Regional News-Optimist October 20, 2022

Residential school memories basis of upcoming book

Ashes to Embers

By Miguel Fenrich Staff Reporter

Hundreds of Indigenous children were sent to Del mas’s former Thunder child/St. Henri Residential School between 1901 and 1945, and in that time, at least 44 children passed away, and their remains were never found.

The school is now gone, destroyed by fire in 1948 by former students, and in its place, poplars grow. All that remains are the survi vors and their stories, and Floyd Favel decided to cap ture those stories in his new book, Ashes to Embers, set to be released Oct. 30.

Kenny and Leo Tootoosis, Theresa Sapp and Gavin Baptiste are among those who shared their memories of the Delmas Residential School and its subsequent destruction one cold January almost 75 years ago.

Lena Tootoosis recalls that when the building fell, students let out cries and shouts of victory.

An excerpt from the book reads:

“On January 13, 1948 the Delmas Indian Resi dential School was burned down by a group of boys who had warned most of the students of their plan so they could all escape. These are the stories of some of the survivors who were present that night. There are many stories that haven’t been told.”

Floyd Favel, theatre theorist, director, essay ist, museum curator for Poundmaker Historical Centre and Cree cultural leader, spent the last few years recording and chron icling the stories of the Delmas Residential School survivors, starting with in terviews in January 2021.

Continued on Page 5

“Where

The Battlefords Community Players kickstarted their 2022-23 season Tuesday with Maggie’s Getting Married, running from Oct. 18 to 29. The cast: Crystal Gilbert (Cas); Fraser Glen (Tom); Rebekka Landon (Maggie); Gregory Kwong (Russell); Maurie Gagon (Axel); and Amanda Gies (Wanda). | Photo by Miguel Fenrich

In a photo from 2021, project lead and Battlefords Agency Tribal Chiefs administration member Karen Whitecalf, right, listens as a member of the crew doing ground penetrating radar indicates the area they have already scanned and mapped. | Photo by Jon Perez/SASKTODAY.ca

Floyd Favel’s new book, Ashes to Embers, is set to be released Oct. 30.

| Photo courtesy Floyd Favel

RCMP shoot armed man on Little Pine First Nation

SASKTODAY.ca

A 49-year-old man is recovering after RCMP shot him early Saturday morning.

Between midnight and 1:30 a.m. Cut Knife RCMP received three separate calls about a man from Little Pine First Nation. The re ports were of an assault, a firearm being pointed at Little Pine Security members, and an aban doned 911 call of a man with a firearm thinking about suicide.

Just before 2 a.m., two Cut Knife RCMP officers encountered the man with a fire arm outside a home on Little Pine First Nation. The police response in volved the discharge of a firearm and the man was injured.

Officers provided first aid assistance to the man until EMS ar rived and transported him to hospital for treat ment of injuries. The in jured man was treated

and released from hos pital a few hours later into police custody. Police found a fire arm at the scene. No po lice officers were physi cally injured.

The Saskatchewan RCMP has asked Saska toon Police Service and the Saskatchewan Seri ous Incident Response Team to conduct an independent, external investigation. The Sas katchewan RCMP has requested the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General appoint inde pendent investigation observers, including one Indigenous observer.

Police say that as the circumstances don’t currently meet Privacy Act exemptions, such as no charges have been laid, the RCMP doesn’t have the authority to identify the man.

As this incident is now being investigated externally, the Sas katchewan RCMP can’t release further informa tion at this time.

Body discovered at Maymont

SASKTODAY.ca

RCMP have released in formation that traffic was blocked Sunday near May mont due to the discovery of a deceased person and the investigation that was taking place around it.

The deceased has been identified as 24-year-old Wendy Bird from Prince Albert. Based on prelimi nary investigation, her death is considered suspi

cious and Saskatchewan RCMP Major Crimes is investigating. RCMP are releasing the victim’s name to assist with furthering the ongoing investigation.

Wendy Bird’s next of kin has been notified. An autopsy was scheduled to take place on Oct. 18.

Anyone who has infor mation about Wendy Bird’s whereabouts from Friday, Oct. 14, to the morning of

Oct. 16, or who witnessed any suspicious activity on Highway 16 near Maymont through the evening hours Oct. 15-16, is encouraged to contact police. If you wish to remain anony mous, contact Crime Stop pers at 1-800-222-8477.

Also assisting with this investigation are the Saska toon and North Battleford RCMP General Investiga tion Sections, Saskatoon

RCMP Forensic Identi fication Section and the Saskatchewan Coroner’s Service.

The report of the body’s discovery was original ly reported to Warman RCMP on Oct. 16 shortly after 8 a.m. Traffic was re stricted on Highway 16 for approximately six hours in relation to this investi gation, but has since been opened.

Farmers allegedly run Indigenous man off road, assault and tie him up

By Lisa Joy Staff Reporter

A 25-year-old man from Little Pine First Nation who stole a truck from an area farmer was sentenced Monday and charges are being considered against the farmers who allegedly caught, assaulted, and tied him up.

On Oct. 10, after break ing into two neighbouring farmyards and stealing a truck, farmers pursued Durrell Bearsears and al legedly ran him off the road into the ditch, assault ed and tied him up until police arrived.

It was allegedly a “vigi lante justice” situation Crown Prosecutor Brynn Achtymichuk told North Battleford Provincial Court Monday.

“The police are look

ing into it further,” added Achtymichuk.

The Crown and defence entered into a joint sen tencing submission of a Community Sentence Or der for Bearsears.

“The CSO is quite re strictive,” said Achtymi chuk.

For the first six months, Bearsears will be under 24-hour house arrest. The following six months he will have a curfew from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. He was also ordered to do 25 hours of community service, write an apology to the farmers, and not possess any weap ons.

Achtymichuk told the court that the Crown agreed to a CSO because Bearsears’ guilty plea to break and enter and theft of a vehicle saved the court a trial. He said he also took

the vigilante justice aspect into consideration.

Defence Cara Hill told the court that Bearsears was raised by his grandpar ents. They both attended residential school. He suf fered a lot of loss and grief in his life. His mom died when he was seven, his dad died when he was one, his brother committed suicide when he was 14, and he lost his newborn child.

Hill told the court that the way the events unfold ed in the alleged vigilante incident, it was “a serious and dangerous situation” for Bearsears.

Judge Michelle Baldwin accepted the joint submis sion. She said taking his criminal record with previ ous property offences into consideration, the charges before the court “would and does result in a jail

sentence.”

She acknowledged, however, that he had suc cessfully served a threemonth CSO without any breaches, and recognized his Gladue factors due to his grandparents attending Indian Residential School. She also considered the personal loss he suffered, his young age, his early guilty plea, and his partial college education.

“Going forward that could assist you,” Judge Baldwin said about Bearsears attending col lege.

Hill told the court that Bearsears partially completed a western ranch cow and horse program in Vermillion at Lakeland College and he wants to finish that program and apply for work with local farmers.

N.B. man charged with child porn offences

SASKTODAY.ca

The Saskatchewan In ternet Child Exploitation Unit has charged a North Battleford man with child pornography offences in relation to an investigation

into possession of child por nography, through an online file sharing program.

A release issued Thursday of last weekj states that on Oct. 12, members of the ICE Unit executed a search

warrant at a residence in North Battleford that was identified as the location where the offences were occurring. Electronic devices were seized for further forensic analysis.

As a result of police in

vestigation, John Herman Mahler, 75 years, has been charged with two counts of possession of child por nography.

He was released from custody on numerous con ditions.

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BBEX nominees named

SASKTODAY.ca

The Battlefords AND District Chamber of Com merce together with its Battlefords Business Ex cellence (BBEX) awards committee and presenting sponsor Gold Eagle Casino have announced the final ists for each of the eight categories of awards to be presented at the BBEX gala Nov. 9.

Over the course of the spring and summer months, residents and busi nesses could nominate in dividuals and businesses for these awards. Once the businesses submitted their nomination package, those submissions went through the vetting process to ensure they qualified for the category based on its criteria. For example, the Young Entrepreneur final ists, must meet an age re quirement.

The 2022 finalists are: New Business Venture Award (sponsored by SIIT) – Autumn + Ash Décor and DIY Studio, Drift Wellness and Beauty; Heather Guthrie Cus tomer Service Star Award (sponsored by Swanson Gryba and Company)

– Natalie Elliot - Battl efords Gymnastics Club, Jada Leas -Discovery Cooperative Ltd. (gas bar), Geri Krelow – Fortier Mat tila Appraisals Inc., Dustin Linnell – Hawtin Plumbing Services Inc.;

Community Contribu tion Award (sponsored by SaskTel) – Bridges Chev rolet Buick GMC, Gold Eagle Lodge, Discovery Co-operative Ltd., Petro Canada;

Micro Business Award (sponsored by TD Bank) –Hawtin Plumbing Services Inc., Petro Canada, Oil Can Charlie’s Ltd, STIL Bou tique & Beauty Inc.;

Young Entrepreneur Award (sponsored by Northwest Community Fu tures Development Corp.) – David Fortier - Fortier Mattila Appraisals Inc., Jordyn Nachtegaele - Stu dent Works Painting, Lee Ganzert- HVR Construc tion Ltd., Isabel Smith - The Smith’s Makeup Artistry and Photography, Leah Sych - Drift Wellness and Beauty; Agriculture and AgriBusiness Award (sponsored by Farm Credit Canada) –4Suns Ag Solutions Ltd., Parrish & Heimbecker Ltd., Redhead Equipment,

Battlefords RCMP Weekly stats

RCMP

Break and Enter Investigations.

Vehicle Thefts.

Health Investigations.

Traffic Collisions.

individuals charged with impaired driving.

Various Traffic Charges.

Calls

Reported Thefts

Mischief investigations.

with information on any incident is urged to call the Battlefords RCMP at 306-446-1720 or Sas katchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Tingley’s Harvest Center; Impact Award (spon sored by Innovation Credit Union) – Battlefords Citi zens on Patrol Battlefords, Concern for Youth, Bat tlefords Early Childhood Intervention Program Inc., Battlefords Immigration Resource Centre Inc., Bat tlefords North Stars Hock ey Club Inc., Battlefords Union Hospital Founda tion, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Battlefords, Canadian Mental Health Association Battlefords Branch, Midwest Food Resources Project Inc., the Humane Society of the Battlefords Inc.;

Member’s Choice Award (sponsored by Bat tlefords and District Cham ber of Commerce) – Battl efords Animal Hospital; Blend Restaurant and Bar; Rooted Plumbing, Beth ann Weber Photography, Dream Realty SK.

A total of 38 finalists will be recognized for their excellence in busi ness in the Battlefords this year. New awards in 2022 include Agriculture and Agri-Business Award, Im pact Award and Member’s Choice Award. Young En trepreneur is a category that has been brought for ward to stand on its own, rather than being part of another category in 2020. One other key change in 2022, is that the Heather Guthrie Customer Ser vice Star award is being presented to an individual employee of a business. (In 2023 it will be awarded to a business owner, and will alternate each year)

The Business of the Year award will also be presented that evening, and will be selected from amongst the finalists in the business categories. Award winners will be revealed at the BBEX gala Wednes day, Nov. 9 at the Dekker Centre for the Performing Arts in North Battleford. Tickets will be available from the chamber.

NBCHS reunion committee donates $5,000 scholarship

By Miguel Fenrich Staff Reporter

The North Battleford Comprehensive High School reunion commit tee presented a $5,000 scholarship to principal Jay Nichol last week.

The committee chose to donate the last of the reunion money designat ing that a School Spirit Scholarship be awarded to a graduating student who represents enthusias tic school spirit, bringing together students, teachers

and the school as a whole.

Shelly Coates, commit tee co-chair, says criteria includes recognizing a student who values their time at school, saying, “These are connections you’ll have for your entire life if you’re able. I never had a bad day (at school) that I remember.”

The scholarship will be awarded for the next three years — $1,700 a year — stipulating the student has attended NBCHS for Grades 10, 11 and 12 and be accept

ed into a post-secondary program.

The committee has been planning their re union since 2019 and de cided to donate the left over money with NBCHS in mind. Monies raised came from registration donations, door prizes and remaining funds.

Shelly Coates, Shelley Wandler, Betty Speed, David Dekker, Cheryl Mitchell, Cindy Stark, Rob Lumsden and Robert Coates make up the com mittee.

Increase in town funding for humane society

By John Cairns SASKTODAY.ca

Town council in Battl eford has voted in favour of increased funding to the Battlefords Humane Society, although the amount is not as high as what was requested.

