The Mercury’s annual special features responses throughout the paper, thanks to business support.
Physician update. SHA provides information on physicians and recruitment efforts at St. Joseph’s Hospital.
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Thank you for service. The Mercury and the community celebrate Fire Prevention Week with a special section.
PAGES A9-11
Lampman turns green. Riders on the Road event bring fans together to celebrate Saskatchewan Roughriders.
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Mental health spotlight. World Mental Health Day attracts attention to current needs and tendencies.
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2024
By David Willberg
e writ has dropped and the candidates are out looking for the public’s support in Estevan-Big Muddy in the upcoming provincial election. Saskatchewan residents are scheduled to go to the polls on Oct. 28. As of Monday morning, there were ve candidates to choose from in this constituency. Lori Carr of the Saskatchewan Party is being challenged by Andrew Cey of the Saskatchewan United Party, Billy Patterson of the Saskatchewan Green Party, Phil Smith of the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party and Phil Zajac of the Bu alo Party of Saskatchewan. Zajac is also the party’s leader. e Progressive Conservatives and the Progress Party (formerly the Liberal Party) had not declared a candidate for the constituency.
Carr, who was rst elected in April 2016, is seeking her third term as Estevan’s MLA. She said there have been some good announcements of late for the riding, including moving forward with the MRI project at St. Joseph’s Hospital and the new regional nursing home in Estevan. ere has also been money for highways and Estevan has been picked as the site for Saskatchewan’s rst small modular reactor (SMR). anks to the redesign of the provincial boundaries, the size of the Estevan constituency has doubled, and the additional territory means it is now known as Estevan-Big Muddy. Radville, Lake Alma, Minton and Gladmar are among the communities added.
9am -5pm
Candidates in Estevan-Big Muddy are campaigning after provincial election call
“I’ve had the opportunity to go out to Radville and Lake Alma and meet some of the people there already. It’s more travelling for me, but really and truly, I’m hearing similar concerns that people have, and I’m trying to help address them,” said Carr.
Carr has a team in place, and the majority of them have been with her since her rst election. She also has a campaign o ce in Scotsburn Square in Estevan, and people are welcome to stop in at any time, she said.
Patterson, a former Estevan resident now living in Regina, said he has been working hard since he became the party’s Estevan-Big Muddy candidate in the summer.
He has a nance manager, and he’s touting the party’s platform that was released Sept. 27.
“It’s nice to be able to … start to talk to people,” said Patterson.
If elected, he said the Greens would do politics di erently, and he’s pleased the party is able to have a full eld of 61 candidates, even though it now costs $500 instead of $100 for a candidate to run.
e party’s platform looks to help farmers, he said, as the party sees them as stewards of the land, and it wants full-cost accounting, factoring in social and natural costs associated with government decisions.
He reiterated the party’s opposition to spending billions of dollars on small modular reactors, even though the provincial government has said the rst such reactor would be in the Estevan area. Patterson believes it’s time for
incentives for the solar industry, and he believes Estevan’s status as one of the sunniest cities in North America makes it an ideal location for more solar power.
“I’m just pro with all of the way better opportunities that God has gifted us with in this sunny, solar resource in our own backyard,” he said.
Smith is originally from Carlyle but now lives in Regina, and has family members who previously lived in Estevan. His mother was born in the city, but he hasn’t been here for ve years.
“It was always a place I enjoyed, and I look fondly back on, so when the opportunity came up and there wasn’t a rep for Estevan, I threw my hat in the ring and decided to go for it,” he said.
Smith is expecting to be in Estevan this week. He has been in contact with people in the city, and there are people in Regina helping him, too, as this is his rst foray into politics.
He decided to run for the NDP because he agrees with the NDP’s policies and what they’ve been saying on education, health care and a ordability. Health is de nitely important to him, as he has seen his own family struggle with the current system.
He would also advocate for the MRI unit that has been committed to St. Joseph’s Hospital. He recognizes it will be di cult to win the constituency, but sometimes change happens quickly.
“If the Estevan people are feeling similarly towards the Sask. Party [as me], then maybe a wave goes that way and then I
do wind up in o ce,” he said.
Zajac also ran for the Bu alo Party in 2020, nishing second behind Carr. He said it will be di erent this election than the last one because he is a party leader.
“Supporting other candidates around the province is important as well, so you have to nd a balance between your local riding and helping the team,” said Zajac. “You get a lot more phone calls when you’re the leader of the party, so it’s … broadened responsibilities.”
e Bu alo Party expects to run at least 22 candidates for the provincial election.
e party has passed a policy to ensure all of the coal- red power plants in Saskatchewan will be retro tted to give them another 30 years of life. CCS will also be added.
Zajac hopes to have a campaign o ce, but with the construction on Fourth Street ongoing, he said there isn’t a lot of highly-visible space available. He has a team in place.
He has been to meetings dealing with physician recruitment, emergency room closures and other issues.
“It’s a a big problem all over the province, and it’s something that’s got to get xed. We have an aging population in the province and we need good medical care, so it’s time to nd the solutions,” said Zajac.
Cey could not be reached for comment. In his bio on the party’s website, it was noted that Cey currently manages a wood elevator handling organic grains, and he enjoys working with farmers and
truckers from all across the Prairies.
After receiving a diploma in agriculture from the University of Saskatchewan in 1990, Cey has worked all across smalltown Saskatchewan.
“He is thankful for his 32-year career in agriculture, learning from others, and having a chance to mentor those working with him,” his bio states.
“Andrew has been blessed with having been able to homeschool and successfully raise ve children and is now enjoying nine grandchildren. Andrew has devoted his spare time to volunteering at summer Bible camps, various volunteer re departments, and local service club branches, as well as volunteering to help farmers overseas get established.
“He looks forward to working to steward and use the abundant resources that our province has been gifted with for the bene t of the people of Saskatchewan, and to bring back the values that Saskatchewan was built on, namely truth, freedom and justice.”
e Estevan Chamber of Commerce is slated to host a candidates’ forum on Oct. 23. Carr, Zajac, Patterson and Smith all said they hope to be at the event.
When the election was called, the Sask. Party held 42 of 61 seats. e NDP had 14, the SUP had one and there were three independents. One seat was vacant.
e Sask. Party is seeking its fth straight majority government.
For regular updates on the election, be sure to visit our provincial news hub at sasktoday.ca. Mon -Fri 9am -9pm
City Coun. Rebecca Foord has joined the race to be the next mayor of Estevan.
Foord, who nished second in the councillor race in the 2020 civic election in her rst attempt at elected o ce, led her nomination papers on ursday, joining a eld that already included Coun. Tony Sernick, who is also wrapping up his rst term on council, and rsttime candidate Zacch Vandenhurk. Incumbent Mayor Roy Ludwig has stated he won’t be seeking re-election after 12 years in the role and 30 years on council.
Foord said she decided to run for mayor because she believes the community needs a strong leader who can guide it through any challenges it will face. ere are a lot of changes coming, she said, including the potential for small modular reactors (SMRs); if the project proceeds, the
rst SMRs would be in the Estevan area. “I want our community to be well-versed in the SMRs, and how they work, and what they will look like for Estevan,” said Foord, adding she would take the questions people might have about the project to the appropriate people, including the other levels of governments.
Foord said she would also want to continue to be involved with economic development and the Southeast TechHub, to keep working on projects like hydrogen, coal to graphite and anything else that might come forward.
e past four years have been a real learning experience for her. While her education in political science helped her to prepare for what she encountered on city council, being a part of it made the biggest di erence.
“I’ve learned what to do and what not to do, and I believe all of those skills and all of the wisdom from the past councillors and the past mayors really helped me to learn what it’s going to take to be a good mayor,” said Foord.
She would like to see more consistent communication coming from city hall and the mayor’s o ce.
ere have been some lessons learned during the past four years on council, and she would like to apply them.
“When there’s a project happening, like a road repair or a closure, let’s tell the community in every way that we can. Let’s tell them over and over again so that it doesn’t get missed,” said Foord.
Everyone on council should have the tools they need to succeed, she said. ere will be at least four new councillors, and Foord said it can be very overwhelming, especially when the city budget has to be tackled only a month after the election.
“I’d really like to make sure everybody’s up to speed on how that process works, what to expect
during council and really make sure everybody understands their roles. Our management has the challenge of trying to catch up with a new council every four years. I want to support not only the management, but all city sta by making sure our new council is up to speed on things and really feeling comfortable in their roles by budget season,” said Foord.
Foord also wants council members to sign up for any training they might want so they feel prepared for the job. She also would spend time with them to ensure they have a voice.
“We may not all agree in the council chambers, but we can create an environment that allows everyone to feel open and share their opinions,” said Foord.
She noted she has been considering a run for mayor for about the past 12-18 months. She has discussed
it with family and friends, and after factoring in her work with di erent organizations outside of council, she said she wanted to take her skills and what she has learned and apply it to the mayor’s role. If she were to be elected, Foord said she would be able to balance her job, her other commitments and the mayor’s work, including attending conferences. Foord said she has a lot of people and supporters in place to deliver signs and set up meetings. If there is a candidates’ forum, she looks forward to answering questions from the community.
“I believe candidates’ forums put everybody on an equal level to answer all questions how they feel, and I really like the element of surprise in a candidates’ forum,” said Foord. e civic election is slated for Nov. 13.
First-time candidate Vandenhurk seeking mayor’s role
Zacch Vandenhurk is going for the top job in his rst attempt at running for Estevan city council.
Vandenhurk led his nomination papers for mayor last Wednesday. Coun. Rebecca Foord and Coun. Tony Sernick have also submitted their forms in the race to replace Mayor Roy Ludwig, who announced last year he wouldn’t seek re-election.
Vandenhurk said he’s running for mayor because he always wanted to challenge himself, and he has looked at di erent aspects of the job.
“I would say the main goal is that people are ready for a change, and when I say that people are ready for change, there’s a lot of frustration with the current federal government that we have, so, in a community of our size, we have to have somebody who can actually make the people feel a little more secure in where they are.”
