Changing the world one step at a time. Volunteers work to beautify Fifth Street.
PAGE A2
Running for mental health.
Carnduff firefighter completes 100-mile ultra-marathon for a cause.
PAGE A3
Feast with a meaning. Estevan Rotary hosts another successful Lobsterfest.
PAGE A8
Celebrating grads. Community wishes farewell to 2024 Carnduff graduating class.
PAGES A10-11
What to expect?
Find all you need to know about Canada Day in the southeast in our special.
PAGES A17-20
By David Willberg
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2024
People in Estevan have been cleaning up this week after a powerful summer storm brought strong winds, heavy rains and even golf ball-sized hail to the city late Sunday night.
Environment Canada issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Estevan and other areas shortly after 10 p.m., advising that the storm was approaching from the northwest. Once it arrived, the conditions damaged buildings, vehicles and trees, smashed windows, and knocked out electricity.
e intersection of Fifth Street and 12th Avenue was closed for much of Monday after debris from a building was scattered across the downtown roads.
Terry Germain, who owns the building, wrote on his Facebook page that pillars were busted, the chimney was gone and the roof was basically ripped right o . Fortunately, the tenants were ne.
Germain asked people not to drive in the area, as there was lots of debris, nails, screws, bricks and wood.
Mel Myers, who rents one of the four units in the building, described the storm as a “scary” and “surreal” situation.
“It just came out of nowhere. It was all calm. I was looking out my windows watching the lighting, and there was no … wind. In the snap … of your ngers, it was like a freight train was coming through the roof. Not around the walls, but
through the roof.”
Storm wreaks havoc on Estevan with powerful winds, hail and lots of rain
en his ceiling lifted, there was a horrendous noise and crash, and he knew something happened because the building was moving like it was in an earthquake.
“I thought the whole building was going down,” he said.
While the storm was ongoing, he and the other tenants went outside to evaluate the damage. On Monday, they were checking the building for leaks.
“As the one roof blew o , as it went ying over the other part of the building, it damaged the other roof, and
then everybody’s apartment was leaking,” Myers said. His apartment is now open to the elements, so it was further hit by the hail and heavy rain.
Myers has lived in the building for over a year and a half. He said it’s a good building that has withstood strong winds, and Germain is a good landlord. Now the residents are trying to gure out where they’re going to stay.
“I’ve been through a lot of storms in my life, and I’ve never, ever, ever, in my life, encountered anything like what happened last night [Sunday], just how it happened and how fast it happened,” said Myers.
Soul Hideout, located on the ground oor of the damaged building, was open on Monday. Owner Kelsey Rydberg said they didn’t have any damage within the business.
“ e city crew did an amazing job of cleaning up everything, and we’re so thankful that they were hard at work this morning, making sure all of the debris and everything was cleaned up so it’s safe to have customers … in the shop,” said Rydberg.
“So, we’re really thankful to them being hard at work today, and we’re also thankful to the police o cers last night that were making sure
everyone was staying safe and away from the downed power lines.”
Varsteel Ltd.’s Estevan location in the east end of Estevan was also damaged.
Darren Moldenhauer, who is an inside sales representative for the company, said the roof for their larger shop is completely gone. Ten rafters remain with a bit of tin, and half of a wall is gone.
e shop is open to the elements in the event of further rain.
Moldenhauer doesn’t believe anything can be done as a temporary solution.
“ ree quarters of the rafters are gone. If the rafters are still there, we could probably tarp [it], but I don’t think it’s possible if the rafters aren’t there.”
An outside wall of their smaller shop looks like it might be “sucked out” on the north side.
Moldenhauer said he didn’t know about the damage until he arrived at the facility Monday morning.
Varsteel is still open and providing the same services, he said.
Tyler McMurchy, the manager of media relations for SGI, said as of Monday afternoon, SGI had handled 1,250 auto claims from this past weekend’s weather systems, with most due to hail.
Approximately 65 per cent were from the Es-
tevan area, but SGI is seeing claims from communities throughout the province.
A total of 230 property claims were led, mostly from wind and hail, but also some are for water.
“ ose numbers are very much a point-in-time snapshot and we expect them to grow; claims are still coming in,” McMurchy said. “Our claims sta are working hard to deal with these claims as they come in, and we certainly appreciate people’s patience. is is an ‘all hands on deck’ situation for our claims teams.”
SaskPower reported an outage in Hitchcock, Macoun and surrounding areas just after 11 p.m. Sunday night. According to SaskPower, electricity was restored at 5:28 a.m. after crews worked for several hours.
People in Estevan brie y lost power on Sunday night. e Estevan Police Service says it handled several calls Sunday due to the storm. For the building issues at Varsteel and central Estevan, members helped with tra c control. O cers received several reports of downed power lines and res resulting from the damage. e Estevan Fire Rescue Service and SaskPower were contacted to assist.
Fifth Street is getting some love from volunteers
By Ana Bykhovskaia
Fifth Street is currently undergoing a transformation, thanks to a group of dedicated volunteers led by Gale Tytlandsvik.
e project, driven by a desire to beautify the area, has seen signi cant contributions from local volunteers and supporters.
With the downtown portion of Fourth Street in Estevan getting a major facelift, thanks to the Canada Coal Transition Initiative grant and the city’s e orts in securing it, the same blocks of Fifth Street seemed like they were craving attention, says Tytlandsvik, who is an Estevan artist, beauti cation enthusiast and arts council board member.
Tytlandsvik is well-
known for her work with the Garden on Fourth, as well as for Estevan’s murals and other art projects, not only created by her but also fuelled by her energy. She said when the decision was made to revitalize the core part of Fourth Street, she looked around Fifth and felt work needed to be done there.
“Somebody suggested that we do murals on the alley and Fifth Street, and I said ‘Oh, they need a lot of help before I’ll do that,’” Tytlandsvik recalled. Said and done.
In April, Wendy Clark and Tytlandsvik explored the street’s 1100 and 1200 blocks and created a list of what needs to be done to make it look prettier.
e initiative has received nancial backing from an anonymous donor group.
Tytlandsvik said once she felt that there was work to be done, she started checking with businesses and individuals seeking nancial support to cover materials. en she came across the group that was happy to cover the expenses.
“ ey said, ‘Do you have volunteers?’ I said, ‘Yeah, I got volunteers but no money.’ en they handed me a cheque,” Tytlandsvik recalled.
e funding has been crucial in covering materials and other expenses necessary for the project’s success
Once the work began, most businesses and property owners got on board with it.
“I approached literally every single business owner and tenant north and south on Fifth Street and both
alleys,” Tytlandsvik said. “Some were initially hesitant, but I insisted … and now, even those who were reluctant are on board.” e volunteers have taken on various tasks, from painting to cleaning up accumulated dirt and debris
A few local youths needing community service hours joined the initiative and have worked tirelessly to scrape weeds, clean alleys and freshen up the surroundings.
“We cleaned around the entire Pine Tree Plaza, scraping down to the pavement and lling dumpsters with debris,” Tytlandsvik said.
is hands-on approach has not only improved the appearance of the area but also fostered a sense of community pride and willingness of people to help the change, she noted.
e core group of volunteers is pretty small with just over 10 people helping regularly. Tytlandsvik said some businesses got on board and have been helping with equipment and manpower as well.
“People are just coming on board,” Tytlandsvik noted. “Laureen from the Wicklow is down there scraping and repainting another building for us. Wendy Clark was here this morning.”
Tytlandsvik’s approach has been both pragmatic and visionary, as her plans for Fifth Street include not only cleaning and touchups but also some art projects.
“We’re putting murals up and xing things that need to be xed,” she said. is attention to detail has sparked further beautication e orts, with business owners becoming more invested in the project as they see tangible improvements and are willing to further upgrade their buildings and business fronts.
Tytlandsvik said this project wouldn’t be possible without the nancial and physical support she received from the community members involved. e work on Fifth Street started and the volunteer engagement is expected to be completed in July. But with the beauti cation chain reaction, the area may see more changes coming.
Police chief to join Saskatchewan Marshals Service
e new role for Estevan’s police chief is with the Saskatchewan Marshals Service (SMS).
A news release from the Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety, issued Friday morning, provided an update on the e orts to launch the SMS by the end of 2026, and the release also announced the hiring of Richard Lowen as the new deputy chief marshal.
“It’s a really unique experience to be on the ground oor of something, and be able to build it in a way that can help the entire province. It’s going to be very interesting,” said Lowen, who has been chief of the Estevan Police Service since September 2021.
e opportunity to create something new played a big role in his decision, said Lowen, but so did the opportunity to be part of a provincial initiative after more than 30 years in municipal policing.
“It’s an exciting and a rare opportunity in a career, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime,” he said.
Operations will be a big part of his work. Lowen will work alongside executive director, omas Sierzycki, under the direction of Chief Marshall Rob Cameron.
“It’s going to be a very unique agency to be able to operate anywhere in the province,” said Lowen.
He rst met Cameron when Cameron was in Manitoba and Lowen was still a member with the Winnipeg Police Service.
“When I met him here back at the start of my time in Saskatchewan, it was nice to have that familiarity,” said Lowen.
e SMS will be headquartered out of Prince Albert, and Lowen will be moving to the north-central city.
He doesn’t yet know if he’ll be spending a lot of time on the road, or if he’ll mostly be in Prince Albert. He plans on remaining with the SMS through the start of operations.
Lowen believes his time in Estevan will help him with the new job because he saw the needs of the region
OutgoingEstevanPolice
ChiefRichLowen
and the demands placed on law enforcement.
“We have a large square mile coverage of policing,” said Lowen. “It’s remarkable how much work gets done with the few o cers that are in the southeast. at part was a bit of an eye-opener for me.”
His time with the Winnipeg Police Service will also help him because he worked with a large organization and outside agencies.
Lowen has roughly 35 years of law enforcement
experience. He started his career with the Winnipeg Police Service in 1989, progressing from general patrol to such roles as detective sergeant, sta sergeant, divisional commander and eventually superintendent before moving to the Estevan Police Service to serve as chief.
He was elected president of the Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs of Police in 2023, and he also serves as the Saskatchewan director for the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police. Among his accolades, he is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal.
Lowen announced his resignation as Estevan’s police chief during the June 11 meeting of the Estevan board of police commissioners, saying he had accepted a job in Saskatchewan law
enforcement that he did not disclose at the time. Hisnal day in Estevan will be Aug. 31.
