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6 OkOtOks Living fall 2013 SOURCE MEDIa GROUP: CElEBRaTING ITS 10TH YEaR
CULTURE & HISTORY13 Love stories History project records
Okotoks early years
FEaTURE14 Wish granted Community helps raise
money for Okotoks Wish Walk
COmmUnITY18 Okotoks to the rescue Flood response shows
community spirit
SpORTS & RECREaTIOn27 Crosstown rivals Knights and Falcons battle
for high school football supremacy
HOmES33 Home sweet Okotoks Excel Homes building
exclusively-styled homes in MountainView
SUSTaInabILITY37 Birds of a feather Make your backyard
a mini-ecosystem, with help of songbirds
Ties that bind Jackie Miller celebrates
life in Okotoks Cover photography by Don Molyneaux
22
37
pEOpLE
18
SOURCE MEDIa GROUP: CElEBRaTING ITS 10TH YEaR fall 2013 OkOtOks Living 7
contentsf a l l 2 0 1 3
ITEmS
8 Editor’s Message10 Town of Okotoks
Message39 Events44 Map
YOU SaId IT …
46 What is the most generous thing someone’s ever done for you?
@Okotoksliving
Okotoksliving
14
33
27
3913
8 OkOtOks Living fall 2013 SOURCE MEDIa GROUP: CElEBRaTING ITS 10TH YEaR
Helping handsOkotoks’ community spirit has always been strong.
You can see it in the number of people who volunteer at annual events like the
Foothills Highland Games, the Spirit of Okotoks weekend, or the Okotoks Pro Rodeo.
Generous outpourings of support seem to be in this community’s DNA. Helping others
is just what we do, whether they’re down the block, across town, in High River, Black
Diamond or Canmore, because, we’re all connected.
Helping people is second nature to our cover girl, Jackie Miller. A retired nurse, 4H
riding instructor, and president of the Okotoks Agricultural Society, Miller wouldn’t
think twice if someone needed something. She’s also a
lynchpin of support, volunteering her time for various
groups in town. Read more about her on page 22.
In this issue, our stories explore the ties that bind us all.
The connections made at the Okotoks Elks Hall a century
ago, at those Saturday dances, led to lasting relationships
for many Okotokians. Writer Kelsey Gilchrist looks at love
stories over the years, on page 13.
Support can come in many shapes and forms, as we found
out. As did the Okotoks Wish Walk folks last year, when the
community came out to help aid their cause. Read more
about that unexpected outpouring of support on page 14.
The ties that bind also buoy us. In Okotoks, everyone is connected to someone
else, and that really helped when recent flooding affected the town and devasted
neighbouring communities. Our community story, on page 18, looks into how
Okotokians helped out.
Rounding out this issue, we explore upcoming events and cheer on the local football
teams as they battle it out on the field. Writer Stephen Smith tackles high school
football with the HTA Knights and the Comp’s Falcons on page 27.
Our Homes feature looks into The Raleigh in MountainView, an exclusive home model
for that community with definite perks. And after you’re done perusing the pages of
that feature, flip to our sustainability story and learn how to create a small bird-friendly
ecosystem in your backyard.
Get out there and enjoy the sunshine before the snow flies, Okotoks.
editor’s note
Jessica Patterson, Editorjessica.patterson@sourcemediagroup.ca
P U B L I S H E R | Source Media Groupinfo@sourcemediagroup.ca
A S S o c I AT E P U B L I S H E R | Jim Zangjim.zang@sourcemediagroup.ca
E D I T o R | Jessica Pattersonjessica.patterson@sourcemediagroup.ca
A R T D I R E c T o R | Jean faye Rodriguezjean.rodriguez@sourcemediagroup.ca
g R A P H I c D E S I g n E R S
lama azharilama.azhari@sourcemediagroup.ca
Dave Macaulaydave.macaulay@sourcemediagroup.ca
Megan Seredamegan.sereda@sourcemediagroup.ca
P R o D U c T I o n c o - o R D I n AT o R | Colleen leiercolleen.leier@sourcemediagroup.ca
A D v E R T I S I n g S A L E S | Janice Skelton-Whitejanice.skelton-white@sourcemediagroup.ca
A c c o U n T I n g | Donna Robertsaccounting@sourcemediagroup.ca
E D I T o R I A L
aaliya Essa, Kelsey Gilchrist, Stephen W. Smith
P H o T o g R A P H Y
lana armitage, allen Gimblett, Don Molyneaux, Jessica Patterson,
T o w n o f o k o T o k S L I A I S o n
Shane Olson
D I S T R I B U T E D B Y
Media Classified, Town of Okotoks,Okotoks Welcome Wagon, Source Media Group,
Wall2Wall
P R I N T E D I N Ca Na Da
Copyright 2013 by Source Media Group Corp. Material cannot be reprinted in whole or in part without the expressed written permission of the publishers.
Okotoks Living™ is published four times per annum and is available free through select distribution points in Calgary and Okotoks.
Source Media Group agrees to advertise on behalf of the advertiser without responsibility for claims or misin-formation made by the advertiser and acts only as an advertising medium. Source Media Group reserves the right to refuse any advertising at its sole discretion.
Okotoks Living™ accepts editorial submissions and let-ters to the editor by electronic mail only. Please forward any submissions, including your full name, phone num-ber and return email address, to okotoks.editor@sourcemediagroup.ca
c o n TA c T :Source Media Group. 207, 5809 Macleod Trail S.W., Calgary, AB T2H 0J9 tel 403.532.3101
fax 403.532.3109 toll free 1.888.932.3101www.sourcemediagroup.ca
403.532.3101 ext. 242janice.skelton-white@sourcemediagroup.ca
mayor’s message
On behalf of Town Council, I would like to remind residents that the municipal election is
coming up and it is important for you to vote. By voting, you are not only exercising your
democratic right, but you are also ensuring your support for those candidates who share
your vision for your community and neighbourhood.
Remember that the Town provides the day-to-day services you count on — from fire and police
services, to clean water and parks, to recreation and public libraries. Voting for a candidate for
Mayor and Councillor means that you are helping to set
the future direction of the Town of Okotoks. It’s your
future...vote!
