Estevan Mercury 20230913

Full fleet. Estevan fire department presents their latest addition.

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Third-party testing confirms resource for geothermal facility in the southeast

Reconcilonialism.

Mural telling story of reconciliation in 21st century. PAGE A5

The Deep Earth Energy Production Corp. (DEEP) has announced that SLB’s GeothermEx consulting service has completed a geoscience and reservoir engineering technical review of DEEP’s geothermal project in southeast Saskatchewan.

DEEP says the findings support the ability of the geothermal resource to sustain thermal energy production. The company says this level of due diligence work from SLB is considered a recognized standard for geothermal investments.

According to DEEP, GeothermEx has evaluated more than 8.5 gigawatts of clean geothermal electricity and more than $14 billion of related investments.

This positive and comprehensive review by the world’s most established geothermal resource consulting and services firm is a major milestone as we move into construction of our first facility,” said DEEP CEO Kirsten Marcia, a former Estevan resident.

“All the drilling, testing, reservoir modelling and well design work DEEP has completed has led us to this landmark moment. It provides confidence that the geothermal resource will support the Phase 1 and 2 developments for the forecasted 40 years.”

Closer to opening.

Souris Valley Daycare progresses with the project.

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SLB’s review was based on DEEP’s Phase 1 geothermal pilot project, which is a five-megawatt nameplate (four-megawatt average after seasonal fluctuations) binary geothermal plant supplied by two production wells and two injection wells, followed by a Phase 2, a 25-megawatt nameplate power plant as a later expansion. It will have a 20-megawatt average after seasonal fluctuations.

DEEP anticipates additional future buildouts in 25-50-megawatt increments, potentially leading to a total of 180 megawatts for the project. Phase 1 and 2 would provide baseload power capacity for approximately 25,000 homes.

DEEP says it conducted surface and subsurface resource exploration and reservoir testing activities to characterize the geothermal resource in the project area and its ability to support the development of geothermal power facilities. GeothermEx reviewed and evaluated the exploration activities undertaken by DEEP, including geology, geophysics, sustained flow testing, brine composition, temperature distribution and geologic controls on permeability.

To assess the resource’s ability to support the project development plan, GeothermEx evaluated, utilized and updated DEEP’s full-field thermal numerical reservoir model to quantify the impact that various uncertainties may have on the long-term sustainability of production from the resource.

ware platform and utilizes the Intersect high-resolution reservoir simulator to perform the flow simulation calculations.

Sensitivity cases were run by the GeothermEx team of experts using different production rates, injection temperatures, production and injection pressure, reservoir permeability and conductive heat transfer rate within the cased portion of the wells.

GeothermEx’s assess

ment includes the following conclusions:

•The results of DEEP’s detailed numerical modelling analysis indicate that DEEP has prepared a prudent resource development and operations plan to sustain thermal energy generation for the life of the project. The well field layout has 3,000-metre lateral wells that alternate between injectors and producers and are separated by 500 metres.

This configuration is well suited for sustaining operations, given the petrophysical reservoir properties determined from wells that have been drilled into the target sandstone reservoir (the DEEP sand).

Celebrating pets.

Latest from four-legged world in animal health special.

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“GeothermEx is the gold standard for geothermal resource evaluation.

DEEP’s numerical model was created in the SLB Petrel E&P (exploration and production) soft -

The project design and well layout enable conductive heat transfer from above and below the DEEP sand to sustain thermal energy production. DEEP’s development approach is also prudent in that DEEP will gain resource knowledge from operation of the fivemegawatt Phase 1 pilot plant before implementation of the Phase 2 plant.

•The modelling results have shown that the project design takes advantage of changing fluid densities to reduce power consumption for pumping. The project can sustain injection with zero wellhead pressure because of the greater density of the cooled fluid, while the higher-temperature (lower density) production fluid decreases production pumping power requirements.

•Sensitivity modelling runs on DEEP sand per -

meabilities resulted in little variation in well productivity, due to beneficial conductive heat transfer from above and below the laterally continuous DEEP sand.

DEEP said in the news release it is grateful for the advice and guidance received from GeothermEx geothermal consulting services since 2013 – from early exploration planning to well design, well testing, reservoir modelling and now resource confirmation.

Ministry of Health denies request to have MRI located at St. Joseph's Hospital

People in the Estevan area have been fuming after it was revealed that a donation for an MRI scanner at St. Joseph's Hospital was denied.

talked to wanted to know if this was true. He said it was, and the city and surrounding RMs are calling for the government to reverse its decision.

Home start. ECS volleyball hosts teams from across Sask. for great competition.

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According to reports that started to circulate Sunday night, Elaine Walkom of Estevan was willing to donate $2 million towards the purchase of the MRI. The Ministry of Health reportedly denied the request. The issue was addressed at Monday's meeting of Estevan city council. Councillors Tony Sernick and Travis Frank said they have received a lot of calls and messages from people in the community over this issue.

Sernick said most people he

"It's in the government's court, and we'll see where it goes," said Sernick.

Frank said there is more that goes into the decision than just purchasing the equipment, but the province should come to the table and have a conversation with city council.

Mayor Roy Ludwig said that he has spoken with Estevan MLA Lori Carr, and reported she does want to see it go through. Ludwig lauded Walkom for stepping forward with

the donation, but the government also needs to come to the table.

He also pointed out Estevan previously raised the money to purchase the CT scanner at St. Joseph's Hospital and to operate it for a year.

Local rural municipalities have also been vocal on the issue, including the RM of Estevan, who noted Walkom's donation would have addressed funding for the training of two technicians.

"While there are undoubtedly other communities in similar need of these services, we do feel that having an MRI placed in the southeast will free up availability in Saskatoon and Regina, thus shortening wait times

for the northern population as well. The placement of an MRI scanner at St. Joseph's Hospital in Estevan would be a benefit for the entire province."

The RM said it struggles to understand the decision of the Ministry of Health and strongly urges the province to revisit placing this unit in Estevan.

The Mercury has reached out to the Ministry of Health for a response, but had not heard back as of press time.

Future editions of the Mercury will have more on this story. Updates on this matter can be found on our provincial news hub at SaskToday.ca

Deep Earth Energy Production received more good news in its effort to bring geothermal power to the southeast. File photo

By Ana Bykhovskaia

One lucky rubber duck won the Estevan Humane Society's derby in 42 minutes, making Bryan Milford $15,000 richer Sunday afternoon.

The same amount was raised for the shelter this year through the sale of 3,000 rubber duck tickets for the 200-foot race on the Souris River.

The annual fundraiser was sold out Friday before the race, and the organizers were indeed happy with the results, especially since they only had three weeks to distribute the tickets.

"We sold out again a couple days before the duck derby, so we can't complain. But it might be hinting and telling us that we need to go bigger, again, because we seem to always have the demand," said Estevan Humane Society president Tayja Lakusta.

Last year the shelter grew the fundraiser from 2,000 to 3,000 tickets, which meant a raise from $10,000 to $15,000 in winnings and funds for the humane society.

While at some point it seemed that sales were going a bit slow this year and board members were getting worried, soon the community kicked into gear and ensured a successful fundraiser. Local businesses were helping with selling tickets alongside the 10 board members. People could also purchase them online, which Lauksta believes also helped with sales.

All money raised through the duck derby is to be used towards the shelter's regular operations.

They currently have a "good" number of cats, Lakusta said, but have a lot of kittens and more are coming up. They are also at full capacity for dogs and will also have puppies available for adoption this

fall. Some of the shelter dogs were at the park to socialize and visit with guests.

Many people joined the event to watch the race, enjoy an outdoor lunch, have some ice cream and watch kids having fun at the bouncy castle and with glitter tattoos.

"We'd like to thank everyone for their continued support and for coming out to watch our ducks rush to the finish line," Lakusta said with a laugh.

The shelter is also gearing up for major renovations. Earlier, they received estate donations and are in talks with another possible donor. This support will allow them to do much-needed upgrades. They are currently working on obtaining permits and securing contractors.

"We're planning to do the major upgrade in the spring," Lakusta said. "We're going to try to get animals out because we're going to try to do it room by room to minimize the uprooting of everybody. We'll try to get them out on foster, get their room redone, bring them back, move. It'll be a lot of shuffling and moving.

"All the renovations are done because we've had extremely generous donors step up and give us larger sums of money that we can put away and do these upgrades that are so necessary for us with the way we seem to be growing."

Next year will be Estevan Humane Society's 30th year since being established. Keep an eye on the Estevan Mercury and our provincial news hub SaskToday.ca for more about how the local shelter is to celebrate its years of serving the community's needs.

For animals available for adoption, check out the Estevan the Humane Society Facebook page and their website at estevanhumanesociety.ca.

John Deadlock was a big part of council and Estevan

John Deadlock is being remembered for his commitment to his community, his work ethic and his sense of humour.

Deadlock, who was a long-time Estevan resident, died on Sept. 6 in Hanna, Alta., where he had resided for several years. He was 88 years old.

The announcement was made on Facebook, and nearly 200 messages were posted paying tribute to him. Some of them offered their condolences, while others shared stories about their interactions with him over the years.

Deadlock was a wellknown radio broadcaster in Estevan when he started to serve in public office. According to information provided by the City of Estevan, he was first elected to a public school board in July 1971.

In October 1973, he was elected as an alderman (now known as councillor) for city council for the first time. He was re-elected in 1976, 1979, 1982 and 1985.

In 1988, he took a shot at the mayor’s job in a race that also included John Empey and incumbent mayor Bernie Collins. Empey was elected.

Deadlock was returned to council when he successfully ran for alderman in

1991, and was re-elected in 1994. He spent a total of 21 years on council.

Mayor Roy Ludwig recalled that when he was first elected as an alderman in 1994, he was seated next to Deadlock in council chambers.

“We enjoyed John on council. He had a good sense of humour. He had a lot of experience, which I, as a new councillor, was able to take advantage of. He sat beside me, and it was just a lot of fun,” said Ludwig, who said Deadlock was a mentor who helped Ludwig learn the ropes of municipal politics.

