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Hemming joins Gerlings to teach in Kenyan school

Patrick Kolafa

   Lynn Hemming is joining fellow teachers Irv and Corrine Gerling to teach in Kenya.
   In February of 2016, the Mail brought readers the story of the Gerlings volunteering at Our Lady of Grace Home and Our Lady of Grace Academy in Kenya. These organizations were founded by former Drumheller resident Rita Balachandran (nee Rovere), sister of Renata Oman, through a trust fund she initiated called Action for God’s Love. It is a volunteer-run organization which aims to improve the material and spiritual lives of those trapped in poverty.
    The Gerlings will be heading there this week and this will be their third time to Kenya. This year they will be joined by Lynn Hemming.
   Hemming will join them April 29 for a month. This will be her first time to Africa and while she has travelled extensively, this is the first time going to work as an educator.
   “I haven’t volunteered as a teacher before, so it is amazing. The school just recently got electricity, so it is definitely challenging to think about going back to teaching as it was 100 years ago,” said Hemming.
    Corrine says in the years they have been there it has been rewarding work. Currently, there are about 150 orphan girls at the school.
    “Rita is the driving force there. She is now 76 and she continues to support this. These are her girls,” Corrine said. “The girls are great, it is always nice to see them growing and learning.”
   “I am looking forward to having Lynn and another teacher in the school to share the experience and see what we can do,” she said, adding their mission is not only to act as teachers but to support and share their knowledge with the teachers at the school to broaden their instructional strategies.
   For Hemming, this is an opportunity of a lifetime.
   “It is a lifelong dream I have had to do this. I think I said when I was 10 years old, someday I am going to go to Africa and volunteer,” Hemming said. “I am really excited about doing whatever I can do to help within the school. I am sure they will put me to work. I am sure it will be life changing, I have no doubt about that.”
   To learn more about Action for God’s Love or the Our Lady of Grace Children’s Home, or to donate, go to www.actionforgods
love.org

Package seized in raid deemed not explosive

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A package seized this afternoon when police raided a Twin Hills Manor apartment, has been deemed not to be explosive.

The Mail reported that the Drumheller RCMP and an Emergency Response Team executed a search warrant for firearms-related offences at approximately 2:30 p.m on Wednesday, April 17. Two people were taken into custody.

Upon searching the apartment a package of concern was found that prompted the RCMP to call in an Explosive Disposal Team to secure the item.

The apartment block was evacuated and the Drumheller Fire Department blocked off traffic on 11 Avenue South East while police investigated.

The RCMP Explosive Disposal team arrived shortly before 7 p.m. Corporal Gerald Sherk told the Mail that although the item was packaged to appear like an explosive device, after examination it was deemed to be harmless.

Residents were able to return to their homes Wednesday evening.

Charges are pending.

Firearms search prompts response from explosives team

An apartment block in the Huntington area of Drumheller has been evacuated and Drumheller RCMP are awaiting an explosives disposal team from Edmonton to secure some items discovered while police were executing a search warrant.

At about 2:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 17, Drumheller RCMP along with an Emergency Response Team executed a search warrant for firearms-related offenses on an apartment on 11th Avenue South East across from Sandstone Lanes.

“Upon the execution, some items were located inside the apartment that caused us sufficient concern to block off the area and we have the RCMP Explosive Disposal Team en route from Edmonton to come and secure the area and look at those items for us and determine if there is something we need to be concerned about,” said Corporal Rachel Pergunas told the Mail at the scene.

Residents of the building have been evacuated to a nearby hotel while the police continue to investigate.

Pergunas said two people are in custody and charges are pending.

“This is an investigation that has been going on for a bit," said Pergunas.

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