Estevan Mercury 20221221 1-11

Making a difference. Story of Estevan Sunflower, helping Ukrainian families affected by war. PAGE A3

Devastating fi re strikes beloved tourist attraction The Happy Nun

By Stephanie Zoer

Christmas for everyone. Estevan Angel Tree makes sure every kid gets a gift. PAGE A6

It was a devastating day on Dec. 15 for Gayla and Leon Gilbertson when their greatest fear came to life, and their much-loved Happy Nun Café caught fire in the small village of Forget.

At 6:25 p.m., the Stoughton-Tecumseh Fire Department (STFD) received the call that the business was burning, and upon arrival there were flames and a great deal of smoke.

Saying goodbye. The community paid final respects to one of its best, Melodye Pierson. PAGE A7

Southeast Saskatchewan was in the middle of a snowstorm and the roads were treacherous, but this did not stop the 17 members of the STFD from braving the weather to try and save the establishment that was a known landmark, not only in the small town but across Saskatchewan.

According to Stoughton Fire Chief Pat Slater, they fought diligently for 10 hours, but could not save the historic building. A shell now remains with the café’s sign still hanging and seemingly untouched by the fire.

Agri news. Local family to hold potentially the biggest Simmental dispersal sale.

PAGE A13

Slater’s team remained on scene until 4:30 a.m., at which time the temperatures dropped significantly. making it difficult to stay warm. The Gilbertson’s also remained on scene into the wee hours of the morning to return to check for hot spots.

Only the walls and the basic structure remain.

The Happy Nun Café was not only an icon for

the people of Forget, but to many across Saskatchewan, and it was part of the family to the Gilbertsons.

Gayla and her husband Leon purchased the Nun five years ago. They felt it was meant to be, as they had their first date at the venue and Gilbertson worked part time at the restaurant.

At the time they purchased it, oil prices were sluggish, and just over two years after they bought it, the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

This did not stop the couple from making the Happy Nun Café the place to go to for excellent food and entertainment.

They were known for purchasing locally from farmers and only served top quality food. They also supported local wines from Over the Hills Orchards and Winery in Lumsden and beer from Rebellion Brewing in Regina.

Gayla is a known chef and offered exquisite items on her menu, all made from scratch, and Leon was always tending the bar and making sure the sound and lights were perfect.

The Happy Nun Café held concerts, talent shows a Halloween Bash and many other events, and promoted as many homegrown bands as possible. The business was named

the Venue of the Year by the Saskatchewan Country Music Association for three straight years from 2020-2022.

This was not just a building, it held a lot of historical memories for many, and the items lost are irreplaceable.

The old counter from the former Donvil’s General Store in the village had served as the bar, and the tin on the wall behind the bar came from Augey’s Machine Shop. Original mailboxes had adorned the venue as well.

Wainscotting on the back hall and stairs came from the Forget convent classrooms, while the bookshelves were made by

a previous owner’s father, Hank Nikel. He also refurbished the floors.

The Happy Nun Café was a unique place. Memories live on for many.

John van Eaton from the band Back 40 Drifters said, “I feel for Gayla and Leon. It is not just losing a business; it is much more.”

Back 40 Drifters played for a fundraiser and two other times.

Van Eaton said, “This is a huge loss to the community and the musical community. I often wondered how many people sat on the benches in that little back room, waiting to go on stage.”

Kick-off to holidays. Woodlawn brings back their traditional Christmas in the Park.

PAGE A18

If there was any doubt of a white Christmas in Estevan this year, it was dashed last week.

The southeast region was blasted by a winter system. A snowfall warning was never issued by Environment Canada, but there was a special weath-

er statement issued on Dec. 12 and it remained in effect until Dec. 15. Crews could be seen removing snow from city streets. A travel not recommended warning was issued for Highways 39, 18 and 47 in the Estevan area and elsewhere in the

southeast, and motorists were asked to avoid a number of other areas.

Then a blowing snow warning was issued on Dec. 16 that caused even more problems. The travel not recommended advisories were issued again, and people living in Estevan

were asked to stay off the roads.

Wellock Road was closed for a brief period of time, and when it did reopen, the public was asked to avoid the area for the day. Some areas were down to one lane for a while.

Hawkes Bay in northwest Estevan was closed for a while, as was Johnston Road in the northeast area.

“Thank you for your understanding as our road crews work diligently

The Happy Nun Café sign seems untouched as only the shell of the building remains. Photo by Stephanie Zoer

throughout today,” the city said in a Facebook post.

ESTEVAN MARKET MALL CHRISTMAS HOURS

December 19 - 23 - 9am - 9pm

December 24 - 9am - 3pm

December 25 - CLOSED December 26 - 9am - 6pm December 31 - 9am - 3pm January 1 - CLOSED

EEY FAMILY RESOURCE CENTRE

DRAMATIC PLAY: SANTA’S WORKSHOP

Our classroom will be transformed into Santa’s Workshop with Christmas games and stations. December 22 & 23 at 10:00-11:30 and 1:30-3:00. Please call (306)634-7233 for more information or to register

ESTEVAN ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION & SENCHUK FORD

Win a 2022 Ford F150 XLT (plus other prizes), Draw Date December 31, 2022 @ Memorial Hall Contact the Legion @ (306) 634-3135 for more information

ESTEVAN HUMANE SOCIETY

Temporary Fosters Needed!!! Looking for temporary fosters for the Christmas Holidays. EHS will cover the cost of supplies, all you need to do is allow the animals into your home. Please email ehsfoster@hotmail.com for more information.

ESTEVAN 60 & OVER CLUB

If you are interested in playing Cribbage, Bridge, Canasta, Whist or Shuffleboard, please contact: Darlene Sylvester @ (306) 421-7820, Gary St. Onge @ (306)421-6113 or Elizabeth Olson @ (306)461-5822 for more information.

NON-PROFIT WITH AN EVENT OR FUNDRAISER

Do you know a Non-Profit organization that has an Event or Fundraiser coming up? Advertise for free with the Estevan Market Mall Community Bulletin Board. For more information contact Christine @ cjones@estevanmercury.ca or (306) 634-2654

Tributes poured in for café

Big Daddy Tazz, a comedian who performed there for the first time this past summer, said he cried when he heard the news.

“I am heartbroken for Gayla and Leon,” he said. “They made me feel welcome and like family.”

“They put their heart and soul into this place by creating fabulous food. It was by far the best place I have performed at,” he went on to say.

Teagan Littlechief said she was in disbelief and saddened that the most beautiful building was gone.

“I had always wanted to do a single release at the Nun but am blessed to have been able to perform the times I did. The Happy Nun will always have a special place and is considered one of my biggest accomplishments.”

Mike Davis and Lindsay Arnold of the Saskatchewan folk duo Last Birds also reflected on the news.