They also had a lot of lighter moments, which alleviated the nervousness that Ludwig felt during his first term.

While he was serving on city council, Deadlock also became involved with the United Way Estevan and its telethon. During the initial years of the broadcast, he would serve as a host throughout the entire 36 hours of the fundraiser, staying up during the overnight hours and wearing bright suits.

Ludwig said Deadlock did a fantastic job on the United Way board.

“We’ll always lovingly remember him for the Unit -

In the Aug. 30 edition of the Mercury, we were proud to present our annual Kid-vertising special. Unfortunately, the wrong name appeared with several ads: David B., age 11, should have appeared on Lori Carr's ad; Daniella B., age 15, should have appeared on 5th Street Autobody's ad; Maize, age 11, should have appeared on the KFC ad; and Parker, age 8, should have been on the TS&M ad. Also, the kid who designed Henders Drugs' ad was Jordyn, not Jardyn. The Mercury apologizes for any inconvenience this might have caused, and we thank all of the businesses and children who participated.

ed Way.”

Deadlock remained involved with the telethon for many years, serving in a variety of capacities, including a year as the co-president. He also continued to be one of the hosts and served on different committees.

Even after moving to Hanna, he came back to Estevan a few times. He remained a host and interacted with school students during their appearances the first few hours of the broadcast.

His final appearance at the telethon was in 2016 for the 40th edition of the community event.

“The board and staff at the United Way Estevan send their sincerest condolences to John’s family. John was instrumental in helping United Way Estevan become the community-based organization that it is today. He was a great supporter of

the community and we are very grateful for his years of service. He will be missed,” the United Way stated in a Facebook post.

A funeral service for Deadlock will not be held.

Estevan Humane Society board member Shane Blackstock was patiently watching the winning duck approaching the finish line on Sunday. Photos by Anastasiia Bykhovskaia

Many people came to the Woodlawn Regional Park to watch the duck derby organized by the Estevan Humane Society.

John Deadlock, right, pictured here with Brian Senchuk at the 2016 United Way Estevan Telethon, passed away earlier this month. He was a big part of the United Way for many years. File photo

FD completes fleet with Dean Nagel hazmat trailer

By Ana Bykhovskaia

The Estevan Fire Rescue Service introduced the latest addition to its equipment fleet on Sept. 5.

The hazardous materials response trailer became possible thanks to joint support from Kingston Midstream and SaskPower. The trailer carries the name of Dean Nagel, who was a firefighter in Estevan for decades. He passed away last year.

City officials – along with members of the fire service, representatives of Kingston Midstream and SaskPower and Nagel's family – gathered at the department to tour the trailer. Estevan Deputy Fire Chief Kyle Luc gave the guests a bit of background on the project.

"Last year we applied for funding through Kingston Midstream through the community grants. We also teamed up with SaskPower. With our new provincial standards coming in, we recognize the need for furthering our hazmat program in town, and we were fortunate enough to be granted money from Kingston Midstream and SaskPower," Luc said.

"Kingston Midstream wanted to do something for the department in memory of Dean, so the funds for this [trailer] are in memory of Dean Nagel as you can see on the trailer here. SaskPower kicked in, and they bought and donated a lot of equipment. So between the efforts of everybody, this is the trailer that we've come up with."

The trailer was already used in action when the fire department was called to a semi-truck rollover by Outram on Sept. 1. The crews used hazmat suits stored in the trailer to mitigate fluid leak at the scene, where they spent about five hours.

Dean Nagel's daughter Becky Kuntz said the family

knew Kingston Midstream wanted to do something in memory of Dean ahead of time.

"We knew that they wanted to do something, do a donation, but they weren't sure what type of equipment. And when they heard that [the fire department] wanted this [hazmat response trailer], they chose to do the donation to this, and we heard a couple of weeks ago that it was ready to go," Kuntz said.

With this latest addition, according to the new Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency's guidelines coming into effect this year, the EFRS is nowfull service – the only one in the southeast, Luc said. That means that not only can they serve all of the Estevan area's needs, but they can also provide various mutual

aid to other departments.

The new trailer has hazmat response equipment, as well as personal protective gear for different situations and decontamination tools. It allows the firefighters to do more when they are called to an emergency, which involves hazardous materials of different kinds.

"With all these things that we have now, all these spill kits here, if we were to go to a water treatment plant or something like that where there is, let's say, a chlorine leak in a pipe, we can take these clamps and put them around. If we had a hole inside of a pipe somewhere, these clamps go on, tighten it up, it's basically just a huge patch," Luc explained.

"Beforehand, if we ever responded to something like

that, our mandate at the time would be – go find the nearest valve and isolate. We were all about isolate, we still isolate, but we isolate now a little more in the hot zone, because we have [required equipment].

"Or with tankers, like we were out the other day, if it's hauling any kind of flammables on it, before, same thing, we would go there, but we would actually have to have a hazmat team show up if we were going to bond and ground the truck. Now we have this grounding and bonding kit, so we can go out there, and we can make sure that when we're in there working, it's not going to go boom on us. The biggest thing is the mitigation," he added.

Luc noted that while

most major companies do have their hazmat teams, the fire department still assists with emergencies. Besides, there are smaller operators which may require the EFRS' help, and there are situations like accidents and other emergencies where having a hazmat response trailer is very beneficial. He said in 2024 they plan on having further hazmat training to become even more efficient.

"Everyone's hazmat trained, but there're different levels. In order to go in and mitigate something like this, you need to be a hazardous materials technician. As the incident commander, I'm a technician. For someone to be in there, they would have to work underneath a tech. So, if we could send three or four people to Brandon to

do their tech training, then we can team up all these people," Luc said, noting that if there are enough hazmat techs, others can work under their leadership in case of a major emergency, which would require a lot of people responding.

He noted that the Estevan fire department is wellestablished for any kind of emergencies, and expressed his gratitude to those who helped with the latest progress.

"Huge thanks to Kingston Midstream and SaskPower for making this happen. Without you guys things like this wouldn't be possible. And thanks to the Estevan Firefighters Association and the City of Estevan as well for always helping us out whenever we need," Luc said.

Motorcycles rumble through the SE during milestone ride

Motorcycle riders in southeast Saskatchewan oance again came together for a worthy cause Sunday during the 25th annual Ride for Ronald McDonald House.

Participants gathered at the Estevan McDonald's for registration and socializing, and then they embarked on the ride. They ventured up to Lampman, Arcola and Stoughton, where they enjoyed a beef on a bun supper at the Crossroads Inn. Then they returned home.

A total of 86 riders participated in the event, raising approximately $7,500 for the Ronald McDonald House (RMH) in Saskatoon. Pam Currie and her husband Paul have been involved with the event since its inception in 1999. It was initially organized by the Retreads, which was a local motorcycle group. Then it was run by the Prairie Riders and eventually the Prairie Winds, which was a women's motorcycle club. There hasn't been an organization looking after the event in recent years.

Speaking to the crowd before they embarked on their journey, Pam Currie said it has been 25 wonderful years of getting together and riding while supporting the RMH. In the first 24 editions of the event, they raised roughly $80,000.

"We're going to add

to that this year," said Pam Currie.

The first ride was on Sept. 12, 1999. They approached local businesses and asked them to support the ride. Local companies have always been eager to provide a donation.

Currie acknowledged the sponsors and those who have always supported the event, and she thanked everybody who rode on Sunday.

This year also marked the final year that the Curries will organize the ride. They continue to look for somebody to step forward to take on the event, and Currie said they have spoken with some people who are interested.

"We thought 25 years was a really good time to go out. It's a great celebration of the time that we've spent with everybody riding with us," said Pam Currie.

The Curries moved to Esterhazy in 2017 but remained the organizers.

Paul Currie noted that the Retreads wanted to do something for the community when they first had discussions. They talked about various charities, and Paul pointed out that families who have a child or children in the hospital have so many things to worry about. The Ronald McDonald House in Saskatoon helps those people.

"I said 'Well, there's

this McDonald's House that I hear about', and I said 'Maybe that would be a good

place for us to … donate our money, your money," he said.

Ronald McDonald

House was selected, and the interaction with the ride's organizers and the beneficiary has been great. "Thank you, guys. It was fun," said Paul.

A large crowd gathered at the Estevan McDonalds for this year's Ride for Ronald McDonald House. Photos by David Willberg

The Estevan Fire Rescue Service introduced the latest addition to its fleet. Participating in the presentation of the hazardous materials response trailer, commemorating the late firefighter Dean Nagel were, back row, from left, city manager Jeff Ward, Fire Chief Rick Davies, Capt. Peter Fedyk, the president of the Estevan Firefighters Association; Lance Locken, director, SaskPower, Shand Power Station; Kevin Armstrong, vice-president of operations, Kingston Midstream; Mayor Roy Ludwig and Deputy Fire Chief Kyle Luc. Front row, Dean Nagel's son Trevor Nagel, wife Bev Nagel and daughter Becky Kuntz; Dena Bachorcik, public awareness and community investment co-ordinator for Kingston Midstream; and Ben Brokenshire, inventory manager and fleet co-ordinator with Kingston Midstream and firefighter with the EFRS.

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EDITORIAL

Conservatives found themselves in unfamiliar territory at convention

The federal Conservative Party held its annual convention from Sept. 7-9 in Quebec City.

It's likely the most upbeat gathering the party has had in years. Pierre Poilievre has been leader for roughly a year. (His one-year anniversary was Sept. 10). The party is enjoying a large lead over the governing Liberals in the polls, and has support from across the country. And there seems to be a measure of unity within the big-tent party that hasn't been there previously.

It wasn't a celebration – the Tories, after all, are still in opposition – but it was still a very good time for the party.

Favourable receptions at conventions should be taken with a grain of salt. Speakers are preaching to the converted. Of course, if supporters aren't happy with you, it's going to make for a rather unpleasant weekend.

