Oyen News Briefs, Mar. 21, 2021
Reported by Diana Walker
fwalker1@telus.net
Canada geese were seen flying overhead heralding spring’s arrival. The weather must not have suited them as they seem to have continued their journey.
Gophers are scurrying along the edge of the road in search of the first green blades of grass. Some, searching for greener grass on the other side, never reach their destination.
Kim Mendenhall, Family School Liaison Worker, Prairie Rose School Division No. 8, began her second round of student equine therapy at the Crossroads Centre March 10. She, her students and the horses have booked the Centre every Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., till the end of May with the exception of March 31 which falls during the Easter break.
In-person meetings, following COVID protocols, are starting up again. Big Country Regional Recycling Society will hold their Oyen meeting at the United Church March 21. Oyen & District Curling Club is holding their AGM at the curling rink April 6.
Oyen & District Chamber of Commerce welcomes Brittany Warner, ATB Financial branch manager, who is splitting her time between Oyen and Consort branches.
Big Country Agricultural Society members Jessie Battrum and Cheryl Ball delivered Meals on Wheels the first two weeks of March. Assumption R.C. School is delivering for the remainder of the month.
I have really missed reading the Oyen Lodge news in The Echo the past couple of weeks so am pleased to learn that Sara Smith is filling in for Activity Director and will continue to keep Echo readers informed as to Lodge happenings.
Scammers are infiltrating our area again. This time locals are receiving a phone call from someone claiming to be representing Telus. They are offering lower rates, more services and several bonuses including sending gifts upon providing your credit card to cover minimal shipping charges. SCAM.
One day this week while the dogs and I were taking our walk a pilot appeared to be working on his/her aviation skills. During the one-hour walk the same plane took off and landed at the Oyen airport more than eight times.
Pipelines for Ponies
Great cover photo on the winter 2021 CAEPLA’s Pipeline Observer— ‘Pipelines vs Ponies, CAEPLA helps a rancher save his wild horses.’
An interesting and informative read on page 22 and 23 about Oyen’s Arnold McKee and his struggle to rescue some horses from the Suffield military base beginning in 1994.
The article quotes the 76-year-old rancher as saying, “They are extremely special. Their quality is so unbelievable. These horses are so intelligent and so strong. They are a mixture of all breeds.” And, he says the “only surviving genetics of those horses are in his yard today.”
McKee says when the pipeline activity split his property right down the middle the disruption led to stress and left dry mares incapable of breeding. He lost dozens of horses to dust pneumonia, others wore their teeth down eating dust covered grass, one hit a fence put up by the pipeline and broke its neck, colts caught in the fence lost their lives.
After getting nowhere when he took his concerns to the pipeline officials Arnold reached out to Dave Core, CAEPLA’s director of special projects explaining what had happened to the horses during TC Energy’s construction of Keystone in 2010 and how he didn’t want a repeat.
After two intense meeting with TC lands people and Arnold some solutions were worked out but Arnold says it is not over as it is impossible to replace genetics that can’t be replaced.
Condolences
Condolences to the Bunney family on the death of Hilda Bunney in the Brooks Health Care Centre at the age of 91 February 26, 2021. She was born in Patricia April 22, 1929, married Austin Bunney in 1947, and raised three children Bryan, Cheryl (Hyland) and Calvin on the ranch near Duchess. She was a lifetime member of the Royal Canadian Legion and Cowboy Hall of Fame and active volunteer at the Silver Sage Arena. She was predeceased by Calvin and Austin.
Sympathy to the Garbutt, Jorgenson and Carr families on the death of Garry Garbutt of Calgary on March 9, 2021, at the age of 71 years. Born in Oyen, Garry was the youngest of four children born to Archie and Opal Garbutt. He is survived by his wife, daughter, three granddaughters and brother Neil (Anne) of Red Deer. Garry’s mother Opal (McMurray) was Laura Carr’s sister and Garry’s father Archie was Vera Jorgenson’s brother.
Sympathy to Gwen Bergen, her mother Mary Wenzel and Ray Donald and families on the death of former Oyenite Ron Bergen, 57, of Drayton Valley on March 14, 2021, at the University of Alberta Hospital following a fearless battle against cancer. Ron had a remarkable skill as a welder, not to be outdone by his expertise as a journeyman chef. A private funeral service will be held in Oyen March 22.
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