Election Day is Monday October 21, 2013 from
6 a.m. – 8 p.m. This year there are two polling stations:
North of the river at the Okotoks Recreation Centre
(99 Okotoks Drive) and south of the river at the Foothills
Centennial Centre (4, 204 Community Way). For more
election details, please visit the Town website at
www.okotoks.ca.
As summer comes to a close, there are many fall
activities to look forward to in our community such as
the first annual Tour of Alberta pro-cycling event at
Seaman Stadium on September 8, Alberta Culture Days
from September 27 – 29 and HarvestFest on September
28 which take place in downtown Okotoks.
We encourage you to take part and have fun! For more information, check out the events page
of this publication or our website events calendar.
As you enjoy this magazine, get inspired by Okotoks and embrace all that Town Council and
Administration strive for in making this progressive, fulfilling community a remarkable place to
live, work, and play.
Message from Mayor and Town Council
Councillors Stephen Clark, laurie Hodson, Ray Watrin, Mayor Bill Robertson (seated), Councillors Matt Rockley, florence Christophers and Edward Sands.
Mayor WM. (Bill) Robertson On behalf of Town Council
follow us on twitter: www.twitter.com/ town_of_okotoks
Become a fan of Town of Okotoks
12 OkOtOks Living fall 2013 SOURCE MEDIa GROUP: CElEBRaTING ITS 10TH YEaR
THERE MuST HAVE been something in the music.
In Okotoks, in the roaring ‘20s, the most common
way for couples to meet was at the weekly dances at
the Elk’s Hall.
“In Okotoks, there was the Saturday night dance,
which went on for decades, and that was a way for the
community again to come together and take a break
from the work week or farming. It was a way to let
loose and have fun one night of the week,” says Kathy
Coutts, Museum Specialist at the Okotoks Museum and
Archives. “And, it was a way for young men and young
women to meet.”
It was at one of these dances that Betty Sparrow met
her husband. Sparrow was one of 22 Okotoks residents
in their eighties and nineties who participated in an oral
history project conducted by the Okotoks Museum and
Archives and the Okotoks and District Historical Society
from 2002 to 2004, with the goal of capturing a snapshot
of Okotoks in the first half of the twentieth century
through first hand stories from residents.
“They always had a Saturday night dance here, with
the High Hatters orchestra. I think that’s how most kids
met one another, was at a dance,” Sparrow explained in
an interview for the project.
Coutts says that all of the young people in town
attended the dances every week. “I would imagine that
the older generation was there but maybe left early,” she
adds with a laugh. “But, there was always a live orches-
tra. It was a band that would consist of a piano, a guitar,
and maybe a fiddle.”
historyBy Kelsey Gilchrist
Love storiesHistory project records Okotoks early years
Okotoks also had a club called the “Okotoks Coun-
try Club,” which hosted a variety of social gatherings
including box socials, picnics and dances. The club was
affectionately nicknamed the “Cupid Club” because so
many romances started at their functions. The club
began in 1915 and folded in 1961-62.
Like other small Southern Alberta towns, everyone
knew everyone in Okotoks,
“Okotoks was about 500 people for the longest time in
the early part of the last century,” says Coutts. “It really
didn’t grow much until the 1950s.”
Sparrow’s daughter Lynda Vang pointed out that no
one met for the first time at these dances. “You just
knew everybody. It’s never a matter of meeting people,
you just always knew they were there.”
Tillotson’s sister, Ruby Cole, said in her interview
that she could not remember not knowing the
man who eventually became her husband. “I knew
Harold all my life. I was 11-months-old when they
came to live beside us as neighbours on the farm,”
she says.
Though, if people needed to be introduced, there
was always the calling card. In the days before
eHarmony, the calling card was the way to go. In the
1890s, a young man could not simply ask a girl on a
date. He had to visit her and present his calling card.
“Calling cards are like the predecessor of business
cards,” Coutts says. “A gentleman would present his
card and then the mom or dad would go ask if the
girl would like to receive him as a visitor.” OL
Like other small Southern Alberta towns, everybody knew everybody in Okotoks.
The Okotoks Elks Hall, 1929
SOURCE MEDIa GROUP: CElEBRaTING ITS 10TH YEaR fall 2013 OkOtOks Living 13
14 OkOtOks Living fall 2013 SOURCE MEDIa GROUP: CElEBRaTING ITS 10TH YEaR
NExT MONTH, HuNDREDS of feet will be pounding the
pavement along Okotoks’ river pathways for a special
cause — the Okotoks Wishmaker Walk.
The event was the brainchild of Christine Killam, who
was inspired to give back after her seven-year-old son
Bennett received a wish.
“We wanted to give back for what he might get one
day,” she says, adding that she wanted to help other
families whose children have life-threatening illnesses.
The Okotoks Wish Walk came together last year,
with the help of a group of volunteers who thought the
Children’s Wish foundation was an important charity to
raise awareness for and support financially. Before they
knew it, there were 22 people working on the 2012 event.
Wish grantedCommunity helps raise money for Okotoks Wish Walk
feature
Over six weeks, the group promoted the event in the paper,
and Killam did a couple of interviews on the radio. They set up a
Twitter account and a facebook page.
Killam’s family story was told in a video on the Okotoks Wish
Walk website. “It was important to have a face and a story people
could connect to,” Killam says.
Killam’s son Bennett and her daughter Maeve both have
dyskeratosis congenita, a rare multi-system genetic disease that
attacks the skin, bone marrow, blood, and other parts of the body,
and causes premature aging.
Bennett was given a wish a couple of years ago. He hasn’t
decided what he wants to do yet, his mother says. “He wanted
to meet Robert Munsch and write a book with him, but then
he decided he’d rather go to atlantis on Paradise Island in the
Bahamas. He has an extended hospital stay coming up, so it’ll be a
good reward and a good thing to focus on.”
Bennett also wanted to go to space.
“When we told Christine that option was actually available, for
$1 million,” says Cory Rockley, marketing and communications
co-ordinator for the Okotoks Wish Walk committee, laughing,
“she said, ‘that’s not an option,’ and I said, ‘I’m sure we can raise
that much money.’”
“It felt like a family
had come together to
celebrate.A family of 900 people.”
