It is with grea­­t sadness that we announce the passing of Kathleen Elliott at the age of 94 years.  She is survived by her loving family; children, Eva (Ken), Don, Allan; four grandsons, eight great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.  Kathleen also leaves behind many loving family members and friends.  She was predeceased by her husband William in 1987.  A Celebration of Kathleen’s Life was held on Sunday, May 6, 2012, 1:00pm at the Yeoford Community Hall. Cremation has taken place and donations can be made in Kathleen’s memory to the Old Timer’s Association, 5th Avenue & 4th Street, 

P.O. Box 150, Winfield, AB, T0C 2X0

There are several significant ways in which Christianity is unique, different from all other religions.  This uniqueness is centered in Jesus Christ.

    It has been said that, "Religion is mankind's search for God; Christianity is God's search for mankind."  The God who searches for mankind is unique as a triune being, God, Father and Son and Holy Spirit.  He uniquely prepared a special people through whom He gave us His written Word, the Bible, with its hundreds of accurate predictions of His living Word, Jesus.  He came to earth to live a perfect human life as Son of God and Son of Man; Jesus, who uniquely kept His will perfectly in tune with the will of God the Father.  

Some ancient mythologies contain imitation accounts of imperfect, lustful gods deceiving or raping beautiful women and producing great warrior heroes, but none of them are anything like the gentle account of God the Holy Spirit softly coming upon a willing virgin to beget God the Son, Jesus.  

     Christianity is unique in its declaration that our good works can not earn us a place in God's good books.  Paul wrote, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works , so that no one can boast." (Eph. 2:8-9 NIV)  We can only accept or reject that wonderful free gift of reconciliation with God which Jesus earned for us through His sacrificial death on the cross in place of us.  God does expect us to do good things, not to earn His acceptance, but to express appreciation for the joy and wonder of living in relationship with Him.  That subtle difference in motivation is huge, and unique to Christianity, as is our relationship to God.  We are enabled to live in a love relationship with God, not because He disregards our wrong-doing and rebellion, but because Jesus' shed blood has cleansed us and paid the penalty for us so that we can stand before God as righteous.

     Christianity is also the only religion which points to its founder's empty grave, empty because He, Jesus, rose from the dead and is alive forevermore.  We also have the promise that we, too, will rise from the dead to eternal life, an eternity in which we ourselves will live in the very presence of our glorious God, Father and Son and Holy Spirit.

     When understood as a whole, Christianity is also a uniquely logical faith resting on God's great power, knowledge, love and justice.  At the same time, it is uniquely personal as we experience the comfort, peace and joy of God's presence and learn to recognize how He communicates directly to each one of us.  One God, one Bible, one Saviour and Lord, one way to forgiveness, one blessed and joyous life now and forever.  What more could we possibly want?

 

Mayor Elliot welcomed everyone to the Chamber of Commerce Breakfast on April 30th with several community reminders. Coffee With The Mayor, taking place on May 10th from 9-11am at Sweetly Twisted and stating that he was looking forward to the discussions with residents as well as enjoying the amazing sweets that the shop offers.

He also made sure no one would forget that May 12th will be Stan Reynold's Day at the Reynold's Museum, with free admission in the afternoon and a celebration of Stan Reynold's life.

Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Alan Greene, stepped up to the podium to welcome in the newly elected Chamber Board Members and to sadly announce the closure of the Iron Boar Pub and Pipestone Food Co. Alan did reassure everyone that enjoyed the Pipestone's food that they are opening a little cafe in the Reynold's Museum that will offer the same great quality fare.

Alan then informed the packed room at the Montgomery Glen Golf and Country Club, that the rodeo and Wetaskiwin's Pioneer Days were fast approaching on June 8, 9&10. The "Amazing Race" that took place during that event would now be replaced by the Boys and Girls Club's "Race For Kids".  Alan told everyone that there is still room for teams to enter by putting together a group of at least five people that have raised a minimum of $70.00 in pledges per person plus a $10.00/person entry fee. Racers must be over 18 years of age and there are cash prizes for the top three teams.   

Then it was time for Alan to welcome the morning's guest speaker Wetaskiwin-Camrose MLA Verlyn Olson to the podium. A round of applause followed Verlyn as he made his way to the front of the room and when he reached the microphone he joked, "I'm surprised that people want to hear from a politician again so soon after an election!" 

He then went on to tell everyone that he was still in the process of shifting gears from campaigning back to the job of being an MLA. He stated that what he enjoyed most about campaigning was how nice it was to have so much direct contact with the constituency. 

At the time of this breakfast Verlyn said that he was still waiting to see what position he would be given in Cabinet, as there were a lot of changes anticipated and nothing is ever assured. 

In February of 2011 Verlyn took over the position of Minister of Justice when Alison Redford stepped down from that position in order to run for Premier. He said that he felt very fortunate to be chosen for that post and was aware that several different circumstances could cause it to be a short term position for him to hold.

During the time that Verlyn has been Minister of Justice he spoke of how he has seen and participated in a three year pilot project of the Safe Communities Initiative that is just coming to an end. He also stated that there are several interesting projects that are being developed within the Ministry and that he would be very interested in seeing them through to completion, but whatever role he was given in Cabinet he would fill that role to the best of his abilities.   

Verlyn then talked about how the Alberta Provincial Government supported a lot of the Tough On Crime legislation that the Federal Government brought in, and how important that was. Supporting things such as the Civil Forfeiture Act so police can go after the proceeds of crime such as cars, houses and cash, and return some of that to the victims. Due to that legislation, over $25 million worth of assets have been seized and is currently in the process of being circulated back into programs that benefit the victims of crime. He also told everyone about legislation coming in regarding body armor and the new witness protection legislation that he had helped to work on. 

Verlyn then talked about the "Wholistic Approach" to crime prevention that attacks the root causes of crime, which is an initiative that he feels is incredibly important. One of the projects that Verlyn stated he is "excited" about is an initiative that deals with the issues of recidivism. He stated "There is a small percentage of people creating the largest amount of crime. The most common causes behind these crimes can be drugs, addictions or medical issues. The program being created is designed to deal with these issues and help prevent crimes before they happen. We need to see these people as sick as opposed to just criminals."

He told of speaking to an expert in this field who stated that there were two places in the world that are leading this type of work. One was Portugal and the other is Alberta, and that we should be very proud of our Province for being so forward thinking.

Verlyn went on to say that he feels very fortunate to live in Alberta with a vibrant economy, the Country's lowest unemployment rate at 5.5% and the lowest tax rates. He stated that Alberta is very welcoming to incoming businesses and investment companies and because of that there are a lot of economic advantages here.  

In closing, Verlyn shared that the question he has is whether he will get to continue working on these issues as Justice Minister or whether he will be given another role to fulfill when Premier Redford announces her Cabinet. However, Verlyn assured everyone that no matter what happens, or which position he holds, he will continue to serve his electorate first and foremost.

Friday May 4, 2012 saw a historic moment happen for the Leduc Chamber of Commerce. In the opening comments of the luncheon that took place at the Executive Royal Inn, Chamber Executive Stefanie Schulz quoted Henry Ford by saying "Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success." This prefaced the signing of an agreement between the Leduc Chamber, Thorsby and Devon Chambers and the Beaumont Business Association. This letter of accord will initiate the sharing of ideas and initiatives between the four groups as well as offering benefits and increased value for businesses between each group's member base.

