Even though the day was a little on the cold side, the Swan Hills community didn’t let that deter them from enjoying the great activities and events taking place on Family Day. The weather was bright and clear, and with some good winter gear, the cold was hardly noticeable.

The biggest event of the day had to be the Cardboard Sled Derby! Twenty-seven homemade sleds put together with cardboard, tape, dreams, and hope all took to the hill at the town office to see who would win one of the four prizes; the Fastest Sled, the Farthest Ride, the Most Creative, and the Best Spill. Each sled was original, with all kinds of shapes, colours, and designs.

The event drew quite the crowd as everyone cheered on the town’s racers while the Swan Hills Fire Department was on hand to help make sure everything ran smoothly and that everyone stayed safe. After many thrills, chills, and spills, we had our winners for all of the categories. The Super Fast Stars (Arya, Adele, and Amaya Robichaud) won the Fastest Sled; The Underdogs (Kaitlyn and Emily Tout) had the Farthest Ride; the Mama Express (Maycie, Avarie, Mylie, and Ashton) took the Most Creative; and The Creep (Ariana, Adele, and Matteo Robichaud) took the Best Spill. The winners each won a $25 certificate to Burger Baron. Congratulations to all the racers; you all did such an excellent job!!

The Swan Hills FCSS office had a full house with curious folks checking out the new interactive Obie system and others having a great time playing crib. A steady stream of hungry people made their way into the Town Office throughout the afternoon for a bowl of delicious chilli and a bun.

And the Library also had a busy day, with over 70 people coming through to play with the toys and games. Eight contestants competed in the Mario Kart tournament, with Brock Ruecker coming out on top as the champion.

Remember that the Library will be hosting a Murder Mystery this Friday, February 24, at 7:00 PM. Register by Thursday to reserve your spot!

Family Day was such a fun time this year; thank you to everyone who helped plan all of the events and to all the volunteers who helped to make it happen.

Dean LaBerge, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Grizzly Gazette