In April 2013, I arrived in Bonnyville. As a 22-year-old fresh out of college, several provinces away from home, I was clearly outside my element. I'll admit, the first few months living in the Lakeland were a struggle, but I powered through it and have accomplished many things over the past 15 months.
The past year has seen me do many different things, and cover a wide range of events. Thinking about all that I have done I can't pick out one specific story or event that stands out from the rest. There are just too many to chose from.
I took in my first Pro Rodeo and Chuckwagon races, rode through the backwoods of Kehewin in a horse drawn wagon, participated in a pyrogy eating competition, and attended a highly-entertaining Glendon Derby. Those events left me with some great memories, but didn't top my list. Here are some more of my memorable moments:
In June of 2013, I took a ride in a Griffon military helicopter. What I didn't realize at first was that I had strapped myself into a practice mission during the annual Maple Flag training exercises. The chopper flew up and down, banking left and right, weaving along a river. Since I was sitting sideways it made the turns worse. On left turns I was lying back, on right turns I was leaning forward, sometimes holding on with the side door wide open in front of me. About an hour into the trip I tossed my breakfast. It wasn't the best thing I've done, but it was sure memorable.
In February I went to Edmonton to cover my first NHL hockey game. Bonnyville-born Justin Fontaine and the Minnesota Wild were in town to take on the Oilers. I remember the thrill, and rush of entering an NHL locker room and speaking to players like Fontaine, and Zach Parise. It was one of the first times in my career where I was awe-struck and even a bit nervous while conducting an interview. Boy, that was unforgettable.
In April, David Johnston, the Governor General of Canada, made a trip to the school on 4 Wing Cold Lake. I had the chance to meet Johnston and ask him a few questions. I never thought I'd get the opportunity to talk to someone with such a high profile during my time in the Lakeland. It was a great experience.
In June, Nouvelle editor Brandon MacLeod and myself had the chance to take a tour of the Baytex SAGD operation out near Angling Lake. This was a new experience for me as I had never before stepped foot on an oil production site. I had written countless stories about the oil and gas industry and knew how much it means to the region, but never had a clear idea of what was actually occurred on site. I feel as though this tour allowed me to better grasp what the industry is all about.
Even though many of the prominent memories I have were from covering high-profile events, I still remember and enjoy the smaller community events.
Events like the fundraiser dinner to raise money for the disaster that happened in the Philippines, the annual Dr. Brosseau dinner theatre, the Gear Grabbers Show and Shine, and local school sports stand out in my mind. The events that bring a community together and are usually only covered by the local newspaper are events I really enjoy. I see how happy people are that we are there covering the event for the community, and I personally take the time to enjoy it and recognize all the effort that goes into hosting these events.
I have had a great time during my 15 months in Bonnyville, let's hope the next year here is just as memorable.
