The Drumheller RCMP, in partnership with Duke of Edinburgh Awards are hitting the road for the fourth year in a row, with the Banff to Badlands Bicycle Tour.The excursion this year will be from August 2 to August 12 and will give teens aged 14-17 a chance to take on an adventure of a lifetime. Along the way they will learn leadership skills and respect for natured and could discover new cultures, communities and landscapes all from the seat of a bicycle.While it is not a requirement for participants to be enrolled in the Duke of Edinburgh program, it does meet many of the requirements for those working towards earning the award.Organizers are holding an information session on Tuesday, March 22 at he Badland Community Facility. This will be an opportunity to learn more about the trip and have any questions answered. Two Wheel View, a nonprofit community that hosts these kinds of excursions, guides the trip. It provides all the equipment, plans the trip and chaperones the riders. While it appears grueling, the ride is broken down into manageable legs, allowing the participants to have fun on the road to Banff. For participants there is a fundraising requirement of $950 and most riders in previous years have been able to fundraise most, if not all, the costs associated with the trip. The fundraising efforts are often done as a group and helps to build team dynamics leading up to the ride.
The information session on March 22 at the BCF begins at 7 p.m. For more information, contact Constable Craig Nelson at 403-820-4264.

Every little girl’s dream is to have the perfect wedding. It is played with girlfriends, lace curtains and tea parties.  On Sunday, March 13, Badlands Community Facility’s held its second annual  Wedding Showcase. Brides and their entourages filled the banquet rooms, viewing displays from 37 vendors.  BCF staff wore wedding finery to promote the showcase.
BCF Marketing & Sales Officer, Charlotte Stalgitis, spoke with The Mail, “Attendance was great, we had 49 confirmed brides with their bridal parties attending. Last year, there was only 20 brides , so we have more than doubled our attendance.  The banquet room was decorated specifically for 12 of the brides  and their colors. They  were  decorated with different colored linens, china, crystal and floral arrangements.  Vendors showcased wedding cakes, photography, jewelry, floral bouquets, bridal gowns, and everything else that a bride could want for her special day.  Stalgitis said, “We reached out, to all of Alberta, with our advertising. Out of the 49 brides, they were mainly Drumheller residents, however quite a few of them were from Red Deer and Edmonton. Attendance was approximately 130.”