Decisions at the federal level are impacting communities more than expected,
he said, causing people to lose trust and faith in politics and leadership. If people vote for him, they should feel con dent they have a safe place to live and a secure location that won’t be a ected long-term.
“My main objective is to just be transparent, honest and open with the people,” said Vandenhurk. He decided to run for mayor instead of councillor because he wants to be at the top of the table and listen to both sides of the council. He said he views the mayor’s role as more of a “co-ordinated mediator”, and would use his head and heart.
“I want to be able to think for the people,” he said. “When it comes down to a 50-50 decision and the mayor has that decision, I want to be able to think with my head and the community’s interests.”
Vandenhurk believes running for mayor isn’t that much di erent than running for councillor, as each council member is involved with the decisions.
“I am going to listen to all of the concerns, and that’s what I’m good at, and I’ve done this in my past. Just listen to people and take into consideration how they’re
feeling and what are things that could be dealt with differently, what are things that could be done, and what I’m able to do with that position now is take these concerns and make them actually feel like they’re actually being heard.”
In the past two years, he has been paying closer attention to city council and watching meetings online. He said he has a lot of respect for the people that are on council now. He hasn’t agreed with all of the decisions that have been made, but he believes there is a lot of good that has happened within the city.
“ ere is a lot of focus on the negative that’s been put on through this city,” said Vandenhurk.
He didn’t release any el-
ements of his platform or share any issues, as he wants to save those for the pre-election candidates’ forum, but he said he wants to gain the people’s trust, for people to be happy in the community and to have hope. If people have concerns, then they can come to him.
He says he has the concerns of families in mind, because he has a young family of his own, but he’s also thinking of seniors and youths. People have left the community because they have concerns about what will happen in the future.
“I want the people to be able to see what this future of Estevan could bring, through ideas that I have, and some changes that we can make, not with just myself or the council, but with
the community,” he said. Vandenhurk has talked to some close friends, willing to help him with the campaign, but he wants to do this on his own. He’s not looking for donations because he sees in ation hitting everybody hard. He expects he would be able to balance his work and other commitments if he were to be elected as mayor. He says he wants to hear people’s thoughts and he wants them to question him, and he said he will treat them with respect.
“ e people are at the top of the priority [list], not the council or the leadership. ey are the ones that pay the bills. ey are the ones that have the right to any decisions that are made,” he said.
Elections will be needed for mayor, councillor in Estevan
ere will be votes for mayor and city councillor in Estevan during the Nov. 13 civic election.
ere were three candidates for mayor, as of 4 p.m. Monday afternoon. Councillors Rebecca Foord and Tony Sernick have led papers, as has rst-time candidate Zacch Vandenhurk.
ere were eight in the eld for councillor. Two incumbents, Coun. Shelly Veroba and Coun. Kirsten Walliser, have led their pa-
pers. Former councillor Brian Johnson is in the eld, as are ve rst-time candidates: Kevin Andrews, Stephen Daniel, Mathew Dubowski, Tom Mauss and Robin Wog. A future edition of the Mercury will have pro les on the councillor candidates.
As for the school boards, incumbent trustee Kevin Keating and newcomer Craig MacDonald have led their papers to be the Estevan representatives on the South East Cornerstone Public School
Division’s board. Two trustees are elected from Estevan to Cornerstone.
Nobody has led papers as of yet to be an Estevan trustee for the Holy Family Roman Catholic Separate School Division’s board.
As for the RM of Estevan, there are still four candidates who have led papers. Incumbent Reeve Jason LeBlanc has led his papers for a rst full term in that role. Two incumbent councillors, Kevin Daoust (Division 3) and Ra-
Iamthankfulfor jellybeans and playing my candy game.
mona Dukart (Division 5), have also led their forms, as has rst-time councillor candidate Suzanne McNabb (Division 1). e RM will hold elections for reeve and councillors in Divisions 1, 3 and 5 this year. e deadline to le nomination papers is Oct. 9 at 4 p.m. Candidates will then have 24 hours to withdraw. SaskToday.ca and the Mercury will continue to have updates on who has led papers. 402 Kensington Ave 306-634-2681
Physician recruitment and retention efforts continue in Estevan amid variety of challenges
As Estevan continues to experience challenges related to physician shortages, e orts are ongoing to attract and retain medical professionals to provide essential health-care services to the community, says the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA).
Currently, 13 family physicians practise out of Estevan’s clinics and hospital, but the departure of one physician and the need for specialized care remain signi cant hurdles.
Based on information collected from the St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation’s website and a recent update, practising out of the foundation’s medical clinic are Dr. Horri, Estevan Medical Group; Dr. Tahbaz and Dr. M. Rokn, Southern Sun Medical Group; Dr. Adeboye and Dr. Fazel, Estevan Family Health Practice; Dr. Kamel and Dr. Eldin, Family & Walk-In Clinic; Dr. A. Arthur and Dr. Abdelnour, Estevan City Clinic; Dr. V. Prabhu, family physician; Dr. Sabaa and Dr. Fatoorechi; and Dr. K.M. Sheikh who
specializes in general surgery, endoscopy, and family medicine. Dr. Tsoi practises out of the Estevan Primary Medical Centre in the No Frills building.
e most recent arrivals, Drs. Abdelnour and Fazel, began practicing in Estevan in August 2024. A third physician, recruited through the Saskatchewan International Physician Practice Assessment (SIPPA) program, is expected to arrive in October. is will temporarily boost the number of physicians in Estevan to 14. Still, the situation will change, with Dr. Adeboye preparing to leave later this fall, again shrinking the roster of local doctors. e challenge of balancing physician workloads and providing su cient medical coverage in communities like Estevan is ongoing, said James Winkel, communications lead for the SHA.
“A targeted number of physicians to cover a particular area is di cult to dene,” Winkel explained. “ e SHA is continuously engaging with physicians and system partners to ensure it has
an adequate supply of physicians to provide timely access to high-quality health-care services while still achieving a manageable call schedule and work-life balance for the physicians and their families.”
e SHA says they continue to work with various partners to bring more health-care professionals to Estevan.
“ e SHA and Ministry of Health are diligently working with stakeholders, including physician partners, SHA sta , senior leadership,
Strong winds caused damage in the southeast
Strong winds resulted in damage in communities across the southeast on Saturday.
A wind warning was issued Friday afternoon and remained in e ect until Saturday evening. Environment Canada said strong winds that could cause damage were expected in the southeast.
e agency said a fast-moving Alberta clipper was expected give se-
vere westerly or northwesterly wind gusts to portions of southern Saskatchewan and southwestern Manitoba Saturday afternoon and evening.
According to data from Environment Canada, the wind gusts exceed 100 kilometres per hour Saturday. e wind damaged roofs, signs, tipped over garbage cans, snapped tree branches and caused other damage. Power was
issued a travel advisory Saturday afternoon due to the
the Saskatchewan Medical Association (SMA), individual communities, the University of Saskatchewan’s (U of S) College of Medicine, and the Saskatchewan Healthcare Recruitment Agency (SHRA),” Winkel said.
Recruitment e orts go beyond the province and even the country. e SHA is promoting positions across Canada, the United States, and overseas in an attempt to ll gaps in the rural healthcare system. Competing for doctors, Saskatchewan o ers various incentives.
e Rural Physician Incentive Program, designed to draw physicians into rural communities like Estevan, o ers up to $200,000 over ve years to new doctors entering rural practice, Winkel noted. For specialists, the province has implemented the Specialist Recruitment Incentive Program, which provides an additional $30,000 to physicians who agree to establish a practice in Saskatchewan for at least 36 months.
In addition, a new physician services agreement signed in 2024 between the Government of Saskatchewan and the SMA provides signi cant investments in physician compensation, bene ts and systemic improvements, he noted. Eligible family physicians can now earn up to $144,000 annually in additional earnings.
While recruitment e orts continue, there remain critical gaps in medical services in Estevan, particularly in obstetrical care. St. Joseph’s Hospital in Estevan has been unable to o er full obstet-
rical services since August 2021, requiring patients to seek care in other communities.
“Obstetrical services at St. Joseph’s Hospital remain unavailable at this time unless delivery is imminent,” said Winkel. “Patients requiring obstetrical services in Estevan and surrounding areas should continue to discuss their birth plan with their care provider in advance of their due date to determine an appropriate alternate location for labour and delivery.”
All obstetrical patients who present to St. Joseph’s Hospital will still receive an initial assessment in the emergency room, but those who require more advanced care will be transferred to other facilities. SHA and Emmanuel Health are working collaboratively to recruit the necessary physicians who can provide these services. However, according to Winkel, there is still no timeline for when full obstetrical services will be reinstated.
“It is dependent upon the successful recruitment of physicians who provide obstetrical services,” Winkel said. “Recruitment of physicians who provide obstetrical services is required to safely and e ectively resume obstetrical services at St. Joseph’s Hospital.”
is gap in care is symptomatic of the broader challenges rural communities like Estevan face in securing specialized health-care providers. Despite intensive recruitment e orts, positions remain un lled due to a global shortage of family
physicians and specialists, he noted.
“ e challenge of nding a family physician is not speci c to Estevan,” said Winkel. “Access to family medicine specialists is a challenge facing many communities nationally and internationally.”
For Estevan residents losing their family doctors or those without one, the search for medical care can be daunting. Winkel reminded people the SHA provides several resources, including the HealthLine 811 service, where licensed health-care professionals can assess symptoms and o er advice on how to best access medical care. While not a replacement for a local physician, this service is a stop-gap measure for those in need of medical attention.
To ease the burden on existing physicians and improve health care access, the Ministry of Health is exploring ways to expand the scope of practice for pharmacists and nurse practitioners. Winkel pointed out that recent scope-of-practice changes for pharmacists and nurses are expected to reduce wait times for primary care services and provide more options for obtaining routine medical care.
Additionally, the Ministry of Health has implemented a series of long-term strategies aimed at addressing the physician shortage, including increasing the number of medical students and residency seats at the U of S College of Medicine. e Graduate Retention Program o ers rebates of up to $20,000 in tuition fees for graduates who choose to live and work in Saskatchewan.
