Estevan Mercury 20211208

Fill their stockings with

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It’s hunted!

Purgatory Adventures look for paranormal activity.

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2021

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How lovely is this new tree Valuable campaign begins.

Angel Tree is at multiple locations.

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Going back in time.

Carlyle’s Annual Dicken’s Village Festival.

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Keeping up the good work.

Latest from the Estevan Bruins.

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Provincial recognition.

Local musicians capture attention from SaskMusic.

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A brightly decorated Christmas tree is currently at the intersection of King Street, 13th Avenue and Souris Avenue North in Estevan. A project of the City of Estevan, it has been generating lots of interest since it was installed. It boasts 3,100 lights and a star on top. For more, please see Page A14.

Photo by Robert Godfrey of Lemon Wedge Marketing

118 Souris Ave. N., Estevan ends January 31, 2022

Find out more at www.senchuk.com

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Newly expanded family centre to move to ECS

By Ana Bykhovskaia A newly expanded Early Years Family Resource Centre is to open at the Estevan Comprehensive School (ECS) in January.

Last April, the Government of Saskatchewan announced funding through the Canada-Saskatchewan early learning and childcare agreement for the creation of a new early years family resource centre in Estevan to offer a range of drop-in and scheduled programming for all families with young children aged zero to five, and now these plans are coming to fruition.

The South East Cornerstone Public School Division (SECPSD) approached the existing Estevan Family Resource Centre after the announcement, and they agreed on a merger for the two projects.

"The decision to partner with the existing Estevan Family Resource Centre was an easy one. The community of Estevan has a long history of support that is quite visible in the current space, and in the programming, and in the volunteers and employees that have worked so hard to

make it a success. It just made sense that we not reinvent the wheel," said Jacquie Gibbs, co-ordinator of early learning with SECPSD. Jennifer Dunne, executive director and program coordinator with the Estevan Family Resource Centre, said the previous executive director Colleen MacMillan was the "backbone" of working with the government and trying to get some funding. And when SECPSD reached out to them, they were really excited.

"It's a win-win situation, we're going to get a fantastic new centre, and we're going to have some funding from the government. We still get to continue working as the entity that we are right now. And it's really a bonus to be moving over there," Dunne said.

The new space, which is in the southwest part of ECS and was previously occupied

by Southeast College, will be about the same size as what the family centre has now, but the new partnership will allow them to increase the program offering and expand the hours of operation. "(There are) economic benefits of creating a partner-

ship. With this additional funding from the federal and provincial governments and the move to an existing SECPSD building, we will be able to shift our dollars directly into programs and staffing. And, at South East Cornerstone, we've already been able to add programming and services to the current facility with our SEC ECIP and SEC Regional KidsFirst staff members taking active roles in programming and committing to weekly support at the centre," said Gibbs.

The new programs were added to the existing EFRC's offering this fall. And the upcoming move to the new space will open even more opportunities.

"We're hoping to expand.

It's going to take us a little while just to get established in the new centre and to get things up and running. But our plans are to try and open more hours, open on the weekend … just so that we can get a whole new group of people who might not be able to come and use the facility because they work during the week," added Dunne.

Gibbs also said that they'll be hiring more people to ex-

pand the centre's offering.

Getting government support is a big relief for a nonprofit organization. Dunne said Estevan has been awesome supporting them through the years, and they'll probably still do some fundraising down the road, but to have more stability in their operation will be great.

"It'll be easier. It does take a little bit of pressure off.

But fundraising is still a huge part of our centre for two reasons. One, I think it's great for the community to support what we're doing. And also, whenever we fundraise, all our fundraising money always goes towards programming to keep them free," Dunne said. "We're really excited. It just gives us a chance to give even more back to the community."

Once the renovations are complete, the renewed family resource centre will invite their patrons over. The plans for new programming are not finalized yet, and they are being done based on the research and guidance from the Ministry of Education.

"In this new project, South East Cornerstone is responsible for leading a community planning team that is

The current Estevan Family Resource Centre will soon expand and move into the ECS. currently developing the new centre with guidance from the Ministry of Education," said Gibbs. "The ministry has done considerable work, to be able to provide a framework for the early years family resource centres across the province, so in creating our new centre we have some really good guidelines that our community planning table is digging into. For example, our new centre will have a renewed focus on access to information and professionals and greater access to support groups where parents can share their experiences with others."

The aim is for the new Estevan Early Years Family

Resource Centre to be a onestop shop, supporting families of young children in Estevan and surrounding communities.

Renovations are to be completed soon, and in the meantime, they are preparing for the move and planning to improve and augment the many services that are already being provided by the current Estevan Family Resource Centre. Ultimately, they are planning to open the doors to their newly renovated space in January 2022.

Once the dates and details are finalized, they will be announced through media and social media.

boulevard that separates the curb from the sidewalk. A lease agreement was also entered into that allowed for a billboard on the boulevard.

There have been concerns raised regarding visibility for motorists wanting to turn onto Fourth Street from Fourth Avenue.

Moving forward, parking on the boulevard will be limited to display vehicles for commercial businesses. Parking on the boulevard shall require an approved lease at a rate of $150 per year per parking space.

Vehicle parking on boulevards is subject to a 7.5-metre spacing requirement from a billboard as established in the city zoning/sign bylaw.

Vehicles must not obscure a sidewalk or impede pedestrian movements.

• • • A total of 97.6 million litres of water were treated in November at the water treatment plant, and 94.3 million litres were pumped into the distribution system. There were no plant upsets, and all regulated

parameters for drinking water, except for aluminum, were below government regulations.

The city is currently working on testing and options to correct aluminum carryover from its clarifier.

Shane Bucsis, the manager of the city’s water division, said a localized boil water notice was issued on Oct. 29 for the 800-block of Henry Street for work in the area. A test came back on Nov. 3 that was positive for E. coli and total coliform.

Saskatchewan Public Health issued a boil water advisory on top of the local advisory. Three places were resampled twice in a 24-hour span, and all samples came back clear. The area was cleared of any harmful water and the advisory was lifted.

• • • Three building permits worth $199,042 were issued in November, bringing the total for the year to 46 permits worth more than $4.47 million.

All three permits were classified as miscellaneous.

Wright and DeRosier appointed to police board Bernadette Wright and Roberta DeRosier have been appointed as members at large for the Estevan board of police commissioners for two-year terms.

Estevan city council approved the appointments during Monday night’s meeting.

Wright and DeRosier were the only two people to apply for the posts.

Mayor Roy Ludwig is the chairperson, and Councillors Shelly Veorba and Lindsay Clark are also on the board.

Wright will be back for a fourth year. She said the board has allowed her to be more involved in her community and learn aspects of the role and responsibility of the Estevan Police Service (EPS) and board.

Confidentiality is particularly important, she said, as she encountered sensitive information while keeping all information, discussions and conversations private.

DeRosier, meanwhile, will be on the board for the first time. She said she wanted to be on the board partly from a

desire to help restore the reputation of the EPS. Many in the community have lost faith in the department, she said, and DeRosier believes that with some work, the people in the community will be able to once again, recognize the dedication, knowledge and skill of the officers.

“We have a department that we can be very proud of, and I believe we need to help people see that,” said DeRosier.

She has been a member of the fire department and an emergency measures organization co-ordinator, and worked closely with the emergency management team in several different roles. She has also volunteered with the Canadian Red Cross and Southeast Regional Victim Services.

• • • Council approved its memberships for the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA) and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) for 2022.

The SUMA fee is $10,971.04. There is a $.60 per

capita fee, using Estevan’s 2016 census population of 11,483, and the city pays $554.98 per delegate, for a fee of $8,96.41.

As for FCM, the city will pay $2,883.68, plus tax, for a total fee of $3,027.86. There will be a $540 base fee for a community of this size, and a $.2041 per capita rate, which amounts to $2,343.68.

• • • The city will enter into a partnership with the RM of Estevan and Woodlawn Regional Park for cost sharing dust suppressant on the Boundary Dam Beach access road next year.

In a letter to council, RM of Estevan Reeve Jason LeBlanc said Woodlawn is an important location for tourism in the area and attracts a large number of people. For the safety of those travelling to the park, he believes it would be beneficial to apply dust suppressant on the entire length of the road, which is nearly four kilometres.

The estimated cost for one application at four litres per foot is $17,580.

LeBlanc said the RM is committed to arranging the application and providing preparation work required, including grading, gravelling and supplying water, in addition to its one-third contribution.

Councillor Kirsten Walliser wanted to know what would happen if more than one application would be needed.

Mayor Roy Ludwig said the city would commit to one, and if another is needed, it could be discussed.

• • • Council discussed vehicles being allowed to park on boulevards on Fourth Street.

Land development services manager Richard Neufeld said over the last few years, a few businesses along Fourth Street have had display vehicles or trailers parked in front of their businesses, either intermittently or on a regular basis.

Ludwig noted one business has had an arrangement with the city for years.

That arrangement is now expired, but allowed for the parking of vehicles on the

EPS called to a threat at Estevan Comprehensive School The Estevan Police Service (EPS) says there was no credible threat made to the Estevan Comprehensive School (ECS) last week, after the school called police Thursday about the potential for an incident.

The EPS, with the cooperation of staff and admin-

istration at the school, conducted an investigation into the possibility that something could happen. Police conducted several interviews, spoke with students and staff and have determined there is no credible threat to the school.

The ECS administra-

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tion had contacted the EPS Thursday afternoon at 3 p.m. after receiving the threat.

“With investigations of this nature, EPS assumes the lead role and will determine the threat level and if there is an immediate and/or serious threat to public safety,” the EPS said in a news release.

“Circumstances surrounding this incident have led police to be confident there was no credible threat.”

Police did have a heavy presence at ECS Friday morning and completed follow-ups and meetings with ECS personnel and staff.

“EPS members regularly attend the schools to ensure everyone’s safety as well as interact with students and staff,” the EPS said.

There will not be any criminal charges or further action. Students were encouraged to resume their normally scheduled classes.

While the exact nature of the threat was not disclosed, the school was not evacuated after the threat was reported to police.

The EPS said they and ECS take these types of investigations seriously. When it comes to school safety,

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will be assessed and that the appropriate interventions and actions will be taken in accordance with legislation.

Little said the school division does experience occasional threats across the system that vary in type and specifics. Because they have a signed Violence Threat Risk Assessment Protocol with a number of partners, including city police in Estevan and Weyburn, RCMP, mental health, social services, she said the school division is able to work cooperatively to assess risks and respond.

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they appreciate the public’s vigilance in reporting these incidents.

In an email to the Mercury, Lynn Little, the director of education with the South East Cornerstone Public School Division (SECPSD), said they are grateful for the quick and thorough response of the EPS. SECPSD does have policies and practices in place to ensure safety of all, Little said. As per its Threat Assessment Protocol, all threats or potential threats will be treated seriously.

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Purgatory Adventures investigate the southeast for paranormal activity

By Ana Bykhovskaia The Purgatory Adventures YouTube channel started about 18 months ago, but Curtis and Nathan Riersgard's interest in paranormal activity has a much longer history.

Curtis has been a paranormal investigator for eight years, and for Nathan, Curtis's uncle, it was a hobby for 12 years.

"We went to a place called Criddle Vane Homestead near Brandon, Manitoba.

And I started investigating with my uncle.

I have a video up actually where I showcase some of the evidence I captured there," recalled Curtis. "I started investigating the Criddle Vane Homestead. There was some awesome stuff happening and that's what got me started."

The first investigations were more of just adventures for the team, but then Curtis got into video editing, and later they decided to try capturing some evidence of paranormal activity and to video journal their investigations of the area to share with others.

"One day we're just sitting around as a family. Me and my uncle just got back from an investigation, and we were telling them about some of the awesome evidence we have captured. And I think it was my grandma. She's like, ‘Why don't you guys just go and start making videos about this?

This is cool, this is really awesome,’" Curtis recalled.

The team started the YouTube channel called Purgatory Adventures to share the results of the research with a broader audience.

While making videos is time-consuming, and both men have full-time jobs, they still do their best to let others know how interesting life around is.

"It takes a long time to edit a video. I could spend a month editing a video, just one video. Sometimes there's six hours of footage," Curtis said. "But it's been always my life dream of just going to these different places throughout southeast Saskatchewan, investigating all these places. And that's what we did."

Bekevar Church in Kipling was the first and very interesting investigation the Purgatory Adventures team did. They couldn't go inside the church at night but could check out the property.

"We had a gentleman come in, he was the historian, and he grew up with the building. He came in, and we investigated with him for a bit when we were capturing voices that were calling out to him through our spirit box. We have a device where spirits can talk through it," Curtis shared. "Jack was his name. And we're actually capturing his name come through it and if you watch the video, you can actually hear it too. It was crazy. And that's how I got started."