Poilievre's first year as the leader of the Tories has been largely positive. He's going to have his critics who view him as too conservative to govern a country that tends to elect moderates, but people said the same thing about Stephen Harper, and he was able to remain in the PM's post for nearly a decade.

Poilievre has also benefited from favourable timing. The current Liberal government has been guiding the country since 2015.

They've exceeded their best-before date. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is certainly due to be replaced, whether it be by Poilievre or someone within the Liberal Party.

If Trudeau were to step down within, say, the next year, and give someone else a chance to lead the Liberals into the next election, that would change the complexion of the next vote, but it seems the current prime minister seems intent on staying on until then, no matter how much damage it does to the party's 2025 chances.

If there isn't another vote for two years, then it gives Poilievre the chance to continue to refine his image and his platforms, and convince more centre-right voters that he is the man for the job.

He's also been able to score major points on the affordability crisis, which is something that has affected everybody and has caused at least some frustration for everyone in this country. Now, Canada is not alone with affordability and cost-of-living issues; it's a problem affecting countries around the world regardless of political affiliation. But where Poilievre scores points is the idea that Trudeau is not the person able to get us out of this predicament.

Yeah, there were some head-scratching policy motions at the Conservative convention

that reflect some misguided priorities among certain members, and those policies will give the other parties fodder, but there's no guarantee a policy would be enacted if the Tories become the government.

This doesn't mean the Tories are a lock to win the next election, regardless of when it happens. A lot can still happen in the next couple of years. Poilievre needs to continue to work on the balance of being the Conservative leader. Spend too much time appeasing the centre-right voters, many of whom live in small cities and could sway the election, and he's going to alienate the strong conservative supporters who played a big role in his successful bid for the party's leadership. Try to keep the more conservative people in the party happy, and it could be at the expense of the more moderate conservatives.

Right now there's the unifying cry of "Beat Trudeau", but it won't last forever. It might not even last two years.

The Tories have taken a shift to the right under Poilievre's leadership, but not as far to the right as some thought.

The convention should have been upbeat. But a lot of work remains before the next election, and the progress can easily be undone.

'Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life' - Pablo Picasso

This is a statement by the great Pablo Picasso. And I can't agree more.

I see art as an integral part of humanity and our lives, but for a lot of people, it just doesn't work like that in daily life.

Art is often taken as something extra and limited. It's extra beauty, or extra entertainment, extra perspective on something. Besides, it takes an extra effort to see or hear the art.

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Most people need to spare some time and travel to experience the classical creations, pay a lot of money to get a chance to connect with the beautiful, and wait in lines and overcome other challenges for a unique opportunity to have a chance to maybe feel something different when being exposed to art.

But I believe any opportunity to be exposed to art is well worth it. As much as we need to dust off our homes every so often, we need to dust off our souls. And art is the best way to do so.

I was lucky to be born in a culture-focused city (St. Petersburg's nickname is the Cultural Capital for a reason) and also in a family that valued art a lot. Art has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.

In my early years, I was exposed mainly to classical art of all kinds. Every weekend grandpa took me to museums. (It was poor back then, and, as I realized later, something that made it possible was that, unlike other entertainment, museums were free or almost free for kids and seniors).

Every so often we would go to a philharmonic for classical concerts or get some complimentary tickets for operas or ballets. I

liked Disney princesses a lot growing up, but my visions of paintings by the same Picasso and other great artists displayed in local museums as well as beautiful ballerinas and live-theatre characters were the centre of my own drawings as often as Belle, Arielle or Anastasia.

Later, I had a chance to explore contemporary art, sometimes presented in classical settings, other times being scandalous, inappropriate and controversial. By then, I had the base to try understanding it and judging it for myself.

And no matter what kind of art it was, it always touched the special strings inside me –the ones that have nothing to do with daily life and its problems.

The same I felt recently when, thanks to my work and the need to know everything and be everywhere, I was able to attend a classical music concert by Rachel and Audrey Andrist – two brilliant pianists who were in Estevan for a visit and spoiled the local audience with a beautiful performance. I left the concert feeling light and inspired.

Classical music deserves many separate columns, but I'll try summarizing why I value it so much. It ignites your imagination and as you listen to it, it turns you into a creator. If you allow yourself to let go, you can become an artist of any kind, painting whatever you hear and feel

in any colours, shapes and ways you want. There are many levels and layers; there is a story being told and a vision inspired; there are emotions and feelings. Unlike songs with words, classical pieces allow for freedom, for a flight.

Another art project that touched my strings lately was the Reconcil-onialism mural currently being created at the Estevan Art Gallery. A very different type of art – the one with deep meaning, the one that works almost like an interpreter, whose job is to connect two people, speaking different languages, two cultures, and two worlds.

The mural is to be completed and presented to the public during the artist meet and greet on Sept. 15 starting at 6:30 p.m. I sincerely recommend that you come, it's a very beautiful piece and the artist is a very interesting person.)

And we have more art here.

Despite its industrial nature, Estevan, for the size of the community, provides us with some regular (and some indeed awesome) opportunities to experience art. We have the arts council bringing in concerts and other experiences; we have the art gallery focusing on visual art; we have murals taking art out to the streets. There are some other opportunities. But every time it comes to an art project or event, there are not too many people eager to experience it.

Art is definitely not about our day-to-day life. It's extra. But it's an integral extra that we need every so often.

So, no matter how old or young you are, or how busy your life is, try to make sure you take those somewhat rare opportunities we have, and wash the dust off your soul every so often, as Picasso instructed.

David Willberg Willberg’s World

Premature evaluation pitfalls

Sports fans tend to have a knack for overreacting.

One important win and all is right in the world, at least with their team. The term “statement win” has become cliché. One untimely or ugly loss and you might as well make massive changes and start evaluating players who could be the first overall selection in the upcoming draft.

I’ve long found Saskatchewan Roughrider fans to suffer from this condition known as premature evaluation. And it was particularly evident this month with the Labour Day Classic and the subsequent Banjo Bowl games.

The Riders won on Labour Day, 32-30 in overtime in a game that proved to be entertaining after a rather sluggish start. No matter what happens the rest of the season, Rider fans will have a measure of satisfaction because they beat the Bombers on the day before Labour Day at Mosaic Stadium.

It’s unlikely the Riders will do much come November this year, but they won on Labour Day.

Still, you had the fans who were a little too excited after beating the powerhouse Bombers. Jake Dolegala was the next great Rider quarterback. The offensive line was finally improving. The team had been getting better. And the defence was stout. After all, they held Bombers’ quarterback Zach Collaros to five completions in the first three quarters, an unheard-of level of futility for the CFL’s top player in 2021 and 2022.

Then came the rematch in Winnipeg – the Banjo Bowl, as it is known.

The Riders had a three-point lead to start. They were outscored 52-3 the rest of the way. It was 42-6 at halftime. And when you watched the third quarter, you had to think the Bombers had a realistic shot at scoring 60.

Now Rider fans want anyone other than Dolegala at quarterback. The coaches and the management team should be fired. Widespread replacements are needed on defence. The offensive line is terrible again.

It’s not just Rider fans. Last week was the opening week of the NFL season. I don’t know much about the NFL; I’m a lifelong CFL guy and, besides, I’m usually working long hours on a Sunday. I can’t imagine having time to spend three hours watching a football game on a Sunday. Except during playoffs.

But the pundits down south are now questioning if the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs have taken a step back after they lost their opening game of the season. It’s one loss. Not three or four. Just one.

And the San Francisco 49ers might need to be the Super Bowl favourites after their convincing victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The New York Giants? Forget about them. A 40-0 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1 will be too much to overcome over the next 16 games.

I understand that football has a comparatively short season at 18 games for the CFL and 16 for the NFL. College, high school and U.S. semi-pro campaigns are even shorter. A bad four-game stretch can sink your season. It’s the reality of a sport in which you play once a week.

This isn’t baseball with a 162-game slate, or the NHL or the NBA with an 82-game season.

As for the Riders, fans need to realize that this team will likely be a playoff squad, but that’s likely as good as it’s going to get. You don’t expect they’ll go into Winnipeg in November and win a game with the season on the line for both teams. If they need the crossover to make the playoffs, it’s also unlikely they’ll defeat the Toronto Argonauts.

From an organizational standpoint, right now the Riders are treading water. They’re far from the worst. They’re also far from the best. They’re a middling team that will finish fifth or sixth, win seven or eight games and possibly give their fans one more thrill before the season is out.

This doesn’t feel like a team that’s going to have a sudden turnaround next year either, unless Dolegala becomes the next big thing at quarterback, and even if he does break through, the Riders will need a much better offensive line to protect him, or whoever plays quarterback next year.

They are who they are. And no single victory or defeat will change that.

Cree-Métis artist’s Reconcilonialism mural at EAGM to be introduced at meet and greet

L a r g e V a r i e t y o f t a b l e s C r a f t s , b a k i n g , t r a d e i t e m s s o m e t h i n g f o r e v e r y o n e ! C o f f e e a n d L u n c h s e r v e d t h r o u g h o u t t h e d a y A d m i s s i o n $ 5 ( 1 2 & u n d e r f r e e )

The Estevan Art Gallery and Museum is currently hosting Reconcil-onialism – a mini residency dedicated to the creation of a mural by Cree-Métis artist Geanna Dunbar, who is based out of Regina.

For two weeks, Dunbar has been working on a mixed-media mural on canvas, telling a story of reconciliation in today's world.

"I wanted to showcase what it's like being Indigenous in the 21st century, and what reconciliation could be like without the aspects of colonialism," Dunbar shared in an interview with the Mercury and SaskToday.

"These days, we're going through a lot with the pipeline, and now we have our people taking on the government for [getting] land back and wanting mineral rights; there's a lot of stuff going on. It's quite a big movement that's been going on forever. And I just want to showcase what that can be like living with the fight, and then what the future can bring for us as Indigenous folks."

Dunbar said from the beginning, she wanted to have an image of a woman and a man as part of the mural.

