Generous donation from Alumni bolsters LTCHS Music Program with special “Roadhammers” guitar

Lindsay Thurber alumnus craft custom guitar for a good cause

A guitar with special meaning is coming home thanks to two Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School Music Program alumnus who are passionate about supporting youth and strive to make a meaningful difference in the community.

As part of their quest to help make a difference, this year Jennah Salls and Jazdn Moore decided to support the Clayton Bellamy Foundation for the Arts by building an electric guitar made from all local wood in Central Alberta. Proceeds from the event will help support the build of an arts centre in Lakeland.

“This guitar project sparked from a combination of everything we’re passionate about. Being such big fans of music and its impact, alongside our goal to give back to our community as much as possible, once we discovered the Clayton Bellamy Foundation, the vision all came together,” said Jennah. “We wanted to build this guitar to have the experience under our belt and since it had so much potential to be a part of something bigger, it was a no brainer to tie it into the Clayton Bellamy Foundation.”

Construction of the guitar began under the mentorship of local luthier David Gilmore with Gilmore Guitars. “We then decided to kick it up a notch by starting a fundraiser around our community with the hopes of raising as much money as possible for the Foundation’s cause,” said Jazdn.

The guitar was auctioned off at the Clayton Bellamy Foundation For The Arts event in Bonnyville earlier this month.

“This fundraiser also was designed to try and raise the winning bid to be able to bring the guitar back to Red Deer considering that the auction for the foundation takes place outside of our community,” said Jennah. “Our mission was to get it into the hands of other youth by donating it to the LTCHS music program as alumni. To further support Clayton’s amazing objective, we also decided to put in a custom made coffee station, coffee table and end table set as an auction item. It’s just been an incredible journey building this guitar and dreaming bigger and bigger as each day goes by and we simply want to make the biggest impact possible with this project!”

Thanks to the generous support of the community, Jennah and Jazdn were able to put a winning bid of $11,000 for the guitar. The custom furniture also went for $8,500.

As a result, the custom built guitar was given to Lindsay Thurber so that students in the music program can have an opportunity to play it and feel its impact.

“We are so grateful to benefit from Jennah and Jazdn’s commitment to the arts and their passion for supporting the community,” said Jennifer Mann, Music Director at Lindsay Thurber. “The story of the guitar and Jennah and Jazdn’s generosity will live on for years to come through our music program.”

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Our sweetest success yet: Smile Cookie Campaign breaks record

Red Deer / 5 days ago

Red Deer Student honoured with Chief Youth Courage Award

Red Deer / 1 month ago

Red Deer teacher one of 7 in Canada to receive National Award for Teaching Excellence in Physical Education

Education

Our sweetest success yet: Smile Cookie Campaign breaks record

Published on June 11, 2025

Red Deer Public Schools

Just when we thought our smiles couldn’t get any bigger – they did! And we have the Red Deer community to thank for their overwhelming support.

We are so excited to share the total from the Tim Hortons Smile Cookie Campaign this past spring…and it’s very impressive. In fact, it’s an all-time record, and we couldn’t be more grateful.

Over the long-week campaign held April 28-May 4, Red Deerians indulged in a lot of cookies – $80,773 worth! These funds will go directly to helping struggling readers become readers of potential through Reading College, a project of The Foundation for Red Deer Public Schools.

Reading College, held each July, provides students with identified reading gaps an incredible summer experience that builds their skills, confidence, and love for reading. Students leave the program with stronger reading and writing abilities, and a solid foundation for success in school and life. Now in its 14th year, 1,000 students have graduated from Reading College.

“We continue to be amazed by the generosity of our community and the partnership with Tim Hortons,” said Kristine Plastow, Board Chair for The Foundation for Red Deer Public Schools. “These dollars directly impact kids who need extra support to become confident readers. The difference this program makes is life-changing.”

Tanya Doucette, Tim Hortons Restaurant Owner in Red Deer, said it’s incredible to see what can happen when a community comes together. The simple act of purchasing a cookie by so many amazing guests, makes a huge difference for young students right here in Red Deer.

“This record-breaking year shows how much our guests care. We are so pleased to support Reading College and help give students the tools they need to thrive,” she said.

Red Deer

Red Deer Student honoured with Chief Youth Courage Award

Published on June 10, 2025

Red Deer Public Schools

When you meet Brayden Chenier, a Grade 8 student at GH Dawe School, it’s clear why he’s been chosen to represent youth across Alberta. Brayden is the proud recipient of the Integrated School Support Program Provincial (ISSP) Chief Youth Courage Award, presented by the Calgary Police Youth Foundation, in recognition of his resilience, leadership and commitment to his community.

The award celebrates students who demonstrate courage and dedication to becoming a responsible and caring citizen, especially within a diverse school and community, and was presented earlier this spring at the Calgary Police Awards Gala. As part of the honour, Brayden will now serve as a youth ambassador, helping to raise awareness about child and youth crime prevention, education, and intervention programs across the province.

“It’s pretty surreal that I will be all over the province for a year,” said Brayden. “I am looking forward to helping out in the community.”

Brayden has been part of the ISSP program through GH Dawe School since 2023 and has benefited greatly from the support offered.

With the support of the mental health professional, Brayden has been able to successfully navigate a variety of challenges in his life including coming to terms with his disability and navigating a tragic loss in his life.

Born with clubfoot, Brayden has never let his physical disability stand in his way. He is an avid athlete in a number of sports including hockey, basketball, golf, track, volleyball and soccer. His goal is working towards becoming an athlete in the Paralympics.

Brayden was nominated by GH Dawe School Counsellor Amy Johansson, who described him as a compassionate, kind, hardworking, and honest person who is driven and motivated to be his very best at all that he attempts.

She added that within the GH Dawe School community, Brayden is a highly respected citizen by all students and staff. “He is highly committed to sports connected to our school, as well as sports outside of our school community. Brayden works diligently at his academics. And is so very helpful and caring, always. Brayden works to overcome a list of things that he will not allow to hold him back.”

GH Dawe School is part of Alberta’s Integrated School Support Program – a child wellness initiative aimed at improving academic performance and the overall well-being of students. The program supports schools like GH Dawe with services to meet the diverse needs of students and families.

As he takes on his role as a provincial ambassador, Brayden continues to be a role model for his peers and a reminder of the power of perseverance and community support.