Story by Jessica PattersonPhotos by Lana Armitage
SOURCE MEDIa GROUP: CElEBRaTING ITS 10TH YEaR fall 2013 OkOtOks Living 15
Wish grantedfeature
Okotokians also connected to the Okotoks Wish Walk
ambassador families, who represented themselves and shared
their stories.
“Their job was to be at the walk, last year, and share their story
at the walk,” Killam explains. “ambassador family Sara Nowak
and her son Chance led the walk with a big banner. They’d just
gotten back from their wish, at Disney World in florida, when the
walk happened.”
Wishes can be anything, Killam says.
“There are kids who want a bedroom redecoration,” she says.
“There are lots of Disneyland wishes. There are kids who want to
take a trip to Ontario to visit their grandparents, meet a celebrity
or get a camper to spend more time with their families.”
Wishes help families get through tough times, help kids pull
through situations they’re in, and give them a bright spot to look
forward to.
The idea for the 2012 event was to have 100 people involved
in the walk, and raise about $500. It was a time for familes to
come out, enjoy being with each other, and support others going
through tough times.
Instead, they raised $80,000 and 900 people showed up for the
walk last year.
The outpouring of support the event received from the
community stunned Killam and Rockley.
“I don’t think we knew
they were rallying around
us, until they all showed
up,” Killam says. “We were
in shock the whole day. We
didn’t have enough space to
register all of them.”
The day was magical,
she says. “It felt like a family had
come together to celebrate,” she says. “a family of 900
people.”
The event gave residents, who’ve had wishes granted,
an opportunity to share their stories.
“We were surprised at how many kids in the area
had received or been given the opportunity for a wish,”
Rockley says. “I think there were 10 at the time, and that
was just last year.”
This year, the Okotoks Wishmaker Walk for Wishes is
October 19, 2013.
“This year, we’re focusing on community,” Rockley says.
The Wishmaker Walk is the largest fundraising event
for The Children’s Wish foundation of Canada. Each year,
hundreds of walks are held across the country to help
support wishes in their communities. OL
16 OkOtOks Living fall 2013 SOURCE MEDIa GROUP: CElEBRaTING ITS 10TH YEaR
Great gardens begin at Countryside!
18 OkOtOks Living fall 2013 SOURCE MEDIa GROUP: CElEBRaTING ITS 10TH YEaR
communityBy Jessica Patterson
IN JuNE, FLOODING of epic
proportions flowed through
the foothills, Okotoks and
surrounding communities. The
aftermath was devastating and
it took months before anything
was near to normal again.
For Okotoks businesses,
some of whom experienced the event first hand, the rising
waters were surreal.
“It was almost like a movie, it just didn’t seem real,” says Cheryl
Actemichuk, president of the Okotoks & District Chamber of
Commerce. Actemichuk is the manager of member services at First
Calgary Financial and was evacuated from the bank’s Southridge
Drive location with other employees June 20.
The following day, Actemichuk sprang into action. “I wrote a
letter to our Chamber membership, telling them High River needed
us, the whole community needed us, and outlined to business
owners what was happening in High River, based on what I’d seen
in the news and based on my connection to the president of the
Chamber in High River,” Actemichuk says.
She co-ordinated with Andrew Gustafson, owner of Natural High
Fitness, about immediate needs for evacuees, as he’d been asked
to help manage the reception centre at the Recreation Centre. “I
asked him if there were any immediate needs, to let us know and
we’d put the word out,” she says.
At the beginning, many Okotokians wanted to help out, donate or
offer rooms and food to the displaced residents. Instead, the Town
compiled a list of who had what.
“Over the course of the next couple of weeks, as things became
needed in the reception centre, we had a list of people we could
call on, to bring those things in to us,” Gustafson says. “If there
wasn’t anyone on the list with that specific item, we went out into
the community.”
Gustafson says his role was in procurement.
“If they needed something, we went out and found it,” he says.
“It got us out in the community and we got to talk with a lot of
people.”
Okotoks to the rescueflood response shows community spirit
In the days that followed, a bakery in Calgary
brought a semi-truck load full of bread and asked
where it was needed.
The Okotoks Rotary Club heard there was a need
for blankets and pillows at the reception centre in
Blackie, and within a couple of hours, president Sandi
Kennedy had a garage full.
Often, all it took was a single phone call, Gustafson
says. When the reception centre needed soap,
shampoo, shaving cream and other toiletries, it was
provided in 40 minutes by the case.
“They said, we need sweaters, and within an hour
we had 100 sweaters,” Gustafson says.
Through a network, including but not limited
to the Okotoks Chamber of Commerce, the gym
membership, Rotary and the Okotoks ACE network,
Gustafson says the reception centre was provided for.
“It’s not just because I’m connected, it’s because
I’m connected to a few people who are connected to
a few people, who are connected to a few people,” he
Courtesy Town of Okotoks
Courtesy Town of Okotoks
SOURCE MEDIa GROUP: CElEBRaTING ITS 10TH YEaR fall 2013 OkOtOks Living 19
community
says. “Okotoks is a close-knit community, it’s a small town at
heart. People were willing to drop what they were doing for an
hour and help us find some stuff.”
Each one of the calls for supplies at the reception centre didn’t
take much time, and Gustafson played a small role, like many
others, in seeing that things were accomplished.
“The Town of Okotoks reacted to situations very quickly and
very calmly, they did such a good job in taking care of those
people,” he says. “If we were able to play a small role in that,
we’re happy to have done so and proud we could.”
At First Calgary, Actemichuk decided to make the branch a
drop-off spot for food donations, as the food bank had been
flooded. “People just started coming here in droves, dropping
things off,” she says. “It was crazy, the amount of things that
went out of this branch.”
Business owners in Okotoks and all over the foothills helped
out in various ways. The Okotoks Chamber of Commerce got
phone calls from contractors, asking how they could help the
business and surrounding community.
“Stu McCormick, the vice president of D’Arcy Ranch came
down to see me,” Actemichuk says. “He sat in my office with
tears in his eyes, and said, ‘we want to make this donation
for High River and Black Diamond.’ He gave me a cheque for
$50,000.”
Okotoks answered the call and rallied to help, wherever they
could. Teams of people from different Okotoks businesses
volunteered their time to clean up in High River.
