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Lampman Fire Department receives $50,000 donation
By Stephanie Zoer
Lampman Fire and Rescue has received a significant boost in its efforts to enhance their facilities and equipment, thanks to the generous $50,000 donation from Kingston Midstream.
This substantial contribution is earmarked for essential fire hall renovations to be done at the R.M. of Browning shop that they purchased and will house the fire department as well.
Dena Scott, Deputy Chief of the fire department, said the funds will be used to do renovations such as an office and meeting rooms. The renovations are not major, but they are needed.
Scott has been the deputy chief for 15 years and has been in the department for 28 years. The equipment is getting bigger and now the smaller hall located in town is no longer suitable for all the equipment.
Last July, an approved letter was sent out by the town’s administrator Teresa Biller to all residents, businesses and farmers asking for assistance with donations for this cause.
Donations began to roll in, and this is when Kingston
Midstream stepped up to the plate with their large donation.
Kingston Midstream is known for its commitment to community investment, focusing on supporting safety initiatives, including those involving first responders and emergency services.
Their contributions aim
to foster strong relationships within the communities where they operate, emphasizing the importance of safety and wellbeing.
This donation will significantly aid Lampman Fire and Rescue in maintaining and upgrading their facilities, thereby enhancing their capacity to
serve and protect the community effectively.
Presently, Lampman has 22 volunteers in the department. According to Scott this is a good number as some of the volunteers work out of town.
They also have four to five junior volunteers, who they are pleased to see. “It is great to
see the youth getting involved,” said Scott.
During their junior years they receive a great deal of different training which continues as fire fighters.
Last summer they had a Level 1 Vehicle Extrication program. This program met and exceeded the standards.
The department stays on top of all the new vehicle technology providing this program every two years.
Lampman Fire and Rescue and the R.M. of Browning cover a busy area in the southern rural area of Saskatchewan from farming to industrial traffic due to the oil and gas industry.
This small town also has an ambulance through the SHA, but presently it only has four staff members for the job, which Scott calls a skeleton crew.
In the spring there will be EMR courses offered in Weyburn. To take the course, the standard first aid and CPR C must be obtained along with a clear criminal background check.
The Town of Lampman and the R.M. of Browning thank everyone for their generous support to improve their fire department.
From left, The Lampman Fire Department was grateful for the donation from Kingston Midstream. Ole Michaelsen, Grant Palmer, Darren Ludwig, Candice Englot, Dena Scott, and Mike Grobbink. Photo by Teresa Biller
February
Sun, Feb 23 – Carlyle Minor Ball Pitching Clinic
CarlyleBaker yc
Your rst stop to nd events happening in our community!
March
Sat, Mar 15 – Arcola High House – The Leftovers
Tues to Sat - Mar 25 -29 – 125th Arcola Curling Club Bonspiel
*Do you have a community event you want listed here?
April
Send us the name of the event, date, and what community it’s being held by emailing: observer@sasktel.net OR calling: (306) 453-2525.
Sat, April 12 – Lions Supper and Auction Sat, April 19 – Arcola High House – J.J. Voss
Carndu Education Complex: Spirit Week…And Kamryn
By Paul Kimball
The week of February 10th, which culminated on Valentine’s Day, was Spirit Week at the Carnduff Education Complex. The students did various things to show what they love and to express it. Monday
was pajama and comfy clothes day, Wednesday was Tye Dye Day, wearing clothes that spoke of peace and love, Thursday was ‘show your team some love day’ by wearing team colours and Friday was pink and red day, the colours of love.
Tuesday was a very special day – orange day. Not the fruit, but the colour. How does orange fit in with the week of love?
Over a month ago, one of Carnduff ’s students was diagnosed with leukemia. Kamryn Borreson is an athletic and fun-loving Grade 11 student, and the news came as a shock to everyone. Her disease needed to be treated aggressively and for the next several months, she will have to be in the hospital or very close to one. The colour orange has become associated with leukemia, and students, staff and
bus drivers began wearing orange ribbons to show their love, care and support for Kamryn.
Tuesday of Spirit Week was devoted to showing that love, care and support. The 312 students and 34 staff were encouraged to wear something orange and to demonstrate their ‘orange support’ in a picture that would be sent to Kamryn in her hospital room. Also included in the picture was a large poster that everyone had an opportunity to sign.
As always, Spirit Week was fun and frivolous for the students and staff, but it also included a sober reminder that life can be harsh and even cruel at times. In the midst of the lightheartedness of the week, everyone connected with the school wanted Kamryn to know that they were thinking of her, and to show their care and love for her.
The students and sta sending their message of love, support and encouragement to Kamryn. Photo submitted by Jeannie Taylor
Carlyle Senior Girls curling team gave it their all at districts
By Stephanie Zoer
It was an exciting weekend of curling on February 14-16 at the Wawota curling rink when several teams came together for the district finals.
The Carlyle Senior Girls Curling team was in attendance with their aim to go to regionals.
It started with Carlyle playing against Carnduff, which Carlyle won 13-0. The next game was played against Ogema were both teams played hard, but Carlyle came out on top with a 9-3 win.
This win advanced the women to the A division to playoff against Wawota. This was another well-played game, but Wawota took this victory 10-5.
Although Carlyle dropped to the B semi-finals, they gave the fans an exciting game against Estevan. With a tied game they needed to play an extra end, and Estevan pulled off the win.
With this loss, the Carlyle Senior girls will not be advancing to regionals, but they have nothing to be disappointed about as they have had a great season.
“This is it for playdowns, but we will continue to practice until the middle of March,” said coach Robin Brown. “We will be looking for some bonspiels to enter now.”
The girls played well all weekend, and they left everything on the ice.
The Carlyle Senior Girls Curling team will not be advancing to regionals this year. From left, Robin Brown, Tiana Delaleau, Ella Johnson, Kiera Brown, Alyssa Bee and Kirsten East. Photo courtesy of Robin Brown
Views
A tougher type of love
Here comes an embarrassing confession. I love Hallmark movies!