They acquired the equipment through the years of investigations, learning what is out there and what they may need to find the evidence of spirits present. For example, the spirit box they have rapidly scans through radio frequencies, "and it said that spirits are able to talk through the radio frequencies and project their voice, which is what we hear," Curtis explained.

They also have an electromagnetic field (EMF) meter, which detects EMF activity,

as "ghosts are said to give off EMF rays when you're near them, and it's supposed to set off the device," Curtis pointed out.

Another item is called a REM pod – a special ghost hunting piece of equipment with a light.

Curtis said that one of their favourite investigations was at the Moosehead Inn they conducted this summer.

"I've always wanted to investigate it since I was 15. That's been a location that was always at the top of my list. And when I called Dale (Orsted, the owner), Dale was so awesome, such a great guy. He's like, Yeah, come on in, come investigate … We spent the night there ... and had such a great The team consisting of Curtis, left, and Nathan Riersgard investigates southeast experience. We captured a lot of evidence Saskatchewan sites and documents the results to share through their YouTube channel there, a lot of stuff," Curtis recalled. named Purgatory Adventures. Photo submitted The most exciting part captured in the video was the voice coming through the spirit box that calls "Archibald" – the name of the original owner.

Curtis said the investigations are mostly exciting, but sometimes even researchers get spooked by spirit activity they come across.

"I had experiences when spirits go through you. You can feel the energy just come at you, and your hairs go up. It can be an exciting experience. That's all I can say, it's really exciting when that happens to you, because it's like, wow, this is actually happening. And to have three people in the room experience the same thing, it can be a really exciting experience," Curtis said.

The owner of Moosehead Inn Dale Orsted, left, Nathan, centre, and Curtis Riersgard Another great investigation occurred explored the old hotel and restaurant shortly before a fire in September. Print screen of at the Alameda Museum.

Purgatory Adventures channel "It was haunted!" Curtis said with passion. "It's our best video."

They captured a great amount of evidence there, including a door opening, a figure sitting on a chair in a living room and potentially a vocal communication.

They also recently went to do some filming at the Government House in Regina and a paranormal investigation inside the Hotel Saskatchewan.

Curtis said before going anywhere, they first research the place and any reports of paranormal activities. Then they get in touch with owners of the property, and if they get the green light they proceed with the investigation and filming. Not all places open their doors, but they keep trying and searching for new ones to investigate and share with others.

Curtis Riersgard investigated the Nicolle Flats Homestead. Photo submitted "We just love it so much. It's our passion," Curtis said.

The interest and feedback from the community encourage the investigators to keep going and get better at what they are doing, Curtis said. And so far, they heard a lot of positive words about their work.

They don't have any solid plans for further investigations, but Curtis said they may look into the possibility of doing some work in Weyburn.

"We stopped at the Soo Line Historical Museum, and we're walking around, and I could feel the energy in that building. I feel the spiritual energy. I've been doing this for a long time, so I know when there are spirits in a building, and there's definitely something there worth checking out," Curtis said.

For all their videos and latest updates, go to Purgatory Adventures’ YouTube Purgatory Adventures channel started with the investigation of Bekevar Church in the channel.

Kipling area. Print screen of Purgatory Adventures channel

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EDITORIAL A4

| Wednesday, December 8, 2021 | www.SASKTODAY.ca

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EDITORIAL

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All these additions come together Estevan just seems more festive this year.

Oh sure, you’ll find lots of well-decorated homes in the city every year. And you’ll see lights on the Christmas tree at city hall annually, and the city will hang Christmas decorations on light standards in November in advance of Christmas.

We’ve seen more efforts to spread Christmas cheer in recent years, with such initiatives as the Festival of Lights at Woodlawn Regional Park.

But the number of initiatives seems higher than before.

There’s a beautiful new Christmas tree at the intersection of King Street, 13th Avenue and King Street – one of the busiest intersections in the city. People have been raving about this tree and its 3,100 twinkling lights.

The Downtown Business Association has its large gift box decorations in front of a number of stores.

There are lots of added decorations on the lampposts in downtown, boosting the enjoyment of the Christmas season, and making downtown just a little more festive.

And there are 10 nice-looking Christmas trees now on display at the Garden Park on Fourth Street.

All of these are adding up to make a big difference, regardless of how big they are.

And that’s a lesson to be learned for all of us.

We all like the large-scale things that make us giddy. They’re fun, exciting and memorable.

But grandeur isn’t always possible.

It’s not always possible to do something big with lots of lights, decorations and other items that catch the eye of those passing by. We can’t all have a collection of lights that bring people from throughout the community. It takes time, money and commitment to make it happen.

If you can pull it off, that’s great. We thank you. But it’s great to have lots of smaller items that brighten up the night, too.

And it’s great to have a road like Jubilee Place where so many people go all out to decorate their homes, but there’s nothing wrong with a block or a street where everyone does something smaller.

As an aside, if you have a well-decorated home, be sure to enter it in the Light Up Estevan contest offered by the Estevan Mercury and the City of Estevan, and see how you fare.

If you’re out and about at Christmas time, enjoying a twinkle tour or a similar activity, be sure to note the different decorations that you see, and enter our Christmas scavenger hunt. We’re sure there are a few homes that can help you with those decorations.

Now that we have a nice, light layer of snow on the ground throughout the community, and it’s going to be here for a while thanks to the cold weather we’re having, it feels a little more like Christmas is approaching than it did last week, when we had double digit highs.

This can be a wonderful time of year, not just for children, but for adults, too. We can all enjoy the wonder of Christmas, have fun times with family and friends, and look forward to something special Dec. 25.

We also understand that this is a difficult time of year for so many in our community.

They’re suffering from loneliness and depression, and those feelings are only exacerbated at this time of year. For other people, it’s difficult, because they don’t have the opportunities that others do, and they can’t provide what they want.

So it’s important for us to do our part to help people have a better Christmas, by giving to the different causes in the community that help others at this time of year. (Believe us, there are lots of opportunities to give).

It’s Christmas. It’s a great time of year. And thankfully there are so many things that can add up to make this a merry Christmas for so many.

And if you can, assist those who might need a helping hand to have that Merry Christmas.

Looks like we are moving in right direction Published weekly by Prairie Newspaper Group Limited Partnership, 68 Souris Avenue N., Estevan, SK S4A 2M3.The Estevan Mercury is owned and operated

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Should I go back to the workforce or stay with my child?

I always thought that decision should be made by mom or dad, depending on their interests and priorities, not on the economic side of it.

Many things might not work right in Russia, but pre-school childcare is a part of the school system, which means that daycare and kindergarten are free of charge, just like school and high school. Kids can be admitted into the childcare system pretty early, but usually, parents start parting with their offspring after they are at least a year or a year and a half.

That option gives parents the freedom to choose, not feeling that they are forced to stay home because their wages won't offset the cost of children's education. Too many times, here I’ve heard the stories of mothers, and sometimes fathers, staying home just because they couldn't justify working with the price they would pay for having even one child, let alone two or more, in daycare.

A friend of mine in Calgary has two very active kids. Once they were old enough, she deicided that it would be better for her and their mental and general well-being if they would go to daycare, where they would find friends, start acquiring social skills, use up some of that energy and probably even learn something.

She ended up getting a job at the daycare as well, and even after an employee discount she was still paying her employer some money on top of her wages to cover the price of daycare for her two munchkins.

Some families that choose to send kids to daycare for their education and/or to be able to return to work often pay more for childcare a

Ana Bykhovskaia Twenty Lines About… year than they do for their mortgages.

Pretty absurd, isn't it?

But it was our reality until recently.

Now that the federal government announced $10/day childcare for everyone in the country as their big plan, the provinces started gradually working in the same direction, trying to make childcare more accessible and affordable for everyone should they choose to use those services.

Saskatchewan announced in August that the province will have the $10-a-day early learning and childcare for families with children under six by the end of 2025-26 that Chrystia Freeland, Canada's deputy prime minister and minister of finance, promised.

On Monday, we saw the provincial government making the first step in their commitment to having more regulated childcare spaces in Saskatchewan. They announced that they allocated 601 new spaces in 20 communities across the province.

Estevan didn't make it to this list, as the government explained they were prioritizing the allocation of new childcare spaces in communities where there is both an intense need for childcare and an increased level of vulnerability (I guess it's good news that we are not too bad, right?) But the funding for the spaces announced this time is being provided through the Canada-Saskatchewan Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement,

and Estevan received substantial funding under the same agreement earlier this year.

Thanks to that, we will see the opening of a new expanded Early Years Family Resource Centre in under two months at the Estevan Comprehensive School.

It won't be a full-time daycare facility, but it will provide many options for early years learning, care and development for kids ages zero to five from the Estevan area at no charge, and that's huge too.

Besides, it all is just the beginning of a long story, as Saskatchewan is aiming at allocating 28,000 spaces over the next five years. The hope and the nearest plan is to reduce the cost of childcare by 50 per cent by the end of 2022.

The decent and accessible childcare system will allow parents to make decisions better correlating with their wishes and real needs, thus potentially instantly enriching the labour market and also making people happier. The plans to create the system with lower cost childcare, according to the feds, could add as many as 240,000 workers to the workforce and increase per capita GDP by as much as 1.2 per cent.

It will also allow for more kids to have an early start in education and further progress in life, also affecting the future potential of the region and the country.

The $10-a-day childcare definitely made for a great campaign slogan for Liberals ahead of the 2021 election. But if the feds fail to follow through with this promise, it may as well turn into a pretty bad curse, as the hopes for a better system are up high now.

And while it's too early to say if we are going to get to where we want to be in a set timeframe, it's good to see substantial and consistent steps being made in that direction.

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| Wednesday, December 8, 2021 | www.SASKTODAY.ca

David Willberg Willberg’s World

City of Estevan and Estevan Mercury want to Light up Estevan

No Riders? No Lions? It’s still Grey Cup The Saskatchewan Roughriders might be out of the CFL playoffs, and the CFL’s championship game might feature the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, but we should still look forward to this year’s Grey Cup. The Blue Bombers will look to win their second straight title over the host Tiger-Cats, the team they bested two years ago in the last CFL championship game.

Hamilton was the heavy favourite two years ago, but Winnipeg pulled off the upset in what was, essentially, a butt-kicking.

Winnipeg will be the favourite this year, and you know Hamilton will be looking for revenge.

We can only hope that this year’s Grey Cup will be a great game. Hopefully, it rivals the contest we saw the last time it was in Hamilton.

It was November 1996, and the Toronto Argonauts defeated the Edmonton Eskimos 43-37. It was like watching two heavyweights trading blows for 12 rounds. Edmonton’s Eddie Brown had what might have been the best catch in CFL history, and it was a showcase of how wonderful our game can be when played right by great teams.

And it was snowing. Lots of snow. The fact that those teams delivered an instant classic in those adverse conditions added to the greatness of the game.

Those of us old enough to remember the uncertainty of the CFL in the 1990s will recall that our league was on the cusp of folding each year. Some thought the 1996 Grey Cup would be the last. It would have been a hell of a swan song.

The Winnipeg-Hamilton rematch likely won’t be that good, but let’s hope it’s better than their championship game from two years ago.

Grey Cup has always been the must-watch event on my annual sports calendar. It’s only rivalled by the Kentucky Derby.

Both are ahead of the Super Bowl.

If Canada is in the gold medal game of the World Junior Hockey Championship, then I know what I’m doing Jan. 5.

But I’m not going out of my way to watch the U.S. and Sweden play for gold.

As for the Stanley Cup Final, yeah, it’s fantastic, but it’s also in June, and two American teams won’t get me to sit inside for three hours when it’s 20 C outside at 8 p.m.

Some of my favourite memories have been at Grey Cups.

I’ve been to three of them. The 1987 game, between Edmonton and Toronto, is, for my money, the best football game ever played in B.C. I’ve had media credentials for two in Regina, including the 2013 Grey Cup. That game was one-sided, but being on the field after the game was one of the coolest moments of my career.

And then there’s the championships for my beloved B.C. Lions. I’ve been around for five of six Lions’ titles. Since I’m a Vancouver Canucks fan, I don’t get to celebrate Stanley Cup championships. But I’ve had Grey Cup titles to savour, most notably the 1994 Grey Cup. There have been better football games than the 1994 Grey Cup. Better Grey Cups. Better Grey Cups in Vancouver. The 1994 game was not well played.

But there’ll never be another football game in Canada with that kind of emotion and intensity, because it was the host B.C. Lions versus the all-American Baltimore CFLers. There was no way the Canadians on B.C. were going to allow the Americans to come into Vancouver and leave with our trophy.

I don’t know what to expect this year. A Grey Cup in December could be unpredictable, especially in Hamilton. Not as unpredictable as a Grey Cup in Regina would be, but still hard to project.

Thanks to the late start to the season, and the need to have a 14-game season, we’re going to watch the title game two or three weeks later than normal.