“We’d come in here in the morning to gather the troops, clean
and pumped up and wanting to help,” Actemichuk says.
“They’d come back after nine hours, filthy, exhausted,
tired and emotionally spent. But after witnessing the
devastation everyone was determined to send more
people. And while they were tired, they wanted to get
back out there, send more people and organize again.”
Countless others cooked and made meals, provided
emotional support, and space for friends and families
evacuated by the flood waters.
“I think there’s so many people, hardly anyone
that hasn’t been there or helped out in some way,”
Actemichuk says. “Regardless of where we live, colour
of our skin or religion we choose, we all have five litres
of blood running through us and a heartbeat. I think
that in itself, knowing that people have lost their
homes, their businesses, their livelihoods, I think that’s
what drives people to want to help.”
She says, as Albertans, people genuinely care about
their neighbours, wanting them to be happy, healthy
and well. “The community needs us, is depending on
us, whatever we can do.” OL
“Okotoks is a close-knit community, it’s a small town at heart. People were willing to drop what they were doing for an hour and help us find some stuff.”
Photo by Jessica Patterson
Photo courtesy Helen Gaudry
Bev and Dean Carlson, Terri, Bill Richard and Ryan Cole, laurel and Matt Scharian, Wendy Temple, Janet Graham,
Christine Johnson and her friend Mark. Courtesy Cathy Huth
20 OkOtOks Living fall 2013 SOURCE MEDIa GROUP: CElEBRaTING ITS 10TH YEaR
Ties thatbindJackie Miller celebrates life in Okotoks
Story by Jessica PattersonPhotos by Don Molyneaux
people
22 OkOtOks Living fall 2013 SOURCE MEDIa GROUP: CElEBRaTING ITS 10TH YEaR
To her friends, Jackie Miller is
Wonder Woman, but to her family,
she’s just Mom.
Miller, 59, grew up in Smithers, BC,
the daughter of the town’s doctor
and nurse. The isolated town, 350
miles from Prince George, where everyone looked
out for one another, was the perfect playground for
Miller, who loved to be outside.
Growing up with parents in professions where
they helped people had a big impact on Jackie. “We
always had a stray at our house,” Jackie explains.
“My dad brought home a World War I vet to stay with
us while he recouped. It was before Medicare and he
had no family. He died at our place 14 years later. He
was just like a grandfather to us.”
Jackie’s husband, Ervie, has been the love of her
life for the last 36 years, and even before then.
Ervie was Jackie’s first boyfriend, at the age of 16.
He’d come out to Smithers to play on the junior B
hockey team.
a while later, they parted ways, but that wasn’t to
be the end.
“I was at the Vancouver General School of
Nursing when one of my friends dropped out to get
married and went back home to Grand forks for the
wedding,” Jackie explains. “I went to Grand forks to
be her bridesmaid. One night, we were out having a
drink, and I looked over and there’s Ervie. I couldn’t
believe it.”
Jackie moved to Okotoks in 1976, when she was
22. “There were 1,100 people in Okotoks when I
came,” she says. “and when I married the local boy,
everyone knew who I was, so everyone said hello
to me.”
The rest, as they say, is history. Thirty-six years
of marriage, three kids, three dogs, 18 horses and
numerous other animals have made the Miller ranch
Jackie’s home, just north of Okotoks.
Okotoks has changed over the decades, Miller
says. “It’s very much a small town without a lot of
rural connection, anymore. When my kids were in
high school, they were the only farm kids in the
classroom.”
people
»
SOURCE MEDIa GROUP: CElEBRaTING ITS 10TH YEaR fall 2013 OkOtOks Living 23
24 OkOtOks Living fall 2013 SOURCE MEDIa GROUP: CElEBRaTING ITS 10TH YEaR
people
Jackie’s children are the seventh generation of
Millers to be born in Okotoks. The eldest is Robert,
35, who runs Miller Supply and hauls bulk oil all over
Southern Alberta. Robert married Krista, and they
have two kids, Hayley, 8, and Ryan, 6. Jackie’s middle
son Doug, 31, is a rancher. His wife is Tannis, and
they have a little boy, Tate, 19 months. Her youngest
is Lynsey, 26, an equine dentist who lives just south of
the homeplace with her husband Chance, a working
cow horse trainer. “She was married a
year ago, in our yard,” Jackie says.
“The rural lifestyle is huge because our
kids did contribute to our farm,” Jackie
says. “They had chores every day they
had to do before they got to play. I think
that instills a work ethic and a sense of
responsibility.”
Jackie retired from her part-time job as
a nurse at the High River hospital about
two years ago. Since then, her other
volunteer responsibilities have taken up the slack.
“Jackie is a very hard-working individual, who
doesn’t ever seem to stop, she just keeps on going.
She works non-stop for her family and for her
community,” says friend Bev MacMillan, who has
known Jackie for eight years.
Jackie is the Okotoks Outriders 4H riding coach, and
has been teaching kids to ride for the last 26 years. “I
like helping people and passing on a little of what I’ve
learned,” she says. “I love teaching kids to ride, kids
are awesome.”
Every year, there are 23 kids in the Okotoks
Outriders 4H club. Jackie not only teaches them how
to ride, but also horse ground manners and how to be
safe around horses.
“All of them would be excellent riders,” MacMillan
says. “Jackie inspires them to do their best. If they
are scared of something, she has a really good way of
bringing children out of that and encouraging them
beyond the problem.”
a Back row, l – R: Tate, Tannis, Doug, Chance, Robert and Krista. front row, l – R: lynsey, Jackie, Nacho, Ervie, Hayley and Ryan.
B Jackie, Nacho and her mares.
C Jackie, Ervie and Nacho.
D l to R: Doug, 10, Ervie, Robert, 14, lynsey, 6 and Jackie.
E Jackie and her granddaughter Hayley saddle up Chess.
f & G Jackie and Ervie.
“I like helping people and passing on a little of what I’ve learned.”
A
B C
SOURCE MEDIa GROUP: CElEBRaTING ITS 10TH YEaR fall 2013 OkOtOks Living 25
people
And if a child’s horse is lame, Jackie doesn’t hesitate
to load up and bring one of her own.
