Page 12 - October 14, 2019
P. 12
THE WEEKLY ANCHOR
THE WEEKLY ANCHOR
PAGE 12 MONDAY OCTOBER 14, 2019 MONDAY JULY 4, 2016 PAGE 2
Bat House Building Workshop in Peers
by Brianne Benson
Melissa Marquis, Agricultural Services
Coordinator in Yellowhead County, teamed up with
retired bat specialist Dave Hobson to provide a fun
activity to help people become more familiar with
local bats.
At the Peers Community Centre on October 5,
Hobson gave a one-hour presentation on bats and
taught a workshop on how to build bat houses. A
total of 17 people showed up to participate.
Marquis said, “Bats are often portrayed
negatively in our society, but they are actually
really positive and important contributors to our
ecosystem. We wanted to educate people on why
it's important to help our local bats instead of being
afraid of them”.
Hobson explained that one of the larger services
that bats contribute to the ecosystem is being night-
flying insect predators. Although birds often also
prey on insects, they do not come out at night when
a lot of insects do. Bats however hunt almost
exclusively at night.
Hobson reported than in other areas where the bat
populations are dwindling, farmers end up having
to spend more money on pesticides for their crops
than normal, as there are no bats to control the
insect pest population. photo submitted
Marquis added, “With our ever-expanding urban
environment less and less natural habitat for bats Attendees of the Bat House Building Workshop in Peers hard at work building their bat houses.
exists so it is important that we understand what shelter when they are evicted from people's habitat, wind farms often kill bats that are
they need in order to survive and remain a part of homes. migrating, and white nose syndrome caused by
our ecosystem”. Some of the bigger threats facing bat fungal disease can kill up to 90% of the bat
The bat houses Hobson taught attendees to make populations include deforestation, wind farms, population.
serve as an alternative to bats living in people's and fungal diseases, which Hobson went over in
houses. With people ridding their houses of bats, his presentation. Deforestation causes loss of Marquis hopes to potentially host another
these houses give them an opportunity to find workshop next October.
Festival of Fright returns for fourth year
submitted treats for sale, as well as a tipi, fodder house, new
historical information panels and Scapegoat's Pass-
The annual Festival of Fright returns for a fourth a large walking bridge for the resident goats just to
year at the Leaman Exchange, 15 minutes west of name a few.
Wildwood. The festival features dozens of family The family of the Leaman Exchange looks
friendly Halloween themed activities, as well as the forward to seeing you at the festival. Admission
old west town of 'Featherton' which is inhabited by for adults is $10, children are $8, 5 and under are
the ranch's various fowl. The Festival runs October free and grandparents are free with a food bank
19, 20, 26 and 27 from 1 to 6 pm. donation. The Leaman Exchange is located 5 km
The festival started in 2016 by Leanne and south of highway 16 on Leaman Road. For more
Madison Sharman as a way to share their love of information visit Leaman Exchange on social
Halloween. Since then, the Festival of Fright has media.
grown to become one of the biggest Halloween About Leaman Exchange: Since 2014, Leaman
events in Yellowhead County. Featuring a haunted Exchange has been creating family friendly
house, face painting and glitter tattoos, petting zoo, experiences for Yellowhead County. From art Come enjoy the annual Festival of Fright for it's
jumpy castle, carnival style games, spooky walking shows, to festivals, to tours, to art classes, the fourth year at the Leaman Exchange. The festival
trails and more! New this year is the opening of the Leaman Exchange family works hard to create runs October 19, 20, 26 and 27 from 1 to 6 p.m.
