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New president, new plans.

Outcomes of the United Way Estevan AGM. PAGE A3

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2022

READ IT ONLINE AT

The aurora’s majesty On the spotlight.

Provincial wanderer explores local streets and indoor art.

PAGE A5

New technologies.

Estevan welcomes two cryptocurrency ATMs. PAGE A7 The northern lights created a spectacular display near Estevan on Wednesday, to the delight of local photographers. Emily Tarnes captured this magnificent display close to the Energy City. In her photo, the lights are juxtaposed against a truck. It was a clear night in Estevan, creating the perfect setting for the pictures.

Being inclusive.

Hillcrest School shares their experience with adapted sports.

PAGE A8

What a blast.

Recap on the Estevan Bruins latest playoff games.

PAGE A10

Large crowd filled the Estevan Legion for fundraiser to support people of Ukraine

By David Willberg Estevan area residents have been showing their support for the people of Ukraine in the past few weeks, and they showed it once again on Sunday night.

Members of the Estevan Ukrainian community hosted a fundraising supper at the Estevan branch of the Royal Canadian Legion. Hundreds of people turned out to enjoy a Ukrainian meal that included sausage, cabbage roll, perogies, borscht and a bun. They raised $21,319.10, which will go to help people back in Ukraine.

Khrystyna Vasylkiv said they were “overwhelmed” with the turnout. “ We couldn’t be any happier, and it was a big, big

success for us,” Vasylkiv said.

The event was slated to begin at 4 p.m., but so many people showed up in advance that they had to open the doors at 3:45 p.m. She hopes that it wasn’t a problem for people to wait outdoors.

“I’ve seen lots of familiar faces, and it’s just great to see all of those people,” said Vasylkiv. “Overall, it’s just been fantastic and it’s been fabulous.”

Vasylkiv believes they were busiest just before 4 p.m. But there were still people coming until 7 p.m., which was the billed closing time.

Many of the supporters chose to have their meal to go, as pickup was an option.

The turnout was so strong that they ran out of

A large crowd turned out to the Royal Canadian Legion’s Estevan branch for a supper that supported the people of Ukraine. borscht at about 5:30 p.m. and sausages closer to 6 p.m.

Vasylkiv apologized to those

who came after they ran out of those foods, and she thanked everyone for their

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The South East Cornerstone Public School Division has found its new director of education.

Audrey Trombley, chairperson for the Cornerstone board of education, announced the appointment of Keith Keating as the new director of education, effective Aug. 1.

“The board of education is very pleased that Mr. Keating has accepted the position of director of education,” Trombley said. “We are confident that his education, background and years of experience in our school division will complement the strategic direction of the board of education in serving the stakeholders of South East Cornerstone Public School Division.”

Keating is getting ready to steer the ship towards deeper in-person engagement. After two years of the pandemic affecting how schools operate, Keating hopes that now, with restrictions lifted, they will be able to bring school life back.

“One of the things I would like to see, and I think it's already starting to happen, is schools become that hub of activity for students, communities and families again. We’ve got a tough couple of years with a pandemic, but I've seen schools and communities start to reengage with one another,” said Keating.

“And I'm really looking forward to seeing the network continue on into next year, as I become the director of education. I think the supports reads are always best when it's the school, the community of parents and students working together.”

The SECPSD is already working in that direction, and Keating is putting some plans in place, which will help bring communities back in and re-engage them across the division in the near future.

In the sense of long-term plans, he is looking forward to working with the province and with schools’ staff, parents and students within the division to gather input on what their vision for the future is.

“I know that the province will be

working on a provincial education plan, and that will guide the direction for improvement for students for the next decade. As we're looking into that plan, looking to the future, it's important that the voices of people from the southeast are contributing to that plan. So next year, there's going to be a focus on gathering some input from voices across our division and also staff, parents and students, to help shape that plan. Once that's built, it'll help guide the work at the system level and the school level for many years to come,” Keating said.

The information gathered by the division will then be delivered to the Ministry of Education to be reflected in the provincial plan for the next 10 years.

“There are great people in this corner of the province, and I am very optimistic about all the good things that are going to happen out there in schools for students,” Keating said.

Keating is no stranger to the school division and comes to his new role with 23 years in education, 22 of which were within SECPSD. Since 2000, he has served the division and its environs in various capacities, including teacher, principal, superintendent of schools and deputy director of education.

His career includes 11 years of central office experience overseeing schools and human resources, along with 11 years of experience as an in-school administrator.

A graduate of Brandon University with a bachelor of education degree, Keating furthered his academic pursuits at the University of Regina where he earned a master of education degree. Keating began his teaching career at Creighton Community School in 1999, followed by two years as teaching principal at Benson Central School.

In 2002, he became the vice-principal of Haig School in Weyburn and then assumed the principal's duties for an additional four years. In 2008, Keating

Keith Keating became principal of the Weyburn Junior High School and held that position until transitioning to a system position as superintendent of schools from 20112017. He has held the deputy director of education position for the past five years.

“I am excited, humbled and honoured to be able to help lead a team of committed individuals supporting students, staff and communities to ensure success and achievement for every student in every school," Keating said.

“Changes can be a difficult thing for a lot of people, but when there's that opportunity to step up and serve students, staff, parents, the board, I think we need to do so. I grew up in the southeast, and I’m very humbled to have the opportunity to serve the people here.”

Keating will replace Lynn Little, who will be retiring July 31 following a 35-year career in education.

"I would like to take this opportunity to express our congratulations to Lynn Little on her well-deserved retirement.

Lynn has provided eight years of dedicated service as the director of education for South East Cornerstone following several years of service in our system. Her leadership has contributed to a strong leadership team that will continue on the path of success and achievement for every student in every school.”

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« A1 perogies, cabbage rolls and buns. They substituted the borscht with a free dessert and they added extra perogies and cabbage rolls to the meals.

“We tried to tell people at the door that we ran out, but most of the people would still come in and dine in, which was really, really nice of them,” said Vasylkiv.

None of the organizers expected to have so many people show up. They did not pre-sell

tickets, so they didn’t know how many people would show up.

“All of the people were very nice and most of the people did not say they were upset, but I feel bad and I feel guilty as those things were listed on the menu,” said Vasylkiv.

This was the first time they have hosted an event of this scale, and most of them don’t have experience in the restaurant business. Vasylkiv said they will have a better idea

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People could purchase candles and other smaller items that were in the blue and yellow colours of the Ukrainian flag.

The merchandise proved to be popular.

She thanked Clifton’s No Frills and Sobey’s Ready to Serve for supplying the food for the supper, and the Estevan Legion branch for all of their help.

The money will be going to a Ukrainian-based organization that has been accepting donations for people in that country. Vasylkiv said they have been helping people that need the money the most in hotspots in the country since the Russian invasion began in late February.

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“You have lots of people that lost their homes and are staying in shelters, and of course everyone needs food and clothes and all the other supplies. They need everything,” she said.

Support can extend beyond financial means, she said. Vasylkiv asked for people to keep praying for those in Ukraine as the war with Russia continues.

The local Ukrainian community does not have another event planned at this time. They have discussed a few ideas.They hope to get together again and organize something else, but first they need a break after an event that came together relatively quickly.

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United Way celebrates the generosity of the community in 2021 at its annual general meeting

By David Willberg The people and businesses of the Estevan area were once again very generous with the United Way Estevan in 2021.

Financial statements released during the United Way’s annual general meeting Wednesday night at the Days Inn showed the United Way had $447,393 in total revenue for the last fiscal year, which ended Dec. 31, 2021.

Donations accounted for $442,950 of that revenue. The United Way’s annual fundraising telethon last October brought in more than $359,000 in 33 hours.

The goal for last year’s telethon was $345,000, and the objective was reached with less than two hours remaining in the broadcast.

“It will be remembered as one of our most successful years in United Way Estevan’s history, which is something our entire board is extremely proud of,” said Danny Ewen, who was the president for 2021.

Donations continued to come in after the telethon was finished.

“The good news about that is we are able to give even more to our member agencies, community impact projects and the people who live and work in our communities. So I know everyone in here was a big part of it,” said Ewen. “Thank you … to everyone who donated and made that such an amazing success.”

Revenues were down from $571,354 in 2020, but included in that total was $183,531 in special project grants from the South Saskatchewan Community Foundation and the federal government to assist people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The United Way doled out $270,500 for member agency allocations and $73,519 for community

Robert Godfrey, left, accepts the United Way Estevan’s presidential gavel from Danny Ewen during the organization’s annual general meeting on March 30. impact projects. It was noted that the United Way did see its campaign expenses increase last year, but that was due to rising costs stemming from inflation.

Ewen was pleased with a couple of other developments last year. One was the return of the Day of Caring, in which volunteers help people from the community.

The other was to have people attend the telethon at the Royal Canadian Legion’s Estevan branch. They were limited to 30 people in the hall for the 2020 fundraiser.

“The last 12 months, in my role as president, I had great support from everyone. It was truly an honour to represent the United Way Estevan,” he said.

The United Way elected a new executive at the meeting. Robert Godfrey is the new president, replacing Ewen, whose one-year term has come to an end. Becca Anderson will be the first vice-president. A second vice-president has yet to be elected.

Lynn Trobert will remain as treasurer and Ewen will be the pastpresident.

Godfrey, Trobert, Rebecca Foord, Larry Elash, Patrick Fisher and Denise Olsen were appointed to threeyear terms on the board.

Godfrey said that since he joined the board in 2016, he has enjoyed personal and professional growth, but above all else, he has greater appreciation for the member agencies and community impact projects.

“As most everyone in this room will know, the impact of our organization is felt by everyone in the community,” said Godfrey. “I know personally, on multiple occasions,

myself, my friends and family, and organizations that I sit on, have used the services that are available from our member agencies, and that is a direct impact on what we do here at United Way Estevan.”

Even before he joined the board, the United Way has been part of his life, from singing at the telethon as an elementary school student, to volunteering with the TV production, which led to him working with Access Communications, where he was further involved with production.

“After all this time, I’m now the president of this amazing organization, and I’m looking forward to working alongside our board of directors and staff to lead us through the next 12 months,” said Godfrey.

He is also looking forward to working with Heidi Hesselink, who is entering her first full year as executive director. She has done a great job of transitioning into the role, he said, and he’s beyond thankful to have her as part of the organization.

The majority of the United Way’s member agencies and community partners were represented at the annual meeting. Each one took a few minutes to discuss their programs and their contributions to those who live in the Estevan area.

“The support for our 13 member agencies and six community projects is as strong as ever, and that, in turn, continues to make our community as strong as ever,” said Ewen.

“To our member agencies and community impact partners … you are the reason that we as a board are here.”

The hard work of the organizations throughout the year keeps the United Way board members going.

The United Way’s 46th annual Telethon will take place on Oct. 14 and 15.

Plans are underway for United Way’s Day of Caring The United Way Estevan is looking for projects and volunteers for its upcoming Day of Caring.

The annual event, which sees people from the community volunteer to complete projects for local residents and organizations, is slated to take place May 25.