“He brings with him an incredible breadth of experience from his more than 30year career in policing,” said Cameron. “I can think of no more suitable candidate to work alongside with as we carry forward the important work of the Saskatchewan Marshals Service.”
e 2024-25 provincial budget has allocated $7 million toward the development of the SMS, with an annual budget of $20 million once it’s operational.
e SMS aims to enhance policing in the province with a particular focus on rural communities while supporting and assisting the RCMP, First Nations and municipal police services across the province.
e service will address
Mayor praises response to Sunday’s storm
Police also received a report of a large plastic tank striking a window of a residence. Members attended.
gangs, rural crime, illegal weapons and drugs, and will work to apprehend high-risk individuals and o enders with outstanding warrants.
Renovations to the SMS district headquarters in Prince Albert are well underway and expected to be completed by the fall. Plans are also in place to establish four or ve satellite o ces in the province, with the potential for further expansion as necessary.
e SMS has developed the branding for its logo, vehicles, badges and marshals’ uniforms.
Recruitment of civilian sta and experienced ofcers will intensify in the coming months, with positions expected to be posted this summer and training set to begin by February 2025 at the Saskatchewan Police College.
e tank was moved by the wind and collided with the house during the storm.
At Monday night’s meeting of Estevan city council, Mayor Roy Ludwig thanked roads and drainage and the EPS for ensuring the debris was removed from the street safely.
“All of our people worked hard to get the tra c going, so we want to thank them for that,” said Ludwig. Coun. Shelly Veroba asked whether the emergency measures organiza-
tion was activated at any point, especially after the damage to the building downtown. Ludwig replied that if EMO co-ordinator Helen Fornwald thought it was necessary, then it could have happened. Had anything similar occurred, Ludwig said the EMO might have been needed.
“We have a very capable team, and nobody is better than Helen … in an emergency situation,” said Ludwig.
For more photos of the storm’s aftermath, please visit our provincial news hub at sasktoday.ca.
Marcel Macfarlane, a 10-year-plus veteran of the Carndu Fire Department (CFD), crossed the nish line of the Big Horn 100mile ultra-marathon on June 15, after two gruelling days of running through the rugged terrain of Wyoming. His achievement was not just a personal milestone but a signi cant step in raising awareness about mental health and ghting the stigma associated with it.
Macfarlane, 52, who has been dealing with clinical depression, embarked on this challenge to spotlight mental health issues and raise funds for the Carndu Fire Department’s mental health initiatives.
His journey to the Big Horn 100, which became his fth 100-miler, was marked by perseverance and a deep commitment to breaking down the barriers around mental health. Macfarlane, who has been a runner all his life and has participated in ultra-marathons since 2007, decided to turn his passion for running into a platform for advocacy after his own experiences with
depression and the support he received from the re department’s mental health services.
In 2019, Macfarlane attempted the Big Horn 100 but had to drop out due to severe weather conditions.
Following the race, the physical injuries he su ered prevented him from running for a long time and put the entire possibility of returning to his passion at risk. at, along with work-related stress, pushed his pre-existing condition even further.
“I enjoy the challenge of distance running and shortly after the 2019 attempt, I began to get a variety of di erent running injuries that impaired my ability to run in much of a signi cant way,” Macfarlane recalled. “I probably would have been a marginally clinically depressed person before that, but then, with the inability to run, my depression got quite a bit worse.”
ankfully, the CFD o ers a variety of mental health support and counselling services for the members, so Macfarlane was able to receive the help he needed at the time.
Carnduff firefighter completes Big Horn 100-mile race, helps raise $15,000 for mental health
those just to try to combat the di culties that I was having. And so, I began to think in 2021-22, as I began to physically recover, that if I had another opportunity to do another long-distance 100-miler, I would try to give back to the re department, and give back in a way that would allow them to put together more resources for other individuals that might need something,” he shared.
“I had thought a lot about my clinical depression as a sign of weakness. But then I started to think a lot more in terms of the context of the runs that I do. And I decided that no, I’m not a weak person. I can endure a lot and am good at enduring a lot of adversity,” he added.
“So, I thought that maybe I could give that example to other people. You’re not a weak person just because you have this condition. And then maybe they’d have some positive feelings about it too and won’t be so ashamed of it.”
After a lot of thinking
and with four months of successful training under his belt, Macfarlane told the CFD about the idea, which they were supportive and appreciative of.
“ ey got behind me and we made it a departmental and a community-wide initiative. We started to talk about mental health and some of the negative stigma that sometimes goes along with it. And I was willing to talk openly about it,” Macfarlane recalled.
His run was part of a larger campaign that included a community awareness e ort to promote mental health awareness. e CFD organized a community run to engage local residents and spread the message about the importance of mental health support.
“I’ve had individuals come and speak to me and thank me and say, ‘Hey, I have this too, and I didn’t know that you did. And now because of you, I’m willing to talk [about it],” Macfarlane shared.
focused on fundraising to enhance the mental health services provided by the re department. anks to the community support, as of June, the campaign has attracted over $15,000, tripling the goal of $5,000, all of which will directly help their members.
With better weather and a dedicated support team, Macfarlane completed the race in 30 hours, 33 minutes and seconds.
“I had a team to help me,” he said. “My wife ran with me, as well as friends and colleagues from the re department and local RCMP. eir support was crucial.”
Macfarlane’s team members were Brad and Eliza Belke, Neil and Jamie Sorrestad, Cory Meredith and Tammy Ignatiuk. His pacers for the race were his wife Dawn Pauwelyn (23 miles, miles 30-48 and 95100), Warner Ignatiuk (18 miles from 48-66), daughter Leah Macfarlane (17 miles from 66-83) and Jenn Meredith (12 miles from 83-95).
Macfarlane noted that Brad Belke, Neil and Jamie Sorrestad, and Jenn Meredith are his colleagues with the CFD, while Warner Ignatiuk is a friend and member of the Carndu RCMP.
And even more people, including his mother, were following his progress online at home, thanks to the addition of GPS trackers that allow people to see the runners move through the route.
Out of the 343 100-mile runners starting the rst day, about 190 crossed the nish line the second day, and Macfarlane was 81st, a
result he was happy with.
“I was in a really good position at 82 miles to go. But I had some problems for about ve or six miles, so I lost a lot of places. But I also wasn’t racing for a place. When you get to be my age, that’s not the number one priority. And my number one priority was to keep myself in a position to nish, because we had a lot of people who had made donations, and we wanted to make sure that I didn’t fail,” he shared. e town expressed its gratitude to Macfarlane and his impact on the community.
“On behalf of our mayor, council, sta and community, we would like to congratulate Marcel Macfarlane on completing the Big Horn 100 this weekend,” the town wrote on social media. “Marcel has been training hard for this event and seized the opportunity to help raise awareness, lift stigma for those that live with mental health conditions, and act as a fundraiser for our local re department. Great job Marcel, your community is so proud of you.” While the fundraising campaign is gradually wrapping up, donations are still accepted. People can either e-transfer the Town of Carndu at info@carndu .ca and a tax-deductible receipt will be issued, or check out the “Burning away mental health stigma, one step at a time” GoFundMe page. For more pictures and videos from the event, check out RM #2 and Carndu Fire and Rescue’s Facebook page.
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EDITORIAL
Our country gives us many reasons to be proud to be
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We
It might not always seem like it, but most of us hit the jackpot because we’re Canadian. is country isn’t perfect, and there is always progress to occur. For those who are of Indigenous descent, regardless of whether they live on a reserve, life has not been as easy as it has been for most of us, despite e orts to improve. Life isn’t always easy for other groups in our country who still face discrimination far more frequently than they should.
We might not like the government that we currently have. Most of us down here are hoping that we’ll have a new prime minister after the next scheduled election in October 2025.
But we live in an incredible, beautiful country. Every nation has its scenic spots –a simple internet search will show some of the visual majesty that each nation has to provide. But we’re particularly blessed here.
We know Saskatchewan has all of these magni cent sunrises and sunsets thanks to the terrain in the southern part of the province, and many of us know about the dense forests and the sand dunes in the north.
But you’ll nd oceans, lakes, mountains, forests and so much more in our country. We are home to some of the most scenic drives and hikes in the world. It’s a nation well worth exploring. Be sure to take your time, too; nobody has ever said “I wish I
would have driven faster while travelling through Newfoundland.”
We are also a nation with a great wealth of natural resources. We have the oil and gas. We have the minerals. And we have what we need to be a world leader in agriculture. It’s vital for us to make the most of what we have, and to do so while respecting the environment.
We are a country with diversity in its residents. People come from all over the world to live and work in Canada. We have Indigenous people. We have those whose descendants were European settlers and whose roots in Canada can be traced back more than 100 years. We have second and third generation Canadians. We have people who have immigrated here from every continent and seemingly every nation on the planet.
One of the wonderful trends in southeast Saskatchewan in the past 20 years is we’ve had people come here from all over the world because of the opportunities in this region. ese people have enriched our communities, workplaces and schools with their language and their culture.
We have democracy. As stated before, you might not like our present government. But when the next election rolls around, we’ll have the opportunity to vote for change. We’ll be able to go to polling stations, and soldiers won’t be trying to in-
We can vote for change. We have lots of options for change. Or we can vote for status quo. And we can criticize the government or the opposition – within reason, of course.
We have an incredible history. Yes, there are some things that we certainly wish never happened, but we need to learn from those mistakes rather than erase or ignore them.
To borrow the cliché, Canada punches above its weight. is is a country that just eclipsed a population of 41 million people. But we have done incredible things through our Canadian Forces, both in times of combat missions and peacekeeping. We are a country that has thrived on the global stage, that has made great contributions in diplomacy, health, science, education, technology, the arts, music, sports and so much more.
So yes, we need to celebrate Canada Day. We need to celebrate the 157th birthday of this country that has given us so much –some more than others.
And while we might want to spend more time nding aws rather than the positives with our country, its people and its history, we have to remember that there is no shortage of people in other countries who would gladly be here, because they know how great Canada is.
A beautification chain reaction started in Estevan
e downtown revitalization in Estevan has been a big topic for many of us for a while. Some cheer for it, others consider it a waste of money. But I feel it goes well beyond the construction on Fourth Street.
As a person of European descent, who’s been residing in Canada for almost a third of my life now, I’ve always missed the old world’s beauty. I grew up in a city built over 300 years ago according to a plan, focused on visual harmony, aesthetics and beauty. People built streets and neighbourhoods so that they would look attractive and pleasing.
If you’ve had a chance to travel to Europe, you’d probably agree that even small communities there appear beautiful and feel welcoming – something you don’t get to experience as often in hardworking rural Canada. Many things are built here to serve the immediate needs of communities, without aiming at pleasing someone’s eye.
As the province was being built, things had to be practical. Full stop.