Retention of physicians, once recruited, is just as important as recruitment itself. Saskatchewan has developed programs like the Continuing Medical Education (CME) Fund, which helps physicians with the cost of their ongoing education, and a Parental Leave Program that provides up to 20 weeks of bene ts to licensed physicians who are taking maternity, paternity or adoption-related leave.
St.Joseph’sHospitalinEstevan.Filephoto
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EDITORIAL
Plenty of intrigue in provincial election
e provincial election campaign is underway, but you can forgive people for thinking we were in the midst of an election long before the election writ dropped on Oct. 1.
After all, the leaders and caucus members of the governing Saskatchewan Party and the opposition New Democratic Party had spent much of the prior month crisscrossing the province, making promises of what they would do if they’re elected, while taking pot shots at their election foes.
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Other parties have been busy articulating their policies and platforms while trying to boost their pro les with the voters.
Since the election call, we’ve heard the Sask. Party promise to cut income taxes across the board. e Saskatchewan NDP has reiterated their vow to repeal the gas tax and to chop some of the taxes brought in by the Sask. Party, such as children’s clothing. e NDP has been trying to hit the Sask. Party on such fronts as health care and education, while the Sask Party has pointed to the NDP’s record on those fronts during the NDP’s 16 years in power from 1991-2007. is election campaign should be more interesting than previous ones. Recent Saskatchewan elections have lacked intrigue on the macro level. ere has been some suspense in some of the individual constituencies, and there are always surprises in terms of what the
party leaders will promise, but we’ve known before the campaign which party would ultimately prevail.
e question wasn’t whether the Saskatchewan Party would return to power. e questions were how many seats they would win, whether they would get at least 60 per cent of the popular vote, and if the NDP leader would resign after another electoral defeat.
ere is a slim path to victory for the NDP, but it requires a virtual sweep of the 32 constituencies between Regina, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw, Prince Albert and the north, something the NDP used to do, but haven’t been able to pull o since 2003 – their last electoral win.
If the Saskatchewan United Party and/ or the Bu alo Party win multiple seats and create a minority government, then the Sask. Party would be far better positioned to form a coalition government or forge a con dence and supply arrangement with one of the other parties.
You can be sure the Sask. Party will be warning the public repeatedly about the risks of a vote split, and how that would bene t the NDP.
e NDP has found a leader in Carla Beck who hails from rural Saskatchewan and understands some of the issues we face. But the NDP didn’t plunge to its current levels of support in rural Saskatchewan overnight; it’s go-
ing to take years of work to rebuild that trust with rural voters. And until they rebuild that base, it’s going to be very di cult for them to win an election.
Bottom line: expect the NDP to come away with its largest number of seats since they won 20 in the 2007 provincial election – the year the Sask. Party formed government for the rst time.
It will be interesting to see how the Bu alo Party, the Saskatchewan United Party and the other parties fare. Four years ago, a lot of people were stunned when the Bu alo Party nished second in four ridings, including Estevan and Cannington, but nobody who lives down here should have been stunned, as the Bu alo’s message resonated with a lot of people tired with provincial and federal governments.
It will also be interesting to see the promises that are made between now and Oct. 28, although you have to wonder how much remains for the Sask. Party and the NDP to give.
Of course, we can look forward to a political bombshell or two along the way. We can look forward to the leaders’ debate, with each leader declaring victory and their supporters backing up their claims.
But there will be lots left to be decided. And after the utter predictability of 2011, 2016 and 2020, that’s a welcome change.
Political promises to fix health care, will they deliver?
Health-care systems in Canada are facing tough times, to say the least.
Sta ng shortages and delayed access to care have become national concerns. In Saskatchewan, these issues are particularly acute, with rural areas often being hit the worst.
As the 2024 provincial election looms, political parties are vying to convince voters that they have the solutions to x a health-care system on the brink of collapse. But what are they promising? And, more importantly, will those promises actually work?
Our health-care system is stretched thin. Hospitals are facing critical sta shortages, especially in rural areas. is is not just about doctors and nurses; the province is also struggling to retain paramedics, specialists and support sta . According to the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses (SUN), in the spring of 2024, almost 60 per cent of members surveyed reported they had thought about leaving nursing in the past 12 months.
With rural health care being in an even bigger crisis, health-care access is also becoming more unequal. A lot of people I know start turning towards the cities, which have seen some improvements and seem to have a steadier roster of doctors, even though they are struggling as well.
As Saskatchewan’s political parties gear up for the 2024 election, health-care reform is front and centre in their platforms.
As of the end of the rst campaign week, the Saskatchewan Party, led by Scott Moe, has yet to make any promises addressing the health-care crisis – something that seems to change this week. However, the party-led government earlier was focusing on incremental reforms. ey’ve been emphasizing recruiting more health-care workers from outside the province and abroad.
e government has been actively involved in campaigns to attract international healthcare workers, which has shown some success, particularly with recent agreements to bring in nurses from the Philippines. Moe has also called for increased federal funding to address ongoing health-care challenges
While these initiatives have potential, critics argue that relying on international recruitment doesn’t address the root causes of sta shortages, such as burnout and inadequate wages.
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e Saskatchewan New Democratic Party, under leader Carla Beck, is advocating for a more comprehensive overhaul of the system.
e NDP pledged an additional $1.1 billion for front-line health care if elected as government, with a focus on retention e orts, promising to address sta ng shortages by o ering better working conditions and higher wages.
ey also said they are committed to creating a Nursing Task Force.
ese promises are in line with their previous platform, but critics question whether the province can sustain such high levels of public investment without signi cantly raising taxes.
(Other parties also have ideas about health-care improvements. Among several other initiatives, the Sask. United Party proposes allowing non-government clinics to o er publicly-funded services through government contracts; the Progressive Conservative Party suggests utilizing retired nurses; the Green Party plans on emphasizing proactive wellness; the Sask. Progress Party [formerly the Liberals] very quietly pushes for physician availability transparence; and the Bu alo Party pitches health-care concierge and more. But no matter what it is, it doesn’t seem that any of the above will have enough weight in the next government to bring their ideas to life).
One of the most contentious issues in Saskatchewan’s health-care debate is the question of privatization. e Sask. Party has oated the idea of allowing more private health-care services to operate alongside the public system. Supporters argue that this could help reduce wait times and alleviate some of the pressure on public hospitals.
Critics, however, warn that privatization could erode the quality of care and deepen inequities. If wealthier residents can a ord faster, private care, the public system might become even more underfunded and overburdened. Moreover, privatization doesn’t address the root causes of the health-care crisis. It’s a short-term x that may actually exacerbate
long-term problems by diverting resources away from the public system.
e NDP has been critical of the government’s privatization experiments with MRI services, arguing that it undermines the core principles of universal public health care. Instead, Beck’s party advocates for increased public investment to reduce the burden on hospitals. While this stance seems to be in line with the values of many Saskatchewan residents, again, it may not provide the immediate relief that the system desperately needs.
Another key issue in the health-care debate is the role of the federal government. Health care in Canada is a provincial responsibility, but Ottawa provides signi cant funding through the Canada Health Transfer. In recent years, provinces have been calling for a substantial increase in federal contributions to help cover rising costs. e federal government committed to a $196-billion, 10 year health-care funding agreement last year (with $46B being new money), plus a guaranteed increase of ve per cent per year.
Saskatchewan, like other provinces, welcomed the funding, but many experts believe it falls short of what’s needed. e province is facing signi cant demographic changes, including an aging population that will require more long-term care and specialized health services. Mental health and addictions are other growing needs. And without a steady stream of increased federal funding coupled with systematic changes, it’s unclear how Saskatchewan will meet these growing demands.
Saskatchewan’s health-care crisis is a complex problem that requires both immediate action and long-term planning. While political parties are o ering various solutions, there is no one-size- ts-all x. To address the sta ng shortages, Saskatchewan must not only recruit more health-care workers but also focus on retaining the ones it has. is means improving working conditions, o ering competitive wages, and ensuring that rural health care workers receive adequate support. As the election approaches, voters in Saskatchewan will need to carefully consider the promises being made by their political leaders. Health care is a vital issue that a ects every resident, and the choices made in this election will shape the future of the province’s healthcare system for years to come.
Estevan MRI fundraising campaign progresses with lots of community support
By Ana Bykhovskaia SaskToday.ca
e ongoing fundraising campaign for a new MRI machine at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Estevan continues to gain traction, according to an update provided by Lori Gervais, executive director of the St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation, and Candace Kopeck, executive director of St. Joseph’s Hospital, during the Estevan Chamber of Commerce’s Coffee Talk on Oct. 2.
Gervais highlighted significant milestones in the campaign and provided insight into the logistics of acquiring the much-needed MRI machine.
“We’ve raised just shy of $4.2 million,” she stated, expressing gratitude for the overwhelming community support. “Our goal is $6.5 million, and we’re making signi cant progress.”
One of the key updates was the status of the request for proposal (RFP), which has been sent out to multiple vendors globally.
“ e Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) included us in their RFP process,” Gervais explained, which allowed Estevan to bene t from the bulk purchasing process. “ is is a worldwide search. It could be Germany, the U.S., or elsewhere. We’re looking at all the options,” she said.
e RFP responses are currently under review, and a vendor will soon be selected.
Once the vendor is chosen, the next step will involve a site assessment. e proposed lo-
cation for the MRI is an area behind the hospital’s ambulance bay, part of the existing diagnostic centre.
“It’s not just a matter of where we want to put it. e MRI machine is a huge magnet, so the site needs to be carefully evaluated to ensure it’s suitable,” Gervais explained. e campaign has received a wide range of donations, from individual contributions to corporate sponsorships.
Gervais emphasized the importance of all contributions, large or small.
“Whether it’s $25 or $2 million, every donation plays a vital role in helping us achieve our goal,” she said. e largest contribution came early in the campaign, a $2 million donation through Elaine Walkom’s generosity,
which has inspired many others to contribute.
e foundation has worked diligently to engage not only the local Estevan community but also the broader southeast Saskatchewan region. Gervais noted that she has reached out to rural municipalities (RMs) to further rally support.
