Pipestone Flyer
Being the Mayor of any municipality is a big job, so we were extremely happy to hear that Thorsby's Mayor, Barry Rasch, was able to carve a little time out of his busy day to chat with us! So we tried not waste any of his time and just leaped right into the inquisition....I mean...fun interview!
Q: What is your favourite candy?
A: Caramel! Anything with caramel in it...candies, chocolate, ice cream, anything at all. I love it!
Q: Cat person or dog person?
A: Dogs. They have more personality.
Q: What is your biggest fear?
A: Oh, I'm not sure I should say, it's kind of embarrassing, but I actually have an immense fear of maggots! Back when I was a kid and we went out in the morning to milk the cows we would go to the grain bin first, and there was always a bit of grain that would spill on the ground. Then as time passed by and it would rain, etc., the grain would get maggots in it. I just HATE them!
Q: What was the last movie you watched?
A: Jack The Giant Slayer. I loved it!
Q: What is your dream vacation?
A: Ooh! I would like to go into the rainforest on an expedition! Not all by myself of course, but with a proper guide. (Laughs)
Q: Do you participate in a sport?
A: I say that I'm "sporty" a lot but I'm not really right now. I love volleyball, badminton, and curling but really all I do at the moment is play in the gym with my kids. (Smiles)
Q: What is your favourite colour?
A: Blue.
Q: What is your favourite season and why?
A: Spring because I'm a huge gardener!
Q: What is the favourite pair of shoes that you own?
A: My black Crocs! I love them because they just slip right on and they are SO comfortable! I put them on to start the car in the morning. (Laughing) They have no grip so I almost kill myself falling down in the winter time!
Q: If we were buying, what would you be having for dinner?
A: I love chicken, so it would be some sort of pasta with cream sauce and chicken.
Q: What is your favourite thing to do in Thorsby?
A: I'm a socializer. The day can be spent just getting out and talking with people.
Q: Do you have a hobby or collect anything?
A: Yes! My hobby is gardening. I have my own little greenhouse in the back yard. You wouldn't know what my backyard is like from looking at my front yard but my back deck is pretty impressive! (Smiling) I actually ran my own commercial greenhouse while I was still in school and it was called Majestic Greenhouses.
Q: Who is your hero?
A: Oh gee, I'm not sure I should say! I don't want to offend her in any way but I'm a big fan of a former Mayor of Thorsby, Phyllis Madiuk. She’s such a go-getter, hard worker, no nonsense kind of person. I would love to leave the kind of impression on my community that she has.
Q: What is playing on your car stereo right now?
A: The Bear radio station. But another big love of mine is Celtic music. I also love Abba! Who doesn't love Abba? (Laughing)
Q: What is the best dish that you make?
A: A breakfast dish of spinach frittata. I make it quite often. My family doesn't have a choice but to eat it! (Laughing) Oh! And my butternut squash soup!
Q: What is your proudest moment?
A: When my boys (Matthew who's 8, and Michael who's 6) were born.
Q: Movie or live theatre?
A: I love movies, but if I had to choose I would pick live theatre. I LOVE the Cirque du Soleil shows!
Q: Name one item on your bucket list.
A: Gosh! That's a hard one! A trip to England or Ireland would be cool. Somewhere there is a lot of history and culture. Even Russia...but only in the summertime! (Laughs)
Q: What did you want to be when you were a child?
A: I wanted to be either a fish and game wildlife officer or to grow things in a commercial greenhouse.
Q: If you could do any job other than the one you have, what would you do?
A: Definitely get back into the greenhouse industry. It's like my own little place of solitude...and it's always summer!