The Canadian Badlands Aquatic Club (CBAC) finished off 2017 with a successful run of swim meets.
    Despite having to travel to the Three Hills pool to train this fall, the swimmers were able to achieve some impressive results and individual goals.  
    Emily Martin received a silver medal in 50-meter Backstroke and three other top-eight finishes at the Age Group Challenge at the Repsol Sports Centre in late November. Nathan Dobell and Annika Lassen also received three top-eight finishes at the same meet while Alicia Christensen and Keely Martin reached personal best times. Mason Leslie, Evan Manca, and Grady McGougan represented the club very well at a Junior meet in December, with all achieving new best times and Grady with three first-place finishes.
    The Holiday Classic at the University of Calgary in early December is where Nathan Dobell brought home the  gold in 50-meter Backstroke and silver medals in 100-meter Backstroke and 50-meter Butterfly. Emily Martin claimed a bronze in 50-meter Backstroke and two top-eight finishes while Annika Lassen had a 4th place finish in 200-meter Breaststroke and 5th in 50-meter Breaststroke.
    Ava Harrington qualified to attend the highly competitive JP Fiset Meet in Edmonton Dec. 15 – 17 along with teammate Shane Issler of Trochu. Harrington placed 4th in 100-meter Freestyle and 6th in 50-meter Freestyle and improved her times in all six of her events. The highlight was achieving 29.49 seconds on her 50 meter Freestyle for the first time, which gains her a spot on the club’s coveted Under 0:30 trophy.
    With the reopening of the Aquaplex, CBAC welcomes new members, both competitive and non-competitive, aged 8 years and older. Contact Head Coach Sheila Martin at coachdrum@swimcbac.ca for more information on joining the swim club.

    
    Drumhellerite Doug Jensen, 78, has tinkered with restoration projects for 25 years.
    His well-used and well-loved shop echoes soft country music from a little radio and the walls are full of posters, pictures, tools, and shelves, all of which seem to show the determined, proud character Jensen possesses.
    “It’s something you’re brought up with,” said Jensen. “My dad was probably a little influence to that in a way that he made sure that he didn’t fix it, he made sure that we did. He liked his stuff in good shape so I guess we’ll credit my dad.”
    His winter projects have stemmed into full-scale endeavours that keep him ‘out of trouble’.
    “It goes on through the years, I guess twenty-five years ago I decided I’d rebuild an old 1932 truck and took that apart and puttered away on it for years till I got it completed and then I guess later years, I got in to the old tractor. A kind of rule of thumb was I was doing one every winter just to stay out of trouble,” said Jensen.
    Most of his projects rarely leave the farm. They sit in various sheds until they can be run in the warmer months of spring and summer.
    “Drumheller parades... I’ve kind of worn out my welcome there [since] I’ve had it so many times,” laughed Jensen.
    He has worked on roughly 15 different projects over the years including a 1932 International truck that was originally new to the farm’s first owners.
    Each individual machine is broken down ‘to the bare bones’ before being reassembled. Jensen also has had help from friend Paul Hammel and his sons making it a family affair.
    “We worked through a few of these projects together and it’s funny how you go on and you accumulate another one and another one and pretty soon it becomes a passion,” continued Jensen.
    Many other tractors and trucks have been acquired aside from the finished products as a means to supply or trade parts.
    “When you start a project like one of these, you almost need two or three to take the best parts out of each to complete one,” said Jensen.
    Jensen is also a life-time member of the Pioneer Acres Museum located North of Irricana after restoring and donating an early 19th century combine to full functionality for learning purposes. He found it at an auction sale.
    Trevor Jensen, Doug’s son took over the family farm and three sections of land about two years ago so Doug helps only when needed.
    Hockey was another strong fixture in Jensen’s life, taking on multiple roles like playing, coaching, and refereeing.
    “They are good moments, lots of kids that are all grown up now with families so I went through the hockey battles for a few years, it was great,” said Jensen.