When the signing was complete, Stefanie stepped back up to the podium for a moment to welcome twelve different Chamber members onto the stage by stating; "We are in business for business!" Then each of the twelve members came onstage one at a time, and beginning with the phrase "Did you know....", continued on to give bursts of information about the benefits of being a member of the Chamber of Commerce. Benefits such as reduced insurance rates, member to member discounts and help organizing Grand Openings, to name just a few. After eleven such statements, the final member approached the microphone and got a laugh from the crowd by joking, "Did you know.....that I was going to begin by saying, 'Did you know'?"

After the statements were completed, Chamber President Ashley Robinson welcomed fifteen new members into the Chamber family for the month of April. Then Stefanie had the pleasure of announcing the guest speaker for the luncheon, who was Edmonton Eskimo's Head Coach, Kavis Reed.

Kavis came to the podium joking that he should petition his wife to move to Leduc since he has been here so often this year. The crowd completely agreed with a rousing round of applause. He laughingly continued on to say that he just needed to check into land taxes in Leduc and if the LRT could be expanded so he could get to work quickly. 

With the draft taking place that day, Kavis knew the crowd would have a lot of questions as to who the new quarterback was going to be, so he headed off those inquiries and guesses by saying with a smile, "When you guys figure that out, please let me know!" 

He kept his presentation fairly short but he did state that, "In football, just like in business, you never make a move for a fast answer because it is then a reactive answer and that is never a good plan. You always make moves looking two years ahead and planning for success, be it upcoming or continued."

Kavis's speech was very well accepted by all the business people at the luncheon but once it had ended everyone's attention was quickly sidetracked by the drawing of the 50/50 tickets. As per the initiative of the Leduc Chamber to give proceeds from the luncheon to a local charity, this month they had decided to donate the Chamber's half of the 50/50 money to the Aspholm family of Leduc who have two seriously ill children that require expensive treatments. A truly uplifting moment at the end of the luncheon that really shows the heart and soul of the people in Leduc, happened when the winner of the 50/50 draw was announced. Gert Reynar, Director of the Leduc Food Bank, won the draw and promptly announced that she was donating the winnings to the Aspholm family as well. So, with a final well deserved round of applause, the May Chamber of Commerce Luncheon came to a heartwarming close.

The next Lucheon takes place on June 8th at the Red Tail Landing Golf Club and Travel Alberta will be doing a presentation titled "What's Going On In Your Back Yard?" As always, more information can be had, and luncheon tickets can be reserved, by calling the Leduc Chamber of Commerce at 780-986-5454.

 

On Wednesday, April 25th, the Lakedell Agricultural Centre was filled with women from across central Alberta who came out to enjoy a day of “Life, Love & Laughter” at the Lakedell Women’s Conference.

While the weather outside was wet and dreary, the hall was full of life with bright spring décor, including a hand-made old fashioned wheel barrow, thanks to the decorating talents of Cheryl Satre.

In continuation of the spring theme, Carmon Frick from Sprouts Greenhouse began the day with a wonderful power point presentation on planting and arrangements.  Her presentation illustrated some colorful and unique flower arrangements and Carmon provided some great tips on using various textures and plants to create an eye-appealing display of plants and flowers.  Located just 20 km west of the Village at Pigeon Lake, Sprouts Greenhouse provides a wide array of plants and flowers, with the added value of knowledgeable and personal service.

Margaret Sanders from “mindsprings” lead the ladies with her presentation on “Receiving the Gift of Good Conversation.”  Margaret lives on the shore of Pigeon Lake in the Westerose area and is dedicated to hosting conversations that matter and is an architect of process for individual or group coaching and discovery.  Margaret got the group going in an open discussion where they picked someone else in the audience and shared a past experience that brought them good memories.  The audience was encouraged to really listen to what the other person was saying without commenting or thinking of how the other person’s story related to themselves.  When everyone was participating in Margaret’s activity, the room came to life with smiles and laughter and a new story from someone else’s life.

Barb & Carolyn Karlstrom from then took the stage to share the various technologies provided by their company, Empowering Balance.  They spoke on the constant “mind chatter” that continuously goes on in our minds and how their products help reduce that “chatter” so we can become more relaxed and focused.  The audience was asked to recite certain words together as a group and their voices were recorded onto a computer.  The sounds are then analyzed by the program.  The benefits of the various systems include a greater sense of well-being, happiness, relaxation, harmony, improved sleep, improved focus, and enhanced sports and business performance.  Barb and Carolyn shared their personal experiences of an improved life while using these products and systems.  

The Keynote speaker for the day was the 2007 Global Television Woman of Vision for January 2007, Wendy Edey “The Hope Lady.”  Wendy is the Director of Counseling at “The Hope Foundation of Alberta,” an internationally recognized centre for hope studies.  As a blind person, Wendy is a wonderful example of what you can accomplish with a positive attitude and a little hope!  Wendy’s presentation on “Finding Hope When You Can’t Fix Everything” hit home with everyone in attendance on a subject that we all could relate to. She encouraged us to change our thinking to become more positive and express hope in all that we do and see hope in what lies ahead.   

Janelle Ford and some of her students from “Yoga at the Lake” provided the audience with a little taste of some of exhilarating poses that are used in the various yoga classes instructed by Janelle at the Village at Pigeon Lake.  She currently offers various daytime and evening classes of heated and no heat/beginner classes and will soon be starting yoga for hockey players!  Janelle’s many years of instructing experience, along with her kind and patient demeanor make her an excellent yoga instructor and she welcomes yoga students of all levels.

The audience was wowed by the sword dance demonstration by the extremely talented Rena Sorenson.  Rena has been an instructor and professional performer in Greek and Arabic restaurants throughout Edmonton.   While balancing a sword on various parts of her body, Rena displayed an exciting artistic demonstration of belly dancing with a twist!  

Thanks to Christine Boake, owner of the Country Sampler, the audience was treated to a surprise visit from Cobi Ladner, creator of cobistyle and past Editor of Canadian House and Home Magazine for 15 years.  With her down-to-earth personality, Cobi provided some great advice on home décor.  She encouraged everyone to decorate with items that inspired them, things that hold a meaning, and not necessarily what is the trend for the year.  She spoke of her love of colors and suggested that you add some excitement to your brown leather furniture and tan walls!

It wouldn’t be a woman’s conference without a fashion show!  Thanks to Carol and Cindy from the Bluffton Boutique and all the models that provided a great display of spring and summer fashions.  The Bluffton Boutique is open Mondays to Saturdays and offers a wide variety of styles and sizes from Junior to 3X.  The personalized service provided at the Boutique results in a large volume of repeat customers.

The day wound up with the antics of comedian Bob Beddow who shared his experience of an accident while driving his wife’s car.  Bob’s life motto is “If it hasn’t happened to you,….it will.”  

Other entertainment for the day included the beautiful music provided by local musicians Jasmine Whenham and Lesley Schatz. Jasmine belted out three beautiful songs before lunch and brought the audience to a standing ovation.  Jasmine has returned to the Canadian music scene this February with the release of her second fully produced studio recording, Bandaids.  Bandaids is a collection of material that tells an emotional, hopeful story of coming to terms with grief, from heartbreak to acceptance.

