Oldman Watershed Council (OWC)

My name is Stephanie Vehnon and I currently live in Lethbridge, Alberta. I moved from Yorkton, Saskatchewan, pursuing Diploma in Environmental Monitoring and Protection at Lakeland College in 2009. At Lakeland College, I was the Environment Club President and initiated a recycling program for the Vermilion and Lloydminster campuses. It was here that I learned my passion for the environment. My major was in air, soil and water monitoring and management – I realized that water quality management is the area of most interest to me. It fascinates me how a resource such as water can mean so much to the survival of living organisms.
After Lakeland College, I decided to continue on and obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree, majoring in Environmental Science, at the University of Lethbridge in 2013. When I moved to Lethbridge in 2011, I discovered the Oldman Watershed Council and wanted to get involved. I contributed as much as I could, while a full time student at the University of Lethbridge. In May 2013, I obtained a summer student position as the Environmental Program Assistant at the City of Lethbridge. This was a great experience that lasted until December 2013. Here I learned the value of storm drain pollution and the effects that pollution has on our Oldman River. In February 2014, I obtained a full time position with the City of Lethbridge as the Environmental Program Assistant, and continue to be a part of the Oldman Watershed Council.
Water management is a vital part of the future of our planet and all life forms. I take a keen interest in ways we can monitor and manage this necessary resource. I take a strong interest in the Oldman Watershed Council, how far it has come, and the future directions and goals of this non-profit organization. I learn more and more each time I connect with this group. A main reason I became a part of the OWC’s Communications and Outreach Team is to allow the message to be spread to the community and establish a connection with people, so they understand how valuable our watershed is. Many people do not realize that we are just a small portion of a larger picture – it fascinates me to spread this message to others and engage them in water education. Water connects us all, from the mountains in the West Coast, to the Hudson Bay in Ontario, and beyond! Watersheds are where we live, and they all flow into one another. Water quantity and quality is what we strive to maintain in order to secure the future of our water supply. Groups such as the Oldman Watershed Council help us monitor, manage and maintain water quality and quantity within our watersheds. From mind to body, to the physical and chemical atmosphere, water education and awareness allows communities to be aware and help to preserve the future of our water! One thing I have realized recently is if we just sit back, take a deep breath, and enjoy the natural environment for even just 10 minutes a day, it is amazing how relaxed, and connected with nature, we can be! I am pleased to be a part of the Oldman Watershed Council and look forward to being a part of many projects and future goals!