The Observer January 20, 2023

By Gord Paulley

Outdoor enthusiasts from all over southeast Saskatchewan enjoyed Candle-Lit Skiing at Little Kenosee Lake in Moose Mountain Provincial Park on Jan. 13.

According to MMPP employee Adam Petterson, an impressive 228 people participated.

The weather was ideal and the 1.6-kilometre trail was entirely lighted with tea candles, which added to the festive mood.

While the participants were primarily comprised of cross-country skiers, there were many with snowshoes, and parents took their toddlers out for a sled ride. The entire trip of 3.2 kilometres took around an hour to complete.

The trail was perfectly groomed and the participants had nothing but praise for the park and the evening.

Carrie Nankivell of Weyburn attended the event along with her sisters Patricia Himmelspach and Jennifer Karlunchuck.

“Another great night with the sisters skiing at Kenosee Lake. It was a great turnout; so many people skiing, snowshoeing and walking. It was a beautiful night to get out and enjoy our winter.”

Local resident Steve Polsom has skied the Kenosee Lake trails for decades and was thoroughly impressed.

“The weather was picture perfect and the turnout was excellent. Congratulations to the park staff They did a fantastic job.”

Juli Mitschke and her mother Lisa Robertson of Carlyle also participated.

“A candle-lit ski is such a memorable experience. The weather was unbelievable, the trails were in perfect condition and the energy was outstanding. The ambience of the candlelight was such an experience, with little Kenosee as a backdrop at the start

of the trail and the coyotes howling in the distance, it was simply perfect and such a great way to get outside and be active,” said Mitschke.

“It was so wonderful to see people of all ages humming along the trails by skis, walking and snowshoeing. Thank you Sask. Parks for putting on such an incredible event.”

Longtime friends Candace McLean and Phoebe Douglas drove in from Redvers to attend. Said McLean: “We saw this Can-

dle Lit Ski Night being promoted a couple of months ago and we thought, hey, why not, let’s check it out.

“The weather couldn’t have been any better, the ski trails were amazing and the lights along the trail really lit it up so nicely. It was great to see so many people and families enjoying themselves.”

Keah Beaulieu is a relative newcomer to the sport of skiing and journeyed in from Bienfait. “It was a fantastic evening. The lighted trail was such a

nice touch and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.”

Moose Mountain Provincial Park is planning another Candle Lit Ski for Feb. 10 from 7-9:30 p.m. It must be noted that Little Kenosee has limited parking spaces.

Concluded Mitschke, “Mom and I will be taking in the next one in February and will be more prepared with head lamps, snacks and drinks. We will also be starting earlier to catch a few extra kilometres before it gets too dark.”

Candace McLean and Phoebe Douglas thoroughly enjoyed themselves at the Candle-Lit Skiing at Moose Mountain Provincial Park. Photo by Gord Paulley

January

Hockey

Friday, Jan 20 - Moosomin Rangers vs Carlyle Cougars

Friday, Jan 20 - Carnduff Red Devils vs Wawota Flyers

Saturday, Jan 21 - Wawota flyers vs Carlyle Cougars

Friday, Jan 27 - Carlyle Cougars vs Redvers Rockets

Friday, Jan 27 - Oxbow Huskies vs Wawota Flyers

Saturday, Jan 28 - Carnduff Red Devils vs Carlyle Cougars

Saturday, Jan 28 - Yellow Grass Kings vs Wawota Flyers

Tuesday,

Prestigious honour for Observer employee

The Carlyle Observer is proud to announce that Dolores Young is part of the Glacier Media Group’s President’s Club for 2022.

Young has been part of the Observer since 2018. She has tackled a variety of duties, including selling the ads that appear in the paper, assigning stories to the freelance reporters each week, answering phones and handling the other administrative tasks.

She earned her spot in the President’s Club based on the percentage of sales increase from 2021 to 2022. Young had the largest sales increase for the Prairie Newspaper Group, which encompasses Glacier’s newspapers in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

Young expressed her gratitude to the businesses that advertise in the paper, and to the

communities for continuing to trust the Observer as their primary media source.

“I would like to personally thank all our advertisers for the awesome support for the Observer in 2022. I could not do this without you,” she said.

Gord Brewerton, who is the vice-president and group publisher with the Prairie Newspaper Group, is thankful to Young for all that she has done over the years.

“We are blessed to have Dolores on our team,” said Brewerton. “Her professionalism, dedication and work ethic are truly outstanding. Dolores is appreciated by her customers, co-workers, and management.”

As part of the President’s Club program, Young earned a trip for two to Mexico in April.

Support for Carlyle Elementary School’s food programs

The Southern Plains Co-op has made a commitment to support communities, and one of its recent focuses has been on the food and nutrition programs of its local schools.

The co-op says healthy, nourished children learn and achieve more.

Southern Plains Coop brought the Carlyle Elementary School $3,000 in Co-op gift cards to help them fill the needs that continue to grow within the school systems province-wide.

Their food and nutrition programs include a daily breakfast, snack and lunch program that is offered to a number of students, ranging from 30-230 kids, at little to no cost to students.

The entire program is co-ordinated for both the elementary school and Gordon F. Kells High School by community education liaison Melanie Pauls, who puts in many hours ensuring the students not only have something to eat, but a safe and inviting atmosphere to enjoy as well.

The co-op says programs like this also take a village, as there are many volunteers that jump in to help prepare and serve meals, and without them, this program would not be as successful.

Funding and supports for this non-profit come from grants and donations to help subsidize the costs for students and all funding stays within the Nutrition Program.

Dolores Young

From left, community education

liaison

Melanie Pauls, volunteers Nicole Currie and Shelly Gettan, and Southern Plains Co-op representative Brooke Spagrud.

Mexican Jumping Bean Ice Race uses vintage sleds

By Stephanie Zoer

Fifteen snowmobile riders came out to enjoy a mild winter day on Jan. 14 for the Mexican Jumping Bean 100-mile Ice Race.

Jay Johnston put on the event with the help of Pat Haddow.

The name of the event comes from Johnston’s nickname, Taco. He felt it was a fitting name to stay in the same line.

Johnston and his family have always been into snow machines and are members of the Moose Mountain Snowmobile Club.

Haddow boasts a large collection of vintage snowmobiles. Haddow got Johnston into the old, single-cylinder machines and now Johnston is hooked.

The event took place 10 kilometres north of Stoughton, on a lake located half a kilometer off Highway 47 to the east.

There is no road leading to the frozen lake, so a wide path was cleared through the field with a large area for parking.

It takes many hours to clear the snow. Also, four volunteers are needed to count laps, and six volunteers are needed with sleds to pull off any ma-

chine that might break down out on the lake.

A food booth was on site, run by the Stoughton Girl Guides and offering hot drinks and sandwiches.

Registration began at 10 a.m. with the lineup for the race at noon.

More than 15 machines sat along the edge of the manufactured

track, waiting for the time to commence.

The track is roughly two kilometres long and it loops and curves on the frozen lake, with straw bales lining the tight turns.

The single cylinder machines needed to be 1975 or older in order to run in this ice race.

This is the third time

the race has been held. The first year they saw 30 riders coming from Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Minnesota.

The second year the race was held in March and a thaw occurred, leaving water a foot deep on the lake. It did freeze but they decided to not hold it that late in the year.

For two years the race was not held, but this year they were able to hold the event once again.

Johnston said, “Sadly we did not have any women participate this year, nor did we have a kiddy class.”

It takes 80 laps to make 100 miles. After 40 laps they refuel and speed off again.

According to Johnston there are few of these races in Saskatchewan, so another one is already scheduled for the second weekend in January next year.

“No one got hurt and everyone had a great time,” Johnston said.

It is their plan to add a modified class to this event next year.

Laundromat and coffee shop to open in Stoughton

By Stephanie Zoer

Stoughton has not had a laundromat for several years, but that is about to change.

Ira Noyes already owns Blondie’s Car Wash in Stoughton, and now Noyes and her mom Valerie Creighton purchased the building next to the car wash.

Creighton owns and operates the Red Horse Ranch near Stoughton. She is known in the area for receiving the Saskatchewan Order of Merit in 2016, the Order of Canada in 2019 and more.

During the 1970s and ‘80s, Creighton owned and operated the Plant Factory in Stoughton.

Noyes was born in Stoughton and loves the Prairies. After a leave from the area, she returned to her roots and is now the president of the Stoughton Chamber of Commerce and is involved in the Saskatchewan Foundation of Arts.

