Connecting Albert County - Live Here in Rural Albert County, NB - Connecting Albert County

News from the New Brunswick Senior Citizens’ Federation In Memory of Percy Huntington

23/12/2024

Image of Percy Huntington provided by NBSCF

Submitted by: Lise Guignard, Office Manager  

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Percy Huntington, current Past President and a devoted and longtime member of the New Brunswick Senior Citizens Federation (NBSCF). Percy’s commitment to enhancing the quality of life for seniors across New Brunswick shone brightly through his decades of dedicated service, where he made a lasting impact on both the organization and the broader community.

Percy, a resident of Upper Salmon Creek, first joined the Minto Senior Citizens’ Club in 1993. He quickly became a valued leader, taking on the role of Vice-President in 2003 and President in 2004. His engagement with the NBSCF grew from there; Percy served as Chairperson of the Transportation Committee in 2005 and 2007, and later, as Chairperson of both the Ways and Means and Nominating Committees in 2007. His leadership extended to the 55+ Games, where he served as President from 2008 to 2015 and continued as Past-President on the Committee thereafter.

Get to Know a CAC Volunteer!

23/12/2024

June Crandall is the Elgin Seniors Club President, Elgin WI Secretary/Treasurer, Elgin Eco Association Membership Director, and Friends of Jordon Life Care Center Board Member. She grew up in Elgin Parish and attended Elgin Elementary School and Petitcodiac Regional High School (now Petitcodiac Regional School) graduating in 1971. She moved to the US over 44 years ago and has two children and four grandchildren.

Letter From Fundy Albert Mayor

23/12/2024

An Open Letter to our Future MLA

28/9/2024

To our future MLA,

The Albert County Tourism Association which is an incorporated non-profit with 76 members and consist of some of the most iconic and economically significant tourism attractions in New Brunswick, would like to take this opportunity to present our concerns for your advocacy. As an association, our directors are focused on information dissemination, the marketing of our area, and advocating for the improvement of the economies in our surrounding communities.

Our tourism corridor has some of the most impactful guest experiences on the Bay of Fundy and in the wider New Brunswick – the unique Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park contributes over $70 million in tourism spending when looking at linkages, direct spend and trickle down effect. Another of our economic giants is Fundy National Park which is one of the most visited parks in Canada. The smaller players in our area also contribute tremendously to making our part of the Bay of Fundy a major economic driver within the Province.

Chamber Activities within and for our Communities

27/11/2023

Albert County Chamber of Commerce President, Annick Butland, presented at the Southeast Regional Service Commission All-Municipal Council Workshop at Broadleaf Ranch that was held on Saturday, October 28th, 2023 in Fundy Albert.

We work hard with our surrounding communities to leverage our resources and come together on important issues such as our Labour Shortage Crisis. The Albert County Chamber of Commerce is recognized as a Standing Stakeholder Organization with a seat on the Southeast Labour Market Partnership Council, ensuring that representation reflects the entire Southeast New Brunswick region both geographically and linguistically.

We want to hear from your businesses: Are you hiring in the next six months? Which positions / roles are you looking to fill? Email us at [email protected].

Elf on the Shelf in Albert County Businesses

We've got an elf on the way to celebrate the holidays! We are SO excited! We have asked all the kids in Albert County to help us find a perfect name. Enter the contest to win your class a pizza party!

And this is just the beginning! If you'd like to Sponsor the Elf shenanigans, we'd love to include your business...psst. you don't have to have a storefront to participate.

Click here to Get Involved or read about it on www.albertcountychamber.com.

Hear all about it in our latest Chamber Chat- To follow along with what the Elf on the Shelf gets up to this December, as well as upcoming events the chamber is involved in, check out the Albert County Chamber’s website at www.albertcountychamber.com.

An Open letter in regards to the Elected Officials Advisory Committee that was formed to help in the new Local Government Reform.

6/11/2022

We were a committee made up of people from each of the communities affected by the reform, working together to help make sure everything was going well, and to make suggestions that would assist in combining the three municipalities and Local Service District (LSD) regions into one municipality.

Some committee members feel it is important that the people of Entity #42 (Fundy-Albert) know the truth – and that we had absolutely no say in the decisions being made.

