Life as 2013 Calgary Stampede Royalty

May 15, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Calgary Stampede Queen Jessica Williams, Princess Danielle Kakoschke and Princess Catherine Morneau share their insights on their reign so far

By Lisa Taylor

Little kids love pretty girls and the Grade 1 students at Percy Pegler Elementary School in Okotoks were no exception. On May 5, the 2013 Calgary Stampede Queen and princesses looked especially like royalty with their long, curly hair, leather dresses and silver belt buckles as they were met with smiles and admiration by the children. Although they looked like they’d walked straight out of a magazine, they were there for a purpose – to teach the kids about western heritage while reading stories and answering probing questions such as, “Why are you dressed like that?” or “How old are you?”

From left to right is Princess Catherine Morneau, Queen Jessica Williams and Princess Danielle Kakoschke. Photo by Ted Dawson.

From left to right is Princess Catherine Morneau, Queen Jessica Williams and Princess Danielle Kakoschke. Photo by Ted Dawson.

 

Living the dream

Back in October, Jessica Williams (22), Danielle Kakoschke (22) and Catherine Morneau (23) had their wildest dreams come true when they were crowned the 2013 Calgary Stampede Queen and princesses respectively.

For Queen Williams, she had already tried out the year before, which she says made her want it even more. “I had a taste of what the competition was like, so the fact that I became Queen was definitely amazing for me.”

All three ladies were extremely happy and surprised when their names were called; however, Princess Morneau says that because she is originally from Quebec, she was definitely astonished when she won.

“The fact that I wasn’t from Calgary and I was still kind of struggling with my English sometimes made me think that it was something that they wouldn’t like,” Morneau says. But looking back on it now she says that being able to speak French probably gave her an advantage in the competition. “I think they are really excited about the bilingual side of me,” she says adding that it comes in handy for events such as today when she read a book in French to a class at Percy Pegler School.

A balancing act

Williams currently lives in High River and juggles her time between working as a dental assistant at Signature Smiles and living the busy life as Queen.

“Everyone at work has been extremely generous with giving me time off,” Williams says. “I’ll be working less and less as it gets closer to Stampede, but it’s definitely doable.”

Similar to Williams, Princess Kakoschke, who is originally from Okotoks, also has a lot on the go as she works towards obtaining her Human Resources Management certificate with a major in Law and Society at the University of Calgary.

“I did end up balancing both school and being a Princess, but in retrospect, I would probably tell someone not to worry about the school part or even a certain job that they have,” Kakoschke says. “School will always be there, but this is only a one-year commitment.”

Princess Morneau also has a job working as an esthetician at a spa in Canmore; however, when everything started getting too busy, she cut down her hours there to just work part-time.

The girls on the grounds of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo where they got to participate in their first Grand Entry. L-R Princess Catherine, Queen Jessica and Princess Danielle.

The girls on the grounds of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo where they got to participate in their first Grand Entry. L-R Princess Catherine, Queen Jessica and Princess Danielle.

Highlights

All three girls agree that some of the best times they’ve spent together have been during their many travel adventures. It’s so great to get the chance to go places you’ve never been and to do things you’ve never done,” Morneau says.

The royalty were given the opportunity to travel to Houston, Texas where they promoted the Calgary Stampede at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. However, being at the rodeo was not the only adventure they went on. They also got to ride camels in their spare time, which Morneau wrote on her blog that they absolutely loved, but added that they much prefer their trusty steeds.

Right after travelling to Houston, the girls were flown off to Las Angeles to promote Calgary’s western heritage at an L.A. Kings hockey game, which all agree was a night to remember. One of the highlights of the game was when Williams got to ride on the Zamboni in front of thousands of hockey fans while practicing her Queen wave.

“The L.A. game was really special,” Morneau says. “People didn’t understand who we were. They thought we were ice girls or dancers or the Dixie Chicks!” But she says that that’s exactly why they travel – to make people more aware about who they are and to try and get people to come to Calgary for the Stampede.