Wendy Gustafson, who is a co-chair for the Day of Caring committee, said they are excited to have the event return to normal. The event didn’t occur in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year it was modified to proceed amid COVID-19 restrictions.

“I’m not going to say that last year was not successful, because it was, and bless the people who stepped up to make it as good as we could with all of the restrictions we were under. We still had a good Day of Caring,” said Gustafson.

In 2021, the volunteers could complete outdoor projects, but they couldn’t venture into people’s homes. The annual Day of Caring barbecue also couldn’t happen.

“There are so many things about it that are just really exciting. And I guess you don’t realize

how … valuable and how great it is, until it’s taken away from you.

Then when you have the opportunity to go back to it again, it’s so exciting,” said Gustafson.

A lot of the tasks in previous years have been indoors, so Gustafson expects the number of projects will double. There might be projects that people are eager to do through the Day of Caring.

Last year saw 120 volunteers complete 22 projects.

During the 2019 Day of Caring, volunteers helped out with lawn raking, hedge trimming, eavestrough cleaning, window washing and flower planting. Oven cleaning was a popular activity for indoor projects.

Gustafson is looking forward to the barbecue returning this year.

“We’ve had people where we’ve worked on their projects, and they’ve come to the barbecue and had lunch. And we hope that people will do that this year.

Even if they haven’t had their project done, if they are waiting for us to come and do it in the afternoon, to join us for lunch,” said Gustafson.

Last year fast food res-

taurants stepped forward with coupons for volunteers so they could have lunch.

The Day of Caring will typically start at 9 a.m. with a break at noon for the barbecue lunch. Projects are usually done between 3:30 and 4 p.m. Some will be done in the morning or the afternoon, while others will require volunteers all day.

Gustafson said the United Way asks for people to register to volunteer or to submit projects by May 11, but they won’t say no if somebody decides at the last minute they want to have a project completed.

“It does take a little bit of calculation, a little bit of work in advance, to match up the volunteers with the projects.

Some can only come for the morning, some can only come for the afternoon, and some can come all day.”

The United Way is also asking for people to submit names for recipients of sunshine baskets that will be distributed during the Day of Caring. The baskets are for shut-ins, senior citizens and others who don’t have much contact with others, and contain gifts that will brighten somebody’s day.

The United Way Estevan is looking forward to the return of its annual Day of Caring. Estevan Mercury file photo

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Springing into the pathways It happens every year. People get stir crazy for spring to arrive.

Oh sure, many of us still have ice on our minds right now, thanks to the playoff run for our beloved Estevan Bruins, which will ultimately culminate with this city hosting the Centennial Cup national junior A hockey championship in late May. But even those fixated on an activity associated with winter are thinking about spring.

We get to look forward to warmer temperatures, longer days, sunshine, flowers blooming, yard work, gardening and all the other fun stuff associated with April.

We haven’t had that stretch of six or seven consecutive days with double-digit highs as of yet, but we’ve had some nice days to enjoy the outdoors.

It seems like there has been even more anticipation for spring this year, and a lot of that is due to the city’s integrated pathway and sidewalk project.

For all the excitement about this addition to our community last year, we didn’t have a lot of time to enjoy it. Construction on the first new pathways didn’t start until the middle of July, thanks to all of the work that needed to happen in a relatively short amount of time for the project to get off the ground.

We only had a few weeks or a few months to walk or jog on them, take a bike ride and enjoy the beauty of our area.

Snow was cleared from some of them in the winter months for our recreational amusement, but others were not, and that made sense. After all, clearing snow from a pathway is going to cost money, just like it does from a street or avenue.

The pathway that runs from Perkins Street to Kensington Avenue in southeast Estevan offers some stunning scenery, but it wasn’t essential to remove snow from it in the winter.

And with the wildly inconsistent weather we had this past winter, with the prolonged cold stretches and other numerous days in which temperatures were at or above zero, you have to wonder how much activity some pathways would have in January or February.

Now that we’re into April, expect to see a lot of people out and about.

If the Mercury were to do 101 Things to Experience in Estevan this Spring (like we do in the winter and summer) our master pathway system would likely top the list.

And we could probably throw a few pathways onto the list.

The pathways offer something for ev-

eryone. Want to walk at a leisurely pace? You can do that. You want some challenging terrain with hills that will get you some tougher exercise? Enjoy it. You want to jog? Go for it. You want to cycle? You can do that, too.

Just make sure you respect each other.

It’s important for those who are looking for serious exercise to respect the slower walkers. And it’s important for the slower traffic to not cause an impediment for those who are jogging or cycling.

(If you see someone you know on a pathway, and you want to chat, please do so off to the side).

We’re starting to see events booked for the pathways, such as the Coal Country run, walk and cycling event on May 14.

It’s going to be a busy spring in the Estevan area. We have all the events starting to return to the southeast. We have the Centennial Cup coming. It looks like the Estevan Exhibition Association is finally going to be able to host the Energy City Ex. in four days, with the fair and rodeo together on the same weekend.

It’s a fun and exciting time of year.

But it’s still important for us to get out and get some much-needed exercise. Our new pathway system provides everyone with that opportunity.

Bitcoin ATMs make their way to rural Canada, so maybe Poilievre's right 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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The other day, trying to get my head off the war, I was playing with Google. I started typing "Why is the future behind…" and the first thing the search engine suggested, I'm assuming the most popular request, was "Why is the future behind cryptocurrency," which definitely caught my attention.

Now, with two crypto ATMs, Estevan officially got a key to the rest of the world, trading crypto coins. Many residents probably have been a part of this world for a while now, but the fact that we are getting the hardware further emphasizes the changes that have already been happening for a few years. The future that's been present for some people and some places for a while is starting to settle here as well.

So what is it that makes cryptocurrencies, which some people criticize and others invest in, so special that Conservative Party leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre is planning on making Canada the world's crypto capital – a pitch he made when campaigning in Ontario and that may find fertile ground as inflation grows.

Bitcoin – the first, most established and most expensive cryptocurrency today – was invented in 2008 and introduced in 2009. On a historical scale, the path made by this crypto coin, which resulted in the development of thousands of other digital currencies, is fascinating and also unbelievably fast.

It's been just over 10 years, but digital currencies are competing with centuries-old monetary establishments.

For three years in a row bitcoin as an investment was ahead of stocks and gold. However, while many experts agree that this financial innovation will claim its spot in our global future, it's not there yet, as it's mainly used as an investment rather than a currency that allows people to easily pay for goods and services. Besides, there are a lot of critiques to overcome.

Ana Bykhovskaia Twenty Lines About…

Cryptocurrencies take control away from governments and banks and decentralize the financial system we know, but they've also been criticized for their use in illegal transactions.

While digital money is less affected by inflation due to its limited capacity and competitive nature, they are highly volatile. Over the years, bitcoin made it from basically nothing to almost $69,000 in November 2021 to $35,000 by January 2022.

Like other currencies, goods or services, digital money prices depend on perceived value and supply and demand. If we believe that a given digital coin is worth a specific amount of money, we'll pay it, especially if we assume that it will grow in the future. By design, as mentioned above, cryptocurrencies are limited in capacity, and the closer we get to the set limits, the higher the price goes, as long as the demand is still there or growing.

Outer circumstances such as pandemics or other transnational cataclysms may affect the value of cryptocurrencies, however, this is a globalized process rather than an inner state affair.

Like other investments, digital coins' prices may also be affected by market tendencies, speculations, etc., as well as other cryptocurrencies and their perceived value. But the fact that the blockchain system gets rid of the intermediaries, complemented by an ongoing boom of cashless transactions paves the way for digital money to become a hard-money alternative.

While Poilievre's pitch may still seem pretty controversial, when circumstances are

pressing, people naturally turn to systems like digital money. That happened during the convoy earlier this year when truckers couldn't get access to donations. And I see something similar happening in Russia.

Most of the Russian economy is paralyzed by sanctions that, first and foremost, are affecting people on the ground, who are watching their life savings sinking alongside the devaluating ruble.

It's hard to evaluate the situation with cryptocurrencies there, as it's not public information.

But the general crisis quickly resulted in the appearance of virtual groups and communities where private residents of different countries trade traditional currencies in a peer-to-peer system, sidestepping financial institutions and developing their own exchange procedures, which wouldn't be needed if digital money had been already more integrated into our lives.

One man, who's been working with cryptocurrencies for almost 10 years, explained that in his opinion digital currencies allow people to regain control over their well-being, and protect it from failure due to political elements. No matter where you are in the world, and whether your government is good or bad, people deserve to be able to live their livelihoods and shouldn't be punished for that, he said.

Blockchain technology, which is the basis of cryptocurrencies, allows for decentralization, safety, confidentiality and scalability. There is no central bank or single administrator controlling the process, and crypto money can be safely sent from user to user without any intermediaries, which will potentially allow bringing the financial system to a different level.

And with it developing as fast as it's been, I'm sure pretty soon we'll have a chance to see it in action. In the meantime, we now have a couple of bitcoin ATMs in Estevan to start exploring this still-new world.

OP-ED A5

| Wednesday, April 6, 2022 | www.SASKTODAY.ca

David Willberg Willberg’s World

Great people.

Great food.

Great support We associate a lot of attributes with Ukrainians.

Hard-working. Honest. Kind. Generous.

And, of course, great cooks.

Ukrainians have also long been a big part of our communities and our province.

So when Russia invaded Ukraine in late February, you knew where the support of the people of Saskatchewan would be. And when members of the local Ukrainian community decided to host a fundraising supper Sunday to support people back home, you knew it would be a hit with local residents.

It was just a matter of how much support they would have, and if they would have enough food for everyone who wanted to dine on perogies, sausage, cabbage rolls, borscht and a bun.

The supper was supposed to start at 4 p.m., but organizers had to open the doors about 15 minutes early because of the long lineup that formed outside of the Royal Canadian Legion’s Estevan branch.

It’s rare that you see people eager to eat at 4 p.m. If you do, there’s usually a reason for it. For most of us, supper would be 5 or 6 p.m. Fundraising dinners in Estevan often have a 6:30 or 7 p.m. start time.

(I often won’t have supper until at least 7 or 8 p.m.)

Nobody was complaining about a 4 p.m. start time. And it seemed like they wanted to get there early to beat the rush of people.

Normally, after a successful fundraiser, I’d write at length about how this is another example of what a great community we live in, and how generous we are. And yeah, this is a classic example of our generosity. We’ve seen a number of fundraisers for Ukraine at other businesses and organizations (again, often involving food) but this is likely the largest for Estevan.

This is also another example of how the people of Saskatchewan have been there for the people of Ukraine over the past six weeks.

According to the 2016 Census, Canada is home to nearly 1.36 million people of Ukrainian descent, making it the world’s third largest Ukrainian community, outside of Ukraine and Russia. And so many of those people who came to Canada from Ukraine ended up in the Prairie provinces.

They helped build our province.They worked in our farms and in all sectors of our economy. They became politicians and community leaders. And they’ve become our family members and friends.

Granted, we haven’t always treated those from Ukraine with the respect they deserve, especially in the early years of our province.

And we’ve poked fun at them for having last names that are difficult to pronounce and spell.