I love their unpredictability. Story lines vary so much from one movie to another. You never see the surprise ending that is coming!
You’re probably saying something like ‘what?’ right now! If you’ve watched any more than one, you know they’re all the same. They start with two people who rub each other the wrong way…they slowly start coming together…the lady accidentally falls and the guy catches her and then the two of them have that minute-long gaze into each other’s eyes. Then comes that first kiss and just before the lips meet, an interruption comes along and the kiss doesn’t happen. Oh, did I mention that somewhere in all of this – usually just after that fall and the prolonged gaze – the woman says something like, “I should really be going.” Then, just as it looks like love will win the day, up pops a snag and one (or both) of the full-grown adults acts like an inexperienced teenager and has to take advice from Mom or Dad or a sibling or best friend or, worst of all, from one of their young kids who shouldn’t know anything about love at all! Then, surprise, the advice is followed, the man or woman goes chasing after the one they had fallen for, only to discover that the other person is doing the same thing. They have a long, long kiss and everybody lives happily ever after.
As I said…they’re all the same. You’ve seen one, you’ve seen all 1200 of them!
Yet, I still love them! It’s the romance and happy endings that does it. They’re feel-good movies. As if my first confession wasn’t embarrassing enough, here’s another – a few times I’ve felt tears welling up in my eyes!
Yikes! What’s become of me?
Valentine’s Day has just passed – the day of love. Do those Hallmark movies show realistic love? Is love simply a romantic, feel-good, fluffy type of thing? Should that be what Valentine’s Day is all about?
What about this kind of love…
I once knew an elderly man whose wife developed dementia. Every day, sometimes twice a day, he’d visit her in the Personal Care Home. He’d climb into her bed, lay beside her and hug her. The day came when she no longer knew who he was. She became disturbed that this ‘stranger’ was lying in her bed. It broke his heart to know that she no longer knew him and that he could no longer embrace her. But he still visited her daily, sitting in her room, watching the woman that he loved, knowing that nothing was coming back to him in return.
Is there room on Valentine’s Day to celebrate that type of ‘non-fluffy’ love? That hard love?
I know another man whose wife had dementia. She was hospitalized an hour away. Several times a week, he’d hop into his car, drive the hour there and the hour back, and sit with her for a few hours in between. She was finally able to move to his home town, but by then, he was pretty much beyond her recognition. Still, he’d visit her several times a week. The last year of her life, he visited her at meal times to feed her. His heart ached because the love of his life no longer knew him and was no longer even able to feed herself. Feeding someone in that condition can be very messy, yet there he was every day to help her eat, sadly watching his wife deteriorate to death. His love flowing down a one-way street.
We don’t hear much of that type of love on Valentine’s Day.
I love romance, love that is easy, light and fluffy –that Hallmark kind of love. But true love is usually much harder than what we celebrate on Valentine’s Day or see in those edge-of-the-seat Hallmark movies!
“One
of the things I learned when I was negotiating was that until I changed myself, I could not change others.”
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Five more minutes please
How often have you asked that of someone? Just give me five more minutes and everything will be ready.
Before I became a parent I was visiting in the home of a friend when her two children got into an argument which escalated into slapping and pulling of hair. My friend intervened, but it wasn’t too long before they were back to crying and complaining about what the other had done.
She put them on kitchen chairs and used the timer discipline method to diffuse the situation. The children sat silently for the prescribed time and then as soon as the buzzer sounded, they jumped off their chairs and ran back to where they had been playing. Clearly, they had done this before and knew once they heard the timer go off, they were free to go on their way. I waited for their mom to call them back and talk about what led to the time out, but she didn’t.
Instead, she grabbed a bag of cookies and set them on the coffee table where the kids were playing. I don’t know for sure how many they might have eaten but let’s just say there were no limits. I wondered what my friend felt was effective about her approach, but more so I wondered how the kids had interpreted the five minutes they spent sitting in those chairs followed by a buffet of cookies.
There is a YouTuber I watch occasionally who creates videos about minimalism and de-cluttering. She, like so many in this lane, say the use of timers is helpful in getting started. Many variations on this theme have been floating around for a long time, whether it’s the 15-minute FlyLady strategy, the 11-minute Organizer, or the 7-Minute Life Method. Then of course there is the 5-minute timer that so many swear by.
It assumes people have little time to devote to cleaning or organizing or they just don’t know where or how to begin. By setting a timer it makes the task seem more manageable. After all, five minutes goes by quickly enough that no matter how onerous the task, anyone can do it for just five minutes, right?
Advocates say these quick tidying sessions can be an effective way of building good habits
and prevent clutter from accumulating. It can also provide a sense of accomplishment by seeing what can be achieved in only five minutes and provides incentive to perhaps do more.
However, detractors feel it can’t be relied on for achieving long-term organization because that requires thorough planning and dedicated time. Five-minute bursts are no replacement when a more involved effort is needed.
I get the appeal of tackling an unliked project if you know you only have to do it for five minutes, but I wonder if it would be more about getting through the five minutes rather than what is actually being accomplished. No doubt something would get done, but is it more about putting in the time or marvelling at the outcome?
It makes me think back to my friend’s parenting strategy. Don’t get me wrong, parenting is not easy and being critical of anyone’s method is not helpful, but I wonder what her goals were in giving her kids a quiet, five-minute time out, only to be followed by a bonanza of cookies. No conversation, just cookies.
Whether we are decluttering, discarding, donating, or even disciplining, we can take in all the advice we want from
others, but ultimately, we need to make the decision about what works in our situation. But that’s just it—what is it our situation needs right now?