The Royalty strike a pose at the Calgary Flames at LA Kings game this year in LA with Travel Alberta. L-R Queen Jessica, Princess Catherine and Princess Danielle.

The Royalty strike a pose at the Calgary Flames at LA Kings game this year in LA with Travel Alberta. L-R Queen Jessica, Princess Catherine and Princess Danielle.

Advice for the 2014 contestants

Applications for next year’s contestants will open up in June, and although the current royalty are sad to talk about the day when they must pass along their crowns, they were more than happy to give some advice to the future contestants.

“When you sign up for the competition, it’s a youth development competition, so they’re not looking for girls who are perfect, thank goodness!” Williams says as all the girls laugh and nod in agreement. “So if you’re debating whether or not to do it, just go for it!”

Morneau adds that the competition might seem like a personal competition at first, but she states that it is really all about being a team player. “If they think that it will be all about themselves, then it is really not the completion for them,” she says.

In fact the title of being either a Queen or a Princess doesn’t really make a difference at all. Williams says that the only real difference is that sometimes she has to wear a different coloured outfit and apart from that, they really consider themselves to be one strong team.

Looking forward

Right after the crowning, the girls went through intense public speaking training and were educated on all the things they needed to know in order to promote the Calgary Stampede properly. Although all of that was great, Willams says she is really looking forward to the summer when they will get to become more involved with their horses and says they have been riding at least twice a week in order to prepare.

“I’m so excited for rodeo season to start when we get to do parades and grand entries and just do more with the horses,” Willams says, adding that she can’t wait for the Calgary Stampede to do the grand entry.

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Perching Near Truth

March 9, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Painting by Paul Rasporich.

Painting by Paul Rasporich.

By Allan Boss

The battle took at least an hour. At many points during the fight, I was scared the 10-pound test line would stretch to breaking point. Then the beast surfaced on the flat water, lilting in the air, twisting and turning before plunging back into the cold water nose first.– but they don’t jump, do they?

My muscles strained and just as I considered giving up and cutting the line, the creature succumbed, wilting to the surface near the boat. Green and gold, it was three, no… it had to weigh four pounds – they can’t grow that big, can they? It’s not possible. That fish was like two maybe three feet long. No kidding. Imagine. The scales shimmered in the sun, black eyes glistening like molten coal.

Then I saw its mouth, hook firmly planted. Its gills were moving – the poor thing was trying to breathe and I knew a life rested there in my outstretched arms. Catch and release. Catch and release.

I snapped a couple of pictures with my digital camera and held the fish in water until it revived. Suddenly it thrashed, flipped upward towards freedom and with a splash, knocked my hands away as if I were a babe and it was a Great White.

The camera came loose from my grip and flew into the air. I made a grab for it, touched it briefly a few times, frantically juggling the Nikon with slippery fingers.

But to no avail. Splash. Gurgle. The fish was gone, likely resting in the weeds. In its wake the camera sunk, depositing the evidence somewhere on the muddy bottom of a pea soup lake.

But honest to God, you should have seen that four-foot, five pound Yellow Perch!

Allan Boss, Team Leader for Okotoks Cultural & Historical Services, grew up fishing and he loves telling fish stories. Before coming to work in Okotoks, he spent eight years as National Drama Producer for CBC Radio in Calgary. There he wrote, produced and broadcast countless columns, documentaries and dramas. He also ran the writing contest Alberta Anthology for CBC, for which he edited two anthologies of short literature. His CBC Ideas program updrafts was nominated for many prestigious, international awards including the Peabody and Prix Italias. Hisbook Identifying Mavor Moore was published in 2011 by Playwrights Canada Press, and a second in that series Discovering Mavor Moore is due out in 2013. Allan lives in Calgary with his family.

If you have  fish tale you would like to see published… check out our CONTEST!