The mother-daugh-

ter team have gone to great lengths to refurbish as many pieces of the old building as possible, to keep the history in the establishment.

Upon entering the front door, a large window adorns strands of wheat from a local farmer. This window is changeable with the season.

Straight ahead is the laundromat. One of the old dryer fronts was refurbished, is mounted on the wall, and used for laundry drop off It’s one of the services they will be providing.

On the wall in the laundromat is the 1950’s sign, cleaned up and painted. A long folding counter is across from the seven washers and dryers.

All the machines have been serviced with new drums, the fronts have been stripped and painted, while keeping the old drums for tables in the coffee shop.

To the right of the laundromat is the Prairie Pantry Coffee Shop.

It has its own entrance, but also an opening from the laundromat for customers to get a coffee at a self-serve counter.

The old floors have been stripped and refinished, with the extra lumber used to accent the walls and

counters. The washer drums were painted and a glass top is used as a table. Behind the counter is a wall full of homemade preserves.

Noyes wants to foster an awareness around the healing powers of food and is creating a line of teas, soups, and

recipes to support the immune system.

“I am not a doctor, but there are foods that will help,” said Noyes.

Her menu will consist of fresh juices, smoothies and small snacks sourced from local farmers and retailers. They want to pro-

mote healthy options to help people feel better.

Prairie Pantry will also have specialty coffees with baked goods from Goodwill Bakery in Stoughton, along with breakfast sandwiches. Noyes said they have no intentions to focus on local retail sales, as she feels Stoughton already has great retail.

The coffee shop’s name is based on a line of products that Noyes is developing, rooted in health and wellness, which are plant-based and sourced from her garden.

Shantelle Russell is the managing partner. She will provide customer service through her many years in retail. Russell has lived in Stoughton for many years and has family roots there.

It is their hope to have a place where friends gather, in a place where values will be respected, while offering exceptional service and products. They hope to be open near the end of January.

As the 1975 or older vintage machines line up for the ice race, a few needed a little coaching to remain running. Photo by Stephanie Zoer

From left, Shantelle Russell, Ira Noyes and Valerie Creighton are excited to soon open the doors at the Prairie Pantry Coffee Shop and Laundromat in Stoughton. Photo by Stephanie Zoer

- Nelson Mandela

An invitation would have been nice

David Willberg Willberg’s World

The latest spat between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe seems to be over a phone call, or lack thereof.

The PM was in Saskatoon on Monday to tour a rare earth metals processing facility. That’s good. The more opportunities we have to promote this province and all that it has to offer, the better. And rare earth metals, such as lithium, graphite, nickel, cobalt, copper and more, are a real asset for the province.

You might not like the current prime minister, and you might criticize him, but it’s beneficial when he chooses to come here and learn about what we have to offer.

But it seems like the prime minister didn’t take the time to inform Premier Scott Moe of his plans to come to Saskatchewan, much to the chagrin of the premier.

We’re not sure what would have happened if the premier would have received sufficient advanced notice of Trudeau’s visit, but a phone call would have been nice.

Does the prime minister’s office typically notify a provincial government when coming for a visit? That’s probably the case. Has the PM’s office advised the Saskatchewan government when it opts to make a rare visit to this area? Judging by the premier’s reaction to this apparent snub, he’s used to knowing before others are informed.

It’s not exactly a secret that Moe and Trudeau don’t have a warm relationship. You could tell during the Sask. Party’s leadership campaign in 2017-18 that it wasn’t going to be friendly. Remember when Moe was elected leader of the Sask. Party in January 2018? His message to Trudeau was “Just watch me”, drawing from a quote by the prime minister’s father, Pierre, to address the younger Trudeau.

They haven’t mended the relationship since then.

You have to wonder how much of Moe’s reaction on Monday was genuine frustration at being snubbed by the PM, and how much of it was an effort to score more political points with his supporters and with others who just simply don’t like Trudeau.

And perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised that Trudeau wasn’t going to reach out to Moe, given the fractured state of the relationship between the two

It would be nice if Trudeau would have actually spent more time in the province, toured other facilities and communities, and saw what is happening in this province when it comes to clean energy.

Trudeau could take a long, hard look at the efforts of oil and gas companies to reduce their environmental footprint.

And it would be good for him to see the environmental practices that farmers in Saskatchewan are employing.

The prime minister’s understanding of how people live in rural communities has long been lacking.

The sad part is that now we’re talking about Trudeau’s failure to call and Moe’s reaction to it, rather than what Saskatchewan is doing in rare earth minerals and other clean energy efforts. This should have been a showcase of these efforts and the people who are making them possible. A visit from the prime minister is a big deal and affirmation of the good work that is happening. A visit from both the prime minister and the premier would have been even better.

We could have had Trudeau and Moe talk about their mutual admiration for these efforts.

Instead, we received the latest chapter in the tensions between two leaders who seem to have no interest in mending their rift.

This doesn’t make the list of offensive

A year later, their name was changed to Brownies, based on the English folklore of helpful, magical elf-like figures doing secret good deeds.

But things have changed.

I was a Brownie. It was a short-lived experience, just one year, when my family moved to a city that offered the program.

Each Tuesday night I put on my brown dress, tied my orange and white scarf into the well-known Brownie knot, and headed to my elementary school where the meetings were held. We sang, played games, did crafts and earned badges, all the while promising to do our best and be kind.

I earned a few badges as a Brownie. I also won an orange and white polka-dotted candle for being voted Best Dressed Brownie. Since we all wore the same uniform, the award belonged to my mom who ensured the brown dress was perfectly laundered and I looked my best.

Brownies were a branch of Girl Guides and originated when younger sisters began tagging along in England, so a group was formed for them called Rosebuds.

For over 100 years, the name was used in Canada, but that came to an end last week. The chief executive of Girl Guides Canada said a new name was needed because girls were experiencing racism and felt they weren’t welcome because of the name. Current and former members said it caused them harm and prevented or delayed their decision to join.

The change is not without precedent. The organization has made several modifications over the years as officials “keep it relevant and upto-date.” This has meant changes to names, uniforms and mottos, including a move in 2010 to remove any mention of God or religion.

So the name Brownies is no more, replaced by Embers following an online vote held over a two-week period late last year.

At no point in my (admittedly short) time in Brownies did we ever see the name as anything other than referencing the colour of the outfits we wore. There was never a sense that the name was thought of as derogatory to anyone with a different skin tone or ethnicity.

If there truly were children who felt the name was hurtful then perhaps the organization was right in reviewing it, but where do we go from here?

Not to make light of anyone’s pain, but what do we do now with the word brownie? Does it mean recipe books need to be reprinted and dessert menus redone? Brownies, the delightfully delicious fudgy bars in all their various forms, have been a staple since 1893. Do they need to be renamed?

There are some words I wish we could re-think. One is adoption. As an adoptive mother of two daughters, my use of the term references a lifelong, permanent relationship, so to hear of programs to adopt a highway or temporarily adopt a family belies the permanency of the relationship. For me, adoption doesn’t run fleetingly for a summer or the month of December; it is forever.

Yet I understand why the word is used. It invokes ideas of care and nurture, putting in effort to keep a stretch of roadway free from litter, or taking care of the needs of a family at a special time of year. I don’t expect people to discontinue the use of the term just because it means something else to me.

What I need to do is live in a way that cherishes the word differently. We don’t want to cause hurt, but let’s be sure the demands we are calling for make sense. As the mom of a child with brown skin, I can tell you there were words levelled at her that caused harm and pain, as opposed to the terms that had nothing to do with intentional offence. We knew the difference. More importantly, so did she.

By definition, an ember is a little piece of wood or coal in a fire that’s dying. Is this the image those doing the voting really wanted to convey? It is also intriguing that for an organization that 13 years ago did away with religious references, they now embrace a name that in Hebrew means ‘appointed by God.’

We all have issues, vocabulary and imagery that can personally push our buttons and rile us up when its use is not what was originally intended. But we can spend our lives offended, or we can live in such a way that demonstrates its value to us and rise above the noise.

I have little doubt I have done things in my life that have been hurtful and insensitive to others. Being a Brownie is not one of them. That’s my outlook.

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Reporters Gord Paulley Stephanie Zoer

“There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.”

Shelley Luedtke

SLGA permit auctions to start in February

By John Cairns, SASKTODAY.ca

Auctions to sell the permits associated with the soon-to-be-closed SLGA retail stores will begin on Feb. 6.