At their council meet ing Monday, council voted for $6,000 in the operating grant for 2023, an increase of $1,250 from their annual grant of $4,750 but well short of the $12,000 the organiza tion had requested.

The Humane Society’s manager Michelle Spark presented the organiza tion’s request for an in

crease in the grant from the town. In making the request for up to $12,000, Spark noted this was the first request for an in crease since 2016.

Increased costs are behind the request. The Battlefords Humane Soci ety provides around-theclock pound service to the town and other communi ties. The process of hold ing the animals for five days and providing vacci nations, deworming, food and other services comes to an average of $100 per day per animal.

The indication from town council members was that they were hesi tant about approving the

$12,000 amount. Mayor Ames Leslie told Spark “everyone in this room is a little shell-shocked by the ask today.”

Instead of agreeing to $12,000, the recom mendation from admin istration was to support a more modest increase in funding to $6,000, and that was approved and passed by council Mon day.

This increase would apply to 2023. The con sensus from council was the $6,000 amount was reasonable, but for future years the indication is the town would like to see more statistics from the humane society.

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Vice-chair Shelly Coates of the NBCHS Reunion Committee shakes hands and offers $5,000 dollar scholarship to the Jay Nichol.Photo by Miguel Fenrich

Opinion Feds should be cutting taxes, not raising them

By Franco Terrazzano Canadian Taxpayers Federation

The rising cost of living isn’t an act of God or nature. Politicians are making it worse every day. You can find politicians who are making life more affordable for taxpayers. But those politicians don’t live in Ottawa.

Ottawa is raising gas taxes, payroll taxes and even alcohol taxes. Meanwhile, 51 other national governments are providing relief, according to a Canadian Taxpayers Federation report. That includes more than half of the G7 and G20 countries. Two-thirds of the countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development are also cutting taxes.

Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau could choose to save a family about $20 every time they fuel up their minivan by cutting federal gas taxes.

But Trudeau is deliberately choosing higher pump prices. His carbon tax adds about 11 cents per litre to the price of gas. He’s planning to raise it to nearly 40 cents by 2030. Even after the rebates, the federal carbon tax costs the average household at least $299 this year, according to the Parliamentary Budget Officer.

The feds are also bringing in a second carbon tax through fuel regulations that will take effect next July. The government’s own analysis shows the tax will be especially painful for “lower and middle-income households.” It will also harm Canadians living in “energy poverty,” “single mothers” and “seniors living on fixed incomes.”

The CTF found 25 countries that are choosing to provide relief at the pumps. Australia cut its gas tax in half. The United Kingdom announced billions of dollars of fuel tax relief. The Netherlands cut its gas tax by 17 cents per litre. South Korea cut its taxes at the pumps by 30 per cent. India cut gas taxes to “keep inflation low, thus helping the poor and middle classes.”

Provinces are also cutting taxes. Statistics Canada noted that in July “gasoline prices fell the most in Ontario (-12.2 per cent), where the provincial government temporarily lowered the gasoline tax.”

“While the inflation rate nationally rose in April, the rate declined in Alberta,” said University of Calgary economist Trevor Tombe in May. “Falling gasoline prices because of the tax holiday is the reason.”

Trudeau is also choosing to take more money from Canadians’ pay.

If you make $65,000 this year, the federal government is taking nearly $4,500 directly from your pay through Canada Pension Plan and employment insurance taxes. Your employer must also cough up an extra $4,800.

This year, the annual payroll tax bill, including employer and employee payments, for each middleclass worker increased by $818. Over the decade, it increased by $2,435.

Our peers are choosing to reduce income taxes.

“We believe high taxes reduce incentives to work,” said the U.K.’s finance minister while announcing payroll tax relief.

“By putting more money in their pockets, families

will keep more of what they earn, allowing them to spend more on what they need,” said the Australian government, which is providing “permanent tax cuts of up to $2,565 for individuals in 2022 23.”

Eighteen countries including Belgium, Germany and Norway chose to save their citizens money by reducing consumption taxes. The U.K. is even providing liquor tax relief.

But on this side of the pond, Trudeau is choosing to increase the taxes Canadians pay every time they buy their favourite bottle of wine or case of beer. Taxes in Canada now make up about half of the price of beer, 65 per cent of the price of wine and more than three quarters of the price of spirits.

The CTF identified 11 national governments that cut business taxes. Our federal government isn’t one of them, despite Canada ranking in the bottom half of OECD countries on business tax competitiveness.

Other countries are choosing to make life more affordable for their citizens. Politicians in Ottawa could too. They just need to make the right choice to spend less and cut taxes so Canadians can keep more of our money.

Franco Terrazzano is the Federal Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation

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By R.H. Wood North Battleford

could ever have imagined that

ing, riveting,

Inquiry could have been supplanted by yet an even more transfixing one i.e. the Emergency Mea sures Act inquiry, E.M.A. for short. Mr. Trudeau’s vitriolic condemnation of the hockey board saw him at his statesmanship best, by word, expression and body language. His remarks on the emergency episode are limited to justification or Justinifica tion.

So far, the honed Ot tawa weepers and wailers are intent on us vicari ously having to relive their extreme sufferings. However, let us not equate or even compare E.M.A. to the miseries inflicted by the winds of Bonnie, Earl, Fiona and Ian etc. or the wetness in Paki stan and now Australia or the conflagrations in California and B.C. As

New book

Continued from Page 1

“I heard about it all my life, and then I wrote a journalism essay on it in 2019, published in the In digenous Times. In Febru ary, before the Kamloops discoveries, we began making a short documen tary.”

The film premiered at film festivals in 2021 in both Toronto and Mon treal. The book was writ ten in the summer of 2022, although Favel says the re search took decades.

Favel says he hopes people can learn about a much-neglected part of Saskatchewan’s history.

“We wanted to honour and pay homage to the liv

WoodPile

far as reported the socalled “witnesses” are all still alive and none were terminally deafened. Did any starve, have P.E.I. long power outages, tree or property loss, passport issues, displacement from country of origin resulting in refugee status, water or no drinkable water issues or distraction beyond endurance?

In my humble opinion, not meeting meaning fully and dialoguing with the semi-truck drivers

ing storytellers who could tell their stories and also for all the past students in the residential school.”

Karen Whitecalf, proj ect manager for BATC’s Star Children Initiative, searching for the 44 miss ing children, wrote in her foreword for the book:

“We recently received some information that there were 28 more burials that were not documented.

Oral history from survi vors told what they wit nessed: young boys had to help bury children. I don’t want to imagine the horrif ic nightmares these young boys must have endured,” Whitecalf writes.

“I pray for healing across the nation, I pray for our non-indigenous

and some of the protest leaders was a half- witted failure by the police and especially Mr. Trudeau as such could very well have led to de-escalation and E.M.A. not being required. Police and safety officers, all good at handing out parking and other infrac tion tickets, knew perfectly well that the convoy was coming and surely could have averted the traffic impasse. There are your answers Justice Rouleau in a short paragraph – why do we need an expensive inquiry?

The hockey inquiry must not go too far. It is all very well for the board members to be assessed permanent penalties but the purging has to be limited to these no doubt well-meaning but fis cally misguided hockey hierarchy heads. Person ally, I find it difficult to understand why off-ice transgressions have such direct relevance to play ing or a young person’s on-ice career. Will this

brothers and sisters to have understanding on why our people are so broken and to be patient with us while we are healing.”

Alix Van Der DoncktFerrand, the illustrator for Ashes to Embers, says she was awed by the power of the story, and the images of fire stuck in her head almost instantly. She worked to edit and produce the original documentary that was showcased in Montreal and Toronto.

“The strong story of resistance, resistance from children, and the image of the fire sort of stuck with me. I always had these images in my head about fire, and I wanted to draw them.” When they de cided to start turning the

sanitization extend to body checks, boarding, feigned fist fights, profanities, arguing with the referees, delay of game, interfer ence and unsportsmanship behaviour? Let us hope the hockey world which is so important in this country

film into a book, Van Der Donckt-Ferrand was ex cited.

“All those images were already built up in my head.”

The novel is published by Miyawata Culture, a company devoted to pre serving, rejuvenating and

can be rapidly restored to a sense of normality and reason and thus merit the return of sponsorship.

Last week’s logo was replaced by a photo graph of a Christmas tree wood-pile ornament. This most unexpected gift was

disseminating Cree culture and language worldwide. They are grounded in the belief that the creative, tra ditional cultures of Indig enous People across Turtle Island act as the bridge in which all people may take part.

The book will be

given to me by a lady and gentleman who originally suggested the title. It took my mind off E.M.A. and the hockey world woesthank you so much. By the way, did everyone remem ber that 18th October was Person’s Day?

available for purchase Oct. 30. Parts of the original film can be found on their website.

Favel is planning a book launch and signing in North Battleford at the start of November, and more information will be available at a later date.

With a decade and a half of bringing their special blend of Gypsy jazz and revisited cover songs, Christine Tassan et les Imposteures have made a name for themselves on the music scene.

The latest show of these four exquisitely talented musicians brings together some of the best works by Django Reinhardt, Félix Leclerc and American swing composers. With a singular mix of virtuosity, daring and humour, the string band draws inspiration from one artist’s poetry and the other’s swing to weave a rich new musical universe. They’ve expanded their concept to the wonderful swing music of some contemporary “friends” of Django and Félix. They revisit hit songs created by George Gershwin, Louis Prima or Charlie Chaplin and blend them nicely with Django’s beautiful melodies.

BCP kicks off 2022-23 season

By Miguel Fenrich Staff Reporter

Tom, a dentist and a father, fears his own mortality. Cass, a reli gious mother, might have fallen out of love. Axel, a budding actor, is set to star in an X-rated Pe ter Pan. Wanda, a loving sister, doesn’t know how to settle on a man. And Maggie, set to marry Russell, is unaware that her sister knows her fi ance a little too well.

There’s even a pastor in the other room. What could go wrong?

The Battlefords Com munity Players are kick starting their 2022-23 season with Maggie’s Getting Married, running from Oct. 18 to 29.

Written by Norm Fos ter, the play is a modern comedy set in the Dun can family’s kitchen.

Throughout the evening, it follows the trials and tribulations that come with the eve of a wed ding and explores family dynamics up close and personal.

The Maggie’s Getting Married cast includes: Rebekka Landon as Maggie; Amana Gies as

Wanda; Crystal Gilbert as Cass; Fraser Glen as Tom; Maurie Gagnon as Axel, and: Gregory Kwong as Russell.

BCP has produced 250 plays over the last 75 years, bringing in more than 70 individual and group awards. Awards which include: best direc tor, best actor, and best play, which they have won seven times for Har vey, In Search of Love, The Curate Shakespeare, As You Like It, The Stone Builder, The Stranger, and You Are Here.

Though Maggie’s Get ting Married is almost sold out, tickets are avail able for the BCP’s up coming play.

In December, a Christ mas comedy aptly named Farndale Avenue Hous ing Estate Townswomen’s Guild Dramatic Society’s Production of A Christ mas Carol will make its Battlefords debut.

Tickets or season passes can be ordered via their email at bcpdra ma@sasktel.net or their phone at 306-446-3133. Read more information on upcoming shows on their website http://www. bcpdrama.com.

Nosferatu arrives at Dekker Centre for movie’s 100th anniversary

Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra will play along with film

By Miguel Fenrich Staff Reporter

Brian Unverricht, a re tired high-school music teacher, has been with the Saskatoon Symphony Or chestra for over 40 years, and loves Halloween.

Oct. 20, he and the SSO are playing the soundtrack to a screening of Nosferatu at the Dekker Centre as a part of a four-part tour to Lloydminster, North Battl eford, Saskatoon and Mel fort.

Nosferatu is a 1922 German horror film based on Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula. The film uses adaptations of Johannes Braum’s classical music, which Unverricht says fits the movie’s atmosphere

Nosferatu is a 1922 German horror film based on Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula.Photo courtesy Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra

well. Peter Kay also wrote pieces for the film.

“Some of the music is quite challenging. It’s kin da scratchy, but it’s done on purpose. It’s really beauti ful music, but pretty de manding on the players.

“Some come for the movie, but some come

just for the concert. When the SSO did these shows before, there were some people who would sit in the very front row of ev ery show, and I think they watch the musicians as much as the movie.”

Before the film, the SSO will be playing a Felix

Brian Unverricht loves Halloween.| Photo courtesy Persephone Theatre

the Cat short Pedigreedy from 1927. Tickets can be purchased at the Dekker Centre’s website: dekker centre.com.

Bready Elementary set to howl at Norman Foote’s Halloween show

By Miguel Fenrich Staff Reporter

Students from Bready Elementary will have the chance to sing at the Dekker Centre on Friday, Oct. 28, when Norman Foote arrives in the Battl efords. His show, Norman Foote and the Halloween Howl, will have students

form the chorus, singing as howlers in his Halloween bash.