“We are devastated by this news,” they wrote. “The Happy Nun Café was the only venue in southeast Saskatchewan dedicated to live music. It is where we first performed as a duo.

“This is a huge cultural loss for our area.”

SaskMusic said the fire was “absolutely devastating” and their hearts were

with owners Gayla and Leon Gilbertson and the staff of The Happy Nun at the loss of this “wonderful” venue and restaurant. They noted it was a huge part of the Saskatchewan music community.

The Nun was a finalist for the SaskMusic Top Venue Award for this year’s awards, which were handed out on Dec. 10, less than a week before the fire.

The business was also presented with a Tourism Saskatchewan Award in 2019.

The loss has been felt across the provinces and

many have reached out in support and with kind words to Gayla and Leon.

“I don’t even know where to start,” Gayla said on the Happy Nun’s Facebook page. “The outpouring of love, stories shared and happiness the Nun brought is overwhelming.”

“To all the people who have become family or friends over the years, we love you and appreciate you so much,” she said.

They are so very thankful to the STFD for working relentlessly in the bitter cold to control the fire and saving her parents’ ashes from the flames.

Gilbertson said, “I am forever grateful to the STFD for the support, determination and willingness to let me continue to be part of the team while we worked to save her.”

Now the time for healing will begin for the couple.

Once a granary, and then changed to a parish hall and then converted to the town hall, it will forever be remembered as the Happy Nun Café, where friends gathered and became family.

Nobody was injured in the fire. The RCMP says the fire was not suspicious.

Canada Post suspended mail delivery

were out on Friday afternoon,

It also forced closures and cancellations at the leisure centre, including the seniors’ Christmas luncheon. All aquatic and fitness programming was cancelled until 4 p.m. The parking lot and roads leading into the Leisure Centre were difficult to pass through.

At the Dec. 19 meeting of Estevan city council, Councillor Shelly Veorba said she had received a lot of praise from citizens, saying how quick the snow removal progressed.

“Just a big thank you to the staff, because they have

been working very hard. Those guys have been going nonstop,” said Veroba.

Mayor Roy Ludwig said the public works staff does a great job on snow removal, and he also thanked the contractors to clear the snow.

“This was a huge snowfall. They did tremendous work, and we can’t thank them enough.”

Veroba noted that the snow removal reflects a care for community that exists in a small city. Snow routes were cleared in the area of a funeral that was happening on Thursday, which made it

easier for those coming to the funeral, especially for seniors and those coming from long distances.

Crews have been busy clearing the snow from the city’s roads. Windrows could be seen in the middle of the city streets, waiting to be collected and taken to dump sites.

The Estevan Police Service said it received calls for abandoned vehicles due to the weather, with multiple collisions involving two or more vehicles. In several cases vehicles needed to the be towed.

Canada Post had to take the rare step of issuing a red delivery service alert for Estevan due to inclimate weather and snow.

“A red service alert means that we are suspending delivery for the

day and not sending our delivery agents out or recalling them. Delivery will resume once conditions improve and it’s safe to do so. The safety of our employees is our number one priority,” Canada Post said in a news release.

An alert can be issued for a particular community or an entire province, depending on the weather event.

Mail delivery returned to normal on Monday. After the snow cleared out, frigid temperatures settled in on the southeast. An extreme cold warning was issued Monday afternoon and was still in effect as of Mercury press time.

Environment Canada says temperatures are expected to moderate on the weekend.

The fire broke out Dec. 15 at the beloved tourist attraction in the village of Forget. Photo submitted

Crews

clearing snow after a strong weather system rolled through the southeast.

Estevan Sunflower Network has helped 22 Ukrainian families since the beginning of the war

By Ana Bykhovskaia

The provincial Sunflower Network and its Estevan branch have been working really hard since the inception of the organization, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February.

For months, a handful of local volunteers has been putting in long hours, doing their best to assist Ukrainian families, expelled by war, to relocate and/or settle in the Estevan area.

Throughout the nine months of its existence, the Estevan Sunflower has touched 22 Ukrainian families. Four of them eventually decided to move to bigger centres in Saskatchewan, while others have been settling, getting employment and integrating into life in and around Estevan.

Brian Crossman, who started the Sunflower Network back in the spring with an industry friend, Steve Halabura, who is of Ukrainian descent, said their engagement with the project has been going in waves.

“You’re really busy because you got some people coming in, and then you get them in their house and it quiets down,” Crossman explained, adding that some families needed less assistance, while others they’ve been leading right from the beginning.

Brain’s wife Valerie Crossman, who became one of the most dedicated volunteers

with the project, noted that most families they’ve helped came to the area because they’ve already had some connections here, which made their integration a bit easier.

Altogether, the past months have been really busy for the local people who committed to helping Ukrainians who were affected by the war and were willing to come and settle in Estevan. Estevan Sunflower would communicate with those who are still across the ocean or help people who already made their way to Canada or even to Estevan.

They’d respond to endless phone calls and emails, and help arrange transportation, housing and work travel when needed. They would also find furniture and appliances, clean the apartments they secured, load fridges with groceries and get other needed things like cleaning supplies, etc.

“Just all that little stuff that makes sure that they can walk in, and it’s a home right away,” Brian summarized.

They’d try helping newcomers with finding jobs and putting their kids in schools and sports. Since Estevan doesn’t have public transportation, the Crossmans would take people grocery shopping or help them find their first Canadian vehicles.

November turned out to be one of the busiest months for the organization so far,

as they welcomed five new families, including two with expecting mothers. And the Estevan Sunflower got to plan for their first wedding too.

“I don’t know where the month went because we were just so busy. I would say it was probably the better part of 25 to 30 hours a week dedicated to our families. Whether you’re searching online for furniture, picking it up or having it delivered, cleaning it, prepping the place, arranging for appointments at Southeast Newcomers so that we can get them their SIN and health cards,” Valerie explained.

“And then we’ve had our first wedding request. Our family that showed up at the very beginning of this month … asked to be married before Christmas.”

Sunflower had under a month to put the celebration together. Fortunately, a lot of people stepped forward to help with the details to organize a beautiful winter wedding at the college.

Altogether, the Crossmans said the families are settling well. Some of them could find a job in their field or trade. One couple was able to confirm their 1A driver’s licences and secured a job as tandem truck drivers, which was their dream and which also benefited a province that is short thousands of professionals. Others got employed

as cooks and caterers, beauty specialists, plumbers and more.

“The families have all engaged pretty quickly into the community. They have put children into sports, they are actively involved in the English classes that are taking place at Living Hope and at Southeast College. We’re trying to build their network so that they each have their own community,” Valerie noted, adding that they recently invited all of their families to join them for St. Nicholas Day.

