May 2, 2018 –
Flooding occurs throughout the Smoky River region, public works crews working on containment and repairs
The snowfall has stopped, but in its place comes the flooding.
Last week, flooding was evident throughout the Smoky River region, including in and near the municipalities.
In Donnelly on April 25, water overflowed near the train track and washed out part of the road. See the photos above and below. The photo below, left, was taken the day before the train track was washed out.
Smoky River Emergency Services laid their aqua dams and sandbags out at the train track to contain the water. Smoky River Emergency Services bought the two aqua dams for use.
Earlier in the week, Fire Chief Marcel Maure and others worked to fill sandbags and deliver them throughout the region.
Kevin Cymbaluk, the director of operations for the M.D. of Smoky River No. 130, highlighted the workload the public works employees were dealing with.
“It’s the whole public works team, about 20 people,” says Cymbaluk. “The main focus has been from south to north. The Peavine Drainage is a big focus, as usual. So is the Winagami Canal.”
The key activities have been: marking flood areas on roads, moving snow back in some areas and opening culverts. As many as 15 roads were closed and some school bus runs were cancelled on April 26.
May 9, 2018 –
Something fishy was going on at McLennan Elks Hall during “East Coast Night” April 28
There are a great many honorary Newfoundlanders in the Smoky River region since “East Coast Night,” at McLennan Elks Hall, and many of the honourees got their first kiss at the April 28 event.
Well, it may not have been their first kiss but it was the first time they kissed a cod while undergoing the “screech in,” a unique initiation ceremony when someone “from away,” becomes a titular Newfie.
The screech in, officiated by genuine Newfoundlanders Amanda Moyles, Krista Veitch, Zack Eastman and Tyler Hamilton, required drinking at least one shot of dark rum called “Screech” and kissing a cod.
It is impossible to tell if it was the shot of rum or the allure of kissing a fish, but almost everyone attending the event got in line to be “screeched in.”
Prior to the Newfoundland initiation ceremony, the evening began with everyone enjoying fish and chips supper, prepared by Seppi’s Catering from Hythe Alberta.
Following the screech in, Edmonton based “Amie Weymes and the Atta Boys” an energetic danceable party band that can move seamlessly between genres from rock, pop, country, and of course Celtic, opened with an interesting, lively rendition of the classic song, “Dirty old Town.”
May 16, 2018 –
Another noteworthy season for Smoky River Dance Society
The Smoky River Dance Society’s (SRDS) performed its fifth annual Dance Recital at G.P. Vanier gym on Sunday May 6.
Along with being the closing performance of the season, the annual dance recital is also the SRDS’s only fundraiser of the year.
The recital also provides club members an opportunity to demonstrate their talents and increasing prowess as dancers while giving the local community a chance to see first class performances in each genre and age levels.
The May 6 recital marked a milestone as it had performances by the club’s first graduating dancers.
The event wrapped up another remarkably successful season with SRDS dancers distinguishing themselves at events in northern Alberta, including Peace River and more recently at the Westlock Dance Festival April 7-8, 2018, and the Zirka Dance Challenge in Grande Prairie April 25-29.
May 23, 2018 –
Heritage students entertain Villa residents with Mother’s Day tribute
It takes two to tango and kindergarten students in Janie Trudeau’s class demonstrated their talents for the residents of the Villa Beausejour in the afternoon of May 11.
“I’m very proud of them,” says Trudeau.
“They like to sing and dance and were excited to go there.”
Trudeau’s class, along with Julie Desrosiers’ Grade 2 class, performed there as tribute to Mother’s Day. Trudeau’s class opened with the tango and then sang ‘Je t’aime’, mimicking sleep as they did.
Next, Derosiers’ Grade 2 class sang ‘Pour toutes les mamans de monde’.
The Villa residents applauded both classes for their performances.
May 30, 2018 –
G. P. Vanier Graduates “made it” to an important milestone at Valediction 2018
G. P. Vanier School Valediction 2018, celebrated on May 19 was appropriately theme “We Made It.”
That the graduating students have prevailed over that first major test both in terms of education and in life and made it this far is, of coures, a remarkable milestone.
Following the procession of faculty, staff and the graduates, the graduates took their places seated on stage and waited their turn to receive their diplomas.
Graduating from high school is very much a collective experience, a shared, exciting occasion before heading out to make it in their own individual ways, to discover and follow their particular vocation and pursue their own destiny.
As they stepped forward to receive their diplomas from G.P. Vanier Principal, Pam Heckbert and have their brief biography read, the young men and women certainly had the confident look of having made it and poised to make it in their future endeavours.
Principal Pam Heckbert presented her address, welcoming everyone and wishing the graduates the best in the future.
However, instead of making the perfunctory speech, she made a novel departure from the norm, playing the guitar and singing a song composed for the occasion that encouraged the students to realize their potential and to take pride and solace in where they come from.