But I like to think attitudes have changed drastically over the years, long before Russian President Vladimir Putin started the war with Ukraine in late February.

About 15 years ago, when Saskatchewan’s economy boomed and we were looking for people to fill jobs in all sorts of industries, we turned to Ukraine again. And we saw their hard-working people fill jobs in hospitality, agriculture, manufacturing, energy and so many other sectors. They enriched our communities when they came here.

People who are from Ukraine will tell you how happy they are to be here, how many friends they have made and how much they love their home country, where they still have a lot of friends and family. t’s also vital for us to remember that not every person in Russia, from Russia or of Russian descent supports Putin and the war that he unnecessarily launched.

Many have spoken out, and have done so in a way far more effectively than what I could have done. I’m proud to say that one of those people is our reporter, Anastasiia Bykhovskaia. Others want to speak out, but can’t at the risk of punishment from a man who wants to imprison anyone who calls this a war.

Never forget how many wonderful Russian people are out there who want nothing to do with Putin or his invasion.

Ukraine has earned the world’s admiration for the way in which they have fought back against a far more powerful army in an effort to preserve their nation, their government and their freedoms.

This has gone on far longer than most of us would have expected.

And so it’s important to show our support for Ukraine, because this conflict and its impact will carry on for a long time to come.

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Saskatchewanderer came around Estevan during his last weeks on the job With files from Saskatchewander Felipe Gomez Saskatchewanderer Felipe Gomez and his travel buddy Fozzy stopped by Estevan at the end of March.

The Wanderer made his way through several locations in Estevan.

“Border cities always fascinate me, as it’s here that you can catch a glimpse of the culture and the lives lived on both sides,” Gomez wrote on his social media account after the visit.

“Estevan is the eighth-largest city in Saskatchewan, situated 16 km north of the Canada–U.S. border. It’s also home to what might be one of my favourite pieces of street art.”

Most of his visit was dedicated to local art. He stopped at the Soldiers’ Tree monument by the courthouse and shared a few pictures of the central piece as well as the benches, all carved

by Darren Jones.

“The Estevan Soldiers’ Tree is a beautiful tribute to those that made the ultimate sacrifice for our country,” he said in his post.

After seeing what he called “such an emotional piece,” he paid a visit to the Estevan Art Gallery and Museum.

“I am often blown away by the variety and high quality of artwork within local museums, this one was no exception,” Gomez said. “The Flower People by fibre and visual artist Melanie Monique Rose was the main exhibition, inspired by The Flower Beadwork People, a name given to the Métis who are well-known for their beadwork.

“Rose combined felted pieces with collected blankets to create a canvas for her to explore identity as a contempo-

Saskatchewanderer Felipe Gomez and his travel buddy Fozzy spent a day exploring art in Estevan and finished it with a nice walk at Woodlawn Regional Park. Photo courtesy of The Saskatchewanderer Facebook page rary Indigenous artist, alongside her Ukrainian heritage.”

The beautiful mural by the art gallery’s entrance wasn’t left unnoticed by the Saskatchewanderer, who values street art.

“The museum also hosts a stunning mural to honour Ida Petterson, the first female mayor of a Saskatchewan city, who took on that role in Estevan in 1970,” Gomez noted.

Even though the season hasn’t started yet, Gomez got a chance to see the collection of the North-West Mounted Police Museum and enjoy its latest exhibits.

“The leading exhibit was on Bud McArthur from the Pheasant Rump Nakota First Nation, his familial ties

to the NWMP, and oral histories on sacred objects that belong to him,” Gomez wrote, adding that he featured McArthur talking about the medicine wheel in one of his videos created last summer.

“He spoke with me about their connections across the border, and how proud his community is of taking care of this meaningful piece of history.”

After all that museum time, Gomez took his dog Fozzy for a run to the Woodlawn Regional Park, thus wrapping up their visit to Estevan.

Gomez’s last day on the job will be April 8, and then the position will see a new full-time wanderer exploring and promoting the great places and experiences Saskatchewan has to offer.

Fozzy, the Saskatchewanderer’s dog and travel buddy got to see a few picturesque locations in Estevan. Photo courtesy of The Saskatchewanderer Facebook page

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First market of the year Channy, left, and Tenley Mack were excited with the selection available during the first sale of the year for the Estevan Farmers’ Market on Saturday at the Estevan Market Mall. Numerous vendors were present for the sale, offering a variety of products for customers. The sales will be held indoors at the mall every Saturday from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. until the end of April. They are slated to shift outdoors to the mall’s parking lot in May.

Lampman fire department sees over dozen people signing up after open house The Lampman Fire and Rescue Service saw 16 people signing up to become volunteer firefighters during an open house, held on March 30.

After the Lampman volunteer fire department posted a plea to the public, asking residents to consider becoming firefighters and first responders to keep the services in the community, many people took time to attend am information session hosted at the station last week.

“It was good. We had a good turnout. Sixteen members of the community have signed up, which is very good,” said Lampman Fire Chief Grant

Palmer. “I didn’t have a goal.

I just wanted to see how it turned out, and I was very surprised and happy. It was excellent.”

About 50 people attended the meeting, where they could learn about what being a volunteer firefighter entails. Palmer added that most people who signed to become firefighters are from the Lampman area and a few work in town The next step will be the training. The first session is to take place this weekend, as the fire department is trying to get some training in before it gets busier for many of the volunteers.

“Moving forward, we are looking to work with all the new recruits and continue serving the community the best we can,” Palmer said.

He also thanked the community for always being there when there is a need.

“The community always steps up where there’s a need for something. No matter if it’s firefighting or a fundraiser for a different project in the community, the community always seems to step up and help out,” Palmer said.

Before the meeting, Saskatchewan Health Authority said the ambulance service in Lampman normally has

New recruits will start training to become firefighters in early April. Photo courtesy of Lampman Fire and Rescue Facebook page two primary care paramedics; however, both are currently on leave and are not available to

the service. There are also seven emergency medical responders who may take the calls when

they are available, and a volunteer medical first responder team in the area.

Refurbishment underway for Estevan’s water tower The refurbishment of Estevan’s water tower is well underway.

The project, which is being funded through money the city has received from the federal gas tax, started on Feb. 22. An area surrounding the water tower was roped off.

Sandblasting the inside of the tank was one of the first tasks to be completed in early March.

They also had to determine the repairs that needed to happen on the bottom of the water tower’s bowl.

“Of course, there will

Work is underway on the refurbishment of Estevan’s water tower. File photo

be some wear spots on it, so we are expecting to have to weld some additional metal on some of the spots,” said Bucsis. “The amount is still unknown. Sandblasting had to be done first to get a better picture of what repairs would have to be done to the bottom of the bowl.”

Once the welding was completed on the fatigued areas, the scaffolding was installed inside the water tower and crews started to sandblast the remaining area. After that they began welding repairs to the tower.

The biggest part of the project will be replacing the main pipe that feeds the water inside the centre column of the tower.

“They want to finish up all of the bowl repairs, get that all good, and then start bring-

22042BS0 22042BS1

ing in the mechanical work,” said Bucsis.

Working on drain lines, enlarging the hatches and replacing the walkway at the entrance will also be completed to bring the water tower up to current safety standards.

They will paint the interior and the exterior. Once that work is completed, the city’s name will still be painted with

quotation marks around it.

The water tower refurbishment isn’t expected to be completed until late spring or early summer. The majority of the mechanical work should be wrapping by the end of April. Then they have to wait for the temperature to warm up to complete the painting.

Centennial Park, where the water tower is located,

should be open for most of the project.

“If at any time the park needs to be closed for crane activity or anything like that, we will send out notices to let people know and close off the area,” he said.

Bucsis also thanked those who reside in the area for the way in which they have dealt with the increased noise.

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Estevan sees first bitcoin ATMs installed

By Ana Bykhovskaia Not one, but two cryptocurrency ATMs were installed in Estevan in a matter of one week.

One was put in at the Pharmasave by HoneyBadger out of Vancouver last week.

The other one was brought into the Royal Heights Esso service station by QuickBit, a Saskatchewan Crypto company out of Regina, around the same time.

QuickBit ATM currently allows people to buy some of the most popular cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoins, Ethereum and 24 others for cash directly from QuickBit’s Bitcoin ATM. On April 1, the company’s CEO Leander McLean was on location for an ATM/education day, teaching residents how to use the new machine and educating them

about the world of cryptocurrencies in general.

“There’s anything from Tether to Bitcoin to Ethereum, Litecoin, Dogecoin … There are lots of options,” McLean said.

The cryptocurrencies they offer are within the top 100 on the market. The system is constantly updated, and more currency options are coming soon, he added.

Launching an ATM in Estevan was a natural step for the company trying to serve people in the province to the best of its ability. “ We’ve noticed that people from Weyburn and Estevan had been coming to Regina to use the cryptocurrency ATMs. Lots of people were coming from Estevan and calling asking, ‘How do I use this from Estevan?’ They came from Estevan to use the ATM,

Pharmasave saw one of the first two Estevan cryptocurrency machines installed in late March.

By Ana Bykhovskaia

so this was the next step in a natural progression,” McLean explained.

He noted that the demand for cryptocurrencies has been steadily growing, and so have been the opportunities to use them.

Quickbit Vending Systems Inc. was founded in 2014 in Regina. Quickbit’s objective was to be the first to launch Regina’s Bitcoin Automated Teller Machine or BTM; their first opened in July 2014.

“If you’re interested in learning about Bitcoin, or you don’t know what you’re doing, and you just need some advice, you can come to us and we can teach you about the technology,” McLean said.

Being a Saskatchewan business, QuickBit puts the interests of the local customers first and is trying to cover the province.

“We really pride ourselves and focus ourselves to serve Saskatchewan … But we hope to grow as big as we can,” McLean said.

He added that most people use cryptocurrency as investments, and that’s why they decided to go with a buy-only type of machine in Estevan. The BTM is really easy to use, but if people need help there is a number right on the machine and business cards on side of it, so people could phone QuickBit for help.

“If anyone has questions or wants to learn about cryptocurrency, they can feel free to reach out to us. We have a good Q&A page on our website that has lots of typical questions that people ask. And, of course, you can email us through there and you can get a hold of us on any of our social media. All our social media tags are just QuickBit Crypto, so it’s easy to remember. Don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re always here,” McLean said.

For more on the company and the services they offer,

people can go to thecryptoboutique.ca.

Another cryptocurrency ATM was installed at Pharmasave in late March. Pharmasave had HoneyBadger ATMs installed at about 20 locations and liked having it, so Estevan followed in their steps.

HoneyBadger promotes itself as Canada’s most secure Bitcoin network, providing residents fast and convenient access to cryptocurrency. Estevan’s machine allows residents to buy and sell three of the most popular cryptocurrencies, which are Bitcoin, Ethereum and Litecoin. And the goal behind the ATM was to make it as simple as possible for customers to get into the world of cryptocurrencies.

“We believe in making Bitcoin accessible to everyone,” explained HoneyBadger CEO Rob Spurgeon. “As Bitcoin becomes more mainstream, we want to ensure that people in every town and local community have access and are able to participate in it.”