But societies, no matter where we are, are changing. To me, it seems that the need for beauty may have come into the equation here as well.
e downtown revitalization project is currently underway. No one can guarantee that a di erent look will 100 per cent change things and only time will show what the use of the federal grant will mean for Estevan and its people. But the beauti cation chain reaction, which was started by the introduction of the Fourth Street revitalization idea and continued by volunteers working hard to bring the Fifth up to date now, tells me that the willingness to see the hometown blooming goes beyond the passive use of federal funds.
Led by Gale Tytlandsvik, a local artist and beauti cation enthusiast, the e ort to transform Fifth Street has garnered attention and support from the community. e
Ana Bykhovskaia
Twenty Lines
About…
donor group’s contribution, combined with the e orts of volunteers, and supported or even just green-lighted by the property owners, has made a substantial di erence.
e initial volunteer project didn’t assume any engagement from the Fifth Street businesses, but it sounds like some of them got on board with investing what they could into making their part of downtown look more attractive.
Of course, Gale’s vision extends beyond mere cleanup; it includes adding murals and doing all they can to make things look great. (Anyone who knows her wouldn’t have any doubts that once she gets onto something, she’d go above and beyond to make it “look pretty”.)
It’s almost like a rule: changes result in more changes, be they positive or negative. e broken windows theory in policing links disorder and incivility within a community to subsequent occurrences of serious crime.
In other words, if windows on many buildings in the neighbourhood are broken, more will be broken soon and the level of other kinds of crimes will be up as well. But if you x the neighbourhood, and pour some love and care into it, it will start generating more positive activities and developments in return.
I noticed it earlier with the city’s business front incentives. I understand that sometimes it’s really hard for small businesses to invest in upgrading their business fronts. But once a neighbouring business gets a facelift, others start looking into options to look
more modern and attractive. I wish there were solid stats on the changes it creates, as I feel that places that appear more welcoming, indeed see more foot tra c and, thus, more revenue. Does it mean 100 per cent success? Of course not. But it’d be one of the elements.
We naturally look for beauty. Choosing something or someone beautiful is a part of our ancient instincts, and even when we consciously think that we don’t care about outer appearance, we still use it to navigate through life.
I’d say Estevan’s revitalization e ort exempli es the concept of a “beauti cation chain reaction.” e reaction starts with a few dedicated individuals and, through their passion and hard work, inspires others to join. is transformation is not merely about aesthetics; it’s about community spirit and pride. When residents see their environment improving, they become more likely to contribute, creating a positive feedback loop that bene ts everyone. And altogether it suggests that Estevan is ready for this change.
e projects’ success hinges on the community’s collective e ort. e nancial and physical support from community members has been instrumental in Fifth Street’s progress, but I believe the area, as well as other parts of the city, are likely to see more changes. is chain reaction of beauti cation highlights a shift in priorities, where the desire for a pleasing environment is recognized as one of the essential aspects of community development. After all, the downtown revitalization in Estevan is more than a cosmetic upgrade. Hopefully, it results in more nancial success for the businesses and the community in general, thus serving as a powerful reminder that when we invest in our environment, we invest in ourselves.
| Wednesday, June 26, 2024 | www.SASKTODAY.ca A5
Fundraiser in Oxbow brings
By David Willberg
e people of the Oxbow area once again showed how much they want to have a new ambulance and re truck in the community.
A sold-out crowd of roughly 500 people packed the Oxbow Rink on June 15 for a fundraising supper and auction to help pay for the much-needed emergency response vehicles. e event brought in $94,300, according to Pam Bartlett, the administrator with the RM of Enniskillen, which put on the bene t. Half of the money went to the purchase of the re truck and the other half will go to the ambulance.
“I honestly have hardly any words, because I am just amazed at the generosity of the community and the attendance, and everybody just thought it was a wonderful night. e guest speakers were amazing, the supper was amazing, the decorating was amazing.
e whole night couldn’t have been better,” Bartlett said in an interview with the Observer and SaskToday.
A smoked turkey and smoked brisket supper was served by Weir’s Catering from Manor. A live auction had more than 40 items, and the Mack Auction Company donated their services.
e top-selling item was a 4-H black Angus steer that Anova Resources purchased at an auction. en they donated the steer, along with the cut and wrap, all of which sold for $5,600. e next-biggest item was a one-ounce gold bar and glasses from the Royal Canadian Mint that fetched $3,500.
Other highlights included a signed baseball ball
from the Toronto Blue Jays, a signed football ball by the Saskatchewan Roughriders, a couple of autographed jerseys, a signed Winnipeg Jets picture, and two tickets to the Labour Day Classic football game between the Roughriders and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
A silent auction, a Chinese auction and a 50-50 also helped raise funds.
Entertainment came from Saskatchewan YouTube personality Quick Dick McDick and political commentator/retired broadcaster John Gormley, who entertained the crowd with stories, banter and a question-and-answer session with the audience. McDick also sang during the night and helped out during the live auction.
“Everybody thoroughly enjoyed the speaking. ey did one half of their show, and then they played o of each other. en we stopped for an intermission, where we auctioned o three of our hot-ticket items, and then they went and nished o the night with another speaking engagement,” said Bartlett.
anks to the money raised, the ambulance is now nearly paid for. Bartlett believes there is less than $5,000 left to raise for the vehicle, which had a $314,000 cost. e new ambulance has been in service since December 2023. e ambulance was badly needed, she said, as the old unit needed a lot of repair and was often out of service.
“It had seen its better days, and then it ended up being in an accident … at the very end in which somebody hit it, and so they were just using the spare, and that wasn’t ideal
whatsoever. is one has just made their life so much better.”
Bartlett noted a post from a paramedic from last year, who said they were so grateful to have the vehicle, and the level of care they can provide is “unbelievable”. e paramedic went on to thank everyone who made it happen.
e re truck is close to two-thirds paid for. e projected cost is $475,000. A wildland re ghting unit will be a real asset due to the valleys in the area, Barlett said.
“When the re happened in the valley a couple of years ago, the wildland truck that we currently have was used so much because it can go places where pumper trucks can’t go, and it decreases the manpower use compared to what a pumper truck needs. With a volunteer … re department, then at least if they’re lacking manpower, they have the capability of using a wildland truck with less manpower, so having the wildland truck is a huge asset.”
Bartlett said they are planning to order the new truck right away. ey wanted to see how the fundraiser did before they submitted their request. It will take time for the new truck to arrive. She noted
that when the new ambulance was ordered, it was supposed to take 12-18 months.
“I think it was … nearly 24 months when we nally got it. It was a very long wait,” Bartlett said.
Environmental Impac t Assessment Notice
Bartlett noted the estate of Nellie Adams provided a large donation for the new truck. Adams, who lived north of Glen Ewen, has made signi cant contributions to organizations throughout the community.
Barlett thanked everybody for their generosity, which she said has been “so life-changing for so many people”.
“When you’re dealing with emergency services, it touches a lot of people’s lives, and we have just seen the generosity hand over hand in the community.”
One other fundraiser for the re truck is in the works. e Oxbow and Enniskillen Fire & Rescue Department is hosting a duck derby on July 1 at the Oxbow Bow Valley Park. Tickets are $10 each or three for $25, and can be purchased through e-transfer at reducks2024@ gmail.com.
SaskPower is proposing the construc tion of two ten-kilometre overhead 230-kilovolt transmission lines southwest of Estevan in the Rural Municipalities of Estevan No 5 and Cambria No 6. The transmission lines would connec t a proposed SaskPower switching station to an interconnec tion point on the border with Nor th Dakota. The transmission lines would provide 500 megawatts of transmission service from the Southwest Power Pool to SaskPower
The projec t is subjec t to an environmental assessment under The Environmental Assessment Act
To learn more about the projec t, visit: sask atchewan.ca/environmentalassessment
For more information, please contac t: Jeff Dereniwsk i | 306-787-5971 | environmental assessment@gov.sk .ca saskatchewan.ca/environmentalassessment
Lobsterfest delights Estevan and raises funds
By Ana Bykhovskaia
e Rotary Club of Estevan’s annual Lobsterfest, held at A nity Place on June 21, brought the community together for a fun and relaxed night of ne dining and fundraising.
Despite a slight decrease in ticket sales compared to last year, the event was a success, with attendees enjoying a delicious Atlantic lobster and steak feast, along with socializing and watching Game 6 of the Stanley Cup nal between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers on the central score clock.
“We were down in ticket sales this year from last year, but it was still a good time and a good turnout. We had about 650 attendees. And we had a really good response from the businesses around town for the auction,” said Terry Williams, president of the Rotary Club of Estevan. She said the business community support was extraordinary this year.
“Everyone, every compa-
ny we asked, they donated something to the auction, and we had some amazing prizes,” Williams added. “More people were more generous this year.”
e auction featured a variety of prizes, including a notable pilot training or a ight for three passengers, donated by Southeast Aviation, a concrete bench from Four Seasons Rental and Repair and many other impressive prizes.
“ ere were so many nice things. I feel that the community has really stepped up this year,” Williams said.
e culinary aspect of the event also received high praise, including the desserts provided by EB’s Dining.
Logistics for the event were signi cantly improved this year, thanks to the donation of a trailer from the local re department. It allowed for a more ecient setup and teardown, ensuring that the event ran smoothly not only for the guests, but for the organizers and other volunteers as well.
While the cost of hosting the event has risen due to increased prices, the Rotary Club chose not to raise ticket prices, which resulted in slightly reduced funds to reinvest into the community. However, Williams emphasized that the community’s support remains strong, and the club will continue to fund local projects.
“If local non-pro ts or charitable organizations need help, they should ask Rotary,” Williams said. is year’s Lobsterfest continued to uphold the tradition of the event, which began in 1997, and the organizers received a lot of positive compliments from the attendees. Williams noted they had a lot
of support, which made the event successful.
“We had help from the Estevan Exhibition Association, who we helped with their fair, and that was great this year. And of course, we had Strippers [hockey club] at the end [serving drinks]. e city sta helped. So it went really well,” Williams said.
Estevan Arts Council hands out bursaries
By Ana Bykhovskaia SaskToday.ca
e Estevan Arts Council hosted its annual bursary presentation ceremony on June 18 in their art room at the Estevan Leisure Centre.
Fifteen students applied for and received up to $100 to go towards their art summer camps. Most of them made it to the awards ceremony and were celebrated by Estevan Arts Council members and their parents.
“We’re thrilled to have 15 people apply for scholarships this year. So now that you know that you received a scholarship, pass the word on because we would like to give out more scholarships if that is possible. We love to see all you young musicians and artists being able to go o and do some camps,” said Allison Holzer, the head of the scholarship committee with the arts council.
