Community

Thank you Bezanson

It seems like there are a lot of posts coming across social media courtesy of the Bezanson Agricultural Society, Discover Bezanson, and Bezanson Regional Community Cultural Centre and there are!! There are many irons in the fire right now which is terrific for the Bezanson region!

Bezanson may be a small community but it is a thriving and happening community with a bright and positive future!! The influx of posts on social media are reflections of the overwhelming support we are receiving as we move towards newbeginnings ….

The Bezanson Regional Community Cultural Centre was a project that was birthed by the Bezanson Agricultural Society in 2013 and has involved extensive studies, discussion, research and a great many teams and volunteer hours to bring it to the stage it is at today – with ground breaking and completion slated for 2017. If you haven’t seen the plans, they are hanging in the hall which is usually open daily. What an exciting project for the community!!

Laura LaValley is the Campaign Manager for this project and there are three solid teams of local volunteers working in the background to help make this project a reality. Thank you to all those who are supporting the project and giving of their time to make this successful! And if you need information of how you can be involved, send Laura a message through the Bezanson Regional Community Cultural Centre facebook page!

Katherine Cissell was the head designer of the website for the Bezanson Community – www.discoverbezanson.ca. This is an excellent website and is a continual daily process to keep bringing information to the community. Don’t hesitate to view it and add your stories, your projects and your advertisements for your business. We will continue adding links to other organizations that are vital to the Bezanson region.

Aviva Community Fund – thank you for getting on board with us for this. This project involved Katherine and Laura putting together a great video depicting this amazing community.

The Golden Leaf Dine & Dance is a sold-out function and brings together the West Smoky Legion #244 and the Bezanson Agricultural Society. Monies raised from this event are put back into the community. The Legion’s focus is Remembrance & support for our troops and veterans, as well as community development. Therefore, half of the funds from the Golden Leaf are primarily used for youth activities including the swimming and ski buses, sponsor-a-titan and the Bezanson Community Student Bursary.

The other portion of the funds from the Golden Leaf are used for the operation and maintenance of Bezanson Ag Society’s facilities and programs. The Bezanson Ag Society is under the umbrella of the Alberta Association of Agricultural Societies. All facilities including the upkeep of the hall, curling rink, ball diamonds and horse arena, and historical markers at the Old Bezanson Townsite are the responsibility of the Ag Society, as well as the funding of many programs and events. There are many grants applied for and numerous donors so we can continue to offer these opportunities! And many other organizations, a few examples being, South Peace Rural Community Learning, South Peace Family Literacy and County of Grande Prairie FCSS help bring out a variety of other programs to the community through the usage of the hall.

The Ag Society teams up with the Bezanson Volunteer Fire Department yearly with the Cash & Camping with these funds going back into the community. Both organizations work together to offer the Farm Safety program offered for the Bezanson School and the community. Along with the Legion, these three groups team up yearly to offer the Bezanson Community Student Bursary.

And there is now a quarterly meeting of all organizations in Bezanson – an opportunity for representatives from each group to share their upcoming events and any pertinent information. This has been steadily growing and there are now 12 groups being represented- that is amazing!! And that is teamwork!

Watch for the future “Celebrating Bezanson” Fair and Homecoming scheduled for August 25 & 26, 2017. This celebration will involve the community organizations and anyone else wanting to volunteer!

THANK YOU BEZANSON AND TO ALL THOSE WHO SERVE IN SUCH AN INCREDIBLE COMMUNITY!

Here’s to New Beginnings for Bezanson.

It's Poppy Season

From the last Friday in October until November 11 we wear poppies as a symbol of respect to those Canadians who have served to protect the freedom we enjoy in our country. Approximately 110,000 military personnel died during World War 1 and World War 2 and it is estimated that at least three times that many were wounded or bear the scars and mental anguish associated with war.

While it has been suggested the proper place to wear a poppy is on the left side close to the heart, however all in all no matter how a poppy is worn or for how long is a personal choice and still shows the respect it was designed to show.

Funds raised through the West Smoky Legion #244’s poppy campaign are used to assist armed forces personnel in need and fund such endeavours as the essay and poster contests which will once again be held at the Bezanson School this year (2016).

The school will be hosting this years Remembrance Day Ceremony on November 10, 2016.

Many Thanks to Terri Hatch – Capital Campaign Team Advisor!

Terri was born and raised in the Grande Prairie area where she attended Bezanson and Ridgevalley School. After high school, Terri attended Augustana University and SAIT where she completed her diploma in Dental Assisting. In 1999, Terri married Quenton Hatch and together they have 5 children and moved back to Bezanson 4 years ago.

