Regulars(Archives)
Letter from The Editor
Family. Community. Home.
These are three words I think of when I think about Fort McMurray. I’m blessed, and I know it, to have a wonderful family and a great connection to the community we live in. Fort McMurray has been great to us, and I know, a lot of you.
We have created an issue of YMM that honours the community we live in - from the beauty, the people, to the great things you can do here. The possibilities are endless and certainly nothing like the negative media types who come to town and aim to give us a bad name, all in the light of what they would call the “truth”.
Well, as the saying goes, let me tell you the truth.
The truth is we live in a diverse, vibrant and “happening” region of Canada, truly a playground of activity. One of the best playgrounds in our city is Keyano Theatre and Arts Centre. Anyone who knows me, knows that I have a soft spot for the theatre. I’ve been on the stage a few times myself (Hometown...The Musical, Les Miserables) and hope to once again get the honour to the do the same. I’ve also participated as a donor and patron, and can’t wait to continue using our season’s tickets year-in and year-out. I know we’re lifers, possibly even theatre junkies. Why? Well it’s the passion. The team that surrounds the stage and play on the stage at Keyano Theatre truly love what they do and work incredibly hard to bring us world-class theatre experiences and programming. From the children’s programming, to the musicals, down to the serious dramas, a lot of love and community pride goes into every performance. Our cover story, on page 16, dives a little deeper into the Keyano Theatre, one of, in my opinion, the best examples of family and community coming together to bring us all something special.
One of the other great parts of living in Northern Alberta is the natural landscape and we’ve brought to you some wonderful photos that capture the spirit and beauty of our region by Chris Babida Acaso. Check these out on page 23 and be ready to be blown away by his talent. Who wouldn’t want to live here?
On page 36, we bring you the story of our local Member of the Legislature and proud community resident Don Scott. For those of you who don’t know much about him, he’s truly a family man. When not fighting and representing our community in Edmonton at the Legislature, he’s here in Fort McMurray, living and breathing everything he possibly can with his wife Janey and his two beautiful daughters Jeya and Jenna. Russell Thomas tells the true story behind Don and what makes him such a strong advocate for our region. I can’t think of anyone more devoted to both his family and his community.
These are just a few of the highlights of this jam-packed issue that celebrate all things related to our awesome and beautiful Fort McMurray. I hope you’ll read about them, and then share their stories to your friends and family. As spring comes upon us and we get outside even more, take a few moments to appreciate your surroundings and all of the hard work that goes into making this the best place to live in Canada. Also - go see a show at Keyano Theatre! You’ll be happy you did.
Happy Spring!
Krista Balsom
Editor-in-Chief/Publisher
@kellybalsom
@ymm_magazine
