It is the Downtown EASTER EGG HUNT on Saturday from 10 - 2! Kids can visit Henders and other DBA members to pick up their egg and stamp their sheet. See “Estevan Downtown Business Association” on FB for details
Thanking the best. Local farming family recognized during the Farmers’ Appreciation Evening.
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Reason to celebrate. Lampman marks the completion of arena upgrade project.
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Saluting the season. Recognizing the Bruins on this past season on
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By David Willberg
The United Way Estevan reflected on another successful telethon, support during the past year and elected its new executive during its annual general meeting March 29 at the Beefeater Plaza.
“My parents used to dress me up in a clown costume and paint my cheeks with pink lipstick, and I would sing Happy Birthday to residents at nursing homes,” said Beaulieu.
Raising funds and having fun. Estevan Wildlife Federation holds annual dinner and auction.
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Audited financial statements released during the meeting show that the United Way received $386,658 in donations for the year ending Dec. 31, 2022. The vast majority of the money, $350,053, came during the United Way’s annual telethon in October.
The goal for the year was $350,000 to support the United Way’s member agencies and community partners. The United Way eclipsed the goal in the final moments of the broadcast.
Among the expenses for last year, the United Way distributed $237,500 in allocations for its member agencies, and $64,405 for the community impact projects.
While she doesn’t sing as much as she used to, Beaulieu said she has been part of boards and events, and has made life-long friends through these organizations.
“Giving back to the community has been important in my personal and work life. Through my employment, I’ve had opportunities to talk to students at schools, present on important topics and be a role model and a mentor,” said Beaulieu.
She joined the United Way board in 2021 because she knew the impact the United Way has on so many programs in the community. During her first telethon, she saw the passion and dedication of the board members, and how they are the driving force behind the success of the telethon.
Great talent. Estevan and District Music Festival comes to an end celebrating young local musicians.
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As for the executive, Robert Godfrey’s one-year term as president has wrapped up, and he passed the presidential gavel over to Michelle Beaulieu.
Beaulieu said she has long enjoyed being involved with the community. When she was a child, she performed at the Communithon, which is Weyburn’s answer to the telethon.
“When I received the phone call, asking me to be president for this year, I was shocked, and quite frankly unsure. To be the face of an organization that raises hundreds of thousands of dollars that our community relies on each year is a grand task. However, I am proud, and thrilled to see where this year takes us.”
Beauleiu hopes the United
Way can exceed expectations, reach more community members and continue expanding its impact in order to support member agencies and community impact initiatives.
She thanked everyone for donating, volunteering and spreading the good word about the United Way.
Beaulieu also credited Godfrey for leading the board with poise, and she congratulated him for what was a successful year, despite the stress of the telethon’s final hours.
Godfrey said he grew up loving the United Way, from
performing when he was young to joining the board in 2016. He was nervous when he became president a year ago, but he was excited to have the opportunity and he was glad to have the support of the board.
The Day of Caring in May was fantastic, he said, and the telethon proved to be exciting with the dramatic ending and the most live entertainment it has had since before the pandemic.
“It was exciting and it was just an amazing weekend getting to be back at the legion
hall and spending time with all of the board members, all of the member agencies and all the entertainers. It was just amazing,” said Godfrey. “Reaching that goal for our member agencies was a fantastic feeling.”
He thanked everyone in attendance and all of the United Way’s supporters for their contributions.
Godfrey also attended the national convention in Winnipeg
director
By Ana Bykhovskaia
The Estevan Kinette Club invited guests to join them for the celebration of their 75th birthday on Saturday.
Cameron Kemp, national president for Kin Canada, along with Mayor Roy Ludwig and Estevan MLA Lori Carr, were among the dignitaries. Many nice words were shared about the club, its achievements, successes and development.
“The Kinette Club of Estevan has and continues to strive to uphold the traditions and spirit of Kin as founder Hal [Rogers] intended. Your club has numerous outstanding leaders. Your club continues to serve your community after 75 years in the association and your club exudes what is truly meant by the term Kin fellowship,” said Kemp.
“As national president of Kin Canada, I would like to thank you, the Kinette Club of Estevan, for everything you have given to Kin Canada, District 3 and your community over the last 75 years. Your club truly has a spark for service and your community is better for it.
“The future of Kin and volunteerism within the community of Estevan is bright because of sparks like your club throughout the association.”
Local president Krissy Wallman was the master of ceremonies for the event. She thanked everyone for joining them in celebrating their diamond jubilee of serving the community’s greatest need.
After Kinette Chelsey Istace gave land acknowledgement, Estevan Kinette Jessica Beal read a letter from Sheila Laverty, the national service director.
“Your fellow Kin recognizes your club’s dedication,
creativity and hard work. The community of Estevan has benefited from your passion for service through your many club projects. From your support of Telemiracle, Kin Kindness Days and the Prairie Blankets of Angels Sask. your club has demonstrated a strong belief that as Kin we can continue to make our communities a better place to live.
“Your 10-year, $65,000 commitment to support the maternity department at St. Joseph’s Hospital will provide much-needed care for families at an important moment in their lives. Clubs like you are a spark in Kin. Thank you for your dedication to servicing the community’s greatest need,” Laverty said in a letter.
Kinette Janelle Luddington walked the audience through the history and many projects Estevan’s club has taken upon over the years.
The Kinette Club established itself as a force in Estevan on April 2, 1948, at a charter meeting at the Stone Church. Back then, working on the Milk for Britain campaign, the members helped to provide funds to aid the United Kingdom’s youth in
recovering from the effects of the Second World War. Luddington pointed out that as there was no national charter at that time, they began as an auxiliary of the Kinsmen. Originally, the Kinettes formed as a social club, but soon they initiated a number of projects that were needed in Estevan, and they became a part of the community, said Luddington.
“Some of those projects were a donation of gifts to the children’s ward at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Coats for Kids, which provided winter clothes for kids in Estevan, March of Dimes, Furnish the Kinsmen School, blood donor clinics, Christmas hampers, provided [help] for babies with special needs, the support of the Kin workshop, now Estevan Diversified Services, the Fair Booth, helping with Christmas tree sales and wrapping gifts at Christmas,” Luddington listed.
“The Kinettes also sponsored the Block Parent program, started a Buckle-up Baby program, collected mother’s milk for the Milk Bank program, and helped create popular community events such as the Kin Carnival. They held other events
such as the bicycle rally, which taught kids to safely ride their bikes, and helped with babysitting courses twice a year. The local club also raised funds to give back to the community through Bingos, fundraising and other raffles. The money generated was used to support many good programs. In the past, the Kinettes have helped to fund a van for SMILE Services, the beginning of 911 services for Estevan and the Violence Intervention Program (now Envision Counselling and Support Centre).
“Many of these programs have been taken over by other organizations, but we owe their start in part to the Estevan Kinette Club.”
Over the years, the Kinettes have introduced many more projects into their club, which include the successful craft show that they took over from the Quota Club around 2007. They partnered with Sun Country Hearing in 2014 to bring in the PJ Project, making sure every kid in the area would have a new pair of pyjamas for Christmas. They fund some awards for the Estevan and District Music Festival and
review local recipient bursary applications, and always try to find other community initiatives, whether big or small, to volunteer at or provide funds for.
“Two initiatives we are proud of are our naming rights at the St. Joseph’s Hospital maternity ward and sponsoring the local all-female football team, the Estevan Kinette Viragos for the past few years,” Luddington said. “We also volunteer with our Kinsmen brothers at ... our annual Christmas party, the Audrey Fichter Rink and Kin Park. And our big Canada Day celebration at Kin Park that started in 1999.”
Local Kinettes also fundraise for and volunteer at Telemiracle every year.
“A highlight moment for Estevan Kinettes at TeleMiracle was our very own Susan Colbow as TM 42 chair [in 2018], and that year was a record-breaking total from previous years. Something our Kinettes are very proud of,” Luddington said.
Kinettes also participate in Kin Canada Kindness Days and put a lot of effort into raising awareness and funds for research on cystic fibrosis.
In his address, Ludwig thanked the local club for all they do for the community and the residents, specifically noting their work at Kin Park, the support of the maternity ward at the hospital and their engagement around Christmas time.
“Without your 75 years of work and commitment, I don’t know what we would have done but I do know this, we would not be in the place that we are today without your help,” Ludwig said.
Carr also thanked the Kinettes for all they do for Estevan. She noted that the founding members of the local Kinette Club were also core community people. They are now commemorated with street names, and Carr said she is sure there are more streets to be named after great Kinettes.
“Seventy-five years truly is an amazing accomplishment. Each and every one of you should be proud, and I know you have many more years of service and fellowship ahead of you. Congratulations and may this day of celebration and reflection remind you of why you joined the club in the first place,” Carr said.
Former Kinette Kasey McIntyre, who’s organized many CF events and has been a true champion for the cause, couldn’t be at the celebration but forwarded a touching letter about CF, Kin and her involvement.
Raelene Fieber, Kinettes CF captain, read McIntyre’s address.
The Estevan Kinette Club has just over 20 members and always welcomes new people willing to socialize and be a part of communityoriented projects. To find out more, people can text them through the Estevan Kinette Club Facebook page or talk to any of the members.
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is resuming regular hours of service at 42 ports of entry across Canada, including several in southeast Saskatchewan, making it easier for people entering Canada via the States.
But that doesn’t mean hours will be extended for those heading to the U.S. Marco Mendicino, Canada’s minister of Public Safety, has announced that as of 12:01 a.m. (Eastern Standard Time) on March 31, the CBSA is reinstating prepandemic operational hours of service at three air and 39 land ports of entry (POE).
The Port of Estevan will be open seven days a week from 8 a.m.-9 p.m. from the second Sunday in March to the first Saturday in November for those entering Canada. It will be 9 a.m.-10 p.m. the rest of the year.
Similar hours will be in effect for Carievale, Northgate and Oungre. North Portal will remain open 24 hours, seven days a week.
Meanwhile, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced Monday that it will begin a 120-day temporary expansion of hours at four northern POEs. The
Friday, April 7 - Wednesday, April 12
four locations include Northgate and Sherwood in North Dakota. Sherwood is located south of Carievale.
This expansion will temporarily add two additional hours of operation, resulting in new hours of 9 a.m.-7 p.m. (North Dakota time).
The ports of Noonan (located south of Estevan) and Fortuna (located south of
Oungre) will remain open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (North Dakota time).
For several years, the CBP says it has documented a reduction in privately-owned vehicle and pedestrian traffic at some POEs along its northern border, with some ports having permanently-reduced operational hours prior to 2019.
“As part of CBP’s obligation to use its resources responsibly and most efficiently, continual evaluations of workload, staffing, operating costs and traffic volumes were performed to align operating hours that reflect traffic patterns and place employees where they can be most useful,” the CBP said in a news release.