"They Make Me Feel Like I Matter"

30/8/2022

Submitted by Kelly Taylor

Michael has been using Urban/Rural Rides for several years now. He has been dealing with a multitude of medical needs and relies on Urban/Rural Rides for his transportation into the city for his appointments.
"They are always kind when I interact with them – the drivers and the staff. They listen and are very helpful. The drivers are volunteers. They give up their time to make sure I get to my appointments. That makes me feel like I matter because someone is willing to give up their own time to help me,” said Michael.
“The benefit of this service goes well beyond the ride itself. I have a lot of health issues and I am in constant pain. However, when I am in the car having a friendly conversation with a driver, I am distracted in a way. I feel better. My pain is lower for a time because I am interacting with someone,” said Michael.
Michael is one of the many lives being changed one ride at a time. In addition to assisting people to get to their appointments, a friendly conversation, interaction with someone and knowing that they matter enough for someone to take the time to help them goes a long way to improving the lives of those without transportation who may be isolated from people and services.
Help people in your community know they matter by volunteering as a driver and help change lives one ride at a time by calling 962-3073 or visiting urbanruralrides.ca.

Albert County Chamber of Commerce Update

29/7/2022

Hello Albert County Chamber Members!

I'm sharing a quick note to you with some exciting news and changes that are happening.

First off, I’d like to introduce you to our team of summer students who are going to be working with us over the summer months. Don't be surprised if you hear from one of them offering additional support over the coming weeks. We welcome Aaschir, Grace, Alice, and Matthew, our 2022 Chamber Summer Students.

If you haven’t already heard the news, we were thrilled to be approved under the Rediscover Main Streets program from ACOA. The grant will provide funding to revitalize the Shop Local Program for the next year. It will look a little different, but this team of young people will be helping us to kick off our new program and will be reaching out to share the opportunity with each of you directly.

We want to get to know you better and provide the opportunity for more face-to-face interaction with your chamber. Join us for our monthly Espresso Yourself Coffee Break! Stay tuned to our weekly communications via newsletters and Chamber Chats for monthly locations.

As a Board, we recently updated our By-Laws and are also giving a fresh look to our Member Benefits. Your member benefits can now expand to the Greater Moncton Chamber of Commerce as an associate member. Ask us how by emailing [email protected] or calling us at 506-804-2567.

Wishing you a fabulous summer season, and hope to see you in person soon!

Annick R. Butland
President, Albert County Chamber of Commerce
© 506.232.1057
[email protected]

Nominations Please - New Columns Coming Soon

29/7/2022

We are looking for your input and opinions. We are going to be starting some new monthly columns in the upcoming issues of Connecting Albert County and they depend on the sharing and nominations of our readers. We need your nominations of local people and businesses. We will be hosting a Community Member of the Month Column as well as a Community Business of the Month Column. We are asking you to nominate a person or business who is a contributing member to the community of Albert County, who you feel should be recognized for their contributions. This can be a person or business who is new to the area, been here their whole lives or anywhere in between.

Nominations are being received via email, at [email protected], and we ask that you share why you feel the person or business should be recognized in this way and some information about them and their involvement and contributions to the community. We look forward to hearing from you.

Thank You Volunteers!!!

27/2/2022

by Kelly Taylor

Urban/Rural Rides is a community transportation service driven by volunteer drivers. In the photo above are some of our amazing volunteers. We had the pleasure of spoiling them at an ‘Appreciation Event’ in December.
Breakfast was prepared by volunteers at the Riverview Lions Club who also hosted the event. The food was delicious and they were gracious hosts who made the event an enjoyable one.

The drivers were all given a new hoodie with the Urban/Rural Rides logo on it and a certificate of appreciation. Some were even lucky enough to go home with door prizes that included beautiful stained glass ornaments donated by Don and Diane Wilson or chocolates.

The event ended with an open mic where drivers got to share stories and experiences. One driver shared the pleasure it was to have been able to drive a hospice patient to her last wish visit with her family at the beach.
Another driver shared how touched they were when driving a senior who had not been to get an ice cream in many, many years. They took a detour to grab an ice cream cone and that small moment of joy is one that will never be forgotten.

Another driver shared how the ride coordinator had informed him that one of the clients he had driven told her she would not go unless he was available to drive her. With a small tear in his eye he said “it gets you right here you know” as he clutched his heart.

We love and appreciate all our volunteer drivers and how they touch the lives of those we serve. If you want to be a part of this amazing team, please call us at 962-3073 or email us at [email protected]. More information is on our website at http://urbanruralrides.ca

New Coordinator/Editor for Connecting Albert County

27/2/2022

I want to take this opportunity to introduce myself to the readers. My name is Amanda Rossiter and I live in Alma, with my husband and two daughters. I am originally from Hillsborough and truly love living and working in Rural Albert County. I can often be found at the local arena with one of my daughters or teaching at one of the local schools. I have spent the last six years working as the Activity Coordinator at Forest Dale Nursing Home. I am grateful to be given the opportunity to take on this role with the newsletter and I thank Janet for her hard work and dedication to it over the last several years. I plan to carry on with the rural focus of the newsletter and to add some new content over the coming months as well. I look forward to possibly adding a youth writing section and a community events section, among other things, to the coming issues.