“We’ve had tremendous backing from the RMs. I’ve still got seven more to reach out to, but the response so far has been overwhelmingly positive,” she said.
Upcoming events, such as the 12th annual Festival of Trees on Nov. 16-17, will also be crucial to the campaign’s success.
“ e Festival of Trees has always been a major fundraiser for us, and this year, all proceeds will go toward the MRI
Young people love expressing gratitude
e young people at Mary’s Little Lambs Preschool in Estevan continue to have many reasons to be thankful.
is week’s edition of the Mercury features our annual anksgiving Kids promotion with young people from Mary’s Little Lambs. Twenty kids in the four-year-old class gave their answers on why they are thankful; their answers appear throughout the paper and are sponsored by local businesses.
“ is ‘being thankful’ edition of the Mercury aligns with our rst monthly theme, which for September is I am Special, and this helps set the scene for being thankful, as there is a lot of discussion about why all the children are special, what they like and what their special favourite things are, as well as who is in their family and other people who love them,” said Mary’s Little Lambs’ owner Mary Lawrence.
is ties in nicely with one of the puppets teacher Patti Ksenych uses daily. Lawrence pointed out George
the Mouse comes out to help them with who they would like to pray for during the daily prayer time. It helps them re ect on who they are thankful for.
“Patti said this is one of her favourite times, as the children are so sweet and loving about who or what they love. It’s a real joy to be able to be with them during anksgiving time and hear what they are thankful for.”
October is a fun and colourful month at the preschool, she said, thanks to fall decorating. e children make balloon turkeys with eyes and feathers, and they make hand turkeys in which Ksenych paints the children’s hands and ngers in di erent colours to put on paper, then adds the eyes.
Ksenych takes pictures daily of the children doing an activity and sends these to the parents so they can feel more involved in what is happening.
“Each child is so special, and we feel blessed to have them in Mary’s Little Lambs Preschool.”
is year’s answers provided lots of entertainment for Lawrence and Ksenych. Some were very sweet, Lawrence said, and others made them laugh. She noted one child was thankful for laying in mud puddles.
“ is year there was a lot of being thankful for food items, mostly fruit, but one little boy was thankful for sausages. You just never know what they will say.”
Lawrence and Ksenych thanked parents for enrolling their children, the Mercury for running this promotion every year and the businesses that support anksgiving Kids.
“We know as a small business that everyone is feeling the e ects of the slowing economy right now and we appreciate that our preschool children can still be featured this way. e children and their families and extended families are always excited to see the children’s pictures in the Mercury and see what their child is grateful for.”
project,” Gervais said, inviting local businesses to get involved as sponsors or participants.
While the fundraising effort is ongoing, the foundation is optimistic about meeting its goal and having the MRI machine operational by the end of 2025. Gervais stressed that the campaign is designed to progress in stages, allowing the hospital to start the project even before all the funds are raised.
“People often ask if we need all the money in place before starting, but that’s not the case. We’re able to put down payments along the way,” she reassured.
e next steps involve selecting a vendor, conducting a site assessment and making the rst down payment for the machine. Gervais estimated that the MRI could be ordered within the next few months, once the vendor is chosen and assessments are complete.
“We’re hoping to have everything up and running by the end of next year,” she said.
In addition to fundraising and equipment procurement, sta ng has been a signi cant focus for St. Joseph’s Hospital. Gervais said Kopec addressed concerns raised during the Co ee Talk about whether the hospital would have the necessary sta to operate the MRI.
“Part of the initial costs of this project are bursaries and incentives for sta ,” Gervais explained, noting that there are resources to help existing specialists acquire needed knowledge and credentials.
e hospital has already advertised positions and received some interest, a positive sign for the future.
“We’re not fully sta ed yet, but we have a number of people who have shown interest in undergoing the necessary training to operate the MRI,” Gervais added.
Training and sta ng will
remain key priorities as the project moves forward.
Gervais closed by emphasizing the importance of community support in achieving this goal.
“Estevan and the surrounding areas have always been incredibly generous,” she said.
“We are having people come up with some creative and generous fundraising ideas, from Jaycee Ross and his family celebrating his graduation and donating that steer, to 4-H groups and other kids … bringing
these philanthropic ideas and giving back to their community at such a young age.
“ e hundreds of donations that we’ve gotten, 70 per cent of them are less than $500. So, I want people to realize how crucial and important all of it is, all of it to helping us achieve the goal, and it enhances the quality of health care for everybody.
“We are very thankful for everyone’s support.”
To learn more or donate, go to the foundation’s website at sjhf.org/mriforestevan.
Ainsley
BUSINESS
Estevan pharmacy employee wins provincial award
Donna George, who works at the Souris Family Pharmacy in Estevan, recently received the Pharmacy Professional of the Year Award from the Pharmacists Association of Saskatchewan.
“I was de nitely not expecting it,” said George. “To me, I’m just doing my job, and I don’t feel like I need to be recognized for it. But it’s truly an honour to serve the people of Estevan and win this award. Without them, it wouldn’t be possible.”
She has been with the pharmacy since it opened in August 2023. George worked previously at Walmart and Pharmasave’s pharmacies, and she also worked full-time in the pharmacy at St. Joseph’s Hospital from 2011 until 2023 when she joined Souris Family Pharmacy.
“I’ve been in the industry since 2001,” she said. George said she enjoys interacting with people and being able to problem solve, helping customers with questions about insurance, drug plans, coverage and special support. And she is happy to get to know people on a personal basis.
“It’s not just in and out. We try to interact with people and build that relationship and get to know them a little bit better.”
ere have been a lot of advancements in the past few years for pharmacists and technicians, she said. Pharmacists can prescribe for minor ailments and perform therapeutic checks. Technicians like George can check prescriptions and make sure it is the right product for the patient with the proper number of pills. Also, technicians can perform u and COVID-19 shots. Her bio noted that she completed her training to be a certied Sigvaris compression stocking tter, making sure that pa-
tients can receive as many services as possible at Souris Family Pharmacy.
“She is the primary professional responsible for completing all of the compliance packaging for our patients. She is the inventory guru and has managed all of the drug shortages faced this year. She has been integral in implementing a system to help assist clients who are part of the sober living program in the community.”
Despite all of these duties, she still is often the one to answer the phone, greet patients or ring them through the till at the end of their encounter at Souris Family Pharmacy.
“With only three regular sta members on duty most days, Donna is asked to do it all. Not only does she do it all, she excels at it.”
In addition to her duties at Souris Family Pharmacy, George has continued to work at St.
Joseph’s Hospital in Estevan as a casual sta member.
“Over the past year, she has spent her ‘days o ’ covering at the hospital, mixing chemotherapy for patients so that they don’t have to travel for treatments. We are extremely fortunate to have Donna in our community.”
Also, Matthew Walliser from Souris Family Pharmacy was a nalist for the Pharmacist of the Year Award. at honour went to Michelle Cooper, a former Estevan resident who is now in the Carlyle area.
By Ana Bykhovskaia SaskToday.ca
e Estevan Lions Club is gearing up for its second Dueling Pianos fundraising supper, set to take place on Oct. 19 at the Estevan Exhibition Hall.
e event aims to raise funds for the Lions’ Rusty Duce Park project, particularly for the installation of permanent rink boards.
“ is is our second year for this,” said Nancy Brodeur,
treasurer of the Estevan Lions Club. “We are going to have the very talented musicians of the Sirens come to do a Dueling Pianos for what we’re calling date night. Cocktails are at 5:30, and supper is at 6:30, catered by Little Taste of Heaven Catering.”
Tickets are priced at $100 per person for tables of eight. Brodeur emphasized that the funds raised will go directly to the project at Rusty Duce Park.
“All of the funds will be going to our Rusty Duce permanent rink boards, which we’ve been diligently trying to raise funds for,” she said. e goal for the park project is to raise $130,000, with approximately $80,000 to $90,000 already secured. e permanent rink boards, once installed, will allow for easier maintenance and use of the rink, which is currently labour-intensive to set up and take down.
“We’re hoping by the spring that we’ll have enough to actually get started,” Brodeur said, though she acknowledged more fundraising will likely be needed even after this year’s event.
Last year’s Dueling Pianos fundraiser brought in about $6,000, and the club hopes this year’s event will exceed that amount.
Entertainment will once again be provided by e Sirens, a female dueling piano group comprised of Kylee Carver and Jacquie Walbaum. Both are from southeast Saskatchewan.
“Everyone was very positive about the music and how much they got involved with the actual entertainers,” said Brodeur, re ecting on last year’s success.
In addition to the musical entertainment, attendees can also expect a 50-50 draw and a ra e.
Tickets for the event can be purchased by contacting any Estevan Lions Club member, emailing estivandlionsclub@gmail.com or reaching out to Brodeur at 306-421-9083. e nal day for ticket sales is Friday, Oct. 11.
Long-time reeve remembered for service
e long-time reeve of the RM of Cymri is being remembered for his many years of service to the southeast.
Joe Vilcu, age 68, died in a two-vehicle collision on the east edge of Regina on Sept. 27; his wife su ered serious injuries in the accident. Vilcu spent 27 years on the RM of Cymri’s council, including many years as reeve.
He had previously said he was not going to seek re-election.
Marnell Eagles, a councillor for the RM of Cymri who spent 10 years on council with Vilcu, said he stood by what he believed in, and he was never swayed by someone or pressured.
“ at was true with his time on council, or his farming practices or supporting his family,” said Eagles. “He would often battle in a conversation about his commitments to his ideas, whether that was in a committee meeting, or at our council table or in personal conversations for that matter.”
Eagles noted she and Vilcu had a few verbal battles during their years together on council, but it never once interfered with their friendship.
“Joe had plenty enough years of experience and knowledge to know the direction he would like to lead the table and how to achieve that,” she said.
Because of Vilcu’s longevity as an RM councillor and then reeve, and thanks to sitting on numerous boards, Eagles said it gave
him insight on things to come. rough that understanding of what might come to the RM and surrounding communities, he was their biggest advocate for those projects. One project that came to her mind was a major heavy-haul road that was in disrepair.
