News Year's Gala Set To Go!

If you're still looking for a great celebration of the coming of 2013, check out the Beiseker Community Centre!

That's right, the B.U.M.S. (aka the Beiseker Urban Motorcycle Society or Squad) are holding their second annual New Year's Eve Gala featuring the band Blakkstone Hexx!  This band has recently received rave reviews in the Airdrie media!

The fun starts early and tickets are available at the door.

Happy New Year!

Fire Department does it again!

Last night was a very cold Christmas Eve.  The Beiseker Fire Department was undeterred!  They decorated their old firetruck and ferried Santa Claus around our village.  Santa was in his red fur suit but he still looked a bit cold sitting up there on the firetruck.  Firefighters in full turnout gear went door to door handing out Christmas Wishes and candy canes!

I'm not sure how many other communities still ferry Santa around, but the Beiseker Fire Department are tops in my books!  To give up their Christmas Eve with their families to do this every year is a very special gift to our village!  Thank you and a very Merry Christmas to you all.

Here's a special request to the rest of you;  The next time you see a Beiseker Fire Department member, thank them for that very special gift and give them your best wishes.

Merry Christmas!

Water Main Break

A week ago last Sunday, we had a major water main break on Main Street.

The leak was huge! We were losing huge amounts of water.  After trying unsuccessfully to isolate the leak by thawing frozen valves, Public Works had to turn off the water for that whole area.  The water for most of the village was off for about 3 hours.  The break was repaired and everything is back to normal.  Thank you for your patience and understanding.

A special thanks the Village Office staff and to Public Works who spent much of their Sunday fixing the problem.

SEB and STP, a Problem in Every Community

SEB = Someone Else's Business and,
STP = Same Ten People

Some of you have voiced concern over the lack of volunteers turning out to help with different functions or services in our village.  A couple of you even suggested that laziness was to blame here.  I disagree.

It's also been said that clubs, service groups, societies and helping groups in Beiseker are very closed and unwilling to accept others into their "clique".  I disagree with that, too!

I truly believe that people will volunteer to help out if they are asked.  They sometimes don't know who to approach or where to go to volunteer.

Before making judgements, maybe we should just ask them for their help.  I think we would all be pleasantly surprised.  Try it!

A Tough Year For Beiseker.

2012 has been a tough year for Beiseker.  We've lost many people who were game changers in the life of our community.  This past week, we've had to add two more to that list.

Harold Knight lived west of town and was active in three communities; Irricana, Beiseker and Crossfield.  He took part in the formation of Beiseker's very first Recreation Master Plan back in the 1970's. 

Rollie Brunell was Beiseker's Fire Chief for many years in the 1990's.  He was well respected around our community.  I fondly recall riding with Rollie in the fire truck each Christmas Eve as we drove Santa around to see the kids.  His wife Ruth was our Village C.A.O.   Rollie and Ruth had recently taken residence in Prince Edward Island.

I was saddened to learn of these passings and my condolences go to the friends and families of both of these outstanding people.

EMS Volunteers in Beiseker

We've got a problem here in Beiseker and I need answers!

The Beiseker Fire Department is in the process of creating a team of trained volunteers to provide EMS services to residents.  These volunteers would not be full firefighters and would not respond to call outs in full firefighting Turnout Gear.  They would respond to medical emergencies to provide first aid and other basic life support skills for which they have been given training.  They would wait there with the patient until the ambulance arrives.

I have been informed that many of those wishing to volunteer for this team are health care professionals and would not require extensive training.

But we've been told by some that the creation of our medical response team leaves the village dangerously vulnerable as far as liability issues are concerned (see this article in the Rocky View Weekly).  Those volunteers responding to a medical emergency may be highly trained but should not do anything more than comfort the patient while they wait for the ambulance.

On the other hand, Alberta Health Services has a set of policies governing these kinds of response teams and what they can and cannot do.

The way I understand it we are well within our rights to create such a team.   We're going to have to investigate this until we are satisfied that all of our concerns have been addressed.

We're going ahead with the creation of the team.  But it will not be activated until Council is positive we are not placing our volunteers in any legal danger.

If you're a resident of the Village of Beiseker and wish to be a part of this team, come to the meeting tonight (that's Wednesday, December 5) at the Beiseker Fire Hall at 7:00 p.m.

Hot Water over Community Centre

My comments over the state of the Community Centre have got me in hot water!

During the preparations for Stage East 2012, I noticed a number of small issues, each one by itself was no big deal but all together I think they affected the use of the Centre.  I thought (and still think) that these issues need to be corrected. 

At no time have I assigned blame to these problems.  That would be quite inappropriate.  There are many indivuals and groups using our Community Centre; wear and tear is to be expected.   Since the hall was built, The Beiseker Lions Club has always been a major player in looking after the Centre.  All of Beiseker is very grateful for their dedication, but I think they deserve some help!

I truly believe we all must work together to overcome these issues so we can have a Community Centre the whole village can be proud of!

One suggestion by a citizen was a penny drive to raise funds to help the Community Centre.  The building always runs at a deficit and any help would likely be appreciated!  Since they're phasing out the penny anyway, why not gather them up and put that money to good use?  I'm working on the details, let me know what you think.

We Lit Up The Night!

Last night (Sunday, December 2), Beiseker celebrated its "Light Up The Night" event.

It wasn 't that cold according to the thermometer, but I had to go home and get my warmer coat and boots!  Squirt the Skunk was there and Santa cruised in on Beiseker's old fire truck.  Overall I'd say around 70 or more hardy folks came to enjoy hot chocolate, hot chili and good company!

Thanks to the Beiseker Fire Department for tending the bonfire and safely delivering Santa and to the Beiseker Station Museum Society for tending the hot chocolate and chili all evening!  Well done all of you.  A special "Thanks" goes to Gail Peckham and her helpers who organised the event.

What a great start to the Christmas Season!

p.s. Another special "Thanks" to the 4H'ers who went out and collected food for our Christmas Food Hampers.  Good job-Well done!