With heavy machinery working away in the background the official sod turning was undertaken in Turin Friday for an infrastructure project that will upgrade both water and waste water services in the hamlet.

Education is the focus of new project soon to be undertaken at the Alberta Birds of Prey Centre in Coaldale.

A routine traffic stop led to a Coaldale man being charged with possession of a controlled substance.

For 25 years the members of the Kinette Club of Coaldale has been volunteer their time and donating funds to benefit their community and they recently honoured one of their own for her dedication.
Charlotte Van Ryn is one of the longest serving members of the organization in Coaldale with 24 years to her credit.
“I wasn’t a charter member but I joined the following year,” she said. “It’s been a long time but it’s been fun.”
She was recently surprised by the club when they hosted their 25th anniversary celebration and presented her with a lifetime membership. It was an honour and a presentation Van Ryn didn’t see coming until she was actually front and centre at the celebration.
Van Ryn said not only is being a Kinette fun, it has helped her grow as a person.
“You’re helping your community but you’re also helping yourself.”
Looking back over the last two decades or so, Van Ryn said the club has really changed over the years.
“It’s really evolved in 25 years.”
The Kinettes started out meeting in members’ basements and planning bake sales as a way to raise funds for community projects. The club was known for its raffles which included such hot ticket items as a fur coat and a diamond ring. Now the fundraising has shifted to a bigger stage with bingos and casinos.
One year the club decided to host a Christmas tea at the Sunny South Manor and now it and a spring tea are annual traditions.
“We still do that every year.”
The club also involves their children as the Kin Kids come along to help decorate by making ornaments for the special teas.
“It’s a good way to get them involved as well.”
Van Ryn said her own introduction to Kinettes was a natural step as her husband John was a member of the local Kinsmen. She was looking to get involved in the community as she already came from a volunteer background having donated her time to the Big Sister organization.
With two kids of her own to raise, Jeff and Tracy, she decided she wanted to volunteer her time in Coaldale. Now she has a lifetime membership with the Kinettes to match the lifetime membership John has with the Kinsmen.
Van Ryn has no idea how the Kinettes were able to keep the presentation of her lifetime membership a secret until the night it was presented. She said even the club members were surprised she didn’t find out before the official presentation was made at the anniversary celebration in June held at the Gem of the West Museum in Coaldale.
She admits she was so busy at work that the whole thing just flew right over her head.