“They will perform on stage with him,” Kali We ber, general manager for the Dekker Centre, said, adding that his show will bring a new level of com munity engagement.

Weber spoke on the show’s timing, saying that

affordable, professional performing arts for fami lies and children were essential to her. Weber added the show is intrigu ing, revolving around the Halloween holiday, which isn’t something she’s had pitched to her before.

Norman Foote is a singer and puppeteer with an extensive history of

shows across Canada. The Dekker Centre implores families to come to the show dressed in their best Halloween costumes and join the fun.

Tickets can be pur chased at the Dekker Cen tre’s website dekkercentre. com, at the box office, or over the phone at 306-4457702.

Author celebrates debut novel

By Miguel Fenrich Staff Reporter

dee Hobsbawn-Smith wrote her debut novel, Danceland Diary, over nine years, with the idea sparking after her mother and aunt shared a story about their missing grand father, who may or may not have been put down a well. Smith said her mother was always a sensible woman, saying,

“My mother would al ways say, ‘who would ruin a good well?’”

In February, HobsbawnSmith was reading from Habeeb Salloum’s cooking novel in North Battleford

and returned to the North Battleford Public Library to read excerpts from her debut novel last Wednes day.

The novel follows a young woman named Luca who is searching for her mother in Vancouver, re turning to Saskatchewan in her 30s to care for her ail ing grandmother.

An excerpt from the publisher’s promotional material reads,

“Luka Dekker and her sister Connie are the inheritors of a secretive and disturbing family history going back three generations to the disap pearance of their great-

grandfather. Their troubled mother, Lark, also myste riously disappeared; and their beloved grandmother, who raised the two girls, had a life haunted by a traumatic event that is only revealed after her death.”

Hobsbawn-Smith has eight other published books to her credit, and her recent Bread & Water es say collection won the Sas katchewan Book Award for non-fiction.

Colin Evans, head li brarian for the library, wel comed the crowd.

“I’m honoured to wel come celebrated and award-winning author, poet, and red seal chef, who

has won North American and International awards.” Smith is a fifth-gen eration central Saskatch ewanite, and her maternal family are Hutterites from the Dakotas. She earned her MFA in Writing and her MA in English Lit at the University of Saskatch ewan, telling herself, “I want to figure out how to write a novel,” HobsbawnSmith said when she wrote her creative thesis. Today, she and her partner Dave Margoshes live on her fam ily’s ancestral land.

On the 26th of Oct., Hobsbawn-Smith will be at the Radisson Town Hall at 7:30 to read from her novel.

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dee Hobsbawn-Smith poses with her debut novel, Danceland Diary.

| Photo by Miguel Fenrich

Art Notes

Colours of autumn

By Rosemarie Stadnyk Battlefords Art Club

It’s the time of the year for Saskatchewan to show off her colours from deep yellow to bright oranges and vibrant copper. The river valley, hills, fields and meadows sing with

glorious colour. Art Club members are celebrating the season with colours of autumn in all artistic expression. The Art Club meets at the Don Ross craft room every Tuesday. Bring your paints or other media and join us for a day of art.

The Quilt Patch Next meeting Nov. 4

By Corinne J. Nedelec Rivers’ Edge Quilt Guild

The Oct. 4 meet ing of the Rivers’ Edge Quilters saw 21 ladies come out to share their love of quilting.

The quilt classes coming up are the “Roundy round”, dog/cat mats and the “Scrappy” mystery quilt. The dog/ cat mats will be donated to the Humane Society. While these classes are the ones on the schedule, members are welcome to come out for sew ing days at the guild on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. A chance to visit, get help and work on their projects, get ideas, etc.

There are many com fort quilts to finish up and lots of extra fabric to make quilts in many sizes. A possibility of a “comfort quilt” day coming up in November.

There will be a demo from a former member, Betty on how to tie a quilt, hopefully in No vember as well.

The pillowcase dresses are being do nated to the “shoebox” campaign for girls over seas in poorer countries. The lady who organizes this was thrilled to have these added to the boxes.

We are hoping to

get a grant from Sask. En ergy for their “share the warmth” program. This will go towards purchasing batting that is needed for the comfort quilts, among other things. As with all things in our world today, prices have increased.

The meeting ended with a show and tell, where the members showed us their latest projects they have been working on. As you can tell from the pictures, these ladies are dedicated

and very talented.

Our next quilt guild meeting is on Nov. 4 at 1 p.m. at the Don Ross Cen ter. Hope to see you there! ADVICE FROM A QUILT

-Make lasting memories -Block out time for family -Cherish tradition -Keep your friends in stitches -Find common threads -Know when to cut corners -It’s OK to be a little scrappy!

Dorothy Lehman

Shelley Rea McMillan

Kayla Petersen Owner

Lissa Kissick REALTOR®

Art club members enjoy the colours of the season in their artwork. | Photos submitted

Should

business embrace alternative payment methods?

The world is becoming increa singly digital, and so is payment processing. Here’s what you should know about alternative payment me thods (APMs) for small businesses.

DEFINITION

An APM is any form of payment that isn’t made using cash or a major cre dit card. Examples include crypto currencies like bitcoin, electronic wallets like PayPal and mobile wallets like Apple Pay.

BENEFITS

APMs can provide your business with a significant advantage over the competition. Here are three reasons to diversify your payment options.

• Boost efficiency and sales. With APMs, customers don’t have to

input all their information for each purchase. This simplifies the chec kout process and may result in more sales.

• Increase customer confidence. Offe ring APMs ensures your customers can pay in ways that are convenient for them. This will help them feel at ease and demonstrate your commit ment to providing exceptional ser vice.

• Save on expenses. APMs don’t in cur large transaction fees like cre dit cards. Therefore, you’ll save money when customers use them to make their purchases.

APMs can benefit your small bu siness and help you grow your local, national and global customer base.

5 reasons to have a website for your small business website will allow you to reach clients in other cities and regions. This is especially relevant if you have an online store.

If you own a small busi ness, having a website is vital to its success. To mark BDC Small Busi ness Week, which runs from October 16 to 22, 2022, here are five rea sons you should create a website for your com pany.

1. Gain visibility Websites allow clients

to find out more about your business. If search engine optimization (SEO) is used, they can also help you connect with your target mar ket when they appear in search engine results.

2. Provide information Websites are great plat forms for organizing and communicating a

lot of information effi ciently. A well-designed website, both in terms of ease of use and of the information you put on it, can make a huge impact on your bottom line.

3. Extend your reach Word of mouth shouldn’t be underes timated but having a

4. Get free market re search

Tracking your website’s traffic statistics can be a powerful way to shape your marketing strat

egy. You can find out more about the kinds of people who search for your business and what motivates them to make purchases.

5. Enhance your brand image

Your website says a lot about your company. It can be the glue that holds your brand image

together, and the de sign choices you make will play a key role in converting visitors into customers. To create an attractive and effective website, work with a reputable business. In particular, many local media com panies offer website creation services.

October is Agriculture Month

Pumpkin carving party inspires family fun

By Averil Hall Freelance Photographer

The parking lot was full at Sallows & McDonaldWilson & Zehner Funeral home on Saturday in North Battleford, but it wasn’t due to a funeral. People came from all over to partake in the Pumpkin Carving Community Social.

T’Neale Bosman, the genius behind the event, wanted to do something for the community. She went to the Co-op and they said they would donate 40 pumpkins for a pumpkin carving event. The event was such a hit that 40 more

pumpkins had to be pur chased later on the day of the event.

Bosman had all the tools, plastic tablecloths and treats and all anyone had to do was show up. And show up they did!

Everyone from young to old had a great time carving up their pumpkin creations in hopes that they may win the contest. Even if they didn’t win they were able to bring home a carved pumpkin made with their own hands. Even the candle for inside was provided, and the clean up was taken care of, too.

The Mountain fam

ily mentioned that they were looking for an inexpensive event that they could go to. Someone sug gested a corn maze but that was out of the city. W hen someone told them of the free pumpkin carving event she jumped at the chance to bring her three kids. She said she was so glad she came that day; it was such a good event for the whole family.

Ryan

Small children could take part in scooping out the inside of the pumpkins.

At right, the Hawghian family and their pumpkin. |Photos by Averil Hall / Freelance Photographer

Keelyn Crossland and the pumpkin she carved.

The Nelson family from Perdue showing off their skills.

The Mountain family was looking for an affordable event to go to with the family because of budget constraints. When she saw this event on Facebook she couldn’t wait to go with her three children.

Borden and District News: Tea supports care home

By Lorraine Olinyk Correspondent

The Borden Friendship Club held their regular business meeting Oct. 12 with 20 members attend ing. A donation of $1,000 will be given to Little Sprouts Early Learning Centre. The Dec.8 Christ mas supper will be catered to. Entertainment for the next few potluck suppers is Wilf and Joan Rice along with Ben and Lorraine Stenson for Oct. 27, Don Balzer for Nov. 24 and the Penner Family for Dec. 8. The club now has member ship of 90 and the club will have a display table at the Welcome to Borden Night

Oct. 20. A person has been hired to bake the birthday cakes. The next business meeting will be Thursday, Nov. 10 as the regular day is booked for RM of Great Bend elections.

The Borden Friendship Club held a fall tea and bake sale Oct. 14, with 45 out to enjoy angel food cake, whipped cream and strawberries with their beverages. The tables were beautifully decorated by Brenda Tumbach. There were two long tables of baking that were soon bought by the guests. The 50/50 of $57 was won by Rosann Carr, and there were numerous door prizes with seven going to resi

dents, staff or family of the Borden Care Home and the other 17 prizes going to locals. A total of $665.25 was raised and will be pre sented to the Borden Care Home.

The Borden and Dis trict Lions held a fall sup per Oct. 15 in the Borden Community Centre with over 200 adults and chil dren enjoying the mal. Pro ceeds from the supper will go to various charities that the Lions support locally and elsewhere.

Borden Fire and Rescue held a fundraising barbe cue at noon Oct. 16 at the firehall, serving burgers with chips and beverages and to show off renovations

inside the firehall over the past few years. Their next fundraiser is a steak night Nov. 5 in the Borden Com munity Centre and the $25 tickets can be purchased from any firefighter. That night the Little Sprouts Early Childhood Centre will be having a silent auc tion in the Friendship Club Room and donations are being accepted for that un til the end of October. For more information contact the village office at 306997-2134 during business hours.

RM of Great Bend councillors elected by ac clamation are: Division 1- Elizabeth Torrens (a two-year term to replace

It was a full house when the Borden Lions hosted a fall supper at the Borden Community Centre Oct. 15.

| Photo by Lorraine Olinyk

Greg Orchard); Division 2 - Brett Larsen; Division 4Gary Nickel. There will be an election in Division 6. Don Wirchenko and James

Meota News: Warm fall a boon to farmers

By Lorna Pearson Correspondent

The weather stays dry, and very dusty, but at least the farmers are able to get their fall work done when it stays like this. The num ber of bales throughout the countryside is amazing, so even if the winter is cold those cows should have warm beds. There was a bit of rain a few days ago, more in town than here.

The bridge players at the Pioneer Hall had three tables in play both days. Tuesday top scores went to Gerry Craig and

Barbara Mitchell while second place went to Anna Waldbillig and Margaret Dyck. On Thursday top score went to Barbara Mitchell and Vern Iverson and second to Linda Ard and Jean Lawes.

Over a dozen seniors gathered at the Do Drop In for coffee and cookies Wednesday morning Oct. 12, for a nice social get together. The list of films available for our free use was gone over and suggestions were made to Vivianne as to ones we would likely find interesting.

Oct. 14, five tables of

seniors played Norwegian Whist and one table played Kaiser, in Towers II. In whist, top score was tied by Janice Morton and Eric Callbeck while third was Karn Kelly. In two weeks this will be repeated, same place at 1:30 p.m.

A memorial service was held in the Belbutte Church Oct. 15 for the late Doreen Baynes who passed on Nov. 9, 2020, at the age of 86. She was held in high esteem by her family and many friends as shown by the full-house turnout. Fol lowing the service, a meal was set out for everyone

to enjoy. Much socializing carried on for some time, as folks saw friends they hadn’t seen for years be cause of COVID.

My daughter Joyce Rowland from Wetaski win, Alta. was here over the weekend and after we attended the service, we took a leisurely drive to Chitek Lake, driving through the area where we lived at one time. Chitek keeps growing but is losing some needed services. The store is closed and so was the cafe. We ended up at the Rabbit Lake for supper, which was “tops.” Over

heard at the buffet table were men were working in the area who were very impressed with the country meal they enjoyed greatly. There was a very good turnout, which made all the cook’s efforts worthwhile.