She also spends her Wednesday mornings teaching
a groups of ladies, called Bailey’s group, to ride. “We
have a lot of fun. It’s a social group with horses in
common,” she jokes.
Jackie has also volunteered with the Foothills
Therapeutic Riding Association for the last decade,
which she calls a rewarding experience. “It’s amazing
what being around a horse will do for a kid, it builds
confidence and their physical strength and they have
fun,” she says.
And, if those don’t bring Jackie to the Okotoks
Agricultural Society grounds several times a week,
there’s also the fact that she’s president of the society
and has been on the board for five years. Her goal as
president is to have the facility more frequently used
by the community. “I’d like to get more agricultural
things happening there, perhaps some different types
of horse shows,” she says. “It would be a blast to have
an old-time farm fair.”
Seven years ago, Jackie got into the sport of reined
cow horse. She trained with local cow horse trainer
Vance Kaglea. “He’s my coach, my mentor, he taught
me everything I know about working cow horse,”
Jackie says. “It’s a challenge, you have to be in tune
with your horse to do the manoeuvres well.”
She earned second place, also known as reserve
champion, last year at the National
Reined Cow Horse Association World
Championship show in San Angelo,
Texas, on a little mare named Lucy.
Jackie also loves to garden, read, and
go scuba diving with Ervie. With so
many activities, volunteer gigs, and
grandchildren to teach how to ride,
Jackie gets more accomplished than
most people do in a day, MacMillan
says.
“If you can help, you do,” Jackie says.
“You don’t make a big deal about it,
help always starts with your family and
your neighbours.” OL
“If you can help, you do. You don’t make a big deal about it, help always starts with your family and your neighbours.”
D
E
F G
sportsStory by Stephen W. Smith
Photos by Allen Gimblett
Knights and Falcons battle for high school football supremacy
Crosstown rivals
WHENEVER THE fOOTHIllS Composite
falcons and Holy Trinity academy Knights
match up on a football field it’s a big event.
“I think it’s one of the great rivalries in high
school athletics in alberta,” says Matt Hassett, long-
time head coach of the Knights. “It’s just one those things
you get with crosstown rivals. They don’t want to lose to us.
We don’t want to lose to them.”
Once a year the Knights and falcons meet for regular season
bragging rights and they often collide again in the playoffs
with a conference title on the line. an interesting wrinkle
to this sports rivalry is many of the players on the opposing
teams are past teammates having played together as kids in
the local foothills Eagles football program.
With packed stands of fans and a tradition of shooting off
fireworks to celebrate home victories, the local falcons
football team knows how to put on a show. The foot-
hills Composite High School falcons team has won
four Provincial Tier II football championships,
the most recent one in 2009. This winning tra-
dition and raucous home game atmosphere
were key factors in attracting the team’s
new head coach, Darren Olson.
“It’s kind of got an american feel to it
— a small town team being able to play
its games under the lights,” Olson says.
“I am really excited by that part of it
and definitely looking forward to the
blackout game where we play HTa
in September.”
“… it’s one of the greatest rivalries in high school athletics
in alberta.”
»
SOURCE MEDIa GROUP: CElEBRaTING ITS 10TH YEaR fall 2013 OkOtOks Living 27
sports
For the blackout game, the Falcons swap
their usual burgundy home uniforms
for black ones and their fans show their
support by wearing black in the
stands. This special game
treatment is reserved for
the Falcon’s arch rival,
the Holy Trinity Academy
Knights. Knights’ support-
ers wear white to match
their team’s away jerseys and
to counter the Falcon’s sea of
black on the bleachers.
“We love playing that game,”
says Ben Wattie, a Grade 12
“We grew up playing with a lot of those
guys so it’s a lot of fun to play against them and see how
they’ve grown as athletes.”
linebacker for the Falcons. “We grew up playing with
a lot of those guys so it’s a lot of fun to play against
them and see how they’ve grown as athletes.”
Everybody in the community gets into the rival-
ry, says senior-year Knights defensive back Jordan
Rae. “Even if our team is not playing and they are,
anybody from our team might come out and support
them just because we’ve played with them our entire
lives.”
The Knights had a dream year in 2011. They went
undefeated in the regular season and then beat the
Falcons 31–3 in the inaugural Big Rock Football Con-
ference championship game. The Knights made it all
to the way to the Alberta Tier II (schools of 750–1249
students) championship game in Lethbridge, that
28 OkOtOks Living fall 2013
SOURCE MEDIa GROUP: CElEBRaTING ITS 10TH YEaR fall 2013 OkOtOks Living 29
year, where they ultimately lost to Edmonton’s Aus-
tin O’Brien Crusaders 21–3.
The aftermath of that game left a big impact on
running back Donovan Curtis, then in Grade 10.
“Everyone lines up to receive their medals and you
see every single senior player on our team is crying,”
Curtis says, now in Grade 12. “You expect that. It’s
just the passion that people have for the game, espe-
cially on our team, it’s unbelievable.”
Last year the Falcons bested the Knights 36–27 at
Holy Trinity Academy in September. They later lost to
the Calgary-based Rundle College Cobras in the con-
ference championship game and were ousted from
provincial qualifying by the Springbank Phoenix.
“One of the best memories from last season was the
With every player pouring their all into each game, the upcoming
crosstown match will be one to watch.
sports
game against the Harry Ainlay Titans,” Falcons running
back Josh Koshman says. “It was good because the last
couple of years they beat us down pretty good and my
dad, who played for their team and was their captain,
was giving me a little razzing before the game, but later
he said he was cheering for me.”
Once the Falcons had completed a 42–21 home upset vic-
tory over the then defending provincial Tier I (schools of
1250+ students) champion Titans, Koshman admits both
he and his father Jim welled up with emotion on the field.
The Knights and Falcons have legacies of creating
special memories for their players. With every player
pouring their all into each game, the upcoming cross-
town match Friday September 27, 2013 at the Foothills
Composite, will be one to watch. OL
30 OkOtOks Living fall 2013 SOURCE MEDIa GROUP: CElEBRaTING ITS 10TH YEaR
32 OkOtOks Living fall 2013 SOURCE MEDIa GROUP: CElEBRaTING ITS 10TH YEaR
HOme sWeet
OkOtOksExcel Homes building exclusively-styled
homes in MountainView
IN BaSEBall TERMS, it would be a home run. In
football, a touchdown. In golf, a hole in one.