There are a lot of things we can achieve in less than five minutes. We can make a bed, unload a dishwasher, water plants or empty the garbage. But these are all things we know need to get done, and we likely wouldn’t want to devote more than five minutes to them anyway. But there are a lot of things that five minutes could indeed be the kickstart for something more. Not the unliked projects— but the ones we actually crave. Think about a dedicated five minutes on that painting you started, the manuscript you are working on, the quilt in the works, the room you want to redecorate, the jigsaw you want to complete, the table you are building, the piece of music you want to learn, the book you have sitting on the nightstand, the recipe you want to try…and on it goes. Five minutes could be exactly the timeframe needed to jumpstart an effort that is currently sitting dormant.
Imagine…in just 300 seconds something really amazing could be initiated, reignited or taken to a new level. Start the countdown and see what happens. That’s my outlook.
Nelson Mandela
Shelley Luedtke
Carlyle Skating Club attends Regional Skating Competition
Carlyle Skating Club attends Regional 1&6 Competition hosted by Whitewood Skating Club. Carlyle Skating Club was very well represented with 12 skaters attending February 14th-16th.
Claire Winter
Star 2 FreeSkate - Bronze Star 2 Elements - Bronze Kylie Winter
Star 2 FreeSkate - Bronze Star 2 Elements - Bronze Vayda Humphries
Star 2 FreeSkate - Bronze
Star 2 Elements - Bronze Creative Improv - Bronze Team Event (with Khloe & Freya) - Silver Freya Waelchli
Star 2 FreeSkate - Bronze
2 Elements - Silver Creative Improv - Silver Team Event (with Khloe & Vayda) - Silver Sloan Mryglod Star 2 FreeSkate - Silver Star 2 Elements - Silver Creative Improv - Silver Team Event (with Isabella & Rogan) - Silver Isabella Aldred
Star 2 FreeSkate - Bronze Star 2 Elements - Silver Creative Improv - Bronze Team Event (with Rogan & Sloan) - Silver Rogan Mryglod Star 2 FreeSkate - Silver
- Silver Khloe Brady Star 3 FreeSkate - Silver
3 Elements - Silver
Improv - Gold Team Event (with Vayda
Rylee Brady and Kristen Gatapia Kylie and Claire Winter
Isabella Aldred, Sloan Mryglod, Rogan Mryglod
Freya Waelchli, Vayda Humphries, Khloe Brady
Ellexah Humphries and Aril Anderson
The Town of Lampman hopes to be the rst Kraft Hockeyville winner in Saskatchewan
By Stephanie Zoer
The town of Lampman is rallying its community in a bid to become the next Kraft Hockeyville champion.
This annual competition awards $250,000 in arena upgrades and the opportunity to host an NHL pre-season game to the winning community.
They have contributed $5.1 million to 101 communities since 2006.
there seems to always be something needed, time and time again that costs a lot of money,” Trombley said.
Recently, they had their compressor room overhauled, and this was a huge fundraiser for the community.
Trombley has always watched hockey on T.V. and used to be a billet mom. She had always wanted the community that she lived in to try for the Kraft Hockeyville but somehow it was never done.
katchewan have made the finals, Pense in 2020, Lumsden in 2021 and Wolseley in 2024, but despite the enthusiasm and determination of Saskatchewan communities they have yet to win the big prize, although finalists do receive $25,000.
Lampman may be a small town, but they are big into hockey, and Trombley is hoping to gain the support from all those around when the time comes for voting.
Stacy Trombley is the new Lampman Recreation Director, and she applied for the Hockeyville contest as soon as registration opened on January 1, with the deadline being on March 2. After that they are notified if they are finalists.
Trombley moved to Lampman in August 2024 and became the new director in October 2024.
Hockey is one of the greatest loves of her life and she is a huge supporter of the sport and is a die-hard Toronto Maple Leaf’s fan.
“Being a Leaf’s fan
Portal Municipal Gas Company Canada Inc. Notice of Proposed Abandonment
Subsection 241(1) of the Canadian Energy Regulator Act
On February 4th, 2025, Portal Municipal Gas Company Canada Inc. has filed an application with the Canada Energy Regulator (CER) to abandon the Portal Municipal Gas Company Canada Inc Pipeline (Project) pursuant to subsection 241(1) of the Canadian Energy Regulator Act (Application).
The proposed abandonment will involve the removal of a small section of 88.9 mm O.D. (NPS 3-inch) polyethylene natural gas pipeline located in North Portal, Saskatchewan as shown on the accompanying map. You can find the Application on the CER’s website here https://apps.cer-rec. gc.ca/REGDOCS/Item/Filing/C33303.
The Commission of the CER expects Portal Municipal Gas Company Canada Inc. has engaged with people that may be impacted by the Project (including landowners, Indigenous Peoples, municipalities and others) to discuss the Project activities, mitigation measures, and/or any comments and concerns expressed.
If you have concerns about the Project, you may advise the Commission of your concerns by filing a written statement of opposition within thirty (30) days of February 4th, 2025. A form (i.e., statement of opposition to an abandonment application) can also be found on the CER website 1 in both English and French
The Commission will consider your statement of opposition when it makes its decision on the Project The Commission will also use the information you provide to plan its review For example, the Commission may ask the company for a written response to your concerns, which it will also consider when it makes its decision on the Project In addition, the Commission may establish other opportunities for you to make your concerns known and for the company to respond. In deciding whether to hold additional process, the Commission will consider whether your interests may be impacted by the Project and your explanation as to why you need more process steps. Further information on the Application will be communicated to anyone who submits a completed form
For projects where the Commission is the final decision maker, the CER’s intent is to fulfill the Crown’s duty to consult through the Commission’s regulatory process. The Commission is the final decision-maker on this Project. Indigenous communities who are concerned that their established or potential Indigenous or Treaty rights and related interests could be affected by the Project are strongly encouraged to make their concerns known to the Commission and to participate in any process held by the Commission. For more information on the CER’s approach to fulfilling any potential duty to consult with Indigenous Peoples that may arise in this context, please see the letter 2 dated 30 November 2020 on our website
Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) services – such as mediation and facilitation – are available from the CER to help parties resolve disputes outside of the Commission’s hearing processes. You can read more about ADR on the CER’s website at www.cer-rec.gc.ca/adr.