Award recipients were Sydney Lainton, Madelyn
Grobbink and Taylor Ellis, who will attend the Drewitz School of Dance summer camp; Bly Rucks, Kaylee Bowey, Emma Grobbink and Layla and Piper Stark, who will spend time at the Act 2 Souris Valley eatre camp; Claire and Lily Podovinniko , who will go to the Colour My World Estevan Art Gallery and Museum camp; Jacob Pyra, Harrison and Harper Eskra, who will experience the Kenosee Lake Kitchen Party; Lucas Schott, who will enjoy Sterling Studios’ summer camp; and Mahaley Fonstad, who will go to the International Peace Gardens’ music camp.
Before receiving their awards, students shared their aspirations for the summer and what they hope to learn from their upcoming experiences.
Holzer said they are excited about having so many kids applying this year and are looking forward to having even more next year.
Although it is too early to determine the exact amount raised, the funds will support some of Rotary’s international projects, but mostly various local initiatives. e Rotary Club of Estevan has previously funded a range of projects, including donations to the Estevan Early Years Family Resource Centre, the Estevan District Music Festival, the Estevan Public Youth Centre and the Salvation Army, among many others.
As the Rotary Club of Estevan transitions to new leadership, the focus remains on supporting the community through both large and small projects, Williams said. e club also continues to welcome new members and appreciates the ongoing support from the community.
“If anyone wants to be a Rotarian, it’s a really good cause,” Williams concluded. For more information on how to support the Rotary Club of Estevan or to get involved, please visit their social media or contact a local member.
Paul Cheung recognized for lengthy oilpatch career
Paul Cheung was born in Hong Kong, came to Canada at the age of 17 as a student and has become a leader for the southeast Saskatchewan oilpatch over the years.
Cheung was enshrined as a Southeast Sask Legend at the Saskatchewan Oil and Gas Show in Weyburn earlier this month.
According to his bio, in 1978, Cheung went to work for Gulf Oil in Calgary as a geologist. From there, he worked with two smaller oil companies before launching his own oil company, Grand Bow Petroleum, in 1984. e rm’s wells were located in southeast Saskatchewan.
“I started the company in August 1984 with very little money – enough money to drill one well. I spread that money into a small percentage in many, many wells. e rst well I drilled was in Halbrite,” he said in his bio.
e late Merlin Skjonsby had a substantial in uence
on Cheung’s future a airs, as Skjonsby handled Cheung’s operations until 2006, when Cheung stopped drilling.
e second well was at Steelman, leading to many more Frobisher A wells in that area. After 30 years of operation, Grand Bow is in the process of abandoning its last wells.
In 1989, Cheung started a public oil company called Alliance Energy, which has been drilling wells in southeast Saskatchewan, with an occasional well in southwest Saskatchewan.
“I have either operated or participated in over 200 wells,” he said.
In 1997, he went to China for the rst time and wound up forming a company, Advance Drilling, with the Chinese National Petroleum Company (CNPC), Over the next six years it grew to a 10rig company.
e CNPC and Cheung were 50/50 partners in Ad-
vance. CNPC wanted 100 per cent ownership, so they decided to split Advance, with the CNPC carrying on with ve rigs through Great Wall Drilling and Cheung and Canadian shareholders forming a new company, Alliance Drilling, with the other ve rigs. By the end of 2001, Cheung was very well known in China’s oilpatch as a result of the drilling rig company.
Twice a year he travelled to China for board of directors meetings and nancial reporting to the shareholders.
Six years after the start of Advance came the formation of a service rig company.
Tim Huber, Brian Crossman and Jerry Mehler approached Cheung about partnering in the formation of a service rig company.
Cheung recalled that they
had never met before, but the partners were familiar with his involvement in Advance and asked if he could help them set up this new service rig company.
Independent Well Servicing was launched in 2003 and grew to a eet of 10 rigs.
Cheung noted he’s been the president of these two companies in Saskatchewan – Alliance and IWS – but “they are so e cient. I don’t have to do anything. I just deal with things like, do we need to buy or build another rig?”
e two companies work side by side and share a yard and o ce in Estevan.
e Chinese introduced him to a new pumpjack, the HG jack, which uses 25 per cent less energy than a conventional straight walking beam jack. at was enough of a di erence to be successful in this application.
Two such jacks were sent from China, and the late Mel Grimes with Grimes Sales
and Service was dealing in used pumpjacks, so Cheung asked Grimes to inspect the pumpjacks.
“So, I got the two jacks, and put them on the wells at Carlyle with this little single-phase motor. We tripled our volume, our oil production with that same little motor. So that told us it does use less energy.”
ese days, Skjonsby’s son Merlin is looking after Alliance Drilling and winding down Grand Bow, abandoning its last wells. IWS is going steady, with another generation coming into management there, as Tim Huber’s son, Jason, is involved.
“I’m 70 years old, and three years ago I decided I will move back to Hong Kong where I was born. And so I’m living in Hong Kong, o cially and I spend about little over half a year in Hong Kong. And I spent a little bit less than half a year in Canada,” said Cheung.
Estevan renal unit nurses hold second kidney walk
By Ana Bykhovskaia SaskToday.ca
e second annual Kidney Walk in Estevan took place on June 17, with participants gathering at the Days Inn before walking along 13th Avenue to the Orpheum eatre.
Organized by the St. Joseph’s Hospital Renal Unit nurses and promoted by the Kidney Foundation of Canada, the event aimed to raise awareness and funds for kidney disease research and support for patients.
is year’s walk saw participation from four nurses, patients and family members. Among the six fundraising team members – Desiree Doyle, Brenda Kittelson, Gail Torgunrud, Jennifer Juneau, Kelsey Barlow and Wendy Curtis – 40 donations were collected, totalling $2,294.68 as of Tuesday afternoon, which signi cantly exceeded their $1,000 goal and last year’s total of $1,700.
Juneau, one of the nurses who partook in organizing the event, said they had a good turnout despite the
chilly weather and positive outcomes.
e Kidney Walk is an annual initiative by the Kidney Foundation of Canada, held in various communities nationwide. e event not only raises funds but also increases awareness about kidney disease and the foundation’s e orts to support patients.
“ e Kidney Foundation of Canada does a lot for people with kidney disease,” Juneau explained. “One in 10 Canadians has kidney disease, and our rates are increasing every year. Last year, the foundation put more than $2 million into research.”
Estevan’s renal unit at St. Joseph’s Hospital is sta ed by highly experienced nurses with up to 17 years of dialysis experience, which is quite unique, Juneau noted.
“ is level of expertise is invaluable in providing high-quality care for our patients,” she said.
e funds raised locally and across Canada help the Kidney Foundation continue its critical work, which includes nancial assistance
for patients, educational resources, support groups and organ donation awareness.
“ e Living Donor Program is particularly important. It raises awareness about becoming a living donor, which can signi cantly reduce the transplant waitlist and improve patients’ quality of life,” Juneau said, noting there is a Living Organ Donor Expense Reimbursement Program, which is a provincial program that reimburses some out-ofpocket expenses and makes it possible to be a living donor, even when living far away from the recipient.
All of the resources provided by the foundation are available and utilized by patients in the southeast, as well as in other parts of the province and the country.
Juneau also underlined the broader impact of the foundation’s work.
“ ey provide nancial assistance, support groups and even kids’ camps. Kidney disease a ects people of all ages, and the foundation’s programs are vital for improving lives.”
She also quoted the information from the foundation to help raise awareness about kidney disease risk factors.
“ ere’s a number of risk factors for kidney disease. Some things that you can control such as smoking, and others that you cannot. People with diabetes, high blood pressure, or who have a family history of kidney disease are at increased risk, as well as children born with
kidneys that did not develop properly,” Juneau said.
“People of Aboriginal, Asian, South Asian, Paci c Island, African/Caribbean and Hispanic descent are also at higher risk. But you may develop kidney disease even if you do not fall into one of these categories.
“Be careful about taking non-prescription medications, particularly painkillers. It is wise to discuss all over-the-counter medications with your doctor or pharmacist. Certain other medications, toxins, pesticides and illegal drugs, such as heroin and cocaine, can also cause kidney damage.
“Recent estimates suggest that as many as two million Canadians have chronic kidney disease, or are at risk, and most are unaware of it. So, if you’re over the age of 50, or fall into any of these categories, ask your doctor for blood tests to know your kidney function level.”
For more information
about the Kidney Foundation of Canada and how to support their initiatives, visit their website at kidney.ca.
Donations to support local renal unit e orts can still be made at the Kidney Walk website’s local page.
e Souris Valley Museum hosted its Heritage Day on June 22, o ering a blend of cultural heritage and family-friendly activities.
e event, held on the museum’s grounds, attracted between 250-300 visitors.
“We’re pretty happy with that,” said Melanie Memory, director and curator of the SV Museum. “ e weather co-operated, and the day was good.”
e event featured a variety of activities and demonstrations aimed at celebrating the region’s heritage.
Activities included a wool carding demonstration by Ruth Langwieser and a summer student with the Estevan Art Gallery and Museum, using locally-sourced alpaca wool. e Saskatchewan Association of Blacksmiths was down for the day for a blacksmith demonstration.
“We had a blacksmith
here, Mark, who belongs to the Saskatchewan Blacksmith Association. He came down with two of his people, and they were doing forging on their display,”
Memory said, noting the unique demonstration attracted a lot of interest and questions from guests.
e event took place the day after National Indigenous Peoples Day, and Memory said they wanted to incorporate elements of it as well. So, the museum partnered with the Métis Nation of Saskatchewan Local No. 25, who provided a lunch of homemade hamburger soup and bannock.
Also, the president of the Métis Nation of Saskatchewan Local No. 182, Dexter Mondor from the Kenosee Lake area, conducted a teepee setup, incorporating educational elements about Indigenous culture.
“He set up two teepees and inside them, he put some hides, di erent herbs and things like that, which are native to Indigenous
people,” Memory said.
Visitors had the chance to assist in the set-up and learn about the signi cance of each part of the teepee.
e event also featured a Hooligan Acres petting zoo from Weyburn, which brought many animals and also o ered pony rides for children.
“ e petting zoo, of course, was pretty popular with the kids,” Memory noted.
Additionally, there was face painting, quilting demonstrations, games and tours of the museum and its buildings. One of the museum’s board members was also dressed in a period uniform, adding to the Heritage Day atmosphere.
“We tried to incorporate some of the heritage themes, like blacksmithing, wool carding and quilting,” Memory said. “But then I also tried to grab the family’s attention by including face painting and the petting zoo, featuring farm animals, which is also part
of heritage and farming pioneer life.”
e event was made possible through the Sask Lotteries Community Grant facilitated by the city. is support allowed the museum to o er the event free of charge.