McDougall Auction will be conducting the online auctions, which will be staggered with final auctions happening starting Feb. 15. According to the province, these will be held at https://mcdougallauction.com/new in real time.

These auctions are for the permits only, with no buildings, fixtures or inventory included in the sale. Thirty-five permits will be up for bid from private bidders: 34 cover the SLGA retail closures announced during the speech from the throne in October and one previously-closed Saskatoon store.

The province released further details about the auction process on Jan. 10 for the SLGA liquor store licences that are being relinquished when the stores close by the end of March.

The auctions are for the retail store permits only; no assets, inventory or buildings are included. Winning bidders must still apply and qualify to hold a retail store permit.

According to the province, interested bidders must pre-register and must pay a $5,000 deposit to participate in the auction, which is refundable

if they are not successful. The winning bidder must also meet all the terms associated with holding a retail store permit, including good character.

There will be six auction groupings and the online auctions will take place over a period of 10 days. The province says each auction is open for 10 days and will take place in real time, with bids visible as they are made. There will be a website open to ordinary members of the public who can follow the bidding process as it unfolds.

Carlyle is in group 1, which runs Feb. 6-15. Estevan is in auction group 2, which will run from Feb. 7-16.

There are multiple auctions for Regina, Saskatoon and Prince Albert is due to those communities having more than one SLGA locations and therefore additional permits up for bid in the auction.

Any individual or business can put in a bid during the auction. The winning bid will give the individual or business the opportunity to formally apply for the retail store permit.

The winning bidders could still be able to sell their permit, but they must open the stores and they must be running before that can happen.

In speaking to reporters at the legislature Jan. 10, Lori Carr, the minister responsible for the SLGA,

defended the process being used to auction off the available permits.

“We’ve shown in the past the way that permits have gone out and individual businesses have taken those businesses and become successful in many communities across the province. We don’t expect this to be any different.”

While some previous SLGA permits have been done by auctions already, this online process is different from the process employed by SLGA in 2016 for the original SLGA stores that were closed to make way for private permits.

In that instance, said Carr, individuals had to bring a business plan forward and then the government determined based on those business plans who would get the permits.

The current employees of the existing SLGA stores will be able to put in

Collision near Carnduff leaves one person dead

One person is dead following a fatal vehicle collision near Carnduff on Tuesday afternoon.

Carnduff RCMP responded to a report of a two-vehicle collision approximately 10 kilometres south of the town.

Initial investigation determined a tractor-trailer unit was travelling north on Range Road 1331 when it collided with a pick-up truck travelling east on Township Road 20.

The driver of the pickup truck, a 92-year-old man, was declared deceased on the scene by EMS. His family has been notified and Victim Services has been engaged to provide support.

The driver of the tractor-trailer, a 22-year-old man, was assessed by EMS crews. No injuries were reported.

Neither vehicle had any other occupants.

Carnduff RCMP along with officers from the RCMP Combined Traffic Services Section and the Estevan RCMP attended the scene and assisted with the investigation. An RCMP collision reconstructionist also attended

to process the scene. The Saskatchewan Coroner’s Service and local fire and EMS also attended.

The roads were closed for approximately eight hours as police investi-

gated the collision. The RCMP said road conditions were “extremely poor and icy” at the time of the collision.

The investigation is ongoing.

a bid, but won’t be getting preferential treatment in the bidding process this time.

“Last time there wasn’t a value for them as per se,” said Carr. “There has been a market created and so now there is a value for them, and so we are going to continue on with that.”

The expectation is there will be plenty of bids for the SLGA permits.

“We’ve had lots of interest, people are really excited, lots of calls -- when are they going up for auction, how is it going to work -so we expect lots of activity when they do come.”

Carr would not speculate to reporters on who will be making bids,

though there are plenty of rumblings that familiar players in the private retail sector including Sobey’s Liquor and Co-op will be interested.

The permits being sold will not be tied to any specific locations or previous operations, but they must remain in the municipality they are associated with. The new operator must also meet local zoning requirements and bylaws.

Once auctions for the retail permits wrap up, auctions will then be resumed for communities which qualify for an additional permit under SLGA’s population matrix. These had been suspended during the pandemic.

As for the 34 SLGA liquor stores that are closing, Carr said the province owns 19 of those properties and expects most of those to be put up for sale after March 31 through a real estate agent, after they do an assessment to see if the properties could be used internally within government.

The existing stores will start closing in the third week of January beginning with the Regina Lewvan location, with all remaining SLGA stores closing

by the end of March. The existing stores are also divesting their current stock of products.

Carr acknowledged that “yes, there are some products that are not available, but in all of the communities that these stores are closing there is another retail sales permittee, that if an individual wants a different product they can go to a different store.”

The opposition New Democrats have issued a statement on the auctioning of the permits, with SLGA Critic Nathaniel Teed saying a lot of people were asking “is this what I voted for”?

Teed noted the SLGA liquor stores were still profitable, despite Minister Carr insisting to reporters the stores would be losing money starting next year.

“Nobody asked for the Sask. Party to sell off profitable liquor stores that pay for our hospitals and schools or to lay off 400 workers in the middle of an affordability crisis. With this important stream of revenue lost, I fear the Sask. Party government will continue to increase taxes and hike power and energy bills again just to pay for their bad financial decisions.”

Rig Report

246992 Savanna Drilling Crescent Point Energy 5-17-8-6 263712 Stampede Drilling Harvard Resources 4-16-6-15 247249 Akita Drilling K+S Potash Canada 7-13-19-25 04F036 Precision Drilling Whitecap Resources 1-28-5-13 258405 Betts Drilling Burgess Creek 6-15-3-30

Lori Carr is the minister responsible for the SLGA. Photo by John Cairns

Danielle Hoffman is Stoughton’s new administrator

By Stephanie Zoer

Danielle Hoffman became the Stoughton town administrator in the summer of 2022, and is now a little more settled into her job.

Hoffman and her husband Derek moved to Stoughton in 2008 from Edmonton.

They moved to Stoughton looking for a simpler and quieter life, as Edmonton now has over a million people, Stoughton seemed like a good choice, and Hoffman already had family living in the area.

After moving to the small town, Hoffman took some time off work to settle into her new home, as she managed a Boston Pizza in Edmonton which was a busy establishment.

Hoffman began working at Don’s Place, a restaurant located at the junction of Highways 47

and 13. It has since closed. She also had employment at the Stoughton Golf Club and did the books for the Esso.

In 2010, the Poplar Tree Inn was built and Hoffman was hired as the manager, something that she was not new at. She was responsible for all aspects of running the inn, including ordering, keeping books, hiring staff and scheduling.

During her last year at the Poplar Tree Inn, she managed Stought’s Eatery.

Hoffman has always had careers in a leadership position, so when she received the town administration position, she had many of the qualifications for the job.

Hoffman loved her previous jobs but needed something more. She enjoys being in a leadership role but also needed a

different challenge, which the administration job would create for her. Hoffman also sat on town council for seven years, and was familiar with much of the protocol for the meetings.

Being the administrator is a huge job. It is not sitting behind a desk and answering the phone and dealing with a little paperwork.

This position will re-

quire Hoffman to deal with residents’ issues, such as dogs running wild and not tagged, missed garbage pickup and upkeep.

Hoffman will need to

know all the town’s bylaws and be able to follow through on them. It is also her job to monitor and stay within the budget, which is set by the town council.

In August 2022, Hoffman began her university courses required for this job. These are local government authority courses. She will need to study law, regular and advanced accounting, management practice and history of government. Hoffman has completed three of the courses with above average marks.

Jade Larose is the office clerk and Hoffman said, “We work will together and we make a great team.” Larose has been with the town of Stoughton for two years.

Hoffman looks forward to serving many years as the administrator for the Town of Stoughton.

Communication emphasized at oilfield safety event

The importance of safety in the workplace was emphasized during the annual Safety Stand Down on Jan. 10 at the Southeast College.

Nearly 200 people attended the event, which was organized by Independent Well Servicing (IWS) and Crescent Point Energy Corp. The audience listened to a presentation from Calgary’s Gary McDougall with Conflict Solutions.

“Gary is a retired Calgary police officer. He worked in SWAT and he

also was a specialist in hostage negotiation and crisis management. So, he brings a lot to the table in regards to dealing with difficult conversations at work and at home and at anywhere,” said Brian Crossman, a field supervisor/sales with IWS.

Thanks to his law enforcement background, the organizers of the Safety Stand Down thought McDougall would be a good person to discuss resolving conflict.

