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From its conception in early 2022, The Resilience Project has pooled the dedication and effort of many talented and creative individuals as well as local organizations. The volume you have in your hands is a compendium or sampling of the products of these creations, indeed a collaboration.The core of the book is composed of visual and written accounts of fteen subjects who have graciously shared their stories. It is no easy task to tell the story of an individual in 550 words and three images. This volume represents brief summaries of much larger and richer experiences which we hope reflect their resilience. We are truly indebted to each and every one of these people.Interspersed with these stories are records of ve murals that were created on local buildings housing local businesses. These amazing works of art help to beautify our community and build and reinforce a sense of civic pride.Arts and culture continue to be essential parts of any community and a key to personal and societal resilience. May they be an important part of your story.Resilience - A CollaborationDepuis sa conception au début de 2022, le Projet de Résilience a regroupé le dévouement et les efforts de beaucoup d’individus doués et créatif, ainsi que des associations locales. Le volume que vous tenez dans vos mains est un recueil ou un échantillon des produits de ces créations, en effet une collaboration.Le cœur de ce livre est composé des comptes rendus visuels et écrites de quinze sujets qui ont gracieusement partager leurs histoires. Ce n’est pas une tâche facile de raconter l’histoire d’un individu dans 550 mots et trois images. Ce volume représente des résumés brefs des expériences beaucoup plus large et riche que nous espérons reflète leurs résiliences. Nous sommes vraiment endettées a chacun et chacune de ces personnes. Entrecouper avec ces histoires sont les archives de cinq peintures murales qui ont été créée sur les bâtiments local des entreprises locale. Ces incroyables travailles d’art aident à embellir notre communauté et construire et renforcer un sentiment de erté civique. L’art et la culture continue d’être des pièces essentielles pour n’importe quelle communauté et une clé de la résilience personnelle et sociale. Peuvent-ils être une partie importante de votre histoire. Résilience- Une collaboration
2The Edson & District Historical Society would like to thank all the businesses, organizations and individuals that helped make The Resilience Project and the book, Resilience - A Collaboration possible.Special thanks go out once again to the subjects of this book for their patience and time, to CANOE committee members, the Edson Photography Club and contributing photographers, the mural artists and businesses, the Galloway Station Museum staff, the Town of Edson, The Heart of Edson Gallery, SRVENT Freelance, our translators, and the Government of Canada.Thank YouMuseum, Travel Centre & ArchivesPublished by The Edson & District Historical Society. All rights reserved. No portion of this work may be reproduced or otherwise used by any means graphic, electronic or mechanical without the prior written permission of The Edson & District Historical Society. Distributed by The Edson & District Historical Society www.gallowaystationmuseum.com 223 - 55th Street, Edson, Alberta, Canada (780) 723-5696La Société Historique d’Edson et du District veut remercier tous les entreprises, associations et individus qui ont aidé à réaliser le Projet de Résilience et le livre, la Résilience- Une Collaboration. Un merci spécial aux sujets de ce livre pour leurs patiences et leurs temps, aux membres du comité CANOE, aux Club de Photographie d’Edson et aux photographes qui ont contribué, les artistes des peintures murales et aux entreprises, aux staffs du Galloway Station Museum, la Ville d’Edson, The Heart of Edson Gallery, SRVENT Freelance, nos traducteurs et le Gouvernement du Canada. Merci
3The Resilience Project is a multifaceted project undertaken by The Edson & District Historical Society in collaboration with CANOE to showcase the role of arts and culture in community recovery, promoting a sense of togetherness and celebrating our home.CANOE is an acronym for Culture and Arts Network Of Edson and as the name implies, it is a group of individuals, companies and organizations whose mandate is to contribute to the arts community in the West Yellowhead town of Edson and the surrounding area. The Resilience Project consists of several component parts:1. A series of ve murals designed and created on local buildings to beautify these buildings and bring a sense of pride and togetherness.2. A number of area residents were identied as having unique stories but all exemplify the theme of resilience. They form the nucleus of the remaining components: a. A series of portraits created by area photographers documenting the character and/or lives of the subjects. These images will be used to create a gallery exhibition of ne art prints to be displayed at different venues and kept as an archive of the project. b. A series of video interviews created by a local lmmaker, recorded for community archival purposes which will form the basis of a documentary lm about resilience. c. A series of written short accounts of the subjects that tell their story. d. A book that tells the story of the project and the participants.The entire project is then wrapped up with a celebration gala at which the book, prints and documentary will be unveiled and presented. The Resilience ProjectLe Projet de Résilience est un projet multiforme entrepris par La Société Historique d’Edson et du District en collaboration avec CANOE pour mettre en valeur le rôle de l’art et la culture dans la reprise de la communauté et promouvoir un sentiment d’unité et pour célébrer notre foyer.CANOE est un acronyme pour Culture and Arts Network of Edson et comme le nom l’indique c’est un groupe d’individus, entreprises et associations qui ont comme mandat de contribue à la communauté d’arts du West Yellowhead et la région environnante. Le Projet de Résilience consister en plusieurs parties : 1. Une série de cinq peintures murales conçu et crée sur des bâtiments locaux pour embellir ces bâtiments et promouvoir un sentiment de erté et solidarité. 2. Un nombre des habitants de la région ont été identié pour leurs histoires uniques et tous exemplier le thème de la résilience. Ils créent le noyau des composants restant. a. Une série de portraits crée par des photographes de la région qui documente le caractère et/ou la vie des sujets. Ces images vont être utilisées pour créer une exposition des beaux-arts pour être afché à plusieurs lieux et vont être gardé comme archive du projet. b. Une série d’entretiens vidéo créée par un cinéaste local qui sont enregistré pour les raisons archives communautaire et forment la base d’un lm documentaire à propos de la résilience. c. Une série de courts récits écrits des sujets qui partagent leurs histoires. d. Un livre qui raconte l’histoire du projet et les participants. Le projet entier est alors conclu avec un gala de célébration a quel point le livre, les estampes et le lm documentaire sera dévoilé et présenté. Le Projet de Résilience
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5“My name was taken away from me.” “My real name is Lillian Jenny Cardinal. My name was taken away from me in an Indian residential school.” Frieda Maynard is an Indigenous Elder who moved to Edson with her husband and three children in 1971. She is a respected community member known for her kindness, her participation in the healing process of her community, and her resolve in bridging the gap between Indigenous and other communities. Frieda Maynard (nee Cardinal) did not have an easy start in life. As a young child she was taken from her family, along with two sisters and a brother, and placed in an Indian Residential School. She was young, very lonely, and missing her mother and her mother’s protection. She still remembers how traumatic it was when her mother had to leave her. “When she came to say goodbye to me in the big building dormitory I screamed and I cried and begged her to stay and not to leave me. I still remember that today. That picture is still in my mind.”While at the school, her given name, Lillian Jenny, was taken from her. She was renamed Frieda after her father Fred Stevenson. The changing of her name felt like they had stolen her identity.“I went into the nursery and my two sisters went into the dormitory for girls and my brother went into the dormitory for boys. And then began our life abhor.”Not only did the people at the residential school change her name, they wanted to change everything about her. “They didn’t want us to be Indian [because] the way we were was not acceptable in the world. That we're no better than animals, savage.” Throughout her time at the school, Frieda endured years of mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual abuse.However, even when things were bleak, Frieda found positive moments to cling to. “There was one nun … she would send me to the library … which was really a nice break from the harsh realities of residential school. And I loved it in the library and books to this day are my friends. I did a lot of reading.”It was hard not to feel animosity, but throughout all the hardship Frieda was determined not to be bitter and strived to become the better person. She made a conscious decision not to let the people who had charge of her life for so long determine how her life would be led. Frieda worked hard to claim her own heritage and to learn about her mother’s ‘Indian-ness’ and with a desire to support other residential survivors, she studied and completed many courses that helped create a job where she felt she would be a contributing member of society. She acknowledges the people and organisations that helped her on her journey and wanted to contribute in the healing process. Altruistic is a word that Frieda loves and always strives to be. She also believes that you have to be tough to be able to bounce back from adversity — to become the person you want to be. It has to be inherent, a part of your make up, your character, and your mentality too. “Everyone has it within themselves to dig themselves out of a hole, whatever they're in. They just need to have faith in themselves.”Frieda Maynard
