Press Release – June 12, 2025 – Stettler, Alberta
Stettler, AB – The first Canada Day Parade in Stettler will kick off on Tuesday, July 1 at 10:00 AM, and this year, we are incredibly proud to honour a woman whose impact on our region has been both immeasurable and unforgettable — Jean MacDonald, our 2025 Honourary Parade Marshal.
Jean is best known as the founder of Ol’ MacDonald’s Resort, a beloved summer destination on Buffalo Lake that welcomes thousands of visitors each year. But the story of the campground stretches back even further — to the 1950s, when the idea was first dreamed up by Jean’s late mother. In 1982, Jean took out the development permit to finally bring her mother’s vision to life. The campground opened in 1985 and has since blossomed into a vibrant, family-run resort where generations come to relax, reconnect, and play.
But Jean’s influence in the Stettler region extends far beyond the campground.
Born Jean Reynolds in 1940 at the original Stettler hospital—brought in by horse-drawn sleigh during a heavy snowstorm—Jean’s early life reads like a love letter to prairie resilience. She was raised just outside Erskine with two younger brothers and two younger sisters. Throughout her grade 1 year, Jean recalls her father transporting them to school in the back of his three-ton truck that he equipped with a tarp cover and wood heater to fend off the cold in winter. In Grade 2, Jean began attending the one-room Behrens School, two miles from home. Whether by foot, bike, or horseback, she made the daily trek and quickly advanced through her studies—completing Grades 2 and 3 in a single year.
That same little schoolhouse, once heated by a single wood furnace and equipped with a shared water dipper, now stands proudly at Ol’ MacDonald’s Resort, where it still hosts the annual Christmas concert—a tradition dating back to when Jean’s own father attended school there in the 1920s. Adding to the family connection and nostalgia, Jean’s grandfather Bert Reynolds assisted in building the school in 1905.
Jean graduated from Erskine School in 1957 as one of only twelve students in the final class to pass through its original two-story building. She married Sam MacDonald of Delburne that same year, and together they raised four children—welcoming two foster sons into their family in 1965 and 1966. With a growing family and after years living on the road in an 8×32-foot trailer, Jean and Sam purchased land on the edge of Buffalo Lake from her parents in 1964.
Life on the lake was modest at first: no plumbing, no running water, and a wood stove as their only heat source. With Sam still working on the rigs and away more than at home, Jean quickly mastered the art of managing a busy household—and took on an additional challenge when they decided to purchase farm animals. Jean embraced the hard work of farming: milking cows, raising pigs and chickens, selling cream, and raising Simmental cattle and horses.
If raising six children, running a farm, and dedicating herself to volunteering weren’t enough, Jean also enjoyed life on the rodeo circuit for seven years, racing her pony chariot team. An injury forced her to retire in 1972, though she left the sport having achieved the remarkable accomplishment of sitting second place provincially and second in the Girls International Rodeo League in 1971.
Jean’s gift for hospitality also bloomed during these years as her children matured and her home became a gathering place for local teenagers. She recognized that some needed guidance, a home-cooked meal, or simply a safe place to land—and she was always happy to provide it. Those experiences helped shape her enduring confidence and compassion for youth.
In the 1970s, Jean designed and developed the Scenic Sands Lakeshore Subdivision, where she still lives today. It’s yet another testament to her vision and her passion for creating spaces filled with warmth, magic, and a true sense of home.
The values, skills, and grit developed during these early years laid the foundation for a life of service and entrepreneurship that continues to ripple through the Stettler region and beyond.
Jean’s drive to give back shines through in every corner of her life. She’s been a hockey team den mother, school bus driver, real estate agent, committee chair, and a volunteer on numerous boards and associations. She’s even known for brightening seniors’ lodges with her piano playing for the “Happy Gang.”
Her community involvement includes:
• Secretary-Treasurer, Stettler and County Recreation Board (10 years)
• Program Convenor, Erskine Home and School Association
• Executive Member, Kanata Women’s Institute (22 years)
• CGIT Youth Camp Leader at Bar Harbour Camp (4 years)
• Sunday School Teacher (17 years)
• Campaign Chair, Miss County Fair Candidate (4 years)
• Fairgrounds Chair, overseeing pony chuckwagons and chariots (5 years)
• Parent Representative, Alberta Teachers’ Association Institution (1976–77)
Jean lives by the motto:
“Do not travel where there is a path; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
And trailblaze she has. Her lifetime of contributions has been recognized with numerous honours, including:
• Alberta Tourism’s Anthony Henday Award
• Travel Alberta’s Ambassador Award and ALTO Award for Service Excellence
• Alberta Hotel & Lodging Association Award of Distinction
• Alberta Recreation and Parks Award for Outstanding Municipal Contributions
• Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal
• Multiple regional and provincial marketing and service recognitions
Despite the accolades, Jean is most proud of her family — including 11 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren — and the legacy they continue to build together. The campground remains a true family-run operation, with each generation playing a vital role.
Following closely in Jean’s footsteps is her granddaughter, Janelle Robinson, founder of Spirits Respite Ranch — a peaceful haven offering equine-assisted wellness, healing retreats, and connection through nature. Janelle is carrying on the family tradition of heart, hospitality, and community service — and fittingly, she’ll be following her grandmother in the Canada Day Parade as a symbol of the legacy Jean has inspired.
“Life has been enriching — more than money can buy,” Jean says with her signature grace.
Please join us in saluting Jean MacDonald and everything she has done for our community. And while you’re at it, be sure to enjoy one of her famous cinnamon buns at Ol’ MacDonald’s Resort — and thank her and her family for creating something truly special that continues to make our region such a wonderful place to live, work, and play.
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The parade begins at 10:00 AM at the Rotary Spray Park. A route map and full Canada Day schedule are available at www.stettlerboardoftrade.com. For additional details on the other festivities planned for the day, visit the Town of Stettler and the Stettler Town & County Museum websites.
Author: PressRelease