On the drive back to Meota we encountered five deer at different places and missed them all.

Dirk and Caroline Van Ee, of Meota, had a won derful two weeks driving to British Columbia at the end of September and be ginning of October. Two speaking engagements for Caroline at Faith Mission

Usselman are running. Councillor in Division 3 is Dave Amson and in Divi sion 5, Ian Hosegood. The reeve is Kim Maxwell.

Retreat Centre in Falkland, B.C. prompted the trip. Sept. 24 and Oct. 1, Caro line shared three talks on Psalm 23 and John 10 with 35 ladies and 50 ladies. During the week in be tween, they had a wonder ful opportunity to recon nect with friends in Vernon and family in the Abbots ford area, including Dirk’s Mom, Mina Van Ee, who will be 99 next January. Besides a lot of con struction on the highways, it was a fantastic trip, with the fall colours and good weather making the scen ery truly enchanting.

Unity News

The 2021 Census says Unity has dropped in population

By Sherri Solomko Correspondent Press-Herald freelance reporter Helena Long did some research and learned that various details and data from the 2021 Statis tics Canada census contin ue to be released weekly, and the population counts are out. Those counts for the towns and villages in the Wilkie-Unity PressHerald reading area reveal a decline in population, with the town of Scott be ing the only one to buck the trend. The largest centre, Unity, recorded population of 2,496 in 2021 compared to the 2,573 individuals counted in the 2016 census, a decrease of three per cent Unity United Church fall supper is Oct. 27. There may still be tickets avail able so call Faye McLean or Janice Leeson to check on availability.

In a testament to the goodness in kids, two young girls sold the pump kins they harvested from their patch, letting people know that all proceeds would be donated to the community’s Secret Santa initiative.

At Unity Compos ite High School, Warrior football will begin play offs next weekend and it looks like they will host a home game. UCHS junior volleyball hosted tourna

ments last weekend, while the senior teams were out of town. Junior confer ence playoffs will be next weekend while the senior teams still have a couple more weeks to fine-tune their teams before playoff season begins. Drama club members are working on their winter production.

A great bonus to parents or students packing lunch is that UCHS offers a hot lunch every Thursday from their booth.

St. Peter’s School staff and students bid farewell to Mr. Weber, who has now retired. Mr. Weber spent his entire teaching career with St. Peter’s and their social media post said, “… we were blessed to have him share his knowledge with students and staff all of these years and he will be greatly missed.” The AR reading stars continue to be recognized and cel ebrated each month.

The Unity Miners begin their season Oct.28. The town’s website, the TVs in the rink lobby and the are na Facebook page have the latest schedule for what is happening at the rink. Re member, you can now opt in for the LiveBarn stream ing service to watch games and there is SaskTel Select WiFi at the rink.

Unity Curling Club is ready to rock and roll in their house as leagues be

gin next week, and high school curling will begin their season early Novem ber.

Starting Nov. 7, the in door walking program at the Unity Community Centre will run each week day from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., providing the upper hall is not booked for another event.

UCHS gym hosts the indoor pickleball club this winter. Contact Ang Elder for details. As well, there is a recreational volleyball program taking place at UPS this winter.

Unity is looking for a new financial officer after Kavi Pandoo announced his resignation to move onto another opportunity. The town is also still re cruiting for a director of Public Works. Mayor Del Frari also says they have contacted the Ministry of Highways to light the ac cess roads as part of the new bypass as well as re viewing the speed limits posted on this new road, as residents have expressed their concerns.

The former Country Pantry is being trans formed into another dance studio, Flourish Studios. Owner Amy Briggs says more work will be taking place at this location in the days to come.

Don’t forget, your com munity’s food bank relies

on donations, either prod uct or monetary to help those in need. Unity Food Bank is thankful for the Thanksgiving food drives done by schools, stores and churches and remind residents that items such as laundry soap, dish soap, condiments and coffee are also things that could be used to help fill their shelves. Both food stores have product drop-off lo cations.

At right, Elaine Ackerman was the big door prize winner at Unity Ag Society’s Fall Fair and Trade Show, taking home a $200 grocery gift card. | Courtesy of Unity Ag. Society

The team at Unity fire hall held their annual open house in conjunction with Fire Prevention Week, cooking up burgers and welcoming residents to tour the hall, while the children were offered a ride in a fire truck. | Photo by Sherri Solomko

CONKIN: John Barrie Conkin With deep sorrow we share that Barrie Conkin passed away in White Rock, BC on Wednesday, October 12, 2022. Six days shy of his 85th birthday, there is some comfort in knowing that Barrie lived a full and robust life. Barrie joins his beloved wife, Marie who passed away in 2016. He will be forever remembered by his children, Anne Marie (Tom) Hawkins (San Rafael, CA); Riley (Allison) Conkin (Seattle, WA); and Clare Conkin (Vancouver, BC), as well as his grandchildren, Connor, Drew and Hannah (and his recently departed furry four-footed “grandson,” Guinness). Barrie is also survived by his brother, Robert (Linda) Conkin (Kelowna, BC); and sister, Jean Conkin (North Battleford, SK). He is predeceased by his parents, Helen (Beamish) and John Conkin; sister, Margaret and brother, Gregory. If you were stranded on an island, Barrie would be the person you’d want to be with. Not only did he have all the survival gear you could possibly need; he knew how to use it. Just check out any vehicle trunk or aircraft storage compartment Barrie owned, and you’d see how well-outfitted you’d be for any journey. Barrie’s caring manner and convivial attitude toward adverse situations would steady one’s nerves. He’d have a nickname for you in about 5 minutes and be genuinely concerned about how you were doing. That was Barrie –prepared, humble, curious, and full of good humour. This mix of qualities came to be because of his grandparents’ hardy spirit having come from Scotland, Ireland, and Russia to homestead in Saskatchewan. His mother was a teacher in the Banana Belt and his father set up his own general store, Conkin’s Ltd., first in Maidstone and later in North Battleford. As Barrie was attending the University of BC hoping to go into dentistry, he was called to help run the family business due to his father’s health. Barrie’s loyalty to family and friends was another key quality. Barrie changed his career path to take on the full responsibility of his father’s business. When his father, John, passed away in 1970, Barrie was entrusted with Conkin’s Department Store, which he would expand and transform into a successful retail hub for the farming, First Nation, Hutterite, Mennonite, and many other local communities. Barrie was a marvel to watch in the store. His genuine and down-to-earth manner appealed to everyone he met. He valued and treated his employees and customers with great respect. When Barrie was in the store it would hum with laughter, stories and conversation. Being the owner of a department store for over 50 years, Barrie was used to buying by the dozen. This carried over into all other areas of his life, much to Marie’s dismay. Barrie was well known for his generosity. If you knew Barrie, you were likely to receive a free warm coat, boots or shirt from his personal collection. Community was important to Barrie. He was very civic minded from a young age, which carried through his entire life. From his early days as a leader in the Jaycees and Junior Chamber of Commerce, to his term as mayor of North Battleford, which he was especially proud of. Barrie also loved the outdoors and experiencing them with his family and friends through his many interests including flying, sailing, fishing, hunting, and skiing. He was famous for treating his guests to “lunches” on his adventures, which always included good food and drinks. Many Conkin family drives around town would end up at the runway of the municipal airport. There we would wait for a plane to land or take off. It was not a big airport so the wait times could be interminably long. Barrie was inspired by his mother’s brothers and aunt who were pilots and members of the Saskatchewan chapter of the International Flying Farmers. Never too late was Barrie’s creed, and at 40 he took flight lessons from Battleford Airways, operated by his good friends and teachers, Louis and Fran De Kock, and obtained his private pilot’s license. His first plane was his Uncle Ovy’s Cessna 172, which he enjoyed exploring the northern wilderness with many friends and family. Not one to do things by half measures, Barrie would go on to own and fly three different aircraft, including a twin engine Beechcraft. Barrie’s interests were many and varied. He loved to read. If you picked up a novel, newspaper or magazine at home, you would see the signature circles and arrows pointing to points of interest that Barrie had made with his pen. The ultimate archivist, Barrie had folders with clipped out articles for everyone he knew. He only had to hear once what you were interested in, and you would have a folder full of clippings on your favorite topics. Barrie’s family would like to give special thanks to his specialist doctors in White Rock, Dr. Collins, Dr. Offer and Dr. Skepasts, as well as the staff and especially the care team members at Amica White Rock for their tender and loving care of dad during his last year. You treated Barrie with respect and compassion, which is truly appreciated. Barrie will be most treasured for his love and commitment to family and friends. Trips to the cottage he helped to build from the ground up at Jackfish Lake, to the local ski hill, Table Mountain he helped set up, lessons in the Canadian Rockies and multiple trips to Hawaii were full of adventures and good cheer. Many happy times were shared with Barrie over a good meal and a glass or two of wine that he had found a good deal on. His spirit of joy and enthusiasm for so many things in life will live on in those of us who love him dearly. Barrie, we hope you are at perfect peace and “soaring freely through space on the infinite highway of the air.” We will miss you so much. A celebration of life will be held at a later date to be announced.

HIPKISS: It is with deep sadness that the Hipkiss family announce the passing of Valerie Hipkiss of Vancouver on September 24, 2022 at the age of 64 years. Valerie was born September 23, 1958 in North Battleford to Agnes Hipkiss and Father Laurie (Lawrence) Hipkiss. Left to cherish her memory are her sisters Sharon (Lou) Mohagen; Darlene Kingwell; brothers Grant (Judy) Hipkiss; Allan Hipkiss and her many nieces and nephews. A donation may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society in Valerie’s memory. Thank you to all family and friends for your support and prayers. A celebration of life will be announced at a later date.

SMITH: Mrs. Dorothy Smith, resident of Battleford, SK passed away October 4, 2022 at the age of 70 years. As per Dorothy’s wishes no formal service will be held at this time. Left to cherish her memory is her husband, Edward; children and their families: Micheal l Nykiforuk (wife -Cheryl) - Kealy (son - Grayson), Kameron; Mark Nykiforuk – Mackenzie; Jaimie Smith - Nahoni, Nevaeh; daughter-in-law, Janice Smith; Chantel ‘Tilly’ Smith; sisters: Debbie Stump, Donna (Rick) Henderson, Dallas (Claire) Sobchak. She is predeceased by her mother, Elizabeth Allan; father, Russell Allan; mother-in-law, Diana Smith; father-in-law, Robert Smith. Dorothy ‘Dot’ Beatrice Florence Smith (née Allan) was born on September 23, 1952 in Vancouver, BC and moved to Flin Flon, MB at 1 year old with her parents Elizabeth & Russell Allan. They would have 3 more daughters: Debbie, Donna and Dallas. The 4 daughters were raised in the rocky, mining town of Flin Flon in northern Manitoba in a small house on Tweedsmuir Street below the smelter of the Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting Companythe mine where her dad, Russell worked. Her mom, Betty, worked at a department store downtown. Dot spent many summers on the northern lakes going camping, to the Trout Festival, fish fries, boating and grew to be an amazing swimmer as she spent many summers as a teenager lifeguarding & water skiing. She also enjoyed skating, ice fishing and sliding down the city’s above ground, plywood sewage boxes to and from school in the wintertime. She has many cherished memories growing up in the northern mining city built on the rocks. Dot & Edward (of Pelly, SK) met in Thompson, MB where she cooked and waited tables, while Ed had come to work at the Inco nickel mine in 1973. They got married June 12, 1976 in Thompson & then they eventually moved backed to Pelly in 1977 & would live there for 21 years. They had 4 children: Micheal, Mark, Jaimie & Chantel (Tilly). They would spend the majority of their time raising their kids in Pelly having 2 of their sons: Mark & Jaimie graduate there. They would then move onto Lloydminster in 1998 via transfer of Ed’s long-time job as a Millwright working for Sask. Wheat Pool/Viterra until 2000 when another transfer in his job would take them to The Battlefords, SK. They built their currenthome just outside of Battleford & their last child Tilly would graduate high school in 2004. Over the years, Dot took on many careers. From waiting tables, to cooking, to working for the RCMP as a Matron in Lloydminster & North Battleford. She also worked in mental health in Lloydminster as well as in the Battlefords at Edward’s Society Group & Battlefords Trade & Education Centre until retirement at age 65. Dot & Ed enjoy their children, 5 grandchildren & one great-grandchild. Dot recently celebrated her 70th Birthday in September surrounded by her husband, kids, grandchildren & great-grandchild. Condolences for the family can be left at www. eternalmemoriesfuneral.ca Arrangements have been entrusted to Vanessa Macnab of Eternal Memories Funeral Service and Crematorium