People who attended the Safety Stand Down

came away with tools, such as the importance of tone in conversation. McDougall explained the importance of saying “Why not?” instead of “Why?” or “What else?”, and he emphasized the importance of validating other people’s opinions to diffuse a situation.

Steven Bonk, MLA for Moosomin Constituency 622 Main St., Moosomin, SK Phone: 306-435-4005 Email: stevenbonkmla@sasktel.net Office Hours: Monday - Thursday

Steven Bonk, MLA for Moosomin Constituency 622 St. Moosomin, SK Phone: 306-435-4005 Email: stevenbonkmla@sasktel.net Of ce Hours: Monday -

“Instead of using the word ‘but’, say the word ‘and’. Things like that. Telling people to chill out, calm down and take a pill are usually not effective, and can escalate a situation, so you’re better off to find other ways to converse with people instead of using that kind of language,” McDougall said.

Crossman described McDougall as a very good speaker who wasn’t afraid to incorporate humour into his speech, so it was worthwhile to bring him to Estevan.

The safety Stand Down message might not be directly connected to safety

this year, he said, but it is safety related because a heated conversation can turn into something worse.

“Some days at work, we have difficult moments, and this hopefully gives everyone some tools to keep a situation from escalating to something worse, and hopefully we can all learn from that and be safer in our workplaces,” said Crossman.

The event attracted people from various areas of the oilpatch, plus the Workers Compensation Board and the provincial Ministry of Energy and Resources. All service

rigs working for Crescent Point and IWS shut down for the day, allowing the employees to attend during the afternoon.

“That’s the goal is to get the guys who are out working in the field to attend these things.”

Crossman had not heard McDougall speak before, but a friend recommended McDougall. They met in Calgary on business a few years ago with the intent of bringing McDougall to Estevan, but then the pandemic hit, cancelling the Safety Stand Down for 2021 and 2022 and delaying McDougall’s visit.

“I kept him in the back of my mind, and so when we thought it was safe to do so … I contacted him and he was happy to do the event with us,” said Crossman.

It was nice to be able to have everyone come together again and hear a speaker to make the industry better, Crossman said.

“I think it’s important that we all try to do better, and this is our way of trying to make the industry safer, for everything from Worker’s Compensation claims … to serious injuries and worse,” said Crossman.

From left, Jade Larose is the clerk of the town of Stoughton, while Danielle Hoffman became the new administrator for the town. Photo by Stephanie Zoer

From left, Jerry Mehler with Independent Well Servicing, Carrie Elias (All-in One Safety), Brian Crossman (IWS), guest speaker Gary McDougall (Conflict Solutions), Tim Huber (IWS) and Shirley Huber (IWS) at the Safety Stand Down. Photo by Brian Zinchuk with pipelineonline.ca

By Gord Paulley

Both the White Bear First Nations and Pheasant Rump Nakota First Nations have become beneficiaries of children’s books courtesy of

the Treaty Education Alliance.

Headquartered in Fort Qu’Appelle, the alliance provides educational assistance for six First Nations communities.

The alliance has a partnership with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. The Canadian chapter was formed in 2006 and is a bookgifting program devoted to inspiring a love of reading in the hearts of children everywhere. Each month, enrolled children received a highquality, age-appropriate

book in the mail free of charge.

Children receive books from until age five. As of December 2022, nearly 200 million books have been gifted to children all over the world.

Sarah Ballard is the school services co-ordinator of Treaty Education Alliance.

“Our alliance joined the Dolly Parton program in 2018 and to date we have delivered over 2,900 books to the children of our affiliated First Nation communities. With generous donations received from organizations such as Enbridge and Canada Post, we are able to fund the monthly cost of the program.”

Any children under the age of five can enroll in this program. An easy-to-use application form is provided on the Treaty Education Alliance Facebook page. If you would like to donate towards the program, you can contact the Treaty Education Alliance at 306-3322626.

Sask. Parks campsite reservation dates announced for this spring

Reservations for Saskatchewan Provincial Parks 2023 camping season are set to begin April 3 for seasonal campsites and April 4-12 for nightly, camp-easy and group campsites.

“Many campers are already looking forward to setting up their homeaway-from-home in prov-

AVIS DE MISE EN CANDIDATURE ÉLECTION PARTIELLE

Conseil de l’École Bellegarde

Avis est donné par la présente pour recevoir les mises en candidature aux trois (3) postes à pourvoir au sein du Conseil de l’École Bellegarde (Bellegarde). Un (1) de ces postes a un mandat de deux (2) ans (Élection générale Automne 2024) et deux (2) postes ont un mandat d’un (1) an (Élection générale Automne 2023). Selon l’article 134.2(1) de la Loi sur l’éducation, ces trois (3) postes devront être assumés par des parents d’élèves de l’École Bellegarde.

Les candidatures seront reçues jusqu’à 16 h 00, le mercredi 1er février 2023 par courriel à election@cefsk.ca et/ou au siège social du Conseil des écoles fransaskoises (201-1440 9ème Avenue Nord), pendant les heures d’ouverture du bureau à compter du lundi 16 janvier 2023.

Pour plus d’information ou pour obtenir un formulaire, veuillez

Dans l’éventualité d’une élection, le scrutin se déroulera le mercredi 22 février 2023 de 10 h 00 à 20 h 00.

Critères pour une mise en candidature

Pour un poste de parent au sein du conseil d’école

•

• • Recevoir l’appui par écrit (signature) de trois parents d’élèves de la • Être le parent d’une ou d’un élève de la prématernelle à la 12e année inscrit.e à l’École Bellegarde.

incial parks this summer,” said Laura Ross, minister for Parks, Culture and Sport. “With reservation dates set, campers can now begin planning their trips and preparing for launch day.”

The complete reservation schedule for nightly, camp-easy and group sites is as follows:

•April 4: Candle Lake, Good Spirit Lake, Meadow Lake and Saskatchewan Landing; •April 6: Douglas, Echo Valley, Makwa Lake, Narrow Hills and Pike Lake; •April 10: Danielson, Great Blue Heron, Greenwater Lake, Rowan’s Ravine and The Battlefords; •April 11: Moose Mountain, Buffalo Pound, Bronson Forest and Duck Mountain; and •April 12: Blackstrap, Crooked Lake, Cypress Hills and Lac La Ronge.

Reservations will begin at 7 a.m. each day.

Park entry fees will increase slightly this year in response to the growing number of park services provided yearround and in accordance with the provincial sales tax. The 2023 entry fees are as follows:

•Annual vehicle entry: $82 ($7 increase)

•Weekly vehicle entry: $42 ($2 increase)

•Daily Vehicle Entry: $11 ($1 increase)

Camp-Easy sites will increase from $80 to $85 per night and the Mongolian Yurt at Great Blue Heron will increase from $110 to $116 per night. Some swimming entry and equipment rentals will also see a slight increase. For a full listing of fee changes, visit http://saskparks. com.

All other fees includ-

ing nightly, seasonal and group camping will remain the same for the 2023 camping season.

New this year, a notification feature on the reservation system will allow campers to sign up to receive an alert if a specific campsite becomes available.

Campers can also look forward to a total of 37 new seasonal sites: two full-service in Good Spirit Lake, eight electric in Buffalo Pound, a mix of 18 electric and non-electric in Makwa Lake, a mix of four electric and full-service at Meadow Lake and five electric at Moose Mountain.

New camp-easy yurts have been added at Pike Lake, Good Spirit Lake and Greenwater Lake provincial parks with a new yurt replacing the old Camp-Easy tent in Crooked Lake.

SOUTH EAST CORNERSTONE PUBLIC SCHOOL DIVISION NO. 209

PROPERTY SALE - TENDER

Souris Elementary School, th

Abdoulaye Yoh, Directeur adjoint de scrutin.

SECPSD Property Bid Thursday, February 2, 2023.

The Education Act, 1995

Andy K. Dobson

South East Cornerstone Public School Division No. 209 th Street NE

Photo submitted by Treaty Education Alliance, courtesy Dolly Parton Imagination Facebook Page

Photos by Kayla Brown

Carlyle’s Don Valentine winning his battle with cancer

By Gord Paulley

Well known Carlyle resident Don Valentine has been a hard worker and a fighter all his life.

Early in his working career, he was employed by Steffensen Construction and then Humphries Holdings. In 2016, he completed 30 years of service with Carson Energy Services.

Following six months of unrelenting back pain, in 2017 he was diagnosed with plasmacytoma, a form of cancer that begins in plasma cells. He received radiation to treat that tumour and had rods and pins inserted to stabilize the damage to his T-4 vertebra.

