellaneous ....................880Volunteers Wanted ............890Positions Wanted ..............895Employment Training ........900Career Planning ................920

Caregivers/Aides 710

IN HOME caregiver for elderly parents, optional

accommodation avail. at no charge on a live in basis, this is not a condition of

employment, driving req’d, F/T on farm near Rimbey,

$15.75/hr. Equal opportunity employer.

Encourage all applicants. email:

POSITION FILLED

Professionals 810

Farm Work 755FEEDLOT in Central Alberta seeking F/T

employee for feed truck operator and machinery

maintenance. Send resume to fax:

403-638-3908 or e-mail to:[email protected]

FULL-TIME position on a mixed farm operation.

Some exp. nec. House can be provided. Mail resume

to: McComish Ranch, Box 2170 , Stettler, AB

T0C 2L0 or e-mail [email protected]

Medical 790HUGE DEMAND for

Medical Transcriptionists! CanScribe is Canada’s top

medical transcription training school. Learn

from home and work from home. Call today!

1-800-466-1535; www.canscribe.com info@

canscribe.com.

MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION! In-demand career!

Employers have work-at-home positions available.

Get online training you need from an employer-trusted program. Visit: CareerStep.ca/MT or

1-855-768-3362 to start training for your work-at-

home career today!

Medical 790MEDICAL TRAINEES

needed now! Hospitals & doctor’s offi ces need

certifi ed medical offi ce & administrative staff! No

experience needed! We can get you trained! Local job placement assistance available when training is

completed. Call for program details! 1-888-627-0297.

Restaurant/Hotel 820CAMERON Bay Holdings Inc. o/a McDonalds’s in Ponoka and Red Deer (Gasoline Alley East and West) is now hiring full time and part time Food Service Supervisors. Wages are between $13.95 to $16.00 per hour,depending upon experi-ence and qualifi cations. Candidates must be able to work a variety of shifts and have 3 to 5 years pre-vious experience. Must be able to supervisor up to 20 crew. Part-time applica-tions will be accepted fromCanadians and PermanentResidents. Apply in person4419 Hwy 2A, Ponoka,37479 Hwy 2, Red Deer,and 37428 Hwy 2, Red Deer or email resume [email protected] or fax to403-783-4251.

Restaurant/Hotel 820

BENTLEY SUBWAY

has immediate openings for permanent full time

and part time FOOD SERVICE SUPERVISORS for all shifts between 6:30 AM and 10 PM.

Duties include supervise and coordinate activities of staff who prepare and portion food, train new

staff, establish work schedules, order food and supplies, maintain records of stock, sales,

repairs, wastage, ensure food quality and control. Must be friendly,

reliable, and a team player. The ability to work under pressure in a fast paced environment is

necessary. High School Diploma, Food Safety

Certifi cate, and at least one year experience in

the food service industry is required. Must be able to work days, evenings,

weekends. Starting wage $13.75/hr with benefi t package available. Apply in person at 4930 - 50 Avenue

Bentley between 6:30 AM and 9 PM, or by email to [email protected]

Sur-B Enterprises Ltd.

BOBCAT SERVICE• Snow Removal• Driveways & Parking Lots• Post-Hole Augering - 6, 9, 12, 15• Corral Cleaning• Grading & Construction

Call Jim Ashbough 783-2764 or Cell: 588-0599Jack Surbey 783-5283 Cell: 588-0597

BOBCAT SERVICES

SALES & SERVICE

BOTTLE DEPOT

Call Jim Ashbough 403-783-2764or Cell: 587-729-0092

PONOKA BOTTLE DEPOT

Open Monday - Saturday10 am - 5 pm

Closed Sundays & Holidays

We Now Recycle Milk Cartons for Deposit

3, 5520 Hwy 2A(Across from Husky)

403-783-6875

Tues - Fri: 8:30 am-5:30 pmSaturday: 9 am-3 pm

403-783-51851-800-662-7135

Fax: 403-783-4635

Motorcycles & ATV’s

OVERHEAD DOORS

www.doorsondemand.ca

403-783-2454

5306 - 60 ST, PONOKA, AB T4J 1K7

PH: (403) 783-6372 • FAX (403) 783-6345

“Reasonable rates on all your plumbing needs”Gas Fitting - Home Renovations - Drain Cleaning

-24 HOUR SERVICE-

PLUMBING

SHANDALL PLUMBING LTD.

JAMES AVERY

ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS HERE

FOR JUST$30

PER WEEK.REACHING 6000 HOUSEHOLDS PER WEEK.