Lesley Schatz brought her wide guitar, banjo and mouthbow to entertain the ladies who wanted to stay and visit and enjoy her music during the wine social.  After listening to Lesley, you can understand why she is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement award from the Alberta Women of Country Music Hall of Fame.  Lesley's musical composition (Mother Love) was included on a UNESCO-endorsed "New Songs for Peace" project that is intended to encourage people to think, talk, and write new songs about peace, which will eventually become a book. These songs will promote peace, cultural acceptance and understanding for those who work towards peace throughout the world.  We are truly fortunate to have these talented ladies in our community. 

The day also included displays by the various presenters, as well as displays  by Brenda Smawley from True Energy, Marsha Mantai from West Country Nails, and Terry Odegard with Body by Vi.  The ladies in attendance were treated to numerous door prizes graciously donated by the many sponsors and a delicious lunch and snacks made by Carey and Jisteen Stewart of Maple Leaf Catering.

The Sabres Annual Spring camp starts on Monday, May 14 with equipment hand out and registration at the Sabres’ Den at Norm Brown Field.

Sabres Head Coach Kevin Gibson is enthusiastic about the upcoming camp and the fall season.  “We have some very skilled players and leaders returning for the fall.  An example is the rare and exciting opportunity to see senior, Josh Saddleback, build on his skills as our starting quarterback for three consecutive years.”

In addition to returning coaches Steve Majek, Kevin Schular and Jim Moser, the Sabres are very pleased to have Dylan Graff join the coaching staff.  Graff is a Sabres Football alumnus and most recently played and coached with the Edmonton Wildcats of the Prairie Junior Football League.  

The coaches and players have been recruiting in the Wetaskiwin area schools, looking for dedicated athletes who are currently in Gr 9 & 10 and will be enrolled in the fall at WCHS.  Offensive coordinator Kevin Schular has let recruits know that, “spring camp is a terrific way to get involved in a low pressure football experience, especially if a recruit is unsure about his football skills.”  Coach Schular also reminded  the recruits that they only have three years of eligibility to play athletics in high school and that everyone on the Sabres football team gets playing time in the games if they are dedicated to school and team.

The Sabres spring camp includes a meeting with a team returning to the Central Alberta League after more than a 30 year hiatus.  Defensive coordinator Steve Majek stated that, “We are really looking forward to our scrimmage against the Ponoka Broncs on May 30.  We see it as the start of a great rivalry with our neighbors down the 2A highway, like the rivalry we have with Camrose when we play for the Highway 13 Bowl.”  The Broncs have most recently been involved in the successful and burgeoning 6 man football league in Alberta.

Players must have $70 for spring camp fee, a $150 equipment deposit cheque, and completed forms to receive equipment and participate in practices and games.  The May 14th registration evening includes a non-equipment skills session.  Players will need cleats and athletic wear.  

For more information, players can contact Coach Gibson by email gibsonk@wrps.ab.ca 

 

Do you have a haven, a personal sanctuary, not unlike a harbor, a place you can feel  safe; leave the troubles of the world behind you, if only temporary? A place where you can run in the buff or wear your most gorgeous (or outrageous) clothes just because you feel good in them, all alone by yourself? Do you have a place you can escape to in such ways and briefly avoid the hustle and bustle, the pressures of a world of  “eat, sleep, work, socialize (by choice or not) sleep, eat and back to work” once again; trying to ignore the driver behind you who wears a face of  “road rage” and the anxiety of what awaits you at the office or your place of work? 

For anyone who harbors any of these feelings, even at infrequent times, there is a simple answer. If one is mobile, physically, without requiring aid to driving somewhere or walking on one’s own, one can easily find that little place, whether it be a far corner in a little park within the confines of a big city; a corner where there is quiet, a murmur of water over rocks in a man-made stream, or just the flutter of bird wings in branches above; or merely the sun’s rays filtering through the branches of green fronds high above.

It may also be a special corner on a lanai, a patio, a sunroom in a senior’s complex where one can finally relax, sit back with a favorite book, photo album, a favorite comforter about the knees; take in the sun, sounds and reminisce  of days gone by but never lost;  of days that are still to come (tomorrow, by gosh) because family  is still around you and they need and demand you  because you are still needed to be a part of that expanding, growing family.

For single parents, mothers and fathers, yes, you can also find your haven of peace, quiet, alone if desired, or with your children. There are programs and family groups to help a single parent find himself, or herself, time just to “re-energize”, to “super-infuse” themselves for a day or two, without losing the love and confidence of their children, and not subjecting them  (the children) to a possibly unstable or potentially dangerous situation with former family members. A single parent is not something less, not something failed. A single Dad can also enjoy a day away from “parental custody” stress by taking himself off and away from the rigors of  job, child custody, and look up old fish’in buddies, card playing or golfing; or, he can relive his old childhood  by just taking the kids for a day or two of rides at the mall or a sun-burning day at the fish’in hole just outside of town, and lot of burnt marshmallows!

Being an older person, eccentric at most (I’ve been told many writers are eccentric) I’m proud to be included! Today, I have taken this issue of personal comfort, importance of worth (the need to be productive) and without further ado, wish to show you MY personal “Sleepy Hollow” even though the movie “Sleepy Hollow” ends in a violent (Oh, but so romantic) end. I return summer after summer to this beautiful, rugged spot out on a country acreage to watch the stars sparkle at night, and try to guess which one is just the satellite or a real honest-to-goodness universal star!

So it goes, everyone has their “Nirvana” , a place found, that holds peace , quiet, and the love of just being there. I also realize there are people today who are fighting to find this place and my heart hurts when I think of it.

All I know is patience, (to do what needs to be done) and determination wins. It may take a while, but in the end, nothing is lost, so much is learned, and suddenly there it is! Nirvana! A place to start,  a time to start anew! As I watch headlights of a car passing on my “Sleepy Hollow” country road, at four in the morning, someone going to work, going home or just a midnight traveler, I realize, just like those green moss-covered branches of my “Sleepy Hollow” tree; life goes on, winter through summer, and there is always tomorrow that will shine through!

 

The Wetaskiwin County Council chambers were invaded on May 1st by a delegation of more than 143 individuals protesting the supposed enforcement of the three decades old zoning bylaw which does not accept RVs or Park Model Trailers as permitted residences in areas zoned residential.  The situation was an example of how misunderstanding, rumours and false assumptions can be used to arouse needless anger and manipulate normally reasonable people.  Let's look at the whole historic context.

1976:  The County of Wetaskiwin developed the zoning and land use bylaw.

1995:  “Land Use Bylaw 95/54 was approved by County Council after extensive public consultation and a public hearing.”  This was a fine tuning of the 1976 bylaw.  Residential land use districts list permitted or discretionary use with cabins, manufactured homes or standard constructed stick built dwellings for residences.  Because RVs are not included in the list, they are not allowed to be used as residences in residential land use districts.  They may be used in Recreational and Recreational Resort Holdings districts.  

2008 and following:  The international economic down turn was evident in slower land sales and more owners wanting to use RVs as residences.

