The Sundre Rodeo & Race Association, along with the residents of the Sundre area, pulled off the 34th annual Sundre Pro Rodeo last month, after it was postponed in June as a result of overland flooding in town.
This shows the community spirit in Sundre and although I have only lived here for about 10 months, it makes me proud to be a part of this community.
I remember back in June, at the time of crisis, when half of the town was evacuated and I found out the rodeo was cancelled.
I was sitting at my desk in the office and I was flushed with disappointment. I had been so excited to cover the rodeo since I moved here, as I know it is a huge event for Sundre.
Watching this community pull through the devastation from the flood amazed me and to be at my first Sundre rodeo and all of its associated events was wonderful. To see Sundre's residents and many rodeo enthusiasts from out of town excited to be in Sundre and supporting the rodeo was more than wonderful.
My boyfriend, my parents, my two sisters and each of their boyfriends, all from Calgary, came to town on the Saturday of rodeo weekend.
The next morning we went for breakfast and each of them was saying how much fun they have when they come to Sundre and how great a community it is. My sisters' boyfriends both said they would move here.
And I know why they would move here. There is something about this little town and whenever I tell people I live in Sundre, they always have good things to say about it.
I had to laugh because on Saturday afternoon I was running errands around town with my boyfriend, Shane Merrick, and everywhere we went we could hear the rodeo announcer. That just screamed small town and I am still getting used to it.
But the beauty of a small town is that rodeo weekend is made special because of how important it is to the people of Sundre. Businesses even put on rodeo specials.
When I was watching the parade on that Saturday morning, I sat with my dear friend Erin Griffin and her seven-year-old daughter Jade. A young boy came over to Jade, handed her a handful of candies and said: “Here you go, they didn't throw any at you this time”. I was in awe and it was just another reminder of how friendly and welcoming this community is.
Every time I drive into town and I see Sundre in all of its glory, with the mountains glistening and deer making their way through town, I know I am home.
