Community

“The Family Farm” is a poignant short film about a farmer’s relationship with the land

Published

3 weeks ago

Lloyd Lewis

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Anna Kuelken was not even born when I left Fort Assiniboine in the early 1980’s to pursue a life that didn’t include farming. I wasn’t particularly well-suited to it, though for the first 18 yeas of my life, I knew little else.

Anna was raised on a family farm in that same tiny community a few hundred kilometres NW of Edmonton. Her experience may not have differed much from my own; things don’t change quickly in a community of 150 hardy souls more than 200 miles from the nearest city, in this case Edmonton.

Her father Peter and I were of a similar generation. Although a few years older than me, we grew up attending the same small school, and knowing most of the same people. To give a sense of size, there were 19 in my high school graduation class, the 2nd largest in history. Our people farmed for the most part, and almost all had other jobs off the farm to support their habit. Today the notion of the “family farm” is challenged more than ever in its history.

While the family farm I was raised on has been gone from the family for 3 decades, Anna is still very attached to land she grew up on. She recently submitted this short film she produced about her father’s relationship with the land. It examines the changing dynamic and circumstance of the family farm; at times seeming very much like the now almost 40 years removed from my own day to day experience, and yet, not that different. Farmers still work off the farm to support their habit, just like my dad did in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. It remains a solitary and noble lifestyle for those who have survived.

I hope you enjoy this glimpse into the relationship between a farmer and the land they farm.

Anna’s father Peter Kuelken provides some background:

“This Farm and I became acquainted in 1958. I was 2 years old and was the child of immigrant parents who loved us as dearly as they did the country they had come to. It was at a very young age that I was taught about the power of the land. I learned from my parents the importance of the respect for the air the water the soil and the life that flourished there. In my later years returning to the farm was because of the love that had been in my life from my family and community. My return was because of the sense of security of this life that was imbedded in my soul as a child. The miracle of life that emerged constantly around us and the curiosity it created was something that my wife and I wanted our children to embrace and have in their lives. We also followed the path of the conventional agriculture but returned to a holistic model that is sustainable. We now use technology and the tools that it provides to be better stewards of this land. I am so proud now that my children carry this flag of stewardship in its truest sense. They now have become like our indigenous people in the understanding of the importance of this land which sustains us. The circle of life continues.” by Peter Kuelken

2019 Canada Winter Games

Canada Winter Games Volunteer Centre is open!

Published

1 day ago

2019 Canada Winter Games

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As exciting as new buildings and facilities are, the 2019 Canada Games will owe its success to one thing more than anything else… volunteers. It will take about 5,000 volunteers to ensure everything runs smoothly. It’s a massive effort the likes of which Red Deer has never seen. But the Canada Games team is absolutely confident that the people of Central Alberta will come through. In fact they wouldn’t have bid on the games if they weren’t sure the public would support them by volunteering.

While hundreds have already signed up in the months and years leading to the event… now is the time for everyone to fill those 5,000 critical jobs.

With 10 months to go before the games start, the 2019 Canada Winter Games has opened a Volunteer Centre for anyone interested to come, ask questions, become informed, and even sign up to help out. The Volunteer Centre’s fist day is Saturday, April 21. There’s an open house from 10 am to 2 pm. CEO Scott Robinson fills us in.

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Community

National Volunteer Week Feature: Red Deer Hospice Society

Published

2 days ago

Lindsey Lubkey

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National Volunteer Week is a time to recognize, celebrate and thank Canada’s 13.3 million volunteers! Here at home, there are so many fantastic volunteers who help to build our communities by giving generously of their time & talents. This week, Todayville in partnership with Volunteer Central is profiling several incredible volunteer initiatives.

Today we’re taking a closer look at the Red Deer Hospice.

The mission of the Red Deer Hospice is to provide physical, social, emotional and spiritual care in a community-based, home-like setting for individuals who are dying and for their loved ones.

The Red Deer Hospice house features 10 resident rooms, kitchen, multiple family sitting areas and a sanctuary, along with work spaces for staff. Each room is equipped with a hospital bed and a living-room style seating area with a pull-out couch, chairs, and television with cable. Guests are welcome to spend the night with their loved ones if that is the wish of the resident.

Red Deer Hospice has nursing staff on site 24/7 and staff are specialized for Hospice Palliative Care Nursing, ensuring the very best of individualized, personal care.

Residents are not charged a fee to stay at Red Deer Hospice. While some costs are offset by Alberta Health Services, the organization relies mainly on charitable donations to cover the costs of care. Donations are gratefully accepted to help cover these costs.

Volunteer at Red Deer Hospice

When you invest your time, your talents, and your heart into Hospice volunteering, you change a life: your own. Red Deer Hospice could not operate without the thousands of hours contributed by dedicated volunteers each year. Careful screening, in-depth training, and the ever-present support of health professionals enable volunteers to offer the compassionate care and support that help residents live more fully during the completion of their life journey.

Is Hospice right for you? Please consider the following to assess whether you are ready for Hospice Volunteering:

I have an interest in the Hospice concept and have a desire to help others.
I have some awareness of what is drawing me to Hospice work and am willing to explore this in depth.
I am not bringing personal agendas or ‘missions’ to my Hospice work and I understand that our goal is not to change dying people but to be with them where they are.
I am sensitive to the special needs of dying residents and their families and have chosen to work to support them.
I am aware of the losses I have experienced, my way of grieving, and I have a sense of perspective about life and death, loss and grief.
I am open to others who may have different values, beliefs, and ways of living. I am able to listen well and to validate others where they are, rather than where I believe they should be.
I am willing to commit myself to the training and to the Volunteer responsibilities that follow, and to gaining an understanding of the standards and policies of the Red Deer Hospice.
As I may be called to work in a variety of areas and perform many tasks, self-reliance, flexibility, and adaptability are assets.
I have a realistic awareness of my own strengths and weaknesses, and realize that the ability to set limits is important.
I enjoy working as part of a team, and am willing to explore ways of supporting and being supported by team members.
I am dedicated to my own growth and on-going learning. My personal strengths include warmth, concern for people, sense of humour, and approachability.

If this is of interest to you, consider filling out a volunteer application here.

About Volunteer Central

Through our comprehensive website, convenient downtown location, and relevant programs and workshops, we connect volunteers, non-profit organizations, and businesses to create successful volunteer relationships in Central Alberta.

At Volunteer Central, we…