“December the 19th is St. Nicholas Day in Ukraine, so we thought to honour that and to just bridge the gap between them during the first major holiday here, we’d have everybody over at the Western Star Hotel … so that they can all meet … [for] a Christmas pizza party.”

Estevan Sunflower also plans on celebrating Ukrainian Christmas, and Valerie said a couple of women will be at the Fired Up Grill helping them to get ready for their traditional Ukrainian Christmas brunch in January.

The Crossmans noted that the families are grateful for the help and are gradually becoming a part of the community. Some embraced Canada and said they’d like to stay here, but a few others said they hope to go back home as soon as it’s safe, Valerie shared.

“The stories that we hear are raw, they’re emotional. They’re very sad. You don’t hear those stories in the media. So, I’m happy that [some of our families] feel comfortable enough telling us them, but I’m devastated because I don’t know what and when safely returning home means,” Valerie said.

Outside of helping families directly, Estevan Sunflower has also been putting a lot of effort and imagination into fundraising and generating donations. They’ve received a lot of support, but since the conflict is not over, they expect more families to come next year and need help of different kinds on a regular basis.

Valerie said their biggest hurdle currently is transportation. They recently had five drivers from the Trinity Lutheran women’s group offering their help to take families around for groceries or on other necessary trips. This should relieve some pressure, but they are open to more volunteer drivers. They are also looking for affordable and reliable vehicles for rent or to purchase so that their families could become more self-sufficient.

There are several people that are on board with Sunflower and others, including Ukrainian newcomers themselves, but they’d be happy to see more volunteers joining the group. Brian added that

since the province plans on bringing in more Ukrainians, he also would like to see the government doing more to help with organization, people power, job hunting and more.

Sunflower Network also always welcomes donations of furniture, winter clothes, meat and other items. Monetary donations are important as well, as there are a lot of expenses when you help families start over in a new country. They issue tax receipts through Rosetown Community Church, which is a registered charity.

They are also constantly monitoring any job openings that could work for their families. The language barrier is currently an issue for some newcomers, but most are active with English classes. And in the meantime, e-translators help them communicate.

“Some of our families, they don’t mind starting at the bottom, they understand that they are not going to maybe necessarily do what they were doing over there, but they just want to work, just want to provide for the family again and be a caretaker,” Valerie said.

“They want to contribute,” Brian added.

For more information on the organization, their contacts and details for donations, please visit sunflowernetwork.ca or go to Estevan Sunflower Facebook page.

Santas around town

Irina Butenko, Yuliya Andrieieva and Nathaliia Kozlokov partook in Estevan Sunflower’s first Ukrainian bake sale fundraiser at Christmas Farmers Market.

Photos courtesy of Valerie Crossman

More than two dozen people dressed up as Santa Claus and ran or walked around part of Estevan for the HoHoHoliday Run on Saturday. Sporting red and white attire and beards, they braved the frigid temperatures to spread Christmas cheer around the city. They started at the Estevan Regional Nursing Home, and then they passed by St. Joseph’s Hospital’s long-term care unit and Creighton Lodge before returning to the nursing home. The Santas waved to the residents at each facility. Many passing motorists honked their horns to show their appreciation. Photo by David Willberg

About 50 people, including newcomer families and Estevan Sunflower board and volunteers, stopped at the Western Star on Monday to celebrate St. Nicholas Day. Photo courtesy of Valerie Crossman

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EDITORIAL

Getting put to the test. Twice

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The first major test for the City of Estevan’s snow removal plan in the winter of 2022-23 came through. As have the previous tests.

Estevan and other southeast communities were hit by a winter storm last week. What the storm lacked in intensity – it never forced a snowfall warning to be issued – it more than made up for in longevity. By the end of it, we had inches of snow on the ground.

The good news with a storm like that is if you have a good snow removal plan, you’re able to somewhat keep pace with the snowfall. In this case, Estevan arterial roads were still passable. You hope motorists will be able to navigate the secondary roads, too.

Then Dec. 16 hit. A blowing snow warning was issued. All of that light, fluffy snow that we had lying around town was whipped around by powerful winds. Some roads became impassable and a few had to be closed.

No matter how good your snow removal plan might be, eventually you’re going to run into a situation in which you can’t keep pace. We saw that back in April. At that point, it becomes a matter of how quickly you are able get things open again once the conditions improve.

But by the end of the day on Dec. 16, the main roads were passable. Since then, it’s been a matter of clearing the snow and removing the snow piles. They’ve done a pretty good job.

Snow removal can be one of the most divisive issues for a municipality’s operational budget. If you’re excessive, it will become a financial burden for the community, forcing municipalities to dip into other expenses. People aren’t going to be happy.

You can’t go with an all-out snowclearing effort just because you had a couple of inches of snow.

It’s going to be a costly year for snow removal in Estevan, likely the most expensive one in several years. But how many people will actually complain about the cost because they could still navigate the city? Not many.

If you do too little, then you’re going to infuriate people because they can’t get to and from work, and they can’t access the other services in the community that they need. Those who reside on quiet residential roads and drive small cars should be able to get to where they need to go.

Snow removal has become an issue in previous elections in Estevan. There were storms in the past that weren’t as sig-

nificant as the one we had last week that caused more problems, because we had to wait for the city to decide whether to proceed with an all-out snow clearing effort.

The days of saying it’s good enough for vehicles to pack down the snow over several days are seemingly over.

We’re not going to have the streets completely bare like what we would see on a highways, but it’s still easy to get around town.

Those who live on quiet residential roads in Regina would likely love to have a snow removal plan like the one in Estevan.

While our snow removal is pretty good here, people still have to be patient. You can only have so many contractors on the roads at once. And they can only move so fast. It might take a few days.

It’s also important for the City of Estevan to give residents ample notice that their streets will be cleaned, and it’s vital for people to remove their vehicles from the streets to make it easier on crews, and to help others get around the windrows.

Winter is here. The snow is going to be around for a while. It’s unlikely we’ll see grass for a few months. But we know that the next time we get a big snow event, the city will be ready for it.

Holidays don’t have to hurt the environment

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When I was a teen, I was fascinated with holiday packaging. All those bright wrappers, ribbons and bows, all those details that would make any present look so nice. For some time, I liked wrapping and packaging gifts more than anything else.

And I wasn’t the only one hypnotized by how much a package can do back then. My best friend once used the magic of packaging and gave all of us beautifully wrapped laundry soap bars, just to experiment and see our reaction when we unwrapped them. And I remember that at least I was happy with my gift – the package did its job and created too good of a first impression to even worry about what was inside.

I think I valued the packaging so much, mainly because when I was a kid there was nothing like that. There was no sparkly paper or glittering stickers. I don’t remember such a thing as packing gifts at all. To tell you the truth, there wasn’t much for presents either.

