The bases are loaded and it’s all about the fun.
    The Drumheller U-8 and U-10 girls softball teams have taken to the diamond in Newcastle.
    On Wednesday May 13, the U-10 team played their first game against the other Drumheller team.
    Brandy Jede, one of the coaches for the Drumheller U-8 and U-10 teams said that unfortunately there are not other teams in the area that they can play, so they aren’t in a league, but just play each other.
    Jede said the U-8 team practices only because there aren’t other teams.
    Jede, along with other coaches Chris Bulechowsky and Kali Fournier, lead practices that help teach basic skills to get the  U-8 team ready for  U-10 and most importantly, to have fun.
For the U-10  team, Jede said  it is more in-depth such as, “learning how to steal the bases.”
    The U-10 team is able to play the other team in Drumheller.
    Jede said the teams practice twice a week, Mondays and Wednesdays. The U-8 girls are from 4:14-5:15 and when the U-10 girls practice, it is from 5:15-6:15.
    On game nights, like Wednesday, games begin at 5:30 and they play a full game.
    Jede said the season will go until the end of June for the girls.
    During the game, the players would show team spirit by  cheering each other on, especially when their teammates were at bat or were the ones pitching, making it an all-around fun experience for every member.

    Residents wanting to learn more about making Drumheller a more beautiful and welcoming place to live and want to provide input into that process are invited to a meeting this coming Tuesday, May 26.
    The Town of Drumheller has invited Urban Systems back into the valley. They were the authors of a report relating to downtown beatification.  Council at its strategic planning asked for this report be updated and reevaluated.   The town and planners will be at the Badlands Community Facility that evening to hear from residents.
    “We are asking people to bring constructive ideas, and thoughts,” said Cody Glydon, economic development officer for Town of Drumheller.
    “This is a session to bring some constructive ideas and thoughts to the table. Council has committed almost $229,000 to this project this year.
    He says this exercise is not a “back to the drawing board” endeavour, but rather a call to action for improvements throughout the valley.
    “We are looking at trying to do some of the smaller projects, identify some of the smaller things,” he said. “We want to make these projects happen this year.”
     He says it will be an open format to share ideas.
    It will be sort of an open floor, format, where people can come, go, bring their ideas and get a chance to talk to the Urban Systems.
    “Urban systems is going to take that information, formulate a report and give us some recommendations,” said Glydon.
    The Meeting is at 7 p.m. in Meeting room C.