There's only one thing bigger than our Buffalo right now.... and that is our gratitude! What an honour it is to be recognized alongside all these awesome businesses! [Brooks Corn Maze, Spragg’s Meat Shop, Scandia Honey, Alberta Prairie Meats] 4 years ago when we opened our gates to the public for guided farm tours, we never could have imagined that we would be accepting an award.

We ALSO had no idea how hard it would be to run a small business! I think that’s why events like the Chamber Business Awards are so important because otherwise, small business owners would never take a day off!

I had a day home for 15 years and one of our favourite things to do was eavesdrop on the preschooler’s snack time table talk, sometimes it was an argument about who's dad was the strongest, other times it was who's invited to their birthday party, but often it was excited chatter over the fun they had on the weekend, visiting the gymnastics club or the swimming pool, beach or waterpark. These things would be brought up again and again.

When we started White Barn Fun Farm it was Denis and I's goal to be the snack time table talk of little people around the region!

2 years later we got feedback that this was indeed happening at day homes, daycares and schools….and that is when we knew we had arrived! The only other time our hard work felt that rewarding was receiving this Agricultural Spirit Award!

Thank you to the Real Estate Centre for supporting our community and sponsoring this award!

$40,000 NewGrow grant program aimed at supporting new and existing businesses in Brooks Newell Region. Businesses make a pitch to a panel of judges and compete for funding. Application packages due: Nov. 25th, more information HERE or contact Mitchell Iwaasa

County of Newell will be live streaming its 2023 Budget Review Meeting which will be held on Monday, November 14th at 9AM. More information can be found on their website. Budget meetings are open to anyone that has an interest in observing these discussions. Meeting proceedings can be viewed online through the County’s website, or by personally attending the meeting in Council Chambers at the County of Newell Office.

RhPAP (Rural Health Professions Action Plan) will be hosting a skills event in Brooks on November 9. Local health professionals will teach high school students from Brooks, Bassano, Duchess and Rosemary basic medical interests such as suturing, IV starts and wound management. The goal is to spark an interest in high school students to consider a career in healthcare and make them aware of what kinds of healthcare opportunities exist in their area.

City of Brooks’ 10‐Year Capital Plan - the City reached out to the residents for their input. The survey asked five specific questions:

#4- What is something the City doesn’t have that you would like to see here? (might have to stay here for a minute there were nearly 200 responses):

• More patrolling in parks and walking trails more patrolling and enforcing the litter, garbage, and weeds all over the city

• Twin the CRA.

• Roundabouts to replace four-way stops

• Better or second water park

• Large Farmers’ market year-round with lots of venues.

Rotary Radio Day is coming up on November 26. Funds raised will help to support worthy causes in our community. This year they celebrate the 40th anniversary with the community of Brooks.

Brooks Golf Course believes the Brooks Bulletin article related to Council’s discussion on the proposed land swap between the City and the Brooks Golf Course caused public humiliation and wanted to have Council personally apologize to the Brooks Golf Course. Mayor Petrie replied that he would not ask Council to apologize; however, he would like to see the City move forward with their plans. The Brooks Golf Course clarified that they did not want a new fence, they wanted it replaced, and the land asked for in the trade was to put up a buffer to prevent people who are walking by from being hit by a golf ball.