I’ll probably pull for Winnipeg, because they have more players that I like than Hamilton. But if it’s a great, well-played game with some memorable moments, and if one of the best games we’ve seen in the CFL this year, then I’ll be happy, regardless of who wins.

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People are encouraged to check out the brightly decorated homes through the Light Up Estevan Promotion.

File photo The City of Estevan and the Estevan Mercury are teaming up to encourage people to decorate their homes, enjoy a Twinkle Tour and be part of this year’s Light up Estevan promotion.

As part of the joint effort, people are encouraged to decorate their homes and submit a picture to marketing@estevan. ca, with their name and address. The deadline to enter is Dec. 16.

People will see their house on the City of Estevan’s Facebook page. They are asked to encourage their friends and family to vote for them from Dec. 17-19.

The winners will be announced on Dec. 20.

Jacquelyn Massey-Rounds, the marketing manager for the City of Estevan, is spending her first Christmas in Estevan, as she moved to the Energy City with her family a few months ago.

She said there are a lot of homes in the community that look wonderful.

“I didn’t know what to expect in terms of how many or when people would start decorating, but people

seemed to get right on the bandwagon after Remembrance Day was over, so that was nice,” said Massey-Rounds.

The entries have been coming in steadily, she said. The first one came last Wednesday, shortly after the Mercury was distributed.

“There are some really great displays in town, so I’m excited that other people are excited to show off their homes,” said Massey-Rounds.

The entries that they have received are big displays, created by people who are proud to show off their homes and have dedicated time to decorating.

There will also be a judges’ choice award who will evaluate the different displays.

And there is still time to enter for those who are still putting up their displays or adding to their decorations.

The Estevan Mercury and the city are also proud to present the Christmas Scavenger Hunt promotion. People are asked to cut out the list of items in the full page ad in the Mercury, drive around

the city, find the items on the list and write down the address where those items can be found.

Entries can be dropped off at the Estevan Mercury office on 68 Souris Avenue North until Dec. 31. Watch the Jan. 13 edition of the Mercury for all of the winners.

As more entries are received for the decorating contest, it will allow people to have a better idea of where to go for their scavenger hunt.

Massey-Rounds said she and her family loved to do twinkle tours back in Ontario. The community would do a display every November.

“Right from (my) childhood, it was something that we did, and now it’s something passed on with my own family. We always make sure that we go out and see the lights. This past week, we’ve been walking at night with the kids, and seeing the decorations going up in the different neighbourhoods. And then we go home and have hot chocolate and warm up.”

Angel Tree campaign is underway An important campaign is now underway in Estevan.

The Angel Tree, which is part of the Community Hamper Association, can be found at the Estevan Walmart, Your Toy Store with More, Kessel Run Games and Mr. Mike’s Steakhouse Casual.

People can pluck an angel from a tree.

Pink angels are for girls and blue angels are for boys. Each angel has an age inscribed.

Supporters then purchase an appropriate gift and drop it off at a tree. Or they can just bring toys or other items that would make a great gift for a child.

Cash donations will be accepted as well, and they will be used to purchase more toys.

The final day for the Angel Tree is Dec. 11. The toys will be collected and stored, and then set up in a toy store, which will be open in mid-December. Hamper recipients with a child or children can drop by the toy store to select a toy, as well as a pair of pyjamas through the Estevan Kinette Club’s PJ Project.

The Angel Tree and the PJ Project will be at the Estevan Bruins game versus the Yorkton Terriers on Dec. 4 to accept donations.

Laura Piper, left, and Barb Dunford were volunteering at the Angel Tree in the Estevan Walmart on Friday. Photo by David Willberg

join us for ORTHODOX

CHRISTMAS January 9, 2022

Special Holiday Menu available for dine in or order online for pickup & delivery!

Soup • Lobster Bisque, sm$6; lg $9.50 Appetizers Baja Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers Stuffed with cream cheese, wrapped in bacon with a jumbo shrimp topper & served with ranch $12 Shrimp & Salmon Ceviche Fresh fish cured in fresh citrus juices & served with our homemade tortilla chis $14 Shrimp Cocktail Fresh jumbo shrimp served with our homemade cocktail sauce $13 Entrees Prime Rib • 12oz $45; 14oz $52 Our AAA Canadian prime rib is slowly roasted and perfectly seasoned.

Served with our Au Jus sauce. (to ensure freshness, while quantity lasts) Our Elegant Homemade Chicken Cordon Bleu Chicken breasts stuffed with ham & swiss cheese, topped with our red pepper sauce $27 Steak & Lobster Our AAA Canadian beef is cut to order and prepared your way, served with a 6oz lobster tail $52

Get your tickets today!

Seafood Delight Seafood lovers will enjoy this medley.

6oz lobster tail, accompanied with a salmon fillet and butterfly shrimp $50 Entrees are served with your choice of our homemade soup of the day or a salad (Caesar or tossed), choice of potato (fries, rice or mashed and after 4 baked potato), garlic toast and hot vegetable

Adult $25 | Senior $20 | Kids (10&under) $15

Homemade Dessert Gourmet Cheesecakes made in-house Check out the Wine & Dessert menu to compliment your dinner too.

(limited seats available, don’t wait!)

76 Souris Ave. N., Estevan • 306-636-2323

A6 December 8, 2021

www.SASKTODAY.ca

City Hall: 1102 4th Street 8 am to 4:30 pm | (306) 634-1800 Leisure Office: 701 Souris Avenue 8 am to 4:30 pm | (306) 634-1880

A Message From The Mayor

Decorate your house with Christmas lights and decorations and enter in our Light Up Estevan Decoration & Scavenger Hunt contest!

You could win a prize pack!

Find out more at www.estevan.ca

FUN STARTS

DECEMBER 1ST

3 CHANCES TO WIN 1 OF 3 PRIZE PACKAGES VALUED OVER $100!!!

DECORATE YOUR HOUSE AND SUBMIT A PICTURE

FILL OUT THE SCAVENGER HUNT FOUND IN THE MERCURY WHILE TOURING ESTEVAN’S LIGHTS

BY DECEMBER 31ST

AND

OF IT TO MARKETING@ESTEVAN.CA

BY DECEMBER 16TH

ENTRY IS FREE FOR MORE INFORMATION: WWW.ESTEVAN.CA

AQUATIC SCHEDULE

ESTEVAN LEISURE CENTRE - 2021

EFFECTIVE - August 30 - December 18, 2021 Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

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6:00am-6:45am 7:00am-7:45am 8:00am-8:45am

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6:00am-6:45am 7:00am-7:45am 8:00am-8:45am

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11:00am-11:45am *ONLY SEP22-NOV24

Saturday

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11:00am-9:45am *ONLY SEP22-NOV24

AFTERNOON 12:15pm-1:00pm 1:15pm-1:00pm

LANE SWIM

12:15pm-1:00pm 1:15pm-2:00pm

12:15pm-1:00pm 1:15pm-2:00pm

12:15pm-1:00pm 1:15pm-2:00pm

LANE SWIM

LANE SWIM 12:15pm-1:00pm 1:15pm-2:00pm

12:15pm-1:00pm 1:15pm-2:00pm

12:15pm-1:00pm 1:15pm-2:00pm

FAMILY SWIM

SURF & SWIM

SURF & SWIM

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PUBLIC SWIM

PUBLIC SWIM

PROGRAM RENTALS

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LIONS FREE SWIM

1:15pm-3:00pm

3:00pm-5:00pm

LANE SWIM

3:00pm-3:45pm

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3:00pm-3:45pm

3:00pm-3:45pm

3:00pm-3:45pm

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5:15pm-6:00pm *STARING OCT 25

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5:15pm-6:00pm

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PUBLIC SWIM

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LANE SWIM

4:00pm-6:00pm 6:00pm-6:45pm

7:00pm-9:00pm

6:00pm-7:00pm

7:00pm-9:00pm

Schedule Subject to Change. Please visit www.estevan.ca for updates on closures and cancellations. Proper footwear and exercise wear is required to participate. Please note during school breaks, (Teachers convention, Spring Break and Christmas Break) Fitness, Aquatic Centre and arena schedules may vary. Please visit our live schedules at www.estevan.ca

Request for an Expression of Interest – Satellite Food Vendor Services.

The City of Estevan is exploring local interest from qualified vendors to supply and serve consumable food items during select events at Affinity Place. There are two spaces available for set up on the concourse level, each measuring approximately 4 meters by 4 meters. Vendors must be fully self-contained, set up within an hour of a scheduled event and take down within an hour of event ending. If this expression of interest results in more than two qualified vendors,a lottery system will determine the occupancy for the two available spaces. These are not areas to prepare food, rather these are designated spaces to set up a distribution and serving of your products prepared off site. Standard 20-amp electrical outlets are available but no water. The Compensation to the City will be 10% of your gross sales. Preference will be given to foods that will not compete with existing products or services.

Interested vendors must include reference to / compliance with: • Workers’ compensation coverage and in good standing • Liability insurance • Food Safe certificates • Public Health inspector permits and applicable inspection • Valid City of Estevan Business License • Products intended to serve For further information, please contact Rod March, City of Estevan at 306-634-1816.

PEDESTRIAN PATHWAY MOTORIZED VEHICLES PROHIBITED ALL DOGS MUST BE ON A LEASH Please Share this Space AND KEEP IT CLEAN

IT TAKES MORE THAN A SIGN.

BUSINESS A7

Josh LeBlanc

| Wednesday, December 8, 2021 | www.SASKTODAY.ca

REALTOR ® 306.421.6778

Art Concepts hosts artisan open house

By Ana Bykhovskaia Art Concepts Custom Framing commercial art gallery hosted their fourth annual Artisan Open House on Thursday, with many great local talents coming in to talk about their art.

Photographer Byron Fichter, artists Lauren Daae,Theresa Fuhr and Michael Lonechild, as well as musician and visual artist Lindsay Arnold, whose works are on display at the gallery, were among guests that night.

Art Concepts’gallery organizes events of this type to take the pressure off one artist and also to allow the artists to get to know each other.

Quite a few people took an opportunity to indulge in the art, ask questions and just socialize with nice company.

The Mercury spoke to Fuhr about the paintings she has on display and her art.

Her favourite technique is watercolour, which she's been doing for over 30 years, but she also does acrylic on canvas and pencil paintings, experiments with different styles and details, and also creates some jewelry.

Fuhr said when she was starting with acrylic, she thought she would do bold and think paintings, but that didn't work out and instead, she ended up creating a series of fragile,

detailed monochromic moment reflections with a light touch of colour.

She created acrylic paintings about seven years ago, and then went back to watercolour.

The gallery now has a few acrylic paintings left and some watercolours, and each one keeps a memory of a meaningful moment or an important place, with some other ideas intertwined into them.

"A lot of them are actually from White Bear Lake, that's where my cabin is. That's where my peaceful zone is.

That's where I go to really relax," shared Fuhr. "We've been going there since I was a kid

Michael Lonechild, Theresa Fuhr and other artists were at Art Concepts for open house last Thursday.

and that's a great space. It's not like Kenosee, because Kenosee is a government park and everything is so regulated. And White Bear is more laid back.

You can talk to anybody. Most people have boathouses along the shoreline. So that's your little property there and people just visit all the time but we get to know people."

The details on the paintings often carry some extra meaning, inviting the viewers to join artists in exploring some ideas.

"There is a pocket watch," said Fuhr pointing at one of the paintings. "It's lost in time.

That's the title.The bike is lost in time. There's a timepiece just to remind you about time."

She said she has a passion for trees, so tall and thin canvases work well for that. Birch trees are popular around White Bear Lake and appear in her art often. With her paintings, she gives the viewer a direction, an idea of the moment and sight, but allows the imagination to finish the picture.

While acrylic paintings are monochromatic with a gentle touch of colour, watercolours are filled with warm and soft vibrant colours, which go beyond the original paper and

Acrylic on canvas, paintings by Theresa Fuhr. onto the matting.

"This is something I started a long time ago when I only had original paintings and making prints came into being popular.

So I started making prints but it bothered me that every print, I'm just printing them to paper, it just was the same," Fuhr said.

To make prints special, she would add hand pieces, and then she started doing the same to

her original watercolours.

Art Concepts Custom Framing carries many art pieces by numerous local and a couple of non-local artists. Outside paintings of different techniques and styles and photographs, they have a collection of pottery, jewelry and posters on display for visitors to enjoy. Everything at the gallery is also available for sale.

Socks presented from Toasty Toes Drive Chiropractic offices across Saskatchewan took part in the fifth annual Toasty Toes Sock Drive.

King Street Chiropractic & Health Centre has been an active participant in this program since it started in 2016. The sock drive was cancelled last year due to COVID-19, and so the local office was very happy to hear that the program was back this year. And it turned out to be their best year for donations.

The community donated 587 pairs of socks to the sock drive. Many of the patients were bringing in socks daily, and there were larger contributions from some local organizations, such as the Estevan Bruins, the Estevan Firefighter's Association and the Benson Beef 4H Club.