“Because of Joe’s vast wealth of contacts, he was able to get the jump on the required
information and get prepared before others even had their socks on,” said Eagles. “For this particular project, we were awarded funding, federally, provincially and locally, leaving the RM of Cymri only to pay one-quarter of the multi-million-dollar project costs. is took time, patience and leadership.”
Many times around the table, she recalls
discussing funding for certain requests or needs in the RM. Some of these requests or needs were huge, she said. After many hours of conversation and investigation into the matter, Vilcu pulled the trigger to go ahead and achieve that goal.
“On a few occasions, I would look at Joe from across the table and be nervous, but once Joe’s motion was made it became a reality. Two of those instances were our new re hall and assistance for Midale’s daycare facility.”
“Joe had goals to achieve in his last term in o ce and he achieved them all,” she added.
Eagles said she knew Vilcu very well. ey put on thousands of kilometres together over the past decade, going to meetings and conventions, checking roads, keeping tabs on projects in the making and dealing with oil companies. ere were many supper functions, a million phone calls after meetings, and when he was working in the eld and had time to talk politics.
“I will deeply miss his ‘Hey kid, whatta ya know today?’ at the beginning of every call.” is past spring at the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities convention, the RM council and administrator took Vilcu and his wife Janice out for supper to celebrate his last convention. Eagles said they never knew he would never live to enjoy his retirement party in the fall.
“I will miss my friend, my reeve. anks for the memories, Joe,” she said.
Joint Tactical Support Team holds training
e Joint Tactical Support Team (JTST) conducted a series of training exercises in Estevan and Weyburn last week, honing their tactical skills in both urban and residential settings.
On Oct. 3, the team trained in Estevan, with exercises taking place in the 1900-block of First Street and at Willow Park Greens Home Park. Additional training was held the next day in Weyburn.
In an email to the Mercury, Det. Trevor Roberts with the EPS said the JTST, which includes ocers from both the Estevan Police Service and Weyburn Police Service, carries out monthly, quarterly and annual training to maintain readiness for both pre-planned and emergent deployments. eir train-
ing covers a wide range of tactics and scenarios that could require specialty weapons and methods beyond what is typically used by front-line patrol o cers. e team is regularly deployed to handle situations involving rearms and other weapons. e use of the JTST in such cases helps prevent potentially dangerous outcomes in the community. e Weyburn and Estevan police forces also have trained incident commanders, tactical commanders and crisis negotiators. ese specialists can be activated alongside the JTST when dealing with high-risk o enders, working to minimize the risk of violence to victims, the public, o cers and o enders themselves. e equipment and tactics used by JTST
e Sept. 23 meeting of Estevan city council was the last one for two members who have said they won’t be seeking another term in the Nov. 13 civic election.
Coun. Travis Frank and Coun. Lindsay Clark reected on their time on council during the inquiries portion of the meeting.
Frank, who is wrapping up his second four-year term on council, participated in the meeting via an online call. He said he was “quite sad” when he realized he wouldn’t be at the meeting, and he said it’s been a “fantastic” eight years serving the community. He wished the best of luck to anybody running for council.
“I strongly encourage anybody in the community who has an interest to reach out to us and to run for council. is is … our community and I think it’s important that at any time, if we can and want to, that we volunteer and help out and help lead our community,” said Frank, who said he is grateful for the opportunity to serve.
Clark, who spent one term on council, recalled that when he rst joined council in November 2020, he received a call from someone asking why he would do it, and suggested Clark give up on the city.
“I think that was wrong,” said Clark. “I’m glad I didn’t, and I’m glad the people that are involved in this didn’t give up on this community.”
Clark is glad he was able to represent all of the “wonderful people” who are part of organizations in the community and are trying to bring provincial and national events to the city. He learned a lot when he was elected and was thrown into budget discussions right away.
He thanked his fellow council members and city sta for making this a great time.
Mayor Roy Ludwig has also announced he won’t seek re-election after serving for 12 years as mayor and 30 years total on council. He is currently on holidays, so his nal meeting was Sept. 9.
members require continual training to ensure that they are prepared to re-
spond quickly and e ectively when public safety is at risk.
Students allow United Way Estevan telethon to continue throughout the night
It’s become known as the ECS Takeover at the United Way Estevan Telethon.
From midnight to 6 a.m. on the Saturday portion of the fundraising broadcast, members of the student representative council at the Estevan Comprehensive School take the helm of the show. ey serve as hosts, operate cameras and phones, provide entertainment, help out behind the scenes and tend to other
duties. It’s an important part of the broadcast, as it helps the telethon run for 33 consecutive hours.
e ECS Takeover will be part of this year’s broadcast on Oct. 18 and 19.
Madison Holtz, a Grade 12 student who is the secretary of the SRC, was part of the six-hour block last year and is looking forward to it again this year.
“It was a really fun experience and it brought me a lot closer to the commu-
nity,” said Holtz. “I got to make a lot of friends there, and I just got to enjoy myself.”
During last year’s telethon, she volunteered on a camera and with other duties.
“I enjoyed that I was doing something that actually impacted the community and was helpful to people. I also enjoyed getting to be with friends and just doing something collectively as a community.”
She is looking forward to trying something new this year, such as providing entertainment or volunteering as a oor director.
Holtz has learned about some of the di erent causes the United Way supports, such as the Estevan Public Youth Centre, which she is involved with, and how the United Way raises funds for the member agencies and community partners, thanks to the support it receives from the community. She has also attended the United Way board meetings as a student representative.
Teacher Tammy Podovinniko , who works with the SRC, will be at the telethon for part of the SRC Takeover; vice-principal Kevin Perkins and teacher Allicia Hood will also be present. Podovin-
niko has been on hand for the takeover for several years, and said she loves watching the kids perform for the cameras.
“It always gets a little bit goofy because they’re tired and it’s the middle of the night, but they have a lot of fun, and it’s great to see them having fun and also helping out with the community.”
She tries to stay o camera as much as possible, but she has appeared on screen from time to time.
Podovinniko said it’s good for the students to volunteer with an organi-
zation where they can see tangible ways of giving back to the community.
ey try to plan a lot of content each year so they are prepared as much as possible.
“ ey’ve always been good, but as kids come back – a kid comes in Grade 9, and they might be a little bit nervous, but they get a little bit more con dent and they try di erent things,” said Podovinniko . “Some, like Madison, for example, who wants to take the lead on oor directing this year because she’s seen what that
role entails, and she gets to come back and do it this year. ey de nitely get more con dent as the years go on.”
ECS will have a passthe-cup fundraiser in the week prior to the telethon so they can make a donation to the United Way as well. e telethon runs from 8 a.m. on Oct. 18 to 5 p.m. the next day at the Royal Canadian Legion’s Estevan branch. e goal is $348,000. Proceeds will be directed to the member agencies and community partners.
A better way to pray
Almost every culture has a genie-in-the-bottle-type of story in which someone frees a being from captivity and is granted three wishes. Often the wishes go wrong.
Tim Pippus of the Estevan Church of Christ
For example, the man who asks for a pile of money nds it di cult to know his real friends because everyone wants something from him. e woman who asks for a life of leisure nds that a life without stress is boring. e moral is that we do not know what to ask for and that what we think we need may harm us.
I bring this up because our prayers often sound like our three wishes list. We ask for what we think we need and overlook what would be most bene cial. On top of that, our prayers can become so repetitive that we
just give up. Fortunately, Scripture shows us something better.
As Paul starts his letter to the Ephesian church, he asks for three life-changing blessings on their behalf. First, he asks God to give them the spirit of wisdom and revelation so they would know him better (Ephesians 1:17). is is not about knowing more facts about God. Rather, the prayer is that they would know God at a deeper level and that this rela-
tionship would guide everything else.
Next, he prays that the eyes of their hearts would be enlightened so they would see their hope (verse 18). We can choose to focus on our problems, struggles and the obstacles that are in our way, or we can see our blessings and all the good things around us. Paul wants them to live with joy and hope.
Lastly, he prays that his readers would know the “incomparably great power” at work within them (verse 19). Too often, we think we must solve our problems by ourselves. What would happen if we asked for God’s help? Why do we insist on feeling alone and hopeless? After all, as Romans 8:31 rhetorically asks, “If God is for us, who can be against us?”
May I challenge you to pray Paul’s prayer this week? For seven days, ask to know God better, that your hope would be restored, and that you would live by his power and not your own. You may end up with more than you wished for.
e Estevan Fire Rescue Service is emphasizing the importance of smoke detectors during the National Fire Prevention Week from Oct. 6-12. is year’s theme is Smoke Alarms: Make them Work for You. Deputy Fire Chief Kyle Luc said many of the re department’s vehicles have the message of Children Don’t Hear Smoke. ey Hear Smoke Alarms, and the devices save lives.
“We try and get out in the community all year round, doing our re safety inspections, but smoke alarms, they do save lives. We see it at numerous calls that we go to. e smoke
Wind
alarms activate. When the detector goes o , it gets people up and out of the house.
“We just want to really drive it home, not just on Fire Prevention Week, but anytime that smoke alarms are always a very important piece of everyone’s house and everyone’s businesses,” said Luc.
e deputy chief believes people are more aware of the importance of smoke alarms, thanks to the di erent campaigns that emphasize the value of the devices and the e orts of Fire Prevention Week.
“We do what we can to also drive that home a little bit as well by ways of doing
things like our open house where we hand out smoke alarms for free. I know sometimes they can be an inconvenience, but they save lives.”
Fire Prevention Week is also an ideal time for people to test all of their smoke alarms in the house and make sure the batteries are working.
Fire Chief Rick Davies added it is the law in Saskatchewan to have working smoke alarms.
e re department also hosted its annual open house on Oct. 8. Luc said the plan for this year was to host a barbecue with hot dogs and soft drinks. ere will be re prevention ma-
terials available and tours of the building.
“Usually we set up a little obstacle course in the back for the kids so they can spray some water,” said Luc.
A few smoke alarms were available for people to pick up.
