Students bring Kimberley history to life through local project

A student project is giving voice to the residents of Kimberley, sharing colourful stories of their lives in an effort to preserve the history of the community. High-school students Sarah [...]

Students bring Kimberley history to life through local project Published 1:19 pm Friday, July 17, 2026 A student project is giving voice to the residents of Kimberley, sharing colourful stories of their lives in an effort to preserve the history of the community. High-school students Sarah Metzler and Imogen Cvetko-Lueger have completed a history project called “Voices of the Land,” a compilation of biographies of local residents.

The stories detail their upbringing in the community, and some of the most memorable stories. They took turns interviewing a handful of locals and turned their stories into intricate books with decorative hand-made collage covers. They also took photos of the people they spoke with, and some younger students in the Kimberley Youth Action Network (KYAN) pitched in to help them with the project and painted old books with visuals that represent each story.

Residents who participated had roots in Kimberley, as well as in Wycliffe, Wasa and Cranbrook. Some came from multi-generational families, and others settled in the area more recently. Among those interviewed were Doug Martin, Gary Gautier, Blake Rawson, Pat Novak, Bev Faulkner, Dean Chatterson, Darryl Oakley, Percy Mackie, Dale McBain, Marty Musser, Mike Dolighan, Alan Ansell, and Susane and Derm Kennedy.

The project was displayed at Centre 64 in June, but KYAN Coordinator Lori Joe said they are considering turning the stories into a larger book. Having moved to Kimberley more recently, Cvetko-Lueger said the project gave her the opportunity to learn more about the community and what makes it unique. “I was able to grow that sense of community for myself and really understand why that’s so important that we keep those stories going, so more community members can have that connection to Kimberley and understand the life lessons you can learn from older generations,” she said.

Cvetko-Lueger and Metzler came up with the idea for the project while they were attending B.C Youth Parliament in Victoria in December. Learning about civics and the legislative process inspired them to create a community service project. When they returned to Kimberley they connected with Joe, and she was able to put them in contact with some local residents.

The various stories speak to Kimberley’s awe-inspiring wild nature, unparalleled opportunities for outdoor recreation, its close knit supportive circle of residents, the avid hockey fans that pack the stadiums of Dynamiter games, and the importance mining played in growing the local economy. A common theme that winds its way through all the stories, is the unique and special connection each resident has with the land. Cvetko-Lueger said she really resonated with the idea that nature can be a