One year I got a little plastic alarm clock, and the other time I found a pencil box filled with sunflower seeds under the tree. (Everyone in my family loved them. At least that’s how I felt, maybe we just didn’t have many options for other salty treats).

I never was disappointed with my gifts. I had a good family, and we were together. The times were just tough, so we handled it the best we could.

That’s why I think when the situation in the country and in my family changed, and bright colours and an abundance of everything flooded store shelves, I got carried away for some time. I’d wrap anything and everything. I loved personalizing any gift I’d give, and most of it happened with the help of wrapping.

Ana Bykhovskaia Twenty Lines About…

That changed with time too. After a few years, gift wrapping and gift bags became a part of the norm rather than something exceptional. And once it lost its novelty, I actually started noticing how much of an extra waste it is.

Waste reduction, recycling and the amount of garbage we generate have been on my mind for many years. In St. Petersburg, a city of five million people, one of the main landfills was just on the outskirts. It was the size of a good ski hill, taking the space of a few neighbourhoods, always crowned with thousands of yappy gulls, smelling bad and really scary. That giant pile looked almost alive to me, as it’s been slowly growing, and sinking in the garbage was one of my worst nightmares for a while.

But only recently have I started doing more to reduce my waste.

I’ve been working on separating my trash and minimizing the volume of what ends up in the landfill for some time now. But even though a few years ago, I started a bag with gift bags and boxes to be reused, my garbage bin still swells faster around holidays.

I guess this time of the year we tend to go through more food and stuff, which all comes wrapped in at least two to three layers even before its holiday outfit (if it’s a gift). And to be truthful, when I’m short on time, I don’t pay as much attention to

separating the garbage, so more items end up in black bags.

Ahead of the holiday season, the Ministry of Environment along with the Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council (SWRC) encouraged residents to take those extra minutes to do their best to reduce the amount of garbage that ends up in the landfill.

“While we encourage people to think big, it doesn’t take a lot of effort to make a difference,” Environment Minister Dana Skoropad said in their holiday address.

I agree. Once I started paying more attention to my garbage, I was shocked at how little actually ends up in the landfill pile. I went from 35 litres bin to four, and with my small household, it still takes me a few days to fill. And it’s still not perfectly separated 100 per cent of the time.

Recycling and composting sure make a big difference. And there are many ways to switch to low or no waste decorating, gift-giving and wrapping and post-holiday clean-up (for some tips, check out the Saskatchewan Environment Facebook page or SWRC website).

The SWRC suggests that to keep holidays happy and the planet cleaner, one thing to have in mind is what we are trying to accomplish – have a good time with loved ones and show that we appreciate them while also trying to waste fewer resources.

That simple thought indeed inspired me to try and do better these holidays. After all, gifts do look better when they are delightfully wrapped, but the most beautiful part of any gift is the care that the giver put into it, and caring about the world around will only add to it.

The Nun earned all of its praise

David Willberg Willberg’s World

It seems like most communities in southeast Saskatchewan, regardless of the size, have a restaurant that they’re known for.

I won’t get into listing them all; I’ll forget somebody who deserves to be on the list of great restaurants in southeast Saskatchewan.

In Forget, that restaurant was The Happy Nun Café. And I’m not sure there was a restaurant that meant more to a community in our region than the Nun. After all, Forget is a community of a few dozen residents, 56 to be exact, according to the last census. Yet it had the Happy Nun.

It wasn’t just a restaurant with great food. It earned a reputation as a tourist attraction, winning a Tourism Saskatchewan Award of Excellence in 2019. And it won the Saskatchewan Country Music Association’s Award for top venue the past three years.

Talented Saskatchewan musicians wanted to play there. It was a place that offered great open mic nights. And as former Saskatchewanderer Zane Buchanan said, it was an art gallery, a library and a museum, because of the art on the walls and the books that chronicled the building’s rich history.

In a relatively short amount of time – it initially opened in 2007 – it became known as one of those places so many people wanted to visit. When you went to the Happy Nun, you knew were in for a treat.

I only made it once. I’d always wanted to take my folks there. The opportunity presented itself in 2020. Weeks after the pandemic-related lockdown came to an end, the Happy Nun was able to start hosting concerts again. Former Estevan resident Chris Henderson was playing.

Chris is an old friend, and I thought mom and dad might like hearing an Estevan guy perform in a great venue, while enjoying brisket and a good Saskatchewan beverage. As a bonus, Chris used to teach at Fillmore Central School, which is where mom went to high school.

The night was delivered on all fronts. And I knew that if the opportunity presented itself for mom and dad to have supper there again, they would enjoy it again, regardless of whether the musician is an old friend or not.

The business took pride in sourcing as much of its food and drinks as possible from Saskatchewan companies. It might mean that you have to pay a little more, but I’ll always pay for quality local products, and I know I’m not the only one.

The Happy Nun burned down on Thursday night. It was absolutely gutting to hear that this southeast Saskatchewan institution was on fire, and I felt worse when I found out it was gone. I thought about the loss of this cool old building, the loss of the artwork and the books, the loss of all the history. I thought about how much work the present owners, Leon and Gayla Gilbertson, had put into it, and the effort that previous owners had dedicated to making it a muststop for foodies and music lovers.

I thought about the adversity that this business has gone through. The previous owner, Katie Vinge-Riddell, died in a tragic vehicle collision in 2017. The Gilbertsons purchased the business and reopened it in 2018. Then COVID-19 hit. Now that they can serve meals and host entertainment without restrictions, the fire strikes.

When the fire happened, I did think of the Moosehead Inn, another beloved southeast Saskatchewan restaurant that was destroyed by fire last year, and a place that generated such fond memories for so many people.

In the case of both the Moosehead and the Happy Nun, the owners and staff had so much pride in their businesses.

The restaurant business is not an easy one, especially in the days of the internet. You can have a series of glowing reviews, but one negative comment seemingly carries so much more weight than constant praise. And to the critics, because they had one negative experience, everyone’s experience should be or will be awful.

I’ve never heard anyone say a negative thing about the Happy Nun, the service or the people who ran it. But when you put so much pride into your business, its services and keeping people happy, criticism is difficult to hear.

As long as it’s not there, people are going to miss it, whether it’s the people who live in Forget, the visitors from elsewhere who ventured off the beaten path for a meal, the music lovers who enjoyed the concerts, or the musicians who performed there.

And that’s a testament to everyone who helped make the Happy Nun an experience you won’t forget.

Local mothers help newcomer Ukrainian moms-to-be

The Moms Helping Moms Estevan initiative was created just recently, but the work they’ve been able to accomplish and the support they’ve received have been inspiring.