For photos of the event, please visit our provincial news hub at sasktoday.ca on Oct. 9.
At one time, the re department had a smoke alarm program in which members went door to door in di erent neighbourhoods to test smoke alarms and check batteries. Luc said it was a signicant time commitment for
storm kept Estevan
the members, especially in October with school well underway and extracurricular activities resuming.
“We ask a lot of our
firefighters busy with four calls in a two-hour span
Estevan Fire Rescue Service members had a surge in calls Saturday, when the southeast was under a wind warning with gusts exceeding 100 kilometres per hour.
e rst call for the EFRS came in at 11 a.m. for a tree on a power line in the south end of the city.
“We stood by until SaskPower crews arrived and assisted with cutting down some branches around the lines and making sure that there was no re,” said Estevan Fire Chief Rick Davies.
As crews were wrapping up at that scene, neighbours reported another incident just down the
block from where they were. Crews went down there and encountered a similar incident. ey removed branches o power lines in conjunction with SaskPower crews.
A third call came in at 12:45 p.m., as another tree hit a power line in the north end of the city.
Crews con rmed there was no re or other emergency, and stood by waiting for SaskPower to arrive to remove branches when another emergency was reported. ey had to leave that scene to respond to the fourth call of the day, which came at about 1 p.m. Fire ghters were dispatched to re-
port a grass re south of the city.
Crews responded and con rmed an active re.
“Crews were able to quickly get the re under control before it spread from the initial area that it was burning, which was a good thing in the windy conditions,” Davies said. “ e re was extinguished without incident, and we’re still investigating the cause of that.”
Earlier last week, crews were dispatched to a possible re southwest of the city on Sept. 30.
“Details were pretty i y on what was going on, so crews responded
and investigated, determined that there was no re occurring. ere was a lot of dust in the area due to high winds that morning, so that’s what we [assume it was],” Davies said.
On Oct. 3 shortly after 11 a.m., members responded to a reported grass re south of the city. Upon arrival, crews con rmed there was a small re.
“We were able to quickly extinguish the re without incident. No damage or injuries were reported, and the cause is still under investigation,” Davies said, noting that burning vegetation created quite
Rick Davies Fire Chief Kyle Luc DeputyChief Rhonda Gillespie Fire Assistant
members throughout the year for training for re calls, for di erent community-related events,” said Luc.
a bit of smoke, which might have looked worse than it was from the city. At about 5.30 p.m., crews were dispatched to a commercial re alarm in the northeast area of the city. e investigation determined no emergency occurred, and the alarm was due to a cooking-related incident.
On Oct. 4 at 4 a.m., re ghters were called to a commercial re alarm in the northwest area. ey responded, investigated, and determined that no emergency was occurring and there were possible issues with the alarm system.
Justin Herod
Six new firefighters enjoying the experience
By David Willberg
ey come from di erent backgrounds and professions, but the six probationary members with the Estevan Fire Rescue Service have one thing in common: they’re eager to serve the community.
Darson Gunnlaugson, Aaron Norris, Nathan Rae, Brandon Schoop, Colby Wainman and Tanner Weger-Brandow comprise the latest contingent of recruits.
ey’re about midway through their training, and once it’s successfully completed, they will have their professional re ghter designation.
As part of Fire Prevention Week, the Mercury spoke with each of the new members.
Darson Gunnlaugson:
Gunnlaugson said he wanted to join the department because he really likes helping people, so he thought this was the best way to be there for the community.
“It’s been great so far.
ere’s so many things to learn, there’s so much to do. It’s really been an amazing experience,” said Gunnlaugson.
ere are so many skills he has learned related to putting out res, responding to di erent rescue operations and utilizing different ropes, ladders and equipment.
When he was accepted with the department, he thought it was going to be an amazing experience, and so far it has lived up to his expectations. ere is such a great team on the department and he says he is getting along well with the other members.
“If it’s something that
you’re capable of doing, if you’re motivated by helping people, it is such a rewarding thing to do,” he said.
Aaron Norris: Norris brings lots of experience to the EFRS, as he previously served with the department in Oromocto, N.B., for six years. Being a re ghter was something he always liked to do, so he thought he would give it a try in Estevan after he moved to the community. It’s been a good experience to date.
“I’ve learned how to adapt from department to department. Having six years of experience with one department, and coming to a completely di erent province where everything is done a little bit di erently, I learned to try and adapt and work with the way that they do stu as opposed to what I’m used to,” said Norris.
His time in New Brunswick has helped. He joined the re department in Oromocto out of high school and didn’t know anything about the work.
e other members with the Estevan department have been great to work with, he said.
Nathan Rae:
Rae said he joined because he wanted to set a good example for his son and he wanted to give back to the community he grew up in. While he’s only been on for nine months, he’s learned a lot, from tying knots to techniques for putting out res to responding to collisions.
“It’s more just observing and things like that, but you learn lots of di erent things,” he said.
Rae said everyone on the re department has their
strengths that he can learn from, especially those with experience.
“ ere’s a lot of di erent people from di erent walks of life at the department, so it’s cool, it’s a neat experience.”
Rae said he would recommend being part of the re department to others, but he pointed out it’s a commitment on top of everything else people have in their lives.
Brandon Schopp:
Schopp is one of two new recruits who has been part of the Mine Rescue Team at Westmoreland Mining LLC. He said joining the EFRS has been a really good experience, with dedicated members to learn from.
“I’ve been involved with the rescue team out at Westmoreland for the last 10 years, and I just heard that there was an opportunity, that they were looking for more volunteer reghters, and I just decided
to expand my skill set and give it a try.”
ere has been some overlap from what he learned at Westmoreland, but there is a lot of new material for an EFRS recruit. He believes the re department has a really good way of doing and explaining things.
Several members of the re department also work at the mines, so Schopp knew them before joining. And the EFRS and the mine rescue team participate in joint training once a year, so he knew other reghters as well.
Colby Wainman:
Originally from Carndu , Wainman said he wanted to join because he wanted to help the community and meet some people in Estevan, since he didn’t grow up in the Energy City. He has learned how to climb ladders when responding to a call, the angles for those ladders, and how to properly access a
hydrant when ghting a re.
His time with the re department has enabled him to meet new people.
ey had a social outing in September and they have an annual banquet that happened shortly after he joined.
“It’s been good. ey’ve been welcoming. It’s nice people to work with and all of that good stu ,” said Wainman.
Tanner Weger-Brandow:
Weger-Brandow is the other new recruit who has some experience through his tenure with the mine rescue team at Westmoreland Mining LLC. He’s been on that squad for the past ve or six years, and so he’s gone through similar training, which has helped with what he does with the re department.
e mine rescue team taught him an advanced rst aid course, con ned space training and rescue, high-angle rope rescue
training, and proper use of re extinguishers.
“ ere’s a lot of gear that we’ve trained with through mine rescue that we wind up using for res,” said Weger-Brandow.
But he has learned a lot about the re trucks and how to extinguish grass res, as well as the structure of the department.
Weger-Brandow said he joined the re department because he wants to help people in the community. He’s glad he joined and the other re ghters have been great. ey’re a tight-knit group.
Estevan Fire Chief Rick Davies and Deputy Fire Chief Kyle Luc are pleased with the progress of the latest recruiting class.
“ ey t fairly well into the team,” said Luc. “Everyone’s got that go hard or go home attitude, which is good.”
“ ey’re all willing to take training and do things,” added Davies.
Training of the recruits started in January. Luc said they went through 50 hours of basic training in the rst few months, touching on the high points of what could be asked of them to give them an idea of what they’re getting into. en they transition into getting their 1001 professional re ghter quali cations. Luc hopes the re ghters can go through the nal training next June, but it depends on the group and the availability of those administering the test. e EFRS currently has 26 paid on-call re ghters, including the probationary members. Davies, Luc and re assistant Rhonda Gillespie round out the department.
Smoke detectors are a key component of re protection, but there’s much more homeowners can do to protect themselves, their families, their belongings and their homes from structure res.
Routinely inspect smoke detectors. Smoke detectors can only alert residents to a re if they’re working properly. Battery-powered smoke detectors won’t work if the batteries die. Routine smoke detector check-ups can ensure the batteries still have juice and that the devices themselves are still functioning properly.
Test alarms to make sure the devices are functioning and audible in nearby rooms. Install additional detectors as necessary so alarms and warnings can be heard in every room of the house.
• Hire an electrician to audit your home. Electricians can inspect a home and identify any issues that could make the home more vulnerable to res. Ask electricians to look over every part of the house, including attics and crawl spaces.
Oft-overlooked areas like attics and crawl spaces pose a potentially signi cant re safety threat, as data indicates that many electrical res begin in such spaces.
Audit the laundry room. e laundry room is another potential source of home structure res. Around three per cent of home structure res begin in laundry rooms each year. Strategies to reduce the risk of laundry room res include leaving room for laundry to tumble in washers and dryers; routinely cleaning lint screens to avoid the buildup of dust, ber and lint, which are often the rst items to ignite in res linked to dryers; and ensuring the outlets that washing machines and dryers are plugged into can handle the voltage such appliances require. It’s also a good idea to clean dryer exhaust vents and ducts every year.
• Look outward as well. ough the majority of home res begin inside, some res begin outside the
home. Homeowners can reduce the risk of such res by ensuring all items that utilize re, including grills and repits, are always used at least 10 feet away from the home. Never operate a grill beneath eaves, and do not use grills on decks. Never leave children unattended around repits, as all it takes is a single mistake and a moment for a re to become unwieldy.
Sweat the small stu . Hair dryers, hair straighteners, scented candles, clothes
irons, and holiday decora-
tions are some additional home re safety hazards. Never leave candles burning in empty rooms and make sure beauty and grooming items like dryers, straighteners and irons are unplugged and placed in a safe place to cool down when not in use.
Fire departments respond to hundreds of thousands of home res each year. Some simple strategies and preventive measures can greatly reduce the risk that a re will overtake your home.
Fans came out to support Saskatchewan’s team during Riders on the Road in Lampman
By Stephanie Zoer
Lampman was buzzing with excitement on Oct. 5 as fans gathered to celebrate their beloved Saskatchewan Roughriders for the Riders on the Road event at the Lampman Curling Rink.
