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Organizations

Established in 1962 the Ryley Lions club is a group of community-minded volunteers that serve the needs of the Ryley community. Our efforts are directed towards improving and assisting the facilities of the Village as well as supporting other organizations within the community.

Our two major annual fund raisers are the Mother’s Day Brunch and the Community Birthday Calendar. The first Brunch was held in 1999 and this function has become a very important social and fundraising event for Ryley and district. This year the majority of the proceeds were forwarded to the Lions of Alberta Foundation which has amassed a fund of over $300 000 to assist the victims of the Fort McMurray fire victims. These funds have come from Lions clubs across Canada so it shows Lions commitment to our motto; We Serve.

The Birthday calendar now in its 37th year, is a fun birthday reminder as well as providing advertisers with an inexpensive way to promote their business in over 200 locations on a daily basis.

The Ryley Lions club has long been involved with the planning, construction and support of the Community Centre. In the early eighties our club held weekly bingos to raise funds for a new hall. Since our initial donation of $50 000 we have donated over two hundred thousand dollars to the Centre for operations and improvements.

Support of other organizations is also very important to us. The Beaver Heritage and Society and the Curling Club have been the recipients of substantial donations to assist in their operations and improvements. The climbing wall at the pool and our recent donation of $4500 to the pool are examples of this. We also plan to purchase the six monitors required for the on ice cameras at the Curling rink. Gaming funds from Casino are a large part of our resources but since they only come along every three or four years, careful planning is required to make the best use of these funds.

The youth of our School and community are also very important to us. Each year the Grads receive a parting gift from our club; high school students who apply for our Legacy Scholarship receive assistance for their post secondary schooling; students assist us with our Mother’s Day Brunch; grade one students at Holden School receive a Project Pride Canadian flag; sports teams and dance groups have received financial support.

Future projects include the construction of a Centennial Flag Display near the Lions Gazebo to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Lions in 2017. We also hope to partner with the Village once again to add more playground equipment to the Sports Grounds Playground.

Vision projects have long been the focus of Lions Clubs worldwide. These programs are primarily associated with eye disease prevention, vision corrective programs and Dog guide programs. Our Lions club has long been a supporter of the Lions Foundation of Canada Dogguide School in Oakville, ON., the Lions Eye Bank and our club has collected thousands of pairs of used eyeglasses for recycling and distribution in developing countries.

It is unfortunate that the Lions Club is viewed as a Seniors club when in reality anyone man or woman over 18 is eligible to become a member. We encourage to find out more about our club and consider becoming part of the largest service organization in the world.

Meeting are held every 2nd and 4th Thursday from September to June.

Contact Andre Nimchuk at (780)663-2444 for more information or at email: asnimchuk@mcsnet.ca

Bethel Lutheran Church

5004-52 Avenue, Box 164, Ryley, Alberta, T0B 4A0
Pastor: Ferdinand (Fred) Tober
Pastor Tober’s telephone number is 780 466-2382

Worship services: 1st, 3rd and 5th Sundays of the month with communion on the 1st Sunday of each month.  The Pastor takes holidays the month of July, so there are no worship services during that time.

Annual events include quilting and Mothers’ Day strawberry tea.

Church council meets quarterly with additional meetings as required during the year. For more information call chairperson, Marilyn Bruha, at 780-662-2061.

Everyone is welcome to attend Worship Services.

Bethel Lutheran Church celebrated their 100th anniversary of the inauguration of the congregation in 2008.

Good News Community Church

5318-51 Street, Ryley, Alberta, T0B 4A0
Pastor: Mark Bueckert
Telephone number 780-663-3664

Sunday Service-11:00.
Sunday School (all ages)-9:30
Awana Kids Club (K-6)-Thursday 6:30 p.m.
Youth Group (Gr. 7-12)-Friday 7 p.m.

Awana (Starting first Thursday in October)

What is Awana? Awana is a bible based children’s program. At Awana children will enjoy a safe and fun environment where they will enjoy a game’s time, story time and singing each week.

