Page 6 - THE JOURNAL - WEEK OF JANUARY 20, 2011 Community MARK CAMPBELL Campbell’s Corner One lottery I always try to support is the annual STARS Lottery. The cause is great and the prizes are outstanding. Last week was the official launch at the <strong>Lethbridge</strong> Dream Home at 618 Canyonview Landing built by Avonlea Master Builders. The media and invited guests were on hand and as usual when I walked through the doors I instantly said, “I’ll take it.” I love the fact that should you be fortunate to win the house, you get everything: the furniture, the electronics and all the little decorative extras. Avonlea interior designer Jennifer Mc- Carthy did her usual stand out job. I think if I was to win, I would probably just move in and leave the doors to my old house open with a sign outside saying, “Take What You Need.” It’s always good to get the perspective of why the lottery is held from people whose lives were saved because of STARS. Chris Slovak was in a serious highway accident. Ingrid Todd had a brain aneurism. Both would not have been in attendance if it wasn’t for a short helicopter ride they both took. Avonlea Master Builders has been involved in the STARS Lottery for 13 years and one of the jobs Avonlea’s Steve Meszaros has is to hand over the house keys to the winner each year. Steve told me a pretty wild story about last year’s winner Karen Rylance and her partner Mark Bickford from Winfield, Alberta. For seven or eight months before the draw, wherever Mark would go he kept on seeing the numbers 11:11 over and over. Just before the draw, Mark was in Newfoundland at his grandfather’s 90th birthday. When he walked into his bedroom the clock said 11:11. Soon after, Karen called with the good news. When the lucky couple showed up in <strong>Lethbridge</strong> for the first time to look at their new home, there had been a power outage in the city. They walked into the kitchen and saw the clock on the stove. You guessed it. It was flashing 11:11. And to add just one more crazy coincidence to the tale of ones, Steve pulled out his business card and showed it to Mark. Avonlea’s address: 1111- 3rd Ave. S. The STARS Lottery is already 50% sold out. You can get your tickets at the house at 618 Canyonview Landing, call 1-888-880-0992 or order on line at www.starslottery.ca. Single tickets are $25, a pack of 5 is $100 and you can get 15 for $250. As I was leaving the STARS home I was in the garage overlooking the plethora of footwear. (As in most show homes, they ask you to take off your shoes before traipsing through.) As an off-handed remark I joked to another guy also searching for his shoes, “I wonder if I can do an upgrade here?” I put on what I thought were my shoes and as I started to walk away I thought, “Hmm…did my feet shrink while I was in there? This doesn’t feel right.” Upon further review I realized I had put on the wrong pair. In case you’re wondering I did go back to the pile, found the proper pair and walked away laughing pretty hard to myself. There was no upgrade. I mentioned in my last column about a CD that long time local favorites Tom & Curt are putting out. They just wanted to do what they love to do-music- and give back to the community. So Tom & Curt & Friends will be available at all of their gigs with all proceeds going to the Chinook Autism Society here in <strong>Lethbridge</strong>. There is a great deal of research that shows how music can be used as a form of therapy for autistic children so it seemed like a great fit. Hats off to Scott Groves who just donated over $1200 to the Chinook Autism Society. He had an amazing display of Christmas lights outside his home in Coaldale during the holiday season and kept a donation box outside. As he put it, half went to the charity that is near and dear to him (his son has Aspergers syndrome, a form of autism) and the other half went to his power bill. Don’t forget to support the next Playgoers production at the Yates. Rita Peterson is directing the Oscar Wilde comedy, The Importance of Being Earnest. It runs Feb. 2-5 at 8pm each night. To the cast: fracture a tibia. Aboriginal Voices New Look for Piikani Nation By Roy Pogorzelski For The <strong>Journal</strong> The year 2011 will see a new look at Chief and Council for the Piikani nation. In early January, the Piikani Nation held their elections for Chief and Council. A spokesperson from the band claimed that nearly 1000 members turned out to <strong>vote</strong>. The result afforded Chief Gayle Strikes With A Gun the honour of being the first female Chief to represent the Piikani Nation and 1 of 4 female Chiefs throughout the Province. Of the 12 councillors chosen, only 1 has been re-elected, which portrays a great desire for change and new direction. The 12 Councillors elected are: Doane Crowshoe (re-elected), Wesley (Smoky) Provost, Williet (Willard) Yellow Face, Angela Grier, Andrew Provost Jr, Fabian North Piegan, Clayton Small Legs, Kyle Grier, Rebecca Weasel Traveller, Maurice Little Wolf, Elois Provost and Casey Scott. Gayle Strikes With A Gun utilized social media via Facebook to assist in acquiring <strong>vote</strong>s and recognition of her platform. In describing her experience and expertise; Strikes With A Gun received a Bachelor of Education from the University of <strong>Lethbridge</strong> in 1988 and completed a Masters of Education/Administration from the University of British Columbia in 1996. Strikes With A Gun has been a leader in education for 25 years, as a Teacher, Vice-Principal, assistant/acting Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent of Education of 9 schools in Beaufort Delta, NWT, and Director of Education for the Piikani board of education. She feels that community involvement from all facets of Piikani society is of utmost importance and her platform on Facebook lists a 4 year Strategic Piikani Plan with Chief Gayle Strikes With A Gun community input to determine the needs of the community and the direction the leadership will take on community development. New Chief Gayle also lists that it is important to promote the language and culture of the Piikani Nation, which assists in building a stronger community. To promote more accountability & transparency from leadership to Piikani members; she is recommending a leadership newsletter to provide updates on the activities of Chief and Council in the community. Being an educator, Strikes With A Gun believes in the development and use of internet technology, which will assist in strengthening the community and staying connected to the world. The high unemployment rates of Piikani members, lack of appropriate housing, social issues and the need for more youth involvement are priorities for the newly elected Chief and Council.
2011 3 21 SHOW & st Annual R.V. Huge Dealers in ONE LOCATION THE JOURNAL - WEEK OF JANUARY 20, 2011 - Page 7 SALE Free Admission with donation to the food bank Thurs., Jan 27 th to Sun., Jan. 30 th Thurs., Fri 10am -9pm • Sat., 10am-7pm • Sun., 10am-5pm LETHBRIDGE EXHIBITION PAVILION 1-866-329-3933 403 329-3933 1-877-320-6454 403 320-6454 403 553-3111
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