Question 1

Who are you?

Accepted Answer

My name is Jaime Lynn Marr (Nee Chipman). I have been happily married to Matthew Marr - Pincher Creek born and Cremona fed, for 20 years! We have three amazing children together; Cale, Aven, and Brie. 
 
I moved around a lot as a child but have called Sundre home for as long as I can remember. I am the oldest of 5 girls (Me, Jennifer, Diandra, Lexy, and Samantha) I was raised by a single mom, Robin and I'm thankful for the line of strong, independent women I come from. I have a great relationship with my father, Ryan Chipman, and deeply respect the role a father plays in a child's life.  
 
I am a horrible cook but love to eat. I am a non-smoker but enjoy social beverages. I got my first tattoo at 40 and am still trying to talk my husband into letting me get a full sleeve. Honestly though, he may be right in thinking I'd chicken out. 
 
I am an unapologetic Christian who believes in the God of the bible. Reformed in my theology, our family has recently started attending a local church in Bergen. My path to Christianity is a long and interesting tale and I'm happy to share with anyone interested.
 
I graduated from the Sundre High School back in the 1900's. My paternal grandfather (Mr. Chipman) taught there and my parents met while attending school there. I am proud of the transfer diploma in Secondary Education I obtained from Red Deer College (yup, before it was a polytech!) and the Bachelors of Arts, Social Science, degree I received from the University of Lethbridge where I majored in Anthropology. I do have a tendency to geek-out when I'm learning new things and this helped me as a first-term councillor as I sought to educate myself on projects, programs, and policies already in place. Staying current is important and I will ensure I continue to keep relevant on all matters that affect our community and residents. 
 
Since being on council I did close my home-based business, MARRvellous Solutions. I definitely love to help people but I found that I was wearing myself a bit thin, and I had to prioritize. However, understanding what it means to start a company, work alongside the chamber and the town and form relationships with other local businesses again enables me to better understand our community and what our people are looking for and towards.

While our statistics show Sundre as being a higher than average senior demographic, I know we have a large number of young people, families and older adults raising young children. It is this inter-generational focus I want to continue building towards as a councillor to younger children myself.

Continuing trail connectivity and social programs that encourage us to be among others is also important. Losing my nephew to suicide in 2021 impacted my life and the lives of my family in ways we were unprepared for. Men's mental health is a focus I hope to continue advocating for. 
 
I have nothing to hide and welcome any questions.

Question 2

Why are you running for Town Council?

Accepted Answer

Since completing my first year term on council I honestly believe I made a positive impact on the Sundre community. I was once told a woman needs to be asked 11 times to do something before they will do it. Apparently, I broke the seal and I'm ready and determined to run again. I still believe I bring a unique perspective to the council table. Strong opinions, compassion, and empathy. A woman is built different and it is important to have a female voice representing this community.
 
I want to be a voice for the working mom, the stay at home mom (I've done both!), the entrepreneur, the community volunteer and lover of this area!
 
I value hard-work, self determination, community engagement, sustainable practices, freedom, faith, and outdoor family living. 
 
I believe I can be a voice for a large section of our community. I want to build upon the greatness that Sundre is and continue to move it forward with passion and dedication.

Question 3

Is this your first time running or have you ran before?

Accepted Answer

I ran for council in 2021 and won a seat. I am seeking a second term and hope the Sundre community believes I added value being on council. If I do get elected I'm excited to get back to work on some of the projects and policies we started in this term. As always, I'm open to meeting with you in person or over the phone to answer any specific questions you may have.

Question 4

How long have you lived in Sundre? Is your family from here?

Accepted Answer

I was born in Olds and attended both schools here. I graduated in 1998 and moved away to go to school and get married. My husband and I moved back to Sundre in 2007 after deciding we wanted to raise children in a small town; seeing as we both valued rural community and small town life. 
 
My grandfather, Reed Chipman, taught high school and was the basketball coach for years. He raised race horses just west of town before getting sick with cancer and passing away in 1981. 
 
My other grandparents, Dot and Roy McCartney, were the elementary school custodians for a number of years.

My favourite memory is coming down the Sundre hill at Christmas time. The star on snake hill and tobogganing on snake hill. My many teachers, high school shop class, running the scar during track and field, basketball, dance choir and our trip to Disneyland, the speed boat races on the Red Deer River. Camping at the Greenwood Campground, the many shops that used to be here and no longer are.

Sundre is a great community and I was happy to come here to raise a family and hope my children one day return and continue to bless the community with growth and character.

Frequently asked questions

Who are you?

Why are you running for Town Council?

Is this your first time running or have you ran before?

How long have you lived in Sundre? Is your family from here?

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