 

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Christ Church Millarville

November 20, 2012 By 1 Comment

Christ Church was built in 1896 after Anglican minister Reverend Webb-Peploe donated five acres of his land and contracted Charles Schack to oversee its construction.
Building the church was the dream of Webb-Peploe, who had moved to the area from England two years earlier and been holding church services in his private log home. He took pride in the project, using a unique vertical design to match his own log home.
The church, set on a foundation of sandstone and concrete, was dedicated on May 6, 1896.
In 1920 a cemetery ground was consecrated with an impressive memorial depicting a broken column in honour of those who died in the WW1. Several of the old time residents of the area are buried at this location and regular services are still held weekly at the church.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Detours, Lead Story

Affirming Footsteps

September 16, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Photo by Nancy Poncelet in Santiago, Spain

One more step along the world I go… this old United Church song was my daily mantra as I walked the last (shorter) half of the Camino de Santiago in Spain with my sister this past summer.

By Pat Fream

I’ve always believed there is no greater luxury than to explore the world on foot. In this instance, a 15-day trek of nearly 400 kilometers afforded us infinite opportunities to see, hear, smell, and touch a vibrant country with extraordinary historic roots; the soles of our feet connecting to a mysterious vibration, a raw heartbeat that beckons thousands of pilgrims each year.

For me the pull to cross the Atlantic and walk a holy path was not an answer to a religious call, or a yearning for mystical insights or about a dramatic transformation. Not that I wasn’t open to any or all of the gifts the universe had in store for me.

Instead, I set out on this adventure to satisfy more simplistic yearnings: exotic travel, physical challenge, a break from daily demands, and time with a treasured sister. On all accounts I was richly blessed. Ancient cobblestone villages are indeed a refreshing departure from hectic daily life. Plodding along a path, one step at a time, is immensely fulfilling and deeply soulful. Sistership is both comfortable and nurturing. As always I was humbly moved by my favourite goddess, Mother Nature. She never fails to exalt, yielding awe-inspiring beauty in every time zone.

But perhaps the greatest gift of all was a profound appreciation for all that I have back home; a wonderful family, boundless love and friendship, excellent health, and rock solid prairie roots.

-30-

 

Photo by Nancy Poncelet in Santiago, Spain

Writer’s Note:

Martin Sheen and his son Emilio Estevez elevated the Camino de Santiago (the Way of St. James) to a new level of consciousness in the movie The Way released in 2010. This path is travelled by more than 100,000 people annually, all ages and races and for as many varied reasons.

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My First Stampede

July 3, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Photo by Joy Loven. Maureen and her brothers just heading out to Stampede. The family car, a 1959 Ford station wagon.

My family moved to Calgary in the spring of 1960 following nine years of moving across the western provinces where my father worked as a geophysicist in the seismic industry.

Dad landed a managerial position with a major seismic company whose head office was situated in downtown Calgary on Fourth Ave.Our family’s first Stampede was in the summer following our move to Alberta. My mother, a skilled seamstress, made my brothers and I western outfits. My brothers were outfitted with yoked western shirts, silver-buckled belts, cowboy boots and hats; mother made me a turquoise western blouse and flounced skirt that included a silver-linked belt.

I loved my new outfit and I remember making my skirt fluff up when I spun around!My father parked at his office and then we walked through downtown to the parade route. Our family did this every year and we always had a house full of guests during Stampede week. It was a huge event in our household and my parents were the quintessential western hosts, always ensuring our houseguests were well fed and watered.

-By Maureen Loven

 

 

 

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100 years From Now

June 18, 2012 By 2 Comments

Illustration by Sharon Syverson

100 years from now, if the world’s still in the game,

May the earth recall our footprints, may the wind sing out our names.

May someone turn a page and hearken back upon this time,

May someone sing a cowboy tune and someone spin a rhyme.

 

History buffs will study us and time will tell its tales,

Our lives will be a brittle pile of cold and quaint details.

A scrap of faded photographs, a news headline or two,

But life was so much more, my friend, when the century was new.

 

100 years from now, don’t look back and think me quaint,

Don’t judge and call me sinner, don’t judge and call me saint.

We lived beneath the arch with a mix of grit and grace,

Just ordinary folk in an extraordinary place.