Whatever sports analogy you prefer, they all
accurately describe what Excel Homes has done in
the Okotoks community of MountainView.
Celebrating 25 years of building quality affordable
homes, Excel Homes’ Raleigh model is a stunning
example of their craftsmanship.
The Raleigh, right from the front elevation and
entry has a real presence, a flow and unique feel
that’s probably easier to actually experience than
to describe. The entrance on its own makes quite a
statement, with an exquisite stairwell, dressed-up
with an iron rod railing. The tall, spacious foyer,
open to the upper floor family room loft, is an
enticing appetizer to a tour of this spacious home.
“The Raleigh is exclusive to MountainView,” says
Becky Burbank, area manager for Excel Homes.
“Our community has 38-foot wide lots, which will
accommodate this show home model.”
homesBy Aaliya Essa
»
SOURCE MEDIa GROUP: CElEBRaTING ITS 10TH YEaR fall 2013 OkOtOks Living 33
34 OkOtOks Living fall 2013 SOURCE MEDIa GROUP: CElEBRaTING ITS 10TH YEaR
This two-storey home is a roomy 2,550 square-feet in size,
features three bedrooms and two-and-a-half-baths, plus
so much more. This model takes maximum advantage of a
distinctive layout, adding to its simplicity and accessibility,
and it really does make a world of difference.
“People like the uniqueness in the design of the layout, this
has definitely been our best selling model,” says Burbank.
“People love the open concept main floor and how the
entrance looks so elegant.”
The main floor is a haven for your inner chef, with a grand
open concept kitchen, centred around a large island, with
upgraded granite counter top, and a wine fridge, too. With
a full compliment of stainless steel appliances and lots of
counter space, the Raleigh is perfect for hosting dinner parties,
allowing you to prepare delicious meals and visit with friends
and family at the same time. The walk-through pantry also
makes unloading and storing groceries a breeze, not to mention
making finding key ingredients just as easy, too.
There is kitchen eating area, as well as a formal dining room.
A gorgeous two-sided fireplace separates the formal dining area
from the living room, adding a warm ambience to both.
Large windows along the back wall allow sunlight
to stream into the kitchen and living room, and were
an important design consideration. “As you first walk
into this home you can see the natural light. Large
windows are a common theme in Excel Homes, this
has been a popular feature,” says Burbank.
The upper level of the home has a similar feel to it,
with spacious hallways, upgraded nine-foot ceilings
and eight-foot doors.
The upperfloor laundry room in this home is
super functional, with a generous amount of space
allocated to this area, and a surprise second door
that leads directly into the master walk-in-closet.
The Raleigh’s master bedroom is designed with
relaxation in mind. The ensuite has a sensational
soaker-tub, his and hers sinks, and a stand-up
shower with a ceramic tile finish. If you prefer your
ensuite to resemble more of a mini-spa retreat, then
you’ll love it.
Two additional bedrooms, a full bathroom, and
a bonus room finish off the upper floor. The bonus
“People like the uniqueness in the design of the layout, this has definitely been our best selling model ... people love the open concept main floor and how the entrance looks so elegant.”
homes
SOURCE MEDIa GROUP: CElEBRaTING ITS 10TH YEaR fall 2013 OkOtOks Living 35
room, too, has an abundance of natural light, and is a large
enough space that it could have a variety of uses. “This is a
really nice, spacious bonus room at the front of the home,”
Burbank says.
As an added bonus for buyers, Excel Homes is a registered
member of Built Green Canada, so all Excel Homes have Built
Green features in them. “These include the active heat recovery
system, low emissivity (Low E) windows, high-efficiency
furnace, hot water tanks, and solar conduits that are roughed in
already for solar panelling to be installed as well,” says Burbank.
MountainView is located in the northwest part of town, west
of the No Frills and the new senior care facility. One of Okotoks’
newest communities, MountainView is presently being built
in the first of eight phases by developer Apex Builder Group,
who’ve designed the neighbourhood while maintaining that
small town feel.
Buyers can enjoy strolling down the pedestrian parkways,
around the pond, and really have a chance to truly enjoy the
nature which surrounds them. Many homes here also offer an
excellent view towards the foothills and Rocky Mountains.
“Living in MountainView allows for super easy access to
Calgary without having to drive through town, the
appeal of the mountain views, and all the while close
enough to walk to the historical downtown Okotoks,”
says Burbank.
This Raleigh starts at about $485,000, which
includes lot and GST. Show home hours are
Monday to Thursday from 2 – 8 p.m., weekend and
holidays from noon – 5 p.m., and they are closed on
Fridays. OL
Buyers can enjoy strolling down the pedestrian parkways, around the pond, and really have a chance to truly enjoy the nature which surrounds them.
homes
36 OkOtOks Living fall 2013 SOURCE MEDIa GROUP: CElEBRaTING ITS 10TH YEaR
SOURCE MEDIa GROUP: CElEBRaTING ITS 10TH YEaR fall 2013 OkOtOks Living 37
One Way tO enhance your backyard is by making it a haven for native birds, says Christa Michailuck, the town’s Open Spaces team Leader.
the biggest thing, literally, that attracts native birds to your backyard is native, mature trees. “Most of us don’t have those because we’re in a rapidly growing community, with new home lots which have relatively newly-planted trees,” she says. “you can get other native plants, trees and shrubs that will increase the habitat for birds in your yards.”
native trees include white spruce, lodgepole pine, trembling aspen, sub-alpine fir, paper birch and river birch, Michailuck says. White spruce is a nicely-shaped tree with softer needles than the Colorado spruce. Paper and river birch trees are native to alberta, and like moist areas of your yard that don’t drain well. another tree that attracts native birds include river alder and Western mountain ash.
Bird feeders are a popular choice to entice birds to your back-yards, but often, the biggest problem with bird feeders is the feed itself, Michailuck says.
“Deer love birdseed,” she says. “Be careful what kind of food you put out and where you put it. If it’s too low, the deer will get it.”
Vertical tube feeders require birds to fly alongside of it and pick the seeds out, she says. “House sparrows aren’t quite as agile as our native birds, so they find it a little bit more chal-lenging.”