On Thursday, a donation of $1,000 from Trobert Gilliss Law Firm came in to help the group with their mission.

Moms Helping Moms Estevan was created in December by Becky Cassidy and Misty Pennington to help families who are coming to Estevan from Ukraine get the items they need for their children.

Cassidy said she’s been following the Sunflower Network, an organization helping Ukrainians expelled by war to come and settle in Estevan and elsewhere in the province, and noticed they were helping two families with expecting mothers.

“I knew that I needed to help because I’ve been there, I’ve had three [kids] of my own, and I couldn’t imagine being in that situation. So, I decided to reach out to Val [Crossman with the Sunflower Network] and ask if we could help by helping parents get what they need for the children once they arrive,” Cassidy explained.

“Val and Brian [Crossman with the Sunflower Network] have done so much for so many people. I know that they’re always on the go, running around trying to help. So, my friend Misty Pennington and I decided that we would try and help by taking on a small portion of what they do, using our network of parents and friends that we already have here in the southeast. So, we created Moms Helping Moms.”

Cassidy and Pennington curated a list of everything a new mom could possibly need.

The group created a signup.com website, and leveraged their mom network in Estevan and social media to generate attention to the cause. Within seven days, the southeast corner of the province had donated all 140 items that were listed on the website.

And the expecting mothers that arrived in Estevan recently were grateful for the support.

“They’re full of gratitude. They’re still trying to acclimate to the cold weather in our community, but they’re just so grateful and happy with the generosity from southeast Saskatchewan. It’s been overwhelming the amount that people are willing to give in such a good way,” Cassidy said.

The immediate outpouring of support from Estevan and area to this cause is unprecedented, the group organizers said.

“When we heard about this cause, being a mother myself, I could not imagine being in that situation; we knew we needed to help,”

said Kathryn Gilliss, partner at the Trobert Gilliss Law firm. “This donation can be used as seed money for the group to ensure they have the items that are necessary in order for the newcomers to feel as though they have a good head start for their children when they arrive here in Estevan.”

“We would really like to thank Tobert Gilliss Law Firm for their donation. Kathryn Gilliss is a mom herself, and I know she’s a big community supporter. And we’re very grateful for that donation; it’ll go a long way for our committee in the future,” Cassidy said.

Going forward, the Moms Helping Moms Estevan committee will work closely with the community, the Estevan Sunflower Network, Southeast Newcomer Services and with the families directly to identify the needs of the children who have arrived recently or who are coming to Estevan from Ukraine.

“Once we have an idea

of the age and the gender of the children that are coming, we will start collecting other items for them,” Cassidy said.

“But if somebody wants to make a donation towards this initiative, they can do so … through Estevan Sunflower … A lot of items we received are gently used or secondhand ... There is so much stuff that kids grow out of so quickly that it’s like new, and that’s what people were willing to give.

“And the money that we received from Trobert Gilliss Law Firm will help us in the case that we don’t have something that we need ... in the future for the kids who continue to come or who are already here.”

Tax receipts for monetary donations are available. For more details reach out to Estevan Sunflower through their Facebook page.

Additional details on Moms Helping Moms Estevan, their needs and progress can be found on social media.

Krista Avery

Kathryn Gilliss, second from left, presented a cheque to Becky Cassidy, left, and Misty Pennington, second from right, with the Moms Helping Moms initiative, and Valerie Crossman with the Sunflower Network. Photo courtesy of Becky Cassidy

The leadership group of eight students at Bienfait Weldon School raised money for the Estevan Community Hamper Association’s Angel Tree by having a gourmet hot chocolate fundraiser and sloppy joe hot lunch. They were able to raise $1,055.55, and then the Weldon school community council matched the amount. The student leaders then topped up the amount for a total of $2,500. The kids went shopping with their teachers, and the gifts were picked up by Sgt. Braden Lonsberry with the Estevan Police Service, who was there to help deliver the gifts to the Angel Tree.

Photo courtesy of Theresa Hermann

Estevan made Christmas brighter for over 400 kids

The Estevan Angel Tree program received tremendous support this year and was able to fulfill the wishes of 417 local kids this holiday season.

Char Seeman with the Estevan Community Hamper Association and the Angel Tree, said the campaign went amazing this year. They had some returning supporters and also new ones joining them in their effort to ensure that every child in the Estevan area has a gift to unwrap on Christmas.

“The police did their school toy drive, and the police and fire did their big toy drive. The library did a toy drive [for the first time this year]. And there were a few other places that did toy drives. And then we had our Mr. Mike’s, Kessel Run Games and Walmart Angel Trees,” Seeman listed.

“So, we certainly got enough toys.”

Every year the Angel Tree collects Christmas gifts for kids ages newborn to 16, and Seeman said that every time they come short on teenagers’ presents. So they go and do more shopping for teens and other groups that are a bit short on gifts, using monetary donations.

“We did a fair amount of shopping this year, but we had a lot of donations,” Seeman said.

The hamper association and Angel Tree programs are run by the same people, and Seeman said when it comes to monetary donations in most cases, people tell them to use funds for any of the two programs.

But if donors are specific about their money going to either children’s gifts or food for hampers, the as-

the

ages zero to 16 to be put under the Christmas trees this year.

sociation is precise about following their wishes.

The program also provides parents with stocking stuffers. They also had over a

hundred scarves donated for parents to pick some if they need them for their kids.

Seeman thanked everyone involved with the pro-

C h r i st ma s Christmas

gram and all people who donated so that they could make sure it indeed feels like Christmas in every household this year.

“I just want to say a huge thank you to the community. We couldn’t do it without them,” Seeman said.

With support from

community, the Estevan Angel Tree was able to obtain over 400 gifts for kids

Photos courtesy of Char Seeman

The Angel Tree Toy Store invited families on their list to come to pick gifts and Christmas stocking stuffers for their children at no cost.

Many groups, organizations and businesses held toy drives this year to help collect children’s gifts for the Angel Tree Toy Store.

BUSINESS

Estevan said goodbye to one of its pillars

By Ana Bykhovskaia and David Willberg

“One of a kind,” “amazing,” “kickass” and “ambassador for the city of Estevan”. These are among the words and descriptions being used to describe Melodye Pierson, who died suddenly on Dec. 9 at her home in Estevan at the age of 76.

Throughout her life, one way or another, Melodye seemingly affected and influenced every person in Estevan, and hundreds of accolades flooded community pages in the days after her passing, as people were saying goodbye to one of its greatest citizens.

Melodye was remembered as a “wonderful”, “very special”, “upbeat”, “kind and caring”, “extraordinary” and “generous” person, as a “ray of sunshine”, “a great lady with a heart of gold” and “a powerful soul”.