For more information or for any questions, you can contact the CER’s Land Matters Advisory Service at 1-800-899-1265 (toll free) or via email at LMAS.SCQF@cer-rec.gc.ca.
1 https://www.cer-rec.gc.ca/en/consultation-engagement/land-matters-guide/abandonment-pipeline.html
2 https://www.cer-rec.gc.ca/en/consultation-engagement/crown-consultation/canada-energy-regulatorapproach-crownconsultation.html
has set me to not being disappointed if things do not always work out the way I want them to,” said Trombley.
The Lampman rink is old, and it needs updating and some TLC.
“The community has done an amazing job at fundraising but
This job and the community have given her the opportunity to get the ball rolling on this project and she is excited to get it out there and try and get the community support behind her to make this happen.
Since Kraft Hockeyville began in 2006, only three towns from Sas-
Supporters can contribute to Lampman’s bid by visiting the Kraft Hockeyville website, sharing their stories, and engaging in community activities to earn rally points.
With collective effort, Lampman hopes to bring the coveted title and its benefits to their cherished community arena.
Will Redvers be the next Hockeyville?
Photo submitted by Nadine
By Paul Kimball
For the past 18 years Kraft has run a national competition, giving Canadian communities an opportunity to win $250,000 to upgrade their local arena. Yes, that’s the same Kraft that gives us Kraft Dinner!
This year, the town of Redvers is taking a shot at being named Hockeyville. The first step to success is the Nomination Stage. Nadine Pryde (the town’s Recreation Director) nominated her favourite town. That enabled Redvers to enter the second stage, the Rally Stage. From the time of nomination until March 2nd, everyone who has any kind of history with the arena is invited to go to the Kraft Hockeyville website and submit their stories.
On March 3rd, judging will begin on the stories and pictures submitted.
The judges will be looking specifically for three things –
1. Redvers’ spirit and passion for hockey
2. The importance of Redvers’ arena to you, your family and your community
3. A description of how the prize money could be used.
Ten points are given for every submitted story, 3 points are awarded for every related picture and another point is given for every ‘reaction’ to a story or picture. One more point can be gained for every note that is added to a submitted story or picture.
On March 3rd, judges will begin looking at all the submissions. Eighty percent of the judges’ final score will come from their opinions of the stories and the additional 20% will come from the total points accumulated by story submissions, pictures, reac-
tions and notes.
On March 15th, the top 4 communities will be announced. A few weeks later, April 4th and 5th, the Voting Stage takes place. The community that receives the greatest number of votes will be named the winner and receive the Grand Prize. The three runners-up will each take home $25,000. Does a community of 1000 people like Redvers have a chance to win? Yes, they do –and they hope they will. But even if they don’t, they’ve experienced the reward of seeing their town rally together.
A Saskatchewan community has never won the Grand Prize, so perhaps this is the year! Take time to visit hockeyville.kraftheinz.com and enter your story, picture and reactions. Help Redvers become this year’s version of Hockeyville!
The Lampman rink to many residents is the heart of the small town and they have a love for hockey. Photo by Stacy Trombley
Pryde
Recently, many countries have designated specific days to raise awareness and prevent bullying, whether at school or in the workplace. In Canada, Pink Shirt Day takes place on Wednesday, February 26, 2025. Here are three excellent reasons to join the movement by proudly wearing the event’s emblematic colour:
1. Incite enriching conversations. Pink is a colour that doesn’t go unnoticed! When you’re out and about on February 26, you may meet or talk with other people who are passionate about the cause. You may even meet someone who doesn’t know about the day, giving you the perfect chance to spread awareness. Who knows, maybe they’ll wear pink next year, thanks to you!
2. Show solidarity. People who are bullied often feel alone and isolated. Seeing others wearing pink can help them feel supported and unders tood. Your gesture might even encourage them to open up to you or, even better, speak out against their aggressor.
3. Encourage others to act. Wearing pink can help encourage your family, colleagues and friends to join the cause. Inspired by your actions, some of your friends and family might feel motivated to stand up against bullying, attend events or spread awareness on social media.
On February 26, harness the power of kindness and inclusion by wearing a pink t-shirt or hoodie.
U18 Cougars sweep the Moosomin Rangers to move on to round three of the Provincial B playo s
By Stephanie Zoer
The U18 Cougars have been on fire when it comes to the provincial B playoffs, highlighting exceptional skill and determination throughout the tournament.
In the first round they faced off against the Whitewood Elks in the best of two series.
Demonstrating their prowess on the ice, the Cougars emerged victorious, securing their spot to move on to the second round.
The second round saw the Cougars take on the Moosomin Rangers. The series commenced on February 6, with an intense matchup against Moosomin.
The Cougars delivered a strong performance, clinching the first game 7-5, and setting a positive tone for the series.
Game two was played on February 11, and they came out strong and powerful, giving them a 7-3 victory
over Moosomin.
They are now headed into round three and will playoff against Lanigan, although the dates have not been set yet.
The series will be played as a modified best of three and the first game will be played in Lanigan.
Lanigan is approximately four hours northwest of Carlyle.
“The Moosomin series was a great series,” said Kirk Himmelspach, coach of the U18 team. “We played really well, and our depth was key in the series.”
The team has also finished their regular season and are in fifth place in the league. They will have their first round of league playoffs against Radville which is the true best of three series.
The U18 Cougars plan to continue to bring excitement to their games and look forward to having many fans come out and cheer them on to victory.
By Stephanie Zoer
Receiving a phone call stating that your child has been air lifted to the hospital by Stars because she has been in a tragic accident, is not a call any parent wants to receive.
Sandra LaRose’s daughter Kailynn Bursic-Panchuk worked at the Pharmasave in Weyburn. After work, she called her mom to tell her she was going to hang out with a friend, who LaRose later found out was house sitting on a farm east of Weyburn.
LaRose said she did not ask Kailynn where she was going, because she trusted her daughter.