Earlier in the summer, the McDougall Auction company, who are partners of Riders on the Road, approached local resident Blake Dube about hosting Riders on the Road event. Dube contacted the Lampman Recreation Board to see if there was any interest is hosting such an event in October.
ey said yes to the event and went into full force in nding out all the details that were involved.
As the date approached, the Roughriders planning team came and met with the Lampman Recreation Board team. e decision was made to use this event to fundraise for capital projects within the recreation facilities.
Stacy Trombley, one of the event organizers, said the committee put some letters together and reached out to the many businesses in Lampman and surrounding areas, and they came through with enormous support and donations.
Upon entering the curling rink, it was decorated from one end to the other in Roughrider colours, with balloons, table cloths and Roughrider logos hanging on the walls. Most of the fans wore Roughrider jerseys
or t-shirts. It was a sea of green and white. Nyla and Robin Saxon spearheaded the decorating, along with Nyla’s mother Marlene. “ ey did an amazing job and took it to another level, making the curling rink a scene right out of a Rider Pride fairytale,” said Trombley. e festivities were to be kicked o with a parade, however Mother Nature had other plans with the 100-kilometre winds. Since the community, businesses and the school had created oats to take part in the parade, they plan to hold the event at a later date to display the commitment and support they had for this endeavour.
Live and silent auctions had nearly 90 items donated, which included a signed jersey by current Rider Ryan Sceviour. He attended the event along with teammate Joran Herdman-Reed. ey were available for photo ops, autographs and even took the time to judge the Lampman School Roughrider colouring contest entries.
e Riders on the Road team brought 620 CKRM host Gloria Evans, members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders Cheer Team, the pep band and of course mascot Gainer the Gopher. ey also set up in atables for the kids with games like a football toss and cornhole, just as they do at their Party in the Park.
Border Insulators, R and R Tank and Equipment Rentals, Hutt’s
Trucking and Woodley Well Services all jumped on board to sponsor the roast beef dinner that was lead in preparation by Ryan and Nyla Saxon.
Grimes Sales and Services, Precision Ag., Kendall’s supply, Ag Resources and Johnson Plumbing and Heating donated items for the live auction.
ere was also a prize for the best-dressed Rider fan, which was won by Dave Dyer, and he walked away with a signed Saskatchewan Roughrider football.
“All in all, Riders on the Road was a wonderful event to wrap up harvest,’ said Trombley. “We also took a win, putting the
Roughriders into a playo spot.”
e curling rink became a noisy place when the Roughriders beat the Edmonton Elks 28-24.
is event raised over $20,000 for the Lampman Recreation capital projects, to the delight of the board.
e organizing team thanks the Riders on the Road for reaching out to Lampman to host the event, and all the sponsors, volunteers and those who attended for making this such a success.
“We could not have done this without the support of the community, businesses and all those involved,” said Trombley.
Hill View Manor Licensed Personal Care Home
We have single suites available as well as larger suites to accommodate couples so they can remain together in thecomfor table surroundings of our home. Our dedicated team of healthcare professionals and aides arekind and cour teous. We offer all levelsof care so all residents can “Age in Place” and we arecommitted to making each resident feel rightathome.
RyanandNylaSaxon
How peer support can change lives
Mental illness can be an incredibly isolating experience. Many individuals struggle with feelings of loneliness and disconnection.
According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, stigma also contributes to fear of judgement or misunderstanding, leading people to withdraw from friends and family. e simple act of talking to someone who’s been through a similar experience can have a transformative impact on someone experiencing a mental health concern, and that’s exactly what peer support does.
Peer Support Canada describes peer support as the emotional and practical support between two people who share a common experience, such as a mental health challenge or illness. One of the most profound aspects of peer support is the recognition that people aren’t alone in their struggles.
When people connect with others who have faced similar challenges, it creates a sense of validation and comfort. A peer supporter can help individuals feel understood in ways that friends and family might not and can provide a safe space for them to share their feelings.
How does peer support help?
Sharing experiences. Speaking with others who have faced similar challenges creates a sense of understanding and connection. Hearing
others’ stories can validate personal feelings, helping individuals feel accepted and less alone.
Fostering hope and resilience. Peer support can empower individuals to take steps towards their own recovery. Speaking with someone about how they navigated similar challenges can provide a sense of hope and resilience.
Building community: One of the main roles of a peer support worker is to connect with the individual and be there for them when support is needed. is can create opportunities to introduce the
individual to other networks and communities of people with lived/living experiences and sometimes leads to people becoming more aware of the strengths and supports they already have access to.
Learning from each other: Peer support creates space for people to share coping mechanisms, resources, and advice based on their experiences. is sharing of experiences helps support others on their own mental health journey.
Breaking down barriers and stigma: Speaking openly with someone about your mental health can help normalize these conversations
and make it easier for individuals to open up and ask for help. By breaking down barriers and encouraging open discussions, peer support can help more people access care.
Some of the essential skills for being a peer support worker are empathy, compassion and resilience; skills that align with peer support values along with others such as equal relationships, self-determination, dignity and respect, and trust. e ability to solve problems and keep pushing forward is incredibly important when it comes to supporting others, and lifelong learning and personal
growth are peer support values. By sharing stories and experiences, people not only uplift themselves, but it cre-
man Catholic Separate School Division has seen a six per cent increase in enrolments for the 2024-25 school year.
e o cial enrolment numbers for Sept. 30 show the division had 1,403 students, which is up about 80 from the projected number the division submitted earlier this year, said director of education Ken Sampson.
“ ere has been a lot of newcomers to Canada, families that would have settled in and around this area, and as we know, there’s uidity in moving from one division to another, so in South East Cornerstone [Public School Division] and Holy Family, there are some movements yearly.”
Holy Family has two schools in Estevan. St.
Mary’s School, which is a kindergarten-Grade 8 school, has 290 students this year, the same as the previous year. Sampson said there was some growth at the start of this school year, but a couple of families moved out of the province.
Sacred Heart School/ École Sacré Coeur, which is also a K-8 school but with a French Immersion program, has 371 students, which is up roughly two per cent from the 362 it had a year ago. at school was at 350 students in 2022.
“Both schools, interestingly, are at about … 100 per cent utilization, so our numbers are pretty solid in Estevan,” said Sampson.
St. Michael’s School in Weyburn, which is a K-9 school, has grown from
517 students to 560 for this year, which Sampson described as a “signi cant development”, while St. Augusta School, a K-8 school in Wilcox, has grown from 57 students to 65 within a couple of years.
Holy Family also has St. Olivier, a K-6 school in Radville.
Sampson said when people move to the area, they will often search online to nd which school they want their children to go to given the context they’re coming from.
“Holy Family appears to be a landing ground for a lot of new families to the area, and I think the reputation out there is simply that Holy Family Catholic schools have always had a perspective that all children are our children, and we take care of children
and families,” said Sampson.
As for other changes, Sampson noted the school has a new vice-principal for Sacred Heart, Christa Walton, who is a long-time teacher at the school. Amber Hilstrom remains the Sacred Heart principal.
Ryan Jutras remains the principal at St. Mary’s.
“I’ve been in each school twice … since the beginning of the year, and I have found that the receptivity and the hospitality within our schools is … second to none in my professional experience at this level,” said Sampson. “Just in terms of how sta embrace diversity and … welcoming all people into their community is … a heart-warming experience to walk into our two schools in Estevan and to see the degree to which sta are going out of their way
Service dealt with a number of calls in early October, including a break and enter, theft, disturbance, mischief, suspicious activity, public intoxication and more.
Members received a report of an unoccupied building that appeared to be insecure on Oct. 2. Once on the scene, it was determined that a break and enter had taken place, during which the interior of the building was damaged. e investigation is ongoing, and city sta are attempting
to communicate with the property owner to secure the building.
Police attended to a disturbance at a residence in the south end of the city. Members spoke to those involved and mediated a resolution, after which the EPS’s Police and Crisis Team (PACT) assisted with engaging the individuals with support services. A report of a theft from a residence in the city core was received. e matter is still under investigation.
Police arrested an Estevan man on outstanding warrants related to impaired driving from the Carlyle RCMP. e individual was subsequently
released with a future court date to appear in Carlyle Provincial Court.
Police attended to a Hillside residence in response to a report of mischief and a dispute between a number of neighbours. Several similar occurrences involving the same individuals have occurred recently and EPS members are working to assist those involved to mediate a resolution.
e EPS received a report of a dog that attempted to bite an individual in the Westview area. e matter is still under investigation and has been referred to the Estevan bylaw enforcement o cer for follow-up.
Police arrested a 50-year-old Estevan man for breaching his conditional sentence order on Oct. 3. He was lodged in cells and subsequently remanded for a show-cause hearing on Oct. 7. No further information was immediately available.
On Oct. 4, police arrested a 51-year-old woman for theft under $5,000. e incident occurred the previous day when a stroller was taken from in front of a downtown residence. e property was recovered, and the woman was released with a future court date to speak to the charge.
e EPS received four separate calls for service in relation to a 34-year-old Estevan woman who was reported to be acting suspiciously. Following multiple interactions with police, the woman was transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital for assessment.
High winds resulted in reports of suspicious activity near a residence in south Estevan. EPS members attended and determined that nothing criminal was occurring.
A report came in on Oct. 5 of an individual receiving threatening telephone calls from a group of people. e matter is still under investigation.
e EPS received a second report of an unwanted guest in a residence. A 51-year-old man was found to be grossly intoxicated, and was arrested and lodged in cells until sober.
A tra c stop conducted by patrol members on Oct. 6 resulted in a 65-year-old driver being issued a threeday driver’s licence suspension for operating a vehicle after having consumed cannabis.
A trespass/break and enter complaint was received by the EPS. e matter is still under investigation.
Police received a report of mischief to property. e matter is still under investigation.
e EPS dealt with 54 occurrences during the weekend.