#4, 3616 67 St. Ponoka, AB

Gerald & TinaOwners

Location Location! Ideally located along the thriving Calgary-Edmonton Corridor - one of the fastest growing markets in Canada, Ponoka is positioned for growth. Ponoka’s strong community lifestyle appeal and ideal location offers opportunities for all. The growing and dynamic community of Ponoka boasts a vibrant, rural lifestyle in the heart of central Alberta. Nestled in the picturesque and lush Battle River Valley, Ponoka is still one of Alberta’s ‘best kept secrets’. The Town of Ponoka is home to some 6,800+ residents and is a service hub for both the oil and gas industry and the agricultural sector. Ponoka also has an innovative and thriving manufacturing sector. Ponoka is also known for its leading edge mental health and brain injury centre. Ponoka is on the move and has something for everyone. Recreation, culture, scenery, adherence to protecting sustainable practices and small town living are “keeping it real” for the next Chief Administrative Offi cer and their family. The Town of Ponoka is pleased to accept executive applications that will be considered for the position of Chief Administrative Offi cer (CAO) to lead a municipal workforce and work within a growing community.EXECUTIVE REQUIREMENTSThis executive position reports to Mayor and Council who; through, executive recruitment will require the following competencies:• Serves as an advisor to council through reporting, recommendations and assessing the issues for decision;• Builds rapport with the public, council, the region and the administration staff team; • Maintains a strategic focus and assists Council with the development and implementation of long term strategic and operational plans;• Provides fi nancial stewardship;• Administers advice and guidance to Council, Administration, Developers, new businesses and residents on Economic Development, Planning and Development • Provides stewardship of municipal resources and leadership of all staff teams and community boards and committees;• Provides policy development, Bylaw compliance and oversight, legal and contractual coordination and due diligence;• Is able to bond and build a relationship with the community.COMPETENCIES AND QUALIFICATIONS• The ability to negotiate, adapt, listen, and persuade through communication, and interpersonal leadership;• Comprehensive knowledge and experience regarding leadership and management of operations, practices, and administration;• A high level of ethical competence; strong analytical skills and manage complex fi nancial processes;• A bachelor degree and 10 - 15 years of progressive management experience, with a minimum of 5 years at a senior management level;• The commitment to executive development, motivation and training for senior administration and all staffi ng levels;• Set goals based on an established vision;• Be assertive and decisive in decision-making;• The ability to take direction and synthesize it into action plans, operational plans, emergency plans, and community development and capacity building.Wage will be negotiated via Delstan Innovations Group/The Werkz and the Town of Ponoka.Please submit your cover letter and resume electronically outlining experience, education in key municipal functions, references, reasons for applying and salary expectations by 12:00 p.m. on 11 December, 2015 to:

Ponoka is Recruiting!

Delstan Innovations GroupMunicipal Executive Recruiting AgentAttention: C.D. (Doug) Wright, CD at email:[email protected]

The WerkzMunicipal Executive Recruiting AgentAttention: Donna Tona, CTS at email:[email protected]

OR

ECKLUNDWater Well Service

WATER WELL SERVICE

• Install & Service Pumps• Shock Wells

• Pressure Systems Serviced & Installed

Home: (403) 783-3712 Cell: (403) 704-3413

PLUMBING

5110 -50 StreetBox 4414Ponoka, AlbertaT4J 1R7

JESSE ZINTER Offi ce - 403-783-5489

We now carry a complete line of

Ritchie Stockwater parts

Hours of Business:Monday - Friday7:30 am - 5 pm

PONOKA PLUMBING & HEATING• JOURNEYMAN PLUMBER REQUIRED

8:00

WATER WELL DRILLING SERVICE

BOBCAT SERVICES

• Water wells drilled• Water wells serviced

[email protected]

Ponoka Veterinary Clinic Dr. Murray Jacobson Dr. Clayton West Dr. Ashley Shannon

Mon. - Fri.8 am - 5 pm

Sat.9 am - 4:30 pm

24 Hr.Emergency403-783-4348

5502 - Hwy 2A Ponoka, AB T4J 1M1

VETERINARY SERVICES

• Dr. Murray Jacobson • Dr. Clayton West

• Dr. Nicole Macdonald • Dr. Katie Graves

ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS HERE

FOR JUST$30

PER WEEK.REACHING 6000 HOUSEHOLDS PER WEEK.

BRUCE’S BOBCATSnow Cleaning & Removal

403-783-0663TELL it all! Tell it well! Makeyour ads sell for you by givingfull description of goods orservices offered. Includeprices and terms. Phone1-877-223-3311 for a friendlyad taker.


HEATING & EAVESTROUGHING

Reaching 6000households weekly

For just$30 per week this space could be

yours!

