Fred Makowecki had the exciting opportunity to spend the weekend with the birth family of his daughter Morgan Jayne.
    Morgan passed away in 2006.  Fred Makowecki adopted Morgan as an infant, in then a rare private adoption. Over the weekend, Makowecki and his family were able to spend time with Morgan’s birth family as they visited the Valley.
    “It was truly a milestone in my life. I feel I have new family...or found family I never really knew I had,” said Makowecki via Facebook.
    Morgan's birth family were in Drumheller last Saturday and Sunday as part of a road trip, and Fred says he is honoured they came to visit. They had not seen each other since 1987 when Morgan was adopted.
    Over the years, they have been in contact through the mail and later through Facebook.
    "It was never a secret to my daughter she was adopted, she always knew she had a family and then a birth family," said Makowecki.
    Over the weekend they were able to see Drumheller for the first time.
    Morgan Jayne’s name has gone on to symbolize much more for residents of Drumheller and many parts of the world. Fred established the Morgan Jayne Project. This is to provide infant formula to babies at risk of being exposed to AIDS through the transmission of their mother’s breast milk.
    The Morgan Jayne Project is administered through Familias Saludables, established by Valerie Nelson, who almost three decades ago, helped facilitate Morgan’s adoption.
    In less than a decade, the Morgan Jayne Project has saved hundreds of children, to the point that today, supporters have helped establish the Charmont Academy, a school to provide quality education for these same kids.
    Makowecki says Morgan’s birth family is well aware of the legacy created in her name, and have shown support.

The General Store in Drumheller just got a whole lot more caffeinated.

Starting this Fall, the General Store began offering specialty coffees and teas as well as snacks as a cafe.

The store, which used to be located in the John Deer Dealership, moved to its current location of the historic Eaton catalogue home about a year ago. 

The home was ordered from the Timothy Eaton catalogue in 1919 by Peter Murray. The house package was shipped by railcar to Drumheller and Peter used a horse and wagon to haul it to the homestead which is northwest of Drumheller. The family moved into the home in 1921.

Owner of the store Leanne Madsen and her two staff, Pam Hartman and Angie Klassen, are able to carry more unique items and give their guests the opportunity to experience a bit of Drumheller’s past. 

She said she would often drive by the home and loved the look of it. She asked if she could move her store into it and allow for visitors to take tours.

“We have lots of people who want to see tours. What we want people to do is just relax and reflect and remember when. I have had a lot of people come in here and everybody says remember when. ‘I remember my grandma use to have linoleum.’ Or they will say ‘ oh I remember these small staircases’ or ‘I remember a whole bunch of us fitting into one bed.’ The idea is to get people to relax in everyday life.”

The store will be having a grand opening on Thursday, October 29 and will offer special discounts, door prizes, free brewed coffee all day and free samples of decadent treats. They have adjusted their hours, Madsen said, to allow for those people on their way to work to stop in and grab a coffee. The store will now be open Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 10 am. to 4 p.m.