Born in Estevan in 1946, Melodye always loved and cared for the community, but didn’t always live here. She received a secretarial degree, met her husband Bert and for 11 years they lived in Winnipeg, before coming back to Estevan and joining her family in their businesses, the Beefeater.

Once they came back, Estevan became their one and only community.

Since 1976, Melodye has been paramount in helping the family business grow from a small

hotel and restaurant to the highly-successful business it has been for decades. She was a partner in the family Beefeater Motor Inn (now the Days Inn). She was also a part owner of the Sport Xtreme store along with her son Brad.

In 2002, Melodye was recognized with the Ida Petterson Memorial Award for Outstanding Female Entrepreneur at the SaskPower/Quota International Women of Today Awards.

And she was a mainstay in all aspects of the business.

Her sons Jeff and Brad said they were touched by the outpouring of support from the community. They learned so much from her, from how to be a good person to the importance of giving back to the community through volunteering, from the value of having a positive attitude to the need for a good work ethic.

“Because she had cancer so long ago, she reached out to so many people that maybe just had a cancer diagnosis. She just went that extra mile all the time, welcoming people to the community, supporting the community,” said Brad.

She learned about the value of good customer service from her parents, George and Dorothy Symons.

“She was everything about someone’s experience in her business,” said Brad.

The brothers had many conversations over the years about all that their mother has done, but she never did it to get attention or to draw attention to herself.

“When she did get recognition, she was humbled by it,” said Jeff. “I’m so thankful that some of those things happened because she just deserved to be honoured.”

After Bert died in 2019, she started Act 2, a support group for widows in the community.

“People that she didn’t know before then are just so thankful she was there to step up when they had lost their husband, or maybe they had lost their husband 10 years ago,” said Brad. “That, to me, was one of her biggest accomplishments.”

Volunteering has always been a big part of Melodye’s life. When the kids were small, she partook in projects pertaining to them. She was involved with the Estevan Bruins since their inception in 1957. In 1979, the Piersons opened their home to out-of-town players as billet parents. Melodye remained a billet after Bert passed away and became the longest-serving billet parent with the Bruins’ organization.

Melodye’s family along with other volunteers and businesses also put all their efforts together to make the Estevan Motor Speed-

way happen. The Souris Valley Theatre and Creighton Lodge were some other involvements. She was also a big supporter of the Community Hamper Association, the United Way Estevan and the St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation, among others.

In March 2021, the Mercury featured her in our Women of Estevan special. In the interview, she said the balance between work, family and many volunteer jobs wasn’t necessarily easy to maintain, but she had to make it work, as every project she was involved with enriched her life, and also was important for the community.

It’s probably impossible to count how many projects, campaigns and organizations she had volunteered for, as it’s always been just a natural part of life and she worked with what came up, thus showing her love for her hometown in the most genuine way. And the community loved her back.

“She truly was one of a kind. Such a humble, kind and caring human. She did things for so many people and organizations from her heart. She will be missed by so many people,” Sheila McGillicky wrote on Facebook.

“Mel was definitely one of the kindest, most giving people that I know. What a loss for the Estevan com-

munity,” Gail Taillon said in her post.

“She was truly an ambassador for the City of Estevan with her volunteer support of everything from the Bruins to fundraisers to the hospital. You name it, Mel was involved,” MaryLou Rosengren shared on Facebook.

“She was such a prominent figure in our community and such a supporter of the people within,” Arlene Lafrentz wrote.

“My kids have always called Blackbeard’s ‘the restaurant castle’, and they considered her the queen. It really does feel like we’ve lost a piece of royalty today,” Jamie Guertin shared.

In November, she was recognized with the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal for her years of volunteering in and for the community.

A come-and-go public visitation took place on Dec. 14 at Hall Funeral Services in Estevan and the celebration of Melodye’s life was held on the following day at Trinity Lutheran Church in Estevan.

Melodye’s family asked anyone wishing to donate in her memory, to do so to the Estevan Community Hamper Association and the Angel Tree.

“We are saddened and heartbroken at the loss of our greatest champion and our biggest supporter Melodye Pierson,” the Estevan Community Hamper Association and Angel Tree said on Facebook after her death. “We will forever remember her words of wisdom, her never-ending flow of ideas, her kick-ass attitude and her occasional dropping of the f-bomb at the most appropriate times.”

Melodye Pierson, who was a fixture at the Days Inn and in the community, passed away at her home in Estevan on Dec. 9. File photo

The Estevan Kinettes wrapped up another successful season of their annual PJ Project, collecting hundreds of pyjamas so that all kids on their list would have a new set to put on for Christmas.

Chelsey Istace, who is the chairwoman for the PJ Project committee, said donations this year came in waves, but after all, they were able to collect over 400 pairs and reach their goal.

“Donations of pyjamas started off slow the first week and then the last two weeks it really took off,” Istace shared. “We had long-time supporters like the Dustin Pratt Memorial Fund and the Wicklow Centre donating larger size pjs as they have the past few years.

“The Estevan Bruins reached out and asked us to come and collect at one of their games. We had family and friends contacting the Kinettes asking how they could help, and we were receiving donations up until the night before we started giving them out.”

Thanks to the support coming from local individuals and businesses, altogether the PJ Project went smoother than before, Istace said.

“This year, collecting pjs was a lot less stressful than most because of all of the support we had coming in from our community.”

Most sets of pyjamas were donated to the organization, but in the end, they still had to go out and do some shopping using monetary donations to get all the

Even though it was a bit slower than the last couple of years, the Estevan Community Hamper Association still had a re-

Grieving During the Holidays

ally busy season ahead of Christmas, as they were working to fill hundreds of holiday food packages for local families who may

needed sizes. The committee ended up buying more than 100 pairs of pyjamas with most being purchased in Estevan and a few pairs bought in Weyburn due to lack of sizes.

“Thank you to everyone who gave monetary donations as it helped us fill in all the missing sizes,” Istace said.

“The Estevan Kinettes would like to thank everyone for their continued support. We want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!”

Pyjamas were distributed during the days and from the location of the Angel Tree Toy Store. All kids that were on the Angel Tree list this year also received a pair of pyjamas from the Estevan Kinette’s PJ Project.

need a bit of extra support this year.

Char Seeman co-chairs the committee alongside Heather Woodhouse. Shelley Dayman, Jolie Bayda, Carry Curtis and Jackie McGillicky are the other members. Seeman said once they opened up for registrations and referrals for hampers, it was really busy, but then it became a bit quieter. They also were firm on their application deadline, which was Dec. 2 this year, so some people who missed it were redirected to the Salvation Army for support.

gram. The association covered the cost of groceries and the co-op filled hampers for them at no extra charge. Also, instead of doing a delivery, they asked the recipients to come and pick up their hampers between Dec. 21-23.

“It just worked so much better,” Seeman said.