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“Sometimes I feel great. I’m ten feet tall and bulletproof,” says Bobbi Foulds with a wry, self-depreciating smile and bright eyes. Her humour and modesty are not blunted by the adversity Bobbi has borne, and yet she continues; “And then there are days when the side effects get you and you’re not sure you are going to make it the next 24 hours … and the pain is so severe … you just wonder why.“And then it passes and you see your kids or you see your partner and you remember why.”Bobbi, a loving mother, partner, and steadfast volunteer also has Stage 4B cancer, discovered in mid-2021 – but that does not dene her.She moved to Edson from Pincher Creek in 2000 with a two-year stopover in Calgary to study at DeVry where she “learned just enough about computers to be dangerous.” She married while in Calgary and moved to Edson with one young son. Another came along a few years later. While her boys are her treasure, as a young mother she felt isolated, developed postpartum depression and realized something had to change.“I decided to get involved in my community and … start building a life.”Bobbi began to reach out to other mothers to build a support network – but it wouldn’t be until 2007 when she began to truly spread her wings. And not one for half measures, she later leapt into community life, using a local newspaper, the Weekly Anchor, as her springboard.The Foulds family was involved with the Legion in Pincher Creek and she suggested covering one of the Edson meetings to her editor. Before the meeting was over, she was a Legion member and, before the ink was dry on her membership application, she was nominated to the executive.Although she started as a PR liaison, Bobbi’s appetite to help led to a larger role, working directly with the veterans and their families and helping navigate red tape on subsidies and pursuing benets. In her time as a volunteer, she has been able to help veterans gain access to thousands of dollars in much-deserved benets. Her volunteerism expanded later to the Last Post Fund – which has contributed, in part through her research, to the marking of well over 200 previously unmarked veterans’ graves – locally and across the country.“When you see those new stones go up and … now nally, when people walk through, … they know that there's a hero resting there … that means everything.”But now Bobbi’s greatest challenge is on her own personal battleeld. In 2013, she was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Years after what seemed like a war won – enduring more than 30 rounds of treatment and being declared cancer-free – the growths returned to attack her lungs in 2021. This time, Bobbi, with her very supportive partner Dave, took to social media to record the wins, losses, tears, laughter, and triumphs of her daily struggles. She does this as an effort to educate friends and loved ones and to support and encourage others locked in the same battle.In a statement wrought with grace and courage, Bobbi’s message is ultimately one of hope: “No matter how crazy and convoluted and ugly today looks, no matter how hard you ght, that sun is always going to rise tomorrow. No matter how bad it gets… Don't ever give up.”Bobbi Foulds9
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High school is a pivotal time in a teen’s life—it helps develop social skills, prepares for adulthood and allows exploration of their interests in a supportive space. But for Kieran Bradbury and teens across the province, this experience was stripped away. In March of 2020, midway through Grade 9, Kieran Bradbury and his classmates were sent home when schools were shut down during the rst wave of the pandemic. Although students were initially excited to have time off, that enthusiasm would eventually fade as COVID progressed and more restrictions came into place. Schools reopened that September and Kieran and his classmates had to adapt to a new reality of face masks and social distancing while learning. When the second wave hit the province in November 2020, things changed again as students transitioned to online education. Although things are now back to normal for Kieran, the transition from a lighter scholastic commitment, due to COVID, to a “harder and more rigorous workload” was challenging, as he had not yet been exposed to that in his high school career.Fortunately, Kieran’s grades did not suffer as a result of these changes, but all students reacted to the restrictions differently. “I know for some people it denitely wasn’t [easy], like some friends really struggled to have that motivation and stay on track of things when they were home.”Although COVID negatively impacted the social lives of many, Kieran believes that it had the opposite effect on him and his friends. “If anything, it brought some of my friends closer. It made hanging out with them a lot more meaningful.” But he recognizes that he was fortunate to be able to stay in contact with his friends whereas others may not have had the opportunity.As a longstanding member of Edson Youth Council, Kieran noted that the group had similar hurdles transitioning to meeting online. It was challenging for him to see their progress being slowed. “Being online… I think it did impact our goal with Youth Council a little bit because we weren't really doing as much as we could have before. Working with the town was kind of barricaded by being online.”Now in his nal year of high school, Kieran, who was born and raised in Edson, believes that his experience dealing with COVID has prepared him for future challenges and ‘spontaneous adversities’ that will come later in his life. “My whole life is going to be a story of resilience even in little measures, whether it's some heartbreaking loss or… just a little issue. But I worked through [COVID] and I persevered. And when something else comes at me, I should hopefully be able to bounce back the same way.”Kieran will be studying conservation biology after graduation and is passionate about preserving the environment. He believes that resilience is not about ‘stopping the hits’ from coming, but is more about being able to accept difcult situations and move on from them. “I think resilience is really intertwined with taking time to wrap your head around the impact of certain things. It's just being able to persevere for long enough and then being able to reflect on it in a positive light.”Kieran Bradbury13
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More than the canvas, the paint, the paper and all the brushes; Brie Adkins works with a feeling or a fleeting dream to create a work of art. Brie has been in the trade for more than seven years. In this time she has taken and taught classes, hosted exhibitions all over Alberta, won awards and lifted communities as well as other artists through her art practice. She has not been pinned down to a style or a medium and chooses to play and explore the best uses of her skills to represent the voice the art itself needs to succeed. The Artist - Brie Adkinse Murals16
Switzer's DrugsSwitzer's is perhaps the oldest existing business in Edson - started in 1912, yes 111 years ago! The original location burnt down in 1952 and was shortly replaced by its current location. The pharmacy was founded by Harvey Switzer, and was passed to his son John, and then grandson Harold — who you will still see today working the occasional pharmacist shift in the store. Switzer's has been a long-standing member of the community and is proud to support its many clubs and sports teams. We have greatly appreciated The Resilience Project and the artist's rendition of the roots of pharmacy. We look forward to another 111 years serving Edson.The Business - Switzer's Drugs17
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When Carmen Heinrich was asked to participate in this project, she was unsure why she had been chosen. “I'm white and I live in Canada. What kind of actual hardships have I faced where I needed to show resilience?”However, as a registered nurse, Carmen was certainly put to the test when COVID-19 made its way to Edson.Carmen believes that many people were originally in disbelief that the illness would have major impacts in Canada. Still, “there was a consensus of … we still need to do everything that we can to help … stop the spread from affecting our community.” During the rst wave, Carmen noticed a signicant drop in emergency room visits which she believes was local residents’ attempt at keeping the community safe. “I actually sat and did cross-stitch because people … weren't coming to the hospital for every little thing. They were staying home. They were staying safe.”However, as the pandemic progressed and the vaccine was introduced, she noticed that some individuals were becoming skeptical of nurses and the healthcare system in general. “People who needed a tetanus shot or something after an injury … would conrm several times that you’re not putting the COVID vaccine in there. And I’m not sure where people got the idea that nurses will just give you medications without your knowledge … that would be entirely unethical.”Although she was on maternity leave during the height of the pandemic, when Carmen returned, she was fascinated to see that the nurses were “almost speaking