In August 2020, Valentine’s disease had progressed to multiple myeloma. Two more surgeries were required to stabilize lesions in his neck and lower back. After the second surgery in May 2021, chemotherapy treatments began. Unfortunately, the disease continued to progress.

The only remaining possible treatment was to conduct a stem cell transplant. In August 2021, he

was admitted to the Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon where the operation was completed over a four-week period.

An autologous bone marrow transplant is a procedure where a patient’s healthy stem cells are collected from the bone marrow before treatment, stored, and then given back to the patient after treatment. The blood is “harvested” and returned to the body after high doses of chemotherapy are given to the patient.

Risk of illness is extremely high during and after this procedure as the body no longer has immunity against any diseases. Fortunately, stem cell research continues to advance, and the success rate has risen to nearly 80 per cent.

For the past 18 months, Valentine continues to remain positive and his health continues to improve. He continues to have spinal maintenance therapy. Valentine takes a chemotherapy pill every day and undergoes stringent monthly checkups.

“I think I finally have my health issues under control,” said Valentine.

the Arcola Health Centre, and especially his Regina orthopedic surgeon Dr. Kahled Rodwan.

“Doctor Rodwan has been with us every step of the way. I owe him my life. Knowledgeable and compassionate, one couldn’t ask for anyone better,” said Valentine.

Valentine turns 68 this month and he and Judy moved from town to their acreage north of Carlyle in 2014. They are animal lovers and have a houseful of dogs and cats.

With ongoing mobility issues, he now has one major focus in his life. He and Judy are more than happy to be involved in the lives of their children and 11 grandchildren.

This winter, they try to travel to a minimum of three minor hockey games every week and are always there to lend a helping hand.

“You know, I have always had a positive attitude which has really helped me through this. Judy has been my rock and is the best nurse I could have asked for. Cancer can be beaten. If I can do it, anyone can,” said Valentine.

Carlyle’s Dave McDonell keeps working at age 91

By Gord Paulley

For nearly 20 years, long-time Carlyle resident Dave McDonell has manned the transfer station gate at both the Town of Carlyle and RM of Moose Creek landfills.

On Monday and Saturday afternoons, he works the Carlyle location located two kilometres north of town. On Monday mornings and Thursday afternoon, he works at the Moose Creek transfer station located 10 kilometres north of Alameda just east of Highway 9.

Until a few years ago, he also used to work the Village of Kenosee Lake facility and used to share his landfill duties with longtime friend Glen McConnell.

“I have seen a lot of changes in garbage collection over the years, and all have been for the better,” said McDonnell. “The customers are much more organized when they deliver their waste.”

Red metal bins store various materials, including flattened down and clean cardboard, appliances, tree branches and leaves. Bagged grass clippings are also accepted. A nominal fee is charged based on the

item and the amount being delivered.

“Many residents don’t know that anything metal, be it a stove, washing machine, barbeque or an exercise bike, can be dropped off during station hours without a fee being levied,” said McDonnell. “This has been in effect for a couple of years now.”

McDonell was born and raised in Carlyle and in 1951 as a young man went to work in Calgary. He returned to Carlyle in 1956 and married Audrey Bryant in 1957. They had three daughters, Cathy, Mary, and Lorna. Mary passed away in 2001 and Audrey in 2020.

When he returned to Carlyle, McDonell operated a dry-cleaning business with his brotherin-law Harvey Lewis. In the 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s, McDonell was a selfemployed commercial painter in Carlyle and area.

Pat Roesslein, Emma Morrissette and sisterin-law Val Miller were among his loyal employees. He has lived in the same residence on Second Street East for over 64 years.

McDonell was the Town of Carlyle Fire Chief for 17 years. He was also on town council.

“I was a councilor when Carlyle finally approved the paving of its streets. That was quite the experience.”

He was also on several boards including the United Church and chamber of commerce, and was a school trustee.

McDonell is somewhat of a medical marvel. When he was 19 years old, he lost the sight in his right eye and was fitted with an artificial eye. He also has two artificial knees and two artificial hips.

“I guess you could call me the bionic man,” he quipped.

Despite his age, McDonell enjoys relatively good health and remains very active. He still en-

joys working and the numerous friendships he has developed over the years.

“It

ple. If you see a red Buick at the landfill, I am at work. Please stop in and say hello,” he said.

“I no longer must wear either a neck brace or a back brace and all of my hair has grown back. I still get tired easily and

must move around constantly to avoid seizing up. It’s been a tough six years, but it could have been worse.”

Valentine and his wife Judy have nothing but praise for Saskatchewan health care, including the Allan Blair Cancer Clinic,

Don Valentine proudly displaying a banner of his eleven grandchildren at his north Carlyle residence. Photo by Gord Paulley

gets me out of the house and gives me something to do. I really enjoy talking to the peo-

Dave McDonell relaxing at the kitchen table of his Carlyle residence. Photo by Gord Paulley

Carlyle Wildcats showcase local female hockey talent

By Gord Paulley

The Carlyle U18 Wildcats continue to give local female hockey players a chance to play the game they love.

The Wildcats call the Carlyle Sports Arena their home and have attracted players from many towns and villages in the area.

Brian Hagel of Carlyle is their coach, and he is assisted by Jamie Gervais of Redvers. Gervais’ wife Angela is co-manager along with Jennifer Einarson from Arcola. Cadence Chapman of Manor is their assistant coach-trainer.

Hagel’s daughter Kenna played for the Estevan Bearcats and a few years ago they suggested, “Why don’t you form your own female team and base it in Carlyle?” And so he did.

Five years ago, the Wildcats became a team and Hagel has been their head coach ever since. Kenna is now 20 years old and has aged out from the team.

“I coach because I absolutely love the game,” said Hagel. “There is a market for women’s hockey and hopefully Carlyle can form many more youth female teams in different age divisions. Carlyle is central to many and has a fine facility.”

Einarson has two girls playing with the Wildcats. Kasenya is 16 and Gracyn is 14.

“Our girls have been playing hockey since they were four years old. It is refreshing to have a female team playing out of Carlyle instead of having to travel to Estevan or Weyburn. Our family absolutely loves the game, and we really enjoy the friendly competition and sportsmanship. Hockey is just a huge part of our lives, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Carlyle plays in the South Division of the Saskatchewan Female Hockey League. They play 20 regular season games against teams including the Southeast TS&M Gold Wings. Regular practices are held in Carlyle every

Tuesday and Wednesday nights. League playoffs start Feb. 23.

The Wildcats have a full roster and are comprised of young female hockey players from 13 to 18 years of age. The

girls travel from their homes in Arcola, Carnduff, Corning, Kipling, Lampman, Moosomin, Redvers, Stoughton and White Bear. All of them have played boys’ minor hockey and truly relish

the opportunity to play with and against girls.

“We attract players from a vast area in southeast Saskatchewan. It is a massive commitment from the parents and the players as the Wildcats

Redvers and Moosomin win twice in the Big Six

The Big Six Hockey League had seven games on the docket for the weekend.

The Moosomin Rangers knocked off the Carlyle Cougars 7-3 on Friday night. Ben Johnstone and Mark Shaw scored in the opening five minutes of the first period, and Derek Fleck scored in the second to tie the game at 3-3, but then Moosomin took over.

Bud Holloway finished with three goals and an assist for the Rangers, and Brayden Holloway, Blake Rasmuson, Carter Sawchuk and Jacob Piller also scored.

Kyler Beckett was in goal for Moosomin. Zane Winter was the Carlyle goalie.

The Carnduff Red Devils edged the Midale Mustangs 5-4 in the close game

of the weekend. Justin Hollinger scored the winning goal with 81 seconds to play in the game.

Brandon Trask, Trey Stocker, Ty Stovin and Matthew Audette had the other Carnduff goals.

Kendall Oliver, Carter Bonokoski, Dallas Kickley and Steven Lindenbach scored for Midale.

Cody Dumaine (Carnduff ) and Talen King (Midale) were in net.

The Oxbow Huskies defeated the Bienfait Coalers 6-2. Brody Haygarth had three straight goals in the second period to ignite a five-goal frame for Oxbow.

Tom Frasz and Colton Schell also scored in the period, and Schell added another in the third. Cody Levesque was the Huskies’ goalie.

Jason Hengen and Cole Skjonsby had the Bienfait goals. Zack Miller was in goal.