The association was able to put a few items back that they had to cut last year. Seeman said they felt they had the funds to add a little more for the families.

wouldn’t be able to help so many people if not for the generosity of others, as the support was once again really strong.

“The support was amazing. Everything was really, really good. We didn’t really have to go out to anybody.

“And the Pierson family asked that all the donations

in memory of Mel [Melodye Pierson, a long-time volunteer and supporter of Estevan Community Hamper Association, who passed away early December] were towards us. So, I don’t think we’ll have any money worries that’s for sure,” Seeman said ahead of scheduled hamper pick up dates.

Give yourself the time and grace you need this holiday season.

In the end, they received slightly fewer applications, but it could have been also due to some positive economic changes for some families.

After all, the association, with support from the community and help from Southern Plains Coop, filled 218 hampers of various sizes.

Seeman said they took the best practices they came up with during the pandemic years, but also brought back some of the elements of their original Christmas Hamper pro-

“Other than that, everything else pretty much stayed the same,” Seeman said.

Families were provided with anything they may need for a Christmas supper, as well as for a nice festive breakfast and a few items they may need in the following days.

“We added the cereal back in and some lunch meat for lunch. We added a few things back in,” Seeman shared.

Hampers came in several sizes depending on how big the recipient families were, with extra small and small completed with chickens and other ones filled with turkeys. All other items were standardized and just scaled to meet the particular family’s needs.

Seeman said they

From left, Chelsey Istace, Jolie Bayda, Kristol Nagy, Raelene Fieber and Susan Colbow with the Estevan Kinette Club collected over 400 pyjamas for local kids this year.

Photo sourced from the Estevan Kinettes Club Facebook page

Sask. NDP leader and MLA get a look at Boundary Dam, CCS and mining operations

By David Willberg

A couple of Saskatchewan NDP MLAs, including party leader Carla Beck, were in Estevan on Dec. 13 to get a closer look at elements of the city’s energy sector.

Leader Carla Beck and Regina-University MLA Aleana Young toured the Boundary Dam Power Station, including the carbon capture and storage facility, and then stopped by one of the Westmoreland Coal Company’s draglines.

“I’ve always wanted to go on the tour. I know it’s something I’ve been trying to set up for a long time and I finally got out there today,” said Beck, who was quite impressed with what she saw at Boundary Dam.

“There is a lot of pride in the work that’s gone on out there, the first of its kind, the only one of its kind,” she added later.

Young, who is the critic for SaskPower and Energy and Resources, among other portfolios, used to work with the Petroleum Technology Resource Centre during the construction of the Boundary Dam CCS facility from 2011-2014.

“I spent many hours a day touring the facility or bringing folks down from the city, so it was kind of cool to be back and see it ticking along,” said Young. But she had never been to a mine site, and that was a great experience.

“For anyone who doesn’t work in the industry, they’re pretty neat places to get to spend a little time, and also pretty iconic places in the history of Saskatchewan and power generation,” said Young.

Beck has made multiple trips to the southeast, including a visit days after she became leader in June. Her brother Blair resides in Carnduff

There are hundreds of good, “mortgage-paying jobs” at Boundary Dam, the Shand Power Station and at the local mines, they said, and each job creates other jobs in this area. If those jobs are lost, Beck and Young said there would be a considerable impact on Estevan.

But they did not commit to further investment for CCS technology at Shand and for Unit 6 at Boundary Dam should the NDP

return to power in the next election.

“It’s something we were talking about, not so much the folks at Boundary, but the people at the mines,” said Young. “You look at the clean electricity standards [from the federal government] that are, barring changes, likely to come into place in the next decade here. You look at what that means for certainly the community of Estevan and most directly the people employed at the mines.”

The NDP has been calling for the provincial and federal governments to get to the table, “act like grownups” and have a conversation, Young said, because for the people at the mines and the power stations, there’s a lot of uncertainty.

And if Shand and other units at Boundary Dam are shut down, Young wants to know the likelihood of the mines remaining here for the sake of Boundary Dam Unit 3, which has been retrofitted with CCS technology.

“That is a huge piece of economic uncertainty for the province, for power generation in Saskatchewan but also for all the people directly and indirectly employed by the mines,” said Young.

If the federal government were to allow for investment into CCS, then they need to look at the timelines and the business case.

“The timelines are looming. Twenty-six per cent of the power in the province right now is generated by coal. What is the plan? If there will be a phase-out of coal, what is the plan for those thousand workers who are currently employed there? What is the plan for investments in a city like Estevan, where there’s a lot of opportunity, but it’s difficult with this kind of uncertainty looming to attract that investment?” said Beck.

The federal government needs to recognize the realities facing Saskatchewan and how their decisions for Western Canada impact communities like Estevan, Young said.

The fall sitting of the Saskatchewan legislature

came to an end recently. Affordability was a huge issue for communities throughout the province. So were health care and jobs.

“The work that our team had done around connecting with people and bringing their voices through our voice – or literally bringing those people to the legislature to raise those concerns – I think was effective. I felt good about the session and look forward to continuing the outreach and making sure that the things that we’re saying, in the legislature, are connected to the concerns, as well as the hopes and the opportunities that we see at the province.’

She noted that the government talked about how great everything is, but then in the throne speech, they said it was time to close the remaining Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority stores without notice or consultation.

Beck said the NDP has placed an emphasis in the past six months on getting out and talking to people, and they want to take a deeper look at opportunities and challenges.

Multiple collisions and fire on agenda for EFRS last week

The Estevan Fire Rescue Service responded to a number of calls last week, but fortunately, no individuals were injured in any of the occurrences.

The first occurrence for the week was a collision that occurred on Dec. 12 at about 5:30 p.m. in the northeast area. However, this call for service didn’t take too much time, as the incident command responded and determined that EFRS assistance wasn’t required, so the crews stood down.

Another vehicle collision occurred Dec. 14 at around 2:30 p.m., about 15 kilometres northwest of Estevan on Highway 39.

Estevan Fire Chief Rick Davies said there were multiple vehicles involved in the

collision. There were no entrapments, and nobody was injured. Fire crews assisted other emergency services on scene.

On Dec. 16 at about 2:30 p.m., firefighters were dispatched to a possible fire at a business located on the northeast side of Estevan.

“We determined that there was a small fire in an appliance at that place. It was an industrial washing machine. We confirmed that the fire was out and the electrical was disconnected from it. So, no further issues there,” Davies said.

Dec. 17 the department was called to a vehicle versus wildlife road incident that occurred at about 8:15 p.m. just over 10 kilometres west of Frobisher. As crews

were responding to that call, three minutes later, a report of another collision came in from the northeast side of the city. One of the firefighters responded to that call and determined that the fire department’s assistance was not required.