Leaman Mercantile which will have Halloween lasting memories in all of their visitors. photo submitted
Indigenous workshops coming to Edson
by Cassie Kushniruk themes connected to their mission. exercise that educates participants about the history
With a focus on anti-racism, this year's set of of Indigenous peoples in Canada since European
At the October 8 Committee of the Whole workshops is called Flowing into the Right contact. “It's a reenactment of the facts we know in
meeting, the Keepers of the Athabasca proposed a Relationship and will cover a series of topics from terms of the first settlers and what happened before
series of Indigenous anti-racism, climate and water community climate action and Indigenous water and after confederation, including a clip on
protection workshops to Town Council, which they governance to exploring treaties and the history of residential schools,” said Belanger. “It's a
are planning to bring to Edson. Indigenous peoples in Canada prior to participatory exercise, so it's quite dramatic and a
The Keepers of the Athabasca is a group of First confederation. lot of people find it very powerful. I think it's a
Nations, Metis, Inuit, environmental groups and “Our goal right now is to educate the general wonderful way to educate so many people that just
watershed citizens who work together for the public, mainly institutional people like ones in don't know our history.”
protection of water, land and air in the Athabasca hospitals and social services and education,” said Councillor Krystal Baier asked if there is an age
River Watershed.“Our concerns range from the Workshop Coordinator Joseph Large, who has limit for the Blanket Exercise workshop. Large
issue of traditional land use to the protection of taught around 70 workshops in schools from Fort replied, “We're open to whoever can come. We're
water quality for all purposes,” said Keepers of the McMurray and High Level to Grande Cache and not going to close the doors on anyone.”
Athabasca Co-Chair Paul Belanger. Hinton. To register for the Blanket Exercise workshop,
The group's mission is to unite the peoples of the Starting in November, these free workshops will call the Edson Friendship Centre at 780-723-5494
Athabasca River and Lake Watershed to secure and be available at the Edson Friendship Centre every or email edsonfc@telus.net.
protect water and watershed lands for ecological, third Thursday from 1-4 pm and 6-9 pm. For more information on the Keepers of the
social, cultural, and community health and well- On November 7, the Keepers of the Athabasca Athabasca and their Flowing into the Right
being. will be presenting their first workshop—The Relationship Workshops, visit
Around a year and a half ago, the Keepers of the KAIROS Blanket Exercise—at the Friendship www.keepersofthewater.ca/athabasca
Athabasca received funding to create a series of Centre from 1-3 pm.
workshops to educate members of the public on The Blanket Exercise is a powerful, interactive
photo submitted
THE WEEKLY ANCHOR
PAGE 12 MONDAY OCTOBER 14, 2019 MONDAY JULY 4, 2016 PAGE 2
Bat House Building Workshop in Peers
by Brianne Benson
Melissa Marquis, Agricultural Services
Coordinator in Yellowhead County, teamed up with
retired bat specialist Dave Hobson to provide a fun
activity to help people become more familiar with
local bats.
At the Peers Community Centre on October 5,
Hobson gave a one-hour presentation on bats and
taught a workshop on how to build bat houses. A
total of 17 people showed up to participate.
Marquis said, “Bats are often portrayed
negatively in our society, but they are actually
really positive and important contributors to our
ecosystem. We wanted to educate people on why
it's important to help our local bats instead of being
afraid of them”.
Hobson explained that one of the larger services
that bats contribute to the ecosystem is being night-
flying insect predators. Although birds often also
prey on insects, they do not come out at night when
a lot of insects do. Bats however hunt almost
exclusively at night.
Hobson reported than in other areas where the bat
populations are dwindling, farmers end up having
to spend more money on pesticides for their crops
than normal, as there are no bats to control the
insect pest population. photo submitted
Marquis added, “With our ever-expanding urban
environment less and less natural habitat for bats Attendees of the Bat House Building Workshop in Peers hard at work building their bat houses.
exists so it is important that we understand what shelter when they are evicted from people's habitat, wind farms often kill bats that are
they need in order to survive and remain a part of homes. migrating, and white nose syndrome caused by
our ecosystem”. Some of the bigger threats facing bat fungal disease can kill up to 90% of the bat
The bat houses Hobson taught attendees to make populations include deforestation, wind farms, population.
serve as an alternative to bats living in people's and fungal diseases, which Hobson went over in
houses. With people ridding their houses of bats, his presentation. Deforestation causes loss of Marquis hopes to potentially host another
these houses give them an opportunity to find workshop next October.