2010:  County Council observed two things:

During the County Tour, they noted an increase in the unauthorized use of RVs, especially in several of the newer subdivisions around Buck Lake.

They saw realtors outside of the County advertising residential lots for RV use in subdivisions that do not allow for RVs to be used in place of single family dwellings.

At the 2010 Strategic Planning Meetings, one enforcement strategy was to “Educate Realtors regarding Municipal Reserve and Environmental Reserve uses and development regulations.”

2011:  The Subdivision and Development Appeal Board asked the County what steps it would take to prevent instances of unauthorized use of Recreational Vehicles as Residences from appearing before the Board at an increased rate.  The County informed the board of its strategy to educate realtors, a process by which “Council hopes to reduce the number of parcels sold under false assumptions regarding the allowed uses including lakefront properties where Environmental and Municipal Reserves exist.”

The Council also “re-affirmed the existing provisions of the Land Use Bylaw concerning the use of Recreational Vehicles in residential areas.”

2012:  At the end of February, the County, in an effort to educate, sent a comprehensive information letter to realtors within and outside the County.  Besides addressing the County Land Use Bylaw 95/54, it noted that RVs and Park Model Trailers do not meet the basic criteria for use as a residential dwelling under the Alberta Safety Codes Act as they do not meet minimum requirements of construction under Part Nine of the Building Code, nor can they be brought up to this standard.  Manufacturers of these units agree with this assessment and add that use of RVs and Park Models as residences may void warranties.  The letter was well written, clear and covered the various aspects of the situation well.  This letter made no mention of enforcement.  It was written with the intent of giving realtors the information they needed to follow the common principle to disclose to potential buyers the residential use allowed on a residential property.

Some of the realtors took exception to this letter and misunderstood, misinterpreted,  made assumptions or spread rumours as to its contents and intent—hence the huge, angry delegation.  One of the realtors e-mailed this paper with the view that the County was enforcing new and unacceptable regulations.  They then forwarded a copy of a letter they had sent out, but sent it shrunk so small that it was almost unreadable because of blurring even when enlarged.  A request was made to have it resent in a legible format, which was promised but never sent.  Is that because they did not want us to see the exaggerations and incorrect statements in the letter?  They wrote, “They don't want you to have RV guests even for a weekend, and you can't allow a guest or family member to stay in your RV even for a night.”  That piece of pure  fiction certainly achieved its purpose of getting people riled up!  The last paragraph reads, “Be aware that enforcement started in Division 7.  They started in Alder Flats, are currently working in Buck Lake, intend to move on to Winfield, then Pigeon Lake and so forth.  Let's stop them in their tracks!”   

I wonder if they are confusing the enforcement of Land Use Bylaw 95/54 with the assessment of the whole county which was begun at the west end and is tracked in the County ads, or if they are referring to a particular case of enforcement of Land Use Bylaw 95/54 which has occurred in Alder Flats during the past two years?  The Alder Flats situation began when the 2010 Council Tour observed a large new motor home connected to utilities on a lot.  When it was allowed to stay, an old converted school bus was soon established on a nearby lot.  Neighbours complained and the bylaw was enforced.  I understand that houses have now been built on both lots.

The County recognizes that the original Land Use Bylaw was approved in 1976 with no enforcement and no will to enforce.  Historically, the County has enforced this bylaw when complaints have brought situations to its attention.   The letter made no mention of enforcement.  Its intent was to facilitate the common principle that realtors would disclose to potential buyers the residential use allowed on residential zoned property, thus reducing the number of new violations of the bylaw.  

It should be noted that it is the developer of the land who chooses and applies for the zoning for the intended use of their development.   Also, the County has no involvement with  any restrictive covenants put in place by the original developers of a subdivision other than the bylaw taking precedence over such covenants.

The Wetaskiwin County Council will now seek expert legal advice and consider all options.  It wants to know the views of all stakeholders, including those who have built beautiful houses, and wants to find the solution which is right for the County of Wetaskiwin.  The COUNTY will hold an OPEN HOUSE in the BUCK LAKE COMMUNITY CENTRE on WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27th.

LEDUC COUNTY COUNCIL

Lorna Lowe

 

Council was called to order at 1:29 pm with Councillor Schonewille and Mayor Whaley absent to attend an oil and gas show in Houston Texas through the Leduc/Nisku EDA.

The first order of business was Councillor MacKay making a motion to nominate Councillor Stumph as Acting Deputy Mayor until the return of Mayor Whaley. The motion was passed unanimously.

There were no public presentations at this meeting and one addition to the agenda was adopted.

Jennifer Hourihan, the Director of FCSS for the County of Leduc, approached Council with a recommendation that Mayor Whaley, on behalf of Leduc County and the FCSS Advisory Committee, send letters to MLA's George Rogers and Diana McQueen requesting that the Alberta Government increase the Provincial FCSS Funding Grant by seven percent, or approximately five million dollars, for the 2012/13 fiscal year.

Councillor Kelto made a motion to send both letters and stated that FCSS is very important and that Leduc County should be proud of all the programs that we have through FCSS. The motion was passed unanimously.

The next item up for discussion was the addition to the agenda, which was a request from the Nisku Recreation Centre to extend the contract termination date of May 31, 2012. The extension would facilitate a smoother transition and provide staff additional time to "get their ducks in a row." Councillor Kelto motioned for approval and it was passed unanimously.

Then the Development Permit Application from Mr. Randy Samardzic for his Farm, Home and Garden Equipment Sales and Service business out by Thorsby came before Council. The business location on NE 26-49-1-W5 is under the Direct Control Land Use District. The Development Permit was brought forward with the recommendation that it be approved with a list of nine conditions to be met. Councillor Kelto asked if Mr. Samardzic had had an opportunity to read through the conditions since he was not able to attend Council that day. 

Development Officer Mr. Doug Woodliffe, stated that he did not believe Mr. Samardzic had read through the conditions. 

Councillor Kelto then motioned to defer this issue until the time that Mr. Samardzic had read through the permit, as it does state that he would not be allowed to display machinery on his property and that might be something he was wishing to do. The motion to defer was passed unanimously.

Council then set the date of June 12, 2012 at 7 pm at the Nisku Recreation Centre to hold a public hearing on the Watermere Resort Local Area Structure Plan. This is planned to be a private resort encompassing 309.73 acres on the west side of Hwy 771 across from Zeiner Park at Pigeon Lake. 

Councillor Glassman asked if any County staff members had attended the open house the developers had already put on for the area residents, and questioned how it had gone.

D'Anne O'Keefe, Manager of Current Panning, replied that a couple of staff members had gone to the open house and it had been very well attended. She stated that a lot of concern had been voiced by the the public at that event.

Councillor Harrison motioned for acceptance of the date for the Public Hearing and it was passed unanimously.

Council then received a letter of thanks from the Looma Good Deed Association in appreciation of the funding that the County of Leduc had given them. The letter said that they had used the funds to upgrade, and for the Maintainance of, the Looma Community Hall. They stated that this hall is used by many different groups and that the funding provided had contributed to the the community's comfort and enjoyment of the hall. The letter was entered as information.

There were no in camera items to discuss and the meeting was adjourned at 2:06 pm.