in different terms” as many had to learn new skills to care for COVID patients. Despite the negatives, Carmen believes that one good thing to come of the situation is the newfound spotlight on healthcare shortages and healthcare worker burnout. “They are given more to do than what they can do in a shift, yet are reprimanded for working overtime.”Another positive Carmen noticed is that people who feel sick are now more aware of the effect they are having on their community and are more inclined to wear a mask or stay home.With high stress jobs, it is important to maintain a work-life balance and, for Carmen, nature plays a large role. As a country dweller, Carmen enjoys learning about unique vegetation she can nd in her own backyard. “I'm interested in plants and trees and the way that they have been traditionally used.”Carmen also nds peace by simply being outdoors. “I'll just go out there and … listen to how the wind sounds in the trees and how it sounds different in the spring when the buds are breaking than in the summer when they have their leaves out. You could walk the same path every single day for an entire year and every single day it would be different.”What does resilience look like to Carmen? Frankly, she doesn’t know. “I think that I'm learning it. I think that as life presents you with challenges, your job is just to learn how to grow and learn how to adapt and learn how to be the best human that you can be.”Carmen also believes that a major part of resilience is “treating others how you would like to be treated” and building community support, because “if we can support each other…then you don’t need as much resilience.”Carmen Heinrich19
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Raul Gurdian is a captivating speaker; easygoing yet wise and intentional – his speech further adorned with a smooth Spanish accent. He’s open, empathetic and one of the most genuine people you will ever meet. But beneath that charisma lies a story most of us could not imagine. Raul was born in Nicaragua and his rst 10 years were lived in war. “… in elementary, we would have to put up with gunghts and all that and duck on the floor and stay there until the army says, good to go home. And it's not like here how you get a bus or your parents come pick you up. No, you just run home and, you know, and hide.”Because Raul’s father was mayor of his community, when the Sandinistas overtook the dictatorship of Nicaragua in the 1970s, the family home, belongings and even their pets were conscated. His father spent two years in jail as a political prisoner while the remainder of Raul’s family moved to Honduras where the Contras were gathering forces to attempt a counter-revolution. Raul, only 14 at the time, joined the Contras with his cousin. “I didn't have any childhood, actually … My rst part of my childhood, as far as I can remember, it was war. And I can barely carry a gun, now I’m joining the war.”“I wish I would not [have] done that, but also at the same time, I probably would not be who I am today.”Serving in the army for a year, war took a serious toll on the young man. Raul knew his only way out was to be shot, so his rst ever prayer was for a bullet in the leg. His earnest appeal was answered but, because he was in a foxhole, the bullet hit him through the shoulders instead. Though the physical wound healed and he was indeed released from the army, guilt and paranoia followed him for years. It was Raul’s brother, a pastor, who helped him nd peace and hope. “God kept me for a higher purpose…people say, well you are a child, you are a victim of that, you still carry guilt...And people say, oh, that's a nice guy…that's an awesome person. But then you look back at what you did, what you been through, and a lot of people probably could relate with guilt, right? You feel terrible [for the] stupid decisions you made. The only way for me to … say I'm sorry is to live a different life.”Raul intentionally set out for that different life by reading and reshaping his thoughts. After moving to Canada at 19, he trained and serves as a Mennonite Minister, is working as a volunteer with Victim Services and the local Rotary Club, and helping people from developing countries. He believes we all have a choice in how we react and in how we treat one another and he lives by those values. “... Everybody was focused on nding who can we blame. With my experience in the war … can I blame my cousin? Government? I mean, the sky's the limit. I can nd a lot of people [to blame] but I got’ve to look to myself…It's about me, it’s how I'm going to respond to because I have no control of what government or anybody else says, do or think. I have control about how I'm going to respond to that.”Raul Gurdian23
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When Susan Longmore was very young, her father died of a heart attack. This would only be the beginning of a series of challenging events that made her into the woman she is today. After her father died, Susan’s mother, Alma Anderson, was left to take care of her children. Alma later remarried and when Susan was 17, her stepfather drowned in the McLeod River. Alma was on crutches at the time, so Susan had to take on more responsibilities at home. As the eldest of six she was planning to get a job to help raise her siblings instead of nishing high school, but her mother encouraged her to see it through. After graduating, Susan moved to Edmonton and met her rst husband at 20 years old. The couple were married in July of that same year. But tragedy struck yet again. That December, just a few days before Christmas, the newlyweds were in a horric car accident that killed her husband. Although the accident occurred many years ago, Susan still tears up thinking about all she lost that day.She later returned to Edson, where Susan met and married her second husband in 1976. It seemed as though everything was looking up, but the misfortune just kept coming to the tight-knit family, when Susan’s brother, Roger, died in a car accident at 17. “It seemed like our whole family at the time was going through one [thing] after the other.” Overcoming the many tragedies the Anderson family faced, they started something more than 40 years ago that would become their legacy – the Medicine Lodge Rodeo. This process was not without challenges. Susan explained, “Mom had gone to a rodeo meeting … she had an idea of what to do with rodeo and [a gentleman] told her to sit down. [He thought] she didn’t know what she was talking about because she was a woman.”So, whether in spite of that incident or for the family’s love of all things rodeo, the Medicine Lodge Rodeo was born. Alma passed away in 1999, and the Andersons decided to continue the very well-attended rodeo in her memory. “… Mom always said being a cowboy was something to be proud of.” In recent years, Susan has unfortunately developed an autoimmune liver disease. She was put onto the transplant list in 2021. Susan was later taken off the transplant list after noticing a large growth on her face. This was concerning to Susan as she approached 70 years old – the year in which an individual is no longer eligible to receive an organ transplant. After the cancerous growth was removed she was put back on the list on June 8, 2022. By some miracle, on June 11, she received a phone call saying a liver was available. From everything Susan experienced in her life –good or bad – she learned that you have to live your life to the best of your ability. She also believes that her experiences with grief and seeing the fragility of life so early on allowed her to develop the skills for resilience. “When you’re presented with something that is tough to go through, you face it head on, greet it and work through it best you can,” she said.Susan Longmore27
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Andrew and Pat have been painting murals together since 2009 when they were part of a collective group of artists tasked with revitalizing walls in the Calgary community of Kensington. Sharing a passion for both photography and trains, they created a digital archive of freight train grafti documenting over 15,000 pieces and self-published a book on Canadian freight train grafti. This project heavily influenced their art and murals which are completed exclusively with spray paint and often feature lettering alongside images. Andrew moved to Edson seven years ago and was excited to reunite with Pat and add some colour to a project here in Edson. The Artist - Andrew Visser & Pat Jakubiece Murals30
The Heart of Edson Gallery and Studio is a project being undertaken by Jayne and Julian Buchwald. The notion is to provide Main Street Edson with a vibrant venue for local artists to share their work with the world. Edson has a very active arts community comprised of many talented individuals and a number of groups. Our hope is to help nurture this community and fan the flames of creativity and culture for Edson residents and visitors. In addition to the visual arts, we have most recently expanded to present live music events. Visit us at 303 - 50th (Main) Street in Edson.The Business - The Heart of Edson Gallery & Studioe Heart of Edson Gallery & Studio31
