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Army reserve to train in Drumheller

Drumheller and area residents are advised that military training will be conducted within the Town of Drumheller and the MD of Starland during the weekend of March 19-21st 2010. Army Reservists from Calgary and Edmonton will arrive in Drumheller at approximately 12:00pm on Friday March 19, 2010 and participate in the exercise until noon on Sunday March 21st.
The training will be based at the Drumheller Airport and will take place in various areas around the town. This training is being conducted to allow Reserve soldiers from The King’s Own Calgary Regiment, The Calgary Highlanders, The South Alberta Light Horse and 14 Service Battalion to work with 408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron and to practice essential military skills. The exercise will focus on developing the soldiers’ ability to interact with residents and how to operate in a town or city setting.
CAO for the Town of Drumheller Ray Romanetz said “Residents will notice soldiers carrying rifles, both on foot and in vehicles and helicopters. These soldiers will be patrolling the area, setting up observation posts, doing convoy drills and gathering security information. The security information that will be gathered is part of a staged scenario for the exercise.”
Mayor Bryce Nimmo said, “Drumheller has a very significant history with the army and we are pleased that the military chose Drumheller as a location for this operation. I know our residents will be more than welcoming and accommodating for this training session.”
Portions of the training will also involve the use of blank training ammunition, so sounds of gunfire may be heard in the area on Sunday March 21st. The local RCMP detachment is aware that this training activity is taking place.

Minor Hockey latest community facility contributor

    The Drumheller Minor Hockey Association has generously committed $75,000 over the next five years to the Badlands Community Facility.
    The announcement was made on Wednesday, March 3 in the Town of Drumheller Council Chambers. As Minor Hockey is a major user of the facility, president Linda Lacher said it’s fitting they are contributors. There are about 180 participants in Drumheller Minor Hockey.
    “Drumheller has a very high demand for ice time,” said Lacher. “The arena is used by Minor Hockey, the Dragons, fun league and figure skating. The different components will help all organizations with game times, practice times and activities such as dry land training.”
    This season, Drumheller Minor Hockey is hosting the Bantam B Division provincial tournament, March 19-21. Shallyn Schinnour, special event coordinator for Drumheller Minor Hockey, feels having the Badlands Community Facility will allow them to host more of these kinds of events, especially with components such as a banquet facility. Attracting these kind of events are a boon economically for the Town of Drumheller. For this tournament, organizers needed to block 150 hotel rooms alone.
    The donation of $75,000 is over five years. Lacher says the funds will not come from registrations. It will come from concession revenue as well as other fundraising endeavours. They have earmarked the funding to be directed towards the second ice sheet project.
    Chair of the Badlands Community Facility Fundraising Committee, Jeff Hall, is appreciative of the donation for the facility.
    “It’s fantastic when we get money from any source, but for Drumheller Minor Hockey to step forward and show their commitment is great,” said Hall.
    “Minor Hockey realizes the importance of being behind a project like this, and we are very happy they have financially supported the Badlands Community Facility.”
    Hall says they have just started their campaign and are contacting 10-15 organizations a week to meet their target of $12 million. So far, they have raised about $1.7 million. Site preparation work is already completed. The initial facility will include a new public library, a field house, running track, fitness centre and meeting facilities, followed by a second arena and curling facilities, as funding becomes available.
    Lacher hopes the Minor Hockey donation will inspire more support.
    “We hope the other user groups can step up and show support for the facility,” she said.

WPCA drivers roll through town, drumming up support for tarp auction

    The Badlands Dinosaur Derby is coming up sooner than expected, and two WPCA Dodge Pro Tour drivers were in Drumheller last week drumming up support for the upcoming tarp auction.
    The tarp auction is coming up on April 6. This is a chance for local residents and businesses to bid on a chuckwagon tarp for their favourite driver at this year’s event scheduled in Drumheller for the Father’s Day Weekend.
    Chuckwagon drivers Jerry Bremner and Rick Fraser met with local businesses and officials to spread the buzz about the upcoming events.
    The Badland Dinosaur Derby has enjoyed success every year it has run, with hundreds coming to the Stampede Barn to take in the Half Mile of Hell. Bremner says Drumheller is a one of a kind event.
    “It is a unique venue, it is something you wouldn’t see anywhere else in the world,” said Bremner.
    The Ag Society has been busy improving the facility for the drivers and the fans. Bremner appreciates the efforts and said volunteers are crucial to the event.
    Before the action on the track takes off, the action on the auction block will heat up.
The tarp auction goes on Tuesday April 6. While the live auction will be at the Deerfoot Inn and Casino in Calgary, Drumheller will be one of the uplink hosting venues. The reception begins at 4:30 p.m. and the auction kicks off at 5p.m. In Drumheller, there will be food and drinks. It is a great opportunity for Drumheller residents to meet some of the WPCA drivers and to get behind the event.
    During the same auction, tarps for events in Grande Prairie, Medicine Hat, High River, Bonnyville, Strathmore, Dawson Creek and Rocky Mountain House, will be sold.
    While in the past the uplink has been via satellite, this year they are making the auction internet based. This means bidders will be better able to watch the bids come entered in real time. This will allow bidders from across the province to see the auction live without any time lag.
    For those interested on bidding on a tarp, but can’t wait for the auction to come, they can place a pre-bid online by going to halfmileofhell.com and registering to bid. The pre-bidding will be cut off 24 hours prior to the start of the live auction. The pre-bid will be starting value for the tarp. If the pre-bid is not increased at the live auction, it will stand.
    Westjet is also in on the action. As a sponsor of the WPCA, they are offering two tickets to anywhere they fly. Every paid successful bidder will be entered into the draw.
    For more information, see www.drumhellerstampede.com. or www.wpca.com.

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