"I feel that our women and children have suffered a lot throughout this cause and that it's time for our men to step up ... and to help us with the fight," Dunbar said. "Our modernday world is run strongly by men; it's in their hands to

ADULT ROLLER DERBY Come Learn to Skate September 14 @ 6pm to 8pm Bienfait Rink W e p r o v i d e y o u w i t h f u l l e q u i p m e n t a n d s k a t e s w h i l e y o u l e a r n t o s k a t e ! A g e s 1 8 + a r e w e l c o m e N o s k a t i n g o r a t h l e t i c e x p e r i e n c e r e q u i r e d A l l s h a p e s , s i z e s a n d g e n d e rs a r e w e l c o m e S e a s o n r u n s f r o m S e p t e m b e r t o D e c e m b e r F e e s $ 1 4 0 a n d I n s u r a n c e o f $ 5 5 ( M a n d a t o r y )

make any systematic change. So, I think it's really important to see that in order for us to have that systematic change we have to make sure that there are no biases, and we really see what things are in the end."

The long mural that tells a story has two colourdistinctive halves – with one being warm-coloured and the other cool.

"One side represents the distress. And the other side represents the healing. And the centre represents the progression and what we need to have as it is in more of muted tones," Dunbar explained.

"We can say a lot through colours. It represents emotion a lot. It represents feeling. When people come into a certain colour room, they can feel a certain way. So, I wanted that to be incorporated into the painting as well; when people see it I want them to have that emotion ignited."

While Dunbar started with a plan, she said the piece is progressive and has been changing along the way.

"Once you get in there, things just change, the feeling of it changes. So, every day, I come in, and I'll have a plan, but on the fly, sometimes things will just change," Dunbar shared.

The two-week mini residency will come to an end with a meet and greet at the EAGM on Sept. 15 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. The finished mural will be on display for the public to see. There will be snacks, beverages and

Saturday September 16 From 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

$ 2 0 0 0 p e r p e r s o n T i c k e t s a v a i l a b l e i n t h e o f f i c e o r P h o n e ( 3 0 6 ) 6 3 4 - 3 1 3 5

A d v a n c e t i c k e t s a r e a v a i l a b l e u n t i l S e p t e m b e r 1 4

most importantly, a chance to meet with Dunbar and gain more insight into their exhibitions and studio practice.

From Sept. 8 through Nov. 10, the Gallery I also features Dunbar's exhibition Altar-native. These artworks are sacred altar-like mixed media pieces representing what Indigenous people sacrificed for the "gift" of a colonial god domination and the effects of this juxtaposition on Indigenous people, according to the artist's statement.

The effects are diverse and varied, depending on the context and region involved, and feature the loss or transformation of Indigenous cultures, languages and identities due to the imposition and conversion to Christianity and other colonial religions. These altars represent the emergence of new religious movements and reformations that took from Indigenous elements and were used in colonial spaces. The exhibition showcases the movement of resistance and rebellion against colonial oppression, exploitation and discrimination against Indigenous peoples. These effects are still relevant in many societies today as they shape different regions, says the statement.

Every altar features traditional offerings gifted through the resurgence of Indigenous tattoo, medicines of natural elements found, purchased and offered from Treaty 1, Treaty

RUN THE COURSE

October 21, 2023 @ 10:00 am

TS&M Woodlawn Golf Course A n o n - c o m p e t i t i v e , f a m i l y f u n e v e n t ! F r o n t 9 a p p r o x 4 K , F u l l 1 8 H o l e C o u s r s e a p p r o x 8 4 K F u l l C o u r s e P l u s - 1 0 K N o R e g i s t r a t i o n F e e h o w e v e r d o n a t i o n s a r e g r a c i o u s l y a c c e p t e d I f y o u a r e p l a n n i n g o n p a r t i c i p a t i n g s h o o t u s a t e x t a t 4 6 1 - 4 6 4 0 o r 4 1 5 - 0 0 4 0 S t r o l l e r s b i k e s o r w a g o n s w e l c o m e S O R R Y N O D O G S F i n d u s o n F a c e b o o k

4, Treaty 6, Treaty 7, the Cowessess First Nation and New Brunswick (the home of Mi'gmaq, the Wolastoqiyik and the Peskotomuhkati people along the Saint John River Valley) and items from Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory.

"These altars are for our ancestors who were raped of everything they practised –language, culture, spirituality, so colonizers could make space for their gods and way of life," says the artist statement.

Reconcil-onialism is a work that echoes the pieces from Altar-native. Where Altar-native shows the past and present, Reconcil-onialism shows the present and future.

"Reconciliation by religious definition is the end of estrangement, caused by original sin, between God and humanity," reads the statement. "As we enter a new era of 'Truth and Reconciliation', we must acknowledge the heavy irony and virtue signalling brought on by religion, by government and white spaces. This residency was influenced through my work with elder Brenda Dubois on the project The Path to Reconciliation, located on Scarth Street Mall in Regina, Saskatchewan. She told me:

"'We cannot have reconciliation without first acknowledging the truth. We can't have reconciliation without resurgence, reclamation, reciprocity and the capacity to evolve and make systematic change.'"

Saturdays @ 8:30am to 1:00pm

Estevan Market Mall Parking Lot

C o m e c h e c k o u t l o c a l v e n d o r s l i k e : P r a i r i e T o o n s O r c h a r d & B a k e r y H a r v e s t G o l d M a r k e t G a r d e n , A u n t i e M s G a r d e n M a r k e t , J u s t B r e a d B o x H F a r m s D u n b a r G r e e n h o u s e s , T i m b e r D o g T r e a t s , C r e a t i o n s b y C o r r i n a T u p p e r w a r e a n d s o m u c h m o r e T h e r e i s s o m e t h i n g f o r e v e r y o n e !

Cree-Métis artist Geanna Dunbar has been working on a big mural at the EAGM's Gallery II lately. The piece will be introduced to the public during the meet and greet on Sept. 15. Photos by Anastasiia Bykhovskaia

Estevan man wins top prize in golf ball drop

The Weyburn and Estevan Rotary Clubs combined their efforts for the 2023 Golf Ball Drop on Saturday evening, held at the Weyburn Golf Course.

Both clubs sold tickets for the drop, with three cash prizes awarded to the winning numbers that dropped in the hole.

The first prize of $5,000 went to Ryan Olson on a ticket sold in Estevan; second prize of $3,000 is to Cyrus Slater of Weyburn, and third prize for $1,000 went to Tammy Forcier, also on a ticket sold in Weyburn.

Members of both clubs

helped to sort the balls. The balls for the tickets sold went into a big bucket, lifted by a crane from Jerry Mainil Ltd. over a specially-cut golf hole. The first three in counted as the winners.

Of the more than 4,200 tickets sold, approximately 2,400 tickets were sold by the Estevan club and 1,800 were by the Weyburn club. The location for the ball drop alternates each year between the two cities.

The proceeds after the winnings will go to support the STARS Air Ambulance and Estevan Minor Baseball. Golf balls fell from a

Expressway Family Centre

bucket on Saturday at the Weyburn Golf Course.

Photo by Greg Nikkel of the Weyburn Review

Regina Airport continues with post-pandemic

By David Willberg

The past few years have not been kind to the Regina International Airport and the airline industry in general, but strides are being made in the recovery.

James Bogusz, who is the president and CEO of the Regina Airport Authority (RAA), addressed a few dozen people at a luncheon hosted by the Estevan Chamber of Commerce on Thursday at the Days Inn. Bogusz told the crowd that the authority appreciates the Estevan area and what it does for the province, and he described the Estevan area as a "primary catchment city" for the airport.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought "a lot of devastation" to the airline industry, he said, but it's in a better place than it was three years ago, and it's taken a long time to get to this point. Even a year ago, there were lots of stories about flights being cancelled and lost luggage, and tales of people having a tough time travelling amid vaccine mandates and the ArriveCan app. Advocacy efforts helped bring an end to the vaccine mandates,

It could be price, it could be COVID, it could be something else. But limiting our market limits our economic opportunity. We had to stop," said Bogusz. COVID also hindered the possibility of getting an airline from the U.S. to return to Regina, he said, because American planes couldn't legally land in Canada. The Regina airport was down to two per cent capacity in 2020. Now airlines in the U.S. are talking about being at capacity, while WestJet is picking up routes that would be handled by U.S. carriers.

Bogusz said Regina is fortunate to be so close to Calgary, which he called a "global hub" for WestJet that can take passengers almost anywhere in the world. But if the RAA can get an American airline, it adds additional opportunities.

"This is an important topic for many of us. I hope many of you in the room agree that this is worth going after, getting a connection back daily," said Bogusz, who would like to see two flights a day, with destinations like Chicago, Minneapolis and Denver.

Collaboration efforts are

not if, they can get someone to come.

Airlines have also encountered challenges with staff shortages.

Bogusz said the cost of flying is more affordable than it was a year ago, and people have more travel options. WestJet now flies non-stop from Regina to Kelowna, B.C., and there are more flights to Montreal, Vancouver and Toronto.

He also delved into some of the low-cost airlines, such as Lynx, Porter and Flair, and subsidiary airlines, like Swoop and Sunwing.

"There's a lot of competition … and as much as it doesn't feel like it all of the time … everybody's doing their best. Whether you're waiting a long time for your bag, they don't want to lose your bag, they don't want to pay you out through the Passenger Bill of Rights, I can assure you," he said.

These carriers are trying to compete with WestJet and Air Canada by offering a low rate with no frills. The Regina Airport Authority is trying to attract them, and now that people are travelling more, the authority wants to have as many options as possible.

hovering around 89 or 85 per cent passengers." Bogusz recapped some of the improvements that are being made to the airport, such as a $26 million upgrade to the runways that includes resurfacing, lighting and drainage. The work is happening through support

from the federal government. He said people can look forward to new kiosks that will be installed at the airports for self-check-in purposes, and new merchants in the main terminal area. Bus service has also been added to the airport as part of a three-year commitment with

the City of Regina.

Bogusz also praised the Estevan Regional Airport, which he has toured and called the nicest small airport he has ever seen.

"It looks like a mini international airport. You guys are blessed to have it here," said Bogusz.