People can also sell their cryptocurrency through this ATM, sending as much as they want to the company and withdrawing cash, like they would at a regular ATM. The company’s content marketing specialist Lewis Dyson said HoneyBadger is the only Bitcoin ATM company in Canada that can sell cryptocurrency at every single one of their machines.

Leander McLean with QuickBit Vending System was at the Royal Heights Esso gas station to introduce their Bitcoin machine to the public on April 1.

Since 2016, HoneyBadger has been working to make Bitcoin readily available to all Canadians. The company now has grown to more than 190 kiosks across Canada, with Estevan as the latest location added to that list. After setting up a digital wallet – for as little as five dollars and a mobile phone – users can visit the HoneyBadger kiosk to start buying and selling offered cryptocurrencies within minutes.

Cryptocurrency allows users to make payments and exchange digital currency instantaneously across the globe, and it’s not as complicated as

some might think, Dyson said.

“It’s a currency that works on the Internet, so it enables people to send value to other people. It’s a lot like sending an email, it works anywhere on earth, and it doesn’t matter where you are or what country you’re in,” Spurgeon described it.

“Estevan is in a relatively untapped region where we see major growth potential.

Opening our latest machine here also aligns with our aim of making Bitcoin available in all parts of Canada.”

To learn about the HoneyBadger Bitcoin ATMs, visit www.badgercoin.com.

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Hillcrest students tried out adapted sports Hillcrest School had a new experience the week of Marc h 21, when the Saskatchewan Wheelchair Sports Association came out to teach students about adapted sports and inclusion for all.

The two sports kids got to try out were sledge hockey and seated curling.

“Eli from the SWSA was amazing at teaching our varying abilities from Grade 1 to Grade 8. The students got to take part in a full 50-minute physical education class. They explored and examined how the sledge hockey equipment works for indoor use and how it would work on real ice,” said school principal Kristy Johnson.

The students who got to try adapted sports shared their emotions about the new experience.

Grade 1 student Mason said he liked paddling the sticks fast and sitting in the sled, and his most favourite part was hitting with the stick.

TJ, a student in Grade 2/3, said, “It was fun falling over while trying to balance on the sled. It was way harder

than I expected. I want to try this again someday.”

“It was not the easiest to do, it was awesome to try this because some people don’t get an opportunity to play adapted sports,” shared Ellie from Grade 5/6.

Logan and Cyrus from the Grade 7/8 classroom said: “We were surprised that it was harder to get going at first with the sticks. It was interesting trying to figure out all the parts and then putting it together to move and shoot.

We were excited that we got to try it out instead of just learning about it. We hope we can try it on the ice someday.”

Jaxon from Grade 3/4 said, “The rubber sticks kept slipping and skimming the ground. This made it difficult to move but so much fun once you got the hang of it.”

“I liked that you didn’t use your legs at all, and you could still play hockey. Everyone who was trying it was at the same skill level since we just learned how to play.

This was so fun,” said Jaxon’s classmate Mathew.

The SWSA was first established in 1977 by five of the founding members

who believed that all people should be able to lead active lifestyles.

O ve r t h e ye a r s , t h e SWSA has been growing and developing to help support those in the community by promoting sport, recreation, leisure, fitness training and healthy lifestyle activities.

Currently, the involvement includes athletics, basketball, curling, rugby, sledge hockey, skiing and tennis, but the areas of water-skiing, and canoe and kayaking, are being investigated. They also partner with para-Olympic athletes and do video calls and conferences for students.

The SWSA has been promoting their sledge hockey clinic for schools to try.

“Hillcrest had a blast playing with equipment,” Johnson said. “Hillcrest encourages other people in the community to reach out to learn what is offered and available to help educate the community on adapted sports and inclusion for all.”

For more information and inquiries for bookings, people can reach out to SWSA at 306-975-0824 or swsa@shaw.ca.

Students at Hillcrest school recently learned about sledge hockey. Photo submitted by Kristy Johnson

Local woman wants to create a new type of garden An Estevan woman is looking to bring a different type of garden to the community.

In a letter to Estevan city council for the March 28 meeting, Bethany Paul inquired about heading up a community “take as you need” garden for Estevan.

“As prices for produce and gas rise, I know many families are struggling to provide healthy meals for their families,” she wrote.

Lettuce, tomatoes, onions, potatoes, corn, beans, cucumbers and zucchini are all easy to grow in this climate, she said.

Paul recognized there is a community garden already

in Estevan, where gardeners get to grow their own produce, but she is unaware of any garden grown specifically for families in need.

Paul and her husband Chris had a plot in a community garden in Regina when they lived in the Queen City, and it was an ‘amazing experience,’ and her husband and his grandfather used to plant a large garden every year with the intention of supporting families in their circle who were in need.

“We lost his grandfather a couple years ago, and since then Chris has dreamed of carrying on the legacy. We simply don’t have the land to accomplish it,” she wrote.

After racking her brain on how to make this dream a reality, she said she realized that the City of Estevan may know of some land in the area that would work, which prompted the letter.

“I never imagined I would have such a positive response,” she said.

Their vision is different from the community garden, in that they want to grow the vegetables for people who don’t have the time or desire to garden it themselves.

“Starting a garden is time consuming and can be costly,” she said. “At this point in time, after some consideration, we are planning to reach out to the Salvation

Army and the Warm Welcome Kitchen and arrange regular deliveries to them during the harvest season.”

They will also get a Facebook page going for those interested in volunteering or donating tools, soil, starter plants, seeds, water haulers, signage and more to the cause.

“We will plan regular events for planting, weeding and harvesting to promote a real community vibe,” she said.

The couple plans to run this year for a trial year, and if they have a positive community response, they will get a formal committee going by next year.

Carnduff Legion makes a donation The Carnduff branch of the Royal Canadian Legion recently donated a new Broda chair to Borderline Housing in Carnduff.

The purchase was made possible through proceeds from the legion branch’s poppy fund.

Participating in the presentation were branch president Jeff Young, secretary Marguerite Black and Borderline Housing administrator Linda Audette.

Photo submitted by Verdeen Matthewson

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In her letter to council, Paul wrote that the location would be accessible for those who are not able to drive or walk long distances.

“I think it would be nice, after the garden is established, to include a community pantry at the same location, so that people who come to take something can leave an item in the ‘free’ pantry,” she wrote.

This would be a beautiful community project that would bring people together, she said.

Members of council expressed their support for the concept, but also said they needed more information, including a location.

Councillor Kirsten Walliser noted other communities have similar gardens, and others suggested a location on Fourth Street could work.

They have invited Paul to attend a future meeting.

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They would be monitoring whether the community supports the project through volunteers, donations and resources, to keep it going at the scale they want. And they want to see what kind of growth potential is there for the coming years. “ We are considering getting charitable status in order to apply for some government grants to help with the project and take some pressure off Estevan businesses and residents to keep this going,” she said.

They are flexible in the location for this year, as they have a dream to harvest produce for the community. If land is donated to them by the city, or by a local farmer or another person, they will make it work. They have plans to haul in water if need be, but ideally the land that they borrow will have water available on site.

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Estevan Wildlife Federation fundraiser to return The Estevan Wildlife Federation is looking forward to the return of its annual fundraising dinner and auction.

The event is set to take over at the Wylie Mitchell Building on April 23 with supper, raffles, auctions and more – all in support of the organization.

The fundraiser has been called off for the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and event organizers are looking forward to bringing the dinner back this year.

“We are so excited to welcome everyone back to this great event as we raise funds for the wildlife federation,” said EWF board member Kendra Lainton.

Tickets are now available for the event and are selling quickly. There is expected to be 200-250 people in attendance.

People can purchase individual tickets or a table of eight by calling Kendra Lainton at 306-461-6909 or Monica Eagles at 306-461-6757.

All funds raised at this event are used throughout the year to support the organization and its programming. Some of the popular features and programs include maintaining the clubhouse and gun ranges, the marina at Rafferty Dam, a Fish in Schools Program and youth summer conservation camp.

“Our group cares a lot about bringing awareness of wildlife conservation and education in our community and giving back to the areas that we call home,” said Lainton.

The event is going to be an exciting night filled with many opportunities to support the EWF and to win as well.

“Every year we always have so many ways for guests to take part in the fundraiser. We have multiple raffles and games, our live and silent auction and more to keep our guests entertained, get them excited about the potential to win big and support our cause. It’s always a great night,” said Lainton.

The Estevan Wildlife Federation’s annual banquet will return on April 23. File photo

Governments announce strategic plan for SMRs

The governments of Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, Ontario and Alberta have agreed to a joint strategic plan outlining the path forward on small modular reactors (SMRs).

A Strategic Plan for the Deployment of Small Modular Reactors highlights how SMRs can provide safe, reliable and zero-emissions energy to power our growing economy and population, while creating new opportunities to export Canadian knowledge and expertise around the world.

The report identifies five key priority areas for SMR development and deployment: •Positioning Canada as an exporter of global SMR technology by propelling three separate streams of SMR development, covering both ongrid and off-grid applications; •Promoting a strong nuclear regulatory framework that focuses on the health and safety of the public and the environment while ensuring reasonable costs and timelines; •Securing federal government commitments on financial and policy support for new SMR technologies that would lead to vast economic benefits across the country and help meet our emissions reduction targets; •Creating opportunities

for participation from Indigenous communities and public engagement; and •Working with the federal government and nuclear operators on a robust nuclear waste management plan for SMRs. Since December 2019, Ontario, New Brunswick and Saskatchewan have been working together to advance SMRs in Canada through an inter-provincial Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Alberta joined the MOU in April 2021.

This report builds on the provincial power utilities' SMR Feasibility Study, requested by the provinces as part of the MOU, which concluded that SMR development would support domestic energy needs, curb greenhouse gas emissions, and position Canada as a global leader in clean technologies and the fight against climate change.

"SaskPower has worked closely with Ontario Power Generation, New Brunswick Power and Bruce Power to advance the pan-Canadian deployment of SMR technologies to the benefit of all regions of the country," Minister responsible for SaskPower Don Morgan said.

"In particular, SaskPower's four-year collaboration with OPG to assess SMR designs

for fleet-based deployment in both Ontario and Saskatchewan has laid a strong foundation for nuclear power and to support deep reductions in Canada's GHG emissions to ultimately achieve net zero by 2050."

“I look forward to continued cooperation through our joint strategic plan as we make progress towards Canada’s first on-grid and offgrid SMR, both planned to be built in Ontario,” said Todd Smith, Ontario Minister of Energy. " We know the world is watching us when it comes to SMRs and I’m confident that our reputation as a global hub for SMR expertise will only grow stronger from here.

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"New Brunswick has a long history as a Canadian leader in the energy sector," said Mike Holland, New Brunswick Minister of Natural Resources and Energy Development. "Nuclear energy has been a key component of the New Brunswick energy landscape for almost four decades and it is well understood the role it plays in reaching net-zero emissions.

It is encouraging to see the private sector get behind these initiatives to help position New Brunswick as a leader in advanced nuclear and clean energy development. This joint strategic plan represents an exciting step forward in energy innovation and I look forward to working with our partners

across the country to continue this important work."