CAC Changes in the New Year

1/1/2022

After working for Connecting Albert County for eight years, I have decided to step down from my part-time position as editor and coordinator. It has been an exciting adventure to see the idea of a community publication evolve into a monthly mini-magazine. I think it’s time for someone new to take over the helm. (The position will be posted at www.ConnectingAlbertCounty.org/jobs.html.)

I want to thank the many volunteers who have contributed to the success of Connecting Albert County. There is not enough space to list all the people who have helped, but I would like to highlight the contributions of Joanne Butland, Susan Quinn and Joseph Gallant. I also want to thank our advertisers for supporting us, even during COVID.

I look forward to producing the Rural Albert County Community Directory in February as my last issue and helping a new person take the lead. After that, I will continue my writing and editing work with the Organic Federation of Canada, Canadian Organic Growers, and Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada, and focus more on my freelance writing.

Happy New Year!

Janet Wallace

Letter: Albert County Chamber of Commerce (ACCC)

1/1/2022

Dear Friends,

As we move into a new year, we look to the future with hope. Many of us went into 2021 feeling uncertain of our region’s stability and I want to take this opportunity to reassure you things are going to get better. Our COVID figures are not to be taken lightly, but I believe strongly that 2022 will be better. We as a community will make it so.

2021 continued to have significant challenges for the people of Albert County and their businesses, but we also continued to show the resilience and community spirit that are so embedded in our area. We continued to move businesses online, handle restrictions and safety measures, and make great use of opportunities provided by government schemes, sector-specific grants, and our Chamber’s very own Shop Local scheme. We were innovative with our businesses, supportive of our neighbours and endlessly hopeful when the skies looked bleak.

2022 may look like a year of promises. Everyone from politicians to industry bodies are keen to let us know that with effective business strategies and health measures we can be as we once were. I say we aim higher. As recovery begins, so does our chance to put Albert County on the map. I promise you that we will do our utmost to help and support Albert County’s businesses as we create new opportunities to connect with each other and move into a brighter tomorrow. I take my role as ACCC President very seriously and am proud to be a part of the journey to make Albert County the best that it can be.

Stay safe and let’s make this our year.

Annick Robichaud Butland, President, Albert County Chamber of Commerce

For information about the ACCC, visit www.albertcountychamber.com

Thanking Our Frontline Workers

26/10/2021

Recently, I've been thinking about the frontline workers in our community...the people behind the masks at the health care centre, pharmacies, convenience stores, schools and so many other places. I am concerned about their health. After a year and a half of COVID-19 stress and extra work, some are experiencing burn-out or exhaustion. I also feel a sense of gratitude to the frontline workers who have been helping us through this difficult time.

In upcoming issues of Connecting Albert County, we would like to shine a spotlight on these workers - nurses, teachers, convenience store employees, nursing home workers and the many others whose lives have been upended by COVID-19 while they continue to contribute to our community.

We invite you to submit ideas of who we could write about or, better yet, your own stories about Albert County’s frontline workers; please send these to [email protected].

Janet Wallace, Coordinator, Connecting Albert County

Honouring Albert County Activists

26/9/2021

David Christie's well-deserved recognition led us to reflect on how many other people are doing great work in rural Albert County but not being recognized for their contributions.

We invite you to share your stories of other people who have helped create a better environment and community for us. We will post all submissions online and as many as possible in our upcoming issues.

Please send submissions (articles and photos) to [email protected].

Congratulations David Christie!

25/9/2021

We, at Connecting Albert County, congratulate David Christie for receiving the Order of New Brunswick. David has worked tirelessly for decades to protect the natural and cultural heritage of rural Albert County. He has gentle energy, but is a force of nature himself.

For me, one of the highlights of visiting Mary's Point is my frequent spontaneous meetings with David. As we talk, I learn more about the birds, plants and tides... and I'm cheered by his laughter and big smile.

David helped me years ago when I found an injured owl on the dykes. He swiftly and fearlessly bundled up the hissing bird that tried to bite and claw him. He released the bird in the aviary at his house and invited my friend and me in for tea and cake. As we talked, I gained a greater understanding and appreciation for the place I now call home.

We invite readers to share their stories about David Christie and his impact on our environment and community. Please send these to [email protected].