It was August 16, 2018, a hot and sunny day when Kailynn’s vehicle collided with a train at the tracks in Weyburn.
LaRose also worked in Weyburn and had just finished her third shift at the Coop grocery store and had gone home. Her husband Aaron was out in the field and LaRose got into the tractor and went to feed the sheep and goats.
When she got into the house, she realized the time and that she had not heard from Kailynn and tried calling her, to ask where she was.
“I had just put my phone down and almost immediately I heard my notification go off,” said LaRose. “I was expecting it to be Kailynn, but it
was her friend Carman asking me to call this number.”
At first LaRose was not going to call, as the number was unfamiliar to her, but she did, and it was the Weyburn RCMP.
Kailynn had collided with a train and was airlifted by STARS to Regina General Hospital. By the time the family got there, Kailynn was already sedated and in a coma.
She was transferred to Saskatoons’ pediatric intensive care unit. Despite the doctors doing all that they could, Kailynn passed away on August 22, 2018, one day after her 17th birthday.
LaRose never had the opportunity to speak to her daughter again.
“I remember saying that if I found out her phone had anything to
do with her accident, I was not going to be quiet about it,” said LaRose.
According to the police report, the train crew saw her head lowered as she approached the tracks. She did not attempt to speed up nor slow down. She simply did not know they were there.
Kailynn drove a standard, so as she came off highway 39 onto the approach, she was shifting gears, so she could not have been holding her phone, but it was laying on her passenger seat and why her head was lowered.
On top of this distraction, LaRose wondered why she did not hear the train’s whistles. Witnesses said that the train did blow its horns, but Kailynn never heard them.
HEALTH & Seniors
Inexperience and distracted driving killed Sandra LaRose’s 17-year-old daughter
Her windows were rolled down, as she did not have air conditioning, but her music was so loud, the train was not heard.
Today, LaRose travels to schools to speak to students about this tragedy.
She admits that it is emotionally exhausting talking about Kailynn’s story, about her death, but the importance outweighs the exhaustion.
“I will never get Kailynn back, and I still live it every morning when I open my eyes,” said LaRose. “But I can do my best to make sure that every other mother and father opens their eyes in the morning knowing that their kids are still alive.”
Following Kailynn’s death, LaRose reached out to then Minister
John Hargrave to open the conversation regarding the fines for distracted driving. They met in January 2019, and in May 2019 SGI launched their distracted driving campaign, to which LaRose did the voice over for.
LaRose is also part of Operation Lifesaver Canada and is the ambassador for Rail Safety, and the spokesperson for STOPTrackTragedies campaign in Kamloops B.C.
In January 2023, after only a little thought she decided to share Kailynn’s story, as she felt it was something she needed to do.
She has spoken to over 30,000 students and attended the Stoughton Central School on February 10 and spoke to the students there.
The response she receives is always respect-
ful, attentive, and more times than not, tears.
“I do not expect any other reaction or response from students, staff or community members,” she said. “I just want them to listen, learn and change their habits. It is actually pretty simple.”
“I always have students extend their condolences, and ask if they can give me a hug, which is the best,” said LaRose. She always receives a big thank you for sharing Kailynn’s story with them.
In addition to Kailynn, LaRose and Aaron together have seven children, Michael, Ashley, Allyssa, Jamie, Amanda, Seth, and Jackson They never want to see another family have to deal with the tragedy that their family had to face on that dreadful day.
From left, Kailynn Bursic-Panchuk pictured here with her mom Sandra LaRose shortly before she lost her life August 22, 2018. Photo courtesy of Sandra LaRose
The U18 Cougars played their last home game on February 14 against the Milestone Flyers. They lost 7-3, leaving Milestone undefeated. Photo courtesy of Carlyle Minor Hockey
Reptiles are not that bad!
By Paul Kimball
If you suffer from herpetophobia, Sunday, February 16th might have been a good day to avoid Oxbow Memorial Hall. Or maybe it might have been a good day to have gone to Oxbow Memorial Hall.
The Hall was the scene of a reptile display…living reptiles, that is. MacKenzie Valentine, the Program Coordinator for Oxbow’s Expressway Family Centre, arranged for Michael and Erin from Adventure Wranglers in Saskatoon to bring several intriguing creatures for people to see…and touch! Those attending were introduced to six ‘critters’ – a leopard gecko, a ball python, a pine snake, a red-foot tortoise
and two green iguanas. As Erin displayed them and took them throughout the crowd to touch, Michael provided interesting details about each one.
About 100 people attended. At least half of them were children. The event was free of charge, thanks to a sponsorship by Saskatchewan Lotteries. MacKenzie was thrilled with the turnout. She had coordinated a similar day last year that was taken in by about 50 people. The doubling of the crowd this year kept helpers busy, as additional chairs had to be brought in.
If any ‘herpetophobiacs’ dared to enter the Hall, it did not appear that many exited. Could it be that the opportunity to pet and touch the various creatures helped transform a fear of reptiles into a love for reptiles!
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Portal MunicipalGas CompanyCanadaInc
Avis D’AbandonProposé
Avis de cessation d’exploitation proposée
Paragraphe 241(1) de la Loisur la Régiecanadienne de l’énergie
Le 4Février 2025, Portal MunicipalGas CompanyCanadaInc.a déposéune demandeà la Régie de l’énergieduCanadaenvue de cesser d’exploiterPortalMunicipal GasCompany Canada IncPipeline(«projet»), auxtermesduparagraphe 241(1) de la Loisur la Régiecanadienne de l’énergie (« demande »)
Le projet de cessationd’exploitationviseleretrait d’une petite sectionde88,9mmdediamètre extérieur. (NPS 3pouces)gazoduc en polyéthylènesitué àNorth Portal,enSaskatchewantel qu’il estindiqué surlacarte.Lademande peut être consultéesur le site WebdelaRégie àl’adresse https://apps.cer-rec.gc.ca/REGDOCS/Item/Filing/C33303
La Commission de la Régiedel’énergie du Canada s’attend àceque Portal MunicipalGas CompanyCanadaInc aitpriscontactavecles personnesoucommunautés susceptiblesd’être touchées parleprojet(propriétairesfonciers,peuples autochtones, municipalitésetautres) pour discuter descommentairesetpréoccupations qu’ellesont exprimés,ainsi que desactivitéset mesuresd’atténuation prévues.