403-783-3311

VETERINARY SERVICES

VETERINARY SERVICES

8 a.m. - 5 p.m Mon. to Sat. • Open late Thursday24-hour Emergency Call

• Dr. Kelly Loree • Dr. Leighton Coma • Dr. Trevor Hook• Dr. Jasmine Hardy • Dr. Candace Wenzel

Southwest Industrial Park 4102-64 St., Ponoka

403-783-5200

Commercial - ResidentialInstallations - Repair

3912 - 66 St, Ponokawww.wcmltd.ca

[email protected]

ADVERTISE YOUR

BUSINESS HERE

FOR JUST

$30PER WEEK.

REACHING 6000 HOUSEHOLDS PER WEEK.

On-Farm Mobile Veterinary Services

Ultrasound-aided Reproduc ve Programs

CETA Cer ed Dairy and Beef Embryo Transfer

Herd Health

Bovine Veterinary Services

Dr. Bruce Wine

Phone 403-391-1684

BOBCAT SERVICES

A division of 1127730 Alberta Ltd.

NO JOB TOO SMALL!

Locally owned/operated

CALL BRIAN HEBERT403-506-3377

PONOKA BOBCAT SERVICE

SNOW PLOWING& CLEARING

WCB • Insured • Licensed

DENTISTRY

Family Friendly Dentistry

Box 11004905 50 St.Rimbey, ABT0C 2J0

RIMBEYDENTALCAREDR. STEVE CALDER BSC DDS

Ph. (403) 843-2173Fax: (403) 843-2607

HEATING

“Committed to your comfort”

EYE CARE

Drs. Heimdahl, ZoBell & Kallal403-783-5575 1-800-662-7168403-783-5575 1-800-662-7168

WWW.4YOUREYESONLY.CA • 5120-51ST AVE, PONOKA

- ADVANCED EYE HEALTH & VISION EXAMS

- CONSULTATION & REFERRAL SERVICES

- DESIGNER EYE WEAR & CONTACT LENSES

- INSURED MEDICAL EYECARE SERVICES NOW AVAILABLE FOR ALL AGES

NEW PATIENTS ALWAYS WELCOME

OFFICE HOURSOFFICE HOURS: Monday - Friday: Monday - Friday8AM - 12:30PM • 1PM - 5PM

BIRCHLAND DENTAL CLINIC

- General Dentistry - Orthodontics - Cosmetic Dentistry - Bonding - Veneers

- Bleaching - White or Gold Fillings- Crown and Bridge - Implant Restorations

“WE ENTHUSIASTICALLY WELCOME NEW PATIENTS”

• DR. RICK BARR • DR. JEFF BARR • DR. STELIAN LISMAN• DR. DAVE CHORKWA • DR. PREETY BACHAN

PRACTICE OF DENTISTRY

403-783-5225 • 403-783-52355118 - 51 Ave., Ponoka, AB T4J 1R5

DENTAL CARE

Ph: 403-782-7722Fax: 403-782-7499

Robin Esau

[email protected]

This space could be yours for

$30PER WEEK

Call 403-783-3311

METAL RECYCLING & MORE

SERVING FARMERS, INDUSTRIAL, COMMERCIAL & THE GENERAL PUBLIC

• Mobile Shears/Magnets/Grapples

• Mobile Flattener/Baler• Mobile Excavators/

Loaders• Scrap Metal Bin Service• Demolition &

Decommissioning• Earth Moving/

Excavating/Landscaping• Scrap Metal Depot

Hwy 12 East Lacombe403-357-4415www.prometalscrap.com

Caregivers 1060WILL

BABYSITin my home403-783-4540

Cleaning 1070THE

PROFESSIONAL HOME CLEANERSWeekly – Bi-weeklyReliable – Bondable

403-786-9987

Papa’s Little Helpers

Cleaning Services

Call Jhenn at

403-963-4014

We Make It Clean

LegalServices 1260

CRIMINAL RECORD? Think: Canadian pardon.

U.S. travel waiver. Divorce? Simple.

Fast. Inexpensive. Debt recovery? Alberta

collection to $25,000. Calgary 403-228-1300/

1-800-347-2540.

Misc.Services 1290 Misc.

Services 1290

Misc.Services 1290

Our hostess will bring giftsand greetings, along withhelpful information about

your new community.

LET USWELCOME

YOU!

Heather Goodwin403-704-3647

[email protected]

EASY ALBERTA DIVORCE:

Free consultation call 1-800-320-2477 or

www.canadianlegal.orgCCA Award #1 Paralegal. A+ BBB Reputation. 26

years experience.Open Mon. - Sat.

REACH OVER 1 Million Readers Weekly. Advertise Province Wide Classifi eds. Only $269 + GST (based on 25 words or less). Call

now for details 1-800-282-6903 ext. 228;

www.awna.com.