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Travis James spent a large part of his life deflecting emotion as a defence to cope with unimaginable loss. And it worked … until it didn’t.That deflection began for Travis in 2006 – at 13 years old – when his younger brother Jesse was killed in a car accident. It devastated his family and left Travis struggling to deal with grief and loss. He lled that void pursuing something that was both a force in his life and familiar – rodeo. “Rodeo has always kind of been where my heart and where my ambitions and … my drive has been.”“… instead of letting the emotions in, I would … get busy with rodeos and pushed hard with them.”For 10 years, weekends and summers were lled with camping and rodeo and both mother Joanna and son dove deep into the outdoor events, until tragedy struck the James family a second time. His mother was killed while competing in a rodeo in 2016. “That was very traumatic and things got pretty dark. But then it still took a couple of years … I didn't have any idea on how to deal with any of that kind of stuff because I spent so long dodging and deflecting.”It would be 2019 and the beginning of the pandemic before things came to a head for the young bullghter.As the world began shutting down, Travis realized the impacts of COVID were going to be catastrophic on his business. A few weeks prior, he invested a signicant amount of money, only to see his nest egg disappear when the pandemic took hold. With his savings depleted, animals to feed, and no rodeos to supplement his income and suppress his long-simmering grief, Travis felt he had nowhere to turn.On the afternoon of April 24, 2020, he shot himself in the heart. The bullet punctured Travis’ lung, grazed his heart and missed his spine by centimeters. When he fell over, by luck or providence, he landed in the recovery position with pressure on his wound. This saved his life – and he says he knew instantly that he didn’t want to die. “… all I could remember thinking of was, well that did not go to plan.”“If you think reaching out for help hurts, the avenue I went hurt signicantly more. I've been through some bullght wrecks … where I probably should have died, [but] that was the most painful thing I've ever been through my whole life. Absolutely terrifying and awful.”Travis, now a thoughtful man of 29, sought therapy and is a strong advocate for mental health. He still keeps very busy, but instead of deflection, he acknowledges his pain and keeps Joanna and Jesse’s memories alive through his work. Element Zone is an arena Travis, with support of friends and family, built on the James’ farm and hosts public events that revolve around bullghting/riding and include fundraising events for suicide awareness. There are still struggles in his life, but he now feels he has the tools he needs to deal with adversity, and urges others to look for help if they need it. “If I can just show people [to] actively still seek counseling and take therapy seriously … hopefully people are like, man, if he can do it, I can do it.”Travis James33
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“You’re gaining so much from [volunteering] … it’s not just what you’re doing to help other people. It's what you get out of it as well.”Longtime residents Bill and Jean Dann, a happily married couple of 62 years, radiate passion for volunteering. Not only is it their way of giving back to the community that they came to love, but it also keeps them active and social. As city dwellers, Bill and Jean were not initially interested in settling down in Edson as they were not accustomed to the small-town life, but Bill was considering working at a small business in the area. They eventually joined West Central Automotive and moved to the community in 1971, but were unsure how long they were going to remain. The couple made a resolution that “if it didn’t work out, we’d stick around for ve years and then maybe move on.” Of course, they decided to stay. “The town of Edson has been very good to us,” says Jean. “We’ve had opportunities living in this small town that we wouldn’t have if we’d lived in a big city.”Bill began volunteering when he was approached by the former Fire Chief to join the re department. “I’ve always wanted to be a reman,” says Bill. His uncle was a reghter in Edmonton for many years, and the interest has alway been there. He had even applied to be a reghter in Edmonton but was declined due to a vision problem, however, he went on to become Edson’s re chief in 1997.As for Jean, she did not start volunteering until much later in life as she was busy at home caring for their daughter and bookkeeping for the business. “It seemed like Bill was always so busy that I did everything else.”However, once their daughter was grown, Jean began volunteering with the Hospital Auxiliary and the Credit Union Board. “I got much more fulllment from that than I did my paying job.”Bill and Jean, now retired, were both volunteering at the hospital when the pandemic hit and everything stopped. “… it disrupted everything … And the thing is, then we got two years older … it is a bit of a worry when you're 82 … to be going into the hospital.”The next two years of the couple’s lives were very quiet. Bill kept himself busy by playing Sudoku and watching sports and the couple enjoyed the occasional curling outing. Jean said that it was extremely difcult not being able to get together with their friends. “… we didn't really see [them] that much … during that time because everybody was so scared to get together.”One thing that helped the couple cope was having access to their cabin near Jacksh Lake. “… We have really good neighbors there and so we were able to get … a social interaction … I think that was a savings for us, really.”Throughout their lives, Jean and Bill have gone through many tough times but have persevered. “I feel like [resilience] is just having a determination … to live as healthy a lifestyle as you can … and I think because of our age and knowing that we have gone through some of the tougher times that we just … didn't let it get us down.”Bill and Jean Dann37
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In today’s society, farming has been largely romanticized; photos of beautiful sunsets over wide open elds playing into the narrative of a serene, rural life. While there are rewarding aspects of farming – working with animals, fresh air, supplying locally raised food – there are also many challenges, as 21-year-old farmer Arylea Elzinga can attest. From a young age, Arylea began helping out on her family farm near Peers, often waking up at 4:30 a.m. to help her dad with the livestock. While Arylea gets fulllment from taking care of her animals and seeing them happy, her job is certainly not one for the faint of heart. For one, farming, particularly with cattle, requires incredible commitment. “The animals are dependent on you. You don’t get a holiday; you don’t get sick days. You have to take care of them rst.” Even in severe weather, whether that is -40 temperatures or torrential rain storms, “you just have to keep working”. And weather plays a major—if not the largest—role in the world of farming, which means farmers have to be prepared for all circumstances and adapt accordingly. Sometimes adaptation is not possible, which can unfortunately lead to ruin. “You get some good years and bad years and if you have…two or three bad years in a row… a lot of people go broke and can’t farm anymore.”Arylea recalled a time when a huge hailstorm completely wiped out one of their oat crops. Although they had insurance on the crop, it was 100% written off. Fortunately, they were able to adapt to the situation and ended up buying a used chopper the next day to make cattle feed from the remains.In another instance far beyond their control, the dry spell of 2021 made for a bad crop yield, negatively impacting how much feed they were able to make for their cattle that year. “You kind of just have to go with the flow.” The pandemic did not have a signicant impact on the Elzinga’s farm, however Arylea has seen the disheartening impacts of COVID in the larger producers. “[The workers] caught COVID in their animals and they would put a lot of the animals down.”Arylea sees that it is hard to be resilient as a small farm producer. “Lots of big corporations [are] getting into government circles and putting in a bunch of laws that make it harder for small family farms to operate.”Despite the challenges that come with farming, Arylea nds encouragement, and ultimately the motivation to continue, from seeing her animals happy and watching their crops grow.Not only has Arylea showed resilience on the farm, it also shows in her hobbies, specically in her practice of Jiu Jitsu. When she rst started with the full-contact sport, Arylea struggled learning the moves and was disheartened when her younger sisters would defeat her. However, she persisted and today proudly sports her purple belt and various medals from competitions. Arylea understands that she may have more adversity to face in her life, but she encourages people to “go with the flow… and do what’s best for you” in the face of inevitable hardship.Arylea Elzinga41
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Maddy has been actively creating over the last 15 years. She has taught various art classes and hosted multiple exhibitions throughout the Yellowhead region. She has earned both 'Artist for the Arts' in Edson and 'Cultural Pillar' awards in Hinton. Maddy enjoys experimenting with different styles and is constantly evolving her personal artistic style. Her passions for history, community and nature are inspirations for her work, and bold and bright colours help bring her pieces to life. She credits the incredible support of the people of Edson and area for encouraging her to pursue her love of art and further development of her skills. The Artist - Madison (Maddy) Sharmane MuralsRoyal Canadian Legion-Joe Wynne Branch #51-Edson44
Royal Canadian Legion-Joe Wynne Branch #51-Edson45
