By Shawn Logan
The Eagle
Coun. Bob Everett is hoping the Calgary Health Region (CHR) will assist Bragg Creek after its only doctor left earlier this month.
The Municipal District of Rocky View councillor for that area said despite a few months of warnings, a replacement was not found and now the tiny hamlet of 400 people has no doctor closer than Cochrane and Calgary.
“The problem is now we’ve gotten to the point where the service is completely stopped,” Everett said March 25. “By eliminating the service, everybody’s forced to travel to get help.”
Everett hopes more attention to Bragg Creek’s plight will raise awareness and draw a doctor or two to the hamlet.
He said a doctor for the area is important because Bragg Creek is a hub for many of the surrounding areas, including homes in West Bragg Creek and nearby Redwood Meadows.
With plenty of tourist traffic from Calgary and surrounding areas — particularly bicycle enthusiasts — the need for a clinic is further magnified.
“Basically, we’re a melting pot for the whole surrounding community,” Everett said. “We’re supporting two veterinarians and a dentist, there’s no reason at all we can’t support a clinic.”
He said through the CHR, a possible solution was secured to set up a satellite office in Bragg Creek that a rural doctor would use as part of a circuit.
But the lack of high-speed Internet service in the hamlet “made it impossible for them to access office-to-office,” Everett said, leaving Bragg Creek with the same problem.
He said the CHR needs to be more aggressive in promoting Bragg Creek as a potential home for a doctor who can take on the task.
“I feel the CHR should do something to make it a little more tantalizing,” Everett said of the region’s efforts to secure a doctor.
Everett noted the hamlet boasts a “very strong and active seniors group” but lacks a bus service to take them to see doctors.
The Big Hill Senior Citizens Activities Society runs a bus out of Cochrane but it currently doesn’t travel to Bragg Creek.
“We’ve talked to the handi-bus people but to this point we don’t have (the service),” Everett said.
He said the CHR needs to ensure the community is provided with a proper level of service and needs to step in now that Bragg Creek is without a doctor.
While Everett acknowledged the province maintains a 24-hour Health Link line for people to call in with medical questions, it doesn’t equate to a physician providing answers in person.
“The system needs a level of subsidization to provide a uniform level of service for communities,” he said. “Sometimes you need somebody to tell you you’re okay no matter what you hear on the phone.”

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By Sarah Junkin
The Eagle
Two different churches have learned that by joining together, trying some innovative preaching methods, and making a few compromises, they’ve each become stronger.
The Country Hills Community Church, located on Lochend Road and Highway 1A east of Cochrane, moved from a theatre at Calgary’s Northland mall three years ago.
“When the theatre closed to become Gold’s Gym, we started fundraising and found this land for an unexpectedly good price,” said Pastor Michael Elsdon. “Considering the location it was not expensive. I think the big guy was working with us.”
But with the change in location came a change in demographics and upon completion of the impressive building, the congregation began to dwindle.
“Basically, we found ourselves house poor,” said Elsdon. “A few of us started having nervous breakdowns.”
Meanwhile, another church was experiencing different problems.
The Bow Valley Alliance Church, near Canada Olympic Park, was expanding so rapidly it had outgrown its site and was unable to find land or a facility for its congregation.
The group moved temporarily into the Bearspaw Elementary school and began having multi-site simultaneous services at both the Bowness location and the Bearspaw site.
“So basically we were looking over the fence at each other,” said Elsdon. “That’s when we started talking.”
Despite some differences in service structure, the two churches merged, calling themselves the Bow Valley Country Hills Alliance Church. They have maintained the Bowness site and have two Sunday services at each location, at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., led either by one of nine pastors, or via videotape.
“Both churches are highly evangelical as far as believing in the life-changing message of Jesus Christ,” said Elsdon. “That part’s the same for all of us. The service has changed a bit, but on both sides.”
He admits that although the merger has solved the financial problems of one church, and the space difficulties of another, it hasn’t been easy for everyone.
“We’re still trying to manage the transition and the grief,” he said. “It’s still a slightly new reality for us, but it’s coming. It’s a story that’s still being written, but what has become clear is we’re better together than apart.”

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By Sarah Junkin
The Eagle
Some members of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra (CPO) have decided to help out Cochrane’s homeless animals.
Approximately 15 musicians, of whom at least half are CPO members, are set to perform a concert at 2 p.m. May 15 at St. Andrew’s United Church.
The fundraiser, entitled Strings for Strays, will help raise some cash for the “pets Do matter” capital campaign, according to Cochrane Humane Society administration and promotions co-ordinator Andrea Lee.
“We were approached by some orchestra members who said they wanted to help us out,” she said.
“We’re hoping to do more with them in the future.”
The theme of the concert is “from Mozart to Queen and Spirit of the West, we’ll have a howlin’ good time,” referring to the varied musical program.
Admission is by voluntary donation so there will be no advance ticket sales. A suggested donation amount has been set at $20 per person.

