Proudly Serving Vermilion And Area Since 2004

Only open sporadically during the pandemic, the Vermilion Heritage Museum is back to its regular hours for the summer season. From 1 to 4 p.m. Thursday to Sunday until the Labor Day weekend, visitors can spend a few hours taking in the region’s colourful history, and check out how life has changed in the area over the past couple of centuries. The museum is full of many memories and treasures donated to share with all. Over the past three years, they have received many new it

The Vermilion Lions Club will be hosting their 23rd Annual Texas Scramble Golf Tournament at the Vermilion Golf and Country Club on June 10, at 1 p.m. The Vermilion Lions Club is ecstatic once again to be hosting the golf tournament in support of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) and Canadians with vision loss; after having to take a hiatus due to COVID. According to cnib.ca, an estimated 1.5 million Canadians identify themselves as having a sight loss and

Proofreading Matters The world of instant messaging has seen some big blunders as far as spelling goes. Often, my cell phone technology replaces the word I wrote with one it thinks I meant to write. Consequently, I’ve sent some pretty strange notes to family and friends. Most folks are kind about it. Some say nothing, do a little deciphering, and move on. Not my son Justin. He calls me on it every time. Quite sarcastically, too, I might add. Maybe I’ll remember to proofread n

Storms are nothing new in the Vermilion area. There have been funnel clouds, massive rain storms, vicious snow storms and plenty of high winds. Sometimes, a storm sets itself a part and that is what happened in the heart of The Great Depression on July 30, 1935. It was on that day that a storm suddenly struck the Vermilion area, described as having “cyclonic proportions” It would also be described as “the wildest half-hour ever experienced in this district.” The storm would t

Farmers all across the region are busy putting in the crops. While it has been a long winter, and cold spring, we can be sure sunshine is on the way. The pussy willow buds are forming into small leaves, that are sending forth the much-awaited greening of the prairies. Once the crops are all in, what a difference a good rain will make. Here is a yummy soup that combines nutrition and great taste. Kielbasa is a Polish/Ukrainian sausage that adds lots of smoky flavor to this sou

St. Jerome students from grades 6-9 competed in Track and Field on May 17. Students braved the rainy weather to compete in all the traditional events. The top finishers in each event will continue on to compete in the Highway 16 track meet at JR Robson on May 27 and the East Central Catholic Schools (ECCS) meet at Blessed Sacrament School in Wainwright on June 1. A special thank you to the students in Mr. Martin’s PE 20/30 class for doing such a great job working and hostin

The junior high students at JR Robson High School were able to enjoy some fresh air and sunshine on May 18 while they competed in their school track and field meet. With the help of staff and high school volunteers, athletes in grades 7 to 9 competed in various track distances, hurdles, discus, long jump, high jump, and shot put events. A lunch concession and snacks were available for the students, volunteers and family members that were there to cheer the athletes on. Teache

Under beautiful sunny skies and warm weather, the Clandonald 4-H Multi Club held their annual Achievement Day on May 21, at the Axley Farm. After months of working tirelessly to get their project animals ready to show, the 4-H members strutted their stuff with their animals. Members aged 9-18 sported their well-rounded steers, heifers, and 2 and 3-year-old cow/calf pairs. The show judge viewed the well-groomed animals which showed the skills the members have learned in halter

The Orange Lodges were once one of the most influential paternal organizations in the country. Prime ministers belonged to the organization, including several Fathers of Confederation. While its influence has decreased over the past few decades, in the mid-1920s it was still going strong. This was evident in the fact that Vermilion, then only a few hundred people in size, saw its population balloon to 5,000 people when an Orange Celebration was held on July 12 in the communit

Residents and business owners of the Town were invited to an Open House on May 12 to discuss the present Council’s Strategic Plan for their term of office. Guests were given the opportunity to express concerns and ask questions about the five areas of strategic priority that the Town has identified. Councillors spent time with participants explaining the categories and discussing various aspects of each one. People were asked to identify their level of priority for each categ

Over 50 people gathered at the Regional Center the morning of May 12 to celebrate the success of the 14th Annual Rotary Garage Sale. With almost double the donations this year and the help of approximately 150 volunteers, the sale raised $40,600 in three busy, fun-filled days. This year’s volunteers included some Friends of the Rotary Club, the Vermilion 4H Outdoor Club, the staff of the Vermilion Outreach School, staff and students from JR Robson High School, the Fire Depart

After a two year hiatus due to COVID, Curtis Anderson and his supporters will hit the trails for the 17th Annual Courage Canada Trail Ride to Support Brain Injury on Saturday, May 28. Anderson is a 20 year Extremely severe Traumatic Brain Injury survivour following a devastating head-on collision with a bull’s head while competing in the bull riding event at the Ponoka Stampede on June 26, 2002. He spent three weeks in a drug-induced coma and then spent a week short of a year

Town Councillors were on hand to present New Business Plaques to two businesses in the Vermilion Professional Building located at 5125 – 50 Ave, on May 12. Paul Corbiere opened a Real Estate Centre office this past winter and has taken office space at the front of the building. His is one of ten centres in the province, and he is equipped to deal with all types of real estate transactions. Councillors also presented Meagan Balanski with a plaque celebrating her financial plan

The Canadian Army’s largest and most complex annual training exercise is currently happening in and around the Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Wainwright. The training exercise began on May 10 and will continue until May 22. Ex Maple Resolve has approximately 3,200 Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), United States of America, and United Kingdom personnel. During this time the public could see standard military pattern vehicles (SMP), Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), and other participati