 

TOWN OF CALMAR COUNCIL

Lorna Lowe

 

Council was called to order at 6:58 pm with Councillor Bartlett absent.

There were no public presentations or hearings and the agenda was adopted with one addition.

Invitation to Rainmaker Rodeo Parade: Council voted not to attend.

Sponsorship Request From Alberta Health Services for Their 20th Annual Charity Classic Golf Tournament in Support of The Leduc Community Hospital: Mayor Faulkner stated that he feels this is a cause that is beneficial to the area so he has no problem supporting this charity. Councillor Borodawka motioned to sponsor a hole in the tournament and to allow someone on Council from the Town of Calmar to attend as well. Council passed this unanimously.

Invitation to the Sturgeon County 2012 Mayor's Golf Tournament: Council voted not to attend.

Invitation to Atco Cup 2012 Edmonton Classic Horse Show: Mayor Faulkner will be attending.

Invitation to Leduc Black Gold Days Parade: Councillor Wiancko will be attending.

Invitation to Leduc/Nisku EDA May Partnership Breakfast: Councillor Borodawka will be attending.

Invitation to attend Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation 2012 Energize Workshop: Councillor Borodawka stated that she felt it would be a good idea for someone to attend this workshop as it has a lot of valuable information and sessions taking place. However, no Councillors were able to confirm attendance during the meeting due to conflicting events, so the invitation was left open pending confirmation of attendance.

Additional Item; Approval to Purchase Two Used Pickup Trucks: The issue before Council was whether to approve the purchase of two gently used trucks instead of one brand new truck for various uses throughout the Town and County. Mr. Ed Melesko with the County of Leduc was looking for approval to search for the vehicles as the cost would be shared between the Town of Calmar and the County of Leduc. 

Councillor Wiancko asked for Council to refresh his memory on why these trucks were needed. Calmar's Director of Finance, Michael Storey, replied that they would be replacing the 22 year old half ton that the Town was currently using. Council approved to having Mr. Melesko begin the search.

The Town's March 2012 Bank Reconciliation, Department Reports and Council and Committee Reports: All were entered as information. However, as part of the Mayor's report Mayor Faulkner was happy to be able to relate to Council that the annual Calmar Firefighter's Ball had raised between $15-16,000.00 this year.

It was also reported that there would be no Farmer's Market held in Calmar this year due to a lack of vendor interest. 

In Camera: There were three in camera items in for discussion after adjournment of the regular Council meeting. Two of those items dealt with development and one item was for personnel.

Council was adjourned at 7:30 pm.

As I have left town twice in the past few weeks, I confess that I look forward to traveling more, and writing about it: as I am sending my column to our Senior Publisher via the internet as usual, but at a desk far away from home, I want to share how grateful I feel for my little impromptu trip to lovely Kamloops BC! 

A close friend asked me if I’d like to come along with her to Kamloops for a few days, as she had business to attend to in that city… Since I haven’t visited BC in a few years, I juggled a few things, got the blessing of my dear hubby, packed a few things and my golf clubs, and here I am in Kamloops, “Canada’s Tournament Capital!” We are staying with my friend’s brother and his wife: Greg and Sheri are a friendly couple who semi-retired a couple of years ago, and live on RIVERSHORE, a splendid golf course that is uniquely owned by the 200 residents whose homes line the course, on the South Thompson River.  Surrounded by sand and dry soil mountains, this valley’s semi-desert landscapes are eerily similar to the dramatic landscapes of Phoenix, Arizona.  Kamloops features the “hottest summer in Canada”, and its hot days and cool nights also mimic the Arizona weather.  

Driving from Devon, it took us eight hours to get to Kamloops through Highway 16 and then Highway 5. No stops for us; it was convenient that both of us had packed many healthy snacks! The mountains seemed endless, and I am now enlightened that this mountainous region is located between the Rocky Mountains and the Coastal Range.  Traveling through Jasper National Park was as fascinating as last week when I attended a conference in Jasper, but can one nature lover ever get bored of these majestic Rockies, and the wildlife that lives within them?  I loved driving through Mount Robson Park, and on the return trip I plan on “acquiring” some shale rocks for my landscaping projects at home.

So among these lovely BC friends, a little boy named Zander captured my heart. Friendly and articulate, this three-year-old with an angel’s curly blond locks loves to ride his cars, but most of all loves to go quad riding with his dad and grandpa: he has an appetite that would shame most twelve-year-olds, (cause he eats practically anything- and lots of it, stated his grandpa), and at dinnertime, he blew the guests’ minds by delivering a short and heartfelt blessing! We laughed and chatted with him, and when it was time for him to go, I was treated to a fierce, long hug from this adorable boy. I felt blessed, and it made me miss my own sweet grand-daughters. I believe it is a parent’s gift to children to ensure that they grow up with the self-confidence that will allow them to make new friends, face new adventures and enjoy a variety of new foods!

Talking about new adventures, I want to offer sincere KUDOS to the CALMAR PRAIRIE PLAYERS for delivering three flawless, electric performances of Chris McKerracher’s second play, The Dalmar Biker War, last weekend.  The actors’ spirit and skill added a depth and charm to this comedy about some interesting characters in a small town and the ‘biker war’ that followed the arrest of a group of five law-breaking bikers. This fresh and hilarious play represented community theatre at its best! MLA and Environment Minister Diana McQueen was among the audience on Opening Night, seated with Mayor Don Faulkner, and both of them were seen chuckling wholeheartedly during the play, a reaction shared by most of the guests.  Way to go, Chris and the Prairie Players! 

In response to a few emails and calls I received recently, asking for updates on our daughter Michelle Salt, I would like to share that her recovery is proceeding well.  Despite the daily discomfort that she endures bravely with her positive attitude, and with the help of a “sports prosthesis”, Michelle is resuming the activities she loved before her terrible accident of June 27: she has been back on the hill with her snowboard and recently celebrated the announcement that the 2014 Sochi (Russia) Winter Olympics will feature Paralympic Snowboarding! She gets stronger with the help of her new treadmill (purchased at Flaman Fitness) and trains weekly with her cycling coach. She is still a realtor, working with a few clients (michelle.s.salt@gmail.com) and looks forward to re-establishing herself in the work she loves! We were proud and touched to see her featured a few days ago in a CTV Calgary segment of “Inspiring Citizens”. We are thankful for your support and words of encouragement!

  I appreciate your friendly notes and comments at dominique@pipestoneflyer.ca.  Have a great week, Friends! 

Lately we’ve been up to our collective armpits (darned commie armpits, anyway) with a plethora of Mother’s Day marketing. “Show Mom how much you love her on Mother’s Day with a new ironing board!” There’s so many of those plethoras, I’ve been forced to think a lot about the role of mothers in our society. Of course, being male, all my thinking is forced and not a natural activity. Still, I've come to the conclusion that the title of “Mommy” must be a pretty neat experience. Indeed, when anyone wants to describe all that is good and wholesome in the world, motherhood and apple pie rank one and two respectively. I suspect beer is a close third.