Terri currently is the marketing manager for their business Burke Calibration Ltd. Terri has extensive board experience through her work with School Councils for the past 10 years. Terri was instrumental in starting the Bezanson Booster Club 2 years ago, and acted as the Bezanson School Advisory Council chairperson in the past and currently holds the secretary position . Terri has held multiple board positions which included serving on the East Smoky Rec Board for 4 years, working on the playground committee for Ridgevalley School and coaching high school volleyball for 6 years.

Leadership Class of 2016

The grade 7 Bezanson school students are following the example of the generations before them to become active participants in the community. Mrs. Schmidt’s leadership class is designed to allow students the time to take on extra projects in the school and community to better themselves and those around them.

Students will be taking on different kinds of projects including contributing to our new local website, www.discoverbezanson.ca. Students will participate as authors writing stories about what’s happening in the community and in the school.

“Community it huge in Bezanson” says teacher Mrs. Schmidt. “These kids see their parents contributing and they want to take ownership and be part of it too.”

The leadership class and the school both are excited to become active contributors to the website. Students will be able to work on their writing and presentation skills, work with technology, discover the use of social media for marketing and interact with peers & the community in a positive way.

As an added bonus to students learning and growing, we the community get an insight into their views and visions of the future as they grow into our new community leaders!

Watch for new posts coming soon!

2016 Bezanson Community Student Bursary Recipients Announced

Congratulations to this year’s recipients of the Bezanson Community Student Bursary. Grande Prairie Regional College (GPRC) post-secondary students Tatum Auclair and Tristan Willson are awarded with this year’s bursaries, which are funded by our three major community contributors: the Bezanson Agricultural Society, the Bezanson Volunteer Fire Department and the West Smoky Legion #244. There is a total of $1500 awarded each year to former Bezanson School students who apply and qualify for the bursaries at GPRC.

Tatum Auclair - Photo Credit Audrey Hewings — Tatum Auclair – Photo Credit Audrey Hewings

Tatum Auclair recently completed her Education Assistant (EA) certification at GPRC. The EA program is designed to prepare graduates with the tools they need to work in educational settings under the direction and supervision of a teacher. EAs are very valuable in our schools and educational facilities as they provide a great range of support to students and teachers alike.

Tristan Willson has recently completed his first year in Heavy Duty Mechanic Trade program at the GPRC Fairview campus. The Heavy Duty Mechanic program at GPRC is designed to train mechanics in the maintenance, repair and overhauling of heavy engines. This trade program is 4 years in length and is comprised of classroom instruction, on-the-job training and technical training.

Tristan Willson Photo Credit Tammy Willson

These community bursaries were designed to encourage our community members who have attended Bezanson School to enroll in post-secondary studies at GPRC or at a GPRC campus, and to provide some avenues of support for those who qualify. Applications are available online through the GPRC Financial Aid department and are accepted each year with a June deadline. More information on the bursaries is available at our information page on Grants & Bursaries.

Carla Dodd, the Financial Aid Coordinator at Grande Prairie Regional College speaks to the importance of resources to support students in their post-secondary journey. Dodd says, “When students are facing financial struggles, it can often preoccupy their thoughts, preventing them from being able to clearly focus on their studies. Bursaries from communities like Bezanson can help relieve this stress and allow them to be more successful in their studies.”

The Financial Aid team at GPRC can help students navigate the world of bursaries, scholarships and student loans. Dodd emphasizes, “Post-Secondary students are often on a very tight budget and every bit of money has a significant impact on their success!”

Top school in the Grande Prairie area

The top school in the whole Grande Prairie area was Bezanson School with 7.8

Monday May 23, 2016 article “Failing Grade” from the Daily Herald Tribune summaries the recently released PAT score results. Grande Prairie schools averaged scores less than the provincial average of 6/10, while our local Bezanson school did much better scoring 7.8/10. No doubt a reflection of the commitment from our teachers, support staff and local parent volunteers.

The SAC is organizing Teacher Appreciation Day is this Tuesday, May 24 2016.

Wolves team adds Bezanson recruits

Wolves Recruits 2016 — PHOTO COURTESY OF GPRC WOLVES

“he will be able to be a leader on the court and off the court, he’s a pretty hard working kid coming out of Bezanson and he knows how to work hard, which is something we value quite a bit,” said Schneider.

Daily Herald Tribune featured local Tristan Moon as one of the strongest of the PWA recruits this year in Logan Clows May 4th article summarize the recruitment choices of the Wolves mens volleyball team for the 2016/17 year. Congratulations Tristan!