Attendees heard presentations by various speakers throughout the day.
On Wednesday, October 8th, 2025, the Red Deer River Watershed Alliance (RDRWA) proudly celebrated its 20th anniversary at Festival Hall in Red Deer. The event welcomed over 50 attendees, including members, partners, stakeholders, and members of the public.
The celebration began with an Indigenous Opening Prayer and Smudge, led by Jolene Gopher, setting a meaningful tone for the day. The program continued with engaging presentations from:
- Erin Hanrahan, City of Red Deer
- Jessica Hayes, Nature Conservancy of Canada
- Dana Kreil, Medicine River Watershed Society
- Ken Lewis and Karen Snethun, ALUS
- Francine Forrest, RDRWA
- Dan Karran, Olds College
Indigenous dancers were part of the day’s festivities.
In the afternoon, we hosted a special interview segment featuring former and current directors, including Bob Mills, Helge Nome, and Bill Shaw who shared reflections. The event also featured outstanding performances from the Red Deer River Indigenous Dance Troupe and the Alberta-based country group, the Blake Reid Band.
A special thank-you goes to Richard Warnock, Mayor of the Town of Sundre and current RDRWA Board Chair, for MCing the event.
The 20th anniversary celebration was a tremendous success, and we are grateful to all who attended and contributed to this milestone in RDRWA’s ongoing work to support watershed health.