Community
Count down to Canada Day celebration at Bower Ponds
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News release from Red Deer Local Immigration Partnership
Red Deer Local Immigration Partnership and Red Deer Cultural Heritage Society Partners for Canada Day
The Red Deer Local Immigration Partnership (RDLIP) and Red Deer Cultural Heritage Society (RDCHS) is partnering for this year’s Canada Day event at Bower Ponds. This day is meant to celebrate ALL peoples of and in Canada and its diversity, and race relations among community members. It is also an opportunity for community members to reconnect after easing the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.
Canada Day is a multicultural event that inspires people to recognize and appreciate Canada’s cultural, ethnic, linguistic, and geographic diversity. It is hosted annually by the Red Deer Cultural Heritage Society, who are working in collaboration with the Red Deer Local Immigration Partnership this year. This event began back in 1969 (formerly known as the Red Deer Folk Festival Society) and is held at the Bower Ponds location. We expect a strong turnout, a diverse line-up of performers and all the usual amusement and festivities reflective of the multiculturalism and beauty of our country.
“Proud to be your neighbour” campaign launched by RDLIP in the beginning of the year. It is an awareness campaign which aims to highlight good neighbourly relations between people of different backgrounds and to change people’s racist attitudes and behaviours.
Events of the day include multicultural performances on the main stage all day, 11am – 11pm. You can also enjoy food from 10 different cultural food booths starting from 11am. The Canada Day Opening Ceremony will kick off at 2pm with free cake following, about 2:30pm. Celebrations will close with an epic firework show at 11pm.
During the day, there are different activities held to provide opportunities for conversations and better understanding of race and culture. 2 sessions of the Human Library TM will be held between 12:00 PM- 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM- 4:00 PM in partnership with the Red Deer Public Library, wherein ‘human books’ are available to be ‘read’ by community members. The Human LibraryTM provides space for dialogue that can challenge stereotypes and prejudices. The human books will come from different parts of the world and will share their knowledge, culture and experiences. Proud to be Your Neighbour lawn signs and pins will also be distributed at the RDLIP booth.
“It is so exciting to be working with RDLIP on Canada Day and to share their anti racism campaign on ‘Proud to be Your Neighbor’. This year celebrates that Canada is appreciative of our multiculturalism and diversity”, says RDCHS Manager Delores Coghill.
“We are excited to collaborate with the RDCHS for this year’s Canada Day event. We want to continue to share stories about how diversity helps, how it makes our communities stronger. Canada Day will mark the end of the campaign and signals the beginning of the next phase of RDLIP’s anti racism work,” says RDLIP Interim Program Manager Kristine Bugayong.
Community
New Documentary “Cooking with Hot Stones” Explores History of Fort Assiniboine, Alberta
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February 14, 2025 – Alberta, Canada – A compelling new documentary, Cooking with Hot Stones: 200th Anniversary of Fort Assiniboine, is set to air on Wild TV, RFD TV Canada, Cowboy Channel Canada, and you can click here to stream for FREE on Wild TV’s streaming service, Wild TV+. This engaging one-hour feature will take viewers on a journey through time, exploring Fort Assiniboine’s rich history from 1823 to 2023.
Fort Assiniboine is a significant landmark in Alberta, playing a crucial role in Indigenous history, the fur trade, and the western expansion of Canada. This documentary captures the spirit of the region, illustrating how it has evolved over two centuries and how it continues to shape the cultural fabric of the province today.
Wild TV will make the documentary free to stream on Wild TV+ on February 14th so that it can be easily accessed in classrooms and other educational settings throughout the region, ensuring the historical significance of Fort Assiniboine reaches a wider audience.
Produced by Western Directives Inc., Cooking with Hot Stones: 200th Anniversary of Fort Assiniboine brings historical moments to life with vivid storytelling, expert interviews, and breathtaking cinematography.
“We are very excited to partner with Wild TV as part of our one hour documentary production. Based in Alberta, we respect the hard work and quality programming that Wild TV brings to a national audience. With the broadcast opportunity, Wild TV gives our production the ability to entertain and educate Canadians across the country on multiple platforms,” said Tim McKort, Producer at Western Directives.