All of these socks will be donated to the

local Salvation Army.

Saskatchewan chiropractors hold the campaign each year because they believe nobody should have to suffer through the province’s coldest months without socks on their feet.

A press release for the campaign says socks are important for those trying to navigate the harsh winters in Saskatchewan. Agencies that support individuals and families with limited means can never have too many socks to distribute throughout the winter months.

Over the previous four years of this campaign, Saskatchewan chiropractors and their patients have collected over 67,000 pairs of socks. Those socks have been distributed to the Salvation Army, who distributes them throughout the province to people who need them the most.

With changing purchase patterns of our guests during and after COVID, a large portion of our business was utilizing our Drive Thru and only seeing the outside of our building.

When we learned the City of Estevan had implemented a Tax Incentive to go towards the exterior of the building we knew we needed to look into it.

We reached out to Rick and had a discussion to see if he thought our plans would fit into the scope of what the incentive was intended to cover. Once agreeing that we were on the right track we went to work securing bids and completing the application. The approval came back in a very timely manner and we were able to get started. We ended up completing a large landscaping project at both the King Street and 4th Street locations while also supporting other local businesses. With further plans to upgrade the exterior of our King Street location in the coming year this incentive is just what we need to continue with the process. What a fantastic way to spruce up our city and have things have a fresh, new look.

Mandy and Ryan Irwin

Thinking about improving your business facade, or opening your new business?

Visit www.estevaneconomicdevelopment.ca and learn about our major incentives. call Richard Sadick at (306) 634-1843

From left, Estevan Salvation Army director of ministry Ronza Reynard, and King Street Chiropractic representatives Dr. Rebecca Holman, Dr. Trevor Erdie and Dr. David Peeace participated in the sock presentation. Photo submitted

Bake It

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Estevan Market Mall 306-634-9577

A8 December 8, 2021

www.SASKTODAY.ca

Dickens Village Festival brought communities together and kicked off the Christmas season

By Ana Bykhovskaia The Dickens Village Festival made the Carlyle area giddy in a round dance of Dickens times' festivities, looks and meals.

The 18th annual festival that took place Dec. 3-5 attracted over a thousand people from all around. For the old-style weekend, the hall turned into a Fizziwig’s Pub with top-notch free entertainment for hundreds of people.

The English Market Craft Sale had many people stopping by, and the Lighted Parade attracted hundreds of spectators lining up the streets on Friday and Saturday.

The Cornerstone Theatre’s play, a humourous and witty musical called Scrooge in Space, was a classic that attracted many admirers. Written by Carlyle’s own Megan McAuley, the play was performed three times.

Dickens Village Festival committee member Dianne Twietmeyer, who performed in the play, said it was one of her favourite parts of the festival, which altogether was a great event.

“It was very successful. Everybody was extremely pleased with the turnout. We had a wonderful parade and a wonderful Christmas play by Cornerstone Theatre. And we had good weather,” said Twietmeyer. “Friday and Saturday were warm, and a lot of people came out for the street vendors selling their food, and a lot of families were lining the streets for the parade.”

The community came together

to make the festival happen after a one-year break due to COVID, and Twietmeyer praised the committee for decorating the streets and the hall and everyone involved for organizing a wonderful weekend filled with fun.

Since the pandemic remained a reality, the committee had to ensure they follow the provincial guidelines and organize an event that’s safe for everyone. In all buildings that are overseen by the Town of Carlyle, guests had to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a recent negative test, and other health measures were followed.

“We wondered if that wouldn’t keep people away, but we had a lot of people come in and have a really good time safely,” Twietmeyer said.

The committee was worried that the festival probably wouldn’t be a go with all the issues still in place this year, but fortunately, they were able to host a great event, which went pretty close to normal.

“Some positive people came along that really wanted to do things.

And the mayor of Carlyle, Jen Sedor, she's a real mover and shaker and one of these people that goes, ‘Yes, we can.’

And with the input of a few positive people like that, the rest of the committee was able to see the possibilities,” Twietmeyer shared.

“We first began planning something that was going to be on a smaller scale, just in case it all had to be cancelled at the last minute. But then, as time went on, the ideas got bigger. And the next thing it was pretty much back

A lighted parade was a highlight of this year’s Dickens Village Festival. Photo by Gord Paulley to being the same Dickens Festival that we'd had two years ago. There was only a couple of things that didn't happen.”

The Dickens English Market that was held at the Carlyle Elementary School had 27 tables and had approximately 350 guests come through.

A great outing and chance to showcase all products for all small businesses, the market saw baking, sewing, Scentsy, Pampered Chef, Jams & Jellies, ColorStreet, woodworking and jewelry, just to name a few.

Many people also bought from street vendors, serving Dickens-times style meals like turkey legs, puddings and more.

Twietmeyer said that those in-

Ebenezer Scrooge had a visit from Santa Claus at the festival. Photo by Gord Paulley

volved with organizing the festival, as well as people in local stores, would also dress up in style suitable for Dickens’ era, which made the community look more picturesque over the weekend.

The traditional festival had many residents involved and saw many people from other communities come over.

Twietmeyer said the annual Dickens weekend not only supports the local businesses and benefits many in the community but also helps put Carlyle on a bigger map.

“It benefits the business community by bringing people into town.

It kicks off the Christmas season, getting people out shopping. Cornerstone

Theatre, we have been for the past several years, donating 10 per cent of our performance proceeds to the food bank,” said Twietmeyer, adding that this plan hasn’t been announced yet this year, but she assumes they will proceed with the donation.

“The festival also raises the profile of Carlyle throughout the province and even into Manitoba. In other years, we’ve had busloads of people come down from Regina … on a shopping trip and take in the play and all the other festivities. So it definitely raises the profile of Carlyle as a place to come to. And it gets a lot of people and a lot of different groups involved,” Twietmeyer concluded.

The Carlyle Fire Department was selling turkey legs during the festival. Photo by Gord Paulley

21121GE0

ENERGY A9

| Wednesday, December 8, 2021 | www.SASKTODAY.ca

Sacred Heart’s new Hockey Skills program increases engagement in students

By Greg Nikkel of the Weyburn Review Students taking part in the Hockey Canada Skills Academy at Sacred Heart School/École Sacré Coeur are “so excited” to go to school now, trustees for the Holy Family Roman Catholic Separate School Division heard at their board meeting last Wednesday.

Sacred Heart principal and program operator Amber Hilstrom provided an update on the program via Zoom, giving a rundown on how many students are involved and how it has been going so far.

“It’s been up and running since the second week of September, and we’re seeing a lot of successes so far,” said Hilstrom.

The pilot program, which is also being offered at St. Michael School in Weyburn, has two cohorts of students, a group of 24 students in Grades 5-6, and 14 students in Grades 7-8, both English and French students.

The Grades 5-6 students have two 75-minutes on-ice sessions in a six-day cycle, with a 15-minute dryland training session. The older students have two 96-minute sessions per six-day cycle.

The program at St. Michael is

slightly different, as this year it is only offered to a cohort in Grade 6 with 24 students, and they are on the ice for two afternoons in a six-day cycle, with two hours of ice-time and one hour of dryland training.

The common denominator for the program is it is curriculum-based and tuition-based, as there are extra costs, and equality is important, as the program is not just for boys or just for hockey players. All skill levels from beginners to elite players are included.

The hockey instructor in Estevan is Mark Moriarty, certified through Hockey Canada, and Hilstrom is the program operator who looks after

the logistics and arrangements, with Megan Vanstone providing the social media posts on the program.

One of the successes of this program is student engagement is really high, said Hilstrom. “They are so excited to come to school because of this program.”

She noted Moriarty has been really good in building their skills, and the student engagement has grown a lot as a result. Also, she noted some behaviour issues have been reduced in the students involved in this program.

Community partnership is also really good, with connections being made with the Estevan Bruins and

their head coach and general manager, Jason Tatarnic, the Estevan Eclipse Downhole Solutions U18 AAA Bears and their coach, Jeff Smith, as well as the City of Estevan, Joel Moriarty, Dunrite Glass and DMS. Hilstrom said one need that has come up is for more on-ice staffing when the students are at the rink.

For next year, she is hoping to provide an opportunity in April for students to bring a friend to try out the program and see if they might be interested. They are also looking for more sponsorships to help reduce the costs, as some families found they were not able to afford the expense.

Primec Controls now operating in N.D. Primec Controls LLC has entered the North Dakota oil and gas sector.

The business, based out of Williston, N.D., is an affiliate of Estevan Meter Services and Apollo Electric & Controls. Primec Controls intends to offer programming, repairs of relief valves and other items, instrumentation, measurement, electrical and combustion services.

Primec Controls is the result of a partnership between Doug Martens, Jarrad Skuce, Reg Stephen and Dallas Fleck from Estevan Meter Services, and Jason Haugen and Kris Redka, their U.S. partners.

Jason Haugen was a former owner

at L&K Electric and subsequent manager for the acquiring company, Expanse Electric.

Kris Redka previously managed Twin Services and was employed at Mondak Tank Company.

“Estevan Meter and Apollo Electric have built a reputation of providing top tier technical sales and services through highly trained staff and strategic partnerships with world leading product suppliers,” said Martens, who is the president. “By expanding into North Dakota with Primec Controls, we can take our 54 years of industry experience and extend our renowned services and product offerings to our

American partners.

“This investment south of the border will add diversification to our business working with our strategic partner channels, adding enhanced purchasing strength for the mutual benefit of both existing Canadian customers and new U.S. customers.”

Operations will begin effective Dec. 1, offering product sales, combustion, service and shop repairs, with subsequent rollout of services over the first half of 2022.

In addition to employees and working partners, Estevan Meter Services staff will support training and business development.

Musicians to perform Christmas songs Two talented musicians from Estevan are going to perform at a concert in the city next week.

Soprano Avery Lafrentz and pianist Rachel Andrist will perform at a Christmas recital on Dec. 14 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s United Church.

Lafrentz will be home from McGill University for

the Christmas holidays and will perform arias, songs and a medley of Christmas favourites, and the audience will join her to sing some Christmas carols to finish.

The program will be an hour in length.

Masks, social distancing and proof of vaccination are required. There will be a freewill donation.

Wishing you tidings of comfort & joy... and a cozy, warm Christmas.

thrutubing.com | 306.634.4001

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Estevan Bruins add three more to the win column

By David Willberg The Estevan Bruins continue to be unstoppable when it comes to Viterra Division opponents.

The Bruins scored three times in the opening six minutes of the third period to pick up a 4-3 victory over the Yorkton Terriers Saturday night at Affinity Place. It was their fourth straight victory, and the Black and Gold are now 12-0 against the Viterra Division this season.

Yorkton scored three times in the opening 12:13 of the first period to lead 3-0.

Logan Cyca scored 4:36 into the game. Former Bruin Erik Boers doubled the lead a few minutes later and Kishaun Gervais added to the Terriers advantage.

“It’s not that I thought we played poorly, but we just made some blatant mistakes that cost us some goals. We let them get behind us twice, and then we made a bad decision on the third goal against,” said head coach and general manager Jason Tatarnic.

Alex Von S prec ken scored for the Bruins before the period was finished to give the Estevan some life.

“I thought Yorkton came out hard, but we came back in the second and third, and

played our game,” said Von Sprecken.

Yorkton was effective with the use of the stretch passes, Von Sprecken said, so the Bruins had to watch out.

Estevan started to take over during the second, and only some bad puck luck prevented the club from drawing closer, as the Bruins hit a post three times in the first few minutes.

“We had chances in the first two periods, so it could have been a different score if we capitalized on our chances.

We dug ourselves a hole, and then we dug ourselves out of it,” said Tatarnic.

Mark Rumsey and Cody Davis scored for the Bruins 40 seconds apart in the opening two minutes of the third period to tie the game. Mikol Sartor then gave the Bruins their first lead of the night with 14 minutes to play.

“I thought we came out a lot harder and battled our way back,” said Von Sprecken.

The Bruins had chances to extend the lead, but couldn’t convert, while Yorkton had opportunities to tie the game, including a breakaway moments after Sartor’s goal, but Boston Bilous came up with timely saves.

Estevan outshot Yorkton 17-7 in the third.

Billy Sowa (15) and Cody Davis try to pry the puck from a Yorkton defender during Saturday’s game at Affinity Place.

Bilous made 26 saves for the Bruins in his first game back after missing three with a groin injury.

“Some of the chances they had against him were tough saves to make and he made the saves when we needed them to secure the win and that’s all that matters,” said Tatarnic.

Kael DePape stopped 38 shots for Yorkton.

The Bruins also went 2-0 in a trip through northeast Estevan last week. They started with a 6-0 victory over the Nipawin Hawks last Tuesday.

Nolan Jones and Dayton Deics scored in the first period, and then Rumsey scored twice and Caelan Fitzpatrick tallied

in the second to lift the Bruins to a 5-0 lead through two.

