A local businesswoman has been nominated for an award of distinction. 

Lynn Fabrick, who owns and operates Dry Canyon Collectables in downtown Drumheller with her husband Mike, has been nominated for the Aboriginal Women Entrepreneur Award of Distinction of Alberta. The awards will be given out on Friday, February 26, 2016 in Edmonton.

“I didn’t know what to say when I first read it. It was almost overwhelming. It is an honour, a huge honour,” Fabrick expressed. 

“It means a lot to be recognized for not only being an entrepreneur, but a woman, (and) also an aboriginal. All three of those are huge titles within themselves. I don’t even know what to say,” she told inSide Drumheller. 

The Fabrick’s try to celebrate the native culture in their store and said it is nice to be recognized for that “because we are non-political. We are more about the heritage and the art, talents and craftsmanship. The beauty within.”

“Culture is about who you are. That’s what (this award) says to me; that I am being appreciated for who I am and what I have accomplished,” she said. 

Fabrick’s background is Cree-Metis, with Cree being on her father’s mother’s side, adding that her family has been in Alberta since the 1700’s. 

  She mentioned how important it is to her to carry on her family’s heritage to her sons and her grandchildren mentioning that she often has her grandchildren in the store.

  Fabrick was nominated through the Drumheller and District Chamber of Commerce. 

  The Woman Entrepreneur Award of Distinction recognizes outstanding achievement by those women entrepreneurs who:

- Best exemplifies effective leadership, innovation, capacity building, and sustainability;

- Demonstrates cultural, social and environmental awareness; and

- Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing the well being of the larger community.

The nomination came just a few weeks after the store was nominated for two small business excellence awards. 

Students from Drumheller Valley Secondary School (DVSS) headed to the Saddledome in Calgary for WE Day on Tuesday (October 27). 

WE Day is a huge media event launching a year of change in the world.  Students do not pay for a ticket to attend WE Day but earn their way through doing at least one international and one local project humanitarian or service in the world.  

WE Day is the brain child of the Kielburger brothers who founded “Save the Children.”  

In order to go to this event, the 30 DVSS students raised money for the Morgan Jayne Project, helped with the school’s annual seniors dinner and helped to launch anti bullying initiatives throughout the year.

DVSS participant Camille Mendoza said that, “We Day motivated me to want to try to make a positive impact on the world.’

The DVSS FOR club found the day to be very exciting and challenging with extremely motivating speakers including Olympic medalist Silken Laumann, author Joseph Boyden, actor Henry Winkler, actress Marlee Matlin and many more.  The speakers inspired and challenged the students to “be the change they wish to see in the world.”

FOR club president Savanna Richardson had this to say about her experience. “We Day was a very moving and powerful experience that deeply impacted everyone.”

DVSS participant Madison Lang attended for the first time and said she “found WE Day to be an inspiring experience.”