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Queens drop nail biter in first match at CCAA National Championships

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The Queens lose a tough one at the CCAA National Championships

Saint-Lambert, QC  – Wednesday morning the Red Deer Polytechnic Queens played in their first-ever soccer national match in program history. They were matched up with the Champlain Saint-Lambert Cavaliers who are out of Champlain, Quebec and are hosting the Canadian Collegiate Athletics Association (CCAA) Championships.

Unlike Alberta, it was a beautiful sunny day in Quebec for this national’s match-up. As the Queens enter this match, they have not lost a game since their first game of the season against the SAIT Trojans. They have been on a tear ever since.

For the Cavaliers, they got a berth into nationals for winning the bid to host the national championships. They finished in sixth place in the RSEQ standings with a record of 2-4-4 (W-L-T). This league is equivalent to the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) but is based out of Quebec.

The first fifteen minutes of the match was played mostly in the middle-third of the pitch at Seaway 3 Park. In the 19th minute, the Cavaliers were given the first opportunity to open the scoring, but the striker’s touch was too strong and rolled right into the hands of Queens goaltender Abby Kotyk (Bachelor of Kinesiology).

The back-and-forth action continued for the remainder of the first half, leading to a 0-0 draw at the 45th minute. Possession was pretty equal between the Queens and the Cavaliers. No team really dominated the match, and each had their own opportunities to open the scoring.

In the first 10 minutes of the second half, the Queens struggled to get the ball out of their own half with the Cavaliers pressuring to open the scoring. 15 minutes into the second half, Red Deer was given a scare after a cross was sent in by the Cavaliers and the opposing player collided with Kotyk. She would stay down for a few minutes before getting up on her own and shaking it off. The Cavaliers continued their pressure on the Queens with a couple of high-percentage goal chances, but they would put it wide of the net for a goal kick for Kotyk.

Moments later, the Queens and Sofia Quinteros (Bachelor of Science in Psychology), an ACAC All-Conference recipient, was given a free kick. She would send it into the 18-yard box, and it was headed off the post by striker Jenica Swartz (Bachelor of Science Pre-Med).

After this play and a goal kick by the Cavaliers, their striker, Mariam Jama-Pelletier (Social Sciences) was sent on a clear breakaway and would dribble the ball into the box and strike it home past Kotyk to open the scoring late in the second half.

This goal would go as the game-winner as the Queens fall to the Cavaliers 1-0. After scoring 89 goals in the regular season, they were shut-out for the first time this year.

With this loss, the Queens will battle with the Manitoba Champions, Les Rouges de Saint-Boniface, in the bronze quarter-final tomorrow morning at 8:00 am MST. Les Rouges lost 3-0 to the Humber Hawks earlier this morning.

The players of the game went to defender Kayla Yeo (Practical Nurse Diploma) of the Queens and Cavaliers striker Mariam Jama-Pelletier. Yeo had an impressive game out of the back field stopping multiple attacks by Saint-Lambert and Pelletier scored the lone goal in this quarterfinal match.

In other news, last night striker Sein Furuyama was named an CCAA All-Canadian. This would add to her impressive season where she broke the ACAC Single Season Goal Record, was named ACAC South Rookie and Player of the Year as well as the nod to ACAC South Division All-Conference team.

 

Health

Red Deer Hospital Lottery 2025 Winners

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The Red Deer Regional Health Foundation is thrilled to announce the winners of this year’s Red Deer Hospital Lottery prizes – including the Dream Home, a $100,000.00 cash prize, and Mega Bucks 50.

James Smith of Spruce View has won the $100,000.00 cash prize.

Montey Brehaut of Red Deer has won the Mega Bucks 50 jackpot, taking home $301,702.50.

The grand prize Sorento Custom Homes Dream Home, including furnishings by Urban Barn and worth $1,074,472 – has been awarded to Oscar Gunnlaugson of Sylvan Lake.

The winner announcements took place at noon on June 26 , 2025 – and was streamed live on Facebook from Red Deer Regional Hospital Center.

“We’re excited to celebrate this year’s winners and deeply grateful to everyone who supported the lottery,” said Manon Therriault, CEO of the Red Deer Regional Health Foundation. “Funds raised will directly enhance patient care at Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre.”

This year’s lottery proceeds will fund essential new and replacement equipment, ensuring Red Deer Regional Hospital Center can continue to serve the 500,000 people who rely on it. While plans for the hospital expansion move forward, healthcare doesn’t wait. Patients in our community need access
to life-saving technology today, and supporting Red Deer Hospital Lottery has made that possible.

A full list of winners, including electronics prize recipients, will be posted on July 2 at reddeerhospitallottery.ca.

Winners will also receive instructions on how to claim their prizes by mail.

The keys to the Dream Home will be presented at a special ceremony this summer.

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Business

Carnival Cinemas moving downtown: Owner Bill Ramji buys former Uptown Cinemas from RDP

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News release from Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP)

Red Deer Polytechnic Sells Welikoklad Event Centre

Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) has sold the Welikoklad Event Centre in downtown Red Deer to a new owner who has plans to revitalize the facility as a movie theatre. RDP purchased the Welikoklad Event Centre in 2012. For many years, the Centre served as a valuable learning space for students in a variety of programming, including arts and business. The facility also served as a community hub, where RDP hosted a variety of events for different organizations. With the evolution of time, and RDP’s mix of industry-relevant arts and business programs transitioning back to main campus, the Welikoklad Event Centre no longer serves the same purpose for the post- secondary institution as it once did.

“As we’ve reviewed our future strategic plans relating to program growth and facility usage, to best serve our students, industry partners and community members, we are confident we can meet everyone’s needs at our other campuses,” says Jim Brinkhurst, Vice President, Finance and Administration & Chief Financial Officer, Red Deer Polytechnic. “We feel that now is a good time for the institution to sell this facility and we are pleased to see it repurposed for other community uses that will continue to serve Red Deer and downtown well.”

The Welikoklad Event Centre has been purchased by local business owner, Bill Ramji. He owns Carnival Cinemas, currently located in the Capstone neighbourhood. Future development is planned on the current site of this movie theatre and community gathering space. Ramji is excited to revitalize the theatre’s nearly three decades of history in Red Deer at its new location (which will be renovated before opening) in the heart of downtown.

“Carnival Cinemas is proud to announce the acquisition of the Welikoklad Event Centre from Red Deer Polytechnic, marking an exciting new chapter for this venue and the downtown arts community,” says Bill Ramji, Carnival Cinemas owner. “With this acquisition, Carnival Cinemas reaffirms its commitment to bringing the best value in movies to central Alberta while expanding its focus on supporting local theatre and the performing arts. The Welikoklad Event Centre, previously The Uptown Theatre, was a hub for film lovers and creative voices, and Carnival is eager to build on that legacy.”

Ramji continues, “We’re excited to move forward as Carnival Cinemas and Event Centre and our goal is to continue providing high-quality movie experiences, while also working hand-in-hand with local artists, performers, and theatre groups to enrich downtown Red Deer’s cultural landscape. Carnival Cinemas & Event Centre looks forward to collaborating with the arts community and the broader public to ensure the space remains a vibrant and inclusive gathering place for film and theatre alike.”

RDP will continue to have a presence in downtown Red Deer, with their downtown campus located in the Millennium Centre. The downtown RDP campus is home to RDP’s Continuing Education and Corporate Training programs.

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