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Last living WW2 dispatch motorcyclist visits Sea Cadets

   The Drumheller Sea Cadets met at the Navy League building to celebrate its D-Day remembrance event.
   Last spring a contingent of 17 cadets travelled to the 75th anniversary of the D-Day. On Thursday, December 12 the cadets gathered to celebrate their journey with some special guests.
   As part of the excursion, the cadets researched a veteran who landed on D-Day. This was an emotional experience for not only the cadets but the families of the soldiers that lost their lives in France. Many family members from across Alberta and even B.C came out.
   “The kids reached out to families… and one family was so touched that a nephew flew in to meet one of the cadets,” said Diana Hanik.
   “We just wanted to say thank you to everyone that got behind us and supported us and made this trip so wonderful.”
   Another special guest that came to the events was Frank Krepps, who insisted on being introduced as “Hell on Wheels.”
   “He was with us over in Normandy, and he is amazing.”
   Krepps is 96 years old and is the last living dispatch motorcyclists in Canada that served in World War II. On D-Day, his first responsibility was to disembark and bring his motorcycle to shore. During wartime, he was entrusted to carry sensitive material by motorcycle, often at night in treacherous conditions, as well as act as an escort. Now in Red Deer, he met the Cadets at the D-Day ceremonies in France and made a connection.
   He was accompanied by the Canadians Army Veterans Motorcycle Unit. They are a riding club of retired veterans and they have made Kreps an honourary member.

Tree of Hope marks 25 years

In a tradition of 25 years, families and friends gathered once again this year at the Drumheller Health Centre to Celebrate the Tree of Hope.
For the last two and half decades, the Tree of Hope has allowed residents of Drumheller to provide greetings of hope to loved ones and to remember loved ones who have passed away.
On Sunday, December 8, 72 people attended the Tree of Hope event at the Drumheller Health Centre. The ceremony led by Pastor Dan Hendrickson included music from the Pioneer Trail Singers and light refreshments.

The 2019 Tree of Hope campaign received approximately $2,300 in donations to the Drumheller Area Health Foundation, which are designated specifically to the Volunteer Resources Palliative Care fund.

Over 110 In-Memory and Greetings of Hope ornaments were placed on the Tree of Hope at the Drumheller Health Centre and donors were welcome to keep the ornaments after the event.

Free Little Library has new home in downtown Drumheller

   The first of what is hoped to be many Little Free Libraries in the Drumheller area has been installed at the Plaza in downtown Drumheller.
    Emily Hollingshead, director of Library Service tells the Mail, this is part of an effort of the library to become more visible in the community.
   “It is one of the things identified when we were developing our plan of service for 2019-2023, one of the ways we wanted to make sure we are reaching out into the outspread parts of the community of Drumheller,” she said.
The first one was placed in downtown Drumheller earlier this months While they had plans to install one in Nacmine, they soon learned the community has had one operating for some time.
The Little Library was built by Ryan Colberg, and Hollingshead says they have two more ready, which they are looking for a home for.
   “We are hoping they will be adopted by communities more in the periphery of Drumheller, so we will see who would like to take them on,” said
The concept is a simple book exchange, where readers can take a book or leave a book.
   Colberg donated his time and materials to build the little library boxes
   The Drumheller Public Library Society paid for the Free Little Library registration, and the builder donated the library boxes.

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