SMITH: It is with great heavy hearts that we announce that Myrtle Smith passed away at the Riverside Health Complex in Turtleford on September 17th, 2022 with her family at her side. Myrtle was born in the Turtleford Hospital on February 15th, 1950. She was the fifth and last child born to Jim and Lurane Davidson. She grew up on the family farm in the Brightsand area. She had a great childhood and loved to share memories of that time. It seemed like a time of fun, hard work and a lot of shenanigans! So many stories! On August 15th, 1970 she married David Smith and they went on to have three children: Penny, Pamela and Darrel. She loved when they were able to move out to the acreage. She was happy doing all the renovations that had to take place (except for when they would come across the mice!), she also loved working out in her huge garden and yard there. There were so many happy memories made at that place. She loved being outside, loved camping and loved being surrounded by her family. Mom was so happy when they bought the cabin up at Brightsand Lake, and even more so when her and dad were able to retire up there. She loved it best when she was surrounded by her grandkids. They meant the world to her, she would move Heaven and Earth to make them happy. Her favourite thing was when she could just sit back and listen to them having a good time with each other, she loved listening to them laugh and have fun. She had a huge impact on us all and she loved us all fiercely, she will be greatly missed. Left to cherish Myrtle’s memory is her loving family: Husband, David; Daughter, Penny (Doug), Jessica (Autumn), Dani (Malcolm); Daughter, Pam (Aaron), Hailey (Lane), Tristan (Kamryn); Son, Darrel (Araya), Anna, Sophia and Adira; Sister, Alvina; Mother-in-law, Winnie Smith; Sister-in-law, Darleen; Sister-in-law, Myrna (Roly); Sister-in-law & Brother-in-law: Linda & Walter, and numerous nieces and nephews. Myrtle was predeceased by her Mom, Lurane; Dad, James; Father-in-law, Gordon; her Brothers: Tommy, Jack and Don; her Sister-in law, Jean and her Brother-in-law, Delbert. As per Myrtle’s wishes there will be no funeral. A private family interment will be held. Memorial donations in memory of Myrtle Smith can be directed to the Kinsmen TeleMiracle Foundation 2217C Hanselman Court, Saskatoon SK S7L 6A8. Condolences for the family can be left at www.eternalmemoriesfuneral.ca Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Eternal Memories Funeral Service & Crematorium - Trevor Watts Funeral Director.

NORDELL: Roland “Rollie” Bruce Nordell passed away peacefully at his home on October 10, 2022 at the age of 92 years. Rollie will be sadly missed by: his loving wife, Marion of 70 plus years; son, Garry; daughter, Betty; grandchildren, Ron (Lana) Wolfe, Bonnie Wolfe (Joel Dustan) and Daryl Wolfe; great granddaughters, Hannah, Hazel and Hallie Wolfe; and numerous relatives and friends. Rollie was pre-deceased by: his parents, Bruce and Mabel Nordell; his parents-in-law, Joe and Betty Brooks; and his brother, Jack Nordell. The Celebration of Life for Rollie was conducted from Turtleford Community Centre, Turtleford, Saskatchewan on Saturday, October 15, 2022. If you were unable to attend, the service was recorded and is posted on McCaw’s website under Rollie’s obituary. Rollie was born on August 6, 1930, in Turtleford, Saskatchewan. He grew up on the farm one mile west of Turtleford and attended school in town. After completing grade 12 he worked at Fletcher’s Store for 3 winters and farmed in the summer. He married Marion Brooks on October 31, 1951. Side by side they farmed south of Turtleford for 55 years. Rollie loved the farm life, the joy of new baby calves every spring and raising his herd of Simmental cattle as well as the trials and tribulations of grain farming. The most difficult part of farming came in 2006 when it came time to make the decision to retire. Rollie and Marion retired back to the farm where Rollie grew up. Not only did Rollie work hard he played hard. From a young age Rollie loved sports. He played ball, hockey and curled every chance he could. He pitched for the hometown team and played hockey with the Turtleford Tigers in the Big 6 and Big 4 leagues. Later he enjoyed playing with the Turtleford Tired Tigers. Apart from sports he enjoyed being with friends and family whether it was ski-doing, downhill skiing, fishing, dancing, visiting, or playing canasta which often lasted until all hours in the morning. Rollie was a proud supporter of his community being involved in many organizations including the Lions, TADRA, Agricultural Society, Mervin 4-H Beef Club, Turtleford Credit Union Board and Wheat Pool Committee. He volunteered and supported the community in any way that he could. Being involved meant socializing with people in the community and lifelong friendships. A special memory was organizing and participating in the 1976 Turtleford School Reunion. There was always time for the younger generations. Rollie coached minor hockey and was a leader and supporter of Garry and Betty’s 4-H projects. When grandchildren came along, he travelled to hockey and ball games, school plays and whatever other activities the family was involved in. Many special times were had with family at the cabin at Turtle Lake. Donations in memory of Rollie may be made to Turtleford Hospital Auxiliary Inc., T.A.D.R.A or donor’s charity of choice. McCaw Funeral Service Ltd., of Lloydminster, Alberta administered the funeral arrangements. The Nordell family would like to thank all those who showed their support.

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late of RICHARD in the Province of Saskatchewan, deceased.

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I hereby give public notice that no voting for the said office(s) will take place and that the following persons are elected by acclamation:

Kevin Boyko, Councillor Division 2

Victor Hupaelo, Councillor Division 4

John Ogenchuk, Councillor Division 6

Mark Misquitta Returning Officer

PUBLIC NOTICE

Public Notice is hereby given pursuant to Section 207 of The Planning & Development Act, 2007 that the R.M. of North Battleford No. 437 intends to pass a bylaw to amend Bylaw 5-2016 known as the Zoning Bylaw.

INTENT

The proposed amendment will: 1. Add the following new “Residential Use” and associated development standards to Table 6-7: C2-Restricted Commercial and Light Industrial District: Table 6-7: C2 – Restricted Commercial and Light Industrial District Development Standards for the Rural Municipality of North Battleford No. 437

This

$850

For More Information Please Contact Town of Ogema 204 Main Street Ogema, Sask Phone: (306) 459-9000 Email: admin@ogema.ca

HEALTH SERVICES

1st

to

Standards

To facilitate the use of pre-existing single detached dwellings in the C2 District.

AFFECTED LAND

Lands within the C2 – Restricted Commercial and Light Industrial District will be affected by the amendment. Zoning maps can be found online at rmofnorthbattleford.com or at the Municipal Of ce.

PUBLIC INSPECTION

The Bylaw may be inspected by any interested person at the municipal of ce, located at Highway 4 North and Forest Hall Road in the R.M. of North Battleford No. 437, open Monday through Friday, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m (excluding statutory holidays).

Copies are available at no cost.

PUBLIC HEARING

Council will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, November 15, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. at the municipal of ce to hear any person or group that wants to comment on the proposed bylaw. Council will also consider written comments received at the hearing or delivered to the undersigned at the municipal of ce before the hearing.

Issued by the RM of North Battleford No. 437 this 20th day of October 2022.

Nicole Collins, Administrator

HOUSEKEEPER / CHILD CARE URGENTLY NEEDED

CHILDCARE

NOTICES

NOTICE OF ABANDONMENT OF POLL

The Rural Municipality of Douglas No. 436 Municipal Elections 2022.

Whereas the following individuals, nominated for the following offices:

Randy Bohun - Councillor for Division 2

Howard Linnell - Councillor for Division 4

Wayne Rafuse - Councillor for Division 6 are the only candidates, I hereby give notice that no voting for the respective offices will take place on November 9, 2022.

Dated this 17th day of October, 2022.

Darrin Beaudoin Returning Officer

NOTICE OF ABANDONMENT OF POLL

RURAL MUNICIPALITY OF HILLSDALE NO. 440

Municipal Elections 2022

Whereas a poll is not required pursuant to The Local Government Election Act for the offices of: Councillor for Division 2 Councillor for Division 6

I hereby give notice that no voting for the said offices will take place and that the following persons are elected by acclamation: Councillor for Division 2 - Tannis Chibri

Councillor for Division 6 - Dale F. Chibri (Chip) Dated at Neilburg, this 7th day of October, 2022

Janet Hollingshead-Leslie (Returning Officer)

Rural Municipality of Battle River #438

Declaration of Results & Abandonment of Poll Notice

I hereby declare that the following candidates are elected by acclamation & NO voting will be required for November 9th, 2022 Election.

Division 1: Roland Radchenko Division 2: Pat Scherman Division 3: Jason Russell Division 4: Allan Rumpf Division 5: Jaden Jamieson Division 6: David Blais

Dated this 14th Day of October, 2022

Betty Johnson/Returning Officer

NOTICE OF ABANDONMENT OF POLL Municipal Elections 2022

Whereas:

Resort Village of Cochin Public Notice

Pursuant to The Municipalities Act, public notice is hereby given that the Resort Village of Cochin intends to restructure by adding the following lands to the Resort Village of Cochin from the RM of Meota No. 468 (these lands are contained in a new subdivision directly south of the Resort Village of Cochin):

AFFECTED LAND:

Within NW 19-47-16 W3M:

Proposed Parcel P as a part of Parcel E Plan BH3045

REASON:

The parcel is adjacent to the Resort Village of Cochin and would benefit from connecting to Co chin’s existing infrastructure to provide services and access to proposed Parcel P.

PUBLIC MEETING:

A public meeting will be held on Tuesday No vember 8th at 4:30 pm at the Resort Village Of fice, 1006 Hwy 4 N, Cochin, SK to discuss the proposal.

Any persons wishing to object to the proposed restructuring may file a written objection, stating clearly their reason for their opposition, with the administrator of the Cochin at the Resort Village Office, 1006 Hwy 4 N, Cochin, SK or sent by reg ular mail to: Box 160, Cochin, SK S0M 0L0.

NOTICE OF VOTE RURAL MUNICIPALITY OF MERVIN No. 499

PUBLIC NOTICE

RM of Mervin No. 499 Public Notice – Of cial Community Plan and Zoning Bylaw Amendment

MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS 2022

PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that:

(1) A vote will be held for the election of Councillor for Division No. 4 for the Rural Municipality.

(2) The vote will take place on Wednesday, the 9th day of November, 2022, 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

POLL AT the Municipal Office located in the Town of Turtleford on Main Street.

Public Notice is hereby given that the Council of the Rural Municipality (RM) of Mervin No. 499 intends to adopt two (2) bylaws under the Planning and Development Act, 2007, to repeal Bylaw No. 94-3 and adopt a new bylaw, known as the Of cial Community Plan (OCP) and repeal Bylaw No. 94-4 and adopt a new bylaw, known as the Zoning Bylaw (ZB).

Todd Illingworth, nominated for the office of Councillor for Division 2,

A written notice of objection must be received by the administrator by Thursday November 17th, 2022 prior to 4:00 p.m.

The complete proposal may be viewed at the Village Office between Tuesday - Thursday, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. unless otherwise posted (off-season hours) excluding statutory holidays.

Dated at the Resort Village of Cochin, Saskatch ewan, this 7th day of October, 2022.

INTENT:

POLL AT the Curling Rink in the Hamlet of Livelong on Main Street.

And that I will, at the Municipal Office on Thursday the 10th day of November, 2022, at the hour of 9:00 a.m., declare the results of the voting.

There will not be a Polling station at Moosehead Hall as there is no election for Division 6.

Given under my hand at Turtleford this 20th day of October, 2022.

The proposed OCP amendment will allow for the RM Council to consolidate all previous amendments into one document. The proposed ZB amendment will allow for the consolidation of all previous amendments into one document.

AFFECTED LAND:

Kari Bauldic Returning Officer

The affected lands of these amendments are all lands lying within the jurisdiction of the RM of Mervin No. 499.

REASON:

The reason for the OCP amendment is to provide the following:

1. Allow for the RM Council to consolidate all previous amendments.

2. To review and update to re ect changes within the RM with future planning in consideration.

3. To update and become compliant with new provincial and federal legislation.

The reason for the ZB amendment is to provide the following:

4. Provide improved de nitions.

5. Allow for the RM Council to consolidate all previous amendments.

PUBLIC INSPECTION:

Any person may inspect the bylaw at the RM of Mervin No. 499 of ce between 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. excluding statutory holidays. Copies are available at cost.