In fact, motherhood as an institution is held so sacred, the worst insults men hurl at one another (during heated hockey games, for example) aren't so much directed at the insultee himself, but at his mother. The old standby”Son of a B___” is a fine example of this, but there are many others. Good taste and restraint, things I’m not particularly good at, prevent me from listing them all but trust me, they are plentiful. Anyone who has missed a two inch putt probably knows them all. Apparently, you can trash with relative impunity a person who has displeased you, even his wife, kids, vehicle, anything, but don't make fun of his mother. Them's fightin' words, doncha know, and only serve to demonstrate the high regard mothers are held.

At risk of displeasing a large swath of the population, I have to admit I'm not so sure this motherhood thing should be as highly vaunted as it is, with the exception, of course, my own mother who is a saint. (She made me say that or she threatened to break my arm.) After all, the only prerequisite to motherhood is to plunk down in some stirrups and push out a kid. I mean, how hard can that be, really? Oh I know most women go on and on about the pain of childbirth and how they spent 78 hours in labour (the number of hours increases with each telling -  something like the distance walked to school by grandparents), but really, the only source of information on the amount of pain experienced always comes from women. Now, obviously they aren't going to minimize the description of the discomfort, otherwise they will have nothing to hold over their kids to make them feel guilty.

Actually this whole childbirth pain thing has bothered me for some time. Thankfully, my own mother (Did I mention she's a saint?) never brought up the subject of the discomfort and stress I caused her when she brought me into this world. Mind you, being the last of eight children, there's a good chance she may not have noticed the event. It’s even possible she just phoned it in and went back to tidying the house.

The mother of my children, however, is a whole different story. It is impossible for me to bemoan any pain whatsoever (bashing my thumb with a hammer, breaking my leg skiing, the big snip etc, etc,) without her bringing up the fact that it could not have possibly hurt as much as producing our two wonderful children. Frankly, I didn't know it was a contest. I can’t imagine what the trophy for it might look like. I do maintain, however, if she got the same mileage out of her Kia as Cupcake gets out of that whole “pain of childbirth” thing, she wouldn’t have to fill up with gas until well into the next decade.

Okay, perhaps I overstate my case somewhat. Besides providing a huge selection of terrific guilt-inducing birthing stories, (you had a hold of my large intestine and wouldn’t let go!), motherhood has some pretty terrific things going for it. Take for example the "magic lips" that come with the title of "Mother".

A Mother’s magic lips can kiss "boo-boos" all better, purse in such a way that every kid within fifty yards knows they've been caught doing something sneaky, or smile with such radiance over every single gift from the heart that mothers receive from their adoring offspring. From freshly picked dandelion bouquets to the clay handprints being churned out in kindergartens everywhere these treasures are squirreled away to be kept into perpetuity for some unknown reason. My best guess is that these trinkets are what power the magic lips.

These same magic lips have many other uses, too. They can diagnose a fever from the forehead of a sick child, comfort a broken heart or simply provide a decoy. This is where a mom goes in for that patented quick cheek peck, followed by a surreptitious sniff for signs of beer or cigarette smoke.

Besides their lips and their amazing baby-holding hips, mothers also have other magic features that hold them in good stead. They are endowed with broad, soft shoulders to cry on, hands that can just as easily make supper as make emergency repairs to clothing, and spit that can clean even the toughest stains on any small face.

As I said at the start, motherhood would be a pretty cool gig. Now if we could just dispense with that entire excruciatingly painful child birth thing, men might actually be interested in it.

Dear reader,

I am writing to you from a hotel in Calgary as I take part in the latest district Toastmaster’s conference.  I am pleased to report that the conference is going nothing like I had imagined.  

You probably don’t recall – likely because you weren’t there – how my club’s president asked if anyone was interested in attending the spring conference, paid for by the club.  Well, I’m always up for new things and so I raised my hand eagerly.  It wasn’t until I turned around that I realized I was the only one!  I guess I’m going solo.

This is not the first event I’ve ever attended sans a ‘plus one.’  I might even say that I’m a seasoned professional.  But I’ve usually at least had some semblance of a friend around.  This time, I was truly going it alone.

I’m sure you can well imagine my trepidation.  In my imagination, this is how the weekend goes:  I arrive in a large hall full of various-sized crowds of people, chatting away cheerfully.  I approach to meet the group.  All of the sudden things get weird.  I can tell my presence has disrupted the atmosphere, and the conversation stalls.  I move on to another group… who ignore my presence entirely.  I silently excuse myself, not that it was necessary, and move on to a third group.  They stop immediately and stare.  “Who are you?” asks a brusque voice, coming from nowhere in particular.  I sheepishly introduce myself, but the group has dispersed and quickly I am left standing in no man’s land, grasping my cocktail and trying my best not to look like a loser.  

Yes, I am truly afraid of this exact scenario, or worse.  I’ve decided to seek help (and not the kind that might assist me in being less delusional about being excluded).  I asked the best networker and all-around outgoing guy I know, my co-worker Jason, for some tips.

I’ve seen Jason in action.  He seems completely unafraid of people (and groups of people) in their natural habitat.  I am in awe of Jason’s abilities to easily approach them, engage them in conversation even, and many times he even becomes one of them.  In this situation, Jason is my best hope of survival.

He breaks down some of the things he does to ensure maximum success at a conference or event, such as contacting some of the participants ahead of time to ask for a coffee date.  I try this.  The only person I’ve had contact with in the past… isn’t attending the conference.

Alright, to plan B.  I’m just going to have to be friendly.  But I am friendly I argue with myself.  I just don’t like talking to people.  Well, Jason’s top tips don’t fail me here.  He suggests more listening and asking than anything.  What am I interested in learning from these people?  What’s different about them?  What do we have in common?  What can they teach me?  I subtly write questions in pen up both arms, hoping that I never run out of things to ask, and I decide to delve in.  If I’m going to make this conference fun for me, then I will have to go out of my comfort zone and be proactive.

Well, I can’t say the greeter ladies weren’t a bit strange (they were) but they were also a lot of fun.  And I can’t say I didn’t know anybody (I did).  Inevitably, with my background, I always meet someone that I know or recognize vaguely from somewhere.  But the big surprise for me has been the great engaging conversations I’ve had with men at this conference.  

Being a single lady might be partially attributable to the fact that I am terrified of speaking to guys.  Somehow, circumstances aligned such that I was in closed proximity to many different, interesting, attractive and well-spoken men.  How could I not have a great experience?  

I must admit, I was a little surprised at just how great my experience was.  People seemed friendlier than I’d ever experienced at a conference before.  Conversations seemed more interesting. 

But I acknowledge that this didn’t happen by accident.  I prepared for this great experience: I asked for help ahead of time. I didn’t get discouraged. Most importantly, I decided to make it happen.

It’s amazing what can happen after a decision is made.  My actions are different and the entire outcome of a situation is different.  

Are there situations for which you’d like to create a different outcome?  It doesn’t take great knowledge; you can get that from friends, books or the Internet.  It doesn’t take an iron will, though will power can be helpful.  It doesn’t even take a plan.  Plans come, and many times, plans need to be changed mid-course anyway.

 

All it takes is the desire for a different experience, and then the decision to make it happen. 

