Founder & Director - Historic Trails West (Historical Research Centre)
Since 1978 have published 29 books on western history
Current project: The Explorers of the West Sketchbook Series
Co-host - Heritage House Bed & Breakfast
Built by our family, Heritage House is a Designated Alberta Historical Resource. It is considered one of the finest examples of International Style architecture in the province.
TEACHING CAREER
Currently working with schools publishing student sketches depicting journals of early explorers.
20 years classroom teacher
In 1970 initiated a "living history" program which became known as TREK. Students researched, retraced and filmed historic routes across Western Canada and the United States.
12 years with the Community College Continuing Education Program
AWARDS
1998 - AHRF - Heritage Awareness Award
1988 - Canada Olympic Celebration 88 Certificate of Merit
1986 - CATV - Most Innovative Production Award - for program "Following Historic Trails"
1985 - CATV - Centennial Award - For promoting Lethbridge's 100th birthday.
1985 - Alberta Historical Resources Foundation - Heritage Service Award
1984 - Alberta Historical Resources Foundation - Heritage Service Award
(Honorable Mention)
1980 - Alberta 75 - Four historical research and publication grants
1980 - Canadian Teacher's Federation Hilroy Fellowship Award for Innovations in Education
1979 - Heritage Canada Award
1979 - Canadian Commission of the International Year of the Child Grant for project: Kids Collecting History
1978 - Alberta Achievement Award- for "Excellence in Education"
1977 - Canada Council Explorations Grant to retrace the route of Thomas Blakiston's 1858 journey through the Rocky Mountains
1976 - Historical Society of Alberta Award for "Outstanding Contribution to Alberta History".
1974 - Alberta - RCMP Century Celebrations Grant to prepare an audio-visual exhibit based on a retracing of the original trek west of the North West Mounted Police
1973 - Alberta Department of Education Innovative Project Grant to develop a modified social studies program.
1971 - Nominated for Project Recall by the Alberta Teacher's Association for a Hilroy Fellowship Award for Innovations in Education.
WORKSHOPS
Presenter at the following conferences:
Global Classroom, University of Nottingham, England - 1992
Social Studies Council Conference of the Alberta Teachers Association - 1992
Original Southern Alberta Pioneers - Palliser Hotel, Calgary - 1986
Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers of Canada - 1985
Alberta Health & Physical Education Conference - 1985
Lethbridge Centennial Conference - 1985
Alberta Outdoor Education Conference - 1983
Alberta Social Studies Conference 1977 and 1978
Association for Media and Technology in Education -1975
Alberta Indian Educator's Association - 1975
North West Mounted Police Conference - 1974
PUBLICATIONS
Magazine Articles:
The ATA Magazine (Alberta Teachers Association) Fall 1996
Lethbridge Magazine 1985, 1986, 1987
Alberta Trustee - Nov./Dec. 1980
Western Living - July 1979 & June 1980
Alberta Education Communications Magazine-Access - Winter 1975
Alberta Teachers Association Mediator - Winter 1974-75
Alberta School Library Review - 1974
Alberta Education - October 1973
Newspapers
Daily column in Lethbridge Herald during centennial year - 1985.
Books
10 Years of Trek
1874 Trek
Southern Alberta Business
Climate of Southern Alberta - J. McCaig
Dawson 1873
Early Sketches of Southern Alberta
Foothill & Prairie Memories
Gladstone Diary, The
History of the Crowsnest Pass
James Hector - Explorer
Lethbridge 100th Plan Book
Paul Kane - Artist
Peter Fidler's Journal
Riel Centennial Expedition
Routes Highway History Series
In the Footsteps of Thomas Blakiston
Walk a Block (and Wonder)
Waterton Lakes Park
When the West was Young
Where would I find...
Who's Who 88-89
Who's Who 90
Audio-Visual Productions
IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THOMAS BLAKISTON-1858 - In the Footsteps of Thomas Blakiston - 1858 - Research funded by The Canada Council Explorations Program. Production funded by the Alberta 75 Committee.
RELIVING THE TREK OF 1874 - Funded by the Alberta - RCMP Century Celebrations Committee.
Consultant work for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Drama, Radio & Television
Producer - weekly TV series "Following Historic Trails," "Who's Who in Southern Alberta" and "Computers Don't Byte"
Carried out a history quiz on radio for two years.
1962 - Alberta Provincial Drama Acting Award
Other Activities
1990 to 1993 - Board - Waterton Natural History Association
1990 - Founded "What's Below Time Air" -- A publication telling flyers of our Western Canadian airline, Time Air, information about the area they are flying over.
1989 - Launched "Red Coat Tours" - A special interest tour company exploring the history of the West
1987 to 1992 - Board - Alberta Historical Resources Foundation
1986 - Launched the Highway History Series. This series follows a variety of highways across the province. Initial financing for this project came from federal and provincial governments.
1984 - 1985 - Set up computer data-base of information on western Canadian History.
Spring 1985 - retraced the South Saskatchewan River from Medicine Hat to Batoche to commemorate the part played by sternwheelers during the Riel Rebellion of 1885.
Summer 1983 - organized the Galt Sternwheeler Centennial Re-enactment to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the launching of the first of three sternwheeler boats built by Father of Confederation, Sir Alexander Galt and used to haul coal from Coalbanks, now Lethbridge to Medicine Hat.
Summer 1982 - organized a ceremony and placed a plaque on the North Kootenay Pass, a historic pass in Southern Alberta to honour Thomas Blakiston of the Palliser Expedition who used the pass in 1858 and named a number of landmarks in the area including Waterton Lakes National Park.
1979 - 1980 - organized pack trips to the Committee's Punch Bowl at the Athabasca Pass to promote interest in the history of the fur trade.
1978 - formed the Historic Trails Society in order to research and promote more interest in historic routes across Canada.
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