For the past 25 years, Don and Gail Lonsberry have given hours upon hours of their lives to the Jasper Heritage Rodeo Association, in what can only be called a labour of love.
And last month, for all of their hard work and dedication, they were given national recognition.
The Canadian Pro Rodeo Association named the Lonsberrys committee person(s) of the year, surprising the couple with a commemorative belt buckle during the national rodeo finals in Edmonton.
“The guy that did the presentation said, ‘You guys look shocked’ and I said, ‘We are!,’” recalled Don.
“Everyone knew except us.”
“They all kept the secret,” added Gail, referring to members of the Jasper rodeo association.
For Don, rodeo is in his blood. He’s a farm boy from Saskatchewan. But for Gail, rodeo was an afterthought. When she joined the association it was just to lend a hand to an organization in need.
“Years ago they were looking for a treasurer and I wanted to be involved in something and I thought, ‘I could do that.’
“I’ve been secretary or treasurer or both since then.”
Gail said what’s kept them involved all these years is the amazing people they’ve met along the way.
“It’s like a rodeo family,” she said.
In recent years, Jasper’s rodeo association has struggled, with a significant increase in the rental cost at the Jasper Arena in 2012 and then the request for additional cleaning following the 2014 rodeo, because of the top-to-bottom scrub down the facility received after January’s arena fire.
And now, it’s in the process of working with Parks Canada to find an outdoor location, as the arena has been taken off the table as a venue for 2015.
The search for an outdoor site began in the spring and two possible sites have been identified.
“Parks hasn’t said no and they haven’t said we won’t give you a site,” said Gail, noting that there is still a pile of paperwork to complete.
In the midst of all of that turmoil, Gail said it’s nice to be recognized with an award: “It means maybe someone cares,” she said.
Nicole Veerman
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