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James Bogusz from the Regina Airport Authority addressed the Estevan Chamber of Commerce at a luncheon.

Torquay 50 and Over Club hosts first tradeshow

By Ana Bykhovskaia

The Torquay 50 and Over Club organized its firstever Fall Festival Tradeshow on Sept. 9 at the Royal Canadian Legion Hall in Estevan.

Thirty-three vendors, featuring a wide variety of hand-made and commercial goods, joined the event, attracting many guests on Saturday.

Co-organizers Brittany Reeves and Bonnie Heaslip started working on their first tradeshow about three months ago. Being vendors themselves for a few years, they felt there was a need for a tradeshow that could bring together other entrepreneurs and also help raise funds and awareness about the Torquay 50 and Over Club.

“We are members of the Torquay 50 and Over Club, and they were trying to come up with some fundraising, so we came up with the idea of a tradeshow,” shared Heaslip.

“It’s the easiest way to

get funds essentially outside of doing a supper or something like that,” Reeves added.

The club picked the date so that it wouldn’t overlap with the beginning of the school year and would happen after it.

“And then we just know the times ourselves from going to tradeshows,” Reeves noted. “And we chose the legion for the venue because we wanted to support the legion.”

Vendors were coming from Torquay, Estevan, Midale, Arcola, and the Carlyle and Weyburn areas, and were featuring a variety of goods from baking and chocolate bombs to makeup and jewellery, as well as clothes, signs, accessories, crochet, sewing, embroidery, woodworking, spices, essential oils, candles and much more.

The event also attracted the South Sask Border Brawlers Armwrestling Club and Estevan Pottery Club, who were raising awareness about their activities. The legion

members were also at the hall selling the truck raffle tickets.

After covering the costs of the tradeshow, the event raised about $1,000 from admission, cotton candy sales and raffle that will go to the Torquay 50 and Over Club and help them with their regular operations for quite a while. Proceeds from the concession went to the legion, and funds raised through candy and popcorn sales were directed to the Estevan Masonic Lodge.

While the Torquay 50 and Over Club has yet to decide if they want to continue with the tradeshows in the future, Reeves and Heaslip already had interest from other groups who’d like them to help organize a similar event.

“We’re doing one for the Masons hopefully in the spring,” Heaslip added. “We only do it for not-for-profits. We’re here to help people and organizations.”

“It’s not for the profit, it is putting it back into the

community,” Reeves concluded.

The event was not only raising funds for the Torquay 50 and Over Club but also raising awareness about it.

The Torquay 50 and Over Club currently has 18 members from the Torquay area, and they are happy to

Bass Battles brought anglers to Boundary Dam

Boundary Dam Reservoir was the place to be for fans of bass fishing during the Labour Day long weekend, thanks to the annual Bass Battles fishing derby.

Anglers were trying to catch large-mouth bass during the event, which was held from Sept. 2-4. In Saskatchewan, the fish are unique to Boundary Dam due to the temperature of the water. The warm water effluent from the neighbouring SaskPower Boundary Dam Power Station flows into the reservoir.

Bass Battles is an online catch-photo-release tournament hosted on the Angler's Atlas website and operated using the mobile MyCatch app. Fishers entered as individuals and not in teams. For a catch to qualify, a photograph of the fish had to be taken with the MyCatch app. A photo could not be uploaded from a phone's gallery or camera roll, or any other source.

The five longest fish entered counted towards a competitor's total.

Kyle Poirier won the tournament, as he had five fish with a combined length of 249 centimetres. Poirier also had the longest bass for the three days at 50.8 centimetres.

Jef Morrison was second in

the overall competition with five catches that measured a total of 235.7 centimetres. Brian McQuinn was third at 235 centimetres.

There were also daily prizes for

a random draw and a hidden length. The tournament also provided an economic boost for the Energy City, as it brought people to Estevan for all three days.

welcome new ones throughout the year. While it is the local seniors’ go-to place, it’s open to anyone over 25 years of age and offers many opportunities for socialization. They host guest speakers, birthday parties, bridal showers, potluck supper and Monday coffee row.

“It’s just a way to get the community out. There are so many new people living in Torquay so that it’s a way to meet the ones that are staying around,” Reeves explained.

For more about the club, people can contact President Caroline Bjornson at 306923-2125.

Really big tomatoes

Harvey Hackney shows off the tomatoes that he grew in his garden this year. Hackney has been an avid gardener for more than 50 years, but he says he has never had tomatoes as large as the ones he grew this year. The largest tomatoes had a combined weight of more than six pounds. He said he often uses beefsteak tomato seeds, which result in large tomatoes, and he followed the same process as previous years to grow his tomatoes, but the results were still better than ever. Photo by David Willberg

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Fall Festival Tradeshow co-organizers Brittany Reeves and Bonnie Heaslip and volunteer Tom O'Sullivan greeted guests at the event.

Jef Morrison holds one of the fish he caught during Bass Battles at Boundary Dam. Photo courtesy of Bass Battles

By Ana Bykhovskaia

Another licensed daycare in the southeast is getting closer and closer to being operational.

The idea of the Souris Valley Daycare Inc. was born in July 2022 by a group of moms from the Oungre, Lake Alma, Tribune, Torquay and Bromhead areas, out of the strong demand for childcare in the southeast.

"We were discussing the frustrations that we're facing and the lack of local childcare. Many parents either have to commute to Weyburn or Estevan to source care or stay home with their children because they can't find care," shared president Kelsey Ashworth.

"So, we released a survey to our community via Facebook, trying to quantify the need and interest of local parents in starting and using a facility like this. We got close to 40 responses, specifically from parents that have children about one year old to seven to eight years old. And from there, we decided that this was something we wanted to pursue."

The project initiators reached out to the Government of Saskatchewan consultants, who guided them through the process.

"They guided us to what's called a needs assess -

ment form, essentially an application that applies for government funding that would provide us with space development funding, startup grants, and then, should we become eligible for operating grants once we are open, for worker salaries or tuition for education, parent fees reduction. In order to be eligible for that, we had to incorporate as a non-profit.

And we received that status in September of 2022," Ashworth said.

Other board members who made this project possible include vice-president Patricia Stroeder, Oungre; treasurer Loran Tosczak, Tribune; secretary Taylor Rein, Bromhead; and members Erica Wimmer, Carlene Herlick and Roseanna Stendall, all from Tribune; Stephanie Devresse, Lake Alma; and Shaina Dreschner, Tessa Terett and Rebecca Freiss, all from Torquay.

Ashworth said from there the project "really snowballed". They met with the RM of Souris Valley, RM of Lomond and RM of Cambria, which cover the communities that they pull from, and received "overwhelming support" and financial contributions. They applied for various grants and also started fundraising.

And now, 12 months after incorporation, the fast-paced

project is nearing its goals and opening day.

"We were one of 20 communities in Saskatchewan to receive the government funding," Ashworth shared. "We were awarded 20 childcare spaces, and subsidized funding for those 20 as well. So that along with some of the grants and the donations that we received allowed us to proceed with designing and building the building that we see today.

"From there, we continued with applying for grants, seeking sponsorship and fundraising efforts. Our total funding goal is $500,000. And we have raised 81 per cent of that, so we're just over $400,000 with a little bit more to go, but we're pretty happy with the progress we've made to date."

Oungre was chosen for its central location in the

area they serve and because of the Lyndale Elementary School. The board worked with the RM of Souris Valley to acquire four lots for the daycare.

The building arrived on site just down the street from Lyndale School on July 31 and was set up in August.

"We're currently working to source different furnishings and equipment and assets that will be used inside the building. We've also got a contractor lined up to build us a front and back deck, wheelchair accessible ramp as well as the chain linked playground fence in September," Ashworth said.

They are looking at being operational later this fall, but there is no set date yet as it depends on several things like the completion of their outdoor assets and staff recruitment.

They are currently taking applications for an executive director as well as early childhood educators' positions. If they have all 20 spaces taken, they will need four to five full-time staff.

Fundraising efforts continue as well, Ashworth said. People can follow their project and learn more about their needs via the Souris Valley Daycare Inc. Facebook page.

They currently have various sponsorship opportunities including capital investments, which are cash donations towards major projects like fencing or a deck; friends of daycare packages, which are lowervalue investments meant for specific areas inside daycare like a reading corner, infant room, etc.; and items on their wish list to furnish daycare, like craft supplies, small

kitchen appliances, etc.

They also have a tentative waitlist and are still accepting applications for children between one and six years of age, and the registration can be found on their page as well.

The board is also hoping to be able to offer a few before and after school spots, but that isn't in the works yet, Ashworth said.

Ashworth thanked everyone who's been helping them over the past year to get where they are today.

"We're a non-profit organization, so our success is heavily dependent on community support, corporate donations and the generosity of all of our local communities. A huge thank you to everyone who supported us and encouraged us along the way to get where we are today," Ashworth said.

Co-op getting ready for Fuel Good Day

The Southern Plains Co-op is excited for the upcoming Fuel Good Day on

Sept. 19 at their service stations in the southeast.

"For every litre of fuel

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we pump, we're giving back 10 cents to a charity or nonprofit," the co-op said on its website. "It's like turning every pump into a mini celebration of giving."

Also, any size of the coop's coffee will be available for a dollar, and all coffee sales will be donated.

Proceeds from the two service stations in Estevan will be directed to the First Estevan Rangers, which are part of Girl Guides of Canada. The money from the Oxbow location will go to the Expressway Family Centre. And the revenues from the service station in Carlyle are earmarked for the Carlyle Cubs Learning Centre.

Organizations can apply from mid-April to mid-May to benefit from Fuel Good

Day. Once all applications have been checked for proper qualifications, the co-op selects an internal group of individuals to choose a local recipient for each location.

"At Southern Plains Co-op, we're all about being community-minded and making a local impact that's as strong as our coffee," the co-op said.

"With Fuel Good Day, we're cranking up the good vibes, fuelling up the community spirit, and brewing up a whole lot of positive change," the co-op said. "It's all about coming together, filling up, and feeling fantastic while making a real difference."

