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Red Deer Catholic Students Show Their Christmas Spirit

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Students in the Red Deer Catholic Regional School District are showing their Christmas Spirit this Holiday Season.

Officials say tt’s the time of year where many of our schools get into the giving spirit and amplify their social justice projects with a variety of initiatives and projects on the go. Below is a list of organizations that our schools are fundraising for this Christmas season:

Catholic Social Services of Central Alberta (Giving Tree)

École Camille J. Lerouge School, Maryview School, St. Elizabeth Seton School, St. Francis of Assisi Middle School and St. Thomas Aquinas Middle School have been collecting gifts to donate to the Giving Tree program to support families in the community who need assistance during the Christmas season.

Family Services of Central Alberta (Gifts for Grandparents)

Grade 4 students at Holy Family School are collecting gifts to give to seniors in the community.
École Camille J. Lerouge School, Maryview School, St. Martin de Porres School, St. Francis of Assisi Middle School are participating in Gifts for Grandparents.

The Mustard Seed

The Kindergarten classes at École Camille J. Lerouge School are baking and packaging cookies for the Mustard Seed’s school lunch program. Maryview School’s 4E class will be going to the Mustard Seed in the New Year to assist with making lunches for the school lunch program. St. Patrick’s Community School students and staff have created Christmas decorations and table cloths/napkins for clients to enjoy.

Red Deer Christmas Bureau

Father Henri Voisin School is raising money through a Christmas tree decoration raffle.
Maryview School, Father Henri Voisin School and St. Teresa of Avila School have been collecting gifts and toys.

Red Deer Food Bank

École Camille J. Lerouge School will be collecting non-perishable goods at their annual Christmas and Band concerts. Holy Family School will host a “Christmas Craft Night,” where families are encouraged to bring a food bank donation. Pre-Kindergarten classes at Maryview School are participating in a “Reverse Advent Calendar” initiative where students donate each day to the Food Bank. St. Francis of Assisi Middle School and St. Thomas Aquinas Middle School students and staff have been collecting non-perishable items for the Food Bank.

Ronald McDonald House

St. Patrick’s Community School will have a Wake-a-Thon in January (was postponed due to cold weather) to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House.

Santa’s Anonymous

Central office staff is raising money for Santa’s Anonymous to help support families in Fort McMurray.

Safe Harbour Society

St. Gabriel Learning Centre staff will donate new and lightly used mitts, toques and scarves for the people in need.

All our schools and the Division also support families in the community who need assistance during the Christmas season. A full list of Divisional activities can be found at:

http://rdcrs.ca/

(Photo courtesy of the Red Deer Catholic Regional School District)

Lindsay has lived in Red Deer for over 25 years, and admires what the city of Red Deer offers as a community. In relation to journalism, she has previously worked in the business, and enjoys how photojournalism isn't just about a photo, but the story that is adjacent to it.

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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.

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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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