Misc.Services 1290

FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH SPA RV Resort is your

WINTER DESTINATION for Healing Mineral Waters, Five-Star

Facilities, Activities, Entertainment, Fitness,

Friends, and Youthful Fun! $9.95/Day For New

Customers. Reservations: 1-888-800-0772,

foyspa.com

Oilfield 1305JOURNEYMAN industrial

insulator, local, 28 yrs. exp., sheet metal shop.

403-729-2005 or 403-846-5319

PersonalServices 1315

Unplanned pregnancy may be

diffi cult to face.We care. For

confi dential help call 403-343-1611 (24 hrs.)

CANADA BENEFIT GROUP. Do you or

someone you know suffer from a disability? Get up

to $40,000. from the Canadian Government. Toll free 1-888-511-2250 or www.canadabenefi t.

ca/free-assessment.

HIP OR KNEE Replacement? Arthritic

conditions? Restrictions in walking/dressing?

Disability Tax Credit. $2,000 tax credit. $20,000 refund. For Assistance:

1-844-453-5372.

Welding 1410 Welding 1410

Pet Services 1318CLINKERS

KENNELS

403-783-6272

* Quality Boarding for your dogs & cats

*Proof of vaccinations and advance bookings required

HOURS: Mon - Thurs 9 am - 12 Noon; 4 pm - 6 pm;

Fri. 9 am - 12 Noon; 4 pm - 7 pm; Sat. 9 a.m. - 12 noon;

Sun. 8:30 - 9:30 a.m. & 4 - 7 p.m.

www.clinkerskennels.ca

Rental -Misc 1350

Need RV or Self Storage?

8’ X 10’ mini

storage units

available for rent.

Also RV storage.

Secure compound.

Call Keith at

First Call Towing

783-3636

Roofing 1370METAL ROOFING & SID-ING. 32+ colours available at over 55 Distributors. 40

year warranty. 48 hour Express Service available

at select supporting Distributors. Call 1-888-263-8254.

• B-PRESSURE • PIPELINE • OILFIELD • ASME Section VIII Division I VESSEL

FABRICATION & PIPING• SHOP/PORTABLE

• CNC PLASMA CUTTING• ALUMINUM • SHEARING & FORMING

MAIN: (403) 783-7591FAX: (403) 783-8178

Website: www.harbinwelding.comE-mail: [email protected]

OUR SPECIALITYRepair of any cooling or refrigeration system

as well as large household appliances.

Berni'sRefrigerationand Appliance Service403-783-4880

PONOKA NEWS 37WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2015

Business and Services Directory

TO ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS OR SERVICE HERE CALL CLASSIFIEDS today

403-309-3300

Business Services#1000 - #1430

Restaurant/Hotel 820CAMERON BAY Holdings

Inc. o/a McDonalds’s in Ponoka and Red Deer

(Gasoline Alley East and West) is now hiring full

time and part time Food Service Supervisors. Wages are between

$13.95 to $16.00 per hour,depending upon experi-ence and qualifi cations.

Candidates must be able to work a variety of shifts

and have 3 to 5 years pre-vious experience. Must be able to supervisor up to 20

crew. Part-time applica-tions will be accepted fromCanadians and PermanentResidents. Apply in person

4419 Hwy 2A, Ponoka, 37479 Hwy 2, Red Deer, and 37428 Hwy 2, Red Deer or email resume to

[email protected] or fax to403-783-4251.

Trades 850Sunterra Meats in Trochu,

AB. is looking to fi ll theposition of HACCP/QATechnician. Duties willinvolve: maintaining

HACCP records, followingCFIA regulations, sampling

and interpretation of results, monitoring duties under the HIP program,

and training staff. Success-ful candidate needs to have good attention to detail, communication

skills, interpersonal skills, able to multi task, and

follow instructions. HACCP/QA/HIP experi-

ence/education is a defi nite asset. For more

info. call Trish at 403-442-4202. Please

send resume via e-mail to [email protected] or fax to: (403) 442-2771

BusinessOpportunities 870

GET FREE VENDING machines. Can earn

$100,000. + per year. All cash-locations provided.

Protected territories. Inter-est free fi nancing. Full

details. Call now 1-866-668-6629. Website:

www.tcvend.com.

BusinessOpportunities 870

CareerPlanning 920

Misc.Help 880WATKIN MOTORS FORD,

Vernon, BC requires a Service Manager to lead 3 Advisors, 12 technicians. Go to: watkinmotors.com, About us, Employment, to

review required qualifi cations.

EmploymentTraining 900

COME AND LEARN. Unlock your Superpowers!