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A sense of community focuses on the experience of community, rather than its structure or setting. It’s a feeling of belonging, acknowledged interdependence and caring.Vivian Williams, the youngest child of 10, was born and raised in the Edson area and has always felt that sense of community. She never felt the urge to leave.“I have four children. I have six grandchildren now. Me and my husband … we love Edson. We are very rooted here.”Her family owned a flower shop on Main Street for more than 20 years, a large janitorial company, and Vivian’s father worked for the school division. If that sounds busy … well, it was.“When we had our businesses in town as a large family, all of us kids growing up were involved in these, pretty much working to help our parents out … [But] we never thought of it that way.”For the rst part of her adult life, Vivian was self-employed, rst in the janitorial business and she later added purchasing and driving a school bus on a contract basis. Although there were always family and friends to help out by watching her children, the flexibility of the businesses was perfect for a mother of four. It was handy because the bus route left from the Long Lake area, where the family lived. She would drive that route for the next 12 years.Once her youngest child graduated from high school, Vivian sold the bus but had already taken a position with the Evergreens Foundation, a not-for-prot housing management body supporting independent housing in Alberta, as the Social Housing Manager.“Our job is to help. Help get around the barriers of housing. Funding, … accessibility, vacancies. There's just lots of different things … that are barriers.“And I truly do believe that every person has a right to shelter.”The housing needs of an individual can change unexpectedly – whether that is a sudden illness, mental health issues, or death in the family.And shelter feeds into that sense of community, something that became even more important from a mental health perspective throughout the pandemic.“We weren't working from home [and] we were amazed at how people would group together. Some agreed, some didn't agree. But it was amazing how … we all got along. It just became a real … community in these two buildings.”Vivian ties resilience to living an active, healthy lifestyle but also to being an avid volunteer, and is a dynamic member of the local Rotary Club, a local theatre group and more.“I sit on quite a few committees. To me, that's just all part of being a community. [It’s] one of the best ways to feel like you’re part of a community … is to give of yourself; reach out … there's always something or someone out there who could use a hand up.”Volunteering is something she and husband George also encourage within her family. “That's an expectation – a gracious expectation, because if they're busy, obviously that's a hard no – but if they're not, that's my expectation of my family. And that was my expectation growing up [from] my parents, is that … you did it for your community.”Vivian Williams47
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“I’ll always have music. I’m never going to let some world disaster take that away from me.” Tyler Babiuk started drumming with only a pillow and coat hangers and admits that he “couldn’t even make a beat” – but he was obsessed. In 2009, Tyler moved with his family from Spruce Grove to Edson, which was quite a culture shock. Gone were the skinny jeans, skater shoes, and flat brim hats he’d been accustomed to. All around, he saw “wranglers, cowboy boots, and tough kids.” Regardless, he grew to view Edson as his home.Tyler started a band in middle school but they lacked a guitarist, so he took up the challenge. While he says he’s a drummer and will always be a drummer, he started guitar lessons and something just clicked.Tyler, now 25, has been playing live shows for thirteen years and was performing in bars before he was even allowed to be in them. When he moved to Edmonton for post-secondary, he started working with musicians that inspired him to push for greater heights. For Tyler, performing is an addiction. There’s nothing better in the world than being able to create and share something you love and receive that energy back; “it’s a blessing.” Tyler went from 25 shows a year to two years of silence in the wake of COVID. The pandemic inhibited the ability of musicians to make a living performing publicly and forced people to reevaluate their lives and how to move forward. Thankfully, Tyler’s always had a day job to fall back on. He wholeheartedly supports those who can pack their bags and pursue their dreams but knew that he needed more security. Even in the darkest days of the pandemic, Tyler found some light. Being unable to perform allowed him time to hone his craft and write, and reinforced his passion for music. However, it was harder to bring a band together “post-COVID”. Many musicians transitioned to day jobs and, after two years and a major loss of momentum, he found that he had to work that much harder to climb the ladder. To Tyler, resilience is “nding a condence in oneself to overcome anything and everything” because “you're going to be faced with things in life all the time that are going to put pressures and limitations on what you do as an individual but you are the only person that has the ability to respond to that.” Despite facing much personal and professional adversity, Tyler remains optimistic, choosing to be resilient and push forward at every impasse. While recounting a happy upbringing, he acknowledges some challenging family issues. Coming to Edson created positive change for him, altering the way he was “programmed to view life”. Tyler made it clear that the turmoil he’s endured has shaped his life, family, friends, music, and mindset, and that he’s “eternally grateful.” Tyler will continue to work on his musical career and says if he could be playing seven days a week he would. He would love to go to Nashville but believes in preparing a foundation of nancial stability where he’s condent enough to do so, especially with the sheer volume of competition out there. The talented young man pursues music because he loves it and will continue to perform whether it’s for a thousand people or his mom and dad.Tyler Babiuk51
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There is no one size ts all when it comes to dealing with pressure – we always need to match our strategy to our circumstances – but for Dr. Jo Ann Robinson there were actions she took to help her and her family better cope with the stress and uncertainty throughout the pandemic.“It helps to eat reasonably healthy and sleep reasonably, but I think a big thing is … [to] be willing to adapt to change and … be able to cope within an environment of uncertainty.”Jo Ann has been a practicing physician in Edson for more than a decade, but her family has deep ties to the area, having grown up in Carrot Creek, surrounded by family that has been there since 1912. After four years at the University of Alberta she was accepted into Queens School of Medicine in Kingston, Ontario, but returned to Alberta to complete her Family Medicine Residency Program in Red Deer. Reflecting upon her decade of study, Jo Ann laughed and noted that as time passes you remember it with nostalgia; “It’s not easy … but it’s not terrible.” With her doctorate complete, she started working in Whitecourt, later moving to Edson to live with her husband. While Jo Ann acknowledged she was privileged to be able to continue working during the pandemic – as many were unable to – she noted that working in health care over that time was often like walking a tightrope. “I don’t think medicine’s ever been so political.” The dichotomy of public opinion was glaring with an abundance of appreciation for medical practitioners on one side and an overwhelming degree of anger on the other. Jo Ann says health care professionals were often just as confused over the constant regulation and guideline changes as everyone else but hopes that the lessons learned will aid in future crises as she feels that this won’t be the last viral pandemic we go through. Some positive aspects from the last few years were increased funding and acceptance of virtual care and advanced skills and efciencies regarding medical technology and practices. But the pandemic also highlighted that rural locations are often under-serviced and, while that provides a certain level of job security, it can be a challenge to manage; being on call 24/7 makes a work-life balance difcult.While Jo Ann believes that resilience is rooted in physical and mental flexibility, she also warns that it is important to do what works for you. For her own mental and physical well-being, Jo Ann utilizes her home gym, does virtual workouts, and gets outside with her family and dogs as much as possible; running in the warmer months, and skiing and snowshoeing in winter. She also believes that enjoying her job and those she surrounds herself with is a vital part of her mental health and urges people to remember to “cover your basics”; fresh air, food, sleep, and a good support system are key. Her nal thoughts are about empathy and how it can create a positive feedback loop. “Be kind to yourself, be kind to others. If you're kind to yourself, you're more likely to be kind to others and if you’re kind to others it makes you feel good [and] you'll be kinder to yourself.”Jo Ann Robinson55
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e MuralsThis mural was designed by Madison Sharman in cooperation with the owners of Timberjack Home Hardware Building Centre. Maddy created and oversaw a 'paint by number' so the community could drop in, pick up a brush and help to bring the mural to life. We had a few dozen community members contribute to the project helping to instill a sense of pride that will continue on for as long as the mural and this book stand.The Artist - Madison (Maddy) Sharman & the community!58
