Eleven years ago while skiing in Kimberley, British Columbia I picked up a copy of The B.C Country Register. As I have always loved the items that can only be found in specialty shops, I knew that I had to start a paper so Albertans could find all the wonderful shops in our province.

Well, the rest is history. I contacted Barbara Floyd in Arizona and without knowing anything about designing ads or publishing a paper I committed to completing the first issue within a very short time frame.

It was the most exciting time of my life. I had to learn the complex layout and design programs on a Mac computer (I’d never even seen one before!), how to design ads, how to scan and work with images, how to sell ads and how to put it all together. I was afraid I couldn’t do it. The learning curve was a roller coaster ride of excitement and moments of extreme frustration and anguish. But I persevered and brought my dream to fruition and printed the first Country Register of Alberta in May/June 1997. The paper has been an ongoing success. Many of those first brave advertisers who believed in my dream have advertised in every issue since and many, many more have come aboard since. Readers tell us they love the paper and advertisers tell us that customers pick up every issue.

You can pick up your new copy of The Country Register of Alberta every two months. It is available around the province at many NDA rack locations, at Travel Alberta and many regional tourist centres, at all of the advertisers and is distributed at several shows including Edmonton and Calgary Creative Stitches shows.

Over the years, there have been sad times when a business couldn’t make it and had to close and happy times as we work with owners of new businesses as they ride the roller coaster to make their dream of a new business come true. We’ve changed logos twice since the first in keeping with the changing marketplace of specialty and continue to bring some of the best shops, events and services to our readers. Readers rely on the information we print to find events, plan day trips and stops along the way while they travel and we hear happy stories about their experiences.

Was it worth the financial risk, the learning curve, the fear and anguish, the racing to deadlines and the mistakes? Yes, it has been worth every minute to make my dream come true. Whether I fail or succeed in the future, I wouldn’t change anything.

Every time you visit or call an advertiser, you reinforce to them that their efforts to make their vision come alive have been worth it, too. Thank you for supporting them and for your ongoing support of The Country Register of Alberta.