According to the CBP, traffic volumes in North Dakota and Idaho remain approximately 39 per cent below their 2019 levels. At the conclusion of the temporary expansion of hours, the CBP will conduct an analysis of traffic flow including an hourly breakdown, overall volume and types of conveyances that crossed the border.
« A1 “Everyone in this room knows about the impact of Untied Way Estevan, but seeing what United Way does for communities across Canada was amazing,” said Godfrey.
The local United Way has implemented some of the ideas they heard at the national convention.
Mark Pettitt is the new first vice-president. A longtime member of the board, he was also president in 2007-08.
Breanne Van De Woestyne is the second vice-president.
Lynn Trobert will remain the United Way’s treasurer. Pettitt, Doug McDavid,
Linda Murphy and Wendy Gustafson were elected to another three years on the board of directors. Dawn Densley, who had been on the board since 1999, has decided not to seek another term.
Representatives of the United Way’s members agencies and community partners were in attendance to explain the work they do in the community, the support they have from the United Way and how the contributions allow them to serve people.
The United Way has also launched its annual campaign for more member agencies. Registered charities that
Born March 2, 2023
serve the community can apply to United Way Estevan for funding. The United Way assesses these applications, based on how their work aligns with United Way Canada’s three focus areas: moving people from poverty to possibility; helping kids be all they can be; and building strong and healthy communities.
Organizations that are interested in becoming a member agency with United Way Estevan can request an application by contacting Hesselink at heidi.hesselink@ unitedwayestevan.com or 306.634.7375.
To be eligible for member agency funding, organizations must be qualified recipients as defined by the Canada Revenue Agency. Organizations who do not qualify to apply as member agencies can complete the community impact partner application available at unitedwayestevan.com.
The deadline to apply is April 28.
This year’s United Way Telethon will take place on Oct. 13 and 14 at the Royal Canadian Legion’s Estevan branch. The Day of Caring, in which volunteers complete projects in the community, will be May 31.
A daughter Rensley Clarke Curzon-Gough 7 lbs. 14 oz.
Re
Proud parents are Dakota Gough and Kaeberley Curzon
Grandparents are Bonny & Randy Curzon and Katie Richardson Siblings are Briar and Kaelyn
By Ana Bykhovskaia
The Estevan Recreational Dance Club wrapped another successful year with two beautiful sold-out recitals.
Studio director Brooke Wilson said the weekend was amazing.
“The kids were fantastic. We had so much support from all their families.
It was just amazing to get everybody on stage and to watch them all perform what they’ve been working on all year,” Wilson shared.
The colourful recital that took the stage at the Estevan Comprehensive School twice on Saturday consisted of 40 routines varying from solos and duets to several dozen students performing. The recital culminated with the Best Years of Our Lives – Finale 2023, with 110 participants involved.
Spectators could enjoy hip-hop and ballet, jazz and contemporary, as well as tap, musical theatre and creative movement. Wilson noted that every performance is unique and born in its way.
“Sometimes I look at the costume catalogue, and I just see a phenomenal costume, and I know I have to use it. Other times there’s a song that I find that I normally have to make work. And other times I just have a concept that I have to find music and a costume for, such as a Romeo and Juliet dance. I had the idea for it and then found the music. And then
I found the costumes after,” Wilson said.
The work towards the recital started last summer with picking the music and editing it. The 2022-23 classes started in September, and soon after Wilson and her crew were already looking into choosing and ordering costumes, which had to be done by the end of October. The choreography was finished at the end of January, and then they spent the last couple of months perfecting the routines and getting everybody ready for the stage.
The Estevan Recreational Dance Club team has grown, and this year Wilson had about 30 assistants and two instructors working alongside her.
“Definitely takes a village to make this all work. But all of my assistants were so lovely in class, so great with the younger students and all so eager to help out,” Wilson said.
She noted that working with a bigger team might be overwhelming at times, but it’s also a lot of fun, as she is now seeing her dream come true.
“It’s something I always dreamed up since I was a little girl, to teach routines. I would teach my sister in our basement, I’d teach her
dance routines since the times when we were kids. So [running a dance studio] has always been a dream of mine, and it’s just so amazing that I get to now share my creativity and my passion with so many people in the community,” Wilson said.
The Estevan Recreational Dance Club is her dream the way Wilson has always envisioned it. This year they taught classes all day Sunday, as well as Monday-Thursday evenings with about 240 students enrolled.
Wilson thanked everyone involved with the past weekend for making the recital a great success.
“A shout out to all of the parents who volunteered their time this weekend to make this recital happen. Without that help, be it selling the flowers or lining up kids backstage, this weekend would not be possible,” Wilson said.
“Thank you everyone for your hard work and dedication this season, and especially this weekend. Our recital was a huge success, and we got to celebrate everyone’s accomplishments up on that stage. These kids worked so hard in class each week, and I couldn’t be more proud to call them my students,” she also wrote in a Facebook post.
Now that the recital is finished, the club will take a bit of a break until the end of the school year. Registration for returning students will open over the summer, and new students are welcomed
in August. The classes will resume in the fall when the preparation for next year’s recital will start. Wilson also said they may have summer camps this year, so “stay tuned”.
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In Saskatchewan - $105
When last year’s provincial budget came out, one of the most contentious aspects was the implementation of the provincial sales tax on a variety of items, ranging from gym memberships to golf course green fees to event tickets.
Thankfully, the PST implementation was repealed for gym memberships before it was ever enforced. Those that operate fitness centres went through enough challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic; they didn’t need another hurdle by making it more difficult for people to use their facilities.
Any government should always think twice when it comes to making it more difficult for people to live healthy lifestyles.
a devastating flood and a pandemic. You would hope the PST wouldn’t create another issue to overcome.
This isn’t a large theatre that generates millions of dollars in ticket sales each year. This is a seasonal attraction that has a short season with a main-stage show and possibly a couple of short-run productions. Still, it has brought plenty of joy to local residents and visitors alike, and it has given talented performers a chance to shine.
As for the exhibition association, its big event, the Energy City Ex., happens over four days in June. You would hope the PST wouldn’t discourage people from taking in those activities.
to inflation, it’s just another reason for some people to stay away. Or it might mean not getting a snack at a concession or an alcoholic drink from a beverage stand.
We certainly want to see the resumption of concerts at Affinity Place, with two or three quality shows a year. These shows are not only a source of entertainment in the community, they bring people to the city and create a nice economic spinoff for the hospitality sector.
(And we want to see live music at other venues in the community, too. Places like the Orpheum, Art Concepts Custom Framing and some local restaurants have had some great shows).
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In Canada - $126 We
At last week’s meeting of Estevan city council, we received a reminder of impacts of PST being applied to event tickets and passes.
Coun. Travis Frank brought forward concerns from a couple of non-profit community groups, namely the Estevan Exhibition Association and the Souris Valley Theatre, and how the PST could impact their ticket sales.
City manager Jeff Ward was quick to add that a lot of concert tours are now averting Saskatchewan and focusing on Alberta and Manitoba.
In the case of the Souris Valley theatre, this is a long-standing tourist attraction in the Estevan area that has managed to keep going despite the challenges associated with
As for concerts, we’ve been eagerly awaiting the resumption of shows at Affinity Place. We’ve had one since the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions were lifted, that being the Dallas Smith concert that Estevan earned after it won the SiriusXM Music Towns contest in the summer.
It was difficult to have concerts at Affinity Place during the 2022-23 ice sports season, because of the two provincial curling events that occupied the events centre for three weeks. But we haven’t seen anything announced for Estevan for this spring and summer.
Concert tickets aren’t cheap. For a $100 ticket, the PST means an added $6. But if you want to go with a few friends, the cost adds up. With the higher cost of living due
Perhaps the government needs to look at scrapping the PST on ticket sales for nonprofits. Or maybe it needs to look at having a threshold. If the organization falls below a certain level of revenue for a year, then it doesn’t have to charge PST. Or if the individual event doesn’t reach a certain attendance, then the PST isn’t applied.
Or the government, which has a $1 billion surplus forecasted for this year’s budget, could just put this plan on hiatus until it finds a way in which it’s not harming smaller non-profit organizations.
It might have seemed like a good way to bring in some extra revenues for the province, but the PST on ticket sales is having some consequences the government might not have considered.
Estevan, the way I got to know this city before, was back in full power these past few days.
First, it was back the way I got to meet it in 2013. At that time, my first few trips to the Energy City took me through the endless white fields making up the landscape between Manitoba and Saskatchewan. And the only question I had then was, “Did the spring get lost?”
The spring of 2013 took its time to get to the Prairies. April snowbanks were a few feet deep at spots, and the last snow melted towards the end of May, which was terrifying for me. Coming from Russia I’ve been asked a lot if I was used to having harsh long winters. I thought I indeed was. But I’ve never experienced such an endless winter before.
(I’m also from the wrong region of Russia, where winters don’t bring anything like the most-portrayed Siberian frigid weather, so I didn’t build up a high tolerance for colourless cold life).
That winter beat all of my personal records. But fortunately, as I learned the next year, and the year after that, and the next one, the longevity of that winter-o-spring was rather exceptional.
It was the case until this April, when I caught myself thinking, whether or not the old Grinch completely lost his marbles and stole spring instead of Christmas. Watching growing snowbanks this Monday was tough, but I couldn’t resist smiling at those memories from my first visit to Estevan and hoping that 2013 Saskatchewan’s winter will remain unbeaten and unique.
But there was another side of Estevan that I was happy to see back after rather a
Ana Bykhovskaialong break. Last week the city was just endlessly busy with many big events. Estevan was back the way I got to know it when I just started working for the Mercury in 2019. The number of occurrences to cover was unbelievable, partially because I feel that over the past quiet years, I forgot how it could be. But our schedule was indeed loaded.
The week was already busy enough with a couple of important AGMs, some sports and the return of the Estevan Farmers’ Appreciation Evening, which was back to its pre-pandemic traditional format of a big, fun and festive gathering at the Beefeater Plaza. But over the weekend the Estevan community really got to rock the way it used to.
It was so busy that I eventually ran out of camera space halfway through the weekend. Estevan Farmers’ Market’s first sale and the Souris Valley Museum’s Easter Egg Hunt, Estevan Kinette Club’s 75th jubilee and the Estevan Recreational Dance Club’s big recital, the Estevan Wildlife Federation’s annual fundraising dinner and auction and the Estevan and District Music Festival’s highlights and awards program, Estevan Mermaids’ water show and Apex U18 AA Bruins’ series with Saskatoon.
All of those great events took a lot of planning, preparation and support. Several of them needed volunteers and sponsors, and they all needed participants and guests.
