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Zion United Church had its origins in two different congregations in the Beiseker area of Alberta, the Zion Congregational Church and the Beiseker United Church.

Beiseker United Church began ca. 1915, with the congregation being served by United Church ministers from the Acme Pastoral Charge. Early services were held at Beiseker in a building converted from a livery barn to a community hall ca. 1922. In 1925, services moved to a former school which had become a private dwelling before being renovated for use as a church. From 1927-1938 only bible study was held. Beiseker United Church amalgamated with Zion United Church in 1949 and the church building was sold and converted into a doctor’s office.

Zion Congregational Church was founded in the Beiseker area of Alberta in 1909. The congregation was officially organized as a Congregational Church on Jan. 4, 1914. Construction of the church was started in 1918 on two acres of land donated by Peter M. Berreth on SE ¼ 16-28-25-W4. The church building was dedicated on July 14, 1918. The building was enlarged and renovated in 1928.

The Zion Congregational Church amalgamated with the United Church of Canada in 1947, becoming part of the Carbon Pastoral Charge. In 1949, the church was moved from its original site into the town of Beiseker and the congregation amalgamated with Beiseker United Church taking the name Zion United Church. The original church site continued to be used as a cemetery. On July 1, 1950, Zion United Church became part of the Acme Pastoral Charge. Zion United Church amalgamated with Acme United Church in 1998.

Victor Wolanuk was one years old when his parents Wasyl (Bill) and Annie Wolanuk immigrated from Poland with their three children (Xannie and Antonette) in 1929. Bill (1892 – 1945) homesteaded at NW 10-68-21-W4, Richmond Park, Alberta and two more children were born in 1930 (Mary) and 1937 (John). Annie and the children kept the farm running after Bill’s death in 1945; Victor eventually taking over the homestead. He married Anne Popwich in 1955. Victor became an Athabasca School District No. 42 trustee in 1950, was a member of the Farmers’ Union of Alberta (subsequently the United Farmer’s of Alberta), a director of the Richmond Park Mutual Telephone Company, and a member of the “Reflections from Across the River,” 1994 history book committee. He passed away in 2016 at the age of 88 years. His grandson now farms the family homestead.

The United Farmers of Alberta (U.F.A.) was formed in 1909 from the amalgamation of the Canadian Society of Equity and the Alberta Farmers Association. It was incorporated by an act of the Province of Alberta in 1918. U.F.A. was a self-help and advocacy organization which encouraged economic power for farmers through the development of co-operatives. It also functioned as a political party from 1919 to 1939, and was the governing party in Alberta from 1921 to 1935. Past presidents include James Bower (1909-1911), W.J. Tregillus (1912-1914), James Speakman (1915), Henry Wise Wood (1916-1930), Robert Gardiner (1930-1945), and George E. Church (1945-1949). In 1914 a Women's Section was formed, and in 1916 was reorganized as the United Farm Women of Alberta (U.F.W.A.). In 1919 a Junior Branch of the U.F.A. was organized to support the activities of young members of farm families. The U.F.A. Provincial Political Association was formed as a vehicle for organizing political campaigns, and existed from 1919 to 1939. The U.F.A. Limited, incorporated from 1928 to 1949, published the organization's newspaper. The Co-operative Committee of the U.F.A was formed in 1930, and it was incorporated as the U.F.A. Central Co-operative Association Ltd. in 1932, to serve local consumer co-ops as a wholesaler and distributor. At its 40th annual convention in December 1948 the U.F.A. changed its name to United Farmers of Alberta Co-operative Ltd. (known as U.F.A. Co-op and later branded as UFA), and amended its Bylaws to allow it to take over most of the functions of the U.F.A. Central Co-operative Association Ltd. In January 1949 the U.F.A. advocacy function amalgamated with the Alberta Farmers' Union to form the Farmers' Union of Alberta.

James (Jim) Thompson opened the Thompson Realty Company in Athabasca Landing in the new Woods Building on Strathcona Street in July 1911. In December 1912, he married Hazel Torrance Nicol of Guelph, ON. They lived in Athabasca and later in Mirror Landing.