"Alberta is committed to responsible and innovative energy development," said Sonya Savage, Alberta's Minister of Energy. "There is great potential for SMRs to provide zeroemission energy for industrial operations in remote areas and to further reduce emissions from Alberta's oil sands. This strategic plan marks another

important step forward to determine how to best manage and regulate this innovative technology by working with our provincial partners and federal regulators. Should private industry determine to pursue the development of SMRs here, it would offer yet another chapter in Alberta's ongoing history of responsible energy development and innovation."

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601 - 5th St. • Estevan, SK

Estevan Bruins won first two games over Yorkton The games were very different, but the end result was the same: victories for the Estevan Bruins over the Yorkton Terriers in their best of seven Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League semifinal series.

The Bruins defeated the Terriers 7-4 in Game 1 of the series Friday night at Affinity Place, and then knocked off the Terriers 3-1 the following night in a far tougher Game 2.

“It was tight (in Game 2),” said head coach and general manager Jason Tatarnic. “We had some chances to score.They did, too. Both goalies played well. At the end of the day, you just have to score one more than the opposition to win the hockey game.”

Yorkton had the chance to take the lead early in the first period of Game 1 with a couple of power plays, but couldn’t convert. Late in the second man advantage, Olivier Pouliot dashed into the Yorkton zone and beat Terriers’ goaltender Kael DePape to open the scoring at the 3:29 mark.

Estevan had a four-minute power play moments later, but couldn’t convert on their chances.

Jamie Valentino would score at even strength just before the midway point of the first period for the two-goal

Estevan lead.

Yorkton scored twice in the opening eight minutes of the second period. Karsten Krupka had the Terriers' first goal 1:40 into the frame, and then Zach McIntyre scored on a Terriers' power play less than six minutes later. It was the first power-play goal surrendered by the Bruins in this year's playoffs.

But then Cade Kennedy was assessed a five-minute major for checking from behind. The Bruins struggled to generate chances early in the power play, and Yorkton actually had the best scoring chance on a breakaway, but the Bruins settled down and Nolan Jones eventually notched the goahead goal for Estevan.

Mikol Sartor added another power-play goal with 72 seconds to play in the middle frame. The goals continued in the third period. Mark Rumsey scored at the 2:37 mark for a 5-2 Estevan lead, but Yorkton's Tyson Janzen replied a few minutes later. Yorkton had a golden opportunity to draw close, thanks to an extended two-man advantage, but Estevan stymied the Terriers' power play.

Valentino and Pouliot would each get their second of the game to put Estevan up by four, and Krupka would get one more for Yorkton before the game ended.

Boston Bilous stopped 18 of 22 shots for Estevan. DePape has made 28 saves for Yorkton.

Eric Pearce scored twice and Bilous stopped 30 of 31 shots to lead the Bruins to victory in Game 2.

Pearce opened the scoring for Estevan just over 10 minutes into the first period.

Cody Davis doubled the lead about six minutes later with a short-handed tally.

Nolan Wutzke replied for Yorkton about a minute after Davis’ goal. Neither team would score again until the final minute of the third period when Pearce beat DePape for a 3-1 Bruin lead.

Both teams had opportunities to score in the second and third periods, although a lot of Yorkton’s chances were perimeter shots easily handled

by Bilous.

“I thought we really clamped down and defended well, and I thought Boston did a great job in net,” said Tatarnic.

DePape finished with 26 saves on the night. “ I thought Yorkton worked a little bit harder tonight than they did the previous night,” said Tatarnic. “They probably wanted to go home 1-1 (in the series).”

Pearce expected the Terriers to come out hard, and the

Bruins responded well to come out with the win.

He believes the Terriers were still tired from the Game 7 victory over the Melfort Mustangs on March 29.

“They like to chip pucks in and get after it, and I think they did a pretty good job of it tonight, and I thought we did a pretty good job countering that and getting the puck out quickly,” said Pearce after Game 2.

The Bruins played Game 2 without Pouliot, who was injured by cross-check following his second goal in Game 1.They were also without defenceman Aleksa Babic.

Pearce believed it was important for the players to step up offensively in the absence of Pouliot, who leads the SJHL playoffs in scoring with five goals and 15 points in six games.

“That’s one of our top players,” said Pearce. “We all knew we had to step up. Nobody’s replacing him, but we can all do our best to chip in a little extra more tonight.”

Game 3 was slated for Tuesday night in Yorkton. (Results were not available at press time). Game 4 is set for April 7, also in Yorkton.

Period-by-period updates of the games can be found on sasktoday.ca.

It’s been a good season for members of the Estevan Mermaids artistic swimming program, but it’s not over yet.

Members of the Mermaids entertained family and friends during their annual water show Saturday night at the Estevan Leisure Centre’s pool.

“It is so exciting to be back this year,” said head coach Shannon Wanner. “We’ve had a two-year absence, so I’m super excited to be back … and to show off what we do in this club.”

Approximately 35 swimmers were part of the club this season.

The show started with 15 members of the mini-Mermaids program. They were divided into three groups of five and swam with their instructors.

The Mini Mermaids is for five to eight-year-olds. Using the Active Go program created

by Canada Artistic Swimming, it is a play-based system that teaches fundaments of artistic swimming, athletic ability and flexibility to get them comfortable in the water.

Then the provincial stream Mermaids had their turn. Solos were performed by Isabelle Pyra, Rowyn Shier, Aivry Culy, Laura Swirski and Rebecca Duncan.

Duets were courtesy of Sierra Mantei and Sarah Pyra, Ava Allen and Sasha Mantei, and Chanel Thieven and Duncan.

Head coach Shannon Wanner noted that Sasha Mantei was named the provincial stream Athlete of the Year earlier this season by Artistic Swimming Saskatchewan, while Thieven is their lone member of the masters’ division, which is for those ages 20 and up.

The water show also boasted two team routines.

Lainey Halkyard, Ava Collomb, Brinly Groenveld, Charlie Pyra, Harper Davies,Tenly Clements and Lia Mantei were part of the 10-and-under team.

Sierra Mantei, Sarah Pyra, Rowyan Shier, Sara Kamel, Mahaley Fonstad and Isabelle Pyra were on the 12U and 15U team.

Duncan was presented with the scholarship for graduating swimmers, and then the limited competitive and competitive athletes came together for the grand finale.

Wanner encouraged the audience to cheer for the athletes as much as possible, and she also urged them to clap along with the music.

Throughout the night, Wanner introduced the coaches and told stories about them. She noted that she has coached all

of them except for one.

“This is one of my favourite nights because our kids get to show off what they can do.”

The Mermaids are now finishing their preparations for

the Sadie Caulder Knight provincial championships, which will be their first in-person competition in more than two years.

Earlier this year, they par-

ticipated in the Sandra Roberts provincial meet virtually. They sent in videos of their figures and routines. Judges then evaluated the swimmers based on those videos.

By David Willberg

Bruin forward Olivier Pouliot (8) scored the Bruins opening goal in the series with the Yorkton Terriers on Friday night.

Estevan Mermaids dazzle the crowd at water show

Sierra Mantei and Sarah Pyra performed their duet.

Rebecca Duncan was among the talented solists who performed.

Photos by David Willberg

Rowyn Shier showcased her abilities for the crowd.

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April 6, 2022 A11

Strippers ready for annual Spring Bust tournament The Estevan Strippers recreation hockey program is looking forward to the return of its Spring Bust tournament – the largest recreation hockey tournament in the province.

The competition will happen from April 6-10, with games at Affinity Place, the Power Dodge Arena and the Bienfait Memorial Arena.

Forty teams have committed to play, and at least half of them are from outside of the city.

“We’ve had a really good response from everybody,” said Steve Godfrey, who is an organizer of the tournament. “Everybody’s happy that we’re running it again this year, and looking forward to us running it again.”

There will be an over-30 division with 20 teams, an over-45 division with eight teams and a women’s division with eight teams. Teams in each division will be further broken down into pools of four, and each team will have three round robin games.

“We’re also happy with the response from the community,” said Godfrey. “The community has helped out in every way it can. The city, all the restaurants and everything have gone out of their way to help us get this thing going again this year.”

From left, Andrew Smoliak with Baker Hughes, Jacquelyn Massey-Rounds from the City of Estevan and Rick Rohatyn with the Estevan Strippers participated in a cheque presentation to the City of Estevan’s parent-tot skate program.

Games will be played in the evenings of April 6 and 7 at Affinity Place and the Power Dodge Arena.

The action on April 8 will start at about 1 p.m. and continue into the evening, and they will happen throughout the day on April 9 and 10. All three arenas will be needed

for the final three days.

Beer gardens will be set up at the Power Dodge Curling Centre each day. There will be the traditional cabarets on April 8 and 9. DJ Dave Elliott will be providing music on April 8 and Third Degree Birnz will be the band the following night.

The cabarets also serve as an important fundraiser for the Strippers, allowing them to continue to support the community.

“The Strippers have been pretty renowned for the amount of donations that we do in the community, and those are the two big nights for

the fundraising,” said Godfrey.

In late March, they presented $2,000 to the Parent-Tot Skate program that is offered by the City of Estevan. The club was able to make the donation even though the Strippers haven’t been able to host the tournament the past two years.

Since 1997, Godfrey said the Strippers have donated more than $200,000 to various community groups in Estevan and surrounding areas.

“That’s probably the thing that we’re proudest of is that we can help the community, and I think that’s why the community gets behind us for this event so much,” said Godfrey.

O i l fi e l d c o m p a n y B a k e r Hughes supports a safe ride home initiative from April 7-9.

Godfrey said everyone he talks to is looking forward to getting together again, socializing and catching up, especially now that the COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted for a second time.

People can also look forward to a silent auction and some other fundraisers during the weekend.

Godfrey hinted there could be some signed jerseys from local hockey players who are now playing professional elsewhere. And there will be a 50-50 during the tournament.

Redvers Rockets win provincial U18 championship The Redvers Rockets remain the class of Hockey Saskatchewan’s U18 D division.

The Rockets won their third straight provincial title in March after defeating Macklin in the modified best of three provincial final. Game 1 was a 4-4 tie and Redvers took Game 2 3-0.

Under the format, if each team wins once or if both games finished tied, then there is a 10-minute mini game to determine the series winner.

Manager Trevor Nord said the Rockets had excellent puck possession this season.

“They’re very good at back-checking, with very offensive forwards for on the attack,” said Nord.

The goaltending was strong in the final game

against Macklin.

“Macklin was really good.

They were probably one of the stronger teams that we played all year,” Nord said.

The Rockets had a good group of kids who wanted to win while having fun.

“Their hard work was evident right from the first time they stepped on the ice this year,” said Nord. “They knew what they had to do this year, and the coaching staff worked with them every game, every practice, to get them where they needed to be.”

Redvers opened provincials by defeating Langenburg 2-0 in the opening round, winning 5-3 and 6-1. The next round was their closest, as they needed the 10-minute minigame to advance past Lanigan.

The Rockets lost Game 1 6-3, but recovered to take Game 2 9-5. Then they beat Lanigan 3-1 in the mini game.

