In the years when men risked their lives daily to eke out a living from the coal in the valley, 210 men perished in the mines.
Now every year the Drumhellercommunity honours them.
The annual Miners Memorial ceremonies are coming up on Sunday, May 20.
Jay Russell of the Atlas Coal Mine says this year they are approaching the celebration a little bit differently than last year.
This year there will be no march. Rather the Memorial will begin at 11 a.m. Sunday morning at the Miners Memorial Park beside Drumheller Town Hall on Centre Street.
Russell says there will be some guest speakers, music provided by Marie Anderson Russell and the reciting of the 210 names of the miners who died in the Valley’s mines.
Following the ceremony, there will be a reception at the Atlas Coal Mine. There is a full slate of activities planned including pony rides, kids games, and light refreshments.
At 2 p.m., there will be a special screening of the short feature “In My Bones” at the East Coulee School Museum. The film by Dennis Envoldsen debuted at the Miners Memorial a couple of years ago, and Russell says it is back by popular demand. The Valley and its miners are featured heavily in the short film.