Davis finished the scoring in the third.

Olivier Pouliot and Keagon Little added three assists each.

Cam Hrdlicka made 21 saves to pick up his first SJHL shutout.

Estevan then edged the

Melfort Mustangs 4-3 on Wednesday, a game that Melfort led 1-0 through two periods. Rumsey scored twice, including the winner with 83 seconds to play in the third.

Zach Burfoot and Fitzpatrick also scored in the third.

Hrdlicka stopped 31 shots.

Trenton Curtis scored twice for Melfort, and Ben Tkachuk had the other Mustangs’ goal.

In other Bruin news, Fitzpatrick has committed to play for the Niagara University Purple Eagles in New York, an NCAA Division 1 program, starting in the 2023-24 season. Fitzpatrick is in his first full season in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, and has 16 goals and 28 points in 28 games this season.

A future edition of the Mercury will have more on this story.

The Bruins (21-5-1-1) were scheduled to face the Notre Dame Hounds on Tuesday night in Wilcox.

(Results were not available at press time). Then they will visit the Humboldt Broncos on Dec. 11 in the final meeting of the season between the top two team in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League.

Aaron Lavoie Memorial Tournament brings in U18 teams Eight teams were entered the second annual Aaron Lavoie Memorial U18 hockey tournament, which was organized by the Estevan Minor Hockey Association from Friday to Sunday.

The Shaunavon Badgers won the A final, defeating the Indian Chiefs 3-0. The Swift Current Knights took the B final over the Hague Royals 7-1.

In the C final, the Weyburn Wings edged the Estevan Tower Wolves 3-2. And the Esterhazy Flyers beat the Estevan Bears 4-3 in the D final.

The Bears opened the tournament with an 8-8 tie against the Knights on Friday. Then they lost 9-6 to the Wings and 12-2 to the Chiefs on Saturday to go 0-2-1 in the round robin.

As for the Wolves, they wound up third in their pool with a 1-2 record. They opened

with an 8-2 loss to the Royals on Friday, then defeated the Flyers 8-3, but lost 8-3 to the Badgers.

Prior to Friday night’s game between the Bears and the Knights, Lavoie’s father Gary and brother Jordan dropped the puck for the ceremonial opening faceoff. Then Burt Blondeau, who is the EMHA’s U18 director, made a presentation to Gary and Jordan Lavoie.

Aaron Lavoie died in February 2019 at the age of 16.

Prior to the puck drop, it was noted that Aaron Lavoie loved the game of hockey. He worked hard, and played with heart and determination. Tournament organizers hoped the athletes in this year’s tournament will bring the same attributes. It was also hoped the players will make some new friends.

Burt Blondeau, middle, made a presentation to Jordan Lavoie, left, and Gary Lavoie at the start of the Aaron Lavoie Memorial U18 hockey tournament.

Estevan Bears pick up a big win in Saskatoon The Estevan Eclipse Downhole Solutions U18 AAA Bears picked up three of a possible six points in their latest three-day road trip, and they finished the excursion in style.

The Bears defeated the Saskatoon Contacts 4-1 Sunday afternoon in Saskatoon. Tucker Buhay opened the scoring 1:38 into the first period with a short-handed goal, and Boston Harkness doubled the advantage with a power play goal in the second.

The Contacts would get one before the period was over, but then Carter Onrait and Carson Birnie scored less than three minutes apart in the third to clinch the victory. Onrait’s goal was also a shorthanded marker.

Jackson Miller made 28 saves in the win, which ended a six-game

losing streak.

Earlier in the trip, the Bears lost 3-2 to the league-leading Warman Wildcats, a game the Bears led 2-0 after the first period. Daniel Ganert scored 58 seconds into the game and Birnie also scored. The Wildcats scored the final two goals with less than six minutes to play in the third.

Kaden Perron made 28 saves in the loss.

Estevan lost 2-1 in overtime to the Saskatoon Blazers on Friday night. Onrait opened the scoring with 12:01 to play in the third, but Saskatoon tied the game a few minutes later and added the winner with 2:40 remaining in overtime.

Miller stopped 42 shots for Estevan.

The Bears (6-14-0-5) will visit the Yorkton Terriers on Dec. 10 and 11.

• • • The Estevan Apex U18 AA Bruins split their weekend games with the host Regina Capitals, in a clash between two of the top teams in the Saskatchewan AA Hockey League’s U18 division.

Regina defeated Estevan 5-2 Saturday night. James Mann opened the scoring for Estevan 3:37 into the first period, but Regina notched the next three goals.

Mann scored again early in the third to pull Estevan to within one, but Regina would get two more before the game was finished.

Keagan Carley made 30 saves for Estevan.

Estevan won 6-3 the following day, handing the Capitals their first regulation loss of the season.

Regina had a 2-0 lead early in the second, but goals by Mason Fichter and Mann tied the game at 2-2 before the end of the frame.

Estevan took over in the third, with goals by Kaden Chrest, Declyn Henderson and two more by Mann, all within the opening 10 minutes of the period, for a 6-2 Estevan advantage. Regina didn’t respond until the final minute of the period.

Ty Fehrenbach stopped 25 of the 28 shots he faced.

The Apex Bruins will visit the Swift Current Broncos on Dec. 10 and 11, and the Moose Jaw Warriors on Dec. 12.

• • •

The Estevan Meter U13 AA Bruins defeated the Weyburn Wings 9-6 last Wednesday at a neutral site game in Alameda.

Weyburn led 2-1 after the first period, but Estevan fought back to lead 6-4 through two. The Bruins would need two empty net goals late to salt the game away.

Nathan Gardiner had four goals and an assist to pace the Estevan attack. Kyson Dangstorp, Ryden Summers, Riley Gigian, Cameron Milbrandt and Austin Merkley had the other Estevan goals.

Jayden Chernoff assisted on four of Estevan’s goals.

Myles Lequyer made 20 saves in goal for the Bruins.

The Bruins (7-2) will visit the Yorkton Terriers on Dec. 11 and 12.

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December 8, 2021 A11

Locals selected for national water polo team

Alexandra Andrist is among the local athletes chosen for a national water polo team. Photo submitted The Estevan Sharks water polo program has become well-known for churning out talented athletes, and now three of its products have been selected for a national team.

Water Polo Canada (WPC) has announced the junior men’s and women’s rosters that are set to compete at the Youth Pan American Championships in Bauru, Brazil, from Jan. 9-16, 2022.

Alexandra Andrist, Josephina Andrist and

Mikayla Hack have been selected for the women's youth national team. The Andrist sisters are Estevan residents, while Hack used to live in the Energy City.

The Andrists and Hack were selected after attending a national water polo camp in Montreal from Nov. 21-29.

They were three of the 10 Saskatchewan swimmers selected for the camp.

The squad was selected based on performance at the camp.

Meanwhile, former Estevan resident Cameron Gillingham has been named an alternate for the men's youth national squad.

WPC says it is closely monitoring the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, Brazil and across the world, and will continue to do so in the weeks before the tournament.

A future edition of the Mercury will have more on this story.

Gold Wings win three games in northern road trip The South East U18 AA Goldwings female hockey team picked up three wins in three nights during a recent northern road trip.

The first game was a 2-1 victory over the Northwest Sharks on Friday night in Battleford. Paytin Copeland and Megan Reid scored less than five minutes apart in the second period to give the Gold Wings a 2-0 lead.

The Sharks would get one in the third.

The next day, the Goldwings beat the Western Prairie Aces 4-2 in Elrose. Katelyn Thackeray and Lauren Hasler each scored twice for the Gold Wings in the victory.

The final game was a 13-0 rout of the Prince Albert Foxes.

Hassler and Thackeray each had two goals in the opening frame, and Copeland, Presleigh Runge and McKenna Walls also scored for a 7-0 Goldwings’ lead after the first period.

Walls had the only goal in the second period, and then Walls, Gracie LeBlanc, Gracie Hillrud, Dixie Correscadden and Trista Stadnick tallied in the third.

Walls added three assists for a six-point game, while Hassler added two helpers to go with her two goals.

Zelyck was in goal against the Battlefords and Prince Albert, while Phoenix Preston-Winder was the goalie versus Western Prairie.

The Gold Wings (7-6-1) will face the Parkland Fire on Dec. 11 in Melville.

• • • The Estevan Southland Pulse

U15 Bearcats picked up their first win of the season Saturday with a 2-0 victory over the host Balcarres Barracudas.

Ella Fornwald scored the winner in the second for Estevan, and Kenza Martin tallied in the third.

Estevan then lost 4-2 to the Regina Rebels White on Sunday.

Lainee McMillen and Brielle Farr scored for Estevan. Farr’s goal made it a 2-2 game in the third, but the Rebels scored twice in the final six minutes.

Casey Brady was in goal for both games.

Estevan also visited the Weyburn Gold Wings on Dec. 7.

(Results were not available at press time). The Bearcats will visit Balcarres again on Dec. 12.

• • • The Estevan Power Dodge U13 Bearcats 1 defeated the Parkland Fire 8-3 Saturday in Melville.

Peyton McIntyre scored three times in the first period for Estevan, who led 5-2 after the opening frame. Halle Lozinsky and Katie Sauder also scored.

Sauder had the lone goal in the second and Ruby Graff and Bentlee Fairbrother scored in the third.

Taylor Short was in goal for the Bearcats 1 (2-3-1), who will host the Weyburn Gold Wings on Dec. 10 at 5:15 p.m. at Affinity Place, and the Fire on Dec. 12 at 3 p.m. at the Power Dodge Arena.

The Power Dodge Bearcats 2, meanwhile, lost 3-2 to the Balcarres Barracudas on Saturday and tied the Parkland Fire 7-7 in Melville on Sunday.

K l o e B a rk e r a n d Ta y a

Northrop scored in the third period of Saturday’s game to tie the contest, but the Barracudas posted the winner in the final minute.

Sunday’s game saw Estevan lead 5-2 at one point in the first period, only to fall behind 7-6 in the third. Chelsea Madsen scored the tying goal, her second of the game, with 8:21 remaining in the third.

Hase Morgan had a hat trick for Estevan. Northrop and Haven Bourassa also scored.

Adalyn Christopherson was in goal for both games.

The Bearcats 2 (2-6-1) will host the Madville Huskies on Dec. 10 at the Power Dodge Arena at 8:15 p.m., and the Parkland Fire on Dec. 11 at 2:45 p.m.

• • • The Estevan Senchuk U11 Bearcats 1 and 2 teams had a couple of showdowns on the weekend.

The two teams played to a 1-1 tie on Saturday, and then the Bearcats 2 won 1-0 on Sunday.

Both games were played in Bienfait.

Scorers for the games were not available.

The Bearcats 1 were in Weyburn on Monday to face the Gold.

(Results were not available at press time). They will visit the Weyburn Blizzards on Dec. 8.

As for the Bearcats 2, they dropped a 5-3 decision to the Madville Huskies Friday in Radville before the two other weekend games.

They were scheduled to visit the Blizzards on Dec. 7. (Results were not available at press time).

Then they will visit the Blizzards again on Dec. 13.

Carnduff, Wawota and Yellow Grass win in Big Six action There is just one unbeaten team remaining in the Big Six Hockey League.

The host Yellow Grass Wheat Kings (3-0) edged the Redvers Rockets (2-0-1) 4-3 in a shootout Saturday night.

Yellow Grass scored three times in the second period to lead 3-0, but the Rockets responded with three of their own in the opening nine minutes of the third.

Brady Gaudet had the final two goals for Redvers, and Remy Lamotte had the other Redvers goal.

Thomas Bauche was the Rockets goalie.

Also on Saturday, the Wawota Flyers (1-1) won 8-5 over the Midale Mustangs (04-1). Wawota led 3-0 after the first period and 5-1 through two before the Mustangs stormed back in the third to make the game interesting.

Devin Stewart and Jordan Fox each had two goals and two assists for Wawota.

Taylor Ernst, Billy Easton, Ty Kotylak and Braden Messer also scored for the Flyers.

Zach Lees was the goalie for Wawota.

Kendall Oliver scored twice for Midale. Brayden Ganson, Matt Geske and

Zach Holzer also scored.

Talen King was the Mustangs starter.

In Friday night’s lone game, the Carnduff Red Devils (2-2) defeated the Moosomin Rangers (2-1) by a 6-5 score, handing Moosomin their first loss of the season.

Moosomin held a 5-2 lead in the third period, but the Red Devils notched four goals in the final 13 minutes.

Ben Hiltz scored three of the Red Devils’ goals in the third, including the game winner with 84 seconds remaining. He also assisted on Jackson O’Brien’s goal with

1:59 to play that tied the game.

Dominic Turner and Kyle Garagan also scored for Carnduff.

Cody Dumaine was in goal for Carnduff.

Three games are scheduled for Dec. 10. Yellow Grass will visit Carnduff, Midale will be at the Carlyle Cougars and Wawota is at the Oxbow Huskies.