In the semifinal round, Redvers beat Lafleche 7-3 and 4-2.

“Lots of people came out to support and watch the teams,” said Nord.

Redvers also won provincials in 2018 and 2019, the last two times a provincial championship was decided.

But none of the players on this year’s team were playing U18 in 2019.

“I think it’s just a great hockey program that we run out of Redvers,” said Nord. “It keeps the kids involved, great coaches, great staffing. And as long as the kids have fun, they will go as far as they want to

The Redvers Rockets won their third straight Hockey Saskatchewan provincial U18 D tournament. Photo submitted go,” said Nord.

The U18s had great players, coaches and parents who were on board with doing what was needed for

Redvers to win.

The Rockets have nine kids who are finished their third season of U18 and have aged out of minor hockey. But

they have nine players eligible to return next year, and they will be complemented by the players who are eligible to move up from the U15 level.

Apex U18 AA Bruins eliminated in division final The Estevan Apex U18 AA Bruins saw their season come to an end in the Saskatchewan AA Hockey League’s U18 South Division final.

Regina won the best of five series in three straight games.

Estevan dropped Game 1 4-1 on March 23. After a scoreless first

period, Carter Beck scored 3:29 into the middle stanza to open the scoring, but then Regina scored twice before the period was out and added two in the third.

Ty Fehrenbach stopped 32 of the 35 shots he faced for Estevan.

Game 2 was a 6-1 Regina win March 27 in Estevan. Beck once

again had the lone goal for the Bruins – a power-play marker with 4:31 to play in the second period to make the score 3-1.

Fehrenbach (25 saves on 30 shots) and Keagan Carley (four saves on five shots) shared Estevan’s goaltending duties.

As for Game 3 the following

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night in Regina, the Bruins were down 2-0 after the first period and 4-1 through two. James Mann scored in the second period. Spencer Copeland tallied for the Bruins 18 seconds into the third period in what was a 4-2 loss.

Fehrenbach (five saves on seven shots) and Carley (25 saves on 27

shots) shared the goaltending duties again.

Estevan had the best secondbest record in the South Division during the regular season at 28-5-2, four points behind the Vics (30-31-1). Estevan swept the Weyburn Wings in the quarter-final round and the Regina Rangers in the semifinal.

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Estevan Sharks win gold at provincials The Estevan Sharks water polo club wrapped up their season March 25 and 26 at the spring provincials event, hosted by Water Polo Sask. and the Saskatoon Pirates Club.

The tournament featured two days of competition within five separate age categories.

Teams and players from the Sharks, Pirates, Regina Armada, Weyburn Hurricanes and Winnipeg Vortex were entered.

Mason Yunick of the 12-and-under Sharks ranked third among all ages in scoring, with 21 goals in just five games. Mahlyn Bomberak, also of the 12U Sharks, played for the 15U Prairie team as well and she ranked first for all ages in scoring with an impressive 34 goals in 10 games.

Three other S harks played in two divisions, often competing in back to back

45-minute games with no breaks.

Rachel Tober, the only 15U female playing in Estevan, joined the Prairie 15U and Armada Orange in the open women’s category. Jennika Linthicum from the 12U team joined Bomberak and Tober on the 15U Prairie team. Shiven Sangar played on the 15U Saskatoon Pirates team and a Prairies team in the open men’s division.

The highlight for the club was in the 12U co-ed division where the team went undefeated the entire weekend, bringing home the gold and a trophy. Coached by Tenille Yunick, Kaylah Turner and Melissa Enns, this team outscored their opponents 82-38 in five games.

In addition to Bomberak and Yunick’s high scoring, Carter Yunick added another 13 goals to the total. Rookie

Malcolm Sherling netted 10 goals and Willow Turner was strong in net.

In the 15U boys division, four Sharks joined the Saskatoon Pirates team. They finished the weekend with a record of 1-4.

Three Sharks swam with players from Saskatoon and Weyburn to comprise the 15U girls Prairie team. This squad finished the weekend with a bronze medal.

Sharks’ senior coach Jason Dalziel led the open men Prairie team through an incredibly talented division with a record of 0-4-1.

All games were very close matches. Leading the scoring for this team were Tristan Threinen and former Shark Ethan Elliott. Each scored nine goals in five games.

Just one current Shark played in the open women’s division. Tober joined former

The 12U Estevan Sharks water polo team won a gold medal at the recent provincial championships. Photo submitted Sharks players Alex Andrist, Josie Andrist and Payton Donald on the Regina Armada Orange. Tober won a

second bronze of the tournament. The team finished with a 2-3 mark.

The club has been swim-

ming their final practices this week. They are hosting an awards night and windup on April 10.

Sacred Heart Skills Academy caps its first season It’s been an excellent first year for the students who are part of the Sacred Heart School/École Sacré Coeur Crusaders’ Skills Academy.

The hockey program wrapped up its season Friday afternoon with a demonstration at Affinity Place. The students who are part of the program participated in drills and demonstrations of their abilities, and then they played an exhibition game versus some of their parents.

Parents, teachers, fellow students and others were in attendance.

“The kids were very excited to have their names announced and to skate out with all of the music and the lights,” said instructor Mark Moriarty. “It was cool to see the whole school there,

showing support for all of their classmates. I think all of the students and all of the volunteers had a good time.”

The players fed off of the energy shown by the crowd.

The Holy Family Roman Catholic Separate School Division announced last year that it would bring Hockey Canada skills academies to Sacred Heart and to Weyburn’s St. Michael School.

Thirty-eight players were in the Sacred Heart program.

One group was for Grades 5 and 6 and the other was for Grades 7 and 8.

“I was really happy with how this season went,” said Moriarty. “There was a lot of improvement shown by the students. I feel that the program really grew throughout the year as well.”

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Skating and puck-handling were the areas that Moriarty saw the most improvements. Their confidence on the ice also took big strides.

“I think being on the ice an extra two times a week really helped with that improvement for the kids,” he said.

Since it’s a skills academy, the Crusaders didn’t play any competitive games.

Athletes skated twice a week and they also had two weekly dryland training sessions. The time spent with the academy replaced their physical education classes.

“We had a range of skill levels,” said Moriarty. “We had some students who don’t play minor hockey. They just wanted to join to skate. And then we had players who would play AA at their age group.”

Now that the program is finished for the year, the

Students who are part of the Sacred Heart Skills Academy participated in skills demonstrations Friday at Affinity Place. students will rejoin their peers for regular physical education classes.

Moriarty paid tribute to all of the people who volunteered with the program this year, including parents,

community members and local hockey teams. The City of Estevan has also been supportive.

The program will return next season, he said, and registration will begin soon. New

people have already expressed an interest in joining for next season. “ We also had some students join the program throughout the year, so that’s very positive for us,” he said.

Estevan female hockey teams win bronze medals Talented young female hockey teams were in Estevan from March 25-27 for tournaments in the under-9 and under-11 divisions.

Seven teams were entered in the U11 age group.

The Estevan Bearcats knocked off the Weyburn Gold Wings 1-0 in overtime in the bronze medal game.

Bree Poelen had the winner with a minute to play in extra time.

In the gold medal contest, the Moose Jaw Mavericks defeated the Regina Rebels White 2-0.

In the U9 division, the Estevan Bearcats routed the Moose Jaw Green Warriors

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The Estevan U11 Bearcats female hockey team won a bronze medal at a recent tournament in Estevan. Photo submitted 7-3 in the bronze medal matchup.

The Regina Rebels defeated the Twin Cities Sabercats 5-4 in the gold medal matchup. The Sabercats have players from the Martensville and Warman areas.

Four teams competed in the U9 tournament. There

were two games played at Affinity Place at once, thanks to the half-ice format employed

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“The hockey was really good,” said Chris Hammett, a coach with the U9 team.

“The U9 went really smooth.”

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very competitive.

Tournament organizers have received positive feedback from the teams outside of Estevan for the organization the quality facilities.

They hope this will be an annual tournament that can grow to eight teams in each division.

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| Wednesday, April 6, 2022 | www.SASKTODAY.ca Coming EvEnts

Obituaries Leonard (Lenard) Joe Gustafson 1933-2022 The Hon. Leonard Joe Gustafson, P.C., M.P., Senator, late of Macoun, passed away on Friday, March 18, 2022 at the age of 88 at Mainprize Manor Health Centre, Midale, SK. He was born to Clarence and Theresa Gustafson on November 10, 1933, in Macoun, SK, the second of ten children.

Lenard is lovingly remembered by his wife of seventy years, Alice (nee Snider); children, daughter-inlaw Joanne Gustafson, son Terry Gustafson, daughter Bona Jean (Bill) Ashbee, son Bently (Wendy) Gustafson, twelve grandchildren, twenty-seven great-grandchildren; siblings, sisterin-law Wanda Gustafson, brother-in-law Jack Lincoln, brother Floyd (Marlene) Gustafson, sister-in-law Lois Gustafson, sister Darlene (Dave) Easterly, brother Murray (Diane) Gustafson, sister Karron Hanses, brother Oral (Corrine) Gustafson, sister Judy (Randy) Sohnchen, and many nephews and nieces.

Len was predeceased by his son Jerry Gustafson, greatgrandson Elijah Ashbee, brother Alvin Gustafson, sister-inlaw Anne Gustafson, sister Lorraine Lincoln, brother Dwayne Gustafson, brother-in-law Mike Hanses, parents Clarence and Theresa Gustafson, and grandparents Peter and Amelia Gustafson and Christian and Anna Kleckner.

Len and Alice raised their family and farmed in Macoun. When Len’s parents and siblings moved to the State of Washington, Len and Alice remained on the farm and assumed his father’s building moving company. He served his community as the Reeve of Cymri Municipality. In 1979 Len was elected to the House of Commons of Canada as a Member of Parliament. He was subsequently re-elected as M.P. in 1980, 1984, and 1988.

He served as Parliamentary Secretary to Prime Minister Brian Mulroney from 1984 to 1993. In May 1993 he was appointed by P.M. Brian Mulroney to the Senate of Canada. In 2009 he was appointed to the Privy Council for Canada on the advice of Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

The Celebration of Life for Len was held on Friday, March 25, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. at the Macoun Evangelical Missionary Church with Pastor Charlie Bowen officiating. Interment took place at the Macoun Cemetery with a luncheon following at the church fellowship hall.

Len was a resident of Mainprize Manor for the last two years.

The family is grateful for all the compassionate care the staff provided for Len. If friends so desire, memorial donations may be made to the Echo Lake Bible Camp, where Len attended with his family throughout his life. Donations may be mailed to Box 2174, Fort Qu’Appelle, SK, S0G 1S0, or made online at https://www.elbc. co/.

Hall Funeral Services in Estevan cared for the Gustafson family - Dustin Hall, Funeral Director.

We want to express our deepest gratitude for the love, prayers, and practical kindness shown to our family during this season. It is such a blessing to be surrounded by such a caring community.