Issued at the Town of Turtleford this 11th day of October, 2022. Brenda Ottenbreit-Appleton

CAO RM of Mervin No. 499

David Acaster, nominated for the office of Councillor for Division 4, and Gilles Fransoo, nominated for the office of Councillor for Division 6 are the only candidates nominated for each position, I hereby declare them elected by acclamation and give notice that no voting for these offices will take place on Wednesday, November 9, 2022.

Dated at the R.M. of North Battleford No. 437 this 7th day of October, 2022.

Nicole Collins

Returning Officer

NOTICE OF VOTE RURAL

MUNICIPALITY OF MERVIN No. 499 MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS 2022

PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that:

(1) A vote will be held for the election of Councillor for Division No. 4 for the Rural Municipality.

(2) The vote will take place on Wednesday, the 9th day of November, 2022, 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

POLL AT the Municipal Office located in the Town of Turtleford on Main Street.

POLL AT the Curling Rink in the Hamlet of Livelong on Main Street.

And that I will, at the Municipal Office on Thursday the 10th day of November, 2022, at the hour of 9:00 a.m., declare the results of the voting.

There will not be a Polling station at Moosehead Hall as there is no election for Division 6.

Given under my hand at Turtleford this 20th day of October, 2022.

Kari Bauldic Returning Officer

Landon Chambers Administrator, Resort Village of Cochin

VILLAGE OF KRYDOR

OFFERS FOR SALE BY TENDER THE FOLLOWING LOTS LOT 13, BLOCK 2, PLAN R2049 IN KRYDOR, SASK. LOT 14, BLOCK 2, PLAN R2049 IN KRYDOR, SASK.

LOT 21, BLOCK 2, PLAN R2049 WITH HOUSE IN KRYDOR, SASK.

LOT 22, BLOCK 2, PLAN R2049 IN KRYDOR, SASK.

THE ABOVE LOTS ARE BEING OFFER FOR SALE BY TENDER. HIGHEST OR ANY OFFER NOT NECESSARILY ACCEPTED.

SEALED TENDERS ARE TO BE SUBMITTED BY MAIL ONLY TO:

VILLAGE OF KRYDOR BOX 12 KRYDOR, SASK. S0J 1K0

TENDERS MUST BE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN DECEMBER 12, 2022

IF ANY QUESTIONS, CALL 306-280-6626

LAND FOR SALE

ANNUAL

ANNOUNCEMENTS

RENTALS

SENIORS

HOUSING

LAND FOR SALE

FARMLAND WANTED

I am currently PURCHASING single to large blocks of land.

NO FEES OR COMMISSIONS

Saskatchewan born and raised, I know land, farming and farmland and can help you every step of the way.

Doug Rue, for further information 306-716-2671 saskfarms@shaw.ca www.sellyourfarm land.com

HOUSES FOR RENT

3BR/1BA-$1,050 (ClosetoRCMPStation)

-Large3-bedroomhome,1/2 duplexwithlargelivingareaand basementwithwasherdryer hookup.Backyardisfenced,small garageforonevehicle -Bright,open,up-to-dateconcept, hardwoodfloors.

-Ddis$1050,utilitiesareextra.

-Smallpetnegotiablewithpetfees -Presentorpastlandlordreference andemployerreferencesrequired Sendemailtoview sabinc65@yahoo.ca

FARM SERVICES

Post

with Concrete Posts Barns, Shops, Riding Arenas, Machine Sheds

More sales@ Integritybuilt.com

TAX ENFORCEMENT

TAX ENFORCEMENT LIST

VILLAGE OF MEOTA

PROVINCE OF SASKATCHEWAN

Notice is hereby given under The Tax Enforcement Act that unless the arrears and costs appearing opposite the land and title number described in the following list are fully paid before the 20th day of December, 2022, an interest based on a tax lien will be registered against the land

Note: A sum for costs in an amount required by subsection 4(3) of The Tax Enforcement Act is included in the amount shown against each parcel

LOT BLOCK PLAN

TITLE NUMBER TOTAL ARREARS ADVERTISING COSTS TOTAL ARREARS & COSTS 20A2102251933151728712$1,890.00$23.00$1,913.00 16K1BZ3320153813483$2,884.30$23.00$2,907.30 416G207142561784$180.33$23.00$203.33 7A19102142921154328283$424.42$23.00$447.42 1515G207143070094$191.90$23.00$214.90 132102040096140483527$174.21$23.00$197.21 11A8102181058154561114$563.33$23.00$586.33

Dated this 20th day of October, 2022. Kim Frolek, CAO

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

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Maidstone and District News

By Kathy Utri Correspondent

Maidstone High School held a junior volleyball mini-tournament Oct. 13 with teams coming from Lashburn and St. Walburg. It’s great fun to watch these young athletes in action. Eight teams played in Mar shall Oct. 14-15. Congratu lations to Neilburg on win ning gold and Maidstone with silver. League play offs are in Neilburg Oct. 27 followed by districts in Meadow Lake Oct. 29.

Cross-country running provincials were held in Melfort last weekend on a challenging course. All the Maidstone runners achieved new personal bests and exhibited great team spirit in encouraging each other and their fellow competitors. Thank you to Kerry Olson for your sup port of the team this year.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY PERMANENT PART TIME OFFICE ASSISTANT

The R.M. of Eldon No. 471 is currently accepting applications for a permanent part time Office Assistant. The position offers employment 3 days a week and as needed. The successful applicant shall demonstrate excellent communication, organizational and computer skills. The candidate will also be competent with data entry and must have the ability to quickly learn new concepts and procedures, and enjoy working with the public. The candidate must be bondable. Salary to be commensurate with education, skills and experience.

Please forward resumes with three references and the salary expected no later than noon, November 3, 2022. Only those considered for an interview will be contacted.

R.M. of Eldon No. 471 Box 130

SK SOM

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

ROCKY MOUNTAIN EQUIPMENT HIRING: AG Equipment Techs, Heavy Equipment Techs - Journeyman, Apprentices, and CVIP/Truck Techs. View Open Roles www.rockymtn.com/careers. Relocation and Signing Bonus Offered.

HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATORS REQUIRED: motor scrapers, dozers, excavators, graders, rock trucks. Lots of work all season.

Camp job; R & B provided. Competitive wages. Valid drivers license req’d.

Send resume and work references to: Bryden Construction Box 100, Arborfield, Sk. S0E 0A0; Fax: 306-769-8844 Email: brydenconstruct@ xplornet.ca www.

brydenconstruction andtransport.ca

The Kin Club of Maid stone and Maid2Run Group held a second an nual “Glow Run for Cys tic Fibrosis” in memory of Amie Gray-Carrol Satur day, Oct. 15 at Maidstone Delfrari-Victoria Park. Amie was from the Wase ca-Maidstone area and belonged to Lloydminster Kinettes, who initiated the glow run in her memory. Amie lived with ongoing difficulties with breathing and digestion, often spend ing months at a time in the hospital but always helping others with CF whenever she could. At age 35 she lost her battle with CF, do nating her body to science to help CF research. With 76 runners completing the 2.5-kilometre route several times this year, they had terrific support from the community and achieved their goal to raise $2,000 and make people aware of what a healthy body is ca pable of. Glow run funds are donated to Cystic Fi brosis Canada to support those living with CF and to continue important re search. Appreciation is extended to Maidstone RCMP for use of glow sup plies to light the track and to all who supported the run.

Thank you to everyone who came out on Sun day, Oct.16 to Milleton Community Hall’s annual Swedish smorgasbord. This event began Nov. 6, 1953 and is a major fun

FOR A

a week on Thursday to do paper drop offs.

For more information please call Noah at 306-445-7261.

draiser for the hall. The meal includes Swedish dishes such as pickled her ring, Swedish meatballs, brown beans, hard tack and fruit soup along with a variety of Canadian dishes. About 400 people attended this year to enjoy an abun dant and truly delicious meal. In past years, a dance followed the smorg. How volunteers had energy to dance all night after work ing so hard is beyond me.

Maidstone Museum held their monthly meeting Oct. 17 at the museum with seven members attending. John reported that MLA Ryan Domotor toured the museum in September. As with so many who visit, he was impressed with the many buildings and vast array of artifacts in the CN building and the museum’s village. Eileen is eager to have some of the elemen tary students come for Halloween fun on Oct. 28.

Thanks to Deb Biggart for helping her set everything up. Remember to get hold of Kathy Utri (contact info below) to pick up your do nations for the kids’ Howloween Spooktacular Oct. 31 and deliver your sign. Deadline is Oct. 27 so we have time to compile the handouts. Maidstone Path finders are helping with preparations. The muse um’s Winter Fun Fest will be Saturday, Dec. 10. Next meeting is Nov. 21 at 7 p.m.

Maidstone Legion Clubroom is back in the

swing of things with “Wing Night Wednesday” and the “Chase the Ace” draw ev ery Thursday. They’re also having a pancake break fast Sunday, Oct. 23 from 8 to 11 a.m. in the Legion Hall on Main Street. Please bring a non-perishable item for the food bank.

Maidstone Pharmacy is running a Halloween colouring contest. Pick up your picture at the pharma cy and return by Oct. 27. Be sure to put your name, phone number and age on the back of the picture. There are two age groups with one winner from each to be announced Oct. 28.

The Kin Club is again having a Halloween spirit contest. Decorate your door, take a picture and submit it to The Kin Club Maidstone on Facebook. We can’t wait to see all the spooky designs around town.

The town-wide Christ mas party by the Kin Club, “A Not-So-Silent Night” will be Dec. 3 at the Legion Hall. Cocktails 5:30 p.m., dinner 6 p.m., followed by Joel Jeffrey entertainment and Rockin’ Entertainment DJ at the dance. Get tickets early as space is limited. Call Vickie 306-903-7998 or Chris 306-893-8115.

Reminder of the Se niors’ Drop-In Centre meeting Friday, Oct. 28 at the centre. The potluck lunch is at noon with the bi-monthly meeting imme diately following.

If you have any Maidstone area news, please let me know. Email duwell@sasktel.net, text 306-893-7378 or phone 306-893-2799.

A Glow Run for Cystic Fibrosis in memory of Amie Gray-Carrol was held Oct. 15 at Maidstone DelfrariVictoria Park. | Photos submitted by Kathy Utri

A mini-tournament saw Maidstone High School junior boys’ volleyball team go up against teams from Lashburn and St. Walburg.

Maidstone High School cross-country runners completed in provincials on a challenging course in Melfort last weekend.

Don’t ask for directions or follow instructions!

If you don’t ask for

you may be lost longer than you want to admit. Yet, some of us re sist directions or following them when they’re offered. Others may dismiss the advice given them and get a second or third opinion.

Finally, some blindly let their GPS guide them where they want to go.

Everyone needs some guidance during their travels through life. When we seek help, we often look for the newest or latest resources to help us.

However, because some thing is from ancient times doesn’t mean it should be ignored or is valueless. On the contrary, an old instru ment or book may be what we need to direct us.

Neighbourly Advice

By Raymond Maher www.accordingtoed.com

According to Ed raymaher085@gmail.com

In 1914, Ernest Shack leton set out to cross Ant arctica from one side to the other across the South Pole. Unfortunately, di saster struck, and his ship, the Endurance, became en trapped in ice and eventu ally sank. Shackleton and his crew were marooned on an island with little hope of being rescued.

Shackleton and five others set out in a 20-foot lifeboat on an 800-mile journey to get help at South Georgia Island. Us ing only the ancient navi gational tools of a compass and sextant, captain Frank Worsley navigated the lifeboat to the island and the support they needed. Shackleton got another

ship and returned and res cued the crew left behind.

The first magnetic compass was invented in China during the Han Dy nasty between the second century BC and the first century AD.

It was during the 12th century, the compass came to be used extensively in navigating ships. It was and is valuable.

When you need spiritual guidance, do not dismiss or reject the Bible because it is ancient or old. Michael Smith catches the timeless Spirit of the Bible when he writes, “Holy words long preserved for our walk in this world. Words of life, words of hope, give us strength, help us cope. Holy words of our

faith, handed down to this age, came to us through sacrifice. Oh, heed the faithful words of Christ.” (Song: Ancient Words)

Unlike other books, the Bible or Holy Scripture is God’s Word and truth. This truth is made known through the two parts of the Bible: the Old Testa ment, which promises the coming Saviour, and the New Testament, which tells of the Saviour who has come.

In John 5:39, Jesus said to those who wanted to kill him because He broke Sabbath rules and called God his own Father, mak ing himself (Jesus) equal to God: “You diligently study the scriptures be cause you think by them

you have eternal life. These are the scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.”