Heritage Day also featured a Lucky Seven ra e fundraiser, with proceeds supporting the museum’s e orts to restore the coal mine locomotive, which is a part of their collection.
e ra e, which features seven di erent gift baskets, donated by local businesses, will continue until July 12 with
Hill View Manor Licensed Personal Care Home
Grade 12 students from the Carndu Education Complex (CEC) will get their opportunity to celebrate on June 26 with the school’s annual graduation ceremony. e ceremony will begin at 6 p.m. at the CEC’s gymnasium, but before the festivities, the students will have a couple of matters to tend to. ey will gather and walk through the Sunset Haven seniors’ home in Carndu while dressed in their nest clothes.
“ ey go through there so that
everyone gets a look at their beauty,” said vice-principal Michelle Wolf. e annual grad photo will take place afterwards.
More than 30 students are part of this year’s graduating ceremony; Wolf said the CEC typically has numbers in the low-to-mid 30s.
Katja Gri n is this year’s valedictorian, and she will speak to the students during the graduation ceremony. e other speaker for the night will be principal Ryan Nichols.
Carnduff
Awards for the graduates will also be announced during the ceremony and diplomas will be presented.
“ ey are a spectacular group of kids,” said Wolf. “We have some top athletes, we have some leaders in our school, we’ve got volunteers in the community. We’re really proud of our kids.”
Once the ceremony is nished, Wolf said there will be a grad parade – organized by the parents’ committee – in the community.
Wolf pointed out grad is a big
night for the community. e ceremony is open to the public. She estimates they have nearly 700 people lling the school’s gymnasium for the ceremony each year.
e school is looking forward to grad, celebrating this year’s class and wrapping up what has been a good year at the CEC. Teachers are looking forward to participating in the ceremony.
“We’re really happy that we get to participate in the graduation and we’re really proud of our graduates.”
Sutter Baily Natalie Barber
Presley Barber
Xander Dyck
Daylan Elliott
Avry Fowler Katja Gri n
Jared Hadiken
Cohen Hanna Macy Henderson
Chloe Holbrook
Payton Hollinger
Kali Johnson
Owen Johnson
Tessa Lanski
Joscelin Lethbridge Kaden Livingston
Victoria Mann Adrianna Marcil Jade Miller
Kayla Pickard
Alera Pirie
Chance Purves
Kylen Rubbert Meadow Skuce
Slade Spencer Logan Stewart
Braden Thompson
Wyatt Thompson Jordanna White
| Wednesday, June 26, 2024
Scholpp brothers win features at the speedway SPORTS
Kody and Kyle Scholpp were among the feature race winners Saturday on a great night for racing at the Estevan Motor Speedway.
Kody Scholpp, who resides in Estevan, won the modi ed class, while Kyle Scholpp of Lampman was the victor in the stock car race.
Isaiah Geisel started from the pole position in the modi ed feature and held the lead for most of the race. Meanwhile, Scholpp worked his way up from the ninth spot on the starting grid and worked his way up to second. He moved into the lead with four laps to go, and while Geisel brie y regained top spot, Scholpp took it back and never surrendered rst again.
Tyson Turnbull nished second, Geisel was third and Steven Pfeifer came fourth.
e race was called on the nal lap after an inci-
dent between Dexter Saxon and Cole Fichter resulted in Saxon’s vehicle rolling. He was reportedly okay. Scholpp now leads the modi ed standings with 118 points, three more than Pfeifer.
Kyle Scholpp, who lives in Lampman, moved into the lead of the stock car portion midway through the race after passing Chris Hortness, and built a comfortable advantage at one
point. His biggest challenge came from Austin Daae, who won the rst two stock car features this season. Daae closed the gap after passing Hortness for second and made several attempts to pass on the nal laps.
Daae brie y nudged his way into the lead on the backstretch with a couple of laps remaining, and had one last push for the lead before the nal lap, but then blew a tire and had to drop out.
Hortness was second, Adam Go was third and Joren Boyce was fourth. Boyce has 11 points to lead the standings, one more than Daae.
Brennor Grinstead of Stanley, N.D., captured the hobby stock race, despite starting 15th out of 18 drivers on the grid. He passed Connor Hanson for top spot with a few laps to go and withstood challenges from Hanson late in the
race. Hanson had led from the beginning, despite a couple of cautions that kept the eld bunched together. Grinstead took over top spot after Hanson went sideways between turns three and four.
Kaiden Tuchscherer was third and Diezel Raynard came in fourth.
Grinstead and Hanson lead the points race with 77 points each.
Robby Rosselli of Minot captured the sport mod feature. He passed Gabriel Deschamps on the outside with a couple of laps remaining following a restart and withstood a challenge for top spot. Tim Goodwin was third and Leevi Runge was fourth.
Justin Fichter held the lead for much of the program and was in contention throughout the feature until he dropped with a couple of laps to go.
Ryder Raynard started
from the pole but his engine blew up at the beginning of the feature, causing a collision that also took out Keenan Glasser from the race.
Deschamps has 78 points, one more than Rosselli.
Brogan Wagner of Weyburn was the winner of the slingshot feature for the second time this season, nishing ahead of Sladen Pfeifer. Wagner held a comfortable lead at one point, but had to navigate through lapped tra c, which brought the eld together. Kolby Fichter was third and Gage Goetz was fourth.
Wagner leads the points race with 118, nine more than Goetz.
e next program will be the annual stop for the Dakota Classic Modi ed Tour on July 8 at 7 p.m. e event will attract modi ed and stock car drivers from throughout North America.
Estevan soccer team earns sportsmanship award
A soccer team from Estevan not only had a good showing at a provincial championship despite being the youngest team entered, but it was also recognized for its sportsmanship.
Estevan sent a travelling squad to a U17 tournament in Saskatoon on June 14 and 15. ey nished 0-2-1, but coach Derek Mercer noted this was the rst time these players have been to provincials, and they had just one U17 player on the roster. e others are in the U15 age group.
“ e bulk of this team is going to be together for a couple more years,” said Mercer.
Estevan opened with a 1-1 tie against a club team from Saskatoon. Henry Blue scored Estevan’s lone goal in the game on a penalty shot. e game was called due to lightning with about 10 minutes remaining.
“We all walked away from that feeling really excited.
e way that we played in that game was well worth the trip to the tournament, and that’s how a lot of the parents felt,” said Mercer. In the last 10-15 minutes, Mercer thought Estevan controlled the play.
“We thought there was another goal coming at any minute,” said Mercer.
Estevan then lost 9-0 to a powerful team from Regina that made it to the provincial nal, and 4-0 to a squad from the Battlefords, a game that Mercer thought was closer than the score indicated.
Estevan was recognized with the tournament’s sportsmanship award prior to the game versus the Battlefords.
“We try very hard to create an environment where everyone’s welcome and everyone’s their teammates, regardless of what level of soccer they’re at, and to compete hard and to compete well,” he said.
Estevan earned the tour-
nament’s sportsmanship award. e three o cials from each of the rst two games ranked teams on sportsmanship on a 1-10 scale. Estevan received a perfect score of 60. When they arrived for their nal game, the technical director for the Saskatchewan Soccer Association was waiting with a plaque.
“We are extremely proud of that, that despite facing some very hard competition and a new challenge, the kids, aside from playing their very best, they also played it the right way,” said Mercer.
A few players on the travelling team couldn’t make it, so Estevan picked up a couple of players from Stoughton, which Mercer said has good soccer programs.
Mercer believes this experience will help the kids, because they had the condence of playing at provincials and seeing how other top teams play.
Coach Jordan Isbister noted Stoughton was comprised of players from throughout the southeast region, so they were strong. He thought Estevan controlled the games against Eatonia and Nipawin
from a possession standpoint, but those two teams had strong goaltending.
“From Day 1 until the tournament, and even to today, they exponentially grew their skill. ey went from not being able to play as a team and playing more individually to understanding how to play as a team and get open,” said Isbister. ey also learned how to protect and make good use of their goalie.
e U13 club also went to tournaments in Redvers and Stoughton, and Isbister believes they played twice as many games as last year. e players nished up house league play last week, and a year-end tournament for Estevan Youth Soccer was held on June 23. Mercer and Isbister noted that anyone could join the travelling team to gain some additional experience and development.
Energy City Exposure to showcase softball talent
For the third straight year, Morgan Walter is organizing the Energy City Exposure tournament to showcase talented young softball players in Saskatchewan. e event will run from June 28-30 at the Pleas-
antdale Softball Diamonds in Estevan. Skills camps will take place on June 28, and games will happen the next two days. Other highlights include a supper and a panel discussion on June 29, a concession and a 50/50 draw.
Five teams in the U17 age group will be playing. As of Friday afternoon, scouts from ve U.S. colleges had committed to come to Estevan for the tournament.
ree other schools will be watching games online. More than 60 schools have
been contacted about the event, and Walter has created pro les on each athlete. e Southeast Sun Devils will be joined by two squads from Lumsden and a team from each of Regina and Saskatoon. Each team will play four times during
the weekend, but Walter said the emphasis isn’t on wins and losses; rather, it’s about playing to draw the interest of the scouts.
Last year three players were recruited at the Energy City Exposure, she said, and two more committed to teams during the rst year.
but after requests from the collegiate coaches, Walter decided to go with just one division.
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“I wouldn’t be surprised if this year there’s quite a few more that get recruited, because I do know the group of players that are coming to this event really do have high aspirations to play at the college level and have a lot of talent,” said Walter.
Six or seven collegiate players – including a couple who played at the Energy City Exposure previously –will be in Estevan to interact with the players during games and o the eld.
“We’re going to have a little supper and a … panel for our college players to answer some questions from the younger players about what it’s like to play at the college level, how they got recruited, and basically it’s just an opportunity for the players who are attending our event to grow some relationships with these players who are currently living out their dream,” said Walter.
Last year the tournament had U17 and U15 divisions,
“At the U15 level, scouts aren’t able to view them as much just due to recruitment rules and regulations at the NCAA, so we just decided to keep it all at the U17 level because then the coaches can actually connect with those athletes and actually start communicating with them about the recruitment process,” she said.
Walter played her collegiate softball with the West Texas A&M Bu aloes. She completed her undergrad degree, and will be a manager and a student assistant with the team while going back to the school for her master’s. She has fond memories of her time with the program.
“I enjoyed every minute of it. I not only grew so much as a softball player, but I grew so much as a person. Ultimately, I just really encourage anyone who thinks they might want to go and play at the college to do it, because that’s four years of your life that you’ll never get back, and I promise it will be worth it as well if you commit to the recruiting process, nd a place that you’re meant to be and you love.”