Every expression of sympathy has lightened our burden and eased the pain. May the Lord bless you. With love, Alice Gustafson and Family

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FARMLAND WANTED In Memoriam Gerald Ross April 21, 1935 - April 12, 2002 In these years since you died We say your name with love and pride Because your deeds and dedication Will always be our inspiration.

Cherished forever by: Susie and your family

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P. 306-634-3631 • F. (306) 634-6901 • www.kohalyelash.com

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

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

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with the carbon monoxide alarm. We were able to get in there and verify that there was no carbon monoxide or emergency occurring and informed the homeowner that they just need to change the battery," said Estevan Fire Chief Dale Feser.

"Just a gentle reminder, with carbon monoxide alarm emergencies or activations the city does not charge for a response for this. We just want to make sure that everybody's aware of that, so they are not reluctant to call 911 should a CO alarm occur."

On March 30 at about 8:30 a.m. another alarm went off. This time it was a commercial fire alarm occurring in the northcentral area. Firefighters responded to the call to find that it was a cooking-related issue.

"There was no emergency occurring. The fire alarm panel was reset. And there's not enough smoke remaining in the building to be of any concern, so everybody returned to the fire station and returned to service," Feser said.

The EFRS also ran four fire extinguisher training classes on Tuesday and Wednesday for all city employees.

"They were in at the fire station, going through theory and practical skills for fire extinguisher training in the workplace," Feser said. "We do train all the city staff so that they are very confident and comfortable to use fire extinguishers at the workplace in the in the event of a fire, so should it occur they're doing the proper steps and procedures, calling 911 and able to fight small fires."

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Estevan Fire Rescue Service members were called out three times last week.

On April 2 at about 11:30 a.m., fire crews and other emergency services were called to a workplace incident that occurred south of Bromhead.

According to the report, a worker became trapped 50 feet off the ground on a service rig. The initial information said the person’s hand and arm were trapped between two pieces of casing, and required extrication.

Firefighters responded to the location, but just before they arrived on scene, the new information came in stating that the worker was freed and was in the on-site medical unit.

Estevan Fire Chief Dale Feser said firefighters were able to meet with people transferring the injured person on the way, and assisted EMS with patient transfer prior to returning to the fire station.

Feser added that there were significant injuries to the individual, however, they were non-life threatening.

Another call for service came in on March 29 at about 8 a.m. A carbon monoxide alarm went off in one of Estevan's residences.The family had safely evacuated the building upon fire crews' arrival, but there were still some pets in the home. Firefighters assessed the conditions, and there was no carbon monoxide found. The inspection of the detection device showed the battery was weak, which resulted in the device producing the beeping sound.

"So, nobody did anything wrong with this call.They called as soon as there was an issue

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Crews called to entrapment at service rig

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work references to: Bryden Construction Box 100, Arborfield, Sk. S0E 0A0; Fax: 306-769-8844 Email: brydenconstruct@ xplornet.ca www. brydenconstruction andtransport.ca 306.421.2021

A14 April 6, 2022

www.SASKTODAY.ca

Music Festival salutes talented piano players The Estevan and District Music Festival wrapped up its piano portion on Sunday evening with a highlights and awards program at Trinity Lutheran Church.

More than a dozen talented performers were invited back to entertain the audience with their selections. Awards were handed out after every one or two performers.

The evening started off with Jerome Kim and Evan Gedak’s rendition of Round ‘n’ Round by Olson, and ended with Autumn, Aspen and Dieta Snider playing Snap, Clap, Boogie by Melody Bober.

Pianists were from the primar y, elementar y and intermediate age groups.

The night showcased a small portion of the talent Estevan has to offer. Conner Piche performed Nuvole Bianche by Einaudi, receiving the Knights of Columbus’ Best Intermediate Performer

Many students performed or received awards at the program for piano students on Sunday. Photo submitted Scholarship.

Jennika Linthicum was

recognized for her high level of playing and will repeat

the performance of Dreamcatcher by Crosby at the

Saskatchewan Music Festival Association festival in Saska-

toon in June.

This year, the SMFA is looking forward to playing host to the inaugural Canada West Performing Arts Festival. This competition will take the place of the national competition that SMFA withdrew from in recent years.

The new Western Canada competition will include participants from B.C., Alberta and Saskatchewan, and will be held in Saskatoon from July 21-23, 2022.

The festival’s piano performances were held from March 27-30. The vocal, musical theatre and spoken word disciplines took place on April 4 and the band, strings and instrumental portion is April 6. The highlights and awards concert for those disciplines will be April 10 at 6:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s United Church.

For a full list of award winners in piano, please visit sasktoday.ca.

Estevan police arrest two in a drug bust The Estevan Police Service arrested two people in a drug bust last week.

Members of the EPS patrol and K-9 units attended a Pleasantdale area residence on March 30 to conduct a conditions check

on a resident living in the area.

Police located what is believed to be both cocaine and methamphetamine during a search of the building.

Officers also seized some Canadian currency and other

TAX ENFORCEMENT LIST VILLAGE OF MACOUN PROVINCE OF SASKATCHEWAN Notice is hereby given under The Tax Enforcement Act that unless the arrears and costs appearing opposite the land and title number described in the following list are fully paid before June 6, 2022, an interest based on a tax lien will be registered against the land.

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

DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTY LOT 1-BLK/PAR 31-PLAN 101260639 EXT 0 LOT 3-BLK/PAR 16PLAN T549 EXT 0 LOT 4-BLK/PAR 16PLAN T549 EXT 0

Title No.

Total Arrears*

Costs

Total Arrears and Costs

143605368

3,080.80

60.00

3,140.80

152228730

1,357.76

60.00

1,417.76

152228741

* Penalty is calculated to the date of the Notice and will continue to accrue as applicable.

Dated this 29th day of March, 2022 Carmen Dodd-Vicary, Chief Administrative Officer

evidence that the EPS says would support drug trafficking.

Lucas Story, 33, and Nathan Hanson, 25, both from Estevan, have been charged with trafficking in cocaine, possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, trafficking in methamphetamine and possession of methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking, all under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Story was also charged for breaching conditions of a release order under the Criminal Code.

The two men were held in cells overnight and appeared in court the following day.

None of the charges have been proven in court.

In other recent police news, the EPS received a complaint on March 30 of a counterfeit $100 bill being passed at a local lounge.

Members remind the public to check currency and to call EPS or attend their local bank if they have concerns about any money in their possession.

Police received a complaint on March 31 of a male passed out in the lobby of an apartment building. The male was apprehended for being intoxicated in a public place and lodged in cells until sober.

The EPS conducted SGI high-visibility check stops on April 1. Over 450 vehicles were checked and 20 roadside screening tests were performed. Zero impaired drivers were located. Three tickets were issued for various offences.

Officers received a report of theft of recyclables from a residence. The matter is still under investigation.

Police received a report of theft of a motor vehicle.

The vehicle was later located

in a rural area and arrangements were made to have it returned to Estevan. This is also under investigation.

Officers received a report of criminal harassment.

The complainant believes the individual contacted his workplace and continuously harassed him personally. It is still under investigation.

Police were contacted by the Canada Border Services Agency as they had a suspicious vehicle approach the Port of Estevan from the north. The vehicle turned around and returned towards Estevan. Police attempted to locate the vehicle but didn’t have any success initially.

Members received a complaint through the Report Impaired Drivers line for a vehicle that was driving erratically. The vehicle was reportedly parked at a local business. The complainant wasn’t able to give a licence plate but did describe it as a

silver SUV. Police attended to the area and were not able to locate the vehicle.

A local restaurant asked for assistance with a patron.

Members attended and the individual was arrested for public intoxication, and was lodged in cells until sober.

The EPS were out again on April 2 in an effort to locate impaired drivers. Motorists were checked for sobriety in a number of locations.

EPS officers were joined by their colleagues from the Weyburn Police Service and volunteers from the Estevan chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

The EPS also posted a photo on its Twitter feed of a positive policing initiative, saying its members and MADD were out placing gift cards on vehicles that spent the night at local restaurants and lounges, thanks to the vehicle owners opting for a safe ride home.

How healing happens In any project that we undertake, it is useful to gather the essential ingredients ahead of time.

If you are going to bake a cake, you better have flour, milk, eggs and salt on hand.

Otherwise, you might create something, but it will not be a cake. If you want an engine to run, you must have air, fuel, and a spark. Neglecting one of those key ingredients will result in failure. Having what

you need is a key to success.

Oddly, though, when it comes to spiritual things, many people do not make any preparations at all. They go to church as passive spectators and hope that whatever happens is useful to them. This passive attitude is underscored when people then talk about whether they ‘got something from the service’ or whether they were ‘fed’. Understood correctly, though, faith is not

Tim Pippus of the Estevan Church of Christ passive. We are meant to be participants.

In Mark 2, a paralyzed man wanted to be healed, Head Office Box 5054, 2500 Victoria Avenue Regina, SK S4P 3M3 Canada

Liquor Permit Advertising Form Under the provisions of The Alcohol and Gaming Regulations Act, 1997,

local news & stories

FOR LEASE Humpty's Location 3750 Sq. Ft.

Notice is hereby given that 102076989 Saskatchewan Ltd has applied to the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA) for a Tavern permit to sell alcohol in the premises known as Sip at 134 2nd Ave Estevan SK. Written objections to the granting of the permit may be filed with SLGA not more than two weeks from the date of publication of this notice.

Every person filing a written objection with SLGA shall state their name, address, and telephone number in printed form, as well as the grounds for the objection(s). Petitions must name a contact person, state grounds, and be legible. Each signatory to the petition and the contact person must provide an address and telephone number. Frivolous, vexatious or competitionbased objections within the beverage alcohol industry may not be considered and may be rejected by the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Licensing Commission, who may refuse to hold a hearing.

Write to: Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority Box 5054 REGINA SK S4P 3M3

Holdings inc.

Contact Treena thirsch@sasktel.net • 306-634-6030 • 306-421-0252

Pursuant to Section 62 of The Alcohol and Gaming Regulation Act, 1997 the above advertisement shall be published once each week for two successive weeks, in a newspaper published in the municipality in which the proposed outlet is or is to be situated, or if no newspaper is published in the area, then in a newspaper published in Saskatchewan and circulating in the area.

but he could not get into the house where Jesus was because the crowd was too large. Not knowing what else to do, the man’s friends took him to the roof, made a hole, and lowered him down on a mat. When Jesus saw this, he was so amazed at their faith that he healed the man and told him that his sins were forgiven.

In Matthew 9, a lady who had been dealing with a debilitating medical issue for more than 12 years thought, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.” She found Jesus, touched his coat and she was right.

The story of a disliked tax collector is told in Luke 19. He wanted to see Jesus as he passed by but was too short and the crowd would not let him in, so he climbed a tree to get a vantage point.

When Jesus saw him, he told Zacchaeus that he wanted to go to his house. Zacchaeus’ life completely changed that day.

Jesus did not heal people at random. It was always in response to their faith, their effort or their pleas.

He responded when people participated.

To be clear, God has all the power. Everything starts and ends with Him. However, that does not mean that there is nothing for us to do.