Olga Ross Nee Fotty) was born in Wandering River, Aberta in 1934 and moved to Athabasca, Alberta with her family in 1939. She graduated from Edwin Parr High School. In 1970, got a job in admissions at the Athabasca Municipal Hospital where she was employed for 23 years.

Della McLean is an artist and resident of Athabasca County. Formerly a real estate agent, she converted one of her properties in the Town of Athabasca to the Red Roof Gallery where she facilitated local artists with solo and group shows from 2001 to 2016. She was inducted into the Order of Athabasca University in 2007 in recognition of her hard work and dedication to Athabasca University both as a member of Athabasca University Governing Council (the Board) and her continued support as a contributing artist to the University and the Athabasca community as a whole.

Ted Langton-Adams was a Canadian photo journalist based in Vancouver, BC. He was born in the United States and came to Canada to enlist in the military, having been unable to join in the US. He served as a reconnaissance rider during WWII. After the war, he was employed in the commercial airline industry by Trans-Canada Airlines (later Air Canada) and Western Airlines (later acquired by Delta Airlines). Ted Langton-Adams was the president of Trail North Foundation in 1978 and was part of a historical motorboat trip on the Athabasca River from the Town of Athabasca northeast to the Grand Rapids. Others on the trip included Town of Athabasca Mayor Herman Leicht, County of Athabasca Reeve Lee Melsness, several town and county councilors, and representatives from Athabasca and District Chamber of Commerce. Ted Langton-Adams was widely traveled and enjoyed a number of interests including photography, vintage motorcycles and automobiles, and breeding Boxer dogs. A book of his motor sport photographs, The Photographic Art of Ted Langton-Adams: Europe 1962, was published posthumously in 2009 by Thomas E. Johnston Ventures Inc.

Nickolas Kowalchuk, son of Matiy and Barbara Kowalchuk, grew up north of Athabasca, Alberta and attended Greyville School. Received his teaching certificate from Edmonton Normal School and his first post was Ferguson School, 1941 – 1942. He lived in the log teacherage. He married Mary Hawiuk in 1950 and they had four children: Sonia, Larry, Dale and Grant.

In Athabasca Town and County, a need for an emergency support system for the elderly and those with severe handicaps was identified and the Home Outreach Society of Athabasca was formed to identify and fund raise for an emergency support system. The system was designed to summon assistance 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and to be available in either private homes or institutionalized settings. HOSA opted for the Apello System which was Canadian made and did not require a central monitoring or answering service to forward distress calls. Society members were President, Barb Wilkinson; Vice President, Nola-Jean Paterson; Treasurer, Mike Chute; and secretary, Denise Armstrong. The society operated under the leadership of 14 directors with four representatives from the Athabasca General and Auxiliary Hospital, three representatives from the Athabasca Health Unit, one representative from Athabasca Family and Community Support Services, one representative from the Athabasca Senior Citizen’s Society and six representatives from interested community groups including the Athabasca Hospital Auxiliary. To raise funds for the project the first annual Athabasca Canada Day Canoe Race was conceived. Eight people in Athabasca Town and County were identified as being in need of an emergency support system and the system the society decided to purchase was the Apello System at a cost of $1,115.00 per unit.

Maureen Harvey, née O’Neill, was born in Edmonton, Alberta on April 24th, 1939 and attended St. Joseph’s High School. She attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and obtained her BA majoring in Arts on July 7th 1962. Her studies included scientific drawing as related to anatomy and life studies. She married Dr. John Harvey in Edmonton in 1963 and the couple bought a farm in Athabasca County in 1973 as a weekend retreat. Harvey has an art studio at the rural property. Her work includes two books, “Basky” written by Athabascan, Dorothy Lane, and “The Silver Chain,” written by Edmontonian, Gerda Bako. She has also created murals on themes of heritage, pioneers, dinosaurs, and people, birds and plants of the Bahamas. The murals are in Alberta communities including Edmonton, Sherwood Park, Slave Lake, Calgary (Ferguson School), and Grande Prairie.