When is Awana? Awana is each Thursday evening at the Good News Church from 6:30 to 8:00pm.

Who can go to Awana? Awana is for children from kindergarden to grade 6.

Youth Group

What happens at Youth Group? At Youth Group teens will enjoy a wide range of activities from Soccer Rugby, capture the flag, and other outside games to movie night and youth concerts. Each night at Youth there is a time of singing and a devotional time where the teens will hear about God from the bible and we also make time for small group discussions about the joys and struggles facing teens and how God is there for us.

When is Youth? Youth Group is each Friday evening at the Good News Church from 7:00 to 10:00pm.

Who can come to Youth? Students, grade 7 to 12 are welcome!

If you need more information on Awana or Youth Group please call Pastor Mark at (780)663-3664.

Our Mission: The purpose of the Good News Community Church is to encourage and equip believers in their walk with God, to provide avenues by watch people will be the Lord Jesus Christ, and to be a community of believers which displays the joy and presence of the Lord in every circumstance!

Good News Community Church is an evangelical Christian church affiliated with Village Missions of Canada.

The Ryley Seventh-day Adventist Church

Located on the corner of 49th street and 55th avenue.
If we can be of service, please feel free to contact us at (780)663-2299 or (780)889-3776. Your also invited to join us at the church every Wednesday at 7:30pm for Bible study as well as Saturday morning at 9:50am for Bible Study and at 11:15am for the Worship Service.

Total Life Christian Centre – Interdenominational

5712-56 St.
Pastor: Doug Dodds 780-663-3636
Contact: 780-663-3998 Church

Sunday Moring Service 10 am and Sunday Evening Service 6 pm. Advertise for any special services.

www.beaverhillrcw.com
beaverhillrcw@gmail.com

In 1982, the Beaverhill Rural Crime Watch Association was incorporated to organize residents in western Beaver County, as Eyes & Ears supporting the RCMP. The Association mandate was to promote the concepts and principles of rural crime awareness and prevention in the area.

In 2009, Beaver County officials and the Association say the need for crime awareness throughout the region. As a result, Beaver County became a supporter for the Association principles for both rural areas and municipalities.

Both rural areas as well as villages and towns would be represented on the board from the towns and villages in Beaver County effectively bridging ‘urban’ and ‘rural’ needs – because Crime Knows No Boundaries.

The basic elements of Rural Crime Watch: education through schools and events, prevention through signage and reporting and Citizens on Patrol (CoP)

Beaverhill Crime Watch was instrumental in supporting the organization of new and existing CoP programs in the Spilstead, Lindbrook, Tofield, Ryley and Holden communities.

This effort is equally beneficial to residents and businesses in farm, acreage, village and town areas – by the Tofield Detachment.

The Role of the Beaverhill Rural Crime Watch
The Association is a registered non-profit society with bylaw provisions for an elected executive. Regular interim and annual general meetings are held throughout the area. The Association promotes awareness and prevention of crime, making whatever presentations are necessary and interested Organizations.

Funding
Support is solicited from corporations and service companies as well as the public operation in Beaver County and RCMP Tofield Detachment areas. Beaverhill RCW was one of the first member organizations formed in the Alberta Provincial Rural Crime Watch Association (APRCWA) and is still an active member.

The Fan-Out System
Internet-based systems allows communications with members in specific areas or the entire Region. Currently, members have the choice of receiving messages via fax, text or email delivery. Messages can also be found on the Association website at: Beaverhillrcw.com

Membership
Membership is open to all residents and business principals residing or operating in the RCMP Tofield Detachment areas (including the Town of Tofield and Villages of Ryley and Holden). This also includes adjacent areas. All applicants are subject to approval by the Board with verification by a minimum of 2 members.

Fees
Membership Registration – $10.00
(Member card-photo option and decals + information and brochures)
Annual Fan-Out Fee – $10.00

For more information please email: beaverhillrcw@gmail.com.