Spiritual healing begins when we stop watching and start participating.

www.SASKTODAY.ca

April 6, 2022 A15

A return to normalcy for the Friends of Moose Mountain Lodge in Carlyle

By Gord Paulley The lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have been hard on the health-care system and a local volunteer organization is no exception.

The Friends of Moose Mountain Lodge (FMML) in Carlyle have finally restarted their meetings, which are held on the fourth Tuesday of every month.

This organization was formed several years ago, and the Observer talked to

three of its original members, Myrla Holland, Christy Jarvis and Marsha McLean.

Said Holland: “Friends of Moose Mountain Lodge could be more accurately named as Friends of Residents of Moose Mountain Lodge. It was established because of the vision and determination of Bertha Isleifson who was caring for the people at the long-term care home.

“She saw a need and started talking with others about how to deal with it.

Several people thought she had a good idea and agreed to meet to discuss the possibilities. The need as we saw it was that the medical system, which was looking after people’s needs, could not be expected to organize and pay for all niceties that would make the resident’s lives more enjoyable.

“A decision was made to remain a somewhat casual group with membership open to anyone interested in helping. It was also important to make plans that did not

Learning about dog sledding

The Métis Nation of Saskatchewan Estevan Local 25 was able to get in one last winter event on March 20 at Woodlawn Regional Park. Garrick Schmidt, owner of the Eagle Ridge Dog Sled Team, and Dexter Mondor brought a dog sled team to the park. Demonstrations were held at one of the park’s campgrounds, since they couldn’t access the Souris River, as was originally planned, due to melting ice. They brought 18-20 dogs and some sleds to Estevan for the event. People enjoyed sled rides and demonstrations of the sport. Hot chocolate and Timbits were served.

put added stress on the staff although their input and ideas would be gratefully accepted. Fundraising would be whatever ideas people were willing to follow through with and direct donations could be accepted through the town office.”

Said Jarvis: “Bertha was instrumental in talking to people to start the conversation about doing something for residents to make their lives more fulfilling while in the nursing home. We also improved the palliative care rooms and did major redecorating to the dining room.”

One of the first and m o s t re f re s h i n g t h i n g s they did was redecorate the main common area which was spearheaded by Danielle Benjamin and Marsha McLean.

Added McLean, “We wanted to make the entrance, dining area and first seen hallways feel more like a home rather than an institution. We had the walls painted a neutral colour to be a nice background for all the new artwork we purchased.

We wanted life in the décor, so we purchased greenery and florals and made some arrangements throughout the area.

“Our mission started with refurbishing the fireplace by having it painted and getting it to work, getting a new insert will be our next focus. The residents were quite excited to see the changes as they were happening. Now that the restrictions have lessened, Danielle and I can work towards putting things back in place that had to be moved because of COVID. “Our decorating project was financially supported by members of the community, the Lions Club, the Moose Mountain Lodge Foundation

Marilyn Newell playing her organ at the Moose Mountain Lodge. Picture by Gord Paulley and FMML.” The Friends of Moose Mountain Lodge continues to be active, with friends and relatives of Carlyle’s longterm care home residents meeting together and adding some pleasure to their loved one’s lives.

They help with numerous extra-curricular activities such as treating residents to the occasional chicken dinner and ice cream sundae. They help with Christmas, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Mother’s Day and Halloween decorations and celebrations.

The volunteers also purchase flowers and together with the recreation staff tend to a flower garden. They help with special occasions such as birthday parties and book live and local entertainment.

Presently, the Moose Mountain Lodge has 40 permanent long-term care beds and two respite or convalescence beds. All newcomers are welcomed with a flower arrangement courtesy of Friends of Moose Mountain Lodge. Income is earned from memorial donations with the Manor United Church providing the FMML a generous one-time donation in the spring of 2021. Funds from this source

were used to purchase a much needed but very expensive bariatric bed. This is a special bed that is appreciated by plus-sized patients.

In 2021, Reg and Marilyn Newell moved back to Carlyle and recently Marilyn became a new resident of the lodge. As a donation, this former lodge activity director brought her own organ with her and plays beautiful music often and to the delight of everyone.

Bertha Isleifson is the current president of FMML. “During the past two years, the lodge has had its share of medical issues, but we are finally able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Regular monthly music and entertainment will be starting soon, and we are all looking forward to 2022. Our motto is “Enhancing the everyday lives of the residents.”

The Friends of Moose Mountain Lodge would also like to thank the staff for their efforts during the past two years of working through the pandemic. The patience, kindness and caring shown has been incredible and greatly appreciated.

Their next meeting is scheduled for April 26 at 7 p.m. Everyone is welcome.

Distracted Driving How motorists can help fight distracted driving As recently as two decades ago, many drivers never would have imagined answering phone calls through their automobiles or spending time at stoplights scrolling through their social media feeds.

But such is the reality for modern drivers, who must now contend with a myriad of distractions while behind the wheel.

Distracted driving now poses a significant threat to drivers, their passengers and pedestrians. Data from Transport Canada's National Collision Database indicates that distracted driving contributes to an estimated 21 per cent of fatal collisions in Canada.

A growing reliance on

smartphones to do everything, from play music to provide driving directions to check work emails, has made it harder than ever for drivers to ignore their devices.

Though the temptation to pick up the phone may prove hard for motorists to overcome, the following are some strategies they can embrace en route to becoming safer, less distracted drivers.

•Support legislation that polices distracted driving.

Many community leaders have attempted to curb distracted driving by introducing legislation designed to penalize drivers who are caught with their eyes on their devices and not on the road.

Keep your eyes on the road.

Statistics indicate the farreaching impact of legislating against distracted driving and underscores the importance of supporting legislation.

•Lead by example. A recent study found that electronics use is the leading source of distraction for teenage drivers. Parents can set a positive example for their children by turning their notifications off when they get behind the wheel so they aren't tempted to respond to an alert or incoming message.

If necessary, parents can place their phones in the glove compartment prior to starting their vehicles. Setting such an example increases the likelihood that kids recognize the

dangers of combining driving and devices.

•Recognize devices aren't the only distractions.

Devices alone don't tell the story of distracted driving.

Drivers can easily become distracted by adjusting a radio, eating and drinking while behind the wheel, grooming, and interacting with passengers. Drivers must not discount the impact that all of their behaviors can have on their ability to pay attention behind the wheel.

When driving, stick to driving. If drivers need to do anything else, like take a sip of water, eat lunch or adjust their car stereos, they should do so only after pulling off

It’s important to continue to fight distracted driving.

Image by Peter Dazeley with Getty Images the road and putting their vehicles in park.

Distracted driving poses a significant threat to anyone

on the road. But it's a threat that can be eliminated entirely when drivers are motivated to do so.

It can happen in a second, please don’t drive distracted

DON’T DRIVE DISTRACTED Head Office | North Portal (306) 927-2165 Estevan (306) 634-3434

DistracteD Driving

causes crashes, hands on the wheel, eyes on the road.

Oxbow (306) 483-2848 Pipestone (204) 854-2231 Halbrite (306) 458-2344

PLEASE DRIVE SAFELY. Dr. Robert Kitchen MP

Souris-Moose Mountain

1-866-249-4697 • www.drrobertkitchen.ca

A16 April 6, 2022

www.SASKTODAY.ca

Flashback April 1, 1987 The 130 students at St. John’s school held a read-around-the-gymathon in spring 1987. It involved every room keeping track to see who reads most pages. Winners were declared in each grade, as well as each house. Front row, from left, Kerri-Lee Davies, Jennifer Fichter, Jamie Kallis, Trevor Mansuy and Slade Crooks.

Back row, Brent Wasacase, Keri LaChapelle, Kathy Foster, Kristy Davies and Bill Kallis.

Council discusses pathways, history during second March meeting Members of Estevan city council discussed a couple of proposed events for the city’s pathway system during council’s March 28 meeting.

The first was from Debby Knight and Peggy Rohatyn, who are organizing the Coal Country Run, Walk and Cycling event on May 14.

In past years they have held five-kilometre, 10-kilometre and kids’ mini-mile races in Woodlawn Regional Park and other locations.

This year they have added cycling to their offering now that the pathways have been built.

“We, as fitness enthusiasts, are extremely grateful and thrilled to have the addition of these safe corridors in our city. We are excited to showcase them to our community and hopefully we will have participants form out of town as well that we can show off to.”

The other event involves the new U15 Southeast Sun Devils softball team. Randy Gooding and Kelly McConnell with the team

are looking to have a dice run fundraiser on the pathways. It would be like a poker derby with dice. There will be a starting point and six checkpoints set up on the pathways. People will have the opportunity to roll the dice five times.

They hope to have it twice this spring. The person with the highest hand will receive $300 and the lowest will be $150.

Councillor Shelly Veroba suggested closing off the pathways for these events, so that they don’t have participants creating problems for other users. City manager Jeff Ward replied that he would want to talk with parks manager Rod March first to discuss which ones would be used and when.

Councillor Travis Frank suggested the city have signage in place to give ample notice if closures are needed. He also said a policy might be needed to request use of pathways for fundraisers and other events.

• • •

The Souris Valley Museum reached out to council about becoming the site for a new Parks Canada historical figure plaque that pays tribute to Henry Yule Hind, who was known for his exploration of Western Canada, including the Souris River.

The cost, installation and upkeep of the plaque would be the responsibility of Parks Canada, and the museum would sign an agreement with Parks Canada assuring maintenance and accessibility to the public.

“Our board is excited about this opportunity and what it could mean for both the museum and Tourism Estevan,” the museum said in a letter to city council.

Walliser, who is the city’s representative on the board, said the museum is excited for this opportunity because of what Hind meant to the southeast and to the province as a whole.

Councillor Lindsay Clark suggested checking with those involved with the local

Indigenous community to see if this would be acceptable. Walliser noted Parks Canada has scholars who have participated in the creation of these plaques.

There will be conversation with Parks Canada, and a decision will be made once more information is received.

• • • As part of a proposed water main replacement and roadway rehabilitation happening this year, engineering services is recommending the construction of a four-foot wide curb, gutter and sidewalk on the east side of Kohaly Avenue and the south leg of Lynd Crescent.

They would connect to the existing sidewalk on Nicholson Road and Lynd Crescent east.

There would be a future connection to King Street on the south side.

It was noted at the meeting that affected residents have been approached about the project and the response has been favourable.

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

Mayor’s Message: The playoffs are in full swing! Please come out and support the Bruins.

The Centennial Cup is coming up - please get your tickets to avoid disappointment!

CITY OF ESTEVAN NOTICE OF ASSESSMENT Pursuant to subsection 187 (1) of The Cities Act, notice is hereby given that the assessment roll for the City of Estevan for the year of 2022, has been prepared and is open to inspection at the City of Estevan, Finance Department, 1102 Fourth Street, Estevan from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on the following days: Monday to Friday, March 23 to April 22, 2022.

Any person having an interest in any property who wishes to appeal the assessment of that property to the Board of Revision is required to file a notice of appeal in writing to: The Secretary of the Board of Revision, 1102 Fourth Street, Estevan, SK S4A 0W7 on or before the 22nd day of April, 2022.

Dated this 23rd day of March, 2022 Trina Sieben Tax Assessor