There is a celebration Wednesday at the Innisfail Library/Learning Centre for a special Innisfailian.
Don Harrison, a town councillor since 2020, will get a special send off by scores of grateful Innisfailians who want to honour him for things many take for granted.
The scribbler will also be there, as a journalist but most importantly as a friend.
It will be a double duty moment that can bring a sense of dread for many journalists; reporting facts for a story while at the same time honouring a friend and feeling a rush of emotions.
It was a week before my recent surgery on Sept. 20 when I was leaving a pre-surgery appointment at the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre when I heard a honking behind me near the front parking lot.
It was Don from his vehicle. He immediately pulled over.
With a huge smile, Don told me he was also leaving his own appointment. We chatted for at least 15 minutes.
As always, Don was upbeat about his own prognosis but he wanted to know more how mine was, and whether he could be of any assistance through my own recovery, all of which paled in comparison to his own health trials.
It was the last time I saw and talked to Don.
He passed away on Nov. 1.
And on Nov. 13 a celebration of life will be held in the Innisfail Library/Learning Centre’s Community Room from 1:30 to 4 p.m.
In the meantime, Don’s colleagues on Innisfail town council are already feeling sadness and loss.
At council’s Agenda & Priorities Meeting on Nov. 4, Town of Innisfail Mayor Jean Barclay paid tribute to Don on behalf of all attending council members and administration staff following the opening Land Acknowledgement (Don was a huge supporter of the Truth and Reconciliation process).
“I know that we feel the heaviness in council chambers today as we remember and honour our colleague,” said Barclay. “I'm going to call him Don. We know that Don was kind of a stickler for protocol, but councillor Harrison seems way too formal for a friend.
“Don possessed incredible leadership skills developed throughout his life. He was knowledgeable, and most importantly, he was kind and humble,” said the mayor, adding she was able to visit Don in his final days in Calgary and finally at the Innisfail Health Centre before his passing.
“As always, Don was still offering valuable advice to me and wanted to know where he stood on our agenda items.
“I hope we can all take solace knowing that Don was at peace with what life had dealt him and how grateful he was for everything he was able to experience during his lifetime. We saw firsthand these past several months how he faces challenges with courage and grace and continue to serve even when he did not feel well.”
Innisfail town council is not the only elected body to mourn Don.
He was a past town councillor and mayor in Onoway, Alta., a town of about 900 citizens 244 kilometres north of Innisfail.
Don served the Town of Onoway and its council admirably from 2006 to 2015 before moving back home to Innisfail to serve as manager of the Innisfail Royal Canadian Legion Branch #104.
Len Kwasny is the current mayor of Onoway. He served with Don on past town councils and had a chance to catch up and reminisce with him last spring at a leadership caucus convention in Edmonton.
“I never saw him on a negative side of any controversial issue. He was always looking for opportunities to correct the problem,” said Kwasny. “His feelings were that it would better to resolve it by meeting halfway than to not resolve it.
“He always had his opinion on things and people respected him from the fact he wasn't a person that created problems but contributed to help solve problems,” he said, noting Don’s past admirable provincial government experience. “He had experience dealing with people. He had experience dealing with difficult situations.
“It was a pleasure being on council with him.”
Outside the political arena there are many in both communities grateful for Don’s opinions on important issues, even when others considered them way outside the level of important.
Consider Innisfail’s past pet chicken flap issue in 2018 when Innisfail council voted to turn their backs on the overwhelmingly pro-fowl final vote from a community-wide survey.
Just two months after Don won a byelection in 2020 to have his seat on council he noted a buried letter in the agenda package sent to the town by a single resident wanting to know more about having pet hens.
Noting it was a more than reasonable query, as well as a past council fumble, Don successfully pushed council to have the letter seriously considered.
“It’s been raised two years later by a constituent and I think we have to address it,” Don told council.
Today, in large part due to Don’s enviable sense of fairness and commitment to correct a wrong, Innisfail has a successful Urban Hen Keeping Program, which other communities have already referred to when considering their own programs.
As for me, I have never forgotten a moment back in 2022 when I had a huge problem.
It was a busy time for me, both personally and professionally.
I was set to go on holidays for my annual photography tour across backroads in Saskatchewan but I first had a couple of critically important weekend assignments.
However, disaster struck with my vehicle and it wouldn’t be fixed for several days.
I encountered Don in town as I was about to get matters addressed.
Without me even mentioning this to him he offered to lend me his SUV until my vehicle was fixed.
Don solved another problem, even if it was for the press.
When tomorrow comes for the many, including myself, attending the Celebration of Life for Don it ‘s worth considering what it truly means to have a life well lived.
Don lived for 70 years. He made his professional mark as forestry officer and later a provincial assistant deputy minister.
He had the enduring love and support from his family, including wife Colleen and their children.
Don worked with veterans at the Innisfail legion branch. After being elected he later came back to the institution to help out between managers.
In retirement, he even drove a school bus.
He never said no to any opportunity to be of service.
Mahatma Gandhi once said the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.
It’s a life lived journey hard to master.
But Don Harrison nailed it.
Johnnie Bachusky is an editor with the Albertan.