Jan. 29 & 30, 2016,Edmonton. AWNA’s Annual Symposium.

Educational Sessions in Journalism, Sales Ad &

News Design. Internation-ally acclaimed speakers. Pre-Register. For more

info: www.awna.com/symposium.

JOURNALISTS, Graphic Artists, Marketing and more. Alberta’s weekly

newspapers are looking for people like you. Post

your resume online. Free. Visit: awna.com/for-job-seekers.

MASSAGE CAREER - At Alberta Institute of Massage we deliver exceptional training,

inspire learning, and ignite passion for knowledge!

“AIM for Success!” Now enrolling for January and

March full-time and distance learning

programs. 403-346-1018.

Equipment-Misc. 1620

A-CHEAP, lowest prices, steel shipping containers. Used 20’ & 40’ Seacans insulated & 40’ freezers, Special $2200 Wanted:

Professional wood carver needed. 1-866-528-7108;

www.rtccontainer.com.

Firewood 1660

FREEFIREWOOD

YOU CUTClose to town780-951-0199

LOGSSemi loads of pine, spruce,

tamarack, poplar, birch. Price depends on location

of delivery. Lil Mule Logging 403-318-4346

MusicalInstruments1770MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

& Equipment. Monitors, amps, foot pedals, guitar stands, mixer, youth fi d-dle, Hofner bass guitar & speakers. For more infor-mation call 306-297-3630

or 306-297-3854.

TravelPackages 1900

SAVE 30% on our Greenland and Wild

Labrador Voyage until December 18, 2015. See Labrador as it was meant

to be seen - By Sea - Aboard the comfortable Ocean Endeavour. No

extra charge for singles! Quote Community

Newspapers! Call toll free 1-800-363-7566 or visit: www.adventurecanada

.com. (TICO #04001400).

Agricultural#2000 - #2290

Farm Equipment ..............2010Haying Equipment ............2020Tractors ............................2030Combines & Headers ......2040Fertilizer Equipment..........2050Misc. Farm Machinery ......2060Equipment Wanted ..........2070Farm Custom Work ..........2080Farm Auctions ..................2090Livestock ..........................2100Livestock - Exotic..............2110Sheep ..............................2120Poultry ..............................2130Horses ..............................2140Horse Boarding ................2150Riding Supplies ................2160Horse/Stock Trailers ........2170Pasture Wanted ................2180Grain, Feed, Hay ..............2190Seed Grain ......................2200Seeding & Tillage ............2210

Horses 2140WE BUY HORSES: broke,

un-broke, or unwanted. Jerry Dodds 403-783-0303

Grain, FeedHay 2190HEATED CANOLA buying Green, Heated or Spring-thrashed Canola. Buying:

oats, barley, wheat & peas for feed. Buying damaged

or offgrade grain. “On Farm Pickup” Westcan

Feed & Grain, 1-877-250-5252.

ROUND BALES - Hay, green feed, straw and bulk

oats. Delivery available. No Sunday calls please. Phone 403-704-3509 or

403-704-4333.

Misc.Help 880

Misc. forSale 1760

For Rent#3000 - #3200

Acreages/Farms ..............3010Houses/Duplexes ............3020Condos/Townhouses........3030Manufactured Homes ......3040Four Plexes/Six Plexes ....3050Suites ..............................3060Cottages/Seasonal ..........3070Roommates Wanted ........3080Rooms for Rent................3090Motels/Hotels ..................3100Offices ..............................3110Stores/Commercial ..........3120Industrial ..........................3130Warehouse Space............3140Garage Space..................3150Storage Space ................3160Land ................................3170Pasture ............................3180Mobile Lot ........................3190Misc. for Rent ..................3200

Wanted to Rent#3250 - #3390

Acreages/Farms ..............3255Houses/Duplexes ............3260Suites ..............................3270Rooms..............................3280Manufactured Homes ......3290Housesitting Wanted ........3300Garage Space..................3310Storage Space ................3320Stores/Commercial ..........3330Office Space ....................3340Industrial ..........................3350Warehouse Space............3360Resorts & Cottages..........3370Pasture/Land....................3380Mobile Lot ........................3390

Houses/Duplexes 3020

3 BDRM. DUPLEXIN PONOKA,

4 appls., rent + utils. Avail. Dec. 1. 403-783-3860

Houses/Duplexes 3020

HOUSES FOR RENT4 B/R, 2 Bath homefor rent in Riverside.4 appliances, double

garage, & large backyard.

AVAILABLE DEC. 1$1,500/month + utilities. $1,500

Security Deposit. May consider small pets.