 

 

 

 

The Ryley Fire Department handles a variety of calls such as; structure fires, motor vehicle  collisions, wildfires, medical assists, dangerous goods, and many other miscellaneous calls.  Ryley Fire Department is a volunteer department, and we are seeking new members who would like to make a difference in their community.  The only qualifications you need is enthusiasm and a willingness to learn.  All members have CPR/First Aid, and receive weekly training.  We presently have 5 fire uniits; 1 pumper, 1 tanker, 2 grass units, and 1 utility pickup.  If are interested in getting more information about the fire department, or in becoming a member, come down to the fire hall any Monday night between 7:00 and 9:00 pm.  You can also call Fire Chief Terry Magneson at the fire hall, at 663-3606, please leave a message, or contact any other department member.  Come get in on the excitement!

The Ryley Branch was established in 1946 by a large group of WWI and WWII veterans from Ryley and area.  As membership rules changed over the years, women who had served in the forces, spouses, children, and grandchildren of veterans were recruited as members. Today, any Canadian citizen at least 18 years of age may become a Legion member.

The Ryley Legion has seen a decline in membership over the last twenty years of so. Currently, there are about 40 members, with roughly 12 local members taking an active part in meetings and other events.

The branch has reduced the number of functions held annually, although Remembrance Day, Decoration Day and Summer Bust Out continue to be significant occasions with public participation. Members also participate in the Ryley School Remembrance service each year.

Community support is one of the priorities of the branch. The Halloween free hot-dog supper and treats for local children has been well attended every year. This event will be taking place again this year.

Each year, the branch presents one (and occasionally more than one) $500.00 bursary to a local student attending a post-secondary institution. A transportation grant is given to the Nootka Cadet Core every year. The branch was also able to donate $500.00 to the Red Cross Fort McMurray fund this year.

As members age, volunteer participation in local events has declined. To counter this, the branch offers the use of the hall to various local organizations free of charge for meetings and other functions. Over the course of a year, the savings to volunteer organizations totals around one thousand to fifteen hundred dollars.

The branch relies heavily on regular hall rentals as well as casino moneys to remain operational. Upgrades to the roof and siding, and replacement of the furnaces were all made possible through generous grants by Conoco- Phillips, the AB Government, and the Clean Harbors Community Relations Fund. As well, bathrooms have been refitted with higher toilets, and several chairs with arms have been purchased.

Legions unfortunately are often viewed as watering holes for sad old veterans reliving the horrors of the wars.  Here, and in most Legions around Canada, this is nothing but an urban legend.

With new, and hopefully younger, members, the Ryley Branch could once again be a meeting place for games nights, kids’ parties, and almost any kind of function that could be dreamed up.

Come out to a meeting, or join us at the Remembrance Day service, ask some questions, pick up a membership application, and become an active member of a great organization.

Meetings are held at 7:30 on the first Tuesday of each month from September through June.

For more information or to rent the Legion Hall, please contact Annette Short at 780-663-3565 or any other local member.  

5103-49 Street (Right next to the Ryley Community Centre & Curling Rink)

Ryley Museum Society Organized in 1986. Museum is housed in two former schools, Haight from north of Ryley and Palmer, south of Ryley. The museum is between the Community Centre and the Curling Rink. All three facilities share the paved parking lot. Beside the school buildings, we have a pole shed to house machinery. Included in this shed are a threshing machine, a binder, a seed drill, two fanning mills, a fresno, a cultivator and the 1941 Ryley fire truck as well as the Village steamer and a hay rack. Inside a chain link fence there is a old windmill and a old log cabin. The main building houses the Rebekkah Lodge articles, the Legion Ladies Auxiliary display, Dr. MacPherson’s doctor bag and picture of him at graduation, a large collection of dolls, artifacts used in the pioneer homes to furnish, cook, make butter, separate milk and to wash clothes. Numerous families had written their individual stories which are on display. There is a corner of a school display and many pictures and calendars from yester year.

We are in the need of new members and anyone who wishes to help with carpentry work or mylar encapsulating of pictures and other flat items please come.

Our president is Willis Reist, Annette Short is Secretary and Donna Pope is Treasurer. 

