Students in Miss Megan Mason’s Grade 3 class and Miss Molly Moar’s Grade 5 class at Greentree School recently approached the Town of Drumheller to propose planting new trees on the school grounds as part of the flood mitigation plans to replant five trees for every tree removed for berm construction. The Town accepted the proposal and over 30 trees will be planted throughout the school grounds, which will provide shade and greenery for generations to come. On Thursday, June 15, Greentree School welcomed Indigenous Elder Darrell Breaker from the Siksika Nation to bless the trees, along with Drumheller Councillors Stephanie Price and Crystal Sereda, Infrastructure Services director Dave Brett, and Indigenous liaison Lynn Fabrick. Miss Mason’s Grade 3 students gave a land acknowledgement during the school-wide assembly, and Miss Moar’s Grade 5 students also recited a poem about trees. Following the assembly, the school moved into the field where Elder Darrell said a prayer, for the staff, students, school, and community of Drumheller, and offered a blessing of tobacco with the help of some students.

The Salvation Army held fundraisers on Friday, June 9 to help send kids to The Salvation Army’s Holiday and Teen camps, which are being held in August this year. Members of The Salvation Army made an appearance at the Drumheller McDonald’s in the morning with BrokerLink and Boom 99.5 on site, and held a barbecue lunch by donation at Freson Bros. in the afternoon. Funds raised during the event will help to send children in need to summer camp programs. During the morning event, a total of $358 was raised, and an additional $1,147 was collected in the donation bubble during the afternoon barbecue; an additional donation of $680 was dropped off after the fundraiser, bringing the total raised from kettle donations to $2,185. The barbecue fundraiser at Freson Bros. also helped raise $793, which will help send some 20 children to the holiday and teen camps.