The games on Dec. 11 include the Bienfait Coalers at Midale, Carnduff at Wawota and Redvers at Moosomin.

All games are scheduled to start at 8 p.m.

Dealing with Holiday Stress

By Tim Pippus

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, or so the song says.

In reality, though, for many people, the Christmas season is stress-filled. There is a lot of pressure to get to all the events, to buy just the right gifts, and to make memories that last a lifetime. Even when families get along, spending time together can be difficult and it can be easy to miss the joy of the season. With that in mind, here are a few simple tips to help your holidays run more smoothly.

1) Lower your expectations. Do not buy into the notion that every Christmas must be the best Christmas ever. If you decide that your family gathering must resemble a Hallmark movie, you will be disappointed. Rather, determine to be happy with whatever happens.

Be flexible. By keeping our expectations in check, we give ourselves a chance to enjoy just being together.

2) Make sleep a priority. Staying up too late and doing too many things is a recipe for disaster. When we are tired, it is harder to control our emotions and we are much more easily annoyed. Maintaining a regular sleep pattern and even taking a nap will go a long way to dealing with others well.

3) Look for the good. In almost any circumstance, you can focus on what you like or what you do not like. You can be joyful, or you can choose to be miserable. Intentionally celebrating the good makes a huge difference. Challenge yourself to create a list of things for which you are thankful. It will train your brain to keep looking for them.

4) Find some alone time. Whether that means going for a walk, getting lost in a good book, or even just hiding in a quiet bedroom for a few minutes, it is important to find some time for yourself. You do not have to do everything with everyone. By maintaining some personal space, you will find that you enjoy the times together more.

Granted, this list will not help everyone. Unfortunately, some find themselves in very difficult circumstances. We will deal with that in another article.

However, for most people, family time can be a time of love, laughter, and fun. It can be a great blessing.

It is even better when we plan ahead and choose to do it well.

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IN THE COURT OF QUEEN’S BENCH JUDICIAL CENTRE OF REGINA BETWEEN: THE FARM LAND SECURITY BOARD APPLICANT -andMARSHALLE FORGEY WELLS, as a personal representative for the ESTATES OF BURNELL GORDON FORGET, deceased; THE ESTATE OF TRAVIS WILLIAMSON CRILLY, deceased and; THE ESTATE OF CHESTER FERRELL SALISBURY, deceased.

RESPONDENTS

SHERIFF’S SALE

BY VIRTUE OF AN ORDER issued out of this Honourable Court on the 29th day of January, 2021, we hereby offer for sale the properties described herein: 1. DESCRIPTION OF LAND NE Sec 27 TWP 03 RGE 11 W 2 Ext 0 160.92 acres As described on Certificate of Title 88R60187 2. TIME AND PLACE OF AUCTION SALE Wednesday January 19, 2022, at 10:30 a.m.

Estevan Queen’s Bench Court House, 1016 Fourth Street, Estevan, SK 3. TERMS OF SALE i. at least four weeks’ notice of the time, place and conditions of the sale shall be given, with such notice to be published at least once per week for four consecutive weeks, commencing not later than four weeks before the date of sale, in each of the Regina Leader Post, Weyburn Review and the Estevan Mercury newspapers published in the Cities of Regina, Weyburn and Estevan, in the Province of Saskatchewan, respectively. As well, printed notices of this sale are to be affixed four weeks prior to the date of the sale in four conspicuous places in Torquay, in the Province of Saskatchewan; ii. The terms of the sale shall be 10 percent cash at the time of sale with the balance paid within 10 days from the date of the sale; iii. The above lands shall be sold subject to encumbrances as of the date of sale; iv. The purchase moneys are to be paid into Court to the credit of this cause and the moneys shall be paid firstly to the costs of the sale; secondly, to the costs of these proceedings; and thirdly, to such other persons as determined by this Honourable Court; v. Upon confirmation of the sale by this Honourable Court, the title to the above land shall vest in the name of purchaser, or his/her nominee, free from all encumbrances, except those stipulated by order of this Honourable Court; vi. Upon confirmation of the sale by this Honourable Court, the Registrar of the Registrar of Titles shall cancel the existing certificate of title numbers and shall issue new certificates of title in the name of the purchaser(s); vii. The respondents and any person claiming through them shall give up possession of the above lands to the purchaser or his/her nominee upon being served with an order of this Honourable Court confirming the sale of the above lands.

Estevan hosts U11 tournament The Estevan Minor Hockey Association hosted its annual U11 house tournament from Nov. 26-28.

Games were played at Affinity Place, the Power Dodge Arena and the Bienfait Memorial Arena over the course of three days.

The Swift Current Rangers won the tournament, defeating the Yorkton Terriers 9-6 in the gold medal game. The Radville Nationals knocked off the Moose Jaw Wolfpack 9-8 in the bronze medal matchup.

Four Estevan teams were entered. The Estevan Vipers went 1-0-1 in the round robin, beating the Carlyle Cougars 5-2 and tying the Regina Buffaloes 7-7. They advanced to the

The Estevan Predators played the Yorkton Terriers Nov. 27 during the Estevan Minor Hockey Association’s annual U11 tournament.

Speedway celebrates successes at annual meeting The Estevan Motor Speedway (EMS) reflected on the successes of the past year during the organization’s annual general meeting (AGM) on Nov. 30.

Aaron Turnbull, who was the president for the 2020-21 year, said those who attended the meeting delved into the track’s finances, and it was a perfect time to have the AGM, because Nov. 30 marked the end of the 202021 fiscal year.

Turnbull said the track’s finances are in good shape, as they had a surplus at the end of this year, as they have had in the past few years.

“That’s good, because we have upgrades to do and maintenance to take care of all the time,” said Turnbull.

“It’s nice to have a little bit of a cushion to fall back on.”

Any upgrades to be done will need to be determined by the new EMS executive, but Turnbull said there isn’t anything that’s pressing.

As for maintenance, the track preparation equipment always has work to be completed, between water trucks, tractors and graders.

Brad Pierson will move up from vice-president to president for 2021-22, while Turnbull will become the vice-president. Long-time treasurer Lynn Trobert will remain in that role. Eric De Ruyck (?) will shift into the secretary’s role. Byron Fichter has rejoined the board, Jared Stang will be a new member and Chris Hortness will be back for another year.

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quarter-final, which they lost 12-2 to Swift Current.

The Vipers beat the Estevan Hornets 9-6 in the final game of the tournament for both teams.

The Hornets opened with a 12-8 win over the Lumsden Lions, and then routed the Midale Mustangs 12-1. They lost 10-7 to Radville in the quarter-final round.

The Estevan Predators lost 7-4 to the Wolfpack and then tied the Terriers 6-6. They played the Cougars in a battle of teams that finished third in their respective pools, and won 8-1.

And the Estevan Lightning lost 7-0 to Swift Current and 8-3 to Radville in the round-robin, and 9-3 to Midale in their consolation round game.

The meeting also offered a chance for those in attendance to provide input on the direction of the EMS. They discussed how the speedway can continue to improve its efficiency.

They also talked about the slingshot class, which has proven to be a popular circuit for young drivers trying to break into the sport.

And they discussed a potential new class for front-wheel drive sport compacts, but Turnbull believes it might be better off as a special attraction, similar to late models that race at the speedway each year. At this point, no decisions have been made.

“We have to be careful as to how much we want to add to our program on a regular basis. We don’t want to over-extend the length of the program. We have to keep that in mind. It will be a very economical class, but part of the discussion we had was that’s the reason we have the Enduro,” said Turnbull.

The speedway will likely continue with having two Enduro races a year, which the track did for the first time in 2021. The second Enduro in September was particularly successful this year.

The Estevan Motor Speedway offered plenty of great racing action in 2021. File photo “The average guy can put a car together for a really small amount of money (for the Enduro),” said Turnbull.

A schedule for the 2022 season has not been established. Now that the Canada-U.S. border has greater accessibility for fully vaccinated travellers, Turnbull said the track will be consulting with U.S. tracks on the schedule.

“I’m thinking we’ll run a similar schedule next year, but we’re waiting to get a copy of what Williston … and Minot have in mind,”

said Turnball.

They also don’t want to compete with any big events in the community next summer.

None of the drivers at the annual meeting had anything negative to say about the number of doubleheaders over the past two years, and Turnbull has never heard anything bad about it, but it can create a strain for the volunteers. However, the speedway ran roughly the same number of races that they would have in a normal year.

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December 8, 2021 A13

Saskatchewan artists have works on display at the Estevan Art Gallery and Museum The Estevan Art Gallery and Museum (EAGM) has a couple of new exhibits that showcase the creativity of Saskatchewan artists.

Keith Moulding’s Crowd Control is in Gallery No. 1, and Frank and Victory Cicansky’s Keep on Going is in Gallery No. 2.

Crowd Control features a collection of Moulding’s large black and white photos of crowds taken from 19851989 at three different events: Buffalo Days (now known as the Queen City Ex.), the Craven Country Jamboree (now named Country Thunder) and Agribition.

“He is an artist, but most of his career was actually a photojournalist,” said Amber Andersen, the curator-director at the EAGM. “As he was at these events documenting them, he was also participating as an artist, capturing candid moments of people.”

He used a variety of cameras for those photos, Andersen said.

She mar vels at how Moulding took the pictures using film cameras rather than modern digital technology, which allows the photographer to see the shot immediately.

“That idea of capturing the spirit of something, predigital, and getting these results, is really engaging,” she said.

Moulding plays with scale and size, as he printed the photos quite large, and he captures the details from those crowds.

When someone looks at the photos, they can evaluate how much some things have changed, while others have remained the same.

Moulding was supposed to be at the EAGM last year, but was rescheduled, like many other artists, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Cicanskys’ Keep on Going features paintings, sculp-

tures and craft objects of the late folk artist Frank Cicansky, along with the ceramics and sculptural work of his son Victor Cicansky.

Jennifer McRorie, who curated the exhibit, said the presentation of these artists’ works together offers an opportunity to consider the shared values, creative drives and narratives of memory, place and origin of the father and son’s artistic practices.

“Together these works reflect a sincere and compelling response to place, offering immigrant narratives of first and second generation settler Canadians in southern Saskatchewan, while also exploring the influential connections between our province’s folk art and funk art genres,” she wrote.

“Keep on going” was a common phrase of Frank Cicansky. It spoke of his sheer determination to persevere through life’s many challenges,

e l c a r i M th Street 4 Estevan’s

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Frank and Victory Cicansky’s Keep on Going is a farm-themed exhibit at the Estevan Art Gallery and Museum.

McRorie said. This determination, combined with a strong work ethic, a love for making things and for craftsmanship and a deep connection

to the land, were values that he passed on to his children, according to McRorie.

The exhibits highlight different moments in Sas-

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katchewan history, Andersen said, and they explore themes of this province.

Both exhibits will remain until Jan. 21, 2022.

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A14 December 8, 2021

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Local folk duo Last Birds nominated for 2021 Sask. Music Award SaskMusic announced the nominees of the 2021 Saskatchewan Music Awards, via a streamed event on Dec. 2, and a local duo, a solo musician and a southeast Saskatchewan venue made the news.

North Portal-based group Last Birds, comprised of Mike Davis and Lindsay Arnold, was among the nominees for the Saskatchewan Music Awards. The duo was nominated for Roots/Folk Artist of the Year.

The couple's debut album, Last Birds, was also added to the long list

for the Best Saskatchewan Albums of 2021.

"We worked hard to complete and promote our debut album, despite COVID-19 setbacks. We are honoured to be nominated alongside so many talented artists we respect," said Arnold.

"We are so fortunate to have the support of our families, friends and employers. Without them, our work as musicians wouldn't be possible.

Thank you so much," added Davis.

The music industry has suffered

Jeff Michel’s Back to the Moon album made it to the long list for the best.

during the pandemic, but Davis and Arnold have kept themselves busy.

They released their album in April.

Last Birds was a Breakout West Spotlight Showcase Artist at Folk Alliance's virtual conference in February. Last Birds recently performed in Toronto at the El Mocambo for a two-day national industry conference, Come Together.

Jeff Michel, who has created music with Arnold and Davis as a part of the Hook and Nail trio and now is recording solo, also made it to the long list for the best album with Back to the Moon, released this fall.

From all the qualifying fulllength album submissions received this year, jurors selected the long list of 37 albums. Now in its seventh year, this annual year-end list was created to draw attention to Saskatchewan music released in a broad range of styles. It’s the public’s turn to determine the Top 10 of 2021, and ultimately the recipient of Album of the Year.

“We encourage music lovers to discover new albums and then vote for their favourites before the midnight December 16, 2021 deadline.

Only one vote per email/IP address will be counted for the duration of the voting period,” said SaskMusic.

A sample playlist of the Long List is available on Spotify under “SaskMusic Ziggy” and YouTube.