Scott Stirling, Vice President of Wild TV, also expressed enthusiasm for the project: “At Wild TV, we are passionate about telling Canadian stories that resonate with our audiences. This documentary not only highlights a crucial piece of our nation’s history but also celebrates the resilience and contributions of Indigenous peoples, traders, and settlers who shaped the land we call home today. We are proud to bring Cooking with Hot Stones: 200th Anniversary of Fort Assiniboine to our viewers across Canada.”
Airtimes for Wild TV can be found here.
For airtimes on RFD TV Canada, click here.
For airtimes on Cowboy Channel Canada, visit CCC’s schedule.
Community
100+ Women Who Care Red Deer celebrates 10th season in 2025 with new leadership
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L to R: Cindy Jefferies, Susan Knopp, Lane Tomalty, Bre Fitzpatrick
Photo credit: The SnapHappy Photographer
After a decade of leadership under Cindy Jefferies and Susan Knopp, 100+ Women Who Care Red Deer (100+ WWCRD) is proud to celebrate 10 years of supporting local charities and the announcement of Bre Fitzpatrick and Lane Tomalty as its new co-leaders. This marks an exciting new chapter for the group, which has made a significant impact on not-for-profit organizations in Central Alberta.
Cindy and Susan have led 100+ WWCRD with vision, dedication, and a commitment to empowering women to lead and inspire change. Under their stewardship, the organization has raised over $630,000 for local charities by hosting 4 annual 1-hour meetings. Since 2015, more than 36 local charities have received funding through the group.
Reflecting on their tenure, Cindy and Susan stated:
“Leading 100 Women has been an honour and a privilege. When we began this journey, we didn’t know where it would go – we simply loved the simple, elegant, and fun ‘100 Who Care’ concept and thought it was a great fit for our community. We are grateful to the many women who have stood with us. They are the magic of the organization! We are confident Bre and Lane will steward this leadership role well and we look forward to supporting it – just not from behind the microphone!”
Bre and Lane bring a dynamic energy and fresh perspective to the organization. Both have been involved with the group and have been mentored by Susan and Cindy over the past year. They are eager to continue the collaboration, connection, and local support this team of women have established in Red Deer.
In their joint statement, Bre and Lane shared:
“We are humbled to step into this role and build on the incredible foundation Cindy and Susan have laid. Many needs are at the doorstep of our community and in the hearts and minds of our members. We know a powerful, caring, and united group of individuals can play a huge role in driving change and breaking barriers.
To celebrate this milestone and leadership transition, the 100+ WWCRD hosted the final meeting of 2024 on November 25th at the Red Deer Golf and Country Club. The evening featured reflections from Cindy and Susan, the selection of the Salvation Army as the charity of choice, an opportunity for members to connect with Bre and Lane as they outline their vision for the organization’s next chapter, and a toast to 10 years.
For more information, please visit www.100womenreddeer.ca
About 100+ Women Who Care Red Deer
100+ Women Who Care Red Deer is a network of compassionate, empowered, and dedicated women who make a direct, immediate, and positive impact in Red Deer and area. We support local non-profit and charitable organizations that work every day to make our community a better place to live. 100% of funds donated go to the selected charities – there are no
administration fees, and all costs are covered by the generosity of sponsors. Collectively, we make a difference.
The group meets 4 times annually for 1 hour. Non-profit and charitable organizations are nominated by members. After hearing 3 randomly drawn pitches, the members vote to select their top choice. The group with the highest number of votes receives the members’ donations. Each member or team commits to donating $100 at each meeting. Since 2015, the average raised has been more than $15,000 per meeting.
Membership is open to all women In Red Deer and area. We invite you to join us! The first meeting of 2025 will be on Monday, February 3, 2025.
Founded in February 2015, the organization currently has about 150 members. We are committed to uniting this powerful group of 100+ women who care and lifting the amazing non-profits and charitable groups they support.
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