| Berniece Bland – Councillor (Division 4) |
I was raised in Regina, Saskatchewan. I have four children and seven grandchildren. They, along with my husband John, are the highlights of my life. While still in Regina, I took training to become a barber. During this time I met John who was in training with the R.C.M.P. Our first posting was to Cloverdale B.C. A year later John was selected to become a member of the Musical Ride (John’s ride is the one featured on the $50.00 bill). While in Ottawa I worked for the Federal Government in the Data Centre. Our next transfer was to Banff and then three years later we were sent to Hanna. During this time my days were filled with being a mother and loving it! After Hanna we transferred to Calgary but we opted to settle near Strathmore in a tiny community called Cheadle. We have been here ever since. After this move I took training and became a part time swimming instructor for the City of Calgary. I was also learning to become a graphologist and color psychologist. This took about five years and then I lectured and taught at various institutes. My passion is learning and trivia. For fun, I took classes on make-up artistry. My instructor was the man who worked with Walt Disney Studios. It was through him that I developed an interest in the massage field. So, I went to Mount Royal and took some medical training, then went on to becoming a certified and registered massage therapist. I was given the wonderful opportunity to work with palliative care patients, within their homes. Life changing experience! Then in October of 2007, I was given the chance to run as Councillor for my area. This has been a huge learning curve. John and I have been involved in politics for a few years. We are both Directors on the P.C. Party, first with Lyle Oberg and now with Arno Doerksen. I did my share of complaining about council decisions, so decided I should try putting on their shoes; it is a very full time job and sometimes those very same shoes really pinch. This was the best decision I have made. I was told that it takes about two years to learn this work and that seems to be correct. I extend a thank you to all the people I have had the opportunity to work with.
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