3 B/R, 1.5 Bath home w/ 1300 sq.ft. of living space. 5 appliances, single garage, fenced yard, close to school & shopping, recently

upgraded.AVAILABLE DEC. 1No pets. $1,000/month + utilities, $1,000 security deposit. No pets.

403-704-3152

Suites 3060AVAILABLE

DECEMBER 1Bachelor suite

$600/mnth including utilities403-790-6011

AVAILABLE DEC 1Quiet 2 bdrm suite

on 2nd fl oor.Close to downtown.

Community W/D.N/S, N/P. Parking avail.403-963-0937

PONOKA, 2 bdrm. suite in Riverside. Fridge, stove,

shared laundry. $675.. rent/dd. gas & water incl’d.Absolutely N/S, no pets,

Avail. imm. 780-242-0924

Suites 3060Downtown Ponoka

One bdrm ApartmentNo Smoking

No Pets403-357-0654

AVAILABLEJANUARY 1

2 bdrm$900/mnth

including utilities403-790-6011

AVAILABLE DEC 1Newer bright 3 bdrm suite

in Ponoka. Utilities incl.plus cable & internet.5 appliances, N/S, N/P.$1250/mnth plus D.D.780-217-9363

PONOKA: 2 bedroom basement suite. All utils.

included + washer/dryer. $700/mo., $700/DD. avail. Dec 1. 403-704-5768

* RIVERSIDE APTS. *Newly renovated

1 & 2 bedroom units in Ponoka: 3724-45 Street.

403-357-0287

Misc.Help 880

RoomsFor Rent 3090

ROOM FOR RENT

Fully furnished including bedding

Avail. Dec. 1

403-783-4540

StorageSpace 3160FOR RENTShared storage

heated bayin Ponoka

780-951-0199

Pasture 3180PASTURE & HAY LAND. 400 - 8000 acres of year round water supply. Full

operational with manage-ment available. Central Saskatchewan. Cross-

fenced & complete infrastructure. Natural

springs excellent water. Shortly ready to locate

cattle. Other small & large grain & pasture quarters.

$150k - $2.6m. Call Doug Rue 306-716-2671.

12345Place your ad in this newspaper and province wide

with a combined circulation of over 800,000 for only...

$995plus GST/HST

Value Ad NetworkAlberta Weekly Newspapers Association toll free 1-800-282-6903 x228 email [email protected] or visit this community newspaper

the MOST out of your advertising dollars Squeeze

RENN MILL CENTER INC.requires

PARTS DISTRIBUTION & YARDMAN REQUIRED (1)

Duties & Responsibilities:Loading and unloading trucks, receiving and distribution of parts, yard and facility

maintenance in winter and summer.Must have forklift experience and good

mechanical aptitude.Full Time-Permanent - Benefi ts available

Send resumes by fax: 403-784-2060Or email: [email protected]

Full Time & Casual Part Time Employment Opportunities(2) FT & (5) PT Guard positions with the Commissionaires

at the RCMP Detachment in Maskwacis.Guards are responsible for the monitoring and well-being of prisoners while in the care of the Police.Applicants must pass a RCMP clearance and/or criminal record check, be capable of working independently and shift work.First Aid and CPR is an asset.

To apply, contact Sgt. Kelvin Fortney [email protected]

EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITYAbacus Datagraphics Ltd. is seeking a full time

Line Locator Assistant in the Ponoka areaDuties would include assisting the party chief in locating and staking buried pipelines.

Applicants must be physically fi t and must possess a valid driver’s license, H2S and First Aid/CPR tickets.This job involves a lot of overtime and out of town work.Abacus is a fast paced company and is a friendly environment to work in. We offer a full paid benefi t program and a very competitive RRSP plan after a three month trial. There is also room for advancement within the company.

Please email resumes [email protected]

12345

NOW HIRINGLydell Group Inc.

WANTED: CLASS 1 DRIVERS FOR LOG HAUL, PROCESSOR OPERATORS (HORNET,WARATAH, LOGMAX),

HEAVY DUTY EQUIPMENT MECHANICBased out of Drayton Valley Alberta. Competitive wages

based on experience, benefits, accommodation, & drives to airport provided. Good equipment.

Fax: 780-542-6739Email: [email protected]

12345

Let us amplify your message!

Add this feature to your next career ad booking

Call for more details 1-800-282-6903 ext 235

12345

780 440 4037 | SEACAN.COM

Steel containers from 8' - 53'. 20' & 40' skids with optional 4' landings available. Mount with twist locks.

Customizable and secure. From storage to workspace.