 

Marie Schneider

 

I would like to take this opportunity to give the residents and businesses of Millet a quick update on the Food Bank. 2011 proved to be a very busy and successful year for us. We held a food drive in September of 2011 and the response from the community with food donations and money donations was very well supported. We thank each one of you that made it possible to be able to supply 235 hampers throughout the winter months. We also contributed to the Lion’s Club Christmas hampers.

I would also like to thank the many volunteers who came out for the food drive. We had a total of 50 volunteers who came out for the food drive. We had a total of 50 volunteers, and we covered all routes within an hour and a half which was record time.

2011 showed an increase in hampers going out over 2010. So please continue to find it in your hearts to give to the less fortunate in our community.

I would also like to thank the volunteers on the Food Bank Committee for always giving their time and ideas and dedication to our community. I could not do this alone, so thank you.

 

April Alder Flats 4-H Report

Wylie Pietsch

 

I would like to apologize to Abigail for forgetting to put her name in for Multi Species Judging.  April was a great month and very exciting. We had lots of activities. Layne and Wylie went to regional presentations and tried hard and had lots of fun but sadly did not place. On March 25th we went dog sledding and learned how to dogsled a great  new skill. On April 22nd Layne and Wylie organized an outdoor activity at Magnusons. At the activity day we cooked hamburgers and potatoes over an open  fire. For activities we had archery and got to shoot balloons and some people even hit and  popped them. After that we played capture the flag at Magnuson's and it was very fun. Then we worked on our record books and caught up on activities throughout the year. 

On April 1st we had our  general meeting and we discussed many different things. We decided to have our camping trip on Mother's Day weekend. There will also be a 4-H work bee that weekend.  Our achievement day is on June 1st and we would like to thank Alta Link, Canada Safeway, and Gran Tierra Energy for sponsorships. Sarah will be going to Club Week on the July 24th-29th at Olds College. We have a movie night and get to invite friends to the Winfield hall on May 4th.  Our next meeting is May 6th and it will be beach themed. We are getting ready for our big Achievement Day on June 1st. 

 

 Winfield 4-H Gait Riders 

Geneva Rodin

 

In February we had our yearly club public speaking held at the Winfield hall. We congratulate Meagan Smalley, Bree Ellis, Meagan Tanasiuk, Jamie Russel, Mikayla Macaborski, and Robyn Tanasiuk for moving onto zones. We would also like to congratulate Mikayla Maciborski for moving onto districts this year.  Some of our members have been studying for level testing and all the best of luck to each of them.  Coming up this spring we are entering into the following shows:  Benalto Show on May 5, Rocky Mountain House on May 12, and the Regional Show in Red Deer June 1-3. The members are now conditioning their horses for the shows and shining up all of the tack that they need to use. All of our members are improving with each clinic that we have. The members have been working on getting their horses to move off the leg, and to drive their horses up into collection. In the English Rides the members work on their positioning and are improving on their jumping skills.

They have also been learning more about Dressage.  Our members have improved a great deal this year.  We also are working on projects to help decorate our barn for the Regional Horse Show.  We are hoping the weather will turn nice so we can start practicing outside in the sunshine.  

 

At first it seemed like the craziest idea since cherry flavoured potato chips, teams of researchers from the United States and The Netherlands have independently produced “Doomsday Viruses”. These are particularly lethal mutated versions of already existing virus strains. As reported by the CBC and other news sources, these bugs are so bad, the mortality rate of those infected, is over 50%, making it more deadly than the Spanish Flu that wiped out millions in the early 1900’s. 

These vicious new virus strains were created in high security laboratories by swapping out genes in H5N1 and H1N1 DNA. H5N1 is more recognizable to us as “avian” or “bird flu” while H1N1 is alternatively known as “swine flu”. Experts believe the combination of the two strains, if transferable to and between humans, would decimate the world’s population unlike anything ever seen before in recorded history.

For the American version, it only took four specific genes to cross-mutate to create the Super Bug. The Danish group used five. Both made the point these could easily happen in nature given the minimal number of changes required to create the new pathogen.

"When you have a little drip of mucus on the end of your nose when you've got the flu, you've got more than a million viruses in there," explained flu guru Earl Brown of the University of Ottawa in the CBC report. These viruses are mutating constantly. If a naturally created killer strain is only a few mutations away, having the virus eventually occur outside the lab, like in some unfortunate victim’s sinuses, may be a likelihood. 

Creating these monster mutations may seem counter-intuitive, even foolhardy, but according to the researchers, it is imperative we are ahead of the learning curve and have treatments and vaccinations ready before an outbreak happens. The best way is to anticipate what these mutations might look like and how best to exploit their weaknesses is to create the virus in a Petri dish before nature produces it on its own. Then, vaccines can be created to prevent the disease before it hits the public, which could save millions, possibly even billions of lives.

A more contentious element surrounding this issue is that both teams of researchers wanted to publish their findings, including details on how to duplicate their work, in public science journals and peer reviewed papers. Moratoriums were placed on publishing the articles for fear of the information being used by gangs, terrorists, and other assorted nut-bars and evildoers to hold the world hostage, or worse.

However, after months of discussions with America’s National Science Advisory Board for Bio-Security, the results of these various virus studies are now being allowed to be released to the public. The US team, based in Wisconsin, has already published their findings in the scientific journal “Nature”, while the Danish group’s research will be appearing in an upcoming issue of another prestigious publication; Science. 

Apparently, the organizations involved in the studies managed to convince the body that the material poses no significant threat. Creating a super-bad strain of a virus must be somewhat more complicated than mixing up some mucous, one would imagine. However, it’s not as difficult as, say, creating a nuclear bomb. According to Brown, any competent virologist could order up the materials from any reputable science supply house and duplicate the process. He claims the virus they artificially produced was more of a scientific curiosity than a bio-weapon, as the hybrid bug did not easily transfer between ferrets; the test animal of choice most resembling human infectious responses. That is cold comfort considering previous statements made by Danish team leader, Ron Foucher. He had been widely quoted in 2011, as saying they’d created, "probably one of the most dangerous viruses you can make." The mixed messages are concerning.

Since it’s possible few of us would understand the explanations of the researchers or the arguments on each side of the debate, we have to simply accept their assurances and hope the watchdog panel members are as knowledgeable as the petitioners. It’s sobering to realize, as clichéd as it sounds, the fate of the world could conceivably have been decided by that American regulatory body.

This little known board is attached to the US Department of Health and Human Services and is comprised of representatives from that, and other government agencies, such as the departments of Health, Homeland Security, Commerce, Defense, Energy, State, Interior, Veterans Affairs, NASA and a number of others. Although it sounds like it would contain broad-based knowledge and expertise, it is a decidedly uncomfortable situation when you have people from other countries deciding what’s safe for Canadians. This will come as a shock to many but governments, even the United States government, do make mistakes. Few would argue that point.

This issue has raised a number of serious questions that must be addressed. For example, is the manufactured virus deadly or not? Can we trust their answer? Why was it so important to release this research into the public domain? The prestige of the researchers is at stake, certainly. Being published in either of those scholarly journals is a feather in any scientists’ cap, but is that worth jeopardizing a planet full of people? What is to stop a wealthy, extremist group from kidnapping a virologist and forcing him to use the information in the precise manner we all worry about? 

As always with complex problems, there are far more questions than answers.

It’s no wonder insomnia is rampant in our society.