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By Shawn Logan
The Eagle
The Rocky View School Division will receive $346,000 from the province this year for textbooks and other classroom resources, trustees heard March 24.
The board’s share of a one-time $12.8 million injection from Alberta Education will go to aid in planning for upcoming changes to the provincial curriculum.
Trustees were told the funds may be used for the 2004-2005 school year or carried over.
Board Chair Wendy Metzger said the funding is good news for Rocky View schools.
“We’re always very appreciative of funding from Alberta Education,” Metzger said. “It will be put to very good use in our schools but it’s too early to say when it’s going to be used.”
Rocky View will draft its 2005-2006 budget in June.

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By Sarah Junkin
The Eagle
A local group trying to make Cochrane a safer community is looking for volunteers.
Citizens on Patrol (COP) surveys the town day and night, usually with two people in a car, and reports any suspicious activity to the RCMP.
“We’re just observing, seeing what’s going on,” said COP member and past-president Gerry Meggeson.
He added the volunteers are never involved with the apprehension of any criminals.
“We call the RCMP right away, and never even get out of the car,” he said.
The group is looking for new recruits in part due to a recent increase in day-time burglaries.
Meggeson said the 144 COP divisions in Alberta are currently trying to unite as an official provincial body. Prospective volunteers have to pass an RCMP security check after which they receive training and instruction on how to operate the town’s speed checker that alerts drivers to their speed.
“The job can be quite boring at times as you can imagine,” admitted Meggeson. “But we do stop for coffee and set up the traffic sign, so you make your own entertainment.”
The group meets at 7 p.m at the Cochrane RCMP detachment on the first Monday of each month. They invite new volunteers to join them April 4.
The COP will also be at the Cochrane trade fair at the end of April to recruit volunteers.

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Pam Asheton.
My new horse ships north from Lethbridge this weekend and already I am becoming familiar with Appaloosa jokes.
I first saw Thinks-Like-A-Fox last summer when he was being started by horse whisperer Brent Trout, a talented horseman who has overcome blindness, deafness and kidney failure and is a whiz in the round pen (403-364-3009 for clinic details). After clicking through two rolls of film that day I realized horses could be photogenic too and the gelding was ideal for my guidebook illustrations.
Thinks-Like-A-Fox is a leopard spotted Appaloosa. His relatives have long captured the imagination of artists. The first evidence can be found in cave paintings dating from around 18,000 BC in France. Centuries passed while humans and horses expanded their ranges; the Bronze Age (roughly 1750–1500 BC) ushered in the use of the horse drawn chariot. Commerce and travel along the Silk Road of 100 BC widened interaction across the area of Ferghana in the heart of the Asiatic Steppes, a main source from which horses of superior size, strength, speed and intelligence emerged.
Around 100 BC the Emperor of China, Wu Ti, sent court officials to obtain these animals, called the “Heavenly” or “Celestial” horses of which the spotted variety were especially desirable.
In North America, horses escaped or were captured in raids on Spanish camps and were traded northwards, forever changing buffalo and hunting dynamics, most particularly for the Plains Indians. By the 1700s the Nez Perce (pierced noses) tribe was trading superior horses initially acquired from the Shoshone. It’s reckoned 10 per cent were spotted, and the Nez Perce were unusual in that they gelded inferior animals and worked meticulously on their breeding. Their coveted animals initially were known as “a Palouse horse,” referring to the Palouse River in Idaho where the Nez Perce traded. Gradually the name slanged into Palousey, then Appalousy and finally, Appaloosa. (More historical information is at www.appaloosamuseum.org and www.appaloosa.ca).
After the Indian wars of 1877 the native North Americans’ herds were dispersed, Appaloosas only becoming popular again in the early 1900s with western round-ups and rodeos.
I do hope, though, that Thinks-Like-A-Fox is easier to fit a saddle to than his mountain-horse-stablemate The Best. Built like a tank on steroids, she has massive shoulder muscles and no withers I have managed to find. Even full-rig saddles — with a breastplate — roll dangerously. Mounting her from the ground is impossible. When reading of a new product on the market, much raved about by top international dressage riders, that promises the elimination of any friction on the horse’s back I had a strong mental cartoon of disastrous and highly comical consequences.
The product does sound interesting. The Ecogold Frictionless Saddle Pad is made with lycra and air-knit, two high-tech fabrics that slide in contact with one another during use. These materials offer ventilation that allows the heat from the horse’s muscles to dissipate. The sides of the saddle pad have non-slip ultra-grip properties that keep the pad in place and prevent rubbing (www.ecogold.ca or 514-342-5893).
Nearer to home is Cochrane’s Grand Saddlery (932-6686) which now has direct links with American producers. Their prices and range of saddles (including endurance and trail) are formidable.
And finally, Erika Gilles has teamed up with Lindsay Eklund for a Saddle Fitting Clinic from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 9-10 at JlazyJ Enterprises at 31 Glenview Road, off of Highway 1A between Cochrane and Calgary (932-6067). Come along and they will, they promise, introduce you to the latest technology and assess your horse and your saddlery (English and Western, all disciplines), as well as using the Port Lewis impression and correction pads.
Pam Asheton lives northwest of Cochrane with TD, a.k.a. Perfect Dog: Sunwired@hotmail.com.