The Redvers Rockets trounced the Wawota Flyers 10-2, thanks in large part to a seven-goal second period. Presten Kopeck, Jordon Miller, Braden Magotiaux and Bradey Fidierchuk each had two goals, and Craig Gaudet and Colby Potapinski also scored. Cody Matthewson was Redvers’ netminder.

Ayden Lawless had both goals for the Flyers, while Zach Lees was in goal. The final game for Friday had the Yellow Grass Wheat Kings drill the Arcola-Kisbey Combines 10-1.

Braden Mellon and Kyle Myrglod each had two goals, and Riley Knoll,

Dylan Frey, Maxwell Rae, Burke Johnstone, Drew Fellner and Conor Lafoy also scored.

Duane Hislop had the Combines’ marker.

Nolan Bergen was in goal for Yellow Grass. Zac Eaton and Evan Hauber shared goalie duties for Arcola-Kisbey.

The three games on Saturday were blowouts. The Rockets won 9-1 over Yellow Grass. Jordon Miller finished with three goals, Drew Hoff and Todd Gervais each had two markers, while Kopeck and Magotiaux also scored. Thomas Bauche was in goal for Redvers.

Mellon had the Wheat Kings’ lone goal. Erickson was the goalie.

Bienfait trounced Wawota 10-2. Taysen Holt

had two goals for Bienfait, and Dylan Lay had four helpers. Alex Kerr, Erik McKersie, Tyler Hengen, Jordan Ross, Justin Byers, Klae Bayda, Kyle Salaway and Wyatt Garagan had the other goals.

Jordan Fox and Ayden Lawless scored for Wawota.

Kye Steinke (Wawota) and Zack Miller (Bienfait) were the goalies.

The Rangers scored seven times in each of the first and second periods to win 16-0 over Arcola-Kisbey. Brayden Holloway had four goals and four assists and Bud Holloway had a goal and six helpers for the Rangers. Dawson Springer (three goals and two assists) and Sawchuk (two goals and three assists) had five-point

and the league have extensive travel throughout the year. Without this commitment the Wildcats would not exist,” said Hagel.

Last Saturday afternoon, the Wildcats hosted the South East TS&M Goldwings, based in Midale. A good crowd of over 100 was in attendance. At all regular season games, there is free admission with 50/50 tickets sold to offset the cost of officials.

Trailing 5-3 late in the third, the Gold Wings stormed back with three straight goals to make it 6-5 for the visitors. With their goalie pulled, Kasenya Einarson tied the game at 6-6 with 38 seconds to play. Just seconds later, teammate Alexys Roppel of Kipling scored the game-winning marker to make the final 7-6 Wildcats. Roppel had a four-point night with three goals and an assist.

The next game for the Wildcats is in Carlyle Saturday Jan. 21 at 3:15 p.m. against the Southwest Cyclones. That day is Minor Hockey Day in Carlyle.

games. Rasmuson scored twice, and Jody Boutin, Brayden Naabholz, Monty Driver and Chad Hebert also scored.

Kyler Beckett had the shutout in goal.

Eaton was in goal for the Combines.

It will be another busy weekend coming up. Games on Jan. 20 are Yellow Grass at Kipling-Windthorst, Carlyle at Moosomin, Midale at Redvers and Wawota at Carnduff

Contests for Jan. 21 are Carlyle at Wawota, Carnduff at Redvers, Moosomin at Midale and Kipling-Windthorst at Oxbow.

Oxbow will visit Bienfait on Jan. 24.

All games are to start at 8 p.m.

Action from the Carlyle U18 Wildcats female hockey team’s hockey game Jan. 14 in Carlyle. Photo by Gord Paulley

Milestone year for Arcola’s snowmobile rally

By Stephanie Zoer

For 30 years, the Arcola Optimist Club has hosted its annual snowmobile rally, and this year looks promising for good snow.

According to Geordan Workman, a 10-year member of the Arcola Optimist Club and the snowmobile rally committee chairman, it gets better each year.

Last year the Arcola Optimist Club’s snowmobile rally saw $67,000 donated to local organizations.

The event will be held on Jan. 28, beginning at the Arcola Prairie Place Complex.

Breakfast will begin at 8 a.m., served by the Town of Arcola and R.M. of Brock Volunteer Fire Departments.

Registration will run from 10 a.m. until noon, and then it will be time to ride the trails, but one can

also hang out at the complex. Not everyone who registers wants to go out on the trails. Many come out for the social aspect.

Approximately 300 riders took part in the rally last year, but there have been years in which over 500 riders came to enjoy the day.

Workman said having 300-plus riders makes for a great event, but they

always hope for more to attend.

The trail is 80 kilometres long. Some riders go through it in a couple of hours, while others may take five or six hours to complete it.

Along the trail will be stops for snacks with hot chocolate, and once back at the complex, the beer gardens will be open.

The annual rally lottery

is also a huge part of this event. There are only 4,000 tickets available and over $30,000 in prizes are up for grabs, with the winners announced at 5:30 p.m.

New this year is the rally 50/50 draw. This is only available online and it’s as simple as scanning the QR code. Eight thousand tickets are available with the proceeds going towards upgrades to the

sound system at the Mac Murray Theatre, which is run by the Optimist club and a big part of Arcola.

The draw will take place at 6 p.m. at the complex.

Over 100 sponsors help make this event successful. From the trails to the concessions and tickets. The sponsorship is amazing, according to Workman.

Another highlight of the day is Dickson Delorme,

better known by his stage name Quick Dick McDick. He is a Saskatchewan farmer, YouTube star and comedian, who will be on stage at 3 p.m. at the Arcola Prairie Place Complex.

Also at the complex will be a concession and supper prepared by the Carlyle and District Food Bank.

A table of raffle prizes will be up for grabs and there will be prizes.

This year’s proceeds will go to the Moose Mountain Snowmobile Club.

“The MMSC work hard to keep the trails groomed and in excellent shape,” Workman said.

Funds will also go towards the Optimist-Legion Hall for some upgrades and the Mac Murray Theatre.

“The more good snow we have the better, but we will take what we get and have a great time,” Workman said.

Wawota News - four new members for the Lions Club

Sympathy to family and friends of Henry Fowler, who passed away at Deer View Lodge on Dec. 14 at the age of 94. He leaves behind wife Joan, and Don, Dianne, Darlene, Dwight and Doug and their families.

Four new members were inducted into the Wawota Lions Club recently. They are Tyson Puskas, Jordan Fox, Donovan Durksen and Brayden Hall.

Sympathy to the family and friends of Kevin Ruckaber of Weyburn. He passed away on Dec. 9 at the age of 60. He was a former Schwann Ice

Cream truck driver and former maintenance man for the Town of Wawota. He is survived by his wife Darlene and their family.

Wawota will have representatives on two different rinks at the Viterra Scotties in Estevan later this month. Members of the Cindy Ricci rink are Kristy (Wilson) Johnson, Natalie

(Greenbank) Bloomfield and Tamara (Greenbank) Kapell who are all former Wawota residents. Hanna Johnson is a member of the Kleiter rink.

Sympathy to Elgin Pryce on the passing of his sister-in-law Betty Leusink of Regina. She died on Jan. 10 at the age of 78. Elgin and Neena Johnson trav-

elled to Regina to attend her funeral on Jan. 14.

Happy 80th birthday to Edna Benner for Jan. 10. Several friends and family members surprised her with a party at the Village Inn.

Sympathy to the family and friends of Bruce McCarthy who passed away at Deer View Lodge on

Dec. 31 at age 90. He was formerly from Corning, Kenosee Lake and Kipling. He and his late wife, Marjorie, were great friends of ours over the years. Keith enjoyed golfing with Bruce and we shared many meals and card games with them. A gathering in his honor was held at the Drop In at Kenosee last Saturday.

Over 300 riders joined together last year for the Arcola Optimist snowmobile rally. Photo by Geordan Workman

Submitted by Myrna Olson

Frecon July 11, 1930 - Nov. 30, 2022

Clarisse Frecon, born July 11, 1930, peacefully passed on November 30, 2022 at Redvers Nursing Home with family at her side.

She leaves to mourn 6 children: David (Bonne) Frecon of Redvers, Lucille (Louis) Gervais of Alida, Irene (Don) McLeod of Weyburn, Fabien (Aggie) Frecon of Redvers, Brian (Wendy) Frecon of Redvers, and Odette (Russ) Annetts of Sylvan Lake; along with 19 grandchildren and 41 great grandchildren; siblings: Elsie (Clifford) Sabiston, Gabrielle (Peter) Warren; step siblings: Celine (Robert) Osebold, and Rene Rogg as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

She was predeceased by her husband, Albert of 63 years; son, Emile; parents, Alphonse and Gabrielle (Laval) Rogg; step mother, Antonie; siblings: Therese (Henry) Rutten, Denise (Marcel) Frecon, George (Jeannette, Rita) Rogg, Gerry (Seretha) Rogg and step sister France Rogg.