One of the things that happens when your adrenals are severely fatigued, as mine have been this past year, is something called salt wasting. You begin losing sodium and water faster than you would normally take it in. This is because the production of all hormones from the adrenals is compromised, including the hormone that is responsible for maintaining electrolyte balance inside the cells. This is a mineralocorticosteroid called aldosterone. 

One of the symptoms of adrenal fatigue is debilitating exhaustion. These two things, the salt wasting and the exhaustion, go hand in hand. Supposing you have had a two-week bout of the flu, losing fluids at both ends. How do you feel? Like a limp dishrag, like you can’t even lift your head off the pillow, never mind put one foot in front of the other. If you managed to crawl into a doctor’s office, he would tell you that you need electrolytes. (He might recommend a sports drink or an electrolyte mix from the pharmacy. I have a different, healthier, cheaper suggestion. But we’ll get to that a little later here.)

One day last summer as I dragged myself out of bed for the second time that day, I found a message on the phone from our daughter Melissa’s workplace in Edmonton. She had been taken to the emergency department of a hospital on the south side of the city. I mustered my focus and faked enough energy to get into my car. I drove up there, 45 minutes or so, not really feeling fit to drive. Once I got to her and was assured that she was feeling better—thanks to a lot of morphine, I could suddenly no longer hold my head up. She wanted to chat now, but I said, “Honey, I don’t even have the energy to speak right now.” I pulled my chair up close to her bed and plunked face and torso down. I descended into what was almost a comatose state. 

When they released her, I was faced with the challenge of driving her back to the north side of the city. I was feeling even more disoriented now. I wondered aloud whether I was safe to drive. Melissa suggested that maybe she should instead. “You’ve had three hits of morphine,” I replied. “I don’t think you’re safe—or legal.”

Somehow we got there, and I crashed on her bed into a sound sleep for an hour. As I woke up, I had a clear inspiration about the salt-wasting thing. It had become my habit to drink salted water all day long, up to a total of 2 teaspoons of salt. But with the sudden change in my day that the phone message had brought, I now realized I hadn’t had any since about 6:00 that morning. I raided Melissa’s fridge, poured a tall glass of orange juice, dumped in a teaspoon and a half of Celtic sea salt, added enough water to make it palatable, and drank it down. The transformation I felt inside of 10 minutes was nothing short of astounding. When I say I felt great, bear in mind that it’s all relative. Someone with adrenal fatigue does not experience the same kind of “great” as a person in full health.

So, yes, unrefined sea salt, with its pedigree of 80-plus trace minerals, is of tremendous benefit to someone with stressed adrenals. I was already using a teaspoon a day before the big crash, so to recognize the symptoms of needing more was a simple thing, even before I read about salt wasting. And then my naturopath confirmed it, saying that I might possibly need up to 3 or 4 teaspoons daily. 

There are medications you can take to correct this salt wasting, essentially synthetic aldosterone. But the problem with this, even if you’re willing to go the pharmaceutical route, is that with the presence of these in the bloodstream signalling to the brain that all is sufficient, the adrenals will lose the function to make any of their own at all. If the patient goes off the medication, it may take a couple of years for the adrenals to start functioning on their own; worse, they may never recover that ability. Once you start this medication, you may be on it for a lifetime.

So as difficult as the symptoms can be, I will give the medications a wide berth. I asked my naturopath if there was anything natural that would help, and he said, “Yes—licorice.” Turns out this sweet-tasting root causes the kidneys to slow down their release of salt and water and to slightly raise the low blood pressure that usually goes hand in hand with adrenal problems. Care for a cup of licorice tea?

 

I invite your questions and comments on my blog (http://www.ogdenfish.blogspot.com/). Please note: I am not a medical professional and it is not my intent to diagnose or advise anyone. Always consult with your doctor before trying a new protocol. 

Total raised for Wetaskiwin on McHappy Day was 

$ 5,867.85.   Donna Babke of the Boys and Girls Club and Colleen Zimmerman wear their smiles with pride.

 

Wetaskiwin AB – A milestone event took place in Downtown Wetaskiwin last Saturday night, May 5th: The James Theatre was born, risen from the eternal slumber of an old theatre.  The old Rainbow Corral shut its doors permanently three years ago, having provided thousands of entertaining and musical soirées to the arts lovers of Wetaskiwin and region…

To celebrate its first official evening, The James Theatre owner, Glen Jevne and Connie Gogo -his operations manager- rolled out the red carpet to more than 300 music lovers, who were thrilled to attend a performance by The Led Zeppelin Show.  Sam Moussa, property owner, is said to be thrilled that his old theatre has been revived and given a new identity…

Old friends and fans recognized the old theatre -as it hasn’t changed yet-, but were greeted by a large new marquis announcing The James Theatre. In the lobby, still as it was for many years, the excitement was tangible as the nature of the band was quite unique, and anticipated.  In a retro style, The James Theatre offers a grandiose style, with its comfortable seating with leather seats and red velours backs and the large stage with its imposing, remote-controlled velvet curtain.  The rows of seats are on a gentle slant, offering the theatre guests a great view of the stage…

Glen Jevne delivered the opening welcome to a lively audience that showed its appreciation.  He talked of his long-term plans and the quality entertainment he is committed to featuring.  Connie Gogo’s musical background (as she is a singer and band leader) will be instrumental in helping him secure some great acts! Then the mike was passed on to the MC, comedian Justin Littlechild, who thanked the sponsor, Glen’s Grill of the Montgomery Glen Golf and Country Club, and thanked the City of Wetaskiwin for its support. Then, the moment everyone had been waiting for with trepidation: he announced the Led Zeppelin Show!  

Zeppelin fans danced in the aisles and in front of the stage, clapped their hands all night-long, unanimously agreeing that this tribute band was talented, lively and definitely crowd-pleasing! The show lasted three hours, and the momentum reached a fever pitch, as there was no intermission, at the band’s request… To everyone’s surprise, the oldest member of the band was 23 years-old, and the lead singer was 19.  High-profile guests Byron Reynolds (of the Alberta Reynolds Museum’s founding family) and Chris Laing of PGA Architects were in attendance, and seemed to enjoy the show. PGA Architects has designed the concept of the new theatre’s façade, and many of us can’t wait to see it transformed!  The City of Wetaskiwin new Communications Coordinator, Dale Cory, was “thoroughly impressed with the acoustics of the theatre, and the quality of the band’s performance.”

Hailing from BC, these young performers (www.theledzeppelinshow.com) are so close in age to the Led Zeppelin Band members when they got together in 1968  that “as a result, they not only have the look and sound but also all the energy, power and testosterone to recreate the mind-blowing experience of an actual live Led Zeppelin concert.”

The show ended with famed Zeppelin song “Stairway to Heaven”: several musicians in the audience shared that they were “blown away by the Tribute Band’s excellent performance and the sound that was so close to the original Led Zeppelin trademark sound.”  Wetaskiwin and the region’s music lovers are looking forward to the next show, Blooz Hounds of Camrose, presented by owner Glen Jevne and his team. This was an awesome beginning for a new theatre in a City that seems to appreciate quality shows: the future looks bright for the James Theatre!  For tickets and show info, contact the theatre manager directly at 780.352.7499.