Hours of Operation:
Open during July & August or by appointment.
Wednesday, Friday and Saturday
1:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Donations are always appreciated and new members are welcomed. Membership is $5.00 per person on a yearly basis.

Artifacts include: antique lamps, kitchen items, school pictures & items, doll & toy collection, clothing, furniture, & some big machinery from back in the day.

For more information or to see when the next meeting is, please contact Willis Reist at (780) 663-2114.

5113-50 St.
Phone: (780) 663-3999
Fax: (780) 663-3909

For hours of operation or more information on the McPherson Library visit the link below.

McPherson Library

The Ryley curling rink, which was built in 1980, is an arch rib building with a wood decking interior and contains three sheets of ice. It is operated by a volunteer board and the number of members and curling teams fluctuates from season to season. Over the years, volunteers have taken the positions of President, Secretary, Treasurer and Draw Master. Throughout the earlier years, the job of making the ice has been done by a group of volunteers, spearheaded by the ice caretaker. For the first few years, when the facility was new, this was spearheaded by Dale Winsnes and Bruce Peterson.  However, in recent years, Doug Hardy, from Tofield, has supplied his ice painting equipment, so fewer volunteers are required.  After the ice was put in, the curling club was able to hire the services of various individuals for the caretaker and janitor positions. For several years, Pete Dueck acted as the facility caretaker and then for several years, Bruce Peterson took on that role.  This entailed maintaining the ice, doing building maintenance and janitorial services. After Pete, and then Bruce, retired, Ken Reid, Perry Story and Doug Herrick each took a turn at looking after the ice and maintaining the building. The janitorial services were picked up by volunteers or part time employees. Due to declining numbers of curlers and a shortage of funds, for the past ten years, Dale Winsnes has volunteered his services as ice caretaker. For the last two years, Lorne Berkholder, has assisted with this position. The maintenance has been done by various volunteers and the club has paid a janitor to clean the lobby and upstairs lounge.

Throughout his volunteer years, Dale has also instructed an after school curling program for students of all ages. The afternoon program is also open to any adults who want to learn to curl, or just want some extra coaching. For two years, Gary Pepper joined the program as a certified coach, and students Tim O’Shea, Brandon Pope, Reegan Dewart and Bryce Pope  were successful in achieving  a Northern Alberta Curling Association (NACA) banner as the Juvenile Champions. The rink displays several other NACA banners that honor the winnings of Robin Knudslien, Trudy Winsnes and Jennilee Goertzen  at Alberta Junior  Provincials, and Dale Winsnes at the Alberta Seniors level. In recent years, Patrick Manderson and Charlotte Thompson have assisted with the after school program.

In the earlier years, in the student curling program, Darryl Albrecht also coached several boys teams in competitions. After leaving Ryley, Warren Kushnir and Larry Gardeski, students of Darryl’s, went on to achieve the highest provincial and national championships available.  When Darryl passed away, in 1992, his family donated a display case, with his collection of curling awards, to the rink.

Welcomes new members. Curling is a major social program for the community during the winter months. The rink is then used throughout the summer for various recreation functions.

Depending on the number of people who register, the curling nights will be set accordingly. People can enter as individuals or teams. Male, female, family, and mixed teams are all welcome. If people register as individuals, they will be put together with others to form a team.

In 2017 the Village of Ryley in partnership with the Ryley Curling Club and Clean Harbors has committed to replacing the ice plant within the facility guaranteeing many more year of great curling action in the community and surrounding area. Late 2018 this project was completed and is up and running.

For more information on the Curling Club or to register please contact Patrick Manderson at (780)497-8889.

Operation of the Ryley Pool & Wellness Centre -this facility promotes active healthy living to members of our rural community and surrounding communities by providing swimming lessons, aqua size classes, public swimming & the equipment to accommodate fitness activities n conjunction with Alberta Health Services we provide rehabilitation & therapeutic programs for the community. As in previous year, we again grew a crop to sell as a fundraiser and as a way to promote and draw awareness to the importance of agriculture to our community.