Clarisse attended St. Anne Convent in Wauchope, Saskatchewan for her schooling. She married Albert Frecon on November 15, 1950. They resided on the Frecon homestead which is now occupied by son Fabien. They raised 7 children - 4 sons and 3 daughters and retired near Redvers in 1984.

Clarisse was a CWL member for over 50 years with Bellegarde and Redvers branches. She was devoted to her church, preparing the altar with flowers and produce from her own garden and helping where she was able. She was also active with the Redvers Activity Center. Some of her pastimes were gardening, reading, crocheting, embroidery, knitting, ceramics, and baking. She had a green thumb and enjoyed growing vegetables and fruits in her garden as well as beds of beautiful flowers and house plants. She generously shared produce, plants and bulbs with family and friends. She also liked going for walks to enjoy nature and loved seeing hummingbirds on the feeder on her deck. During the winter she embroidered tablecloths for each of her children and grandchildren.

Clarisse loved dearly all her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, each one in a different way. Her baking was one way she treated her family with such favourites as donuts, bread, buns, cinnamon buns, chokecherry syrup, pate, patate aux chou, mini tourtiere, ginger snaps, raisin cookies, cream puffs, and pie crust pieces.

Clarisse leaves each family member with special memories of happiness, sadness, laughter, kindness, compassion and wisdom.

A funeral mass, officiated by Fr. Ronald Andree, was held to celebrate Clarisse’s life on December 5, 2022 at Our Lady of Fatima Church in Redvers. Those wishing to pay tribute to Clarisse may make a donation in her memory to the Redvers and District Community Health Foundation designated to Long Term Care or to a charity of their choice.

The family would like to thank all of the health care providers of the Redvers Nursing Home for their great care and support. Thanks for all the inquiries, cards, food, texts, prayers, flowers, hugs, and kind words of sympathy through our difficult time. Thanks to all who participated in the funeral service. Thanks to Dustin Hall for his support, guidance, and singing. God bless you all for your care.

Saskatoon Farm Toy & Collectible Show at the Saskatoon Western Development Museum, January 20 - 22, 2023. Friday 5pm-9pm; Saturday 10am-5pm; Sunday 10am-4pm. Special features: Farm toys and scenes, construction equipment, vintage toys and much more!

Advertisements and statements contained herein are the sole responsibility of the persons or entities that post the advertisement, and the Saskatchewan Weekly Newspaper Association and membership do not make any warranty as to the accuracy, completeness, truthfulness, or reliability of such advertisements. For greater information on advertising conditions, please consult the Association’s Blanket Advertising Conditions on our website at www.swna.com.

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After a lifetime of love and laughter, Doreen Evelyn McKechnie (nee Matthews) slipped away peacefully on Monday, January 9, 2023 with her husband of 69-1/2 years at her side.

Left to cherish her memory are husband Gerald (Gerry), son Brett (Doreen, grandson Taylor), daughters Brenda and Beth (Ross), sister Marjorie Marshall, sisters-in-law Norma Hutchinson and Jean Michel, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Mom was born on a farm outside Semans, SK, but moved to Regina at the tender age of 12 to continue her schooling. From there she went on to teacher’s college “normal school” , in Moose Jaw, SK. As a new teacher at age 17, she was younger than some of the students in the one room school where she taught. After meeting Gerry McKechnie in Froude, SK, the young married couple tried farming for three years but then switched to small town life when Dad took a job with Esso production department in Frobisher, SK. From there, the family moved with Esso to Lampman, SK, where mom taught junior high for 15+ years and spent summers relaxing at the cabin at Kenosee Lake.

A year in Abu Dhabi for dad’s work meant early retirement from teaching for mom. It was an exciting year for them both, travelling through Asia and Europe, and living in the UAE. Returning to Canada, they escaped the cold winters for warmer climes in Texas and later Arizona and Osoyoos, B.C. Mom put her teaching skills to good use in Weslaco, TX, where she taught ESL. The past 19 years have been spent in Brandon, MB, enjoying life with many of the same friends from Texas along with new ones.

Mom became an avid bridge player upon retirement, having learned to play in Abu Dhabi. Scrabble was another family favourite along with crib, kanasta and other card games. She tried to teach us mahjong but we never really caught on well enough to give her a decent game. She also loved listening to music, which might be why she married a saxaphone player and put up with dad travelling with bands on the weekends to play in various other towns.

We will miss her terribly but are grateful for a peaceful end to a wonderful life. Wherever she is, we know she is smiling. A service will take place in spring/summer 2023. Messages of condolence may be placed at www.brockiedonovan.com. Arrangements are in care of Brockie Donovan Funeral & Cremation Services, (204)-727-0694.

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Tessier wants to give back to cancer survivors

By Stephanie Zoer

Kennedy Tessier is passionate when it comes to fighting cancer, as her family has seen enough of it over the years.

Tessier’s grandmother had breast cancer, her aunt passed away from cancer in 2020 and her dad also died from the horrible disease a few years ago.

Tessier, originally from Regina, moved to Arcola and married Scott Tessier, who is Arcola’s mayor. Together they have three children, Harrison their nineyear-old son, Ryker their three-year-old son and

Mila their one-year-old daughter.

When Tessier’s dad passed away, it hit her hard and felt the struggles that families go through with cancer firsthand. “

“My dad rung the bell at the cancer clinic in Regina and then a month later he was gone,” she recalled.

Her father had a rare throat cancer, but he had not smoked in 30 years, said Tessier.

Tessier is a professional photographer and she wanted to give back to those who have battled or are fighting cancer, not only breast cancer, but all forms of the disease.

Her business, This Moment Photography, will be doing photo shots of cancer victims in the hopes to make them feel beautiful, even if it is only for a fleeting period of time. A few of her sessions will be held at Government House in Regina, during May or June when all the flowers are in bloom. She calls them empowerment sessions.

Her cancer campaign includes approximately 30 people, who will have their photos taken for free.

She wants to bring awareness for breast cancer and will be doing a few short videos on self-checking and stories from her clients that are willing to share.

Tessier receives a great deal of support from her husband, who got the

studio going for her when she moved to Arcola. Her mom, Lyla Adnam

is also a great supporter, as is her brother Bailey Adnam. They are always

ready to offer a lending hand when Tessier needs help.

A care package is being put together which includes donations from some lovely local businesses from Carlyle, Estevan, Weyburn and Redvers, and Tessier is very thankful for this.

Tessier feels it is her way to give back to those that struggle in these challenging times, and hopes that it will make a difference and help them smile, even if it is only for a short time.

Tessier recently celebrated her fifth anniversary. She has a small studio set up at the old Chaparral Restaurant in Arcola, which is owned by her husband’s parents.

She takes a wide range of photos of weddings, families portraits and pets.

May we suggest placing your ad in color your ad in color!

Who says color doesn’t call attention to your advertisement? It just did.

Call 306-453-2525

Village of Kenosee Lake

The Village of Kenosee Lake is seeking bids on several products

• Supply of Gravel, sand, dirt and clay ($/yard including delivery)

• Plumbing ($/hour for journeyman, apprentice, labourer including all tools, vehicles and travel along with overtime rates)

• Electrical ($/hour for journeyman, apprentice, labourer including all tools, vehicles and travel along with overtime rates)

• Hydrovac ($/hour including operator, overtime rates and any other rates that may apply)

• Heavy duty equipment (List of equipment and $/hour including operator and all rates that may apply)

• Water/Sewer connections and repairs ($/hr including operator and all rates that may apply)

• Sewer pump out ($/pump out includes all rates that may apply)

Please submit your bids with proof of liability insurance and WCB clearance to: Village of Kenosee Lake PO Box 30 Kenosee Lake, SK S0C 2S0

Or E-mail to:

Bids must be received before st, 2023. Lowest bid not guaranteed to be the successful applicant. Only successfully applicants will be contacted.

