Travel-ING On, Alberta Edition, was initially known as the History Check App, which aimed to create a single platform for multiple organizations in northern Alberta to share information about their local history, thereby eliminating geographical boundaries and the need for multiple apps. As the concept evolved, it was clear that travel services and other points of interest could be easily added, offering community guides across the north. In 2015, a non-profit society was formed to raise funds for the project, but with few grants available, the project struggled. Despite this setback, Sheila Willis continued to pursue her passion for the project, launching the northern Alberta app in 2017 with minimal funding. The app was later expanded to include all of Alberta in 2019, and was transformed into a business platform from a non-profit.

Sheila, who describes herself as a housewife from the bush, has set her sights on taking Travel-ING-On (the rebranded version of History Check) to other provinces in Canada and beyond. Her determination has resulted in the app winning multiple awards and being recognized for its outstanding achievement in heritage awareness and marketing.

The mobile app’s success is the result of a collaborative effort, with Sheila organizing the programming and adding most of the sites herself, but with assistance from volunteers, partners, and alliances. Sheila is still adding ING-Things, marketing, and doing all the necessary things to make the mobile app go viral in 2022, with overwhelmingly positive feedback from app users and demo recipients fueling her efforts.

Sheila expresses deep appreciation for all the volunteers, partners, and alliances that have helped make the app a reality, and is now accepting email money transfers at historycheckapp@gmail.com in any amount from those who wish to contribute to the project. The answer to the question is simply “Thanks”.