1-I love that it only takes me minutes to get across town. Everything is so close. Shopping, parks, schools, are all within a few kilometres of each other. I think it’s funny when someone tells me they live far away. The whole town is only 4-5 km wide. Nothing in Raymond is far compared to the city I grew up in!
2-I love the space that we have. It costs a lot in a big city to have the amount of land that we have. I love that we have plenty of room for our children to grow and play. I love the large yards and lots.
3-We have the opportunity to see the stars and night sky vividly. I love the vastness of it and seeing so far and wide. Just south of us is Big Sky country in Montana but it certainly applies to Raymond too.
4-Small town living doesn’t necessarily mean cheaper living but it has been for us. Not having access to stores in the evenings and weekends, has helped with our budget and spending.
5-Living in Raymond and out in the prairie/country has allowed us to have some wonderful views. I can see Chief Mountain from our backyard and we have and unobstructed views of the sunsets by walking past our neighbours house to the west of us. I love driving to Lethbridge and seeing huge fields of wheat, barley, canola, blue flax, potatoes waving in the wind. The large bales of “frosted shredded wheat” and “marshmallow fields” always make me chuckle. We live in a blessed land.
6-Throughout my married life, I have lived in 7 places in Raymond. (We stayed with mom and dad for a couple of weeks just before moving into the house on the highway.) We have been blessed with awesome neighbours. People who care (or haven’t!) about the children and their play or yelling or crying and the amount of stuff that fills our home and property. I often wish I lived a minimal lifestyle but have come to accept that I never will. I lived with Grandma and Grandpa Selman for a few months before getting married and then after we lived in Barbara McPhee’s basement, Barry and Emily Steer’s home while they were on 2 missions in Africa, mom and dads basement, our first home purchase on the highway, second home purchase on mainstreet. A rental across from Fas Gas and our current home in the southwest corner of town.
7-Raymond has a town council that listens to concerns (even when they can’t fix them all). People who care about our community and want the best for everyone and to see it thrive.
8-I love the freedom my kids have to move around town and the community. I feel (somewhat) that they are safe (especially knowing there are so many people watching out for them.) I feel surrounded by a “village” of caring and kind people who also are looking out for my children and family. There are people who won’t hesitate to admonish and guide and care for my kids if they need it. I am grateful for that.
9-Raymond is surrounded by lakes and ponds the kids can ride their bikes to. Corner and Factory Lake provide fun fishing moments along with boating and swimming adventures. For addition fun, Ridge Reservoir, Saint Mary’s Reservoir and the communities around our town have waterways to create memories at. Magrath and Stirling fishponds have been good fishing spots.
10-A few fun activities the kids do within town can’t be done in bigger centres. Sledding behind a vehicle in the winter is just one thing the kids have done.
11-A local pool they can attend without parental supervision once they reach age 8 or can swim on their own. Our outdoor pool is one the best in the region. I love it!
12- Like most communities, I love that we great schools and teachers. And that many of them live here and set a positive example in their personal lives. I’m grateful for those that go above and beyond giving of themselves for my children.
13- I love the relaxed, slower way of life. If I want to be busy, I can surely find things to do but knowing that there is distance between Raymond and Lethbridge, it gives time to think, ponder and unwind.
14-Friends that you see even after they move across town. I love knowing so many people in the community I live in.
15-Emergency access to just about any store or service in town. Pharmacy medications, gas, groceries, hardware. If something was needed after hours, many businesses wouldn’t hesitate to open to serve in emergency. Friends and neighbours reach out in short order to lend helping hands. Also our emergency crews; Fire, EMS and RCMP are members of our community, and go above and beyond caring about its citizens.
16-Raymond has a quaint library. And because we are part of a regional library system, I can order books from anywhere. All libraries can do this, but I love the look of our library. It has definite small town charm. And the librarians care about families. They offer great programs that are fun and engaging for kids and families. I love the summer reading programs and the activities to entertain and provide learning. (Now if I could just get some to keep reading in the summer.)
17-Show choir. What an excellent program to introduce kids to fine arts, music theatre, and so many more. Each of our older boys have loved their time in show choir. After one of Aaren’s shows, Devin commented that he wished he had been in show choir all 3 years of high school instead of just his senior year.
19-I love being close to family. For the past twenty five years I have lived close to my husbands family and to my mothers parents. I am grateful for all these people close to me. For sister-in-law’s that I love as close as my sisters of birth. For brother in laws who care and serve. How blessed am I.
20-Raymond has a rich heritage and the fact that my family is a part of it really makes me happy. Nothing beats July 1 and the community celebrations. We have an amazing history that is alive through the love of local community members. We wouldn’t be nearly what we are without that history. The stampede, the sports, the Japanese heritage, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the schools are some of the components that make Raymond great.
21-Strong religious community that’s important to me. We have 10 wards in town and a fourth church building is nearing completion on the east side of town. How blessed are we. I’m grateful for men and women who serve in our ward and stake and bless the lives of my family. We have been given much.
22-The traffic in town is trivial compared to the city I was born in. And waiting at traffic lights is non existent. Because we don’t even have any street lights. But we are getting more and more crosswalk lights. Thank heavens. The school morning and afternoon pickups are the traffic issues we deal with on a regular basis. And the influx of people that arrive in town on July 1 can be tolerated for the day or two that people are there.
23-I’m not blind to the fact that there are distructive influences and addictions rampant in this community, but I am grateful that years and years ago, the founders of this community put a prohibition on buying alcohol within this community. That is one less addiction that our family has to come in contact with regularly. I like knowing there isn’t a local source for alcohol. If one is looking for it, it will be found, but not selling it locally lessens the risk of consumption.
24-Until just one year after Rebekka’s birth, women were able to deliver their babies at the hospital here in Raymond. I am grateful to have had 9 out of 10 babies born at the Raymond hospital. We have awesome doctors, nurses and staff who take great care of patients at the Raymond hospital.
25-I love that I have spent the last 25 years with a calm caring, and loving husband who appreciates me for who I am and has never once tried to change me or make me move from this awesome community that I love so much.