Village of Kenosee Lake

Notice of Abandonment of Poll

Whereas a poll is not required pursuant to The Local Government Election Act, 2015 for the office of:

Board Member - South East Cornerstone School Division No. 209 for Subdivision Nos. 1 & 6

I hereby give public notice that no voting for the said office will take place and that the following persons are elected by acclamation: Devona Putland Subdivision 1 Michelle DeBruyne Subdivision 6

Dated at Weyburn, SK this 12th day of January, 2023. Shelley Toth, Returning Officer

Oxbow

St. Joseph’s - 9:00 a.m. Cantal St. Raphael’s Sunday - 10:45 a.m Carnduff St. Jude - 12:30 p.m. Rev. Father Vince Borre

Every Sunday at 10 am

Pastor Couple Rev. Matthew and Michelle Redstone 306.453.2782 info@onechurch.ca 104 - 6th St. W Carlyle

You are Invited to Join Us Drop In Friday - 7pm to 11pm Ages: 12 - 17 306.453.2782 info@onechurch.ca 205 Railway Avenue West

You are Invited to Join Us

Every Sunday at 10 am

Pastor Couple Rev. Matthew and Michelle Redstone 306.453.2782 info@onechurch.ca 63 Broadway St., Redvers

Greg Wallin

Kennedy Tessier is celebrating her year of being a photographer at This Moment Photography. Photo by Kennedy Tessier

Trudeau visit a “missed opportunity”, says Moe

By John Cairns, SASKTODAY.ca

Premier Scott Moe expressed disappointment that his office was not given the heads-up that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would be touring a rare earth elements plant in Saskatoon.

Moe called it “a missed opportunity” for the two levels of government to meet and discuss what was happening with rare earth elements. But in speaking to reporters at the legislature Monday afternoon, Moe also expressed hope that they might have that conversation in the near future.

“It’s disappointing when the Prime Minister is coming to engage on the topic of rare earths elements processing in Saskatchewan … that we weren’t invited or made aware so we could sit down and have those discussions.”

The indication from the premier is he first learned about the Trudeau visit from the media. Trudeau had met with workers at the Saskatoon facility of Vital Metals, Canada’s first rare earths producer, in an event Monday morning which was also attended by Saskatoon Mayor Charlie Clark. Premier Moe’s office issued a statement Monday

morning, indicating Moe had not been made aware of Trudeau’s visit.

Moe said he personally hadn’t reached out to the prime minister, but his office had and there was an apology from the PMO for not informing them of the the visit.

“It’s disappointing, because this is one of the points where the province of Saskatchewan and the federal government most certainly do see eye to eye,” Moe told reporters at the legislature.

He said the province had been advancing the processing capacity in Saskatoon for rare earth elements through the Saskatchewan Research Council.

Moe said about six per cent of global supply would be coming out of that plant, but he also pointed out that the province was looking at making decisions on advancing into phase two of that facility.

“Which, again, would be another probably couple of hundred million dollars that would be under consideration,” said Moe. “We would ask that the federal government be a partner in that to provide energy security not just today with our oil and gas and uranium in this province, but provide energy security into the

future by providing Canadians and North Americans with the rare earth elements they are going to need.”

Moe also pointed out the facility in Saskatoon produces no effluent. As well, “we’re looking at a net-zero option for that facility,” said Moe.

When Trudeau was asked in a media scrum in Saskatoon about the province not being extended an invite, Trudeau had responded that Saskatchewan was an important partner on many issues but “at the same time, we also know there is work to be done in encouraging the

government of Saskatchewan to see the opportunities that companies and indeed workers are seeing in cleaner jobs, in the opportunities for cleaner energy projects.”

When asked about that comment by Trudeau, Moe said it was “a disingenuous statement, quite frankly, and also an uneducated statement, quite frankly.”

Moe said the province was putting together their plan to replace some capacity so there was a much lower carbon electrical grid. Moe also noted the rare earth facility was unlike any of its kind, again noting it produced no effluent and

that there were net-zero opportunities.

The controversy has revived criticisms that Moe and Trudeau were more interested in fostering divisions. On Monday, opposition leader Carla Beck took Premier Moe to task for his focus on Trudeau instead of promoting rare earth elements.

“What we saw today was the premier, instead of seeing this as an opportunity to showcase investment and showcase innovation and opportunity in Saskatchewan, took this opportunity to make this about himself,” said Beck on a Zoom call.

“This is a premier who before Christmas talked about resetting his relationship with the federal government. You know, and it’s not very far into January and we’re seeing the Premier fall back into this pattern of yelling from Twitter instead of getting to the table and showcasing what today should have been - a very good news story about the opportunity, minerals and innovation in Saskatchewan. And I think that’s really, really disappointing that he chose to make this about himself.”

Moe told reporters he didn’t think he had a bad relationship with the federal government. “Not to my

Alida News - upcoming events in the village

Submitted by Edel Cowan

Alida community extends sincere sympathy to the Mailhiot relatives on the death of Rosalie Zander on Jan. 4 at Hill View Manor in Estevan at the age of 87. She will be remembered by her family – four children, eight grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren,

three siblings and numerous nieces and nephews.

Get well and best wishes for a speedy recovery to Darren Barrie, who suffered a stroke over the holidays. A donation sheet has been set up at the Alida Post Office to help with his expenses.

The Alida Golden Gate is now opened every Wednesday from Jan. 11-March 29 from 10 a.m. to noon,

where one can come have coffee, socialize, join in creating a puzzle, participate in diamond paint, a craft, play a game or enjoy other activities. People can take a look through the puzzle library. Bring a puzzle or take a puzzle. A membership of $25 is required; contact Margaret at 306-485-7245.

On January 12 Tim, Shelly and Ainsley Cowan

were in Regina where Ainsley had a dental appointment.

Kitchen Group 2 was at the helm Jan. 15, serving up breakfasts at the Alida Rink. They took the lead in the challenge by serving up 49 breakfasts; way to go everybody. It was so nice to see lots of new faces at the rink, with a good number from the neighbouring

towns. Thanks for coming and supporting us; hope we see you again. On Jan. 22 it will be Group 3.

This coming weekend it is the Alida Wrecks Hockey Tournament. Lots of hockey so we hope to see you at the rink.

Just a reminder folks that Act One Productions still has drama tickets available for all the nights

knowledge, no,” he said. He also emphasized he didn’t feel a personal slight.

“This isn’t about personalities, this is about making the best interests, in the prime minister’s case, in the interests of all Canadians and in my case, in the interests first and foremost of the people who live in this province,” said Moe.

During his media scrum, when the premier was asked about the provincial government’s relationship with the federal government, Moe emphasized several areas of agreement.

Moe acknowledged there were “numerous policy points where we do not agree with the federal government, we let that be known,” but he emphasized that there were also “numerous opportunities where we have an opportunity to work together with the federal government.”

He pointed to the safe restart during COVID-19 as one, as well as on the Canada Health Transfer where the provinces had called on the federal government to come to the table for talks. Moe said they will “get to a meeting at some point” on that latter topic.

“We’ll work with the federal government where we can, it’s disappointing today wasn’t one of those days.”

of their performances from March 9-11. Contact Linda at the Post Office if interested in attending our drama this year. Remember it is being dedicated to the memory of Lynette Peet, who was very active behind the scenes in our drama club. If you’d like to help out the club, please contact Tim Cowan, Shanna Carriere or any club member.

TENDER-LAND FOR RENT

Single

• 5-year term (2023-2028)

• Land must be used as either pastureland or hay land.

• Previous year stats: Approximately 490 acres of pasture supported 40 pair; an additional 175 acres of hay land produced 301 x 1400-pound bales.

• Rental of land between May 10 and October 20.

• Cutting of hay may start of July 15th. All hay crop must be removed from property by October 20. Only one cut of hay is allowed. Land where hay is cut must not also be grazed.

• Overgrazing or damage to land may result in termination of agreement. A minimum of 4 inches of vegetative cover to be maintained on the property.

• The bidder is responsible for fencing.

• Annual payment on May 15 to include cash rental plus GST.

• Tender can include cash rental, along with a proposal to improve fencing or construct cattle loading facilities.

• Bidders must rely on their own research and inspection of the property.

• The agreement is for haying and pasture and gives no other rights or privileges.

• To be excluded from agreement: approximately 3.0 acres of shelterbelt trees on NE13-11-2-W2.

• Highest or any tender not necessarily accepted.

• All tenders are confidential and will be accepted until- January 25, 2023, at 12 noon delivered in person or mailed to Stephen Smulan, Box 306, Wawota, SK SOG5A0

• For further information contact Stephen Smulan at (cell) 306-575-9105

Katelyn Ethier

Premier Scott Moe meets reporters on the visit by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to Saskatchewan. Photo by John Cairns