Estevan softball team second at year-end tournament
e Estevan U15 under came away with the silver medal from the Borderline League’s tournament, held June 15 and 16 in Carndu .
e under fell 15-4 to the Carlyle Cardinals in the championship game.
e under opened with a close game against a team from Moosomin, then played another Estevan team, the Estevan Tornadoes, in the semi nal, which guaranteed there would be an Estevan team in the nal.
e under won to advance to face the Cardinals in the nal.
Carndu defeated the Estevan Storm in the bronze medal game.
Coach Shawn Madsen noted the under nished rst during the regular season with an 8-2 record, but there was a lot of parity in the league. He pointed out Redvers had just one win during the regular season, but Madsen didn’t want to face them in the playo s. “Any team could beat any team any given night. It just depends on how they show up,” said Madsen. e Carlyle squad that beat them in the nal had a strong entry and really good pitching, he said.
Other teams entered were a second entry from Moosomin, Wawota and Kipling.
e under had players from throughout the southeast on their roster, including Oxbow, Lampman, Macoun, Midale and Bienfait.
“ is age group has a tremendous group of athletes. When you start splitting your players into three teams, you think you’re going to get pretty skimpy [for talent]. We elded three very competitive teams in this league, which I think is pretty exciting,” he said.
Minor ball teams kept busy on the weekend
e South East U18
AAA Twins baseball team went 1-3 in four home games on the weekend.
Facing the Sask Five Marlins on Saturday, the Twins lost 11-3 and won 10-1. e Marlins blew open a scoreless opening game by scoring seven times in the third inning.
Conner Kerr gave up eight runs, but none of them were earned, during ve innings of work.
In the next game, the Twins scored at least once in each inning except for the third to win handily. Daxton Brown had two hits, two runs batted in (RBIs) and scored twice, while Ty Fehrenbach had three hits and four RBIs.
Keaton Husband gave up one unearned run and
struck out seven over seven innings.
e following day, the Twins lost two close games against the Regina Wolfpack, 2-1 and 3-2.
In the rst game, the Twins led 1-0 through ve innings, but the Wolfpack scored two in the sixth. Kerr had three of the Twins hits in the game.
Kade Phillips and Sam Mallory teamed up to surrender three hits and strike out ve.
In the second game, Mallory didn’t allow a baserunner in three innings of shutout relief.
e Twins will visit the Parkland Expos on June 29 and the White Butte Broncos the following day.
e Estevan U18 AA
Brewers played just once, defeating the Weyburn Angels 7-0 on June 19 at Lynn Prime Park. Sutter Baily pitched a gem, allowing just two hits and striking out ve in a complete-game shutout.
Jayden Kuchinka had two hits and scored three times in the romp.
e Estevan U15 AA Brewers went 3-0-1 to win a tournament in Muenster on the weekend.
Estevan opened with an 11-0 win on Saturday against Prince Albert Royals, with ve runs coming in the rst inning. Cort Barber had two hits and two RBIs in the win. ree Estevan pitchers combined to give up just one hit in ve innings.
Estevan then blanked
East Central 1 Dodgers 110. Broden Henry had three hits and four RBIs, and Jett Markoski had three hits and knocked in three runs.
Kale Kuchinka didn’t allow a hit or a run in ve innings for the Brewers, striking out nine.
e third game was a 2-2 tie versus the Maidstone Lakers, the rst game this season the Brewers didn’t win.
Maidstone was up 2-1 entering the bottom of the seventh inning, but Spencer Skuce hit an RBI single to tie the game.
Quintin Sliva allowed three hits and two unearned runs over ve innings for Estevan.
Facing East Central 2 on Sunday, Estevan won 12-0, thanks in large part to seven runs in the fth inning. Kuchinka’s two-run double in the fth inning was the big score.
Kyson Dangstorp allowed one hit and zero runs over ve innings, striking out six and walking one.
Estevan will host the Weyburn Beavers on June 26 at 6 p.m. at Mel Murray Cactus Park, and then visit the Regina White Sox for two games on June 29 and the Lumsden Cubs for one the following day.
•••
e Estevan U13 AAA Brewers dropped two home games against the Swift Current 57s on Saturday, but recovered to win in Lumsden on Sunday against the Cubs.
Swift Current won the rst game 11-4. Joseph Hozjan went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead the Brewers in hits.
Tayson Tangjerd allowed zero hits and one run in four innings in the second game, striking out eight. Declan Gallagher had two hits and two RBIs for the Brewers. e win on Sunday was a 23-18 decision. (Details on the game were not immediately available).
e Estevan U11 AAA Brewers went 2-2 on the weekend, splitting games with the Regina Athletics and the Regina White Sox. Estevan lost 6-5 to the Athletics and won 15-9 on Saturday. en they won 7-3 but lost 9-5 against the White Sox.
e Brewers will host the Athletics on June 29 and the Yorkton Cardinals the following day. Games start at noon and 3 p.m. each day at Cactus Park.
e Brewers lost 15-4 in the second game despite leading 4-0 at one point in the second inning. But Swift Current scored seven times in the fth inning to take over.
CLASSIFIEDS
In Memoriam
In loving memory of Blaine Tweed who passed away June 24th 2007
A prayer from those who loved you, Memories fond and true, In our hearts you will live forever, For we thought the world of you.
Always in our hearts, Rob, Jodi, Maddi, Kolton and your new great grandson Leo. Darryl, Charlotte and Brandon.
I am currently PURCHASING single to large blocks of land. NO FEES OR COMMISSIONS Saskatchewan born and raised, I know farming and farmland and can help you every step of the way. Doug Rue, for further information 306-716-2671 saskfarms@shaw.ca www.sellyourfarm land.com
Two people arrested for possession of weapons
e Estevan Police Service dealt with 63 occurrences over the weekend of June 21-23.
ose occurrences ranged from suspicious persons to reports of mischief and driving complaints. Twenty tickets were issued under the Tra c Safety Act.
Police were dispatched to a business parking lot for a suspicious person on June 22. Members attended and two people were arrested.
An 18-year-old man from the Pheasant Rump Nakota First Nation was charged with breaching his conditions as he had a weapon. A 19-yearold woman from Arcola was charged with two counts of possessing a prohibited weapon and also a weapon dangerous to the public. Both were released with a court date to speak to those charges.
Police were also dispatched for a report of a man trespassing on private property. e man was located and issued a ticket for the o ence.
In other recent police news, the EPS says a recent investigation has resulted in a 43-year-old Estevan man being arrested and charged with
fraud. According to information from the EPS released on June 17, the man has been released from custody and will make an appearance in Estevan Provincial Court in September to speak to the charge.
Police received results on June 18 of blood samples that were taken in March as part of an impaired driving investigation. A 29-year-old man from Estevan was arrested and charged under the Criminal Code for driving while impaired by drug. His driver’s licence was suspended, and he will appear in court in August.
Police received a report of a possible impaired driver at 13th Avenue and King Street. e complainant was concerned of the motorist’s driving actions and also witnessed an intersection o ence. Members conducted a tra c stop and found that the driver was sober, but he was issued a ticket under the Tra c Safety Act.
Members are investigating a report of a fraud in which the victim granted access to their computer. at matter remains under investigation.
Members attended an east-central Estevan motel for
a report of a man in mental distress. He was located, found to be grossly intoxicated and was subsequently transported to the police station where he was lodged in cells until sober. Members responded to a report of a woman causing a disturbance and refusing to leave a local business on June 21. O cers attended and assisted with having the woman leave the area.
Members also received a 911 call regarding a domestic disturbance. One party had left the scene prior to police arrival. e matter is still under investigation.
e EPS received a report of a woman causing a disturbance at a local medical facility. Members attended to assist sta .
Members attended to a report of an assault at a local business. ey obtained a statement from one individual. Statements are to be obtained from witnesses and others involved. e matter is under investigation.
e EPS responded to a report of fraud on June 22. A statement was obtained regarding an item that was sold
to an individual, and payment has not been received for the item. e matter is under investigation.
Members also received a report of theft from a vehicle. O cers attended and located the items for the caller.
e EPS received a report of a dog running at large and possibly biting children on June 23. Members attended and spoke with both parties. Statements are to be obtained and the matter will be handed over to bylaw enforcement for additional follow-up.
e same day, a report of a hit-and-run was received. e o ending vehicle was located a short time later. e driver was given a 60-day driver’s license suspension and a three-day vehicle impound for recording a warning on the roadside screening device for alcohol. e driver was under the age of 21.
A complaint of a possible assault in the downtown area was received during the night shift. Members attended and spoke with the victim. e other party had left the scene, and the matter remains under investigation.
Fire crews deal with downed powerlines
Estevan Fire Rescue Service members dealt with the aftermath of the severe thunderstorm that hit the Estevan area Sunday night. Crews attended to four separate calls throughout the night for storm-related damage. In two instances, re-
ghters, along with SaskPower, dealt with downed power lines. Another call was about a downed tree on a structure. And the fourth was related to ying debris hitting a structure.
“As far as we know, no serious damages or injuries were
reported from the incidents we dealt with,” said Estevan Fire Chief Rick Davies.
While calls came during the same timeframe, the crews responding were able to attend to all of them one after another. Earlier last week, re crews were dispatched to a residential re alarm in the north end of the city on June 17, just after 3 p.m. It was quickly determined that it was a cooking-related alarm, and re ghters’ assistance was not required.
On June 18 at approximately 6:30 a.m., EFRS members were called to a possible structure re in the south end of the city. Crews responded
to that one and quickly determined that there was no re occurring.
“We believe the issue was with the HVAC unit for the house, which had caused some smoke to build up inside the structure,” said Davies. “We con rmed that there were no working res anywhere. SaskEnergy was on scene to lock out the HVAC system until it can be further inspected.”
Fire ghters also had a couple of public engagements. On June 21, they attended Spruce Ridge School for the annual spray-down. And on June 22, a crew was on duty at the Estevan Motor Speedway for the races.
Motor scrapers, dozers, excavators, rock trucks, packers; wide range of machines. Lots of work all season. Camp/R & B provided. Competitive wages. Valid drivers license req’d. Send resume and work references to: Bryden Construction and Transport Co. Inc. Box 100, Arborfield, SK S0E 0A0; Fax: 306-769-8844 Email: brydenconstruct@ xplornet.ca www. brydenconstruction andtransport.ca
Rosemarie Hilsendager
City Hall: 1102 4th Street
8amto4:30 pm |(306) 634-1800
LeisureOffice: 701Souris Avenue
8amto4:30pm| (306) 634-1880
Mayor’sMessage
As we celebrate Canada’sBirthday on July 1st please take thetime to reflect on the great country that we areprivilege to live in and spendsome family time on themanyamenitiesinthe community.There is alsoJuly1st paradeinBienfaitfor everyone to enjoy.