Last year's Fuel Good Day raised $6,430.06 for different organizations in the southeast.

Souris Valley Daycare board members pictured here are, from left, Stephanie Devresse, Patricia Stroeder, Kelsey Ashworth Roseanna Stendall Loran Tosczak Carlene Herlick Tessa Terrett and Rebecca Freiss. Missing from the photo are Shaina Dreschner, Erica Wimmer and Taylor Rein.

ANIMAL Health Month

New pet store welcoming customers for grand opening

By Ana Bykhovskaia

The Estevan business community welcomed a new member this summer.

Kristen Grays, whose background is in the pet industry, opened the Toe Bean Co Pet Supplies store in mid-July at 410 Fifth Avenue (former Southern Bolt Supply location) and said it's been going well since then.

"I'm very happy with the turnout. Estevan is very supportive, especially for new small businesses. I'm very, very happy so far, and now that everyone's back from holidays, back to school, I'm hoping … business will pick up a bit," Grays said.

After eight years of working at Rodeo Dawg, Grays felt she was ready to make the next step in her career and opening a pet store was just a natural next step.

"[The pet industry] was

what I knew. When I found myself looking for the next big adventure, it made sense to me to go my own direction and own store," Grays shared. "This is what I love to do, and I felt I had grown enough that it was a good time to go into business for myself."

She noted the process of switching from being an employee to becoming an employer was "fairly easy", as everything just seemed to fall into place.

"I decided in April this year that I was opening a store, and that's what I wanted to do. And by July the doors were open," Grays said. "I had a lot of connections in the industry previous to that … so for me, the process was very smooth … Even the building, I had looked at the Southern Bolt location, and I didn't even look anywhere else. I saw it, I fell in love with it, I

just said what's meant to be is meant to be, and it happened. So here we are."

The Toe Bean Co name came to Grays one night, she said, inspired by the pet industry and some Tik-Tok videos. She liked the idea, and so far, the feedback has been positive as well.

Toe Bean Co store offers a wide variety of supplies for cats and dogs, and some for small animals. Raw food is going to be their next big one to come in, as it's been requested a lot.

"I'm also very passionate about selling Canadianmade foods. So, all of our house brands, dog and cat foods, are made in Canada. And we also do our frequent feeder programs on all of our foods, they are buy 12 get one free," Grays said.

She added they plan on growing their assortment as they move forward.

"We're growing all the

time, and we're always up to bringing in something new," Grays said.

The store is also currently fostering a couple of the Estevan Humane Society's cats, which are up for adoption.

The grand opening is slated for Sept. 15 and the community is invited to come check out the store, support the Estevan Humane Society's taco-in-abag fundraiser on location, enjoy some in-store sales with 20 per cent off toys and treats and also benefit from the launch of the loyalty program.

"When people come and shop, they gain loyalty points that they can redeem at later dates for specific treats or toys or gift cards. So, that's coming up this week, as well," Grays said.

The grand opening lunch will take place at the store from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Prairie Animal Health Centre to host an open house this month

said Caldwell.

Estevan’s

Partners

Come

Pets

The Prairie Animal Health Centre (PAHC) is going to have activities for the public to enjoy during an open house on Sept. 27 at its facility on Breeze Street just west of the city limits.

Kristin Caldwell, who is a registered veterinary technologist and chief of veterinary operations with the PAHC, said the public can look forward to a petting zoo, pony rides, a bake sale and a barbecue. While the event is free to attend, the PAHC will be accepting donations through the barbecue, with proceeds going towards the family of Isaiah Evans, a Weyburn boy with a number of health issues who will never be able to walk.

"Isaiah Evans is the son of one of our techs in our Weyburn, and Isaiah is in need of a medical wheelchair van,"

A GoFundMe campaign, a trust fund and other fundraisers have been set up for Isaiah, and the initiatives have raised three quarters of the $100,000 goal.

"As part of our team and our Prairie Animal Health Centre family, we want to support Isaiah and his journey of getting a medical van, so we are giving funds to Isaiah Evans' journey," said Caldwell, who described Isaiah as a "very special little boy".

National Animal Health Week will be the week after the open house. The theme is It Takes a Team, and Caldwell believes fundraising for Isaiah reflects that theme.

There will be information at different stations on what people can do to take care of their pets. There will

also be promotional materials on careers in veterinary medicine.

"We have a lot of high school students who might be considering a career as a vet tech or as a veterinarian. This is an excellent opportunity for them to come down and talk to us and ask questions if they haven't had the opportunity to in the past. They can do it at any point in the year, but open houses are a great opportunity to do this," said Caldwell.

Caldwell said the PAHC has had a lot of success with hosting open houses in the past, and the event is a great team exercise. They have a lot of fun as a team putting it on, and it's something different for the staff.

They also receive excellent feedback each year, especially from the kids who enjoy interacting with the animals.

Kristen Grays is the owner and operator of the new Toe Bean Co Pet Supplies store in Estevan. Photos courtesy of Kristen Grays

Toe Bean Co Pet Supplies, located at the former Southern Bolt Supply building at 410 Fifth Avenue, held a soft opening in July and is to have a grand opening on Sept. 15.

Toe Bean Co offers a wide variety of pet supplies and works to meet local customers’ needs.

DISCLAIMER: The content in this advertisement

not necessarily reflect the views of the Estevan Mercury, the Prairie Newspaper Group or Glacier Media.

The Estevan Toastmasters Club started a new season in September 1996. At that time the club had 11 members, who met every Wednesday at the Estevan Public Library from September through May. The executive for the 1996-97 season included, from left, David Hickie, Brent Hoffos Trevor Dean Lorraine McLaughlan Laurel Hutton and Cathy Morrell

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Obituaries

Raymond J. Cossette 1939 - 2023

Raymond Cossette, late of Estevan, SK, peacefully passed away surrounded by the love of his family on Friday, September 1, 2023 at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Estevan, SK at the age of 83 years. Raymond was a loving husband and devoted father, grandfather, and great grandfather. Ray was born on November 24, 1939, the second of 5 children to Charles and Emma Cossette. Dairy farming was in his blood, and he milked cows from the time he was old enough to walk, until the cows were sold in 2011. As a child, he worked alongside his dad and later, along with his brothers Anton and Bob, took over the dairy which became known as C. Cossette and Sons. Ray met the love of his life, Rose Messer, at a New Year?s dance for Catholic Young Workers. She was taking nurse’s training in Winnipeg when they were courting, but he eventually lured her back home to the dairy farm where they started building their life together. They married in 1962, and together raised 5 children. With the three families on the farm there were 11 kids, so once the work was done at the end of the day there was often just enough energy left for a ball or tennis game with the kids. In 2003, Ray and Rose moved into Estevan. He continued to go to the farm almost every day to help his son Randy, who had taken over the dairy. He later also started working with Gord Stevenson doing lawn and yard care around Estevan. He was very proud of the work he did with Gord and up to the day of his passing, during his favorite pastime of going for drives, he would point out yards and say, “Gord and I did that lawn”. In recent years, as his health declined and he was no longer able to work, his passions changed. Playing poker with his buddies and spending time with his family were the things that brought true joy. He will be remembered as a man who taught his family the value of working hard, but also sharing a good laugh and enjoying every moment. “Everybody loved Raymond”. Raymond is survived by his wife Rose Cossette; brothers, Anton (Annette) Cossette, Bob (Carol) Cossette; sisters, Marie Marcotte, Irene (Peter) Tarnes; In-laws, Joe Messer (Claire Sundin), Margaret Messer, Carol Messer, Vikki and Jeff Rehberg; his children and their families, daughter Raylene (Lyall) Boehmer (their family, Katlin Boehmer, Bailey (Derek) Stimson - Caitlin, Alex, Emily; Kyley (Colby) Stone - Aubrey Lema and Austin Stone); daughter Rita (Darryl) Kerr (their family, Justin (Kathy) KerrRobert and Gemma; Jamie (Tom) Lees - Harlow and Tyrus; Janet (Christopher) Thiessen - Bentley, Easton, Matix and Everly); daughter Rhonda Cossette; son Randy Cossette (his family, Jordan (Mark) Hawes - Leo; Levi (Chantel) Cossette - Eva and Remi; Kendra Cosette); daughter Roberta (Dalton) DeRosier (their family, Cortney (Tanner) Frycz; Cassidy (Garrett) Leclair; Casey DeRosier and Kyle Dungca) as well as numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

The Public Visitation was held on Monday, September 4, 2023 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. at Hall Funeral Services, Estevan, SK. The Funeral Mass was held on Tuesday, September 5, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. at St. John the Baptist R.C. Church, Estevan, SK with Rev. Thuy Nguyen presiding. The family invited everyone to the parish hall for a time of fellowship and refreshments following the Funeral Mass. Interment took place at Souris Valley Memorial Gardens, Estevan, SK.

A live stream of the Funeral Mass will be available for 90 days following. Please visit Raymond’s tribute page at www.hallfuneralservices.ca for the livestream details. In memory of Raymond, memorial donations may be made to the St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation (designate to Palliative Care & Homecare), 1176 Nicholson Rd., Estevan, SK S4A 0H3.

Hall Funeral Services in Estevan is caring for Raymond’s family - Yvonne Clark, Funeral Director.

Thank you

We would like to take this time to send out a very special Thank you to all our family & friends who supported us in so many ways during such a difficult time. Thank you to everyone that delivered food, sent flowers, the many phone calls, text messages and for attending the Funeral Mass for Raymond Cossette. Thank you to all the hospital staff at St. Joseph’s Hospital; Fr. Thuy, Connie Wheeler, the CWL, and the Knights of Columbus for a beautiful Funeral Mass. We will forever be grateful for belonging to such a caring community. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. The family of Raymond Cossette.

Tina Louise Lees (Leggatt) May 13, 1962 – August 28, 2023

Our hearts are broken but her wings are free.