Seeds that will attract native birds include the black niger seed, black oil sunflower seeds, peanuts, white millet and wraisins, which will not become weed issues.
native birds are more likely to eat insects than birdseed.“Barn swallows are great mosquito-eaters,” Michailuck says.
“as are tree swallows, but they’re not as urbanized, so you mightn’t get them in town as often.”
Make your backyard a mini-ecosystem, with help of songbirds
Birds of a feathersustainability
another native, easy bird to attract to your backyard is the house wren.
“It’s a tiny bird, that eats insects and has a beautiful song,” Michailuck says. “they’re urbanized birds, so if you put up a house box suitable for a house wren, you’ll get a house wren.”
“I’ve got several nesting in my yard. they’re so cute and the little male sings his heart out, all day.”
Other native songbirds include grasshopper and savannah sparrows, american goldfinch-es, bluejays and grey jays as well.
Providing space and refuge for smaller, native songbirds in your backyard is a good idea, against other larger native birds, like the aggressive magpie, crow, raven and merlin. Shrubs including Canada buffalo berry, high-bush cranberry, bearberry and gooseberry will not only provide a little more cover, but also birds love them, Michailuck says. Local plant mate-rial will also minimize certain pests. native plants and shrubs have adapted to local pests like aphids, more than ornamental stock. OL
tin and Wood birdfeeder with twig-style perches. Photo courtesy the Home Depot
Barn Swallow
The biggest thing, literally, that attracts native birds to your backyard is native, mature trees.
By Jessica Patterson
SOURCE MEDIa GROUP: CElEBRaTING ITS 10TH YEaR fall 2013 OkOtOks Living 39
Okotoks Pro Rodeo, now in it’s 22nd year,
runs August 30 – 31 at 7 p.m. and
September 1 starting at 1 p.m. at the
Okotoks Recreation Centre,
with events including barrel
racing, saddle bronc riding,
team roping, mutton busting
and the wild horse race. Tickets
available at the Okotoks Recreation Centre.
The 35th Annual Sheep River Road Race will see
hundreds of runners pounding the pavement
beginning at 9:15 a.m. with 5K and 10K races, through
the Sheep River valley. www.bigrockrunners.com
Tour of Alberta. See cyclists
from all over the world
complete in Canada’s first
major international pro-
cycling race.
Film night at the Rotary Performing Arts Centre.
Admission $2. Every Thursday and Friday night in
the fall, movie buffs get to see some of the
best Alberta films, cult classics and
remembrance films.
www.okotoksculture.ca
Okotoks Agricultural Society’s annual
outdoor country concert, 6 to 11 p.m.,
featuring Emerson Drive, Doc Walker and
Carolyn Dawn Johnson. Tickets available at
OAS or Boothill Gallery for $110. For more information
visit www.okotoksag.com
Que nos rodea — Around us at the Okotoks Art Gallery,
by installation artist José Luis Torres, where mixed
materials will be transformed to create sculpture in
the large gallery.
HarvestFest, celebrating everything
fall harvest happens at Ethel Tucker
Park, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Calgary Philharmonic at the
Rotary Performing Arts Centre
Sing along with The Sound of Music, 12 p.m. at the
RPAC. Crafts for kids and a costume parade included
in this musically-themed day. Admission $5.
Guided tour at Okotoks Cemetery,
“Field of Honour tour.”
Spirit of Christmas at the Okotoks
Art Gallery, features one of a kind
jewellery, artwork, cards and
ornaments from local artisans.
Light up Okotoks. Grab your mittens and come
down to the Olde Towne to enjoy all of your holiday
favourites, including festive activities, carollers
and a visit from Santa.
Old-Fashioned Christmas exhibit opens at the
Okotoks Museum and Archives.
Pumpkin & Scarecrow Days at Kayben
Farms. Experience the beauty of fall
in the country, with a pumpkin patch,
corn maze, contests, live music,
entertainment and kids activities.
Chisel Creek will play a little folk and
roots, some Bach and some traditional to spice up the
night at the RPAC. Tickets $15 in advance.
11th Annual Service Excellence Awards, hosted by
the Okotoks & District Chamber of Commerce held at
the Foothills Centennial Centre. Doors open at 6 p.m.
www.okotokschamber.ca
2013 Walk for Wishes www.okotokswishmaker.ca
Alberta Culture Days brings three fun days of free
cultural activities to town.
Okotoks Ghost Walk tours. Discover what,
or whom, lurks in downtown Okotoks
after dark. Tickets $5, available at the
museum and archives.
events
what’s happeningseptember october
november
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2
4-5
13
5-7
12
16
19
27-29
28-30
2
11
15-21
22
22
For information on Town of Okotoks events contact:Mark Doherty, Community Events Co-ordinator403-938-8950 or mdoherty@okotoks.ca or visit www.okotoks.ca
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40 OkOtOks Living fall 2013 SOURCE MEDIa GROUP: CElEBRaTING ITS 10TH YEaR
The My Family Dental team.
A t My Family Dental, patients come first. Principal Dentist Dr. Helen Robinson has worked in Oko-
toks for 16 years, building her practice on a commitment to patient health, focusing on honesty, respect and compassion and treating each patient as an individual while providing modern and high quality dental care.
At My Family Dental, Dr. Robinson, Dr. Lisa Mallett, Dr. Danielle tingley and Dr. Manu Dua combine their talents and specialties to encompass a variety of high tech dental services. Collectively their goal is the quality of care they provide to each person who walks through their door.
in a warm, comfortable environment, My Family Dental provides a full range of dental services including implants, cosmetic procedures and sedation dentistry. they also place a special emphasis on chil-dren’s dental care, having received accreditation from Child and Youth Friendly Calgary. From a play room equipped with puzzles,
| Advertising FeAture |
movies and video games to ceil-ing-mounted tvs in each room, the friendly staff work hard to earn the trust of their littlest patients and make sure their experi-ences are enjoyable.