CONSTRUCTION BULLETIN
The City of Estevanisundertakingconstruction for the Watermain replacement.
The affected area includes First street betweenSouris Avenue and eighth Avenue, as well as 8th avenue between First street and Valley Street.
Property access and parking restrictionsare to occur. Thiswork will commence May 27,2024and will take approximately eight (8) weeks to complete (subject to weather)
City of Estevan will perform this work within thecurrent Bylaw regulations and specifications.
Safety
Construction site could be dangerous. If youhave children, please ask them to keep asafe distance from the site. We will take everyprecaution to ensure publicsafety, but we need your assistancetoconstrain thenatural curiosity of youngerchildren. Please DO NOTattemptto go close to areas affected.
TheftorVandalism
If yousee any act of vandalism, theft or anyone suspiciously tampering with equipment, signageor barricades, please contact 306-634-1800, or after hours call Police.
Questions and Concerns
The City of Estevan,Engineering Services apologize for any inconveniences that this work maycause. Thank youinadvance for your cooperation and patience. Ifyou haveany question or concerns, pleasecall at 6341800orapproach the supervisor or foreman on site.
Chief of Police
TheEstevanPoliceServicerequires astrong, experienced leader to guide the forcethrough aperiod of rapidgrowthinthe CityofEstevan, located in the SouthEastcorner of Saskatchewan. ThePoliceChief will lead ahigh quality, well-resourced, and thoroughly trained team of officers while enjoying a good relationship withthe PoliceBoardand Association. These factorsassist inmanaging the manychallenges present with arapidly growing economy.
Requirements
•Bachelor of Administration or other formalized Management and AdministrativeTraining or alternatively,candidateswith acombination of policesupervisory/management experienceand professional training.Candidates should have aproventrack record in managing forefficiencyand effectivenesstobring about changeinamunicipal and unionized environment. Candidatesshould be familiar withthe processes involved in reportingtoaPoliceBoardorCommission, and possessexperienceindealing withthe media as well as working with government structures.
•Ten years progressiveManagement &Leadership experience
To thrive in this environment, youwill have adesiretomakeadifference. Be part of ourprospering community and challenging work environment while still maintaining astrong work/lifebalance.
TheCity of Estevanoffers acompetitive salary and an outstanding benefits package
Interestedcandidates areinvited to apply,inwriting, including acover letter resume and three current references on or beforeJuly 31, 2024
Forfurther information, please contact:
Saazianaaz Malik,Human ResourcesGeneralist
1102-4thStreet Estevan, SK S4A 0W7
Ph: (306) 634-1841apply@estevan.ca
We thank all applicantsfor their interest, however, only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.
2024 PropertyTax Notices
2024 Property TaxNotices were mailed out Monday, June 17,2024. Please contact CityHall if youdid not receiveyour propertytax noticeorneed to update mailing /contact information
2024 Taxesare due: July 31, 2024
Penalties areaccumulative, applied the 1stofeach month starting August1,2024 asfollows: August.5%, September1%, October 1.5%, November2.5%,December 3.5% Arrears Penaltyof10% will be addedtoall outstanding amounts on January1 2025
Payment Options:
•Inperson at CityHall, OpenMondaythrough Friday, 8:00am –4:30pm Payments accepted by Cash, Cheque or Debit Mailto: 1102FourthStreet, Estevan, SK S4A 0W7
• CityHall Drop Box–locatedatmain entranceatCity Hall. Chequesonly please •Payment can also be made on-line /oratyour financial institution.
•Pay via credit cardthrough athird-party serviceprovider called Plastiq. Customers using this servicewill be charged a2.5% servicefee per transactionbythe provider
To payvia Plastiq please visit their websiteatwww.plastiq.com you will need acredit cardaswell as the 12 digit roll number (don’t include the decimal, but use all the numbers)thatisfound onthe topright hand portion of your NoticeofProperty TaxLevies
Interested in pre-paying your taxes monthly?
TheCity of Estevanoffers (TIPPS) tax installment paymentplan service. TIPPS allows property owners to pre-paytheir property tax bill in 12 monthly installments making budgeting easier with no added fees or penalties. Monthly withdrawals aremade on thefirstbanking dayofeach month
TIPPS applications forms areavailable at City Hall or by visiting ourwebsite at www.estevan.ca
Thebesttimetostart would be August 1, 2024,toprepayfor 2025. Contact CityHall306-634-1800for moreinformation.
737 firefighters extricate ‘victims’ from vehicles
e 737 Volunteer Fire Department, based in Tribune and covering the RMs of Souris Valley and Lomond and a portion of the RM of Lake Alma, saw much action recently.
Fortunately, the scenarios, which included vehicle collisions with occupants entrapped and requiring extrication, were just a major hands-on practice under the Transportation Rescue Extrication (TREX) program. e training was completed this weekend.
“Many thanks to Mryglod Steel & Metals Inc. for providing and delivering the vehicles for this weekend’s re department TREX training,” 737 wrote on its social media. “Also, thanks to Ron Her-
TREX provides auto extraction training and equipment. e program is supported by one-time
funding of $5.6 million from SGI and administered by the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA).
“Comprehensive pro-
grams like TREX ensure that re ghters in Saskatchewan have the skills and tools needed for safer and more e cient responses,” SPSA president
and re commissioner Marlo Pritchard said. “ e training provided will improve the safety of Saskatchewan residents and the re ghters responding to motor vehicle collisions.”
e rst of its kind in Canada, the TREX program was developed in collaboration with the Saskatchewan Volunteer Fire Fighters Association (SVFFA), the Saskatchewan Association of Fire Chiefs (SAFC) and the Provincial Training Standards Committee. e program’s objectives are to:
•Enhance capacity for re departments to respond to motor vehicle collisions through the provision of funded training and equipment.
Estevan Army Cadets host sunset service
e No. 2901 Estevan (Elks) PPCLI Army Cadet Corps and Pipes and Drums Band wrapped up another season by hosting their annual sunset service on June 4.
Meeting in front of the Estevan branch of the Royal Canadian Legion, the cadets stood at one side of the legion while the band was at the other, providing music at the appropriate times. A large crowd of parents and others gathered along Fourth Street in front of the legion for the service. In the case of the ceremony, sunset was declared to be 7 p.m., and then awards presentations began. Cadets were recognized for their successes and accomplishments during the past year. Promotions were announced and graduating cadets were saluted.
e Estevan legion also
made a couple of cheque presentations, one for $6,000 to the army cadets and the other for $2,500 to the pipes and drums band. Awards presented at the service were:
•Master Cpl. Radburn Alfonso, silver star Level 3 and orienteering training;
•Sgt. Andrei Balbuena, gold star and orienteering training;
•Cadet Khylen Bird, green star and promotion to lance corporal;
•Cadet Alexy Bizier Secord, green star and promotion to lance corporal;
•Cadet Luke Branvold, green star and promotion to lance corporal;
•Pipe Cpl. William Duncan, certi cate of service;
•Cadet Zeke Haider, green star and promotion to lance corporal;
•Ensure participating re departments can maintain their response levels by having set program criteria.
•Provide the SPSA and SGI with the ability to measure program success for a minimum of ve years once each participating community enters the maintenance phase of the program.
“Volunteer re ghters are often rst on the scene of collisions in rural Saskatchewan, so it’s vital they have the training and equipment they need,” said Minister responsible for SGI Don Morgan. “As vehicle technology advances, this program will continue to support their ability to respond to collisions safely and e ectively.”
•Cpl. Acadia McCord Southcott, red star and orienteering training;
•Warrant O cer Levi Hollingshead, National Star of Excellence Level 4 and Certi cate of Service;
•Cpl. Maxim Ogdanskiy, green star and orienteering training;
Report from theLegislature
Saskatchewan is agloballeaderinagriculturalproductionand research.The innovationand ingenuityofSaskatchewan’sfarmers,ranchersand agribusinesses wasonfulldisplay at Canada’s Farm Show in Regina June 18-20. Theshowwelcomedover20,000 visitors from 50 differentcountries while generating millionsineconomicactivityfor theprovince.
Ourprovinceiscommitted to drivingresearchand innovation in our agriculturesector. Over thelastfiveyears,our government hasinvested almost $52million into crop-related research throughthe Agriculture DevelopmentFundalone.Thatsupport helpsour producersstaycompetitive and profitable in internationalmarkets,havinga tremendous impact in Saskatchewan andaroundthe world.
Thoseinvestments arepayingoff,withfourconsecutive yearsofrecord agri-food exports. In 2023, ourexports totaled$20.2billion,reachingour agri-foodexports target of $20billion for2030six yearsahead of schedule In 2023, Saskatchewan exported over $7 billion to theIndo-PacificRegion. The topexporting destinationinthe region wasChina with $4.3 billionworth of agri-food products followedbyJapan,India,Indonesia andBangladesh. Agri-food exportstoVietnam were up 227 percentin2023 as well. The increase wasled by non-durumwheat,which wasSaskatchewan’slargest agri-food export in 2023, rising nearly 32 percenttoa totalof$3.7billion in world-wide exports. Othertop agri-foodexports to Vietnamincluded peas andpure-bred swine.
This year hasstarted offstrongaswell. In thefirst quarterof2024, agriculturalexports to Indiaincreased 1,217per cent,totalingover460,000 metric tonnes.AsSaskatchewan’stop pulsemarket, exportstoIndia were made up of peas andlentils
Ourprovincehas severalmoreambitious goalsfor theagriculture sector, such as increasing crop production to 45 millionmetrictonnesannually and livestockcashreceiptsto$3billion peryear. Thefutureofsustainable innovation in agricultureisn’t somethingwe’re waitingfor to arrive someday -it’shappening rightnow in Saskatchewan
Thankyou to allthe farmers, ranchers andagri-businesses in ourprovince whoare dedicatedtoproducing thefood theworld needs. We wish youall thebestfor agreat season in 2024. If youhaveany questions, concerns or comments, Ilook forward to hearingfromyou.Pleasecontact my office at 306-634-7311 or loricarrmla@sasktel.net.
Lori Carr,MLA
EstevanConstituencyOffice
306-634-7311
loricarrmla@sasktel.net
•Cadet Cyrus Osano, green star, orienteering training and promotion to lance corporal;
•Cadet Kurt Palmis, green star, red star, orienteering training and promotion to lance corporal;
•Cpl. Charece Petican, red star;
•Warrant O cer Akara Reeves, promotion to master cadet and National Star of Excellence 3;
•Sgt.-Major Jessica Slager, bronze level of the Marksmanship Champi-
onship Series ll, and completion of the Army Cadet cold-weather eld training exercise;
•Lance Cpl. Liam Tyler, red star and orienteering training; and
•Master Cpl. So ya Vlezko, silver star.