We are sad to announce that Tina passed away after a courageous battle with cancer. Tina’s memory will be forever cherished by her husband Chris; her son Daryl Foy; her beloved grandchildren Dawson & Lexi Foy; her step-children Cherie (Lees - Ethan & Emma Soroka); Tom (Evan Garrioch - Harlow & Tyrus Lees); Kurt (Cassandra Braaten - William Lees, Matthew Moore, Dawn & McKinlie Braaten).

Tina will also be lovingly remembered by her parents, Tom and Loretta (Boire) Leggatt and her 6 younger sisters: Sharleen (Ron Willis - Sarah & Graham); Amy (Wes Hollingsworth - Cade & Reece); Lorelie (BrokenshireAquinna & Pake); Kerri (Mark Hirsch - Tatum); Nicole (Sanderson - Marina); Susan (Rick Osborne - Delaina, Danica, & Daubrey); her brother-in-law Duncan Lees (Val - Lynne, Arden (Jeremy Charlton), Jeff (Grace), Jarrett (Crystal)); sister-in-law Lorraine Lees; niece Nicole (Quan) and nephew Dwight (Jasmine).

Tina was predeceased by her cherished Granny Ethel and Grandpa Lloyd Leggatt; grandparents Adelard and Elizabeth Boire and step-grandma Mag Boire; aunt Rosalie Reiter; parents-in-law Tom & Fern Lees; sister-in-law Lorna Lees; uncle Harvey and aunt Marie Lamar. Tina was born on a special day, Mother’s Day, May 13, 1962. The first of Tom and Loretta eggatt’s seven daughters, Tina’s life was rooted in an unwavering connection to family and the land that sustained them. One of her favourite memories was having had her beloved Granny Leggatt as her first teacher at Willmar School. Tina embraced the life of the farm, happily acting as her dad’s “chore boy”, tending to the animals and fostering her love for the land. The teenage years ushered in her involvement in the Browning 4-H beef club and her enduring affinity for Agribition.

In 1980, Tina’s heart expanded with the birth of her beloved son, Daryl. She delighted in his playful antics and instilled in him the love of family. Over the years, her role as Auntie Tina extended her love and wisdom to nieces and nephews, leaving behind joyful recollections of tobogganing, side-by-side rides, and laughter around the campfire. Of all the titles she held, “Grandma Tina” was her favourite. Her grandchildren were the stars that lit up her sky and she cherished every moment crafting precious memories with them. Whether cheering on their sports pursuits or embarking on farmyard adventures, Tina’s presence was a steady source of love and inspiration. Tina demonstrated that family was not just a word but a living bond that she nurtured with love, wisdom, and unwavering dedication.

Tina and Chris joined their lives in 1989, bringing together a blended family and forming the foundation for C&T Cattle Co. Tina’s legacy of cattle ranching was built upon her dad’s 77-brand, eventually developing her own purebred Hereford cattle herd. With Chris by her side, she graced Agribition for over three decades, leaving an indelible mark through showing, mentoring, and judging. Her reputation as a knowledgeable judge grew, and she and Chris were called upon to judge numerous shows across the country, including prestigious events like the Red Coat Classic at Agribition, the Expo Boeuf in Quebec, and the Toronto Royal. She excelled in the prospect calf market over the past decade, achieving Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion accolades at Agribition in recent years. Aside from the hard work Tina put into raising and showing cattle, she was a 4-H leader, committee member of the Agribition Breed Association, and held notable roles with the Saskatchewan Hereford Association, including Director and Vice-President.

Tina always filled her days with meaningful pursuits. When she wasn’t doing farm chores, her yard became her canvas. With a profound love of flowers and plants, she transformed her yard into a prairie oasis, captivating all who visited. Summer harvests led to bountiful canning sessions that captured the flavours of the season. Tina’s kitchen was a haven of home cooked delights and she happily seized every opportunity to share her love of preparing hearty meals. Whether it was during cherished family gatherings, nourishing the Agribition crew, or catering to cattle sales, her culinary talents were widely celebrated.

From lakeside getaways to roaring cheers for the Roughriders, from dancing at the Craven Country Jamboree to exploring the warmth of Mexico and the Caribbean, Tina’s life was a tapestry of vibrant experiences. Tina lived each day with purpose and zest. While her absence leaves an irreplaceable void, the legacy of Tina’s vivacity, and love will forever thrive in the hearts of those she touched.

A Memorial Service for Tina was held on Saturday, September 9, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. at the Prairie Place Complex, Arcola, Sask. with Michael Ellis officiating. Interment followed at the Arcola Cemetery, after which everyone was invited to join Tina’s family for a luncheon at Prairie Place.

Those wishing to pay tribute

When reading scripture, it is easy to get the facts right and the application wrong. Take the story of Daniel and the lion’s den for example.

Five hundred years before Christ, a man named Daniel lived in the Persian Empire. God blessed him, and he eventually rose to be second in command in the entire kingdom. This displeased some of his coworkers because he was a foreigner and they decided to get rid of him.

After digging through his history and work records, they could find nothing wrong, so they came up with a different plan.

They convinced King Darius that it would be a good idea to have everyone in the kingdom pray to the king for the next month. This would be unifying, and it would show loyalty to the king. Darius thought this was a good idea and issued the order. In response, “Daniel… went home to

his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before” (Daniel 6:10-11).

The punishment for not following the order was that he was thrown into a den of lions. As you likely know, God protected Daniel and the next morning he was found safe and sound.

The application that we often make about this story is, “You need to be like Daniel". There is even a song called “Dare to be a Daniel” that encourages people to stand up for God, be courageous and do the right thing.

The problem is that

I am not normally courageous, strong, and brave. Telling me to try harder, be better and act like Daniel is discouraging.

Interestingly, though, nothing in scripture tells us that Daniel was brave on his own. In fact, we know nothing about how he felt. All we know is that he had confidence that his God could help him (see verses 11 and 23).

This story, like most others in the word of God, is not about a brave follower who stood up, but rather about someone who trusted God and got a much better result than they could have ever imagined. That is a much more encouraging lesson.

Estevan Fire Rescue Service members were called to a two-vehicle collision on Sept. 6.

The accident occurred at about 8:30 p.m. in the

crews responded along with other emergency services. The accident didn't result in any entrapments or injuries. Even though the vehicles sustained minor damage, they had to be towed away from the scene, said Estevan Fire Chief Rick Davies. Fire crews assisted on the scene until everything was cleared and cleaned up and returned to the station.

Over the past week, the fire station also received four separate fire alarm calls. All were quickly determined to be false and the fire department's assistance wasn't required.

For updates from the Estevan Fire Rescue Service, please visit our provincial news hub at SaskToday.ca

Financial

central part of the city. Fire

Vern Fred Whitman

1935-2023

Vern Whitman, late of Estevan, SK passed away peacefully at his home on Friday, September 1, 2023 at the age of 87 years. Vern will be forever loved by his wife Tina; children: Wayne (Mary Ann), Glen (Roxanne), Cheryl (Tim) Rivers, Terry, Allan (Shelley) and Kyle; grandchildren: Kimberley, Tiana, Brett, Janaya, Brooke, Marley, Zachary, Hannah, Kylie and Karson; great granddaughter Heidi and numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, George

Tim Pippus of the Estevan Church of Christ

Estevan police help locate missing youth

The Estevan Police Service received a report of a 13-year-old who left home without the consent of her parent on Sept. 10.

Members spent some time looking for the youth, who was eventually located and spoken to. She ended up spending the night at a friend's place and was to connect with family the following day prior to school.

In other recent police news, aA complaint came in on Sept. 4 of an assault and mischief under $5,000. A statement was obtained from the victim, which resulted in the arrest of a 26-year-old man for those charges. He was subsequently released on conditions with a future court date.

A traffic stop resulted in the driver of a vehicle being issued a 72-hour licence suspension and his vehicle being impounded for three days, after he failed a roadside screening device test.

Another traffic stop resulted in an individual being charged with driving while

prohibited. The driver was also found to be breaching courtordered conditions, so he was arrested and held in custody to appear in court.

The department received a report on Sept. 5 of a theft of copper wire from a business north of the city. This matter is being looked into.

Members responded to a report of an assault/harassing behaviour at a local business. The employee was screamed at and had an item thrown at them.

The matter is being looked into and video is to be obtained.

Police also located and charged the owner of a black SUV that was involved in a hit-and-run collision on Sept.

1. He will appear in traffic court in November to answer to the charge. Police also received a report of theft of property. The matter is still under investigation. Members also received a report of a vehicle being taken without the owner's consent.

A statement was obtained. The matter is still under investigation.

Officers received a report on Sept. 7 of a theft from a local business. The matter is still under investigation.

While on patrol, an EPS member stopped a vehicle travelling 162 kilometres per hour in a 100 km/h zone. The

driver was issued a $921 ticket for speeding.

Police also completed enforcement in relation to drivers obeying the stop arms on the school buses. Members monitored a bus for its complete route and said there were no violations. Continued monitoring and enforcement will happen as the school year progresses.

From Sept. 8-10, the EPS dealt with 47 occurrences, including complaints of suspicious persons and vehicles in different areas of the city, unwanted persons in licensed premises and in businesses, reports of possible impaired drivers, harassing communications and theft under $5,000 from a local business.

Members charged an Estevan resident with driving while prohibited after a

traffic stop in the Nicholson Road area. The vehicle was impounded, and the driver will appear in provincial court to answer to the charges at a later date.

Police are also investigating a complaint of a man uttering threats at a business.

Officers arrested and charged a 37-year-old local man for trespassing at the

Estevan landfill on Sept. 8. He was released after being charged under the provincial legislation for trespassing. The same day, police arrested and charged a 23-yearold man from Pelly, Sask., for impaired driving. He supplied samples of breath nearly twice the legal limit. He was released from custody to appear in court in November.

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By David Willberg

The Estevan Comprehensive School Elecs senior boys' volleyball team wasn't supposed to host a tournament this early in the season, but they did, and they had a great result.

ECS went undefeated in seven games to finish first in the competition, which was held Friday and Saturday at the school's gymnasium.