It was one busy weekend for a lot of people in the community, but it was also a lot of fun. The Wildlife Federation was able to raise close to $40,000 to eventually put it back into their projects and facilities. Kinettes celebrated endless achievements they can be genuinely proud of just to get inspired for achieving even more. Mermaids, young musicians and the ERDC dancers had unbelievable performances, entertaining the public and also wrapping up their year of hard work. And many families had a lot of fun at the museum, getting into the Easter mood.
Sunny Saturday had that positive trueEstevan vibe hanging in the air all over the city, and it also spread into not-that-sunny, but still really busy Sunday.
To tell you the truth, I was exhausted by the end of this weekend. So probably were hundreds of parents, whose kids are involved in multiple extracurriculars. But it definitely was good-feeling exhaustion. I don’t know about you, but once I catch a bit of a break after days like this, I always want to dive into that drive again. So hopefully, Estevan will keep up with its busy life, just like it used to be before the world threw a somersault three years ago, and I will have many more busy weeks and weekends like this.
But now that the community events are back, we definitely need a bigger paper to be able to tell you, our readers, about everything that’s been happening and is to happen in Estevan. And for that, we need our dear advertisers to keep supporting us the best they can. If big events can make it back, I’m sure we can make nice fat Mercury editions return as well. After all, it’s Estevan’s Mercury, right?
One of the lingering remnants of COVID-19 restrictions is finally coming to an end.
The Canada Border Services Agency announced last week that it would resume pre-pandemic hours at the Port of Estevan and several other border crossings in southeast Saskatchewan. If you go down south to the U.S., you don’t have to worry about being back at the border by 4 p.m. If you arrived at the Port of Estevan at 4:05 p.m., you’d have to take the long way around and cross at North Portal.
You now have from 8 a.m.-9 p.m. for the next seven months, and once the time change takes effect in November, you’ll have from 9 a.m.-10 p.m. to cross.
We’ve been waiting for this for a long time. It’s been a gradual return to normal operations for the CBSA. First it was reopening the border to vaccinated, non-essential travellers. Then it was opening the border to the non-vaccinated and dropping the Arrive Canada app that had become a punch line for many and a source of frustration.
Now the hours are extended for those heading into Canada.
If only the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) would reciprocate.
Want to cross the Canada-U.S. border into the U.S. at the Port of Estevan? You can do so, but it’s still only open from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Sask. time. (That’s 9 a.m.-5 p.m. North Dakota time). Of course, that will change in November.
The CBP did announce a three-month trial period that would extend hours by two for the border crossings at Northgate and Sherwood (located south of Carievale). So, you have until 6 p.m. (Sask. time) to get to those crossings before they shut down for the day. But it’s status quo for Estevan, Oungre and other ports of entry.
The CBP says the numbers remain lower than they were in 2019. Of course, they’re going to be lower. The hours of operation for the border crossings are reduced. If the border is open longer, it will be easier for people on both sides of the border to cross, and you’ll see more people.
The two-hour change at Northgate and Carievale-Sherwood probably isn’t going to make a big impact. Want to see more people heading to the U.S.? Make it easier for us to cross. Within reason, of course.
Perhaps this approach by the CBP shouldn’t be a surprise. During the reopening process in 2021, the CBSA was much quicker to loosen up its restrictions than its American counterparts.
To a certain extent, that made sense. The Americans had to worry about its borders with Canada and Mexico. We only had to worry about the Canada-U.S. crossing. If the U.S. loosens restrictions for Canada, it has to do the same for Mexico.
But hours of operation are different. I doubt Mexico would care if the hours for the Canada-U.S. border returned to normal at crossings south of Estevan, Oungre, Northgate and Careivale.
Of course, this is a particularly important issue for Estevan, Oxbow, Carnduff and other communities that are in close proximity to the border. Prior to the pandemic, cross-border shopping was an important part of our economy. With the Canadian dollar remaining at a relatively low level, it’s still advantageous for Americans to come up here, visit our great businesses and experience a little good, old-fashioned Saskatchewan hospitality.
And Americans will want to have longer hours, because a lot of people in southeast Saskatchewan enjoy going to the U.S. and injecting some money into their economy.
The past couple of years has been a tale of gradual and cautious measures. Saskatchewan was more aggressive than most at loosening restrictions. At times, you could make a case it was too aggressive. But one by one, we’ve seen the pandemic restrictions fall by the wayside.
When you think about it, what are the changes that remain from March 2020? If you go into a hospital or a health centre, you have to wear a mask. Some businesses will exercise their right to require a mask for customers. You still can’t cross the border into North Dakota at 5:30 p.m. at the Estevan crossing.
You’ll still see people wearing masks in public settings, more so in larger cities than in smaller communities. That’s their choice. They shouldn’t be bullied about it.
Is COVID over? No. It’ll likely never be truly over. Eradicating a disease is something we haven’t done often in human history.
But as each restriction is lifted, it’s one step closer towards the 2019 normal.
The Estevan Chamber of Commerce recapped what was another eventful year during its annual general meeting on March 29 at the Western Star Hotel.
In her annual State of the Chamber address, executive director Jackie Wall noted the chamber has been around since 1904, so the directors and staff want to see the chamber continue to succeed.
The chamber will be undergoing a strategic and operational review this year. The community has experienced changes in the past few years, and Wall said the chamber needs to look at how it can serve its members and operate to the best of its ability.
“We are entirely selffunded,” said Wall. “We do have a grant from the RM of Estevan that basically covers our rent, but beyond that, it is through the memberships, our events and the chamber’s plan that we get our funding.”
The support of the members is part of the reason she received an award last year for Executive of the Year from the Chamber of Commerce Executives of Canada for chambers with fewer than 500 members.
Wall said the chamber is also looking forward to bringing back the Estevan Business Excellence Awards on Oct. 20. A modified version of EBEX was held in 2021, when COVID-19 restrictions
were still in place. The last time the chamber was able to hold a full, in-person awards night was in 2019.
Financial statements released during the meeting showed the chamber had $177,438 in revenues last year, down from the $307,040 they had in 2021.
The decline can be attributed to three reasons.
They did not have any revenues from government assistance, which accounted for $69,611 in 2021, or the Estevan Business Excellence Awards, which brought in $11,155. Also, project revenue fell from $89,566 in 2021 to 36,657 last year.
Membership revenues grew from $77,806 in 2021 to $84,483 in 2022. Wall noted the chamber’s membership is at its strongest level in eight years at 326, and that Estevan has one of the highest membership rates per capita, as well as one of the strongest retention rates in the country.
The chamber had $207,636 in expenses last year, compared with $227,013 the previous year. Net loss for 2022 was $36,107.
Board members for 2023 were installed. Sheena Onrait with the Southeast College will be the president. Denise Taylor of TravelOnly is the vicepresident, Linda Mack from RE/Max Blue Chip Realty will be the treasurer and David Hammermeister
with MNP will be the past president.
Other board members are Twyla Bauman (Western Star), Tania Hlohovsky Andrist (Southeast College), Michael Pelletier (Southeast Newcomer Services), Aleksandra Szlapacka (Virtus Group), Ashley Gallaway (Wil-Tech Industries), Cory Casemore (Case by Case Benefits), John Williams (Glazed Catering) and Melanie Tribiger (Sun Country Hearing).
Elected directors will hold office for a term of two
years following their election, or until successors in office are duly elected. No director will serve more than four consecutive twoyear terms. After the eightyear limit, the director must retire from the board for two years before putting forth a nomination to return.
Curtis Adair with MNP was the guest speaker. Adair talked about cyber security and what MNP can do for businesses. He noted there is a federal grant available for up to $15,000. MNP charges $18,000 for the basics.
Most of the southeast is still covered with snow, but the seasons have o fficially changed with the first Estevan Farmers’ Market sale. Saskatchewan vendors set up their tables inside the Estevan Market Mall on Saturday, and many people stopped by to shop for bakery, pickles, bath bombs, hand-made décor, jewelry and toys and much more. Melanie Graham was among the market participants offering a wide variety of toddlers’ clothes. Estevan Farmers’ Market will continue with indoor sales each Saturday until May 13. May 6 and 13 will see both indoor and outdoor sales in front of the mall, and starting May 20 all sales will take place at the mall parking lot.
| Wednesday, April 5, 2023 | SASKTODAY.ca A6
Marsha Short has always had a vision of one day opening her own beauty salon, and her dream finally came true.
FiXR’s Salon and Studio opened early this year, and right off the start they were voted the Best New Business in the latest Estevan Mercury’s Best of Estevan promotion. Short said it was amazing to start her own place, and it’s even more exciting to see it doing well and growing.
“It’s going really well,” Short said. “It grew really fast, and it was pretty rewarding to see it grow that quick. I didn’t expect that at all.”
The studio and salon provides various hair and nail services, as well as eyebrow threading, spray tanning and tattooing. Short also hopes to bring in a few more beauty professionals, such as a make-up artist, massage therapist and face tattooist,
as she still has more space in the building.
Short’s career in the beauty industry and hairdressing started in 2004. A couple of years later, she took her journeyman ticket and then worked at a local business for 16 years, after which she decided to do a chair rental and has moved to a different salon.
Four years later, she felt she was ready to make her long-time dream a reality.
“I have clients from my first day of hairdressing that still come to me now, and they say, ‘I remember you telling me that this was your dream.’ And this is almost like an eye opener for me, that it had been that long that I was thinking about it,” Short shared.
It took time and courage, as well as support from her family and especially from her husband Ryan Short, who helped her a lot with the new salon. They have two kids, and Short said she always wanted to make sure
that she was there for them while they were young. Now that they are 13 and 10, she felt it was good timing.
FiXR’s occupies the 1112 building on Fifth Street in Estevan, and Short said it took quite a while for them to find that spot.
“For over a year I was actively looking at buildings,” Short recalled. “And then we bought this building in November.”
Short said she liked the downtown location, which is convenient but is still off Fourth Street, allowing for more parking options.
“We’ve got the space along the west side of the building, too, so people with long appointments don’t have to worry about being on the street for two hours and risking a ticket. There’s benefits to being in the heart of downtown, but just off the beaten path,” Short said.
Once the building was found, the renovations began. The former home of Acklands needed quite a few things changed before it could become a salon and studio.
“It was a lot, a lot of work. My husband and I did a lot to get it going night and day,” Short said, adding that while they did a lot of work themselves, they also had several local contractors helping with plumbing and
heating, electrical, partition walls and more.
The name for the new business was inspired by the family’s love for Harley-Davidson bikes.
“Ryan and I both ride Harleys, and they are FXRs, they are antique. They’re called fixer-uppers, and that’s where the big F, X and R come from, from the model,” Short shared. “We started with naming our puppy that, we have a little Chiller, it’s a chihuahua and
cavalier King Charles spaniel.”
The colour scheme for the interiors and the logo was in turn inspired by their FXR puppy.
There is still some work to be done and a few dé-
cor pieces to be put up, Short said, but they are up and running and are happy about it.
