The East Coulee School Museum has a new executive director at the helm and is looking forward to an exciting year.
On Monday, November 22, the Dinosaur Valley Heritage Society held its annual general meeting. Valerie Given was appointed executive director. She succeeds April Rasmussen who parted ways with the Museum in July of this year. Barb Steeves acted as interim director.
Given has been in the valley for about five and half years after coming from Ontario. She has a degree in archaeology. Since she has been in Drumheller she has become interested in heritage and in her first summer in the valley worked as an interpreter at the East Coulee School Museum. She has extensive business, management, and volunteer experience.
At the meeting, there have been a few changes. While there are a few vacancies as people moved away, there have also been a couple of new additions. The treasurer has stepped down, and they have to formally appoint a replacement. Don Brinkman remained as president and Neil Clark is vice president.
“We are really looking forward to 2022,” said Given.
She says they’re working on bringing back the Highland Gala, which was cancelled due to COVID-19 last year. This is an event in January to shake off the winter blues with music, and maybe even a wee bit of Haggis. They are also back planning the East Coulee Spring Festival.
Given said they are also looking at developing new programming.
“We are actually opening up the museum to the public over the winter for shortened hours starting in January,” said Given. “People can come down and do self-guided tours through the museum. Our gift shop, we are hoping to move it online as well, so more people can access us and see who we are and what we have.”
“The town does have lots of things you can do in the winter, but there is not a lot of indoor stuff. Trying to add one extra destination to get people to come down and say we’re here, and here’s something you can do in an afternoon.”

The Drumheller Elks #54 presented a $2,500 cheque to the Drumheller Area Health Foundation to go towards the Laparoscopic Surgical Tower purchase for the Drumheller Health Centre. This donation is to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Drumheller Elks in December. In the last five years, the Elks have given over $7,700 to the Drumheller Area Health Foundation and over $96,000 to various charities and community organizations in the Drumheller area. The Laparoscopic Surgical Tower is required by the Operating Room to conduct laparoscopic surgeries, such as hernia, gallbladder, and colon.The Drumheller Area Health Foundation needs $60,000 to complete the $160,000 purchase and the Elks donation will bring the Foundation one step closer to completing this surgical tower purchase. At the donation are (l-r ) Mary Marshman, Director, Drumheller Area Health Foundation, Gail Schrock, President, Drumheller Elks #54, Phyllis Anderson, Secretary/Treasurer, Drumheller Elks #54, and Nathan Banda, Site Manager, Drumheller Health Centre.