So, the crews continued with the first call, which involved a moose. No injuries

were reported, so firefighters assisted on site.

A commercial fire alarm also went off at about 3 a.m. on Dec. 16 on the northwest side of the city. Firefighters responded and determined there was no emergency, as a glitch in the alarm system triggered it. Another one was triggered on Dec. 17 at about 3:30 p.m., which was

determined to be faulty as well. And just a few hours later on the same day, a commercial fire alarm went

off in a building in the central part of the city. Crews responded and confirmed it was false.

NDP MLA Aleana Young and party leader Carla Beck were in Estevan on Dec. 13.

The Canadian Pacific Holiday Train rolled through the southeast on Sunday and then headed out to Moose Jaw to wrap up the 2022 Christmas season.

The brighty-decorated symbol of Canadian holidays first stopped at North Portal, bringing in the Christmas spirit to the community. A performance by Kelly Prescott and Alan Doyle was followed by a community potluck in the village. They also announced the winners of their annual Light Up North Portal contest.

Scott and Dorna MacDonald won the People’s Choice award, while Warren and Verla Fair became the All Lights Draw winners.

Along its route, the train was also raising money, food and awareness for local food banks. Those who attend the local shows were encouraged to bring a donation for the Salvation Army’s Food Bank.

CP also provided support to the cause. They donated $4,500 to go towards food banks.

The temperature was well below zero, but with no wind, the sunny Sunday afternoon turned out to be great, and hundreds of people attended the event in Estevan. Kids were sliding down a snow hill and parents were enjoying the music show. Many people also brought their donations to support local food bank.

Jane Anne Ireland with the Estevan Salvation Army said while they didn’t have the total for donations from the public, the campaign was very well received. They collected many food and monetary donations that will help them keep the shelves of the food bank replenished to support others in the community.

The train that visited the southeast has been touring the mid-west U.S. since early December. It crossed the Canada-U.S. border at North Portal, and Prescott said she was happy to finish the tour in the homeland.

From Estevan, the train headed to Weyburn and then Moose Jaw, which was its final stop for the year.

Estevan became the third-last stop for the CP Holiday Train in 2022. After visiting North Portal and Estevan on Sunday, the crew headed out to Weyburn and Moose Jaw to wrap up their season.

Kelly Prescott was one of the two entertainers travelling with the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train this holiday season. Photos by Anastasiia Bykhovskaia

Virtual medical visits now available in Estevan

Dr. Boye Adeboye at the Estevan Family Health Practice has started offering virtual visits for patients.

According to Adeboye, his wish in starting a new practice has always been leveraging information technology to improve access for patients. They started with online booking, outbound email communication to clients and a checkin kiosk.

“During the short existence of our practice, we have kept up to date with the Saskatchewan government plan to allow and facilitate virtual visits,” Adeboye wrote in a news release.

Now that the provincial government has given them permission, they are pleased to be an early adopter of what Adeboye said is truly the way forward in what he views as the 21st-century practice of medicine.

He tried it for the first time earlier this month and it worked quite well.

“We’ve invited a couple of people to just try it out to see that it works, to see that the voice connection

with all of the individuals is fine,” said Adeboye. They wanted to have a couple of trial sessions before announcing that it’s available to use.

This idea was born during the COVID-19 pandemic when the government allowed family doctors to take telephone call appointments for the first time.

“We are not the first to try the ... app for the province,” said Adeboye. “I think we are just bringing it on board for Estevan.”

There are many advantages to having a virtual visit, he said. First, unless an in-person visit is necessary, people do not have to stop their normal activities, come to the office and wait for an appointment that might be running late.

“You can continue with your routine activity and when the physician calls, you simply accept the call, and you can meet in a secure virtual room to discuss your health needs,” said Adeboye.

There is the potential in the future to allow other people to sit in for appointments.

“If somebody had a family member in Ontario or in the States, and they want to participate and listen in on that consult, we can have easier access. Essentially if someone is worried, their friend or family member

... can just be in the consult instead of flying down to Estevan. But again, we’re not at that stage. At the moment, we’re still focusing on a simple call so far.”

A virtual visit can especially be advantageous

Thank you for your continued support & business this past year. Wishing everyone a safe and Merry Christmas & all the best in the New Year!

in the winter when there is a risk of a fall or injury for vulnerable populations. It also means families can save the cost and stress of organizing transportation to bring their loved ones to the office.

“It is important to understand that whilst virtual visits are beneficial, not all types of situations are suitable for a virtual visit,” he said. “If you are very ill, or new symptoms are appearing despite treatment, it is best to come into the office for an in-person review.

“Matters or requests like prescription refills, referral requests, sick notes, a mental health review, lab test review, general followup, rashes and mild illness/ infection are ideally the best scenarios for a virtual visit request,” said Adeboye.

There will also be those who will prefer an inperson visit. Also, a person might have a virtual appointment and then require a face-to-face follow-up meeting.

Adeboye said it’s hard to tell how many people will want to have an online appointment.

“When we started doing telephone calls, we thought most people will still want to come in, but we’re surprised at how many people were happy to do telephone calls,” said Adeboye. “Now with the opportunity to have a video, I think there will be more people keen on that.”

There is also a limit on how many virtual appointments they can have in a year.

To meet online, the SK Virtual Visit app must be downloaded to your phone or computer. Then you sign up on the app; Adeboye noted the information required is no more than what already exists on the Saskatchewan eHealth portal. After this, you can receive an invitation to join the clinic’s virtual room. This invite is personal to you and your dependants making the virtual visits, very secure and confidential.

“Every time you have an appointment, you will receive a message when the doctor is ready. Just like a phone call, all you need to do is accept the call to start a video virtual visit.”

403 Kensington Ave 403 Ave Box 1518, Estevan, SK Box SK

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

Tel: (306) 634-8655 Tel: 634-8655 Fax: (306) 634-8028 Fax: 634-8028

Traffic Bylaw 2016-1963

Depositing Substances

53. (1) No person shall deposit any natural substances on any highway, public sidewalk, boulevard or ditch within the City of Estevan (3) The occupier of property in the City of Estevan shall remove any snow, ice or other obstruction from the public sidewalk adjacent to such property within twenty-four (24) hours of the time such snow, ice or other obstruction appears on such public sidewalk

* In the event that this subsection is not complied with, the City may remove such snow, ice or other obstructions at the expense of such occupants or owner, and in the event of the non-payment of such expense, such expense may be charges against the property as a special assessment to be recovered in like manner as and with the taxes.

GUARD/MATRON

of Police, Estevan Police Service 301-11th Avenue, Estevan, Saskatchewan, S4A 1C7 306-634-4767

Dr. Boye Adeboye is now offering virtual medical visits for patients. Photo courtesy of Dr. Adeboye