Our recent events
- Members and friends of the Lethbridge Twinning Society responded to the tragedy of the Sakaruda devastating fire in Towada Cit, Japan.
July 8th, 2024 – Lethbridge, AB
A generous "love donation" was recently sent to Dr. Teiichi Arao, the Lethbridge "Activities Director" for the Towada Association for International Relations. He will forward our donation to Makoto Sakaruda.
We sincerly thank everyone who donated for their kind and considerate act of kindness, and we trust that the Sakurada family will be blessed by the gift.
- 44th Annual "Ice Breaker Road Race"
April 28th, 2024 – Great Falls, Mont
Members of the Lethbridge Twinning Society attended in Great Falls, Montana on April 27 & 28 and participated in the 44th annual Ice Breaker Road Race. We were welcomed to Great Falls by Mayor Cory Reeves.
The excellent weather made for an enjoyable race and great opportunity of meeting and greeting many Great Falls residents in the spirit of "Sister Cities" relations.
The advantage of our Sister City relations is of course, our close proximaty to eachother, a mere 2 1/2 hour drive, albeit, crossing the international border at Sweetgrass, Montana.
We always have a warm reception and the opportunity to spend quality time with our neighbours to the south. This year was no exception as our visit not only strengthened our relations but set goals and plans for more opportunities to advance our relations.
- EDL signs MOU with Great Falls Development Alliance
May 11th, 2024 – Great Falls, Mont
By Delon Shurtz - Lethbridge Herald.
Herald photo by Delon Shurtz Trevor Lewington of Economic Development Lethbridge and Brett Doney of Great Falls Development Alliance shake hands after the signing.
It’s been said, two heads are better than one, so why not two cities?
Economic development organizations from Lethbridge and Great Falls, Mont. are joining forces to strengthen and diversify the food, agriculture, bioprocessing and energy industries in both regions, and they met Friday in Lethbridge to make the partnership official.
“We’re very excited to partner with Great Falls,” Trevor Lewington, chief executive officer of Economic Development Lethbridge, said during a meeting at Tecconnect on the northside. “They’re a very similar economy to ours, very similar investment priorities to us.”
Lewington and Brett Doney, president and CEO of Great Falls Development Alliance, signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at helping the two organizations learn from each other and share strategies they use for investment, business retention, and innovation.
“The MOU is about collaboration and cooperation,” Lewington said. “We think somewhat similar to our friends in Great Falls, they approach business the same way, we have similar priorities. The MOU basically just says we are committing to each other to work more collaboratively together.”
Lewington said neither city is internationally well-known, but the two organizations working together can create a regional attraction strategy, and give international companies options that best suit their needs, whether in Canada or the U.S.
Agri-food processing, for example, is a key priority for both regions, Lewington said, and if they are talking to a European processor that wants a presence in North America but doesn’t understand the difference between operating in Canada and the U.S., the economic partners can provide two proposals together.
“Canada has some trade agreement advantages depending on where the final market might be, the U.S. has some different cost advantages depending on what the process or the ingredient might be.”
Lewington acknowledged there will be some friendly competition as the two regions jointly explore the opportunities.
“We certainly will put up a good fight to make sure that we put our best foot forward.”
Doney said the Great Falls Development Alliance serves not only Great Falls, but the region right up to the Canada-U.S. border. He said he met Lewington several years ago and joined the Economic Development Alberta Association, and they began looking at the similarities between the two regions, particularly in agriculture, food and agri-processing.
Doney said many businesses, farmers and ranchers are already conducting cross-border business, and a partnership will benefit existing businesses and even entrepreneurs.
“We don’t see each other as competitive regions,” he said.
AS part of the MOU, both EDL and GFDA agree to twice-annual cross-border visits to explore each other’s regions, visit appropriate businesses, learn from each other’s successful policies and promote local resources and the benefits of doing business in each region.
They agree to host an event at an industry trade show to promote the partnership and the benefits of doing business in the Lethbridge-Great Falls corridor, and to promote the partnership in each other’s individual media strategies with shared letterhead.
The partners will also encourage the participation and cooperation of other non-profits organizations in the regions, including, but not limited to, Tourism Lethbridge and Great Falls Tourism, and their respective chambers of Commerce.
“The Great Falls Development Alliance is excited to partner with Economic Development Lethbridge on one of the first cross-border partnerships between economic development organizations in the United States and Canada,” Doney said. “With this memorandum of understanding between our two organizations, we hope to better assist companies who currently do business in both of our communities, and those companies who want to explore new markets. We will also forge ahead with co-marketing opportunities of the Great Falls-Lethbridge corridor as an attractive region to start, grow or relocate a business.”
- Makoto Sakurada family suffers devastation due to fire
February 24, 2024 – Towada City, Japan
The members of the Lethbridge Twinning Society are very deeply sad to learn of the recent events in one of our “Sister Cities”, Towada City. Japan.
On February 24, 2024 the business and attached dwelling of the Sakurada family was entirely destroyed by fire. The early morning fire’s cause was apparently due to an electrical issue. The Sakurada family were able to escape the inferno with only minor injuries, unfortunately absolutely all of their personal belongings have been lost.
Makoko Sakurada has visited Alberta three times in the past, each time he has performed at various venues. Most notably in 2012 when Makoto performed his “Thank you Alberta Tour” performing in 13 communities throughout Alberta beginning in Jasper, Hinton, Whitecourt, Barrhead, Westlock, Stony Plain, Edmonton, Camrose, Banff, Calgary, Airdrie, Hanna, with a final performance in Lethbridge. The purpose of this tour was to thank Albertan’s for their support and assistance they provided to Japan following the great Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. These performances were all gratis and Makoto covered his own expenses during the two week period.
Makoto has been a major “bridge” between relations of the Lethbridge Twinning Society and the Towada-Association for International Relations.
For those who may wish to express thoughts and prayer or support to Makoto and his family, they may be channeled through the Lethbridge Twinning Society by contacting:
Director for Towada City Relations, Carol Pickett at 168 Mount Rundle Road West – Lethbridge AB. T1K 7G1;
Treasurer, Rolanda Richard at 1406 – 22nd Street South – Lethbridge AB. T1K 2J5 or
The Lethbridge Twinning Society c/o 82 Riverine Lane West – Lethbridge, AB. T1K 5V6.
Japanese Retro Arcade That Took 10 Years To Build Goes Up In Flames
十和田市中心部の商店街で火災「長屋で燃えるのも早かったと思う」 消防隊員と住人の計２人がけが
Figure 1. Towada City Fire does their best to contain the fire at the Sakurada business and attached dwelling. (February 24, 2024)
Image: @living_bird
Figure 2. Makoto Sakurada – Towada City Japan
Thank you,
Harold Pereverseff
(President, Lethbridge Twinning Society)
403-330-6119
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