The Top 10 albums will be announced via SaskMusic’s social media the week of Dec. 20.

Last Birds, comprised of Mike Davis and Lindsay Arnold, was among the nominees for the Saskatchewan Music Awards.

More information and voting information is available at www.

SaskatchewanMusicAwards.com.

The Happy Nun Café in Forget is among the finalists as the top venue as well.

The 2021 awards event will take place in a streaming format on Jan. 20, 2022, via SaskMusic's social media pages. The awards honour excellence and celebrate the achievements of Saskatchewan music industry members over the past year.

SaskMusic executive director Mike Dawson noted: “We are once again inspired by the talented artists of our province, who continued

to create amazing music this year.

Our industry continues to be heavily challenged by the pandemic, with the livelihoods of musicians and music businesses worldwide affected, but we are encouraged by the resilience and optimism of our industry members. We look forward to celebrating the music of our province with the awards this January.”

For more information about the SMA's, including a full list of nominees and important dates visit: https://www.saskmusic.org/news/ the-latest/view,article/7150/the2021-saskatchewan-music-awardsnominees.

Large and bright Christmas tree a festive addition to Estevan Residents of the Estevan area have been praising a new, well-decorated Christmas tree, located at the junction of Souris Avenue North, King Street and 13th Avenue, and that ’s music to the ears of the City of Estevan.

Rod March, the manager of parks and facilities, said it’s a tall spruce tree that was supplied by Tyler Wyatt with Tyros Tree Services, who is the city’s current tree contractor.

“I put a steel pipe in the centre flower bed with the hopes of putting something there for the festive season,” said March, who noted the pipe is about 10 feet deep.

March had approached

Tyros about if they had plans to cut down any spruce trees, and if they could save one for the city.

“It just so happens that somebody wanted one removed from their yard, and it fit the bill perfectly,” said March. “It’s about an 18-foot … 20-foot high white spruce.

It was perfectly shaped.”

Tyros provided and installed the tree.

The City of Estevan’s maintenance staff then added 3,100 lights and a Christmas star at the top. The tree is lit up from 5 p.m. to midnight each night.

March encourages people to come view the tree and enjoy it.

“It’s beautiful. I’ve seen

it in the dark. There are a couple of guide wires, because being in the southeast, we’re prone to winds at times, as you might imagine. So with the guidewires around it, we’re asking people to be careful of that if you’re around the tree.”

He noted that about a year ago, a citizen app ro a c h e d c i t y h a l l a n d pointed out there were three flower gardens that were sitting empty at the junction of King, Souris and 13th during the winter months, and suggested a Christmas theme in December. After checking into any concerns for line of sight, March checked into how he could stabilize the tree, and found the steel pipe

as a solution.

When those planters were first installed a few years ago, March ran conduits for electrical service so that it could be a multi-use area.

A tree at city hall has been decorated for years, and lights have been brighter the past few years. March said he expects there will be a friendly competition with Norm Mack, the manager of public works’ roads and drainage division, over who can have the brighter tree.

When installing and decorating the tree, the city had to be aware of line of sight for traffic. They have not had any complaints regarding traffic, because when someone is in a vehicle the

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town Business Association for their work to beautify the community with the large gift boxes that are in downtown Estevan.

Lighted garland has been added to lampposts in downtown Estevan on Fourth Street and Fifth Street, to go with the city’s decorations.

“It all adds up, but what we’re trying to do now is create a festive mood no matter where you are,” said March.

In future years, March said they might add to the tree and the area around the intersection. He suggested a nativity scene, but he recognizes they have to be very careful due to the amount of traffic in the area.

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tree branches are above vehicles. That’s why the pipe has its location.

Nor have there been issues with neighbouring residents complaining about the brightness. Even with the number of lights, they amount to less than 120 watts.

“It’s like one lightbulb when it comes down to it, in terms of power usage, and/or brightness, but they’re LED lights. They’re not overly bright, and certainly not intrusive to any neighbours or anybody else driving by.”

The city has received a lot of compliments about the tree. It’s among the new decorations around the city.

March praised the Down-

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December 8, 2021 A15

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Officers from Estevan and Weyburn participate in joint tactical training Current and prospective members of the joint tactical unit for the Estevan Police Service (EPS) and the Weyburn Police Service (WPS) gathered in Estevan on Wednesday for a full day of training.

Using the former St. John's School on Second Street as their training grounds, they tackled indoor and outdoor scenarios they might encounter. Signs were set up on the street to indicate why a couple of police vehicles were present.

"Our tactical team for Estevan and Weyburn is a shared team," said EPS Det. Trevor Roberts, who is the team lead. "What we were doing today was running through potential candidates who are interested in joining the team, so they were scored or assessed in certain areas of their abilities to just join and deploy with the team."

The tactical team has 12 members between the two cities, and members are typically split between the EPS and WPS. Constables, corporals

and sergeants are involved.

The EPS has had a tactical unit, known as the Containment Warrant Entry Team, since 2015, and the joint effort for Estevan and Weyburn was formed at the start of 2020. They've been called out about 10 times each year, including calls for assistance in rural communities.

Wednesday's training included the different scenarios they might encounter when dispatched to a call, including traffic stops, building entry and clearing a room. Firearms usage was also emphasized.

The prospective members were tested on fitness, firearms and how they handled the situations. Then current team members checked how many candidates could be selected to fill vacancies that might come up for 2022. Roberts said there could be up to four new members.

"It's a pretty exhaustive day, because it's a 12-hour session for these applicants to get all the testing in," said Roberts.

Joint tactical unit training for the Estevan Police Service and Weyburn Police Service was held in Estevan last week.

There were some very strong candidates from both cities to fill the openings, and Roberts said those who won't be successful will still be rated

very well as far as tactics and abilities.

Roberts said they didn't have any Officers need to have at least complaints about the training and the three years of experience before join- related noise, or any onlookers droping the team. ping by to see what was happening.

Don’t drink and drive Don’t text and drive Don’t do drugs and drive

E V I ARR VE ALI

Prevent impaired and distracted driving Statistics Canada points out that impaired driving remains one of the most frequent criminal offences in Canada and is among the leading criminal causes of death.

While alcohol-impaired driving has decreased over the past several decades, drug-impaired driving is on the rise.

Alcohol and certain drugs reduce functions of the brain and impair thinking, reasoning and muscle co-ordination. These are all skills that are essential to the safe operation of motor vehicles.

Some of the typical effects of impairment increase proportionally to the level of blood alcohol concentration. Furthermore, interactions between alcohol and other substances in the body can increase the level of risk when driving.

Impairment laws vary by area.

Blood alcohol concentration laws typically consider a blood alcohol

content, or BAC, of .08 percent or above as criminal. A BAC of .08 or higher contributes to poor muscle co-ordination, leading to slower reaction control, decreased balance and impaired vision and hearing.

Memory may be diminished and self-control and reasoning are compromised at this point as well.

It is important to note that driving under the influence of illegal substances, alcohol and even prescription medications can lead to crashes. But a recent and increasingly pervasive driving problem is distracted driving. The use of mobile devices behind the wheel can cause unintended and deadly consequences. At any moment during the day, approximately 660,000 drivers use cell phones or manipulate electronic devices while driving – a figure that has remained stable since 2010.

Preventing vehicular accidents,

injuries and fatalities comes down to using common sense.

No one should text and drive.

Store phones out of reach or set "away" messages and quiet alerts while behind the wheel. If a phone must be used, pull over to a safe area to do so.

Know the side effects of medications you are taking and how they can impair driving. If taking a newly prescribed medication, do not operate a vehicle until you understand how it makes you feel.

Pull over if you are feeling drowsy behind the wheel. Opening the window or listening to loud music may not be enough to keep you awake.

Never mix alcohol or drugs with driving. Opt for a taxi if you will be having a few drinks at a bar or restaurant. Even one or two drinks can impair drivers. Find a safe ride home from a family

Don’t get caught driving while distracted or impaired this Christmas season. Photo by Peter Dazeley with Getty Image member or friend, or walk if you’re drinking close to home.

Impaired and distracted driv-

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Obituaries

Career OppOrtunities

John Peter Mickel May 6, 1932 – November 29, 2021 John Mickel, late of Regina and formerly of Estevan, SK, passed away peacefully surrounded by the love of his family on Monday, November 29, 2021at the Wascana Rehabilitation Center, Regina, SK at the age of 89 years.

John was a man of many trades and talents. There wasn’t anything he could not build or was afraid to try. We would often say that we would give him a basic idea on what we needed built or done and he would have it figured out and completed by morning. Being raised on a farm and farming for 22 years gave him a special love for animals, especially his dogs and cats.

He loved playing cards, shuffleboard and spending time with family and friends. Home was always full of laughter particularly enjoying the companionship of many close childhood friends, neighbors and family. He also loved music and would go dancing regularly, teaching all of his girls to dance as they endured his ‘clucking’ to the music. He was ecstatic with the birth of his son to pass on his fatherly knowledge. He enjoyed playing little ditties on his harmonica breaking into a jig to the music. Even in his final months he entertained staff and family with a tune when requested.

John’s children, grandchildren and great grandchildren held a special place in his heart. Visits were treasured as it filled his heart with love - he would always worry about everyone getting home safely. John loved the life he was given and lived it to the fullest. John’s family meant the world to him. His 5 children, 13 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren were truly blessed to have him as their patriarch.

John is survived by his loving family: wife Pauline Mickel (nee Schaff); brother Donald (Bernie) Mickel; sister Shirley (Larry) Hagel; daughter Debra (Dale) Claude and their family (grandson, Justin (Valerie) Claude and great grandchildren, Peyton, Keira and Evan, grandson Jonathan (Gretchen) Claude and great grandchildren, Sloane and James, grandson Adam (Meghan) Claude and great grandchildren, Leighton and Brielle); daughter Denise ( Ken) Luterbach and their family (granddaughter Courtney (Matt Foley) and grandson Kyle); daughter Deidre Stephen and her family (granddaughter Jodi (Daxter) Schultz and great grandchildren, Zander, Zennon and Graya, granddaughter Nicole (Ben) Johnson and great grandchildren, Ethan and Paxton, grandson Logan and great grandchildren, Isabella and Sage); daughter Donalda (Harry) Rohde and their family (granddaughter Sarah (Austin) Ramstead and great grandson Everest, granddaughters, Emily and Rachel); son Aaron (Tara) and their family (granddaughters Vanessa and Brooklyn) as well as numerous nieces, nephews and other family members.

John was predeceased by his parents, Nick and Margaret (nee Wetsch) Mickel, brother John, sister Helen (Ivan) Callfas, sister Lorraine (Jim) O’Sullivan and son-in-law Michael Stephen.

The Funeral Mass for John was held on Friday, December 3, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. at St. John the Baptist R.C Church, Estevan, SK with Rev. Sathiadas Antony presiding. Interment took place at the Estevan City Cemetery following the service.

The family invited everyone to join them at the Royal Canadian Legion for lunch and refreshments following the interment.

For those unable to attend the service in person, you are invited to join the family virtually via live stream. Please visit www.hallfuneralservices.ca for details.

If friends so desire, memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan Inc., 301 - 2550 – 12 Ave., Regina, SK S4P 3X1 in memory of John.

Hall Funeral Services in Estevan provided care for John’s family – Yvonne Clark, Funeral Director.

In MeMorIaM

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In Loving Memory of Bob Wanner 1941 - 2016 Five long years have come and gone Always in our Hearts, Those we love can never be more than a thought away, for as long as there’s memory they live in our hearts to stay.

Love, Lucille and Family

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The highest or any offer will not necessarily be accepted.

Offers should be submi�ed to Billesberger Law Firm, 1017 Third Street, Estevan, Saskatchewan, S4A 0R4, together with a cheque payable to the law firm for 5% of the tender price. Tenders are to be submi�ed by January 5, 2022.

Andrew Deren February 13, 1926 December 9, 2009 Time slips by and life goes on, But from our hearts you are never gone, We think about you always, we talk about you too, We have so many memories but we wish we still had you.

Lovingly remembered and always missed by June, Paul, Donna, Bill, Lil, Linda, Delmar, Joy and families

ONLINE NEWS

Email David at editor@estevanmercury.ca

Seeking Office and Shop Space The Government of Saskatchewan is accepting proposals for the provision of 1,220 m² of office and shop space on a three to five acre property in Estevan, Saskatchewan until 2 p.m. CST on December 15, 2021.

Visit sasktenders.ca for proposal documents. sasktenders.ca

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Flashback – Dec. 12, 1979 A ritual of jewels ceremony was held at the Derrick Motor Inn Dec. 4, 1979 for members of Alpha Rho chapter of Beta Sigma Phi. Shown here are the chapter members. Front row, from left, Heather McKinnon, Heather McDonald, Kendra Meckler, Laura Packer and Dorraine Wilcott-Tracey. Back row, Paulette Baumgarnter, Sandy Moerike, Pam Awtrey, Karen Empey, Janice Finnerty, Carol Cundall, Cindy McClelland, Marilyn Krahn and Fran Derksen.