Festival of Fright returns for fourth year
submitted treats for sale, as well as a tipi, fodder house, new
historical information panels and Scapegoat's Pass-
The annual Festival of Fright returns for a fourth a large walking bridge for the resident goats just to
year at the Leaman Exchange, 15 minutes west of name a few.
Wildwood. The festival features dozens of family The family of the Leaman Exchange looks
friendly Halloween themed activities, as well as the forward to seeing you at the festival. Admission
old west town of 'Featherton' which is inhabited by for adults is $10, children are $8, 5 and under are
the ranch's various fowl. The Festival runs October free and grandparents are free with a food bank
19, 20, 26 and 27 from 1 to 6 pm. donation. The Leaman Exchange is located 5 km
The festival started in 2016 by Leanne and south of highway 16 on Leaman Road. For more
Madison Sharman as a way to share their love of information visit Leaman Exchange on social
Halloween. Since then, the Festival of Fright has media.
grown to become one of the biggest Halloween About Leaman Exchange: Since 2014, Leaman
events in Yellowhead County. Featuring a haunted Exchange has been creating family friendly
house, face painting and glitter tattoos, petting zoo, experiences for Yellowhead County. From art Come enjoy the annual Festival of Fright for it's
jumpy castle, carnival style games, spooky walking shows, to festivals, to tours, to art classes, the fourth year at the Leaman Exchange. The festival
trails and more! New this year is the opening of the Leaman Exchange family works hard to create runs October 19, 20, 26 and 27 from 1 to 6 p.m.
Leaman Mercantile which will have Halloween lasting memories in all of their visitors. photo submitted
Indigenous workshops coming to Edson
by Cassie Kushniruk themes connected to their mission. exercise that educates participants about the history
With a focus on anti-racism, this year's set of of Indigenous peoples in Canada since European
At the October 8 Committee of the Whole workshops is called Flowing into the Right contact. “It's a reenactment of the facts we know in
meeting, the Keepers of the Athabasca proposed a Relationship and will cover a series of topics from terms of the first settlers and what happened before
series of Indigenous anti-racism, climate and water community climate action and Indigenous water and after confederation, including a clip on
protection workshops to Town Council, which they governance to exploring treaties and the history of residential schools,” said Belanger. “It's a
are planning to bring to Edson. Indigenous peoples in Canada prior to participatory exercise, so it's quite dramatic and a
The Keepers of the Athabasca is a group of First confederation. lot of people find it very powerful. I think it's a
Nations, Metis, Inuit, environmental groups and “Our goal right now is to educate the general wonderful way to educate so many people that just
watershed citizens who work together for the public, mainly institutional people like ones in don't know our history.”
protection of water, land and air in the Athabasca hospitals and social services and education,” said Councillor Krystal Baier asked if there is an age
River Watershed.“Our concerns range from the Workshop Coordinator Joseph Large, who has limit for the Blanket Exercise workshop. Large
issue of traditional land use to the protection of taught around 70 workshops in schools from Fort replied, “We're open to whoever can come. We're
water quality for all purposes,” said Keepers of the McMurray and High Level to Grande Cache and not going to close the doors on anyone.”
Athabasca Co-Chair Paul Belanger. Hinton. To register for the Blanket Exercise workshop,
The group's mission is to unite the peoples of the Starting in November, these free workshops will call the Edson Friendship Centre at 780-723-5494
Athabasca River and Lake Watershed to secure and be available at the Edson Friendship Centre every or email edsonfc@telus.net.
protect water and watershed lands for ecological, third Thursday from 1-4 pm and 6-9 pm. For more information on the Keepers of the
social, cultural, and community health and well- On November 7, the Keepers of the Athabasca Athabasca and their Flowing into the Right
being. will be presenting their first workshop—The Relationship Workshops, visit
Around a year and a half ago, the Keepers of the KAIROS Blanket Exercise—at the Friendship www.keepersofthewater.ca/athabasca
Athabasca received funding to create a series of Centre from 1-3 pm.
workshops to educate members of the public on The Blanket Exercise is a powerful, interactive
photo submitted