Buy & Sell#1500 - #1990

GET YOUR BUSINESS OUT THERE

403.783.3311403.783.3311

READ THE CLASSIFIEDS &find just what you’re lookingfor. 1-877-223-3311


Real Estate#4000 - #4190

Realtors & Services..........4010Houses for Sale................4020Houses Wanted................4030Condos/Townhouses ........4040Acreages ..........................4050Acreages Wanted ............4060Farms/Land ......................4070Farms/Land Wanted ........4080Manufactured/Mobile Homes ..................4090Income Property ..............4100Commercial Property ......4110Industrial Property ............4120Cottages/Resort Property ..4130Businesses for Sale..........4140Buildings for Sale ............4150Lots for Sale ....................4160Out of Town Property ......4170Investment Opportunities ..4180Mortgages Bought/Sold....4190

Acreages 405013,500 ACRES 35 MINUTES West of

Edmonton. Tomahawk Ranch $24,775,000. Visit

hlco.ca for details. Hansen Land Brokers/Assoc.

Broker Lively Realty Ltd. Call 403-540-9659.

NIHO LAND & Cattle Co. BC Acreages for Sale.

Waterfront, building lots, recreational properties and

more. Prices start at $27,000. Contact our

recreational and rural land specialists today. Contact:

[email protected] or call 604-606-7900. Website:

www.Niho.com.

ManufacturedHomes 4090

HARVEST SALE! Save $50,000 from the

replacement cost of this 20 X 76 drywalled

Grandeur Showhome that has to go! A sacri ce at

$124,900. Call Terry 1-855-347-0417 or email:

[email protected].

Financial#4400 - #4430

Investments ......................4410Money Wanted ................4420Money to Loan ................4430

MoneyTo Loan 4430

BANK SAID NO? Bank on us! Equity

Mortgages for purchases, debt consolidation,

foreclosures, renovations. Bruised credit, self-employed,

unemployed ok. Dave Fitzpatrick:

www.albertalending.ca. 587-437-8437,

Belmor Mortgage.

GET BACK on track! Bad credit? Bills?

Unemployed? Need money? We lend!

If you own your own home - you qualify.

Pioneer Acceptance Corp. Member BBB.

1-877-987-1420; www.pioneerwest.com.

NEED A LOAN? Own property? Have bad credit? We can help! Call toll free 1-866-405-1228; www. r-

standsecondmortgages.ca.

This paper is

100% 100% RecyclableRecyclable

Looking hard

Less buzz is being given to El Nino these days as more analysts are call-ing it off in the coming months, but new weather data suggests a La Nina event is coming down the pipeline! The team over at MDA Weather Services

There are times when the outcomes fall well short of intentions that people are anticipating. How they react to those shortcomings speaks vol-umes about their ability to adapt. Governments are often victims of failed or fl awed ideologies that result in varying degrees of shortcomings; they too

Intentions vs. outcomes

BRENNAN TURNER

FarmLead

RON ORR

MLA

must have the ability to adapt.

Government decisions that have created substan-tial barriers to building new pipelines are the continua-tion of policies that result in a higher risk method of transportation. The un-intended consequence of shipping crude oil by rail is the substantially higher risk factor and a substan-tially higher carbon foot-print that goes along with that.

It is 4.5 times safer to move oil and gas by pipe-line than it is to move the same volume the same distance by rail in Canada according to a study re-leased this past summer by the Fraser Institute. The study conclusions are based on data compiled over a decade from the Canadian Transportation Safety Board and Transport Canada.

New regulations in North America are mandating that the DOT-111s railcars that were at the center of the Lac-Mégantic be re-

placed. The DOT-111s rail-cars that were at the center of one of the worst derail-ments in Canadian history, that resulted in the deaths of 47 people and destroyed half of their downtown area, must be replaced with a safer version by May of 2017. This does little to deal with the human error that was ultimately deter-mined to be the cause of the disaster.

The fl eet of designated crude oil transportation railcars in North America is estimated to be 87,500 by the end of 2015, which will bear a huge capital cost to rail companies to upgrade the entire fl eet. The cost will be passed on to you, the consumer, as the cost of transportation rises ac-cordingly.

The reported reasoning behind the rejection of the Keystone pipeline applica-tion claims it was done for environmental protec-tion reasons. That was the intent, however, the data tells a different story. The U.S. State department’s

own environmental impact study shows that emis-sions are 40% higher mov-ing oil by rail as opposed to pipeline.

Along with an increase in emissions the State Department’s study found that costs are substantially higher (three times) with rail transportation versus pipelines. These additional costs associated with the rejection of pipelines are a major contributor as to whether projects are eco-nomically viable, and that directly translates into un-employment numbers.

The intentions of those that oppose the building of more cost-effi cient and environmentally safer pipelines have not been bolstered by the undesired outcomes based on the ac-tual data.