Help firefighters and the RCMP stuff the truck W ith Chr istmas just around the corner, the Estevan Firefighters Association and the Estevan Fire Rescue Service are gearing up for their annual Stuff the Truck fundraiser. Estevan RCMP members will be in and out, helping with the initiative.

On Dec. 11, from 1-4 p.m., first responders are going to be out by Canadian Tire in Estevan, accepting toy donations to help the Community Hamper Association’s Angel Tree campaign.

"We ask everybody to help make sure that every child in the city and the surrounding area has a toy to open

up Christmas morning," said Estevan Fire Chief Dale Feser.

They'll have a truck on location for residents to check out. While they will be in front of Canadian Tire, people can bring toys from any store.

All toys donated that day will be delivered to the Angel Tree, and the organization will distribute them to local families that applied for the program through their Toy Store event closer to Christmas.

"Come down, join us, have a great time, come see a fire truck and make sure that we have smiling kids on Christmas morning," Feser said.

The Estevan fire department will be collecting toys for Angels Tree once again this year.

Estevan fire crews dealt with several alarms

By Ana Bykhovskaia Fire crews responded to a several calls last week, including carbon monoxide (CO) and fire alarms.

Thursday morning at about 1 a.m., a CO alarm was triggered in a residence in the north-central area of the city.

The family had safely evacuated the building upon the firefighters' arrival and were waiting in their vehicle.

"They weren't experiencing any signs and symptoms of carbon monoxide exposure.

So they did everything textbook by getting out of the house and calling the fire department. Crews did enter the home and did find 28 parts per million in the mechanical maintenance room area of the home," explained Estevan Fire Chief Dale Feser.

SaskEnergy was also called to the scene to find the cause of the alarm. Firefighters ventilated the house and

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brought it down to a manageable level.

Feser noted that the investigation showed that "it was the supply air issue creating a downdraft situation."

"Essentially what that means is that there wasn't enough air to support proper combustion and ventilation of the boiler units inside the home itself. So SaskEnergy was working with the homeowner to contact a plumbing contractor in order to fix that particular situation," Feser said.

The scene was turned over to SaskEnergy and the homeowner, and firefighters returned to the station.

On Tuesday at about 3 p.m., firefighters were also called to a report of a residential fire alarm occurring in the north-central area of the city. As the crews were arriving on the scene, the call was updated, saying there were no fire conditions present, how-

ever, the cause of the alarm was still unknown.

Firefighters continued to respond in a non-emergent fashion. They made contact with the homeowner and learned that the individual noticed a light being on for one of the detection devices, so they were testing the device, which triggered the alarm.

"We were grateful there was no emergency occurring.

However, just another gentle reminder to everyone to ensure that if you are going to be testing the system, or whatever the case may be, if there are contractors in the home doing some work, covering up those detection devices, it's always a good idea to contact the monitoring agency to let them know what you're doing there," Feser said.

"And last but not least, always make sure that the homeowner is the first point of contact so that way if they

are trying to get a hold of somebody as soon as the alarm goes off, and if there is no one home, then the fire department is automatically dispatched. That way it alleviates a lot of unnecessary calls for the fire department."

On Thursday at about 7:30 p.m., they were called to the report of a residential fire alarm occurring in the north-central area. With no visible smoke or flame on the exterior of the building, crews entered the home to find that the homeowner had recently painted the wall and was reinstalling the monitoring devices for their smoke alarm system.

On Sunday at about 5 p.m., firefighters responded to another residential fire alarm coming from the north-central area as well. This time there was smoke, and the family had safely evacuated the building. It was quickly learned that the source of the

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smoke was in the oven.

"What had happened was the person had put a plastic container inside the oven and I don't know if they forgot about it, but they turned the oven on and obviously created a fire in the oven. However, they did take the correct steps, they turned the oven off, shut the oven door and called the fire department," Feser said.

He reminded the residents to always check ovens and other cooking appliances before they preheat them and make sure there is nothing inside. He also noted that any cooking should be monitored. " Any t i m e yo u h a ve something on the stove or in the oven, you want to be in the kitchen area, as well.

"Another common thing that we see is people accidentally turning on burners in which there are combustible items on the burners, such as oven mitts or even some paper towels (etc.) that they're using for cooking or baking. So you want to make sure that those cooking surfaces are free and clear of all combustible items as well when you're cooking,"

Feser added.

The crew spent some time ventilating the house to get rid of the smoke and returned to the fire station.

With colder temperatures settling in the area, Feser also reminded the public that anytime they are using secondary heating appliances, to make sure there's adequate clearance from them to combustible materials.

"You want to observe at least three feet of clearance from clothing or anything combustible that can catch fire. You always want to purchase products that are … approved for use in Canada and have tip-over protection, so that if the unit heater falls over … as soon as it is not in the upright position, it automatically shuts itself off to avoid any fires," Feser said.

On Wednesday the fire department also continued to distribute rapid antigen COVID-19 tests. Feser said it wasn't as busy, and they still have some supplies left. Next Wednesday, from 1:30-4 p.m., they will again distribute tests free of charge, one kit of five tests per household, while supplies last.

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Christmas at Spruce Ridge

Annabeth Heinz, Victor Janzen and Kayla Russell were among the first guests at Spruce Ridge Christmas Carnival.

Spruce Ridge School invited all their students and families for a Kick-Off to Christmas Carnival Thursday night. The event was moved outdoors to make it safe for everyone.

The night saw the Estevan Bruins and Estevan Eclipse Downhole Solutions U18 AAA Bears playing hockey with the kids. The Estevan Police Service was on location, filling the cruiser with toys for the Angel Tree campaign. There was music, fire and hot chocolate by a beautiful Christmas tree. At the decoration station, kids could make crafts and either take their pieces home or put them on the school’s tree. Families could also go for carriage rides, partake in a glow scavenger hunt or play glow volleyball or soccer.

Photos by Anastasiia Bykhovskaia

Chase Wilhelm and Hayden Tokarchuk had their sticks ready to beat the Bruins and Bears in hockey.

Teal and Stephanie Bramham and Rae Revet brought a donation to give to Cst. Katelynn Ruthven with the EPS for the Angel Tree.

Chris, Briar-Rose, Emily and Aaliyah McLennan took a moment to warm up by the fire listening to Christmas tunes.

Madden, Temperance and Nadra Williamson were spotted at the Christmas decoration station.

The Estevan Bruins and Estevan Bears had students entertained playing hockey.

Stan Milford took families for Christmas carriage rides behind the school.

Tyler, Nicole, Jaxon and Hailey Williams stopped for some hot chocolate to stay warm through a chilly night.

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Holiday Book Sale The Estevan Public Library hosted a Christmas book sale Dec. 3-5. Heather McKinnon, left, and Doris Weinrauch stopped by to check the collection offered for sale this time. During the first day, hardcover books were going for $1, paperbacks cost $0.50 each, magazines were $0.25 and audiobooks/CD's/DVD's went for $1 each. On Saturday and Sunday, visitors were offered to fill up a library tope bag for $5 while supplies lasted.

Estevan Bible Camp hosts a successful fundraiser The Estevan Bible Camp (EBC) held a fundraiser Sunday afternoon at the Estevan Comprehensive School’s cafetorium that showcased plenty of creativity.

The inaugural afternoon tea event had 13 tables set up, each with a different theme.

Most of the people at each table were dressed according to the table’s theme.

Eighteen vendors were selling merchandise in the back of the cafetorium.

“I was absolutely delighted with the amount of effort that went into it, the amount of vendors and people who were hosting tables and inviting their guests,” said camp director Ladan MacKenzie.

“It was just incredible to see the support and the turnout.”

He paid tribute to Melissa Holman for the work she

put into the event. She was the one who suggested the idea of the decorated tables, having seen it work at a hospital fundraiser in her hometown of Redvers.

Snacks and beverages were served at each table.

“The amount of effort that went into the detail for the different themed tables was incredible. I thought they were beautiful and a lot of fun,” MacKenzie said.

He was able to walk around the venue, see each table and talk to the guests.

The vendors brought a variety of merchandise for people to choose from. A silent auction also happened during the afternoon.

“They did a great job of having their selections out.

They brought a large amount of stuff, so there was plenty to

look at, and they displayed it quite beautifully,” said MacKenzie.

MacKenzie delivered a report early in the event. Other highlights included a video about the EBC and a musical presentation by some members of the camp’s summer missionary team, who came back to Estevan for the fundraiser and brought some friends.

The proceeds from the afternoon tea will be directed towards the Bible camp’s efforts to build a couple of bridges, one across a ravine and the other across the Souris River.

“The Bible camp is divided by the river, and then there’s the ravine between the road and the extra land on the north side. So we’re looking to build a bridge to get access to that area, so that we can be using it for the kids to play …

Tables were decorated according to a theme during an afternoon tea fundraiser hosted by the Estevan Bible Camp. games, and do activities like archery and airsoft.”

The bridge across the

ravine could cost $10,000 to $25,000, and would likely be built first, as they could then

start to develop the land. The bridge crossing the Souris River would be more expensive.

The gift of peace at Christmas time It’s that time of the year again, the time of gift-giving and gift-receiving.

It’s also time for me to think of another month’s worth of articles and as much as I love writing these and I love this time of year, after 20plus years of writing, it’s not always easy to come up with new themes. As I thought and prayed, I realized I’d recently pulled out a book from my

personal library.

I don’t recall where or when I got it, but the title shouted “Bingo! This is what you’re looking for.”

Titled, Gifts I'd like to give to you, it's a compilation of quotes from various authors and edited by Douglas Pagels.

It's a treasure I didn't even realize I had.

My first offering to you, my readers, and to myself, is

Linda Wegner Words of Worth the gift of quiet peace. These past months have done little or nothing to eliminate tension but true peace isn't dependent

upon circumstances; in fact, we need it more than ever as we go through troublesome times. A Chinese proverb puts

it this way: "the words 'peace' and 'tranquility' are worth a thousand pieces of gold.'"

For many, Christmas brings its own load of tension.

Planning and purchasing gifts, planning or cancelling travel plans (as necessary), as well as extra baking, are just a few of those extras that can wear us down. Thankfully I’ve never experienced the tension of how to handle family friction

in what’s supposed to be a joyous season of celebration, but I know many folks do.

“The Lord your God in your midst, the Mighty One will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you in His love, He will rejoice over you with singing…” (Zephaniah 3:17).

Here’s a gift for each of us: God bless our days with quiet peace.

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SCAVENGER HUNT & N O I T A DECOR CONTEST

Visit www.estevan.ca for a list of all the wonderful homes on this year's Twinkle Tour!

Santa _____________________________ Candy cane ________________________ Wreath ___________________________ North Pole Sign ___________________ Snowman _________________________ Carolers __________________________ Elf ________________________________ Giant Present _____________________ Angel _____________________________ Peace Sign ________________________ Gingerbread Ma n _________________ Snowglobe ________________________

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House Decorating Contest:

1) Decorate your house and submit a picture of it to Marketing@Estevan.ca with your name & Address

by December 16th 2) Check out your House added to the CITY OF ESTEVAN facebook page and ask your friends and family to vote for their favourite decorations by December 19th 3) Check us out on facebook on December 20th when we'll announce the winners!

Scavenger Hunt: 1) Cut this out 2) Drive around town & find the items on the list 3) Write down the address 4) Drop off at the Estevan Mercury, 68 Souris Avenue 5) Watch the January 13th Estevan Mercury for the winner

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disney character ___________________________ polar bear __________________________________ stocking ___________________________________ teddy bear _________________________________ snowflake _________________________________ teddy bear _________________________________ snowflake _________________________________ toy soldier _________________________________ Poinsettia _________________________________ Big Ornament ______________________________

rudolph __________________________ spiral tree ________________________ joy sign ___________________________ christmas train ___________________ Mrs. Claus _________________________ 3 Deer _____________________________ star wars _________________________ Sleigh _____________________________ Paw Patrol ________________________ Snoopy ____________________________

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Saturday, December 11, 2021 11am - 6pm 1100 & 1200 Block of Fourth Street

• FREE hot dog & hot chocolate lunch provided by The Tower Cafe • 11am-1pm • Carnival Games with the ECS SRC • 11am-4pm • Crafts & Activities prepared by the Estevan Art Gallery & Museum • 11am-4pm • Hayrides by Mr. Graham Collie & family 1pm-5pm • Petting Zoo by Tail-ling Hill Farms 11am-4pm • 2 Free Matinees sponsored by Coldwell Banker Choice Real Estate 1:30pm • Christmas Vacation 2:00pm • The Polar Express (proof of vaccination or negative Covid test required) • Smashing Deals & Specials offered from DBA members

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See ya downtown for tons of fun, shopping & savings!