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“I don’t want a community without artists, musicians, writers, dancers … I think we have to look at … what we want in our community and then support it in real ways.” To know Robyne Wilock is to know she is a generous supporter of the community, especially the arts. She sees and feels the richness and depth that art brings to society and endeavours to nurture that in any way she can. Robyne says that music and performance did not come easily for her and she didn’t love going to lessons. So great was the dislike, she once threw herself down concrete stairs and skinned her knee, thinking the injury would excuse her. “So my thinking was, okay, if I'm bleeding, I don't have to go to piano. [But] Mum's like, here's a band aid, get to your piano lesson.”However, fond memories of older generations creating and experiencing music together and being exposed to the industry eventually replaced that angst with genuine love.“But now, music is everywhere in my life. It’s my job, it’s my hobbies, it’s my volunteering, and it doesn’t feel like I did that intentionally. It just kind … of seeped in.”Robyne completed her education degree in Ontario and moved ‘out west’ for work. High school teaching was not her niche, so she took a break until she was later encouraged by some of her Edson peers to take a Grade 6 teaching job at Vanier Community Catholic School. When the full-time music teacher position became available, Robyne was the most qualied person on staff, thanks to those dreaded music lessons, and she’s been one of two music teachers in her school division ever since. When kids and teachers were separated during the pandemic, the focus narrowed to numeracy and literacy; music was not a priority. Robyne adapted to ll new roles and duties at the school that surfaced due to restrictions. This was a challenging time for all teachers. “… all the work doesn’t make sense without the kids there … [but] there wasn’t time for navel gazing. We get the job done the best we can.”Looking back on the reactions to the shutdowns, Robyne was philosophic.“ ... I think one of the biggest mistakes that we made through that time was focusing on the loss, the loss of things, what we were not able to do. Sometimes where you want to be, or feel you need to be, is in the anger, is in the loss and that's ne. But how does it feel when you're there? Is that good for you? Is that where you want to stay? … You've acknowledged it. You've felt those things, you've rallied, you've cried, and then what? “If you don't want to stay there, then nd a way out of it.” Robyne believes music and art are best shared without contest and competition – that’s when joy easily flows. She loves to share her talents with other people and her face lights up when she talks about performing, teaching, and learning. “… I have no visions of grandeur. I just love the process. For me, music is the effect it can have on a person…how it can bring people together and make them feel in that moment.”Robyne Wilock61
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Doug’s bucket list is impressively … short. Why? Because he realized relatively early to not put off things that bring him joy.When Douglas Woodhouse was in university in the 1980s, he had a serious health scare; scans showed the presence of a brain tumor – which was thankfully benign – but the diagnosis and removal refocused his life. “It made me realize … it could all be over just like that. It’s okay to save for a rainy day, but you've got to enjoy things along the way because you don't know if you're going to get that rainy day.” What added to the stress of the ordeal was that Doug wasn’t told the tumor was benign until after it was removed. He began to realize that in a crisis, there is usually not enough information available.There was less tension in Doug’s early years. The Woodhouse family moved to Edson in 1972 when his father, Jack was working on the Robb Highway. The family chose Edson so that Jack could be with them every night, and it quickly became home for the close family. With four sons all born within ve years of each other, there was always lots of fun and a fair amount of ghting. “We were fortunate … we were always doing things as a family.” Doug added that having his father at home also helped his mother Audrey wrangle the often-exuberant boys.As a young adult, Doug moved to Ottawa to work in the House of Commons, continuing his journey to become a man of many talents. After ve years on ‘the Hill,’ he moved back to Alberta and worked in the non-prot sector for a time, before returning to Edson. Audrey grew up in the restaurant business and shared her love of cooking with Doug. Most of his work life involved food while his spare time is spent serving the community. Doug has sat on many Boards over his years in Edson, including Chautauqua, The Edson & District Historical Society, the Community Care Foundation and more.Flanked by work and volunteering, Doug continued to pare down that bucket list, most of which included travel; and being from a close family, he would rarely travel alone.“It was easy to sort of lasso a niece or nephew. Almost all of my nieces and nephews have traveled with me … it made the trip a little bit better … to see things from their perspective.”A few years ago Doug had another signicant issue with his health which resulted in a triple bypass. Thanks to some good friends, good timing and good doctors, he made a full recovery, but was left with a compromised immune system – making life more complicated when the pandemic arrived.“The rst thing I did is to try to get as much information [as I could]. But the problem with a crisis … is there is never enough information.”Doug was able to work through most of the pandemic without serious consequence to his health – and focuses on the positive.“Regardless of your belief, … basic humanity is strong in Edson … when things need to get done, you're prepared to get shoulder to shoulder and do it.”“I think people helping people … feel[ing] the true sense of the community … that’s why I choose to live here.”Doug Woodhouse65
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At 92, Alba Mihajlovich jokes that she nally has all her bases covered – throughout her career, she’s taught everyone from local jewelers to mechanics and from pharmacists to funeral directors.Alba, who started life in southern Alberta, was named by her then ve-year-old brother, whose favourite people were the ladies who worked in a store in Carbon that were generous with candy – their names were Alba and Irene. In her teens, however, that candy would become a rarity due to rationing as Canada entered the Second World War. Her mother became a machinist during the war and her brothers served overseas. “Things were very restricted … But you adapted to it, you know, and you went with the flow … Everybody was very patriotic.”When the war was over the family moved to Mercoal and her father worked in the mine. Because the small community didn’t have a high school, Alba remained in Calgary until she graduated, visiting on holidays.After graduating, a teaching shortage changed the direction of Alba’s career.“Well, I no more thought of teaching than a fly, but my dad said, oh, that’s a good opportunity … we made an application to the Coal Branch school division. They signed me and paid my room and board and I had to sign a contract to teach for them for two years.”After a year, she was released from her contract and came to Edson to teach at the original Pine Grove School – about 1/2 mile west from where Pine Grove Hall is now. Twenty-year-old Alba lived with the Smiths and taught Grades 1 through 8 at the small school before moving to the Red Brick and then back to Mercoal, where she stayed until the mine closed. Alba returned to school to nish her degree and obtained her masters before heading to Edson once again. She eventually became the principal of Central School and remained there for 15 years, and she claimed all of those students as her own. There were tragedies and triumphs throughout her life and career, but Alba always accepted where she was and adapted to her situation. And she chooses to focus on the high points.She gives an example of one young boy at the start of the year, who approached her very seriously and said; ‘I'm going to be in your language arts class and I don't do very well in school. I just want you to know that.” “And I said, look, you just do your very best and you’ll nd you can do really well.” When the rst report cards came out that year, he opened it up and without a word, left his classroom and walked into Alba’s ofce. “He said, ‘You told me I could. And I did.’ Later that year, she found a note on her desk that read, Mrs. Mihajlovich, I love you from P---.Recently, Alba met this young man’s mother, and was extremely pleased to hear he is doing well. She has kept that note for all these years and plans to pass it on to her former student. The erstwhile educator’s warmth while talking about former students is ever-evident and the way they feel about Alba is reflected in the amount of hugs she receives from those now adults.“You have to show them you have faith in them. So they develop faith in themselves.”Alba Mihajlovich69
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Berg Felsing is a 17-year-old artist living in Edson, Alberta. He loves drawing, painting, snowboarding, mountain biking and skateboarding and is a cadet reghter with the Yellowhead County Fire Department. Berg's artwork has been exhibited locally and internationally and has received numerous awards. From 2014 to 2016, Berg held solo painting exhibitions at the Red Brick Art Centre and Museum, with proceeds donated to the Stollery Children's Hospital Foundation, Edson Animal Rescue Society and Edson Food Bank. In addition, Berg shared the award of the Arts on Fire 2015 Young Artist in the Community with his older sister Ellie. This is his rst mural.The Artist - Berg FelsingThe Murals72