They opened with a victory over the Elecs' junior boys team, and the senior boys rattled off wins over Oxbow Prairie Horizons School, Yorkton Regional High School, Rouleau and Fox Valley.

The senior boys defeated Oxbow in the semifinal round, and then they knocked off Rouleau 2-0 (25-23, 25-21) in the final.

"The players brought lots of energy and they were good teammates to each other," said coach Braden MacLean. "Overall their serving was pretty good."

MacLean said there is still work to be done as far as hitting and defensive positioning.

The senior boys will

have at least four players back from last year's team that went to provincials. All of the returnees are in Grade 12. They also have some good talent from the younger grades.

"We feel we're going to have a very good season. We're very excited by the

group of boys that we have," said MacLean. "They're all great kids, they're all very athletic and they all have positive attitudes."

He was also pleased with the play of the junior boys, who faced players that are older and further along in

their development. MacLean pointed out the junior boys won four sets during the tournament and lost in the quarter-finals to Fox Valley.

"The juniors also have a promising season ahead of them. They were a junior team playing in a senior tourna -

ment, and they had a really positive weekend as well."

The tournament was supposed to be in Weyburn, but that school's team wasn't ready to host this weekend, so Estevan stepped in and gave the teams a chance for some early-season competition.

Estevan football teams begin their seasons

By David Willberg

The Estevan Comprehensive School Elecs football team began their season Friday night with a 43-0 loss to the Weyburn Comprehensive School Eagles.

Despite the result, Elecs coach Mark Schott still found some positives from the game that was played at the Dana Quewezance Memorial Field at the Woodlawn Athletic Park.

Estevan trailed 25-0 after the first quarter and 43-0 at halftime, and then gave up just one point in the second half.

ECS had a couple of good kickoff returns, Schott said, and running back Khalifa Elshein finished with 81 yards on 18 carries. Dorian Sifton had some nice rushes while playing quarterback.

"We moved the ball decently between the 30s. Unfortunately, we weren't able to get much further than that and get some points," said Schott.

The defence settled down after the large early deficit and managed to make some good plays, too.

Schott said the start was definitely a disappointment, and Weyburn has a lot of speed in their receiving corps and capitalized on it with some big plays.

Estevan also committed five turnovers.

The Elecs next game will be Sept. 15 when they

visit the Yorkton Regional High School Raider Gridders. Schott noted Yorkton is another perennial top team in the province.

•

• • The Estevan Kinette Club U18 Viragos dropped their first game of the season 51-0 to the Melville Vipers on Saturday at Woodlawn.

Estevan was down 32-0 at halftime. Coach Mark Tribiger said they came out flat in the first half but started to play better in the final two quarters.

Morgan Hayes had a couple of good runs that pushed the Viragos close to the end zone, he said. Quarterback Sarah Greening didn't back down despite taking a few hits. Ava Salminen was outstanding on defence and teamed up with Hailey Tangjerd to lead the defensive unit.

The Viragos were short on players until last Wednesday. They weren't sure if they would have enough athletes to play on Saturday, but they had a late influx of talent. It meant some of the team members only had a couple of practices under their belt for the Melville game.

"The girls just rallied, and I feel like they pretty much asked every girl in the school, once school started, to come out and play so we could have a team," said Tribiger.

The Viragos have 17 players, but five of them are new.

Their next game is Sept. 16 in Moosomin.

• • • The Estevan Lions Club U14 Oilers opened their season with a 38-22 defeat against the Moose Jaw Raiders Saturday at Woodlawn in their opening game of the season.

"It was a fun game to play," said coach Paul Duncan. "There was lots of hard hitting, exciting plays that happened in it on both sides. I was really happy to see that with everybody."

Hugh Ross scored two touchdowns, one receiving and one on a kick return, and Caleb Crossman had a receiving touchdown.

"I thought we were able

to attack them through the air, just to keep the defence on their heels a little bit, and our run game did well with a brand new offensive line. The guys up front gave us a good push. Lots of positives from that offensive line to build on going into the future with them," said Duncan.

Running back Taya Stigings fought through some tackles to have a good game.

The defence was "lights out" in the second half, Duncan said, and forced four turnovers.

Estevan had 22 players for Saturday's game. Nine of them, including four offensive linemen, were in their first game ever.

The Oilers will continue

to accept players for the next week. They will be adding a couple more players to the team, but they could use a few more.

"I think football's a great sport for everybody to be involved with," said Duncan.

Duncan said it was nice to get some points after last season when the U14s didn't get a touchdown. It was particularly good for those who were back from last year's team.

The Oilers and the U12 Chargers are back in the Moose Jaw Minor Football League this year. Brandt Truck & Trailer Estevan Minor Football announced earlier this year it would be shifting to the Qu'Appelle

The senior boys will host another tournament on Sept. 22 and 23. MacLean expects it will be a completely different contingent of teams, but a similar level of competition. Then they will head to Swift Current for a tournament the following weekend.

Valley League for this season, but ultimately had to return to the Moose Jaw loop.

• • •

The Estevan Coldwell Banker Choice Real Estate U12 Chargers fell 32-0 to the Swift Current Steelers Saturday in Swift Current.

Coach James Haagsman said they played well defensively. Max Ogbanskiy and Colton Juneau had interceptions on the day.

Haagsman noted that most of the team's returning players are on defence, and they have largely rookie players on offence, so they're trying to teach the offensive players.

Their most experienced player on offence is quarterback Cyrus Schell.

"He's our anchor on offence. We're pretty stout on defence. We gave up most of our points on turnovers from the offence, so our defence really held us in the game for most of the game." Estevan was down 7-0 at halftime.

The game marked the first time that most of the kids had been in a full-contact game, as they had been scrimmaging before Saturday. They will increase the physicality at practice.

The Chargers have 25 players and Haagsman is pleased with the numbers, but he would accept more. Estevan's next game is Sept. 16 at the Moose Jaw Spartans.

Morgan Hayes (16) and the Viragos faced the Melville Vipers Saturday at Woodlawn. Photo by Anastasiia Bykhovskaia

The Estevan Comprehensive School Elecs senior boys volleyball team gathers for a group photo after winning its home tournament. Photo courtesy of Braden MacLean

The Estevan Comprehensive School Elecs senior boys’ and junior boys’ volleyball teams squared off on Friday.

The Estevan Bruins began preseason play by winning two of the three games they played on the weekend.

Estevan opened the exhibition slate with a 1-0 loss against the Weyburn Red Wings on Friday night at Affinity Place. Brad Banach's goal 8:58 into the first period held up as the lone marker of the game.

While the Bruins outshot the Wings 33-24 on the night, it was the Bruins' Cam Hrdlicka who had the tougher saves, although Dazza Mitchell of the Wings had to make some tricky stops as well.

The Bruins recovered with a 3-2 overtime victory over the Wings the following night in Weyburn. Seb Hicks scored 5:28 into the first period to give Weyburn a 1-0 lead and Jackson Forster's goal at the 9:11 mark of the middle frame doubled the margin.

Mark Corbett's tally with one

The 40th annual ParentChild Tournament was held at the TS&M Woodlawn Golf Course on Sunday afternoon.

Fifty-two teams entered the fun tournament, an increase of 19 over last year.

This event uses the Rondeau age-based scoring system for handicapping. All of the juniors received a trophy and food following play, thanks to the support of sponsors.

A trio of three-year-old golfers entered the tournament, with Weston Hengen claiming first place with a score of 45. Second went to Hayes George with a 47 and Cruz Stepp was third at 51.

In the Mother-Daughter Junior Division, Rory Sands and Blair Wilson tied for first with a score of 63.

The Mother-Son Junior Division winner was Brooks Cote with a 50, followed closely by Cruz Stepp at 51. Third place went to Theodore Truman with a 59.

For the second year in a row,

second to play in the second was the Bruins' first goal of the preseason. Jesse Ivanovic scored on a power play with 1:50 to play in the third to tie the game, and Garett Zasitko notched the winner 2:04 into extra time.

Matteo Cavilla stopped 41 of the 43 shots he faced for the Bruins, while Ryan Piekarski made 31 saves for Weyburn.

Finally, on Sunday night, the Bruins scored three times in 93 seconds in the second period in a 4-3 victory over the Manitoba Junior Hockey League's Virden Oil Capitals in Virden.

Corbett opened the scoring with 2:53 to play in the first period. The Capitals took the lead in the second on goals by Nash Henwood and Ethan Guthrie, but Estevan took over late in the frame, thanks to tallies by Zasitko, Ilia Chmelevski and Tyler Guy.

Layton Veitch's goal for Vird -

Lila Donovan finished first in the Father-Daughter Junior Division with a score of 37, while Addison Cote finished second with a 42. Third place with a 49 was Charlotte Hoffort.

The final junior division was the Father-Son, which continues to have the most entries with 23 this year. First place was claimed by Xander Erdie with a score of 40. There was a three-way tie for second place with Hudson Gonas, Hudson Tetreault and Messer Wolensky each shooting a 42.

The Mother-Daughter Senior Division was won by Bella Hammett with a score of 41.

The Mother-Son Senior Division saw Boston Wilson taking first place with a 40, while Zeke Smith shot a 64 for second.

The Father-Son Senior Division had six entries, with Cooper Hale shooting 37 to take first place. Second place was a three-way tie at 39 for Knox Valentine, Cruz Symons and Carter Kosior.

Owen

en was the lone marker of the third. Jackson Miller made 29 saves for the Bruins, while Eric Reid stopped 25 shots for Virden.

past a Red Wings' defender during Friday night's preseason game in Estevan.

The Bruins will be back on the ice on Sept. 13 when they visit the Notre Dame Hounds in Wilcox. Then they will host

Virden on Sept. 15 and Notre Dame the following night. Both home games will start at 7 p.m. at Affinity Place.

Daryl and Lila Donovan Ryan and Halle Stepp , and Ian Dawson and Violet Garrioch were entered in the Parent-Child Tournament. Photo by Anastasiia Bykhovskaia

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