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By Sarah Junkin
The Eagle
Local Mormons are getting set for some celebrations to commemorate the opening of the brand new building they hope will help significantly increase the size of their congregation.
Located south of Highway 1A on GlenEagles Drive, the 16,500 sq. ft. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints building will be the worship centre for Mormons from 12-Mile Coulee Road to Waiparous and from Cremona to the Trans-Canada Highway.
According to Doug Bowie, branch president and lay preacher, the first Mormon family moved to Cochrane in 1953 and wasn’t joined by another until 1973.
The congregation, which boasts 255 members, has been meeting in the Frank Wills Memorial Hall.
The new building, paid for by members’ tithes, is situated on 4.3 acres and includes a chapel, meeting rooms, a basketball court, nursery room, baptismal font, offices, and a family history centre. Outside is a pavilion Bowie said is the first of its kind in Canada.
“We’ll have 10 or 12 picnic tables out there, but we’re not sure yet exactly what we’ll use it for,” chuckled Bowie. “The fun part will be finding out.”
The official dedication of the chapel took place March 27.
To help celebrate the opening, Bowie said all community members are invited to join in several upcoming events.
A family evening of activities and dancing is planned for 6:30 p.m. April 8, and again at 6:30 p.m. April 9. Open houses will be held at 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. those days
On April 11 there will be a family home evening at 7 p.m., and the week of celebrations will culminate April 16 with an adults only dinner and dance featuring international cuisine.
The deadline for tickets for the dance is April 10, and may be reserved by calling 932-9881.

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A number of Cochrane High Cobra basketball players were honoured recently for their efforts this season.
The school handed out its awards March 20 while the Rocky View Basketball League Awards were handed out March 22.
At the school division’s awards night, the junior varsity boys Andrew Richards was named most valuable player (MVP). The junior Cobras won a gold medal at the zone finals March 12.
Also with the junior boys, Wallace O’Neil, Travis Barr and Jonathan Babin were named all-stars while Kevan Horvat received the Heart Award.
For the junior varsity girls team, Sabrina de Wit received the Heart Award while Kelsey Cote, Katrina Smid and Stephanie Zub were all-stars.
Brett Binder and John Bender were named all-stars for the varsity boys Cobras, while Tom Mayer won the Heart Award.
For the varsity girls, Jessica Hill won the Heart Award and Alicia Wilson is an all-star.
Regarding the school’s own awards, Jonathan Babin and Caleb Booth were honoured for their leadership with the junior varsity boys. Jeff Boreski was the rookie of the year, Alex Krausnick the most improved player (MIP), while Wallace O’Neil and Andrew Richards were MVPs.
For the junior varsity girls, Corey Woods was the top rookie, Augusta Marit the MIP, Katrina Smid the best offensive player, Stephanie Zub the best defensive player and Kelsey Cote the MVP.
Alicia Wilson was named MVP for the varsity girls Cobras, Krystal Green was the top rookie, Justine Makin the MIP, the best offensive player was Caitlin Smid, the top Grade 11 defensive players were Alana Marter and Lynette Krause, the top Grade 12 defensive players were Vanessa Williams and Alena Watson, and those receiving Heart Awards were Karen Longdon, Elaina Broers and Jessa Hill.

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Dear Editor:
The Cochrane High Cobra football team would like to thank the members of the community for supporting our inaugural Silent Auction Fundraiser March 19 at Ducks on the Roof. Thanks to John and Kelly Scondrianis for hosting the event, your generosity was overwhelming.
Thanks to the Cochrane and area businesses and the Cobra parents for their fantastic donations to the auction, and all the purchasers that made this fundraising event such a success.
A special thanks goes out to John and Linda Forzani for their donations, and to Ted Hellard and John Forzani for the outstanding contributions from the Calgary Stampeders.
Proceeds from the auction will allow the Cobras to purchase a new five-man blocking sled, some team benches and some new game pants that are badly required. Support such as this allows our program to grow stronger and helps us to maintain the tradition of the mighty Cobras.
We would like to extend a special thank you to the organizational committee led by Linda Forzani and Kim Serhyenko, and their special assistants Colleen Harrison, Patti Hancock, Heather Koots, and Linda Binder.
Verne Friesen,
business manager at Cochrane High

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