Si vous avez despréoccupations au sujetduprojet, vous pouvezeninformerlaCommission en déposantune déclarationd’oppositionécrite dans les30jourssuivant le 4Février 2025, Le formulaire àutiliser(pour présenterune déclarationd’opposition)est jointà la présente et se trouve égalementenversion électronique surlesiteWeb de la Régie 3 (enfrançaisetenanglais).
La Commissiontiendracomptedevotre déclarationd’oppositionavant de rendresadécision surleprojet.
La Commission utiliseraégalement l’informationque vous luifournirezpour planifier son examen.Par exemple, elle peut demanderà la sociétédelui fournirune réponseécrite àvos préoccupations,dontelle tiendra également compteavant de rendre sa décision surleprojet. Elle peut aussi prévoird’autresoccasions pourvous permettredefaire part de vos préoccupations et permettreà la sociétéd’y répondre.
Pour déciders’ily alieud’ajouter desétapesauprocessus, la Commission déterminerasileprojet pourrait avoirune incidencesur vosintérêtsettiendracomptedevos explications àl’égard du besoin d’ajouterdes étapes
Toutepersonnequi présente un formulaire dûment rempli obtiendradeplusamplesrenseignements surlademande
Dans le casdes projetspour lesquels la Commission estledécideur ultime, la Régieentend s’acquitterdel’obligationdeconsulter de la Couronne dans le cadredeson processusde réglementation. La Commission estledécideur ultimeencequi concerne le projet.Les communautés autochtonespréoccupées parlapossibilité qu’un projet qu’elle réglemente porte atteinte àleurs droits ancestrauxouissusdetraitésetà leursintérêtsconnexes, établisou potentiels,sontvivement encouragées àexprimerleurs préoccupationsdevantlaCommissionetà participer au processusétabli. Pour plusd’informationsur la démarche adoptée parlaRégie afin de s’acquitterdeson obligationdeconsulterles peuples autochtonesdanscecontexte, veuillez consulterlalettre 4 datéedu30novembre2020 surson site Web. Desservices de règlementextrajudiciaire desdifférends,telsque la médiationetl’arbitrage, sont offerts pour aiderles partiesà résoudre lesdésaccordshorsdes processusd’audience de la Commission. Pour plus d’ in fo rm at io nà ce su je t, consultezlesite WebdelaRégie (www.rec-cer.gc.ca/red)
Pour toutequestion, veuillez co mmu ni que ra ve cl e se rv ic ec ons ul ta tif su rl es qu es tio ns fo nc iè re sd el a Ré gi ea u1 -8 00- 899- 1265
(s an sf ra is )o uà l’ ad re sse LMAS.SCQF@cer-rec.gc.ca.
3https://www.cer-rec.gc.ca/fr/consultation-mobilisation/guide-questions-foncieres/cessation-exploitation-pipeline.html
4 https://www.cer-rec.gc.ca/fr/consultation-mobilisation/consultation-couronne/demarche-regie-energie-canada-egardconsultations-couronne.html
SEASONAL MAINTENANCE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY WITH R.M. OF ANTLER No. 61
This position would include but not be limited to tractor operator to cut the R.M. ditches. Potential to lead to a grader operator or gravel hauler also exists Successful applicants must:
*Be willing to work 40-50 hours per week, during peak season.
*Have experience operating equipment; and must be able to operate machinery to complete road maintenance (mowing, grading etc)
*Be able to work under direction of the Council/Foreman/Administrator
*Must be able to work independently and as part of a team
*Must possess good organization and communication skills with Council, staff and ratepayers;
*Proof of a valid driver ’s license and a driver ’s abstract must be provided.
*Be mechanically inclined and knowledge of machinery maintenance is also a definite asset.
*1A Drivers License is also considered an Asset but is not a Requirement The R.M. offers an excellent benefits package including: Health and Dental Plan, Short and Long Term Disability, Life Insurance and a Pension Plan. We also offer competitive wages and excellent hours of work if you are looking to have a life outside of work!
Please submit written resume stating experience, work references and wage expectations by 12:00 noon on Friday March 14th, 2025 to: R.M. of Antler No 61- Attention: Administrator, Jocelyne Toms-Delmaire Box 70 Redvers, Saskatchewan S0C 2H0 Or drop off your resume to #14 Larsen Road in Redvers Fax: (306) 452-3518 • Email: rm61@sasktel.net For further information please contact the R.M. Office: (306) 452-3263
Interesting reactions from Lennon Moorcraft and her mom Lanny Loppe to pine snake held by Erin. Photos submitted by Paul Kimball
Anyone interested in an iguana hat?
Sakura Wilhelm seems to be thrilled with Echo, the green iguana, while mom Sarah Hodgson looks on.
Michael Flor, BU, and the 2025 Systems Innovation Challenge
By Paul Kimball
Mental health in the workplace is becoming a greater focus for many Canadian businesses. Many companies are investing deeply in mental awareness and encouraging their employees to tap into resources they make available.
BMO is one of those companies. Like many others, they are concerned about the lack of interest employees show in the resources they provide. Statistics indicate that roughly only 10% of their workforce use them.
In an effort to increase this number, BMO has partnered with Innovation North and Ivey Business School to create the 2025 Systems Innovation Challenge. University and college students across Canada were invited to participate. The challenge consists of three phases where students are given a problem to investigate and provide a solution that could diminish or even eradicate the problem.
Brandon University entered the challenge… and that’s where Carlyle’s Michael Flor comes into the picture.
