Getting pinned: Local RCMP auxiliary member recognized for service
Being part of a workforce where transitions often take place can be difficult. This is particularly true when that job is with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
The auxiliary constable program members are unpaid volunteers who are in the capacity of assisting regular members in their duties in the community.
One of these auxiliary members is Arnold Alstad who has been part of the program for 19 years.
Alstad first joined the program because he wanted to help get drugs off the street.
“I don’t like to see drugs in the hands of kids,” he said. “That’s the main thing, and giving back to the community, helping the members, especially in the search and rescue side of it.”
Though there are negative aspects to the job, Alstad emphasized the positives as well.
“We had a lot of fun with Music Fest,” he said. “We had a lot of laughs with the local people, and people visiting.”
When asked how long he planned on continuing with the auxiliary program, his answer was simple.
“I’ll carry on as long as I’m still enjoying it and as long as I’m still a benefit to the members. If it’s 25 years, so be it, if it’s 20 years, I guess next summer.”
Nailing that last spike home and bringing history to life
It was a cold and rainy Saturday as the Nakusp Rail Committee made final preparations at the site which will soon be the new home of a plow and caboose, formerly belonging to Canadian Pacific Rail (CPR) in Revelstoke.
“I instantly thought about donating it to Nakusp,” said Donovan Gentles, an employee of CPR. “Being a town with such a unique and important railroad history it was a shame that, other than the right of way, nothing shows passersby that the railroad was there.”
The last CPR train to run through Nakusp was in 1988.
“It’s a piece of the history we’ve lost, no different than with the paddlewheeler,” said Rob Glentworth, one of the members of the rail committee. “It’s all part of the history, and the growth in the area.”
“There are lots of train buffs in the area,” said Glentworth. “I hope it brings in people. It’s definitely going to be a nice attraction once we get everything complete.”
Nakusp’s newest ambassador
On June 25 Nakusp crowned Sydney Bone as it’s new ambassador at the Ambassador Pageant at the Nakusp auditorium.
“My heart dropped, and then lifted, and then dropped,” Bone said. “I couldn’t breathe.”
Bone feels very excited to be able to represent Nakusp, and looks forward to doing so to the best of her abilities.
She said the program really helped her get over a lot of obstacles.
“I get panicky, and I was so afraid to go out, and now to get over my anxiety in this program, and to get up and actually do it is the best feeling in the entire world.”