 

So 100 years from now hear our ancient voices call,

Know that life was good and the cowboy still rode tall.

Wild flowers filled our valleys and the coyotes were our choir,

We knew some wild places that had never known the wire.

 

We raised stouthearted horses; we’d ride and let ’er rip,

We burned beneath the summer sun and railed at winter’s grip.

We took a little courage when the crocus bloomed each spring,

We loved beneath the stars and we heard the night wind sing.

 

We buried and we married, we danced and laughed and cried,

And there were times we failed, but let the records show we tried.

And sure, I have regrets; I made more than one mistake,

If I had it to do over there are trails I wouldn’t take.

 

But the sun rose up each day; we’d make it through another year,

We’d watch the skies and count our calves and hoist a cup of cheer.

We knew drought and fire and heartache, we knew fat and we knew bone,

But we were silver lining people and we never rode alone.

 

So, Friend, if you are reading this 100 years from now,

Understand that we were pilgrims who just made it through somehow.

We’ve crossed the river home and we left but one request:

100 years from now, think back kindly on the west.

 

And ordinary folk, no special fate, no special claims,

But 100 years from now, may the wind sing out our names.

Know the times were good and we rode the best we know.

We loved the west; we kept the faith, 100 years ago.

By Doris Daley
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Round the World Yacht Race

March 3, 2012 By 1 Comment

Photo by OnEdition

One year

13 countries

40,000 miles

10 ocean racing yachts

15 races

One circumnavigation

One champion team

The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race is the longest and most gruelling ocean race in the world. Those who have participated say it’s a life-changer; a character multiplier; a physical, mental, emotional supercharger.

This past December, High River’s Kevin Wiebe (husband of Routes publisher, Sandra Wiebe), along with his high school friend and colleague, Brian Vogelaar from Airdrie, entered the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race. The pair, along with 10 other thrill-seekers from around the world, sailed for 30 consecutive days on Clipper’s New York New York, racing from Gold Coast, Australia to Qingdoa, China.

What inspires a person to do this? Was the obvious question friends and strangers asked the two landlocked Albertans.

Vogelaar summed it up as an exercise in building autonomy. “We are not self sufficient in our everyday lives, we are safe – well protected. When you leave your cocoon, leave your safety net behind, you become strong – you are self sufficient.”

Wiebe concurred, adding, “If you are never uncomfortable, how do you know what comfort is? I think you have to get outside your comfort zone to grow.”

I spoke to Wiebe upon his return in January and learned that though the experience was difficult at times, he’s glad he did it. “The variety of conditions we sailed in was great!” He explained. “My sailing skills are vastly improved.”

Challenges were pretty much as expected: bad food, limited bathing, hard physical labour, unpredictable seas, and being cooped up with 10 others in a stifling hot confined space for multiple days – plenty of discomfort, but according to Wiebe, “part of the growing.”

Wiebe also alluded to the fact that he could have done without the race component. “Several times we ended up stuck in a wind hole (no wind) in perfect view of a totally awesome secluded beach – but we couldn’t go there!” he said, adding, “If I do another long sailing trip, I would do it cruising where you can stop and check out the local culture and geography.”

To qualify for a Clipper Yacht Race you need a strong will, sound mind, some basic physical capabilities, time away for training and racing, and the financial wherewithal to cover race fees, mandatory insurance, and travel. “In total it cost about $18,000 for this one leg of the race,” said Wiebe.

Clipper boats are equipped with satellite phones, internet (sketchy and costly), and GPS navigation, though the helmsmen mainly use tools like sextons, and moment-by-moment compass. Below deck there is a U-shaped couch that holds eight to 10, a cramped cooking area, one or two basic toilets (no door just a curtain), and 18 berths.

Each boat has a crew of 12 to 18 including a skipper, and in some cases a member of the media (i.e. National Geographic photographer). Crews are divided in two and take turns manning the boat and sleeping in four or six hour shifts. Members also rotate through the ‘motherwatch’ role, which entails cooking, doing dishes and cleaning toilets for a day.