Michael moved to Canada from the Philippines in 2018, joining his father (Danilo Alvarez) who paved the way in 2010 and the rest of his family – his mother Lynn, his sister Jeanne
and his brother John Danielle – who had immigrated in 2016. Michael chose to become a Canadian citizen 4 years later – in 2022. He began attending Brandon University to pursue a degree in Business Administration, majoring in accounting.
Along with his studies, he is a member of the varsity volleyball team, so he keeps a full schedule! He will be graduating in May.
Michael was selected,
along with four other students, to represent BU in the Challenge. In the first phase, his team, along with teams from other post-secondary schools, were given the problem of rising absenteeism among Canadian university and college students. His team provided a solution and were invited to enter the second round, along with 65 teams from other schools.
Those 66 teams were given a second problem
to investigate and solve –the serious issue of pandemic loneliness. Once again, Michael’s BU team offered a solution that was accepted by the judges and went on to the final phase that had been narrowed down to just 12 teams.
The final phase was to investigate the problem of mental health in
the workplace, specifically BMO’s workplace, and provide a solution that would encourage a greater percentage of the work force to use the resources that are available in dealing with this very real problem.
At the time of this writing, Michael and his team were making their presentation to the judges. After hearing from all 12 schools, the judges will announce the winning team and cash prizes up to $15,000 will be awarded.
Whether Michael’s
BU team wins the prize or not, they have shown that they belong with the major universities, such as the University of Toronto, the University of British Columbia, and McGill University. They have helped to further put BU on the ‘university map’!
As well, there is an exceptionally good possibility that part of their proposed solution will be adopted – and anything that can be done to help address the problem of mental health is a very positive thing.
Marilyn J. Larsen
Chief Administrative Officer, R.M. #32
Phone:
Email: rm.of.reciprocity@sasktel.net
FORM 2 TAX ENFORCEMENT LIST (SECTION 4)
TOWN OF ARCOLA 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 April 23rd, 2025, 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
BU’s 2025 Systems Innovation Challenge team – Ayushi Patel, Brittany Blair, Majd Mehio, Michael Flor and Kate Estremos. Photo submitted by Michael Flor
A teenager’s struggle with a severe Crohn’s disease
By Stephanie Zoer
On March 16, 2023, Breanna Reddick woke up with her face and lips swollen, like someone had beaten her up while she slept. She was prone to asthma and allergies, and that is what her mom Cindy Reddick thought it was.
Reddick has three children, her daughter Brittany Decker, her son Brandon Reddick and her 16-year-old daughter Breanna. Reddick is engaged to Dale Feser, that the kids refer to as hulky daddy. They have lived in Estevan most of their lives and the kids attended the Estevan Comprehensive School. When Breanna was nine-months old, and
Reddick stopped breast feeding her, is when the problems began.
Reddick had a normal pregnancy with no issues, yet she was dealing with an extremely sick child.
According to professionals Breanna did not like the formula or milk, then it was that she was a fussy eater, and she was having growth spurts.
Next it was because she had asthma and allergies. “You name it, there was an excuse every time for how Breanna felt,” said Reddick.
Breanna has always struggled with being constipated from a small child on, but it was always chalked up to other issues such as her severe
USED SEE DH AW KA IR SE ED ER S
(Part one of a two-part story.)
asthma, allergies and eating habits.
That morning when Breanna woke up all swollen, Reddick immediately gave her daughter her allergy medication, but it did nothing to bring the swelling down.
She was taken to the Estevan St. Joseph’s hospital, and they administered stronger allergy medication, and it remained the same. They finally gave Breanna Prednisone, since she had been on this before and sent them home.
There was no improvement and Breanna’s lips were so swollen she could not eat.
Reddick called her pediatrician in Regina, Dr. Datta, who had been Breanna’s doctor since she was two years old, but could not get in to see him, since it had been over a year from their last visit, and they needed a referral from their family doctor.
On March 22, 2023, they got in to see Dr. Datta. He suggested they always carry an Epi-pen around.
Dr. Batta ran blood tests and all it showed was that Breanna’s white cell count was high, and this could mean so many things with a kid that was sick all the time.
If Breanna got a cold, it started like any others, but within 12 hours her
for
fever always spiked over 104 degrees, and she got the bronchitis bark. She was always on some kind of puffers or nebulizers.
to him, and soon they had an appointment.
They returned to Dr. Datta on April 4, 2023, and he still could not figure out what was causing the swelling, so he referred the young woman to an allergy specialist in Regina.
After several days and no call from the specialist Reddick called them, only to find out they were not going to get an appointment for six to nine months and this was not going to happen on Reddicks’s watch.
Reddick called Dr. Datta and explained this
Dr. Fong, the allergy specialist reassured the family that this was not allergy related, and they were referred to a dermatologist in Regina. Again, there was going to be a six-month wait, but with perseverance they had an appointment on April 24, 2023.
Everything this doctor suggested Reddick was already doing with her daughter or had tried it before, and it did not work. Dr. Fong had them go to a plastic surgeon to do a biopsy of her lip to get testing done of the tissue.
In the meantime, they went to see a naturopath
Notice is hereby given that the assessment roll for the TOWN OF OXBOW for the year 2025 has been prepared and is open to inspection in the office of the assessor at 319 Main St Oxbow, SK from 8:30am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday from Friday, February 21, 2025, to Tuesday, April 22, 2025.
A bylaw pursuant to section 214 of The Municipalities Act has been passed and the assessment notices have been sent as required.
All fees must be submitted to the local assessor at the Town of Oxbow All appeals must be filed with the Secretary of the Board of Revision Nicole Hoskins at Western Municipal Consulting, which can be filed by personal service, by registered mail or by ordinary mail to Town of Oxbow, 319 Main St PO Box 149, Oxbow, S.K. S0C 2B0 and forwarded to the Secretary of the Board of Revision
Any person wishing to discuss the notice of assessment or potential appeal may contact the assessor at the Town of Oxbow, 319 Main St, Oxbow, S.K. S0C 2B0. A notice of appeal, accompanied by an appeal fee of a minimum of $100 per $100,000 assessment to a maximum of $600, which will be returned if the appeal is successful, must be submitted by the 22nd day of April 2025.