Janet Wallace, Coordinator, Connecting Albert County

OPINION ~ Our Forests: No Harm Done, Loss and Love

23/8/2021

By Moranda van Geest

New Brunswick is beautiful. Stunningly beautiful. We are so lucky to live in such natural beauty.

We all know the forest is abundant with wildlife because that's where they find food. Forests are abundant with wildflowers and plants that provide ground cover. People can forage in the woods for edible plants and berries. Roaming in the forest is a great way for you, your children and grandchildren to learn about nature and what it offers to all living creatures.

CCRC Welcome Committee

28/7/2021

Linda Lindsay, CCRC

From March 13 through July 15, 2021, the Welcome Committee sponsored by the Chipoudy Communities Revitalization Committee (CCRC) visited and welcomed ten new families to the area (Upper Albert Mines Road to Alma). We offered a welcome bag containing information, gifts and offers from local businesses, organizations and attractions. Our purpose is to welcome and familiarize newcomers with the many resources available in this area, from local shopping and services to recreational and wellness facilities. We aim to help newcomers feel comfortable and informed about their new home. Welcome to the Chipoudy Communities!

CCRC Volunteers

26/5/2021

Chipoudy Community Revitalization Committee (CCRC) is recruiting volunteers to help with projects such as Chase the Ace, Christmas in the Country and other community enhancement projects.

If you would like to learn more about this organization and help us build a strong, vital community, please email [email protected].

Letter to the Editor: Crooked Creek Road

26/5/2021

I'm interested in the construction history of the original Crooked Creek Road, especially its part as a through road with Lumsden, Bray and Stuart Mtn. Roads to connect through to Rosevale near Caledonia Mountain. There are old foundations on Stuart Mtn. Road.

Who settled there and when?

Randolph Rice
[email protected]

Letter to the Editor: Hillsborough and ABConnect

22/4/2021

It’s time to move to the next level - and we mean, literally moving! We are extremely excited to announce that ABConnect Travel & Tourism Services and the Village of Hillsborough have come to a great win-win partnership and agreement. We will be the new occupants of a prime and central location, enabling us to operate our business, as well as the Visitor Information Centre located on Main Street, Hillsborough.

This pandemic has been brutal on small and medium-sized businesses, especially so on the travel sector. ABConnect is no exception. Having launched in November 2019, sales and contracts ground to a 100% halt in March-April of 2020. All business had been dependent on groups, events and traveler arrivals. We were blessed with new contracts implemented to help regions, businesses and organizations survive and pivot to meet ever-changing client needs.

Outdoor Camera Enthusiasts

22/4/2021

With the previous success of our calendar sales and a delay due to COVID-19, the Chipoudy Com- munities Revitalization Committee (CCRC) calendar committee is in the process of organizing another fantastic calendar for 2022. The 2021 theme is pictures of native wildlife (fur, feathers or fins) hopefully highlighting beautiful Albert County surroundings. Our previous calendars have been so popular they have been purchased as gifts and souvenirs and sent around the world.

We hope local outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy taking pictures will contribute their favourites to be considered. This will be an opportunity for these photographers to share their talents with others.

Pictures of any or all seasons will be accepted for consideration. We are limited to 14 pictures (one for each month plus front and back covers). Specifications: 1.5MB, no cropping, description of picture and location included.

Please submit pics by email to [email protected] or deliver disk or memory stick to 156 Water Street, Riverside-Albert, NB. The deadline for submissions is June 1, 2021. If you require further information, please contact Audrey at 381-2770.

Letter to the Editor: A Bumpy Road

21/3/2021

Every year as summer comes, so do the tourists. Some are from local areas like Moncton, Riverview and then there are some who come from other provinces in Canada, and people from the United States and even people from every country in the world. They come to see the Bay of Fundy and all its wonders--the Hopewell Rocks, Cape Enrage and Barn Marsh Beach, Waterside Beach, Dennis Beach, etc.

Response to Go Nuts Article

21/2/2021

A comment on ConnectingAlbertCounty.org/food-farming--fishing/go-nuts

What an amazing story of how gardening, old and new, has been passed down through the years and is still harvesting even more tasty treats today. I have tried the walnuts and they are delicious! One bag is just not enough! Thank you for what you do!

Becky Brooks

Letter: Help Solve a Hillsborough Mystery

21/2/2021

As finishing touches are being added to The History of Hillsborough Public Library, a last call is being made for a few missing bits. A previous request for information in Connecting Albert County brought in three valuable pieces of history: a date of interest, a lovely picture of the group which founded the library and biographical information on one of the founders.