Happy Holidays Diamond Valley! Saturday, December 2 marks our annual Diamond Valley Light-Up, a free, family friendly event that runs from 5-9 pm in Black Diamond. Gather up your family and friends for a stroll down Government Road and Main Street where businesses light up and stay open late, many offering raffles, special offers, and goodies. Take a horse drawn hay wagon ride through the streets and don’t forget to stop in and visit Santa at FUEL, located in the Sheep River Centre on the corner of Centre Ave. And 1st Street S.W. There will be firepits, music, and hopefully the weather will be decent, so come join your neighbours and enjoy the evening that will be sure to get you into the Christmas spirit.
A reminder that the Diamond Valley Christmas Market will be held on December 2nd as well, at the Flare and Derrick in Turner Valley. I went last year and was so impressed with all the hand crafted items and baked goods, and the raffles were really amazing as well, lots of good packages to buy a raffle ticket for. Proceeds go toward the High Country SPCA. The Market runs from 9-4.
And for New Year’s Eve, dress warmly and head on over to the Flare and Derrick and Centennial Park in Turner Valley for a free family dance party, a skate on the outdoor rink, free face painting, snacks, hot chocolate, and horse drawn wagon rides. To cap off a fun starry evening, there will be fireworks at 8pm. The event runs from 5-8, if you would like to help sponsor this event, please contact events@ diamondvalley.town.
Oilfields High School is pleased to present their Winter Market and Band Concert on Thursday, December 7. The Market runs from 4-7 and includes a silent auction, photos with Santa, handcrafted items, food, and more! This is a fundraiser for the School, and for an added treat, the Band Concert will be held from 5-6:30. Please bring a non-perishable item for the food bank.
The Red Deer Lake United Church will be hosting the last day of their Christmas Country Handcrafted Market on December 3 from 10-3, and also over in High River, there will be a Winter Market on Dec. 1 from 2-9, and again on Dec. 2 from 10-4. This Market will be held at the Highwood Centre located at 128 5th ave. S.W. in High River.
Our own United Church in the Valley will be hosting their annual Christmas Market on December 9 with baking, new to you items, and vendors. It will run from 10-4. Their address is 125 Royal Avenue in Turner Valley. The United Church is also the Home to the Oilfields Food Bank.
The Oilfields Food Bank is available for help this season in the form of Christmas Hampers. If you truly need help this year to make your Christmas dinner a nice one, you can register with them at oilfieldsfoodbank.com or call 403-612- 1291. Another wonderful charity, Baby It’s Cold Outside, can accommodate a Christmas meal also, please contact them at bcohelp@hotmail.com or call 403-660- 3648. This charity also offers toys and gifts, as does the Salvation Army Foothills Community Ministries, at 403-336-4387 (children 18 and under please), as well as My City Care, 587-205-0355.
In addition to the Market and the Food Bank, our beautiful United Church in the Valley is home to Jacket Racket, a program that helps provide warm winter clothing for those in need. If you have any clean, gently used winter clothing for both adults and kids, such as coats, jackets, ski pants, hats and mitts, or boots (no other clothing please), drop them off at the Church Tuesdays from 1-3, or you can also drop them off in the boxes located at Black Diamond ATB, Diamond Valley Town Office, or the Sheep River Library. If you are in need of winter clothing, you can go to the Church Tuesdays from 1-3 to pick these items up.
This year I’ve decided to donate in my family’s name instead of giving gifts. If you can help out the less fortunate this season, there are many different organizations that will ensure your gift helps out those in need. This list is as follows: Oilfields Food Bank, 403-612-1291, The Salvation Army, 403-336-4387, Baby It’s Cold Outside, 403-660-3648, It Takes a Village, 403-401- 3005, Magic of Christmas, 403-921-0588, Rowan House Society, 403-336-9046, Seniors Secret Service, 403-257-8339, Shop of Wonders, 587-205-0355, and any one of our amazing animal rescue societies, High Country SPCA, Pound Rescue, and Heaven Can Wait. It just takes a little bit to truly help out a family or an animal in need, and a better feeling cannot be had!
Lastly, Western Financial Group is running their annual Toy Drive for the Alberta Children’s Hospital. Every year, approximately 102,000 children from Southern Alberta and across Canada rely on the specialized medical care provided by the doctors and nurses at the Alberta Children’s Hospital. Drop off a new, unwrapped toy early in December to the Western Financial Office in Turner Valley, located on Main Street. Gift suggestions can be found at westernfinancialgroup.ca/toy-drive2024.
If you have any items for January you would like to see in the High Country News, please drop me a line at elaine.w@telus. net, before the 15th of December. I wish everyone a peaceful and joyous season!
Elaine Wansleeben