“It’s always been our dream and we’re pretty fortunate that we’re able to do it,” Short said.
Souris-Moose Mountain
MP Robert Kitchen is panning the federal budget that was handed down by the federal Liberals on March 28.
Kitchen said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals once again refused to make Canada work for the people who have done the work.
“The 2023 federal budget is an anti-worker, tax-hiking, inflationary budget that only makes life more expensive for Canadians who are
trying to make ends meet,” he said.
In just eight years, Kitchen said Trudeau has added more federal debt than all previous prime ministers combined. The deficit for 2023-24 is $47 billion, and the debt, according to Kitchen, is projected to reach $1.22 trillion in 2023-24, or nearly $81,000 per household.
“The federal deficit for 2022-23 is now up to $43 billion with no path to balance in future projections, despite Trudeau’s promises
to control his inflationary spending,” he said.
On April 1, Kitchen said the carbon tax will rise to 14 cents per litre, costing the average family between $402 and $847 in 2023, even after rebates. By 2030, Kitchen said the Liberal carbon taxes could add 50 cents per litre to the price of gasoline, which will force some to choose between putting gas in their car or food on the table.
Under Trudeau, the minimum down payment needed
to buy a house has doubled from $22,000 to $45,000 across Canada, Kitchen said, and the average mortgage and rent payments have nearly doubled as well.
The budget also contained nothing for the thousands of coal miners and energy workers whose livelihoods are in limbo following the Liberals’ “Just Transition” plans, Kitchen said, and there were zero references to the government’s Sustainable Jobs Plan.
“Instead of providing
some much-needed certainty for the future, Trudeau continues to kick the can down the road while workers are forced to wait for the help that Liberals have been promising since 2018,” Kitchen said.
Farmers and ranchers were also largely ignored in this budget, the MP said, with virtually nothing for those who produce the food that feeds Canada and the world. With global food security set to become a major issue, Kitchen said the Lib-
erals have missed yet another opportunity to support those who work tirelessly to put food on Canadians’ tables.
“Conservatives demanded that the document take action to lower taxes for workers and end the inflationary deficits that are driving up the cost of goods, but all Trudeau has delivered for Canadians is more debt, more inflation, and more costs on the backs of the hard-working and beleaguered people of this country,” Kitchen said.
also a big fan of cat trees and enjoys hanging off of them and surveying his surroundings. Charles is a low-maintenance cat who is content lounging around the house and taking it easy.
It’s me, Ophelia! You can also call me Ophie, Omfy, Ophers, or “get out of the sink!”. I’ve been spending my time away from the shelter, hanging out with a foster family that finds me to be comical, and super playful. I live with three kids ranging from 8 to 13, I tolerate them very well! No scratching, biting, or hissing. I’ll cuddle on my own terms; with each passing day I find myself more comfortable cuddling on my fosters’ laps. Overall, I’m a fabulous, tuxedo wearing cat and I’m looking forward to finding a family of my own soon!
Hi I’m Morgan! I’m a high-energy, fun-loving goofball. My favourite things to do is playing fetch and tug of war. I’m also a big fan of the snow! The staff at the shelter say I’m a good learner, and will thrive with someone who can help me reach my full potential. With proper introduction I could get along with dogs or cats. I’m a happy, healthy boy and can’t wait to meet my new family!
The RM of Browning No. 34 and Town of Lampman
Recreation Board began their quest for a new ice plant in 2020 and they celebrated the achievement at the Lampman 100-year Centennial Bonspiel Friday night.
The old plant needed major maintenance and parts for the old equipment were difficult to locate. The cost was high for these parts, and the plant was over 40 years old.
They began their research for a more cost-efficient ice plant, which would use less power and be environmentally friendly.
Board member Dustin Ferguson said the recreation director applied for an Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) grant in the fall of 2020, and in the spring of 2021, they were awarded the funding.
Due to high inflation and material cost increases, the expense for the plant would be far above what the grants would cover. Under ICIP, the government of Canada invested $205,882 toward the project and the Government of Saskatchewan contributed $171,552.
The added cost did not discourage the members. They dug in their heels and began campaigning to get the job done.
In October 2022, an After Harvest Party was held in Lampman. At this event, over $80,000 in items were donated for an auction. Also sold was naming rights for the complex for five years.
Over the next several months, they would raise money to overcome their shortfall, and along with grants, would complete the $770,000 project.
On March 31, at the 100year Centennial bonspiel, a ceremony was held to commemorate the new ice plant.
Cannington MLA Daryl Harrison spoke on behalf of Premier Scott Moe, Government Relations Minister Don McMorris, and the
Government of Saskatchewan.
“Tonight is special for two very important reasons,” said Harrison. “The first is to celebrate the centennial anniversary.”
He went on to say, this is a fantastic way to mark this
celebration with a 64-rink bonspiel.
Harrison went on to say:
“The second is to mark the official completion of all the work, to make this rink an even better place for days like this one.”
Harrison also said that in the hours, days and years ahead, more curling rocks will be thrown, pucks will be dropped, and neighbours will come to watch their favorite teams. This is not just a building; it is a memory maker, and this bonspiel will create even more fond memories.
“Thank you and congratulations to all involved in this important project to renew this facility and organize this wonderful curling event,” said Harrison.
“This community and Saskatchewan are stronger thanks to your efforts.”
“Lampman has a population of 700 people and through
dedication, commitment and drive from the community, the ice plant project was possible,” said Ferguson.
Fergusson remembers last October when recreation board members, along with guest speakers Rod Pedersen and Stu Grimson, said, “We did it” at the fundraiser.
“We did not win the Stanley Cup, but that night it felt like it, “said Ferguson.
Recreation Board chairman Blake Fornwald said:
“The Lampman community is thankful for the donations and contributions from the community, Government of Canada and the Government of Saskatchewan, and are grateful that these upgrades will keep our rink secure for years to come.”
Ferguson added: “We have a new heart in our complex that will serve our community for years to come.”
Estevan city council is looking to borrow $2 million to complete capital projects in this year’s budget.
Council gave first reading at its March 27 meeting to a bylaw that would authorize the borrowing. Second and third readings would come at a later date.
It was noted at the meeting that council has tried to pay down $4 million in debt each year while borrowing $2 million. But city manager Jeff Ward said that thanks to government grants in recent years, the city hasn’t had to turn to the banks.
“We’ve actually done an additional $8 million of debt reduction in that time without having to borrow,” said Ward.
The $2 million will include $500,000 for a water main replacement on Duncan Road and McLeod Avenue and another $500,000 to resurface those roads; $275,000 for the Smith Street reservoir electri-
cal and $725,000 for a biosolids incinerator.
The water main replacement and the resurfacing are listed separately because the city has to report capital projects for the utility and general funds separately.
The Smith Street reservoir is in the first phase, Ward said.
Councillor Shelly Veroba noted that when they were borrowing $2 million, interest rates were low and it made sense. Now that rates are higher, she wanted to know if this was still the right approach.
Ward replied the city would be borrowing at 4.26 per cent, which is comparable to previous loans.
The city has opted for seven years to repay the $2 million.
“One thing that has been an issue with our management is that we want to try to be as close to debt free by 2030 … pending any large and major capital projects,” he said.
Councillor Tony Sernick who is currently the deputy mayor, chaired the meeting as Mayor Roy Ludwig was on vacation.
Members of the Estevan U11 A Bearcats were at the meeting. They won the Saskatchewan Female Hockey League’s U11 division at a tournament in Weyburn earlier in March.
The players on the team were introduced, and then the players and coaches gathered for a group photo with council members and city staff Coach Kaila Jutras noted they went 18-2 in the regular season to win the league’s East Division. At the league tournament, they defeated the Western Prairie Klippers 3-1 in the final, handing the Klippers their first loss of the season in league play.
•••
Council approved Black
Grasshopper Pub & Eatery’s annual parking lot party, scheduled for Aug. 12 from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. There will be a stage with live music, a bar, picnic tables and food within a gated area in the parking lot.
One building permit worth $185,000 was issued in February, bringing the total for the year to three permits worth $340,000. All three have been for commercial projects.
During the inquiries portion of the meeting, Coun. Travis Frank brought up the provincial sales tax being applied to event tickets. He noted it has been a source of concern for the Estevan Exhibition Association and the Souris Valley Theatre, among others. Frank also pointed out the issue will be brought up at the upcoming convention of the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association.
A 45-megawatt straw-andwaste, wood-fuelled biomass facility is under pre-development in the Estevan area by LCE2 Energy.
A similar project is being looked at for Clavet near Saskatoon.
According to a news release, the biomass facilities will utilize straw residue from cereal crop production and waste wood to generate heat and renewable electricity, providing a source of baseload power not generally provided by other renewable technologies.
The heat generated by the facilities will be available for use in industrial processes.
The projects are anticipated to reduce 58,500 tonnes equivalent of carbon dioxide on an annual basis, which, according to the news release, would result in a greater than 98 per cent emissions avoidance when compared to the reported 2020 Saskatchewan energy mix.
The news release states these projects would help ensure energy security for the province, contribute to the decarbonization of the electricity grid, and also bring significant investment and new jobs to the province.
The proposed projects are expected to provide both construction and long-term economic opportunities to the Estevan area, including employment and training, local feedstock procurement, contracting and educational partnerships.
The feedstock used provides an additional revenue stream to farmers and existing industries, the press release said, because it does not compete for land use or food production. Ahead of the project, the developer will hold an open house and community consultations to ensure the needs of residents and Indigenous groups are prioritized.
Open house invitations will
be issued in the coming weeks within the local areas. The event in Estevan will be held at the Southeast College’s Estevan campus on April 24 from 5-8 p.m.
Representatives from LCE2 Energy, which is based in the U.K., will be at the open house to discuss questions and concerns about the project.
Bruce Simms, who is in-
volved with the project, said LCE2 Energy has found Estevan to be welcoming and accommodating.
The developers acknowledged the continued support and assistance from Saskatchewan Trade & Export Development, the City of Estevan, the Saskatoon Regional Economic Development Authority and numerous other organizations.
He encouraged people to send their concerns to their MLA.
Ward added concert tours have been skipping Saskatchewan and going to Alberta and Manitoba.
Veroba pointed out that the Souris Valley Theatre, Souris Valley Museum and the Estevan Art Gallery and Museum are all looking for board members, and she en-
couraged people to step forward and apply.
Councillor Lindsay Clark noted he was pleased to see good attendance for a recent SaskPower open house in Estevan, but he wants to have a meeting with SaskPower and the provincial government to talk to them about the impacts of people losing their jobs, both for employees and the community.
The 2023 Estevan Farm Family of the Year Award recipients have found enjoyment in agriculture and success as cattle ranchers.
