Rosebud’s High Eagle RV Park champions community engagement

Posted on: Staff Writer

From edition: July 19 2019 Strathmore Times

By Laureen F. Guenther Times Contributor

Suzanna Drzymala, her husband John Davis and son Cash Davis rolled their tube through riverside weeds and willows in Rosebud, early in July, on their way to a tubing ride down the Rosebud River. The family became aware of the tubing opportunity through Rosebud’s new Community Engagement program. Photo Courtesy of Kyrsten Stewart

Suzanna Drzymala, her husband John Davis and son Cash Davis rolled their tube through riverside weeds and willows in Rosebud, early in July, on their way to a tubing ride down the Rosebud River. The family became aware of the tubing opportunity through Rosebud’s new Community Engagement program.
Photo Courtesy of Kyrsten Stewart
High Eagle RV Park and residents of Rosebud are helping guests build community engagement this summer, by letting them know all the fun things they can do in Rosebud.
Jeanne Sonmor, High Eagle co-owner with her husband Ed, said the purpose of the community engagement program is not to create new activities, but to help guests discover what’s already available.
The format is simple. Each week, Rosebud School of the Arts founder LaVerne Erickson compiles a weekly list of community activities for families, couples and individuals, and Sonmor shares the list with High Eagle guests. Of course, the activities are also available for guests who stay elsewhere in Rosebud, as well as for day visitors. Most of the activities are free.
The list includes nature-oriented activities like tubing or canoeing down the Rosebud River, strolling the walking track and hiking Horseshoe Canyon. There’s also a ball diamond, horseshoe pit and playground near Rosebud’s Memorial Hall.
Touring the Rosebud Museum and walking around the hamlet’s historic sites help guests learn about the history and growth of the community.
Rosebud residents share hobbies and occupations to offer additional learning activities. Stan Riegel of Rosebud Trains Unlimited operates his G-scale model trains for guests, and local entrepreneurs offer tour of a beehive and of hügelkultur. Guests can also tour the seed-cleaning plant, and later this summer, Rosebud River Fibre Mills plans to open its business, working with locally-grown wool.
The list reminds guests of Rosebud’s dining opportunities, including Sarah’s Ice Cream Cart, Thorny Rose Café, and pie at the Rosebud Country Inn. Guests can also eat outdoors in the picnic gazebo.
And, of course, Rosebud has lots of art to enjoy. The Akokiniskway Gallery has a current exhibit called The Grassland Series by Colin Starkevich. The Thorny Rose Café and High Eagle RV Park often have live music on weekend evenings. Local visual artists invite scheduled visits to their studios.
Rosebud School of the Arts offers tours of its facilities, and Rosebud Theatre performs two different plays daily, from Wednesday to Saturday. The Kite is performed at the Opera House and Lilia! is performed on the BMO Studio Stage. Community Engagement lists Engage Events like a talk-back with a cast or a chat with the artistic director, which are open to ticket-paying guests as well as those who haven’t attended a play. In August, the Rosebud community will host the annual Rosebud Chamber Music Festival and the outdoor 15 Minutes of Fame folk festival.
Erickson said the community engagement program was run on a trial basis in July, and the public response has been so positive that they plan to continue it into August.
“Guests are finding out that there’s more than just theatre in Rosebud,” Erickson said, “much more than just theatre.”
To learn more about community engagement in Rosebud, contact Jeanne Sonmor at 403-677-2577 or go to rosebud.ca.