Also active in the community, My Family Dental designed and sponsors a unique dental education program that sees a Registered Dental Assistant visiting Okotoks classrooms to teach children how to care for their mouths. What started as a small puppet show has grown into a hugely popular teaching tool that engages students in a memorable way and serves as a valuable extension of the holistic care offered inside the office at My Family Dental.
to find out more about the staff and services at My Family Dental visit www.okotoksfamilydental.com or call 403-995-9544. n
Providing exceptional care for the whole family
SOURCE MEDIa GROUP: CElEBRaTING ITS 10TH YEaR fall 2013 OkOtOks Living 41
generously donated to fundraisers and supported groups in the com-munity. Pizza Hut has, over the last five years, sponsored the Book it! reading incentive program, and owners karla and Dave have been members of the Chamber of Commerce, the United Way/Okotoks partnership and the serendipity Preschool Parent board.
Pizza Hut gives back as much as they can. “this community is im-portant to us,” karla says. “it’s where we live, where our kids play and go to school. Our lives are busy, over the past five years we have grown our business and our family. We have four children under five, and it is im-portant to us that we create good life balance between our restaurant family and our home fam-ily. Our opportunity to live in the community where our business resides, al-lows us to spend everyday with our children.”
Come celebrate their 5th Pizzaversary, and let their family take care of yours, the Hut is where the heart is. n The Fitzgerald family
t heir recipe is simple. good people, good food and great service is what the local Pizza Hut franchisee, David and karla Fitzgerald pride themselves on.
“i think people forget, that although we’re a franchise, we are busi-ness owners,” says karla . “We own this as a small business, and we are passionate about the food we serve, our Restaurant team, the commu-nity and our customer’s experience. We put our heart into it, every day.”
Pizza Hut is a training ground for the leaders of tomorrow. “We have a fantastic group here,” says karla. “We’re not just managers and own-ers, we are mentors. Our restaurant team is a part of our family.”
the family-oriented business has brought in numerous young team members over the years, developing them and watching them grow. team members are challenged to do their best, every day. David and karla teach respect, ownership and responsibility. their team learns business and interpersonal skills, and the training and experience they get at Pizza Hut gives them life skills as they grow into their careers.
they don’t expect their team members will stay with them forever, but while they’re at Pizza Hut, the management creates lasting relation-ships, always making everyone feel like they belong.
Community-minded businesses are part of what makes Okotoks a great place to live. Often, their heart is on their plate, as Pizza Hut has
| Advertising FeAture |
CElEBRaTING a fIfTH PIzzavERSaRY
Top auto brand motors its way to town
Nissan has long had some of the most popular vehicles on Canadian roads. now, much to the delight of local motorists these vehicles can be bought and expertly serviced right here in town. Okotoks nissan has been very well-received
since it opened its doors a few months ago in a highly visible location on Woodgate Road.
”We’re excited for the opportunity to be here and we’re excited about the amount of business we have been seeing,” general Manager Jeff Romeril explains. “i feel nissan is a strong brand especially for this community since there are a lot of commuters and we have some very fuel-efficient cars. there is also the family side of things and we have a lot of vehicles that work really well for families.”
topping that list is the positively redesigned nissan Pathfinder sUv with comfortable seating for seven and a spacious third row that is surprisingly easy to get into. Many local motorists will falling in love with the 2014 Pathfinder that strikes the perfect chord for those rushing back and forth to the big city.
“the versa note is a small hatchback that gets amazing gas mileage and it is completely redesigned,” he explains. “it has quite a few features on it for such a small car.“
those features can include a back-up camera, navigation system, blind spot indicator and nissan Connect which efficiently synchronizes your car with phone. Making lives simpler and rides safer, your local nissan dealership knows the value of innovation for its customers.
“Certain models like the Rogue, Murano and Pathfinder have what is called the Bird’s Eye view,” Romeril says. “it has cameras on the mirrors, on the front and the back so you can see around your whole vehicle. When you are backing up you can see if you’re going to be in the lines and how close you are going to be to things on each side.”
Part of the Okotoks nissan sales team, James Lowe is happy to be living and working in the community. He is also pleased to be dealing in a line of automobiles that quickly win customers over.
“there’s this great comfort in the drive you get with the nissans who have the Cvt (Continuously variable transmission),” Lowe says citing an example of why he is big on his particular auto brand. “it’s a constant acceleration transmission so it basically gives you seamless acceleration.”
Gearing up with Okotoks Nissan
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www.okotoksnissan.com
A car that speeds up to the pace of traffic without jerking or lurching into a higher gear it may seem like a simple thing, but it’s also the sort of feature that builds customer brand loyalty. something the staff at Okotoks nissan is pleased to be creating in and around our community. stop by and see them in store today and check out the dealership on-line at www.okotoksnissan.com n
46 OkOtOks Living fall 2013 SOURCE MEDIa GROUP: CElEBRaTING ITS 10TH YEaR
you said it…By Jessica Patterson
“
“
““
What is the most generous thing someone’s ever done for you?
My husband and I took a trip to San Diego when we
were first married. There, I saw a beautiful hotel on the beach, but we couldn’t afford to stay. On my 60th birthday, my husband took me to this beautiful hotel on the beach in San Diego, with a surprise — all of my family was there to celebrate.
Lesley Brown, resident
The most generous thing
ever done for me was my parents gave me the opportunity to do what I wanted and follow my dreams.
Valentine Helldobler, assistant coach, Okotoks Dawgs
“My wife bought Colorado Rockies
tickets for us, as a wedding gift, the day of our wedding. It meant a lot to me, she knew I would like and enjoy the game.
AJ Fystro, head coach,Okotoks Dawgs
“People are nice and considerate here in
Okotoks. I think holding the door for others, or saying hello, those common courtesies and generosity people often forget.
Chris Villalobos, #36 Okotoks Dawgs
Our church brought us
meals when my mother was in the hospital for a month this year.
Chloe U.,resident
““The foothills School Division
named the Percy Pegler gymnasium after me. It was, and still is, a humbling experience.
Bill Robertson, Mayor
One of my co-workers gave us
45 bales of hay when we ran out of hay for our horse this summer.
Donna Robertson-Epp,resident
I have a website to fundraise for a well
in a third-world country. I received a $200 donation from an anonymous donor. It was generous.
Eva M.,resident
“This guy in my Grade 2 class was
always giving me cookies at lunch. He said he liked giving things to people. So, one day I brought a bag of cookies in for him. and we shared them with the whole class.
Madison B.,resident
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