In two weeks, Christian women from all over the world will be praying together under the theme Streams in the Dessert. Members of Drumheller’s congregations will be among them.
    March 7, the globe will be marking World Day of Prayer, and for years Drumheller congregations have participated. This is no exception Knox United Church is taking its turn hosting the event.
    This year, the women of Egypt are leading the World Day of Prayer celebration. World Day of Prayer is meant to stir feelings of curiosity within the participant, prompting them to ask what will challenge, inspire and encourage? What will be learned of the theme and focus country? What will be learned about ourselves?
    The day is  lead through the voices of the women of Egypt; old and young, urban and rural. The Egypt World Day of Prayer committee introduces their own country on a human scale, revealing the true place they live.
    World Day of Prayer in Canada is coordinated  by the Women’s Inter-Church Council of Canada and will be marked in 2,000 communities  throughout the country. Internationally, World Day of Prayer will be observed in more than 170 countries.
    In Drumheller World Day of Prayer will be observed on Friday, March 7 at 2 p.m. at Knox United Church. For more information, contact JoAnn Cunningham at 03-823-4434.

Sandbags are unloaded off Railway Avenue in June 2013. Albertans pitched in to help each other during the  spring flooding of 2013 that occurred in a number of communities across Southern Alberta.  The Alberta Government has hired three engineering firms to study flood mitigation options for the Athabasca and Red Deer rivers.

Albertans have recognized more than 1,300 of their peers who took incredible actions to help others in the wake of the June 2013 floods, as part of Alberta’s Heroes of the Flood recognition program.
    While the floods were a devastating time, every day Albertans became heroes as they reached out to help their friends, family, neighbours and even strangers rebuild and recover.
    “The flood was more than just a catastrophic event. It was an opportunity for all Albertans to come together, to offer support, strength and friendship for those affected by the disaster. It is important for us as a province to recognize those among us who showed such bravery and strength in these times of struggle, who have helped with the rebuilding efforts. Thank you for your courage, strength and sacrifice in our province’s time of need.”
- Alison Redford, Premier
    “I want to thank every Albertan who shared incredible stories of bravery, compassion and resilience. We’ll be working to celebrate these heroes for their extraordinary efforts over the coming weeks. While we still have more rebuilding and recovery ahead of us, we’ll rebuild stronger than ever with Albertans like these.”
- Municipal Affairs Minister Ken Hughes
    The 1,300 nominees represent a variety of organizations including 175 nominations for first responders, and 80 for post-secondary institution faculty, students and staff.        Several animal rescue organizations were touted for their incredible efforts, along with one non-human hero: Diesel, a miniature Husky who was rescued from the flood and is now training to be a service dog.
    All nominees will receive a certificate and letter of appreciation in the coming weeks. A complete list of Hero nominees is available online.
    Under the Building Alberta Plan, our government is investing in families and communities, living within our means, and opening new markets for Alberta’s resources to ensure we’re able to fund the services Albertans told us matter most to them. We will continue to deliver the responsible change Albertans voted for.