In loving Memory of Keith“Biker”Irvine September 2, 1962 to Tuesday, May14, 2024
Thefamilyinvites youtoa celebration of life forKeith on Sept 14th at the Legion Hall at 6:00pm with acome andgosocialafterward.A private family internment will be held at a laterdate.
On theevening of May14, 2024 Keith’sheart stoppedbeating,and for amomentsodid mine.Webuilt alife of love andlegacytogetherand you will be so missed everyday,every minute andevery breath. Keithtaught me howtolove, forgive, andmostlyhow to “Trust God”.Yourfaith in Jesuswas strong rightuntil theangelscarried you home.I love youBabeand Iwillalways be your FOREVER. -Cheryl.
Thankyou Dad, forevery life lesson andlovingus unconditionally. -Jessica,Mike, andRob
You’re foreverinour hearts “Grumpa” -Liam, Tenley,Declan, Dominik, Carson,Tannyn, Ava, Ali
We miss youlittlebrother -James,Betty andDoreene
Thank youfor allthe memories -yourfriends in life
We thefamilyofKeith want to extend aheartfelt thankyou to everyone that hasreached outto ourfamilyonthe sudden loss of Keith. He was very lovedbysomany that we areoverwhelmed with gratitude. Aspecial thankyou to theEPS (a specialthanks to GeoffThiessen) for spending extratimewith us that night,EMS,Rob (coroner), Hall‘s Funeral Home (shout outto Yvonne foryour assistance andcare),St. Joseph’s Hospital, Dialysis Unit,Homecare, Dr.Zimmerman,Dr. Adeboyeand Dr.Horri
Canada
By David Willberg
People in the Estevan area will have plenty of options to choose from when it comes to celebrating Canada Day on July 1.
Bienfait will once again be a hub for activity, with plenty happening throughout the day. It will start with a pancake breakfast at the Bienfait Memorial Arena at 7 a.m., with the Southern Plains Co-op supplying the food.
One of the annual fixtures, the Canada Day parade, starts at 10 a.m. at the Bienfait Memorial Arena. The parade will move east on Carbon Avenue, north on Railway Avenue, and south on Weldon Road before heading back to the school.
Children’s activities will begin after the parade, with a cakewalk at Hammett Bay, bouncy castles and a rock-climbing wall.
The Bienfait Coalfields Museum will be open at 10 a.m., the Garden Party will supply live music on the front lawn of the Bienfait branch of the Royal Canadian Legion at 11 a.m., and the Bienfait Lions Bingo will start at noon at the legion.
A toonie swim begins at noon at the Bienfait Swimming Pool. The Firemen versus Farmers softball game starts at 3 p.m. at the ball diamonds.
Another annual highlight of Canada Day, the fireworks display, will begin at dusk.
Other highlights for Bienfait will include a house-decorating contest and an online 50/50.
Bienfait will get a head start on Canada Day festivities this year with the Coal Creek Festival on June 30. Doors open at 2 p.m. with kids’ activities, beer gardens and food trucks. Music starts at 2:30 p.m.
According to a schedule on the festival’s website, the line-up will be Aaron Karpinka at 2:30 p.m., Kara Golemba at 3:30, Last Birds at 4:30, Library Voices at 5:30, Mariel Buckley at 6:30, Brayden King at 7:30, Munro and Patrick at 8:30 and the Johner Brothers with the Johner Boys wrapping up the music at 9:30.
Last Birds, comprised of husband-andwife duo Mike Davis and Lindsay Arnold, just won the top alternative country album award for Endless Turn of Day into Night at the Saskatchewan Country Music Association Awards.
A couple of events are planned for Canada Day in Estevan. The Estevan Kinsmen and Kinettes Clubs will mark Canada’s 157th birthday with a bash at noon at the Kin Hillside playpark. The public can look forward to hot dogs, cotton candy, snow cones, popcorn, refreshments, swimming and games. Many people often have a picnic.
Woodlawn Regional Park will have a site-decorating contest and a parade, starting at 2 p.m. at the Souris River campground and at 3 p.m. at the Boundary Dam campground.
Mainprize Regional Park has four days of activities planned, beginning with a slow-pitch tournament that runs June 28 and 29. The 29th will also offer a 50/50 draw outfield beer garden at 10 a.m., and a Lone Rambler cabaret at 7 p.m.
On June 30, a pancake breakfast, provided by the Dr. Mainprize Park Foundation, will run from 9-11 a.m., with admission by donation. Canada Day will offer bouncy castles on the beach starting at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. The Midale Public Library will be on location at 10 a.m. and the Plus One Market will also begin at 10 a.m.
A golf cart parade, with a route to be provided, will start at 2 p.m., and a free barbecue by the Mainprize Regional Park will be at the beach at 4 p.m. Fireworks will occur at dusk.
At the Oungre Memorial Regional Park, activities will start with a pancake breakfast at 8:30 a.m. There will be a show and shine and antique tractors.
Lunch and desserts are slated to be served at the Centennial Building starting at 11 a.m., a parade is set for 1 p.m., and a bouncy castle, water slide and carnival games will be at 2 p.m.
Regular rates and hours will be offered for the kitchen concession (8 a.m.-10 p.m.), indoor pool (1-5 p.m. and 6-9 p.m.), mini golf, camping and the nine-hole golf course. Complimentary ice cream sundaes will be served at 2 p.m. in the communiplex. A country gospel jamboree will start at 10 a.m. featuring the Daae Family from Bromhead. Chester the Performer will walk around with a magic show at 6:30 p.m., and Mind over Magic will be in the rink at 7:30 p.m.
Fireworks will start at 10 p.m.
Oxbow has two days of activities planned, with Multiculturalism Day on June 30 and Canada Day on July 1.
The June 30 activities will be happening at Bow Valley Park. They include a disc golf tournament at the course at 1 p.m.; kayaking and canoeing at 3 p.m.; an Indigenous beading workshop starting at 3:30, 5 and 6 p.m.; children’s activities at 4 p.m.; beer gardens at 4:30 p.m.; food trucks and vendors at 4:30 p.m.; and music on the stage at 5:30 p.m. featuring the Oxbow Lighthouse Fellowship, bagpipes, the Leftovers, and C. Hill & The Gang. Fireworks will occur at dusk, and people can tune into 106.9 FM for choreographed music.
Most activities for July 1 will also be at Bow Valley Park, although some will be happening in Oxbow. There will be a pancake breakfast at the Oxbow branch of the Royal Canadian Legion at 8 a.m. and a parade in the town at 11 a.m.
Then the attention will shift back to the park. A duck derby will occur on the Souris River at 3 p.m. to support the campaign to purchase a new fire truck. Music will be on stage at the park from Nightlife Country and Métis music at 1 p.m. and the Powells at 4 p.m. There will be beer gardens at 1 p.m., a bouncy castle and petting zoon also at 1 p.m., children’s activities and games with a cool-down station, a fish pond, fire trucks and a dunk tank, and a karate demonstration courtesy of the Red Dragon Kenpo Karate group at 1:30 p.m., Canada birthday cake at 2 p.m., and food vendors.
2. Of the following statements, which three are false?
a) In 2010, Vancouver was the third Canadian city to host the Olympic Games.
b) Ontario is the most highly populated province in Canada. c) The miniseries Anne of Green Gables was the most-watched television show in Canadian history.
d) The Yukon Quest is a 1,000-kilometre dog sled race.
e) Mount Fairweather is the highest mountain in Canada.
f) New Brunswick is the only officially bilingual province.
g) Quebec is the largest province in Canada.
h) Formerly the SkyDome, the Rogers Centre in Toronto was inaugurated in 1979.
i) The West Edmonton Mall contains more than 800 stores and services.
j) The first Arctic Winter Games were held in Yellowknife in 1970.
k) The Gold Leaf Awards were replaced by the JUNO Awards.
l) The Jets returned to Winnipeg in 2011.
m) The pacemaker is a Canadian invention.
14 letter word Clue: The team boss
6 things you probably didn’t know were invented in Canada
Canadian people and their ideas have made a great impact on the world. These are just six of the many things that were invented right here at home.
There are many ways to celebrate Canada Day and fireworks, community events and backyard barbecues are all commonly enjoyed on July 1. But if you’re looking to do something a little more unique, consider incorporating these national icons into your festivities.
THE MAPLE LEAF
While the red leaf on our flag is that of the sugar maple, there are in fact 10 species of maple that grow across the country. This Canada Day, why not plant one of these trees in your yard? Alternatively, you could simply slather some pancakes with maple syrup and call it Canadian pride. Bonus points if you serve them with Canadian bacon.
HOCKEY
While its exact origins are hotly debated, hockey as we know it today is firmly rooted in Canadian history and culture. Since your neighbourhood rink is likely closed for the season, consider playing a game of street hockey to work up an appetite for your Canada Day barbecue.
THE BEAVER
While a number of animals serve as Canadian symbols, it’s the beaver that’s most recognized as a national icon. This isn’t surprising given that our country was largely founded on trading beaver pelts. Since you probably won’t see a real beaver on Canada Day, why not indulge in a Beaver Tail pastry instead? This quintessential Canadian treat is a delicious way to celebrate our country.
1. Peanut butter. Originally invented as a source of protein and calories for people with no teeth, peanut butter was first patented in 1884 by a Montreal pharmacist.
2. Snowblower. You can thank Montreal’s Arthur Sicard the next time you clear your driveway with a snowblower. He was inspired by agricultural equipment when he invented this back-saving alternative to shovelling.
3. Instant replay. In 1955, Hockey Night in Canada changed forever when a CBC producer used a kinescope to replay parts of an NHL game a few minutes after they occurred.
4. Insulin. This hormone was discovered in 1922 by Canadians Frederick Banting and Charles H. Best. They found that insulin lowered a diabetic dog’s blood glucose to normal levels. Within a year, they invented a way to purify insulin, and used it to successfully treat a boy suffering from severe diabetes.
5. Garbage bags. They may not be glamorous, but it’s hard to imagine a time before plastic disposable bags were readily available. They’ve come a long way since their invention in 1950. Garbage bags have become more environmentally friendly over the years, with recyclable and biodegradable versions now widely available.
6. The Caesar. Invented in Calgary in 1969, the Caesar has been a staple of the Canadian brunch scene ever since. This savoury mix of clam juice, tomato juice and vodka can be garnished with a stalk of celery, a pickled bean or a wedge of lime and is served over 350 million times a year.
The next time you enjoy a PB&J, watch a replay of a great hockey play or take your garbage to the curb, know that you have a fellow Canadian to thank for it.
