Description
Proceeds of the 2023 Valley Life Recreation calendar go toward supporting all of the organization’s work in creating incredible outdoor spaces for everyone through trail development, construction and promotion.
The images in the 2023 calendar come from a remarkable and rarely seen collection that has been created by Minnedosa photographer Patrick Stone. Stone has lived in Minnedosa for 38 years, 33 of which were spent teaching science (biology), geography, and photography at Minnedosa Collegiate. In 1964, he received his first ever camera as a Christmas gift. With a family that nurtured a strong interest in nature, wildlife and travel, Stone developed his love for the outdoors and honed his photographic skills.
Fast forward to today and Stone has photographed well over 100 different bird species on the banks of the Little Saskatchewan River in the Minnedosa area, along with numerous other wildlife including bears, deer, otters, mink, coyotes, etc. On one spring evening, Stone identified 84 different bird species within a 20 minute drive of Minnedosa, further reinforcing the idea that the area truly is a “birder’s paradise.”
When asked about his hope for what people might take away from these images, Stone says:
“I hope by seeing these images that people can relate to and want to experience them for themselves. For those who live in Minnedosa, we are very fortunate to be surrounded by wildlife, all you have to do is “see” and appreciate them. The other day while taking photographs in the Heritage Village, I observed a Great Blue Heron warily watching a Bald Eagle flying overhead while a mink was poking its nose along the reeds of the Trout Pond and a Wood Duck swam by…two blocks from my house.”
Valley Life Recreation feels incredibly fortunate to be participating in this project with Patrick Stone, bringing a small fragment of his enormous collection of images to the public through this calendar. VLR hopes the calendar inspires people to more deeply appreciate wild outdoor spaces and wildlife not only in Minnedosa, but wherever people might call home.
