Community

It has and always will be a proud and long-standing tradition that while thousands of brave men and women were away serving our Canadian colours, there are also those who were required to stay at home to tend to their families and lend their community support in many other vital ways.

The infield and grandstand were filled on the evening of June 26 as people were out to enjoy two great country music acts at the 72nd annual Ponoka Stampede. First to hit the stage was hometown boy Shane Yellowbird. The crowd was very excited to see Yellowbird enter in from the east side of the arena atop the Ponoka Stampede Stage Coach and walk down through the crowd. After a few adjustments backstage he hit the stage singing and smiling.

Ponoka was filled with many different fun activities during the 72nd annual Ponoka Stampede

Jesus tells us in the Bible to “love your neighbour.” If my understanding of love is right then it means that it needs to be more than something I know in my head. You cannot love someone unless you have a relationship with them. One needs to be involved in the other’s life somehow, there should be a sharing of time in the same space.

History, rodeo and a renowned community member were celebrated at this year’s Ponoka Stampede. Laura Wierzba, an active volunteer in the community and a longtime rodeo fan, was this year’s Ponoka Stampede honourary president and fully represented the brilliance of rodeo. Wierzba was presented with the honour on her 90th birthday and has enjoyed being a part of the stampede and watching the events.

Helene Stangness and Merle Dyck helped to serve more than 400 people at the Extra Foods Charity barbecue on June 27.

Cowboys showed off their pink colours at the Ponoka Stampede on June 29 for the third annual Wranglers Tough Enough to Wear Pink Day for breast cancer awareness. The colour pink also flowed throughout the stands as spectators displayed their encouragement with pink ribbons, shirts and cowboy hats showing a whole arena of support.

Horses, cars, floats and bands took over the downtown for the annual Mile Long Parade on the morning of June 27. Many people brought their lawnchairs and sat alongside the edge of the road to enjoy the parade

On June 28 Red Deer RCMP Operations Control Centre received a call from a suicidal male threatening to shoot RCMP officers in the area of the Hobbema Detachment.

A new logo has been chosen for the Ponoka Citizens On Patrol Society (COPS) after a contest asking for creative submissions from local youth. COPS held a logo contest for students in Grade 4 to 6 to help create a new logo for Ponoka’s community policing program, which was initiated in 2006 and works in partnership with Ponoka RCMP.