Wayne and Connie Brokenshire were presented with the prestigious honour Thursday night in front of a large crowd at the Farmers’ Appreciation Evening banquet at the Beefeater Plaza.
Estevan MLA Lori Carr, who presented the award, noted the Brokenshires currently run a 300-commercial cow/calf pair operation, along with 50 commercial cows belonging to Wayne’s youngest daughter Tess.
Winning the award came as a big surprise, Wayne said.
“I’m sure there’s many, many more people that qualify for this, but it was quite rewarding that people did notice how long our family had been there, and worked in agriculture as a family, not as a corporation or a big land owner,” Wayne said in an interview with the Mercury.
The Brokenshires know quite a few of the past recipients. They have been going to the Estevan Farmer’s Appreciation Evening and its predecessor, the Estevan Farmers’ Day, for many
The commitment of the late John Kish to aseveral organizations was recognized at the annual Farmers’ Appreciation Evening Thursday night at the Beefeater Plaza.
Kish was a big part of the event, with his involvement
years, as their children were involved in 4-H.
He remembers when some of their friends won the Farm Family Award. The Brokenshires never imagined they would join them on the list of recipients.
Wayne noted that his parents, Bill and Dorothy, began farming 14 kilometres west of Estevan in 1945. The couple had 11 children. The Brokenshires still farm at the site today.
dating back to when it was still known as the Estevan Farmers’ Day. He was volunteering back when it was a two-day event. He was also a long-time member of the RM of Estevan’s council from 1984 to 2011.
“The farm started with race horses,” said Wayne. “Bill had a string of 21 runners. He would race in Estevan, ride them to Weyburn, then head to Arcola, rest them overnight, and race there the next day. We didn’t have trailers in those times, so it was a little different story.
“They had a little bit of land, milk and beef cows. Over time, with a lot of hard work, that was expanded
“He contributed to many committees, including the nursing home committee, and the regional and local library boards. He was on the airport liaison committee, as well as the emergency measures organization,” said Jason LeBlanc, who was the MC for the evening and is also the reeve for the RM.
LeBlanc said Kish was one of the longest-serving councillors in the RM.
Kish also played an instrumental role in a consortium of local RMs purchasing Creighton Lodge in 2010. LeBlanc said Kish saw the need to keep the lodge open for seniors in the community.
RMs owned the healthcare facility at one time, and its future was in doubt before the RMs reacquired the facility.
In memory of Kish, LeB-
to a hundred cows and six quarters of grainland. All of us kids worked on the farm and a lot of us still work in agriculture today.”
Showing cattle was something they always enjoyed. In 1964, the Outram-Madigan 4-H Club was formed, and Wayne won the grand champion steer that first year. He was nine years old at the time.
In the early 1970s, exotic breeds came to Can-
lanc announced the RM would be renaming a portion of Township Road 30, near his residence, as John Kish Road. The announcement drew applause from the audience.
As for Kish’s contribution to the Farmers’ Appreciation Evening, LeBlanc shared a story from committee member Randy Johner, who recalled that Kish would walk up and down the streets, collecting donations, sponsorships and more to make the Farmers’ Day event even bigger.
“I didn’t think I was ever at one of these where it wasn’t John Kish saying grace before we sat down for the meal,” LeBlanc said.
LeBlanc also recalled that there used to be a dance at the Farmers’ Day when it happened over two days.
Kish died in November at the age of 87.
ada and the Simmental breed caught their attention. Wayne and his father bought their first Simmental heifers and started raising and showing purebred cattle.
“We were fortunate to show cattle all over Canada and the States,” said Wayne. Carr noted Wayne has been a successful breeder throughout the years. In 1982, he showed a bull named Long Distance
which captured the grand champion title in Denver at the Fort Worth Stock Show and in Regina at the Canadian Western Agribition.
“Wayne has been one of the few to ever achieve this accomplishment all in one year with the same bull,” Carr told the crowd.
Another bull was the reserve champion at the Royal Livestock Show in Kansas City.
Kish’s widow Paulette and his daughter Sherry Fallis were presented with numerous gifts and a plaque from the Farmers’ Appreciation Evening committee.
Paulette thanked the RM and the Farmers’ Appreciation committee for the recognition and said there were plenty of fond memories from the event.
“Over time, purebred showing took a backseat to raising a family and growing the commercial business,” said Wayne.
He was a partner at the Estevan Auction Mart from 1986-2000 and the Arcola Auction Mart for a time.
In 1986, he also took over the homestead.
“Summer is spent processing, hauling to pasture, haying and it is a group effort by everyone,” Wayne said.
In the past 59 years, there have been only a few 4-H shows that they haven’t been a part of as members, parents, grandparents or sponsors. Their two granddaughters entered the grand and reserve champion steers at the regional show and sale in Estevan last year.
Their daughter Tess Brokenshire, who spoke at the event, noted her parents have six children. Five of the six were able to be present for the awards presentation. She thanked the selection committee, nominators, nominees and event sponsors for making the award possible.
“To say we didn’t see this coming is an understatement,” said Tess. “Growing up, we were a 4-H family, and the Farmer of the Year banquet was always an opportunity for volunteering and for public speaking if you were selected to read your speech.”
She recalled she was fortunate enough to be chosen to deliver a speech one year.
“Watching my parents,
as they were presented this award, feels like a very full circle moment, to introduce my dad and to speak to you all as a recipient of this award, rather than a 4-H member,” said Tess.
Wayne said farming allows the family to be their own boss. It’s a lot of work, but it’s rewarding with the results at the end of the day.
It is rewarding to farm with members of his family, but it’s not always perfect. Often the people he fights with the most are his family. But even when they’re mad at each other, an hour later they’ll have figured out what happened and they’ll be getting along again.
“I think the biggest thing is to see them succeed in what they’re trying to accomplish with agriculture,” said Wayne.
One of his sons, Wade, has 250 cows through his family.
Even one of their daughters, who works as a costume
designer in Calgary, helps out with the cattle whenever she comes home.
Wayne recognizes that farming is not an easy life. There are long hours. The weather isn’t always great. And the money might not always co-operate.
As for community involvements, their faith is a big part of Wayne and Connie’s lives. Carr noted she attends the same church as the family.
“If you ever have the opportunity to attend a service on special occasions such as Christmas or Thanksgiving, the church will be wonderfully decorated,” said Carr. “This will be the work of Connie and her family, taking the time to make it a special place. My favourite is the fall Thanksgiving decorations. They will bring in bales, wheat sheaves and so much more.”
Connie is part of the praise-and-worship band with one of their daughters, Carr said.
“It is always nice to see people who are so busy running their business, and in this case a large ranching operation, who still have time to give back to others,” said Carr.
In addition to the church, Wayne has been part of the Saskatchewan Simmental
Association and the Estevan Exhibition Association. Both Wayne and his son were presidents for the District 1 4-H council. The kids played hockey, which kept them on the road during the winter months.
Wayne noted his wife Connie always worked on the farm, and for 18 years, also taught preschool in Estevan.
“While I was raising a
herd, Connie raised our kids, driving them up and down the highway, attending every band concert, piano lesson, voice lesson, the list goes on to say the least. They’re a musical bunch.”
Life on the farm has helped Wayne and Connie instill important values, such as work ethic, into the kids and grandchildren.
“We count our blessings for family, good neighbours
and great friends. Being a farm family is not for the faint of heart. We’ve had droughts, floods, killer blizzards and fires. We haven’t had many hired hands. The best equipment is certainly not the nicest truck,” he said to laughter.
“We are a hard-working, fourth-generation farm family producing a safe, healthy product for a growing population.”
The Estevan Apex U18 AA Bruins’ bid for a provincial title came to an end Sunday night in a 4-1 loss to the Saskatoon Riverkings at Affinity Place.
Saskatoon won the bestof-three Hockey Saskatchewan provincial final in two straight games.
The Riverkings led 1-0 after the first period on Sunday night, and then scored three times in the second to seize a 4-0 advantage through two periods.
Carter Beck scored Estevan’s lone goal on a power play 1:45 into the third period.
“I was very happy with how our team responded in the third period of Game 2,” said coach Ryan Curzon. “The effort level of all playoffs has been unmatched. The kids definitely stepped up. They knew the stakes involved and they tried their best. Each and every shift, they gave 110 per cent, and that’s all I can ask for.”
Ty Fehrenbach and Keagan Carley shared the goaltending duties for Estevan in Game 2.
The Riverkings won Game 1 3-2 on Friday night in Saskatoon. The home team opened the scoring midway through the first period, but Carter Beck scored for Estevan a little more than two minutes later to tie the game.
Spencer Copeland’s goal midway through the second put Estevan up by one, but the Riverkings tied the game just over two minutes later.
The Riverkings scored the winner early in the third.
Fehrenbach made 27 saves for Estevan.
Curzon said the Riverkings were the team they expected, based on scouting reports and what they had seen of them during streamed games.
“They were touted as being very skilled and lethal on the power play, and they certainly lived up to
that, especially in Game 2,” said Curzon.
In Game 1, Curzon thought they were evenly matched. A couple of bounces didn’t go in and Estevan didn’t capitalize on the power play. In Game 2, Estevan had some momentum, but lost it after some penalties.
Curzon said the team has come a long way since the start of the season. They lost some quality players from last season’s team, but the leadership and effort level led to some victories and they kept winning during the season.
“The more we played and the longer the season
went on, I started to see our potential versus earlier in September.”
The kids worked hard all year, and the team had excellent support from fans, sponsors and parents.
“We had a little team of parents where every game they came to, they volunteered and they helped out,
and it was a very easy team to coach.”
Estevan had the best record in the Saskatchewan AA Hockey League’s U18 division at 28-5-3 during the regular season.
They swept the LumsdenBethune Lions in three straight games in the first round, then defeated the Swift Current Broncos in five games and the Regina Vics in four games in the South Division final.
All playoff series prior to the provincial final were best-of-five matchups.
Saskatoon was fourth in the North Division during the season with a 22-7-3 record.
The provincial final is also the championship round for the Saskatchewan AA Hockey League.
Eight players from the Apex Bruins are scheduled to graduate from this year’s team, but some of the 11 players eligible to return next season might take a shot at the AAA level, Curzon said.
The Estevan Sharks water polo club competed at the spring provincials in Saskatoon on March 25 and 26.
This marked the last competition for the 2022-23 season.
“It was great to see the improvement from that first tournament to the last for our athletes,” the Sharks said in a news release. “We are so proud of all our athletes and how hard they have worked this year to improve their skills and endurance in the pool. Water polo is a tough sport and to these athletes, we congratulate you on a great season.”
For the mini athletes, who are under 10 years of age, the Sharks sent two teams to this tournament. There was a total of six teams for the minis to compete against.
The Sharks White team, which consisted of the older group of mini players, brought home a silver medal. The blue team played hard during the weekend, the club said in the news release.
