WHAT IS YOUR WHY? We are a local processor of red meat animals, but beef has always been our mainstay. We serve walk-in customers looking for quality cuts and sausage for the table. We also process home-grown animals to fill local ranchers' freezers. I have enjoyed building relationships with many producers over the years. Everybody loves the great Alberta beef they supply.

CHALLENGES: In the beginning staffing was our greatest challenge. But I have been blessed with a great team, many of them have been with me for years. During the whole covid issue the people in the production area stepped up their game. Our retail staff were champions as they were overrun with orders.

MOTIVATION? What keeps you going on difficult days? Obligations. Obligations to long-term customers that depend on us for our wholesale supplies. The obligation to keep my staff working with a steady supply of business. There is definite fulfillment in achieving obligations.

Vaccine safety -Thanks to worldwide collaboration, COVID-19 vaccines were developed without compromising safety. Every approved vaccine has met Health Canada's standards for safety, quality and effectiveness.

Moderna and Pfizer appear to be slightly more effective than AstraZeneca:

• Moderna and Pfizer are 80-90% effective in preventing severe illness and death

• AstraZeneca is about 60-80% effective in reducing infection and is even more effective in preventing severe illness and death. It may be less effective preventing spread to others, but evidence is still emerging.

Thoughts on a statement from the Candidates Guide:

“Your effectiveness as a member of council depends on your ability to be an active member of the team and to respectfully persuade the other members of council to adopt and support your view.“

This statement could not be better stated. Council is a team and the team is only a team if everyone works together. Expressing/showing an interest in making the Corporation more efficient, financially sound, progressive and supportive will earn respect from the team. Which will create a space where every Councillors voice is valued and heard. Functionality of the Council will carve out a successful term.

–Kelly Christman
County Councillor Division 6-Bassano, Deputy Reeve

The next Municipal Election will be held on October 18, 2021.

Energy Futures Roadshow is an Energy Futures Lab (EFL) program that supports a community in exploring opportunities and challenges of their energy future. The County and City have expressed an interest in hosting a roadshow.

Wallboard Investment Inquiry - Brooks Region economic development responded to a Request for Information from CGC, a marketer, manufacturer and distributor of gypsum wallboard products. A total of six locations on behalf of both Brooks and the County of Newell, owned by the EID were submitted.

September 30 new $1000 deadline - EcoBrooks Leadership Scholarship for an environmentally-minded project with a positive, long-term impact in the community of Brooks. The project must reflect one or more of the environmental pillars of EcoBrooks.

• Water conservation

• Energy sustainability

• Waste management

Send in your great ideas, make them a reality!

“Outdoor Mall” Thursdays Downtown! Farmers Market, Food Trucks and businesses will be setting up on 2nd Street West. Farmers Market opens at 2PM and closes at 6PM.

If you make, bake, or grow something the Farmer’s Market is a great place to test your business plan. Spots are also available for vendors at 2 Pop-up markets:

• Rosemary Ag Days - Saturday, August 14th

• Brooks Show n’ Shine - Saturday, September 11th at Veteran’s Park

Extending the paved walking path that ends north of the county building, 2.6 km is estimated to cost $574,000. County Council proposed using Municipal Stimulus Program grant funds for this project. The grant application requires the project to be completed by Dec. 31, 2021.

Win FREE meals. Share a throwing-out trash selfie with the hashtag #trashtuesdayecobrooks and you could win $25-100 in gift cards for local eateries. Winners every Tuesday until the end of August.

Weekly SPURring

How to Create Strategy – Prioritize Marketing.

Test how you are going to market the product.

Here’s a rule: If you don’t attract people to the thing you built, they won’t come.

If you think your business will thrive simply because you have a great product, you’re wrong. There are simply too many great products out there. Companies that thrive are companies that master the art of telling customers about their products.

Building the marketing collateral before the product even exists does two things:

1. Helps you clarify your marketing language. Helps you create and review language that will pique a customer’s interest. Share the page with a select group of potential customers to get feedback.

2. Confirms consumer interest. Once you’ve clarified your marketing language, you can release the page to the public or to a select group of customers for preorders.

Tip of the Day: Create a marketing sales page to test marketing language and gauge interest in a product even before that product exists.

Leadership Made Simple
Donald Miller

Thank you for sharing.

larkspur_brooks@telus.net