Regardless of how gen-uine the intentions are, sometimes the outcomes can have unintended but overshadowing conse-quences.

Alberta’s Premier has fundamentally opposed

the approval and construc-tion of pipelines based on environmentally ideologi-cal beliefs that just don’t deliver the desired results of her intentions. The data also shows time and again that the outcomes of ship-ping by rail will have a far worse impact on the envi-ronment versus those of a pipeline.

Even with good inten-tions by the Premier, it will be an all around appalling outcome for Albertans.

The above article was co-compiled by a small group of Offi cial Opposition MLAs whom each week get together to talk through a legislative policy issue. As part of the process, a short commentary is compiled and then edited. The editorial committee mem-bers include Grant HUNTER, Cardston-Taber-Warner; Rick STRANKMAN, Drumheller-Stettler; Dave SCHNEIDER, Little Bow; Wes TAYLOR , Battle River-Wainwright; Ron ORR, Lacombe-Ponoka:, Mark SMITH, Devon-Drayton Valley and Don MacINTYRE, Innisfail-Sylvan Lake.

is making some pretty aggressive calls in saying that a hot, dry summer is in store for most of the major US agricultural pro-duction areas. The N.O.A.A. has admitted that the 2 events are the “extreme phases of a naturally oc-curring cycle”. While La Nina events have followed El Nino events closely a few times in the 1950s and again in the 1983/84 sea-son, budding agtech com-pany aWhere says that US crops will likely be more susceptible to El Nino con-ditions in the 2016 grow-ing season, followed by La Nina in 2017. Looking hard at the rest of the world, an El Nino in the next few months could bring more rain to South America (even bigger crops!) while some drier conditions in the Southeast Asian mar-kets (good for pulse mar-kets, and likely a short-term bump for veggie oils)!

The Ukraine Ministry of Ag is reporting that 62 per cent (or 10.1 million acres)

of fall-planted crops have emerged, of which 68 per cent is being categorized as in good or satisfactory con-dition, whereas 32 per cent is considered weak and thinned. Proportionally, 16.33 million acres of win-ter crops went in this year in Ukraine (down 10 per cent from last year), mean-ing 42 per cent of all winter crops are in good to sat-isfactory condition, while almost 20 per cent is con-sidered weak or thinned. Next door, though the 2nd week of November, Russia has exported 14.7 milllion tonnes of grain this mar-keting year, which is down 10 per cent from the same period a year ago. The ex-port tonnage includes 11.2 million tonnes of wheat, almost halfway to the ex-pected 23 million tonnes with still 6.5 months to go. A few corporate farms over there have admitted that the quality of the wheat crop this year was lower, with “a bigger-than-aver-age share” going into the

feed category. They haven’t disclosed whether this was because of poorer weather or if it was an effect of crop input changes (i.e. fertiliz-er) with the ruble devalua-tion making it hard to buy the right stuff or the right amount of crop inputs. Could we see more out of the same from the crop that was planted this fall?

The Fryers Report re-minds us that most bad crops in the Former Soviet Union states were not a result of bad fall or win-ter weather, but rather be-cause of adverse spring or summer weather. With that being said, AgResource out of Chicago suggests that they’re not too concerned about the conditions that Black Sea farmers were planting into. I’ll remind them though that, the ex-acerbation of a poorer crop is only catalyzed by poorer spring/summer weather. Should we see some more adverse weather in the re-gion in a few months, the poorer conditions that the

crop went into dorman-cy under will be the main factor in the degradation of the crop size. Looking at this situation hard from all angles, we’ll agree with AgResource for now that nothing counts until it’s in the bin, but when there’s a forest fi re warning out there, all you need is a lit-tle spark to light things off.

To growth!Brennan TurnerBrennan Turner is originally

from Foam Lake, SK, where his family started farming the land in the 1920s. After completing his degree in eco-nomics from Yale University and then playing some pro hockey, Mr. Turner spent some time working in fi nance be-fore starting FarmLead.com, a risk-free, transparent online and now mobile grain mar-ketplace (app available for iOS and Android). His week-ly column is a summary of his free, daily market note, the FarmLead Breakfast Brief. He can be reached via email ([email protected]) or phone (1-855-332-7653).

UP-TO-DATE COMMUNITY NEWS ATW W W. P O N O K A N E W S . C O M


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www.legacyfordponoka.ca

YOUR LEGACY TEAM

Pat BoardmanGeneral

Sales Manager

Robin PatrickSales

Consultant

Trevor FeragenSales

Consultant

Eric DortmanSales

Consultant

Kelly PerrasFinance

Manager

ponoka news, november 25, 2015

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