Dated the 21st day of February 2025.
Brandi Morissette Assessor
in Windthorst. She too did not know what was wrong but knew it was in Breanna’s guts. Things began to get worse for the young woman, her menstrual cycle became very heavy, and this caused more problems. They wanted to put Breanna on a mild birth control, but Reddick was not in favour of this due to all the other issues her daughter was having.
“I believe without Dr. Datta, Breanna would not be here today,” said Reddick. “We would still be waiting for the first or second specialist.”
The second part of this story will appear in next week’s Observer.
Breanna Reddick goes to Regina every four weeks to receive her IV infusions
Crohn’s disease. Photo by Cindy Reddick
Seven-year-old Kinley Rekken loves cheerleading
By Stephanie Zoer
Kelsey Drumm, Kaylan Rekken and their three children, Kayden Drumm, Kendyn Rekken and Kinley Rekken moved to Carlyle in 2018.
Drumm has always instilled in her children to be individuals, be daring, be different and find things that they love and can be passionate about.
Kinley’s siblings were involved in motocross and Drumm wanted something for her young daughter that was only for her.
Drumm saw an advertisement for tryouts for cheerleading at Airborne Cheer Athletics a few years ago and thought that this might be something that Kinley could enjoy, since she loved to dance, and do gymnastics.
“I thought, what the heck, let’s give it a shot,” said Drumm and she enrolled Kinley into the Airborne Cheer Athletics in Weyburn.
At the time Kinley had just turned five years old and she is now in her third season of cheerleading.
Cheer as they refer to it is an athletic activity that combines several elements, such as gymnastic tumbles, dance, acrobatics, and traditional cheerleading.
Performance Cheer is a dance program under the umbrella of cheer-
leading. It has several types of cheers, which includes pom, jazz and hip hop, which are the most popular and can have a minimum of five members up to a maximum of 32 members on one team.
Cheer is recognized as an Olympic sport, and the future of the sport is unfolding on a global level.
Kinley is in grade two and attends the Elementary school in Carlyle and is the only student registered from the town that attends the program in Weyburn.
Drumm said that cheer is a phenomenal sport that teaches discipline, teamwork, mental strength, physical endurance, perseverance, and some major dedication, all the while building confidence and selfesteem.
Kinley and her mom travel to Weyburn every Monday and Wednesday for classes. There is also a tumble class on Wednesday evenings that Kinley attends as well. Her team is the U8 prep level 1, called the Orioles.
Recently they went to their first competition, along with the U12 group called the Blue Jays in Moose Jaw called Best of the West. It was a two-day competition.
There are many layers of cheer that they need to perform such as allstar team cheer, indies,
duos, and pom dance to name a few.
They did very well and had zero points. This means they had no deductions, no errors, they performed their stunts without issues. There were no flyer falls, or jump fails.
This earned Kinley’s group of six team members an excellent performance banner for the gym and placed fourth out of nine teams.
Competitors from Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba came out to participate in the event.
The next competition that they plan to participate in is Warman, SK on March 7-9.
“I love cheer because it is so much fun,” said Kinley. “I get to be flexible and use my muscles to get stronger.”
“My favourite part about competitions is the very beginning when we first start on the mat, and my team starts with our count of 5,6,7, then we yell our team’s name and the music starts,” she said.
“It makes me happy to see my mom, dad and brothers at the front cheering me on,” said Kinley. “I am proud of myself for doing all the things on the mat, because it is hard work.”
Church of Our Lady, Carlyle
Father Chris Juchacz Carlyle: Sunday at 11 a.m. Kenosee: Saturday at 5 p.m Forget: Sunday at 9 a.m. 306-453-6200
Kinley Rekken joined Airborne Cheers Athletics when she was ve years old and is now in her third season. Photo by Kelsey Drumm
CLASSIFIEDS AD RATES
Carlyle Senior Cougars will focus on league play o s after their provincial loss to Raymore
By Stephanie Zoer
The Carlyle Senior Cougars provincial playoff run came to an early end after a hard-fought battle against the Raymore Rockets in the first round of provincial playdowns.
Despite a determined effort, the Cougars fell short, allowing Raymore to advance in the series that was best two out of three.
The Cougars took the first game of the series in Carlyle in front of a full house with a win of 6-5, but the next two games were played in Raymores home barn.
The second game was played on February 14 and the game started with high intensity, as both teams came out strong, looking to set the tone for the night.
After the first period, Raymore only had a 1-0 lead, but by the end of the second period it was 3-1.
Although the Cougars showed promise and aggressive forechecking, Raymore had the upper hand taking the win 6-1.
The series was now tied at one game each, and each team wanted game three’s win disparately so they could be the team to move on to the second round. The third and final game took place in Raymore’s rink once again on February 16.
Both games in Raymore had a packed house, and once again the teams came out to play hockey.
The Cougars fought back, generating chances in the offensive zone, but Raymore’s defense stood tall, and after the first period Raymore had a strong lead of 4-0.
Despite a late push from Carlyle, they were unable to close the gap, ultimately falling short on the scoreboard with another 6-1 loss sending the Raymore Rockets on to round two.
Raymore is the second strongest team in all of Saskatchewan, and the Cougars knew they were going to have to play hard to take any wins.
While the loss is disappointing for the Cougars and their fans, the team displayed resilience and determination throughout the three provincial playoff games. They will now focus on the league playoffs against the Moosomin Rangers. These games are yet to be scheduled but stay tuned. The Cougars have already defeated the Midale Mustangs in three games straight.
The Cougars are thankful for their strong fan base and look forward to giving the fans a lot more hockey in the weeks to come.
Carlyle Cougars Powered by 306 AG gave it their all in the provincial play o s run against the Raymore Rockets. Photo by Stephanie Zoer
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