Henry Family Vision is a locally owned Optometry Clinic and Optical offering high quality care, specialty dry eye treatments, and cutting edge IPL and radio frequency skin treatments. Dr. Krista Henry grew up in Edson and despite leaving for over a decade in pursuit of her dream, came back to Edson to practice Optometry in 2016. Dr. Henry's passion for patient care, fashion, and community are central tenants to how Henry Family Vision operates. The Business - Henry Family Vision CareHenry Family Vision Care73
The portraits of the subjects are a cornerstone of The Resilience Project. They are obviously a major part of this book but the marquee (image on page facing each story) images will collectively become part of a print exhibition. The challenge was to make images of each subject that reflect something of their character and help to tell their story. This had to be accomplished in a timely fashion without being overly intrusive on peoples’ time and space. Edson is blessed with a very active community of talented photographers. The original plan was to have ve photographers create 'character' portraits of the resilience subjects.Due to the high level of interest, we ended up with eleven photographers working in pairs (and one trio if you do the math). We hope you agree that this collection of images is a resounding success. The images represent a variety of ‘looks’ that reflect the photographers’ styles and creative process while trying to accurately but creatively portray each subject. The following pages include short biographies of the photographic team along with their own images. Julian BuchwaldPhotography has been an extremely important part of my life for over half a century. From yearbook contributions to documenting family vacations, volunteer trips, bicycle and hiking trips, and adventure travel, making images is my way of telling my own story. Making some of the portraits included in this project was most satisfying as a way of adding to the stories of some amazing individuals. When engaging with our subjects it was sometimes difcult to remember the goal was to make images for The Resilience Project because the stories were so captivating. I hope you nd the images and stories as enlightening as I did. Enjoy.I had my rst real photography experience when I was in high school while travelling to Ecuador on a volunteer dental trip. Little did I know how deeply this trip would affect me, but I guess my dad did! I discovered a love for both dentistry and photography. I have delved into many genres of photography including landscape, portraits, pets and many in between, but portraiture remains my favourite. There’s something about connecting with another person, learning a little about their story and trying to translate it into images. I hope that you enjoy these images as much as I did making them, and of course the stories that go with them. Michelle Buchwald74The Photographers
I'm Jordan ... a few things about me: I graduated from NAIT's Photographic Technology program and moved back home to Edson to grow my business in the place I love most. I am currently on year six of my photography journey, and don't have plans on stopping anytime soon. I am a full-time wedding photographer but most importantly I love photographing anything with a story. Being able to use photographs to bring a person back to an exact moment in time is something so special to me and motivates me to continue with this beautiful art. I'm a rm believer of taking photos of EVERYTHING, because one day they will be all I have left and I want to always remember all of the special moments in my life that make it the best.Jordan Conarroe Shaun ConarroeEdson has been home to Shaun and his family for many years. Shaun’s creative outlets are woodworking and photography.He is an active member of the Edson Photography Club. He enjoys outdoor activities like kayaking the local lakes and hiking the trails at Willmore Park. Shaun's passion is to create images and memories while maintaining an active lifestyle within the beautiful area he calls home. I was born and raised in Edson by parents who were both born and raised in Edson themselves. The apple didn’t fall far from the tree as we raised our family in Edson too. After the boys left home to follow their own dreams, there was time for me to pick up a camera again. Going from lm to the digital age was a whole new world for me and an exciting change as I had more time to devote to learning more about my camera and photography. Since joining the Edson Photography Club in 2015 I have learned so much thanks to the other members who have so willingly shared their knowledge. There is always another camera, more lenses, new techniques and other photography gear that is always tempting me and keeps me learning so I know this ‘hobby’ is one that will be with me for life. Susan HansenThe Photographers75
My photography journey started as a young adult, with a gift of a fully manual lm camera. Since then I have had many different cameras and have enjoyed the challenge of mastering each of them.Some of my favorite genres include portrait, landscape, and night photography.My camera is never far from my side as I wander about with my family and pets. So grateful that they are patient as I ddle with settings and adjust angles.The adventure continues one click at a time, chasing the light, nding that memorable capture. Hope you enjoy the world as I see it!Bea KachmarchykErin KlattI am the person behind Mountain Wild! I grew up on a wildlife reserve near Perth, Ontario. We spent most of our family holidays on camping and canoe trips to Algonquin Park, so it is no surprise that I am drawn to the outdoors. Having moved to Alberta out of high school, I was enthralled by the mountains. Jasper immediately felt like home my rst summer out west. For 15 years, I taught full time. I now contract for a non-prot providing environmental and outdoor education programs to students in the Drayton Valley area. In 2020, I decided to take a leap of faith and share my love of nature with everyone!I’m a long term resident of Edson, arriving in April of 1968 just shy of my 1st birthday. Yes, so the math says I’ll be 56 this year!I’ve had a camera in my hand since grade school. I’ve never formally trained, just words from wise friends here and there and the odd lesson on YouTube. I’ve picked up tips and tricks on the way to allow me to make images I love and give my family memories of their lifetime.I heard about this project and thought it would be a great opportunity to meet some amazing fellow Edsonites and try my hand at portraits (which I generally steer clear of).This project has been a beautiful experience. Edson is blessed with really great people and this project highlights just a few of those souls both in the spotlight and behind the scenes.Saundra SchwitzThe Photographers76
I have been experimenting with the ‘Art of Photography’ for close to 40 years. The rst camera I used was my Mom’s… a little red Canon. I loved to ‘borrow’ it and document adventures with family and friends. Not much has changed in that time…I still enjoy documenting the beauty in life. I nd that beauty may be family, friends, backroads, mountains, rivers, lakes, birds, animals, snowflakes, bubbles, frozen tea, skies … you name it, I will photograph it. My growth as a photographer has been influenced by many great Canadian photographers including Darwin Wiggett, Freeman Patterson, Andre Gallant, David DuChemin, Paul Zizka, and Dave Brosha. Photographers within our local community have also played a large role inspiring and influencing. This is much appreciated! The ability to share my work and to continually learn new and innovative techniques and/or new equipment keeps me interested in the art form. Lori Stang Nancy Tailleur HillNancy Tailleur Hill was born in Edmonton in 1972 and called Spruce Grove her home until adulthood. She has lived in different rural communities, nally settling in Edson in July of 2000. She is a wife, mother, stepmother, sister, daughter and grandmother of four littles. She has enjoyed capturing images of many families and children in Edson over the years. Nancy is the proud owner of Rellery 72 (Edson’s Zero Waste Shop) which also hosts a small photography studio. She enjoys outdoor summer activities like paddle boarding, floating down the McLeod River and anything that includes the grandchildren.Bradley Wari is the owner of Three Tree Photography, a thriving photography business based in Edson, where she has resided since 2014 with her husband and two daughters. She launched her photography career in 2018, a month after the birth of her youngest daughter, with a gentle push from her husband.Bradley loves capturing authentic moments and preserving them through her lens. She has a keen eye for detail and loves to document real emotions, laughter, and love in her photographs.Bradley’s work is not just about creating pretty pictures, it’s about telling a story and capturing a moment in time.Bradley WariThe Photographers77