In the atom age group for
athletes under 13 years of age, the atom boys were combined with players from the Saskatoon Pirates team to compete at the tournament. There were only two other atom boys’ teams at this tournament, so the teams played each other twice. The Estevan-Saskatoon team came home with a gold medal from this tournament.
Because of low number of female athletes, the atom and bantam-level girls’ teams were combined for this tournament. This squad included athletes 10-14 years of age, which made for a wide range of skills and abilities.
“Our athletes tried hard and came home with great memories from an awesome weekend,” the Sharks said.
The bantam boys are athletes under 15 years of age. For this tournament, they were combined with the Saskatoon Pirates in a four-team pool. There were some highscoring, fast-paced games and they came home with bronze medals.
Keegan Mennie-Kindlein competed in open men’s, and
Mahlyn Bomberak, Ryan Hoeving and Jennika Linthicum competed on Team Saskatchewan in the open women’s division.
The Sharks wrapped up the season on March 30 with a supper, awards night and fun swim.
The program thanked mini coaches Alan Smelt, Kristy Jones, Irene Greening and Amanda Johnson for teaching the youngest athletes about the intricacies of the sport, with 23 athletes between ages five and 10.
“Your guidance and patience with these athletes was appreciated,” the Sharks said.
They also lauded the minis’ bantam-level volunteers, Malcolm Sherling and Mahlyn Bomberak, who helped with practices and tournaments.
This age group also follows the seal pup program, teaching basic swimming skills, along with water polo skills and strategies similar to community swimming lessons.
Completing the different levels of the program were:
Participate: Leo Cozman, Milana Dotsenko and Nicolai Mitchel;
Level 1: Raymond Johnson, Sawyer Klotz, Matvii Maidanski, Jackson Prefon-
taine, Gavin Tinant, Aksel Senholt, Simon Hall and Mavrick Martindale.
Level 3: Ayla Smelt, Jaxon Ward, Eli Sclear, Laine Petterson, Leighton Petterson, Eoin Jones, Willow Van Sickle, Jaxson Reinhardt, Grace Trepanier, Elijah Vanstone, Brynna Sherling and Rosalie Horrocks.
The atom level athletes were coached by Chad Knoll, Melissa Enns and Lucinda Milford. These athletes are working at honing their skills and teamwork.
The athletes and coaching staff voted on the following awards: Carter Yunick (top atom male athlete and atom MVP), Jennika Linthicum (top atom female athlete), Meredith Knoll and Hudson Enns (most sportsmanlike), and Sebastian Martens (most improved).
The bantam level athletes were coached by Neal Linthicum, Tristan Threinen, Logan Dalziel and Lily Knoll. This team challenged each other athletically throughout practices to enhance their skill level and become stronger athletes, the club said.
“There were many smiles, laughs and stories swapped when they got together and their in-practice competitions were enhanced by their comradery.”
The coaching staff selected the following award winners: Mahlyn Bomberak (bantam MVP), Jennika Linthicum (top female athlete), Tyler Gillies (top male athlete), Ryan Hoeving (best defensive player), Malcom Sherling (most improved), and Marvin Blue and Keegan Mennie-Kindlein (most sportsmanlike).
Losing in a Game 7 in overtime is always heartbreaking for a team, but for the Estevan Bruins, it was even more difficult because of the way they lost.
The Bruins lost 2-1 in overtime to the Flin Flon Bombers on March 28 in Flin Flon in Game 7 of their best-of-seven SJHL quarterfinal series.
Not only did the loss end the Bruins’ season, but it also dashed the Black and Gold’s quest to successfully defend their SJHL championship.
The two teams were scoreless after the first period in Game 7. Kade Runke opened the scoring for the Bruins with 9:02 to play in the second period. But 90 seconds later, Flin Flon tied the game on a goal by Ethan Mercer.
Both teams had chances to take the lead after Mercer’s goal. The best chance for the Bruins in the third came with less than 10 minutes to play, when Evan Forrest was stopped on a breakaway. The Bruins had other opportunities, too, and the Bombers had their chances.
Estevan was assessed a penalty early in overtime, and it was a fluke goal by Cole Duperreault that ended the game on the power play. Duperreault dumped the
puck in, and it took a funny hop off a stanchion and went in the net. Bruins’ goaltender Cam Hrdlicka had come out of the net to play the puck, in anticipation that it would take a more normal path.
Head coach and general manager Jason Tatarnic said he felt bad for Hrdlicka because the Bruins’ goaltender had played so well, not only in Game 7 but throughout the series.
“I don’t think that player could do that a second time if he tried,” said Tatarnic.
The Bombers outshot Estevan 41-26. Harmon LaserHume was the Flin Flon goalie.
“I told them to hold their heads up high … and they played a really good game they could have won,” said Tatarnic.
The club announced on Friday that Hrdlicka had been named their playoff MVP. After the second period of Game 3, Hrdlicka allowed just seven goals in nearly 15 periods played, highlighted by a 66-save performance in Game 5 in Flin Flon.
Hrdlcka’s heroics also earned him the SJHL’s MVP of the Week and Goalie of the Week honours the week of March 20-26.
“I know there was 66 saves put up [in Game 5] but Flin Flon’s a team that puts the
puck on the net from everywhere,” said Tatarnic. “They do it from outside the blue line and in the corners. But saying that, there was scoring chances and he shut the door.”
Hrdlicka finished the playoffs with a 2.44 goalsagainst average and a .942 save percentage. He was also the team’s regular season MVP for 2022-23.
It was the second straight year the two teams met in Game 7 of a postseason series. Last year Estevan defeated Flin Flon 2-0 in Game 7 of the SJHL final to win their first championship since 1999.
Seven players will graduate from the Bruins: forwards Runke, Cody Davis, Mitch Kohner and Daniel O’Neill, and defencemen Aleksa Babic, Owen Miley and Robbie Stewart. Kohner and Stewart didn’t play in Game 7 due to injury, while O’Neill was suspended.
Tatarnic praised the contributions of the graduates. Runke was the captain for this season.
“He did a great job of leadership. He works extremely hard and puts in a really good effort every night. He’s just a real character guy and had a great two years here,” said Tatarnic.
Davis, who hails from Alameda, wrapped up a fouryear run with the Bruins. He won the Mr. Hustle Award this year for his work ethic.
“He’s just an extremely hard worker, gives you everything he has,” said Tatarnic. “He won a championship here, was a good leader in the dressing room and led by example.”
O’Neill, who was acquired in a trade from the Manitoba league’s Steinbach Pistons midway through the season, is a player Tatarnic has known for a long time through his B.C. roots. O’Neill was the club’s most scholastic player this season. The Bruins missed him when he was suspended for the final two games.
“He’s a hard worker who gave everything he had, came to play and had a very positive attitude around the rink,” said Tatarnic.
Tatarnic characterized Kohner as a “very emotional player” who always gave a great effort. He won the Heart Award as selected by the team’s training staff
“He’s a very caring guy around his teammates. He went through some personal stuff that he battled through and did a good job of it by the end of the year,” said Tatarnic. “He learned how to focus
on hockey and he was a really important player for us.”
Kohner missed most of Game 6 and all of Game 7 due to an injury sustained in a collision with teammate Ilya Chmelevski late in the first period of Game 6.
Babic was named the team’s top defenceman this year and also took home the team’s community involvement honour and the iron man award for playing the most games.
“He played a ton of minutes for us. He’s an overall steady, very smart hockey player,” said Tatarnic. “And he gave everything he has and was a really good player for us in the dressing room and in the community.”
Stewart, who was selected as the team’s most underrated player, didn’t play in the series against the Bombers due to injury and his steady defensive play was missed in the series.
“He was very good in the locker room, very well-liked by everyone and kept the mood light,” said Tatarnic.
Finally, Miley was a steady player on the blue line who created offence for the team and made positive contributions in the dressing room.
Tatarnic thought that Game 7 against Flin Flon was Miley’s best as a Bruin.
“He’s a pretty easy-going guy, and he’s pretty relaxed in the dressing room, which is nice to calm things down,” said Tatarnic.
With Davis’ graduation, this marks the first time since the 2015-16 season in which
a member of his family hasn’t been a regular with the team. His older brother Jayden was a Bruin from 2016-17 to 2019-20, and Cody played regularly starting in 2019-20.
Davis said he has a lot of fond memories from his time with the Bruins, highlighted by last year’s SJHL championship run and hosting the Centennial Cup national tournament.
“It’s like a dream, just to be with all your friends and family at your home rink, and being a part of winning a championship in front of them and playing here for four years,” said Davis.
Davis said he hasn’t decided what he’ll be doing next, but he hopes to know within the next couple of weeks.
As for those who are eligible to return next season, Tatarnic said everyone has expressed a desire to return.
“The teams that started out 1-6 [this season] is not the same team personality-wise,” said Tatarnic. “I thought we made some good acquisitions, good trades, to bring in guys like Dan O’Neill, just to mention one of them.”
The return of forward Keagon Allison after the Christmas break also provided a big boost.
“I thought we got better and better as the year went on, and we had some ups and downs. We brought in a lot of really good players, and come playoff time I thought our guys played really well and I thought we had a team that could have gone far.”
The Estevan Wildlife Federation hosted its 37th annual fundraising dinner, raffle and auction on the weekend. The event brought in close to $40,000, which will help with the organization’s many projects and undertakings.
Following the dinner, Wanda Michel, the president of the Estevan Wildlife Federation, opened the auction part of the night. She spoke about their achievements, including a new fish-filleting station at the Boundary Dam, a successful youth summer camp, a terrific Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation convention and more.
Kendra Lainton, who co-chairs the dinner and auction alongside Monica Eagles, said they were happy with the event.
“I thought it went very well. Food was great, people seemed to be enjoying themselves and overall it
went very smoothly,” Lainton said.
As per usual, Estevan did not disappoint and they had a full house.
“Monica and I both had people contacting us right up until Saturday afternoon asking to come. And even if people couldn’t make it they still wanted to donate raffle or auction items,” Lainton shared. “And while some expenses are coming in, we are looking at approximately $40,000 raised.”
About 90 items, donated by local businesses, organizations and individuals, were available for bidding at different tables around the Wylie-Mitchell Hall. Forty more exciting and often unique pieces were up for the live auction. Bid items included silver bars, Saskatchewan Rush tickets, a semi load of gravel, grain hauling, a local fishing excursion and a larger fishing trip in northern Saskatchewan.
“We were also thrilled
to have pork raised and donated by four of our youth members to be auctioned off, which was very popular with the crowd,” Lainton noted.
The evening also saw lottery bucks and jewelry raffles, the pick of the litter draw, a toonie 50/50, a mystery key draw and a sleigh of spirits.
Lainton said their raffles are always popular but this year their jewelry draw went exceptionally well. The ping pong ball auction went over great as well.
