A Big Valley barrel racer is Stampede bound after her first year on the professional circuit.
    On Wednesday, April 11 the Calgary Stampede unveiled its list of competitors for the 2018 rodeo. On the list are stalwarts such as Carbon’s bareback rider Cole Goodine and decorated saddle bronc rider Zeke Thurston of Big Valley. Count Diane Skocdopole on the list as well.
    “The way they have the Stampede set up now is they take four Canadians from the barrel standings so you have to have a pretty outstanding year to get in on the Canadian side,” Skocdopole tells the Mail.
    She has been riding for many years but last season was the first time that she took out her professional card and rode in 38 events last season. She had a great year, and in fact was named Canadian Professional Rodeo Association (CPRA) Rookie of the Year.
    She had wins in Camrose, Innisfail, La Crete and Pincher Creek and some second place finishes to earn her a spot. At the Canadian Finals Rodeo, she won the Day One Performance. She ended up in fifth place overall, based on money earned.
    The Stampede takes only the top four Canadian riders, however, one of her competitors was under 18 and not eligible to ride in the Stampede
    “It’s really exciting, especially because it seems to be an exclusive thing for the Canadian girls to get in anymore,” she said.

    Cindy Clark has taken her love of art and is sharing it with area seniors.
     Clark has been an active community volunteer, including serving on the Drumheller and District Chamber of Commerce. She is also an avid artist.  For the last five years, she has been doing a volunteer art program for seniors. This is a program that Rose Poulsen seniors coordinator, has organized.
    “It is art day we do on the second Tuesday of the month,” she said. “It was developed for seniors, and it has grown. When we first started there might have been two or three people that came, and we have had as many as 14 this year, so it has gotten bigger.”
  Clark considers herself an artist, but not a trained teacher, however, she is able to put together simple, entertaining programs and uses her skill to deliver it.
    “I plan an art activity we do together, usually it is a painting activity. We make pictures, we talk and we have become a real social group of people that get together. I really enjoy it, that’s why I keep doing it.”
    She adds it is a valuable way to keep seniors’ bodies and minds engaged, adding that many are recently widowed.
    “So it was really an outlet for them to come out and be around other people. They had an interest in art, it doesn’t matter if they had any experience,” she said.  
    In some ways, she stumbled into the program. She was asked one time to fill in for another facilitator and has kept with it.
    A couple years ago she encouraged some of the members to become their own art group, and it has worked out. Last year some entered an art show.
    “We put on a really fabulous show in Drumheller last year and we are putting on another this spring they get to enter,” she said
    With some of the funds from their show, they are looking at sponsoring young artists at the schools to go into the shows.
    Like so much volunteer work, it provides Clark with rewards.
    “For me, I love the interaction, I think I have made some friendships along the way, which is valuable. It also inspires my painting,” said Clark. “I may try something different with them, and then when I go home to my studio, it might inspire me to work a little more on  something or stretch my limits.”
    “I also find it fulfilling to be giving back to these people. These are the people that are the community creators before me, so you can draw from their experiences, and I hope we can pass that on to the new painters.”