Callie Hermanson is a 27-year-old jack of all trades. You can usually nd her with a camera in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. Callie is a rm believer in enjoying life's simple pleasures, like cuddles with her pup and exploring the world around her. She has a diploma in journalism from SAIT and a digital marketing certicate from the University of Vermont. Among many other things she has worked as a professional newspaper writer and photographer. Callie is always eager to dive into new experiences and learn new skills.When Callie's not working, you can nd her whipping up something delicious in her kitchen, kayaking down the river, or hanging out with family and friends. Callie HermansonThe WritersDiana InschoDiana Inscho loves learning especially when it comes to art, the environment and living her best life. She’s passionately studied dance, art, piano, voice, sewing, interior design, sustainability, gardening, acted in plays and musicals, designed costumes and props for dozens of stage productions, and performed with a variety of musical groups. She and her husband moved their young family here in 2004. Edson has been a great place to live and raise their two children thanks, in part, to Edson’s robust arts community.Diana works for the Town of Edson as the Community Development Coordinator for Arts & Culture. One of the most inspirational and rewarding parts of her job is working with the creative and driven members of CANOE. This entire journey has been about growing, creating, collaborating, and exploring how resilience and art weave together and contribute to our well being. Miriam Kirkham hails from the beautiful town of Cobh on the southern coast of Ireland. She is a relative newcomer to Canada, and is married to Jon. They live on an acreage northwest of Edson with their three rambunctious canines. She has one grown son, Cian, residing in Ireland; they chat every day. Miriam returned to education as a mature student and graduated from University College Cork with a joint Honours B.A. in Archaeology and Geography. She joined the Galloway Station Museum in 2016 in the role of Collections Manager. Exploring and sharing information of the sometimes unusual history of Edson and area has become a passion for her, stating that if she was employed in any other job it would be considered nosiness! Miriam is an avid reader and loves to discover other lands and their cultures, and recently has taken up painting as a hobby.Miriam Kirkham78
Twenty-four-year-old Cassie Kushniruk has been writing for as long as she can remember. From her humble beginnings winning a short story contest in elementary to working as a professional newspaper reporter, writing has and always will be a staple in her life. She loves binge-reading contemporary romance novels and can often be found in the middle of the night pleading ‘just one more chapter’. She is currently in the process of penning her own novel, which she hopes will make it onto the shelves one day. Cassie is passionate about wildlife conservation and is an advocate for mental health and wellness. When she isn’t reading or writing, Cassie is probably singing, re-watching Community for the 100th time, hiking in Jasper, planning her next trip, 4x4ing with friends or taking way too many photos of her dog (granted, she is adorable). Cassie KushnirukThe WritersShari McDowellShari has been at the Galloway Station Museum, Travel Centre & Archives for more than a decade, and still believes she has the best job in Edson. Although she spends a lot more time behind her desk these days, nothing makes her happier than sharing Edson’s amazing, surprising and frankly, sometimes downright odd history with residents and travelers and promoting our wonderful community. Shari enjoys volunteering as well as working and creating art with paper.A former employee of a local newspaper, (albeit more than a few years ago) Shari was very pleased to be involved with this project and to once again focus on writing. The stories that these individuals share are inspirational, entertaining and poignant. We are grateful to you, and as with all the valued artifacts and stories held at the Galloway Station Museum, pledge to keep them safe so they can continue to be shared for generations.At 26, Dorrie Rechner can only wonder what more life has in store. She grew up in Edson, an avid participant in the community, taking part in every group and event she could, chasing experiences like they were rainbows. This honours student was raised a rink rat and DJ, tried a different sport every year, learned piano, was a theatre kid, part of the art club and student council, the rst female on the HRH football team, and started working at 14, publishing her rst novel by 18. This daughter of oil and gas received her Environmental and Conservation Sciences Bachelor from UofA in 2021. Some might say Dorrie doesn’t know how to slow down. While grateful for her community, she longed to explore new horizons and has travelled far and wide, her feline Apollo looking over her shoulder. In 2022, she moved to Budapest, connecting with her ancestral lands and now she’s back searching for a job that will satiate her wild spirit.Dorrie Rechner79
CANOE (Culture and Arts Network of Edson) is a volunteer group of local artists and art supporters facilitated by the Town of Edson's Community Development Team. A handful of its members (L to R: Michael Baird, Shari McDowell, Diana Inscho, Lisa Wilkinson, Spencer Richard, Julian Buchwald) took on leading roles in The Resilience Project from the inception to the completion of the project. These roles included writing the grant, coordinating the artists, businesses, mural locations, selection committees, nances, writers and writing, photographers, interviewing subjects, transcribing and archiving the interviews, writing music, editing lm, photographs and text, layout of the book, planning the gala, and nally reporting on it all. Each facet of the project did play to the strengths of our group, but we all experienced a lot of growth in our disciplines — pushing beyond our comfort zones and putting in the extra time and effort it took to complete each task along the way. We were driven by the passion to create and share the hope, the inspiration, and the resilience of our community with our community. Are we proud? Heck yeah! We hope you feel the pride too. "Art washes away the dust of everyday life." - Pablo PicassoThe CANOE Resilience Committee80
Spencer Richard is an Edson-based lmmaker and self-produced rap artist known under his stage name, Srvent (www.Srvent.com).Spencer spent his formative years in Hinton, AB, but settled in Edson with his wife and young daughters in 2017. Though he rst began to develop a reputation through original music videos—in 2020, a week before COVID-19 was declared an international pandemic, he began working full-time as a commercial lmmaker. His work dove-tails nicely with his creative passions and aspirations, allowing him to continually learn and develop his artistic instincts.Through his business, Srvent Freelance (www.srventfreelance.com), Spencer often serves local Edsonites, but his clientele extends to businesses and individuals in West Yellowhead, Alberta in general, Vancouver, and even parts of the United States.Whether through music, lm, or any other discipline; it is his primary purpose in life to make meaningful art that has a positive impact on others.Besides making art, Spencer can be found competing in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, pacing late at night on the phone with his friends, and spending quality time with his family.The Filmmaker Special ThanksSpecial thanks to the staff at the Galloway Station Museum, Travel Centre, & Archives for their help with The Resilience Project in general, and specically with the Resilience — A Collaboration photo book. Your dedication is appreciated.Thank you to Savanna Richard and Matthew Preville for translating Resilience — A Collaboration. Your time and attention to detail is appreciated.81
AttributionsArtistic Design - Julian Buchwald & Shari McDowellPhoto Editor - Julian BuchwaldStory Editor - Shari McDowellPage 4 Photo - Julian BuchwaldPage 5 Story - Miriam KirkhamPage 6 Photo - Michelle BuchwaldPage 7 Photo - Saundra SchwitzPage 8 Photo - Erin KlattPage 9 Story - Shari McDowellPage 10 Photo - Dawn OlsvikPage 11 Photo - Erin KlattPage 12 Photo - Bea KachmarchykPage 13 Story - Cassie KushnirukPage 14 Photo - Susan HansenPage 15 Photo - Bea KachmarchykPage 18 Photo - Shaun ConarroePage 19 Story - Cassie KushnirukPage 20 Photo - Jordan ConarroePage 21 Photo - Jordan ConarroePage 22 Photo - Jordan ConarroePage 23 Story - Diana InschoPage 24 Photo - Jordan ConarroePage 25 Photo - Jordan ConarroePage 26 Photo - Jordan ConarroePage 27 Story - Cassie KushnirukPage 28 Photo - Jordan ConarroePage 29 Photo - Shaun Conarroe Page 32 Photo - Michelle BuchwaldPage 33 Story - Callie Hermanson Shari McDowellPage 34 Photo - Julian BuchwaldPage 35 Photo - Julian BuchwaldPage 36 Photo - Susan HansenPage 37 Story - Callie Hermanson Cassie KushnirukPage 38 Photo - Lori StangPage 39 Photo - Lori StangPage 40 Photo - Nancy Tailleur HillPage 41 Story - Cassie KushnirukPage 42 Photo - Saundra SchwitzPage 43 Photo - Nancy Tailleur HillPage 46 Photo - Erin KlattPage 47 Story - Shari McDowellPage 48 Photo - Bradley WariPage 49 Photo - Bradley WariPage 50 Photo - Julian Buchwald82
Page 51 Story - Dorrie RechnerPage 52 Photo - Michelle BuchwaldPage 53 Photo - Michelle BuchwaldPage 54 Photo - Lori StangPage 55 Story - Dorrie RechnerPage 56 Photo - Bea KachmarchykPage 57 Photo - Susan HansenPage 60 Photo - Bradley WariPage 61 Story - Diana InschoPage 62 Photo - Erin KlattPage 63 Photo - Erin KlattPage 64 Photo - Saundra SchwitzPage 65 Story - Shari McDowellPage 66 Photo - Saundra SchwitzPage 67 Photo - Nancy Tailleur HillPage 68 Photo - Michelle BuchwaldPage 69 Story - Shari McDowellPage 70 Photo - Julian BuchwaldPage 71 Photo - Julian BuchwaldCovers designed by Julian Buchwald83
All that we are is story. From the moment we are born to the time we continue on our spirit journey, we are involved in the creation of the story of our time here. It is what we arrive with. It is all we leave behind. We are not the things we accumulate. We are not the things we deem important. We are story. All of us. What comes to matter then is the creation of the best possible story we can while we’re here; you, me, us, together. When we can do that and we take the time to share those stories with each other, we get bigger inside, we see each other, we recognize our kinship – we change the world, one story at a time… - Richard Wagamese 84