God reveals himself through the Holy Scrip tures and His gift of salva tion in Christ. The acts of Jesus are written so that we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that by believing, you may have life in His name. (John 20:31)

The Bible can direct and guide us through life as God’s objective source of truth. The Bible is a compass to guide us in life and to our home in heaven, but we must trust the Bible more than our feelings and the contrary advice of oth ers who reject the Bible.

Mennonite

Pastor Melvin Bartley

Serving the producers of the Northwest RancheRFARMER

A new look for an old friend Movie Night at the Elevator a first for Battleford

Dawson Bessette from Fresh Air Media in Red Deer, Alta., set up his trailer for the movie. It is all self contained with the projector, FM signal all the electronics needed. He says he does about 30 to 40 per season.

are six

eight other employees who

The movie was heard through an FM transmitter on 89.9.

Between 20 and 30 cars arrived with passengers eager to watch the first movie at the elevator in Battleford, put on by the Town of Battleford. Everyone was able to

to view a movie projected onto the Southgate Elevator. | Photos by Averil Hall / Freelance Photographer

It’s time to check your soil account balance

By Warren Ward Canadian Council of Canada

Soil nutrient analysis is like a balance slip from the bank. By checking the bal ance this fall, farms can set fertilizer rates specific to the needs and yield poten tial of each field.

Sampling in late fall instead of just before seeding gives the advantage of time. With results in the fall, farms have more time for fertilizer planning. Fertilizer prices can also be lower in the fall, but not always. With fall soil test results, the general benefit is that farms can plan their blends and rates, and buy the right amount of fertilizer at a lower price.

The best time for fall sampling is after soils cool to below 10°C. Cool soils reduce the microbial activ

Diplomats tours Saskatchewan

By John Cairns

SASKTODAY/ca

Saskatchewan wel comed a diplomatic eco nomic mission to the province this week, with representatives from over 30 countries in the prov ince.

The mission made up of heads of mission from Ot tawa’s foreign diplomatic corps is in the province Oct. 16 to 21 and includes representatives from Al geria, Argentina, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Croatia,

Estonia, European Union, Gabon, Georgia, Hungary, Kenya, Kosovo, Kuwait, Latvia, Lesotho, Lithuania, Mali, Peru, Rwanda, Ser bia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Switzerland, Tanzania, Togolese Repub lic, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

According to the prov ince’s news release, when in Regina they were to visit the legislative building, the Cultivator (powered by Conexus) tech-incubator facility, along with Kam beitz Farms, and Purely Canada Foods terminals,

before meeting the lieuten ant-governor of Saskatche wan at Government House.

Also scheduled were tours of the University of Regina, the International Carbon Capture and Stor age Knowledge Centre, the Petroleum Technolo gies Research Centre and RCMP Depot Division and Heritage Centre.

The mission was then to head to Saskatoon where the itinerary included the SRC Diamond Laboratory, Rare Earth and Vital Met als/Cheetah Resources;

also planned are Remai Modern, Black Fox Farm and Distillery and Wan sukewin Heritage Park.

“We are incredibly ex cited to welcome so many representatives from around the world to experi ence our amazing province and its people,” Premier Scott Moe said in a state ment. “Saskatchewan has the food, fuel, and fertilizer that the world needs, and it is through missions like this that we’ll continue to strengthen our place on the world stage and be a na tional leader in economic growth.”

ity that can mobilize nutri ents. Soil samples collect ed after this activity slows down will more closely reflect spring nitrate con tents. If farms plan to band fertilizer in the fall, sampling when soils drop to 10°C (but not too much lower) should allow for fall application – based on soil test results – before the ground freezes.

A custom-collected two-depth sample (0-6 inches and 6-24 inches) plus lab fees will cost around $100. More sam ples collected should lower the cost per sample. Soil nutrient analysis may not provide a return on invest ment for every field tested – especially if results con firm that a farm is using the right rate to meet its yield target. However, soil test analysis may encour age a farm to use higher ni trogen rates to match yield goals or, in the case of high nutrient reserves, lower their rates. In these cases, profitability can go up with soil tests.

One sample or many?

One composite sample per field can provide a gen eral impression of soil nu trient levels. For the com posite, take 15-20 cores from the most productive areas – not hill tops, not low spots, not saline areas. Divide each core by depths and put them into separate pails. Suggested depths are 0-6” and 6-24”, or a threeway split of 0-6”, 6-12” and 12-24”. Submit a separate sample for each depth.

With composite sam ples, farms can create fer tilizer blends specific to

the needs for each field. If field-specific fertilizer blends are not logistically possible, a compromise is to apply the same blend at different rates to match the yield goal for each field.

Zone sampling increases precision. Instead of one composite sample per field, submit composites for each productivity zone within the field. Zones are generally based on productivity differences that can be fairly predictable based on soil characteristics, drainage or elevation. Three zones could be hilltop, midslope and low-lying areas. For each zone, follow sampling methods similar to the composite sample technique. This could mean six or more samples per field (two depths for three zones, for example), but this method can provide meaningful results for fields with higher levels of soil variability, and can point to the potential value of variable-rate fertilizer applications.

Canola 4R Advantage

The new Canola 4R Ad vantage program provides financial incentive to soil test fields that have not been sampled as part of a 4R Nutrient Stewardship plan in the past.

Canola 4R Advantage, funded by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the Agricultural Climate Solutions – On-Farm Cli mate Action Fund (OF CAF), is a voluntary pro gram that supports farmers in initiating or advancing 4R Nutrient Stewardship practices. Canola farmers can apply for funding to help pay for practices that can improve nitrogen man agement. Eligible prac tices include soil testing, enhanced efficiency fer tilizer, preferred applica tion timing and field zone mapping. Farmers can seek funding for up to two prac tices per year. Up to 85 per cent of eligible costs can be reimbursed – up to $12,000 per farm each year. For more on the program, in cluding guidelines and ap plication, visit canolacoun cil.org/4r-advantage.

– Warren Ward is an agronomy specialist with the Canola Council of Canada. Email wardw@ canolacouncil.org.

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Composition

Canada.

The afternoon of Oct. 7 was spent with these Canadians before they fly south for the winter. | Photo by Sherri Solomko

October is Agriculture Month in Saskatchewan

Submitted

The Government of Saskatchewan proclaimed October as Agriculture Month. During Agri culture Month, we take time to celebrate the ag riculture industry and encourage consumers to learn more about the world-class, environmen tally sustainable products produced right here in our own province. Through out the month, we en courage the public to share their connection to food through the theme, “#MealsFromtheFarm.”

“Saskatchewan’s ag riculture industry cannot thrive without the dedicat ed individuals that make

up the value-chain,” Ag riculture Minister David Marit said. “They have a passion for producing the healthy, affordable food that we share with our families everyday. I en courage everyone to show support by celebrating this innovative, resilient and sustainable industry.”

This year, Agriculture Month will also focus on farmers giving back to the communities they belong to, as well as highlight the great food they grow in the province. Through out the month of Octo ber, Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan, in col laboration with industry partners, will share food

stories, hold an online photo contest and use so cial media to encourage the public to learn about modern agriculture and to get involved by support ing meals in their local communities. There are many ways to celebrate Agriculture Month - par ticipate in a community harvest supper, share a meal with your family in the field, or support your local foodbank.

“We are very fortu nate to produce such an abundance of food in this province,” Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan Ex ecutive Director Clinton Monchuk said. “For Agri culture Month, we will be

using the hashtag #Meals FromtheFarm to promote sharing the great food we grow here with everyone.”

For a full list of Ag riculture Month events,

or to learn how you can take part, visit farm foodcaresk.org. Follow Farm & Food Care Sas katchewan on Twitter @ FarmFoodCareSK, or

Photo by Louise Lundberg

on Facebook at Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan and share your stories on social media using #Cel ebrateAg and #Meals FromtheFarm.

Olds College partners with SaskTel on Smart Farm

SASKTODAY.ca

Olds College of Agri culture and Technology and SaskTel have signed a memorandum of under standing that will see the two organizations come together to work on solv ing some of the largest challenges currently facing agriculture technology, in cluding rural connectivity.

According to a press release, their collabora tion will leverage the 800 acres Olds College Sas

katchewan Smart Farm (Craik, Sask.) to advance and accelerate ag tech de velopment and innovation for producers, learners, and agri-food companies right across Saskatchewan through applied research, technology demonstration, data utilization and com mercial-scale validation.

“We are delighted to partner with SaskTel, a leader in connectivity, Internet of Things (loT), and customer service in Saskatchewan,” comments

Patrick Machacek, vicepresident, Development and Strategy, Olds College. “With the recent expansion of the Olds College Smart Farm into Saskatchewan, we are continuing to ex pand and build a smart ag ecosystem that is focused on driving innovation for western Canada’s ag sec tor. Thanks to partnerships with industry leaders, such as SaskTel, Olds College of Agriculture & Technol ogy will provide ag-tech training and research op

portunities that align and support the needs of Sas katchewan learners, pro ducers and the agri-food industry.”

Olds College of Agri culture and Technology is home to Canada’s first Smart Farm, and in 2022 expanded Smart Farm op erations into Saskatchewan thanks to a gift of 800 acres of land west of Craik, from Margery Steckler and her late husband, George Steckler.

The Olds College Smart

Farm has grown to include 3,600 acres of farmland, infrastructure, and staff who are experienced in ag tech research and develop ment. The Olds College Smart Farm is essentially a giant lab that provides the agriculture sector a venue for commercial scale ap plied research, and is at tracting investment and engagement from compa nies ranging from multinational ag and tech com panies to SMEs (small and medium enterprises).

According to the press release, the philosophy and principles guiding the de velopment and operation of the Olds College Smart Farm are centred around engaging producers and in dustry on addressing realworld problems by using and integrating technology and data. The Smart Farm is also focused on teaching students how to integrate, manage and leverage ag technology for the en hancement and sustainabil ity of agri-food production.

Saskatchewan & Alberta

SSGA lays groundwork for investors to grow Sask.’s processing sector

Submitted

Saskatchewan produces 30 per cent of Canada’s beef cattle, but with no federally-inspected packing facilities here, the province and its producers are selling all that poten tial value out-of-province — and at a discount.

Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association (SSGA) has released a study into the feasibility of building and operating a packing plant in Sas katchewan. The study, Opportuni ties & Challenges for Growing Sas katchewan’s Beef Processing Sector, concludes there is a way forward for increased packing capacity.

The province’s current beef cow herd is approximately 1.1 million head, with roughly the same number of calves born each year. A quarter million head are exported either to other provinces or U.S. for slaughter every year, and more than a million leave the province as feeder cattle.

Creating processing capacity in Saskatchewan would add value to beef exported as meat products and incentivize more feeding operations.

“COVID showed us where the present value chain is weak,” said SSGA President Garner Deobald. “Bottlenecks at the two big Alberta plants distorted the supply-and-de mand dynamic, and it’s the cow-calf producers who suffered the most.”

The study shows that with the right marketing strategies and plant management, a Saskatchewan-based packing facility could be commer cially-viable, which would introduce more competition for animals, to the benefit of producers and feeders. It would also reduce trucking distanc es, increase employment, and carry animal-welfare benefits.

Deobald said a plant would help the province reach its goal of more than $1 billion in meat processing and animal feed value-added rev enue by 2030. It would also generate increased investment and opportu nity in the province.

“This would be good news for the province and its beef industry. Along with the provincial govern ment’s proposal to expand irrigation, a packing plant has terrific potential for growing our livestock feeding sector.”

The report confirms what SSGA believed — that with the right part ners, investors and management, a small or medium-sized packing plant could succeed.

“Catching the attention of poten tial investors to a business venture is a necessity. They want the essential components to build an optimistic, long-term vision with a realistic, measurable plan to achieve it. The Ministry funded this project to lay the groundwork for investors to grow Saskatchewan’s processing sector.”.

In the coming months, SSGA will work with government and industry stakeholders to highlight business incentives, identify the best locations to build a new plant, explore ideas for optimizing processing efficiencies, and then present this information to potential investors for next-level dis cussions.

The Construction Code Act and its impact in rural communities

By Bill Hawkins

Ministry of Government Relations

The Construction Codes Act (CC Act) came into force on Jan. 1, 2022. The new act replaced The Uniform Building and Accessibility Standards Act as the legisla tion that governs the construction and oc cupancy of buildings in Saskatchewan.

There are several points under this new legislation and its associated regulations that may impact farmers and ranchers:

Farm buildings remain exempt from construction standards. However, the CC Act has amended the definition of a farm building to exclude farm residences and buildings with sleeping quarters from be ing considered a farm building. Building owners should talk to their administrator to discuss if their building needs to comply with construction code requirements.

The Building Code Regulations state that a building is not considered a farm building if it is used in the production, processing, wholesaling or distribution of cannabis, or if it is involved in the manu facture, sale, storage wholesale or delivery of beverage alcohol.