“We auction off ping pong balls and it acts like an elimination game, and the last person standing gets to pick from a table of different firearms to take home,” Lainton explained.
The Estevan Wildlife Federation runs several programs throughout the year, and the funds will help with the expenses. Their fishing tournament is coming up in May at Boundary Dam, and their popular youth camp is slated for August. They also have a school program called FinS (Fish in Schools) that sets up a classroom with all
the necessary equipment to hatch trout eggs and raise them until they are big enough to release. And they host an annual awards night to showcase local hunters, anglers and photographers.
The money will also assist with the general upkeep of their shooting range, Rafferty Marina, filleting station, clubhouse and birdfeeding program in the winter.
Putting the fundraising
dinner and auction together was a struggle last year as they had two years off due to the pandemic, so they almost had to re-learn how they did things, Lainton said. They were also timecrunched because they were waiting for COVID-19 restrictions to lift. But with that experience in, this year felt more like their normal planning routine, she added.
The 2023 dinner committee co-chairs also
thanked everyone who made the event a success.
“Monica and I just want to say a huge thank you.
To all the businesses and people that donated money or items for the evening. Thank you to everyone who came out to support this organization. And thank you to our board members and volunteers that helped with the whole planning process and working that evening,” Lainton said.
The Estevan Police Service continues to receive a lot of calls about distracted driving in the community.
Deputy Chief Murray Cowan said it continues to be a problem in Estevan and throughout Saskatchewan, and he claimed it is the No. 1 contributing factor for collisions in the province.
So far this year, the EPS has received 45 calls regarding distracted driving. Thirty-four charges have been laid against people using a cell phone while operating a vehicle.
Last year the EPS handed out 47 charges for using a handheld device while
driving, Cowan said, and 11 charges for driving without due care and attention.
While use of a mobile device remains the most common example of what people think of when it comes to distracted driving, there are other examples, he said. Motorists could also be ticketed for eating, reading, interacting with pets or passengers, adjusting the radio or even grooming themselves while driving.
“That all constitutes distracted driving, and charges under the Traffic Safety Act fall under the undue care/ reasonable operation of a vehicle category,” said Cowan.
He believes there is more awareness about the risks of distracted driving, thanks to the efforts of the EPS and agencies such as SGI.
“The SGI website has a lot of information in relation to distracted driving and ways to avoid distractions,” said Cowan. “There’s lots of information there. They also have a lot of statistics that relate to the collisions and stuff that are distractions.”
Efforts the EPS has made to curb distracted driving have been in partnership with SGI. During Distracted Driving Month, the EPS will ramp up its efforts.
“We do partner with SGI and we work – and this is a province-wide initiative with agencies across the province – on social media campaigns through each agency’s social media sites as well as through the SGI social media sites to make people aware of this issue and of this problem,” he said.
The EPS members will
also clamp down on distracted driving as time permits.
“In some cases, we might put individual platoons out, doing a little bit of teamwork when it comes to … stepping up their own traffic enforcement,” said Cowan.
When it comes to using
an electronic device while driving, the fines are steep, he said. For a first offence, it carries a $580 fine and four demerit points. A second offence within one year amounts to a $1,400 fine, four demerit points and a seven-day vehicle seizure.
A third offence in a year is a $2,100 fine, four more
demerit points and a sevenday vehicle seizure. As for driving without due care and attention for eating, reading and other forms of distraction, if it results in a collision, motorists can be charged. The fines and the demerit points are largely the same as driving while using a cell phone.
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REQUIRED IMMEDIATELY:
Person to COOK & CLEAN for heavy construction camp this spring with possibility of year round. Spring location:
Must have valid driver’s licence and safe food and handling ticket.
Send resume and work references to:
Bryden Construction and Transport Co. Inc.
S0E 0A0; Fax: 306-769-8844
Email: brydenconstruct@ xplornet.ca www. brydenconstruction andtransport.ca
HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATORS: needed this spring for dozers, excavators, rock trucks: near Carrot River, Sk. Camp/R & B provided. Competitive wages. Valid drivers license req’d.
Send resume and work references to:
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ROCKY MOUNTAIN EQUIPMENT IS HIRING: Parts Technicians, Agriculture & Heavy Equipment Techs - Journeyman, Apprentices, CVIP/Truck Techs and RAP Students, Shop and Field positions available. View Open Roles www.rockymtn.com/careers.
Adaline Luella de Schneider 1923 - 2023
Adaline passed away in Estevan on January 9, 2023, after brief illness, weeks shy of her hundredth birthday. Adaline was the youngest of five children born to Paul and Ellen Jahn (Hoehne). She grew up on the family farm southeast of Estevan, attending school in Shand and Forest Glen and then high school in Estevan. She worked in Estevan and in Winnipeg before marrying Edward (Ned) de Schneider on July 1, 1946. They lived southeast of Estevan for 43 years, raising two children on their farm of grain crops, cattle, pigs and assorted poultry.
Adaline was the quintessential farm wife. She grew a big garden and would can and freeze abundantly. She sewed clothes for herself and Deshan and her knitting kept us all in mitts and scarves. She believed in serving a full meal every day, all food groups covered. She also loved baking, so cookies were abundant and there was always dessert.
Ned and Adaline moved into Estevan in 1989. Adaline continued to enjoy cooking, baking, knitting and crocheting. And crossword puzzles and jigsaw puzzles were never far away. She gladly found time to serve as the social coordinator for their condo and help with delivery of Meals on Wheels.
Ned passed away in 1995 and Adaline later remarried an old school friend and long time neighbour, Mylan Chase.
Adaline and Mylan enjoyed their 20 years together, until Mylan’s passing in 2018. After a fall and hip replacement, Adaline moved to Hill View Manor where she continued to enjoy life and the people around her.
Family was the focus of Adaline’s life. She was surrounded by pictures of children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was always interested in what everyone was doing and took great delight in phone calls.
Adaline is survived by her children, Brad (Chris) de Schneider and Deshan (Jerry) Kortello, grandchildren, Carla (Dave) and Craig (Andrea) and three great grandchildren, William, Elizabeth and Charlotte. Additionally, she leaves behind numerous nieces and nephews and their families, all of whom she appreciated and admired.
She was predeceased by her husband of 49 years, Ned de Schneider, her second husband Mylan Chase, her parents, Paul and Ellen Jahn, and her siblings, Rueben (Agnes) Jahn, Esther (Henry) Krueger, Allan Jahn, Clarence (Lorna) Jahn and Irene (Oksel) Tannas.
The family wishes to express their appreciation to the staff of Hill View Manor and to offer special thanks to Shirley Thera who was a dear friend to Adaline.
The Memorial Service for Adaline will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 11, 2023 in St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, Estevan, with Rev. Adrian Kramer officiating. Please join the family for a time of lunch and fellowship immediately following the service. Interment will take place at Forest Glen Cemetery at 4:00 p.m.
Hall Funeral Services in Estevan is caring for the de Schneider family - Dustin Hall, Funeral Director.
Allan Ross Barabash
November 5, 1949March 22, 2023
Allan passed away suddenly in Hazelton, British Columbia on March 22, 2023 at the age of 73.
Allan is survived by his common law partner Darlene Pierre; his son Wade Barabash and grandchildren: Constantine and Pearl; his son Paul Barabash and grandchildren: Kyra, Stephanie (Darren) Scott and great granddaughter Dawsyn; his daughter Lesley (Jamie) Dukart and grandchildren: Brooklyn and Taylor Dukart; his brothers: Ken (Holly) Barabash and Glen Barabash; his brother-in-law John Dumaine, as well as his nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents: Constantine and Olga Barabash and his sister Sharon Dumaine.
A private family graveside service for Allan will be held at a later date at Souris Valley Memorial Gardens, Estevan, Saskatchewan.
WANTED
Estevan Fire Rescue Service members responded to a couple of vehicle collisions and a commercial fire alarm last week.
The first call for service came on March 28 at about 8 a.m., when fire crews were dispatched to a two-vehicle accident on the west side of the city. No entrapment or injuries were reported. Firefighters assisted the city police with a fluid spill and debris cleanup.
Another two-vehicle collision occurred on the east side of the city on March 29.
Estevan Fire Chief Rick Davies said it was a fairly minor accident with no entrapments or injuries, either. There were
no fluid leaks, and both vehicles were off the main roads. Estevan police dealt with the situation, and the fire crews returned to the station.
Just after 2 a.m. on April 1, the EFRS was called to a commercial fire alarm that went off in the central part of Estevan.
“Crews responded and determined that it was pull station that was activated. There was actually no emergency occurring, so crews assisted with resetting the alarm,” Davies said.
Over the weekend, about 10 members also went through wildland fire suppression training at the station.
Mary Packet 1928 - 2023
The family of Mary Denise Packet of Regina, Sask. is saddened to announce her passing on March 19, 2023, at the age of 94 years. She was predeceased by her husband, Omere; her parents: Arthur and Elodie Watteyne (De Wulf); brother Maurice Watteyne (Rollie); sisters: Beatrice Parent (George) and Elsie Verhelst; sister-in-law Laurie Watteyne, and brother-in-law Gus DePape. Mary leaves to mourn her five children: Laurette (Charles) Standish, Doris (Dave) Mead, James (Deborah) Packet, Eileen Packet (Dean Leach), and Colleen (Allan) Messer; brother Gerard Watteyne; brother-in-law Marcel Verhelst; sister-in-law Gabrielle DePape; ten grandchildren, nineteen great grandchildren and one great great granddaughter, as well as extended family members and numerous nieces and nephews.
Prayers were held on Tuesday, March 28, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. at Hall Funeral Services, 1506 4th Street, Estevan, Sask., with Connie Wheeler officiating. The Funeral Mass was celebrated on Wednesday, March 29, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. at St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church, Estevan, with Rev. Sathiadas Antony the celebrant. A time of lunch and fellowship followed in the parish hall. The Rite of Committal took take place later in the day with immediate family present, at Sacred Heart Parish Cemetery, Benson, Sask. Donations in memory of Mary may be made to the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada, 100 - 119 14th Street NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1Z6 or online at https://www.heartandstroke.ca/. Hall Funeral Services in Estevan provided care to the Packet family - Dustin Hall, Funeral Director.
Meetings starting April 17 - 7:30 pm
Church of Christ
1302 8 Street, Estevan
For more information, call Margaret @ 306.471.1918
Under the provisions of The Alcohol and Gaming Regulations Act, 1997,
Notice is hereby given that CamduffGolf Club Society has applied to the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA) for a Special Use - Sports Facility Golf Club permit to sell alcohol in the premises known as Camduff Golf Club at Hwy 318 N Camduff 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
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.
The Estevan and District Music Festival wrapped up its 59th edition with two awards and highlights concerts at Trinity Lutheran Church on Sunday.