A race like this, no doubt calls for a hearty appetite for risk, although both Wiebe and Vogelaar downplayed this aspect of the adventure.

“Driving on the Deerfoot is risky. Flying in an airplane is risky. Life is risky,” said Wiebe. “This type of risk barely gets on my radar.”

Left Brian Vogelaar, Right Kevin Wiebe. Photo by Neville Palmer

To read more and to follow the remainder of the 2011/2012 Clipper Yacht Races go to www.clipperroundtheworld.com.

DOWNLOAD PDF

Filed Under: Detours

Craft: Christmas Window Angel

November 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Time required: Under 2 hours to make – 24 hours to dry.

Level of challenge: Easy – perfect for kids!

Material:

  • Window cling paint in the following colours: gold, white, peach, and crystal clear. Also window cling outliner paint in gold.
  • Iridescent glitter
  • Stable acetate foil
  • Needle – for making holes
  • A nylon string – for hanging

Instructions:

1. Photo copy or cut out the angel pattern. Angel craft download PDF
2. Place the acetate foil over the pattern and trace with the gold outliner paint.
3. Let the paint dry roughly 1 hour – till it feels firm.
4. Fill in the areas with the appropriate colors, adding iridescent glitter to the white and clear areas while they are still wet.
5. Let the paint dry for 24 hours in a warm room.
6. Cut out the angel and make a small hole in the top to add a hanging loop.
7. Hang in a window.

Filed Under: Detours

Routes Salutes! High River Hospital Auxiliary

November 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The High River Hospital Auxiliary – Celebrating 40 years of phenomenal fundraising!

They are the unsung heroes – volunteers no less – raising funds for new surgical equipment, critical care items, furniture, beds, and even programs offered at the High River Hospital!

This year the High River Hospital Auxiliary is celebrating its 40 Year Anniversary, a tremendous milestone marking a stupendous feat: nearly $450,000 raised and donated for hospital equipment and projects.

Founded in 1971, a group of 25 High River women started having coffee parties (25 cents a cup) and collecting the funds to apply to much-needed hospital purchases. Today one active founding member remains, Elma Wambeke, who is admired for her ongoing volunteerism at High River Hospital and their philanthropic legacy blazes on, with a steadfast group of volunteers dedicated to raising money for hospital equipment and projects.

How do they do it? They operate the hospital book cart and the gift shop (100 per cent volunteer-run) full of homemade items including baby blankets and quilts. They also have bake sales, fashion shows, raffles, calendar sales, casinos, and a variety of other fundraising events.

What have they funded?  

Here’s just a sampling:

Haematology Analyzer – $75,000

Fetal Monitor - $16,500

I.V. Scanners – $4,500 each

Women’s Clinic – $40,000 toward equipment

Medical Sheepskins – $5,000 each year

Transport Monitor – $14,600

Turnstall for connect care – $12,000

Birthing Bed – $26,000

Cancer Clinic Furniture – $5,600

Bladder Scanner – $15,000

-30-

 

 

 

 

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Peace Park

October 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Photo by Stephen Harrington, Waterton National Park

In 1932, a group of Rotarians from Alberta and Montana made history by convincing their respective national governments to unite Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta with Glacier National Park in Montana to create the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. This blending of majestic lands, featuring the longest unguarded boundary on earth (5,000 miles) was originally designed to cement harmonious relations between Canada and the United States in the wake of World War 1.

Today this original Peace Park is an enduring symbol of peace and goodwill between nations, and has become the model for Peace Parks worldwide. In the nearly 80 years since the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park was created, groups have rallied to create 138 similar trans-boundary peace parks, on five continents. Some of these astounding tokens of friendship are situated in the most embattled corners of the globe.

This year marks the 79th Anniversary of the first International Peace Park in the World, and the 100th Anniversary of Parks Canada. Join the celebration! Waterton Glacier International Peace Park Assembly – September 16-18, 2011. For more information go to: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/354

 

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