Farm residences and buildings with sleeping quarters must meet the same con struction code requirements as other build ings in the province. This includes the re quirement to have both carbon monoxide and smoke alarms installed before July 1, 2022, regardless of when the building was first constructed or last renovated.

The CC Act requires all local authorities (including rural municipalities) to have a valid building bylaw, so they can administer and enforce construction standards. If a rural municipality does not already have a valid building bylaw,

they have until December 31, 2023 to adopt their own bylaw or one will be prescribed to them.

To learn more about the new Act and associated Regulations that apply to the construction, renovation, and fire safe operation of buildings in Saskatchewan, visit the Building and Technical Standards page or read the building advisories found in Publications Saskatchewan.

If you have any questions about Sas katchewan’s construction legislation, contact the Building and Technical Stan dards Branch in the Ministry of Govern ment Relations at 306-787-4113 or email btstandards@gov.sk.ca.

Bill Hawkins is executive direc tor, Building and Technical Standards Branch, Ministry of Government Rela tions

Fall soil testing in dry conditions

By Kim Stonehouse

Crops Extension Specialist, Tisdale

Fall soil testing is always a good prac tice to make the most efficient use of the fertility dollar. This year’s unusually dry conditions make soil testing even more important.

In most years, crops use up a lot of the nutrients that were in the soil. This year, due to the dry conditions, some nutrients may not have been consumed or were lost to leaching and immobilization.

Some nutrients such as phosphorus and potassium, may be in sufficient amounts and you can save costs by reducing ap plication volumes next year. This will de pend on previous fertilizer practices and the amount of crop harvested this year. In the case of potassium in light textured soils, it will also depend on the amount of precipitation received between now and spring that can result in leaching.

Nitrogen and sulphur also have the po tential to be present in higher-than usualresidual amounts. However, prediction of these levels is much more complex. Both are highly mobile in the soil and are sub ject to leaching. How far they move de pends on the level of moisture recharge and when it happens. In the case of nitro gen, other losses such as immobilization, volatilization and denitrification may also occur. These processes may have been reduced due to dry conditions but by how much is difficult to say. Therefore, it is very difficult to determine exactly what has been left behind, how available it is and where it is. The only way to know for sure is to soil test.

When soil testing, the most impor tant thing to remember is that a test is only as good as the soil sample taken. It is recommended to take a minimum of 15 to 20 samples per field. Taking more samples improves accuracy, especially in larger fields. Avoid irregular areas of the field. If you hire someone to collect your soil samples, it is a good idea to go with them to point out unrepresentative areas in the field or give accurate directions to avoid these areas.

Fall soil sampling should be done after the soil temperature has dropped below 10 C. This minimizes the risk of nitrogen mineralization before freezeup. Mineralization is the process where nitrogen in its organic form is converted to a plant available form by soil microbial activity. Lower soil temperatures ensure that this activity has ceased and that the nitrogen levels measured are less likely to change before spring. Soil phosphorus and potassium are generally less affected by sampling date.

Soil testing on a regular basis has Continued on next page

They Are On Their Way

It’s that time of year again. While it’s interesting to watch their formations and listen to their compelling calls, the migration of geese means we are nearing the end of warm weather. | Photo by Sherri Solomko

Humane Association recognizes bravery

SASKTODAY.ca Staff

Fifteen individuals were presented with various citations and commenda tions by the Royal Cana dian Humane Association of Saskatchewan Bravery Awards on Friday, Oct. 14, at TCU Place in Saskatoon.

Lt. Gov. Russell Mirasty, being a patron of the association, handed out the awards.

“I’m grateful to the as sociation for recognizing the extraordinary bravery of ordinary Canadians. I wish to extend my thanks in particular to national president Rob Campbell for his leadership and Tim Popp for his excellent work as Saskatchewan’s provin cial director,” said Mirasty.

Sergeant William

Soil testing

Continued from previous page certain advantages. It will help to establish upcoming crop nutrient need, monitor changes in nutrient levels over time and guide in nutrient management planning.

Nutrient management planning should take into account not only the re quirements for the next crop, but also maintenance of the correct nutrient bal ance well into the future. Phosphorus is a good ex ample of the importance of nutrient balance. Increased

Picard – Bronze Medal for Bravery Constable Josh Trefry – Honorary Testimonial Certificate

Misty Brown – Honor ary Testimonial Certifi cate

On Sunday, March 7, 2021 at about 6 p.m., Cst.

yields without increased phosphorus application rates has resulted in some fields approaching defi ciency levels. Since fertil izer use efficiency also decreases as availability decreases, the problem is compounded. It can take multiple seasons to restore this balance, so soil testing to avoid phosphorus defi ciencies is important.

Fall soil testing can also be used to inform decisions about when to purchase crop nutrients, as it is difficult to predict where fertilizer prices are going to go.

Josh Trefry responded to a call about a woman who had climbed over a concrete barricade on the Highway 16 and Highway 4 overpass near North Bat tleford. Cst. Trefry was the first officer to arrive on scene where he found Misty Brown standing on the road talking with the woman on the bridge. Cst. Trefry reached over the barricade and grabbed the woman around her torso. Brown helped Cst. Trefry to secure the woman.

Both Cst. Trefry and Brown continued speaking to the woman, but she was still over the barricade and could fall off the overpass, a height of over 20 feet.

Cpl. William Picard ar rived on the scene and leapt over the barricade to be on the same side as the wom an, endangering his own life in this precarious po sition. Cpl. Picard secured the woman and helped Cst. Trefry and Brown get her

safely over the barricade, back to the road.

Constable Japheth Walters – Bronze Medal for Bravery

On May 13, 2021, RCMP Cst. Japheth Wal ters responded to a report of a distraught man on the Battleford Bridge. Five dis patch calls were received in short order about the situation. Constable Wal ters found the man sitting on the edge of the bridge, ready to jump 30 feet to his death. Cst. Walters quickly but cautiously approached him and was able to grab hold of the man just as he tried to jump. Walters placed the man in custody and then transported him to the Battlefords Union Hos pital for medical assistance.

Constable Jordan MacKenzie – Silver Med al for Bravery

On Nov. 17, 2021 at approximately 9 p.m., Battlefords RCMP Cst. Jordan MacKenzie

attended a house fire on Saulteaux First Nation.

Upon arrival he saw smoke coming from the front door and basement windows. He was told that a woman was trapped in the basement.

Firefighters arrived and began fighting the fire. They entered the house and reported they found the woman but could not attend to her as they were busy with the fire.

When the smoke cleared briefly, Cst. MacKenzie saw the woman lying face down with burns to her arms. He crawled through a window to the woman and checked for signs of life. She didn’t move, so Constable MacKenzie at tempted to lift her but could not. By this time, the smoke was making it dif ficult to breath and to see.

Cst. MacKenzie heard his supervisor over his radio ordering that no one was to enter the house. With the smoke now very

intense, Cst. MacKenzie crawled outside as the fire started near the basement stairs. The firefighters who were in the basement called out for assistance to help with the woman.

Constable MacKenzie obtained a ladder from the fire truck and put it through a basement window. He told the firefighters to put the woman on the ladder as a makeshift stretcher. While holding the woman steady, the firefighters lifted the ladder while Cst. MacKenzie and Cst. Japheth Walters, who was on the scene, pulled the woman through the basement window and away from the house.

Constables MacKenzie and Walters began CPR on the victim. EMS arrived and instructed the officers to continue CPR. Unfor tunately, the victim suc cumbed to her injuries. Cst. MacKenzie was treated for smoke inhalation.

Lt.-Gov. Russell Mirasty; Cst. Tanner Maynard, Nipawin; Cst. Josh Trefry, Battlefords; Cst. Jordan MacKenzie, Battlefords; Sgt, then Cpl., William Picard, Battlefords; Misty Brown, Battlefords; Mitch Hozack, Saskatoon; Brad Pilon, Saskatoon; Jaxon Hoszack, Saskatoon; Brian Gibson, Saskatoon; Cst. Alyssa Ogieglo, Rosthern; Cst. Marc-Andre Thériault, Rosthern; Harvey Weber, Saskatoon; Sunny Bajwa, Regina; Cst. Japheth Walters, Battlefords; Bill Singh, Regina. | Photo by Jon Perez / SASKTODAY.ca

Mayfair and District News

Speers library hosts coffee time

By Elaine Woloshyn Correspondent

It’s rare to see robins winter over on the prairies and endure the blustery conditions. I still see many of them around. They are plump, so one can tell they are well fed. With the rea sonable weather, I guess migration is the furthest thing from their minds. Bird feeders are big sellers as compared to 20 years ago. One or two hanging from a deck can be a pas time, especially for the elderly. If one has bacon drippings saved over a few days, form in balls and roll them into rolled oats as a meal for hungry birds. They will love you for that.

My House Renovated One Day at a Time is a re cently published book by my friend Paulie Rogers who farms east of May fair. This six-week Bible study book outlines what it means to be remodelled in Christ. A few ago they tackled remodelling their old farm house, one room at a time, and it is now up-to-date, beautiful liv ing quarters. The entwined scriptures to each of the

special rooms of your heart makes it a good read. This book can be purchased through Amazon.

You won’t want to miss a farm auction sale for retired farmer Gordon Sherman of the Rabbit Lake district. It is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 26. His wife, Norma, passed away nearly two years ago.

Saskatchewan Library Week is Oct. 20-26. All branches of Lakeland Li brary have different pro grams. The village of Speers library advertises coffee every day just to so cialize or play a card game. There are Halloween and Christmas parties for kids and open house for adults. Their days open to the pub lic are: Monday 1:30 to5 p.m.; Wednesday 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and Thursday 1:30 to 5 p.m. In a small place where there are no restaurant or confection ary, people take advantage of this opportunity of get ting together at the library. What a wonderful gesture on the part of the librarian.

Hafford Vikings sixman senior football team won their home game last Thursday and have one more Oct. 20 before pro

vincial quarter-finals Oct. 29. Provincial semifinals are slated for Nov. 5 with finals Nov. 12. The Vi kings’ goal is to be there. Come out and cheer these boys on. Weather will ob viously be getting chiller for outdoor sports but this doesn’t deter the local Vi king fans.

Not too many can say they’ve experienced the fa mous hurricane Fiona but a person I know in Chitek Lake can, as she was right in the midst of it. Lynn Quinton and her travelling friend, retired nurse Bren da Crossland from Leo ville, were in the middle of this terrifying storm.

On their three-week holiday to the Maritimes, while touring Newfound land, they called to book a ferry from Port aux Basques, which was all booked up. They stayed a little longer, wanting to flee because of the oncom ing hurricane and called again. Someone had can celled so they got the last booking. The ferry left near midnight and they arrived at Sydney, N.S. at 7:30 a.m.

In Nova Scotia the high lights were Peggy’s Cove

and Lunenburg, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Shipbuilding was big in this town years ago and the Bluenose ship is a tour ist site. Staying in Char lottetown in Prince Ed ward Island was a real treat until Fiona struck during the middle of the night.

Lynn recalls moving her bed, which was by a large window, in case debris came crashing through, while howling winds were 150 km/h. Things were shaking in their rented guest house for at least 12 hours. When the hurricane finally left, the front steps were torn off the house, a barbecue was moved into the middle of the yard and garbage cans were strewn down the street. Sturdy trees were torn down, with power lines entwined in the trees.

They moved farther in land to relatives ‘house to end their lifetime experi ence with no bruises or broken bones. Quintons are snowbirds and are pack ing to go to their house in Maricopa, Ariz. (part of Phoenix) before the end of October.

A friend and I attended the fall supper in Ranger’s

(near Chitek Lake and Pelican First Nation) tiny old hall this past Sunday. Wow, there were vehicles and people to no end. What a great feast and the price was only $10 per adult. This former schoolhouse has been put to good use by the local people and for this annual event that draws people from many, many miles. A big thank you to the hard-working people in food preparation and down to the dishwash ers, as there is no running water. I’ll be sure to return next October. It was nice to talk to the ones I knew and

wish I could have stayed longer, but once a person ate there were always oth ers in a lineup to sit down to eat.

If you didn’t make it to Ranger, Sonningdale fall supper is Oct. 29 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. — adults $20, children under 10 $10 and five years and under free.

Let us keep doing the necessary annual outside chores before the snow hits the prairies. Warm clothes are a real blessing. Most trees have lost leaves but it s surprising even the strong, cold winds haven’t blown off everything.

Bountiful crop of good-sized apples grown in the tiny hamlet of Ruddell. | Photo by Elaine Woloshyn