The 2 p.m. session celebrated the achievements of young talents in vocal, spoken word and band disciplines, while the evening concert was dedicated to piano performers.
Alisha Mann, the Estevan and District Music Festival president, said the festival and concerts went really smoothly this year, and they had a good turnout of participants and families to watch.
The talent this year was strong as well, but they could notice some pandemic aftereffects.
“It’s great. It was great to have the live music back and all the kids back at their studies. We’re lacking senior students, we don’t have as many as usual. I think that’s a combination of a lot of things,” Mann said.
“COVID slowed down studies for a few years for those kids so that higher age [students] are not there anymore, they’ve moved on. And the younger ones coming up have been delayed in their progress a little bit, but hopefully, they’re getting back on the right track. And it’s just encouraging to have participants’ numbers back up.”
The piano always has a lot of entries, but this year the strings discipline also saw high participation, in part due to a new teacher’s arrival, Mann noted. She said they hope to see further progress in that class for the festivals to come.
“It was really nice to have that different discipline represented. We’re
hoping to work with [the strings teacher] a little bit, and see if we can get a more specialized adjudicator in to help those students out in the future,” Mann said.
With the support from local sponsors and donors, the Estevan and District Music Festival was able to provide almost $11,000 in awards and bursaries, benefitting about 130 participants.
This year, Jesse Gibson was recognized with the Murray GM Outstanding Performance in Multiple Disciplines Award and received a $500 prize. He entered six solo classes in piano and percussion.
“He has had an incredible passion for music and intends to continue with music management in the future,” Mann said during the concert.
She also reminded the audience that the award was designed many years ago for students 15-18 years of age that excel in multiple disciplines. A competitor has to enter a minimum of two disciplines, perform a minimum of five solos and has to place first or second in at least four out of five classes.
This year, for the first time, there were two runner-up awards for outstanding performance in multiple disciplines, as two festival participants came tied for second. Each runner-up award comes with a $300 prize. Sarah Morris (five solos in piano and woodwind) received a Dwight Thompson Memorial Award sponsored by Hall Funeral Services Inc., and Jacob Pyra (six solos in vocals, strings and brass) was presented with the other runner-up award, sponsored by Scotsburn Dental.
Mann said they were grateful to everyone partic-
ipating and involved with the festival.
“Thank you to everybody who participated, the teachers for taking the time to enroll their students, and all of our volunteers who help run our festival. It’s
completely volunteer-run. So, unless we have those people, we can’t do it,” Mann said.
The Souris Valley Museum invited the community for an Easter egg hunt on April 1.
About 150 people stopped by to visit and take pictures with the Easter Bunny, have some candy apples and cotton candy, choose from
many crafts offered, and of course search for Easter eggs hidden all around the museum in between antiques and historic exhibits. Five eggs would get young treasure hunters a sweet little prize.
Museum director/curator Melanie Memory said the two-hour event turned out really well, and it
seemed that all their guests had fun.
“There were a lot of younger kids and it was really good to see everybody out,” Memory said.
The Easter egg hunt at the museum became a good tradition before the pandemic, and they were happy to bring it back. They usually would run the event inside the museum and the old school house, as well as in their yard, however with the snow this year they decided to keep it all indoors.
Events like the Easter egg hunt are fun for the community and also allow people to learn more about the museum’s collection and programming.
“I did hear a couple of comments today like ‘Oh, I’ve never been in here. I didn’t realize there was all these cute, cool vehicles or, you know, it was really neat to see this or that.’ And then I would hear people talking about ‘My uncle had this, or do you remember seeing this in grandpa’s house?’ So, it’s nice to see or to hear those comments and hopefully, with that interest, people will come back to the museum either for themselves, just to see it maybe in a different atmosphere when we don’t have an Easter egg hunt going on, or to bring their children back for programs,” Memory shared.
The museum will run Green Thumbs no-school day camp during the spring break from April 11-13. Memory noted it is full, but people can always get on a waiting list in case of cancellations.
Every Wednesday they also offer a History Sensory Day for preschoolers,
First Peter 1:24-25 says, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.”
In the past, I have always focused on the “nothing lasts forever” part of this Scripture. People come and people go. We get a job, make some money, then something changes, and we are looking for work again. Children are born and, in a blink of an eye, they are out of the house,
married and have children of their own. The stock market goes up and down. When teaching this passage, I would always encourage people to be adaptable, because the only constant is change.
There is one major problem with this approach, though, and that is that I overlooked the last line. I treated the part that says “the word of the Lord endures forever” as if it was just a nice way to
end the sentence. However, that line is not a throwaway; it is the entire point.
Peter is not saying “nothing lasts”. He is saying “nothing earthly lasts”. If you want something that will never go away, change, or become useless, then you need to focus on the spiritual and unseen parts of your life. Everything else is temporary, but the truths found in the word of God and in Jesus, who is called “the word” (John 1:1) are eternal.
where kids explore history through different senses.
“It’s quite unique and we’ve had some consistent people attend, but it’d be nice to get some more people in,” Memory said.
The museum continues with their I Am monthly series for pre-kindergarten kids.
As we approach Easter weekend and think about Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, may we use this time to recalibrate our thinking, so that God’s story intersects ours in a way that changes us both now and eternally.
God paid a great price to give us this opportunity and he is waiting for us to come home.
Everyone can be part of that celebration.
“For you know that it was not with perishable
They also released the listing of their summer camps on their website at sourisvalleymuseum.com and on their Souris Valley Museum Facebook page on April 3. Registration for the camps will open May 1. More information about their programs can be found there as well.
things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God (1 Peter 1:18-21).
1) Color your heart out!
2) Have a grown up drop it off (68 Souris Ave E) or email it to the Estevan Mercury (contests@estevanmercury.ca).
3) All entries will be entered to win $50
4) All entries must be received by April 9, 2023.
5) Random draw will take place on April 10 and your grown up will be notified.
Child's Name:_________________________________________
Age:____________ Phone:______________________________
Grown Up's Name:_____________________________________
Tributes have been pouring in for Derek Meyers, who hailed from Midale and became an MLA for the Regina-Walsh Acres constituency in the Saskatchewan legislature.
Meyers, who was first elected for the Saskatchewan Party in 2020, had been suffering from cancer. He died March 28.
The legislative assembly recessed immediately Tuesday afternoon upon word of his death.
“Today is a difficult day as we mourn the loss of our friend and colleague Derek Meyers, MLA for Regina Walsh Acres,” said Premier Scott Moe.
“Derek passed away at the age of 45 after a battle with cancer.
“Through all of the challenges he faced, Derek remained one of the most upbeat and positive people I have ever met. Since his election in 2020, Derek has been a strong voice for his constituency and the city of Regina, a tireless advocate on behalf of everyone facing mental health challenges and a vital part of our government caucus.
“I am blessed to have known Derek for the short time that I did. We have lost a bright, talented, personable MLA and a young father far too soon.
“On behalf of our government and our province, I want to express my deepest sympathies to Derek’s many friends, his partner Laurie, and his children Dayn, Sebastian and Eisley.
“Flags at the Legislative Assembly will be lowered to half-mast in honour of Derek Meyers.”
Opposition Leader Carla Beck also saluted Meyers.
“A truly devastating day here at the legislature. Our hearts go out to Derek’s family, friends and colleagues as we all grieve this loss. I want to echo the premier’s sentiments about Derek’s positivity and his ability to always elicit a hearty laugh. He will be sorely missed.”
She added: “Derek was a dedicated advocate for his community, even throughout his diagnosis, and his passion for the betterment of Saskatchewan was admired by all who had the pleasure of knowing him.
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
Please enjoy the Easter Holiday and please be safe if you’re traveling. We have a few events including a Toonie Swim April 6, 2023 from 6-8 p.m. and April 9 is a Free Skate at Affinity Place for the whole family.
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 2023, has been prepared and is open to inspection in the office of the Assessor from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on the following days: March 22, 2023 to April 21, 2023.
Bylaw No. 2023-2066 required under section 184(2) of The Cities Act has been passed and the assessment notices have been sent as required.
Any person who wishes to appeal against his or her assessment or classification to the Board of Revision is required to file notice of appeal with:
Secretary to the Board of Revision – City of Estevan
1102 Fourth Street Estevan, SK S4A 0W7
On or before 4:00 pm on the 21st day of April 2023. For further information, please contact the Tax DepartmentCity of Estevan (306) 634-1811.
Trina Sieben – Tax Assessor City of Estevan
Our deepest condolences go to his partner Laurie and his three children.”
All events at the legislature were cancelled that day, including a planned presentation to the organizers of
the flights of Ukraine refugees to Saskatchewan. A book of condolence has been located inside the legislature.
Meyers’ health issues caused him to miss several
days of the spring sitting. But the extent of his condition had not been well known to the public.
Meyers graduated from the Midale Central School and gained prominence as a sports broadcaster. According to his profile on the legislature’s website, prior to entering television, he worked in the southeast Saskatchewan oilfield, eventually moving into the geological exploration and consulting field for a number of years before attending the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology to study television broadcasting in 2005.
Afterwards, Meyers was a sports anchor on Global TV for 10 years, and he also ran his own video production company prior to entering politics.
Members of the sports community have reacted to the news. The Saskatchewan Roughriders were among those to post a tribute.
“The Saskatchewan Roughriders are saddened to hear of the tragic loss of Derek Meyers at just 45 years old. Prior to running for office, Meyers spent a decade covering sports in
the province of Saskatchewan, and spent countless hours with us at old Mosaic Stadium, telling the stories of our players, coaches and team. His quick wit, sense of humour and kindness will be missed by all who knew him.”
The legislature resumed the following day, at which time more MLAs recognized him.
Estevan city councillor Rebecca Foord noted that when she was growing up, the Meyers family lived just down the road from her godparents and she spent a lot of time in the area. Despite the age difference, she was always included in activities.
“Hop ahead a whole lifetime to 2020 where we both ended up in politics and we have been able to cross paths on a number of occasions. He was such a good person to ask for advice, he was an amazing advocate for mental health, a great speaker and was very passionate about representing his constituents and making their lives better,” said Foord on a Facebook post. “He was someone everyone should look up to.”
The Council of the City of Estevan pursuant to the Cities Act that the Council of the City of Estevan, gives notice of its intention to implement a bylaw to borrow the sum of $2,000,000 for the purpose of 2023 Capital projects in the City of Estevan
On March 27, 2023 meeting the first reading of the Bylaw 2023-2069 was passed and the final readings is expected to be on April 10, 2023.
The proposed Bylaws 2023-2069 may be inspected by any person in the City Clerk's Office, on the main level of City Hall, between the hours of 9 am and 4 pm, Monday to Friday.
Dated this 28th day of March, 2023.
Judy Pilloud
1102 4th Street
Estevan, SK S4A 0W7