The newest members of the Estevan Teachers’ Association gathered for a group photo just prior to an ETA and Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation induction ceremony and meeting at ECS on Sept. 26, 2005. Back row, from left, Steve Lloyd, Lampman; Chantal Bourassa, Westview; Nathan Johnson, ECS; Tammy Millions, ECS; Sheena Summers, ECS; and James Gibney, Pleasantdale. Front row, Luan Fell, ECS; Nicole Quinn, Lampman; Katy Biech, ECS; and Carmen Miller, ECS.
Inset, Carolyn Thompson, central office.
Hilda Boire (nee Leidl)
MunicipalElection
November13, 2024
EL EC TI ON DAY
SPORTS
Bruins down Bombers for first win of the season
By David Willberg
e Estevan Bruins picked up their rst win of the 2024-25 SJHL regular season Saturday night with a 4-2 victory over the Flin Flon Bombers.
Kent Moors gave the Black and Gold an early lift with a goal 23 seconds into the game. Luke Hogan added to the lead just over nine minutes later with his rst goal in the SJHL. e Bombers had a chance to pull within one on a Ryder Ringor penalty shot with 3:23 to play in the period, but he was foiled by Bruins’ goaltender Liam Hallet.
Flin Flon recovered in the second, ring several shots at Hallet in the opening 90 seconds of the frame. Evin Bossel broke through when he scored 6:47 into the period.
e Bombers’ best chance to tie the game came during a two-man advantage for 1:44, but Hallet and the Bruins’ penalty killers came through.
Estevan retook the twogoal lead early in the third on a terri c short-handed goal by Odin George, as he fended o a Flin Flon defender and then beat
Bombers’ goalie Jake Torget. Cade Kennedy sealed the victory with an empty-net goal with less than two minutes remaining.
Carter Cormier had a late goal for the Bombers to round out the scoring. Hallet made 41 saves for the Bruins, including 17 in each of the second and third periods. “ ere was just one unlucky bounce,” said Hallet.
“Other than that, I think
I saw everything. e defence did a really strong job in front of the net, and that helps out a lot.”
Torget had 20 saves for the Bombers, most of them coming in the rst period.
Hallet said it was great to pick up the rst win of the season, and his rst victory in the SJHL.
“It’s really exciting for all of the guys here. First one of many … and I’m looking forward to more,”
said Hallet.
Head coach and general manager Jason Tatarnic said the club had a really good rst period, but got away from what they needed to do in the second when Flin Flon came out strong.
“I think the big thing for us in that period was that 5-on-3 kill. at was huge, so give the guys credit,” said Tatarnic.
e coach thought the
Bruins did what they needed to do in the third to win.
e night before, the Bruins rallied from a 4-1 de cit in the third period to tie the game, only to lose 5-4 in overtime to the visiting Nipawin Hawks.
Kaelan Whittingham opened the scoring 2:24 into the rst period for the Bruins, but Mark Lafleur tied the game midway through the period and Carter Anderson put the Hawks ahead with 26 seconds to play in the rst.
Finley Radlo and Will Whitter scored power-play goals 66 seconds apart to put the Hawks up by three, leading the Bruins to insert Hallet in goal in place of starter Benny Polhill.
Moors and George scored short-handed goals for Estevan 2:03 apart early in the third. It remains a 4-3 game until Whittingham scored on a power play with 94 seconds to play.
Anderson scored the winner 66 seconds into overtime.
Polhill (17 saves) and Hallet (13 saves) shared goaltending duties for the Bruins. Endall had 41 saves for Nipawin.
Estevan Oilers win first regular season title
For the rst time, the Estevan Lions Club U14 Oilers football team has won a regular season championship.
e Oilers blanked the Swift Current Steelers 52-0 on Sunday at the Dana Quewezance Memorial Field to wrap up the top spot in the Moose Jaw Minor Football League during the regular season. e Oilers (5-1) will get a rstround bye, and will play the lowest-seeded team remaining in the semi nal round.
Coach Christian Pfeifer said it was a nearly awless game for the Oilers. ey came out strong, took an early lead, had a 32-0 advantage at halftime and didn’t let up on either side of the ball.
TJ ompson, Taya Stigings and Ryder Mantei each had two touchdowns for Estevan. Waylon Mantei and Hayden Tokarchuk had Estevan’s other majors. Pfeifer said it will be nice to get a week o so some players can rest nagging injuries.
“I know these kids are eager to play. ey love the sport and you can see it every time they go out there, so it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world to have a game this weekend, but at the same time, these kids have earned that weekend o ,” said Pfeifer.
Many of the players on the Oilers were part of the Estevan U12 Chargers program that won a league
e Estevan Great North U18 AAA Bears continued their strong start with two games on a northern road trip.
Up rst was a 4-3, comefrom-behind victory over the Warman Wildcats on Saturday. Warman had a 3-0 lead at one point late in the rst period, but Roan Burgess started the comeback when he scored with 30 seconds to play in the opening frame. Carter
title in 2021 and reached the league nal the next year, and Pfeifer said that experience will help in the postseason.
“ ey know what it takes to win that championship, and they know that it’s not going to be a cakewalk through the playo s, and they know that the championship isn’t going to be handed to them on a silver platter. It’s going to take a lot of work, but we have a lot of players who know it’s going to take a lot of work,” said Pfeifer.
***
e Estevan Power Dodge U12 Chargers dropped a 39-25 decision on the road to the Moose Jaw Spartans on Saturday.
Coach James Haagsman said the game was tied 1313 at halftime, but then the Spartans found a way to stop the Chargers’ running game in the second half. Dexx Tendler had all four of Estevan’s touchdowns.
Haagsman noted Tendler bene tted from some key blocks by tight end Merrick Ross.
Also, Haagsman believes the defence is starting to gain its identity as a unit, and they had a few key stops in the rst half.
“ at is what we are going to need in the playo s,” he said.
Estevan (2-4) nished fourth in the Moose Jaw league during the regular season and will host a play-
o game at Woodlawn. e opponent, date and time have yet to be decided. ***
e Estevan Comprehensive School Elecs football team lost 48-30 to Moose Jaw Peacock on Saturday.
Coach Chris Bayerle said ECS starting quarterback Dane Tober was injured in the third quarter, but they rallied afterwards and Estevan put up 22 un answered points. Dorian Sifton, who nished the game at quarterback, re corded two touchdowns and a pair of two-point converts. Mason Beriault and Justin Folbar also re corded majors.
Despite having three
Bears win two straight on the road
Hirsch and Will Nicholson tallied in the second to tie the game, and Gunner Moore notched the winner just over seven minutes into the third. Brady Carr made 36 saves in the victory for Estevan.
e following day, the Bears won 3-2 over the twotime defending Saskatchewan Male AAA Hockey League champions, the Saskatoon Blazers. Saskatoon
had a 1-0 lead after the rst period, but the Bears fought back with three markers in the second for a 3-2 lead after 40 minutes. Nicholson scored 26 seconds into the second period to start the attack, and Ryden Amberson and Burgess also scored. Carr stopped 28 shots for the win.
Earlier in the week, the Bears su ered their only loss so far this season
Wednesday in a 7-4 deci sion against the host Re gina Pat Canadians. Bren dan Jones scored twice for Estevan. Nicholson and Cooper Flath had the other goals. Boston Schmidt had three assists. Cole Ivey started and stopped 25 shots. Carr came in and made 16 saves. e Bears will host the Prince Albert Mintos on Oct. 11 at 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 12 at 1 p.m.
“Give the guys all the credit in the world. We talked between the … second [and third] periods, and I said ‘You guys dug yourselves a hole. Now you can sit in the hole or you can dig your way out and make a game of it, and they did.”
In o -ice news, the Bruins have announced the signing of 20-year-old goalie Kyle Kelsey, who has 75 games of Western Hockey League experience over the past two seasons.
“He has that experience, and it was something as an organization and sta , we just felt that we couldn’t pass it up,” said Tatarnic. ey also acquired forward Jacob Hu y from the La Ronge Ice Wolves for future considerations. Hu y did not play on the weekend.
Up next for the Bruins (1-3-1) is their rst northern road trip of the season. ey will visit the Humboldt Broncos on Oct. 9, and the Kindersley Klippers on Oct. 11 and 12.
Tatarnic said they had so many chances to score against Nipawin and could have had “eight or 10 goals” in the game, but they didn’t convert.
e Elecs (0-5) will wrap up the regular season on Oct. 12 with a game against the Weyburn Comprehensive School Eagles. It is the annual senior game in which all of the Grade 12 students will be recognized. ***
e Southeast U18 Estevan Kinette Club Viragos lost 68-9 at Swan Valley, Man., on Saturday, in the rst-ever out-of-province game for a team in Brandt Peterbilt Estevan Minor Football.
Coach Mark Walliser said Kassidy Wallington shifted from tight end to running back and scored a touchdown. e other points came through safety after the e orts of the defence.
sacks, a fumble recovery and an interception, Bayerle said they gave up too many points in the rst half.
e Elecs played into the sti 90-kilometre per hour wind for the rst quarter and Bayerle said Moose Jaw stu ed Estevan’s ground game.
e Viragos had a reduced roster due to injuries, and had to contend with wind, rain and cold in Swan Valley. Up next for the Viragos is their bye week, which will give them an opportunity to recover before playing Swan Valley again on Oct. 19 at Woodlawn.
YOU are the Commu ni ty
When yougivetoUnitedWay Estevan, youare giving to our Community Impact Partnersand MemberAgencies.
•There are several ways todonate! Donationsare acceptedthrough our website: www.unitedwayestevan.com,throughe-transferto etransfer@unitedwayestevan.com, by phone during thetelethon, and in personatthe telethon!
HOW TO WATCH
•Live Stream on ourwebsite: www.unitedwayestevan.com
•AccessNow TV (for merly Access 7).
AUDIENCE
•We’d love to have you as par tofour live audience! Weare lookingfor ward to seeing the entire community of Estevan andinviteeveryonetocome to the Legion Hall to par ticipate. the telethon willrun from8:00AM on October 18thto5:00PMonOctober 19th.
BID ITEMS
•United Way2024 Bid Items will be posted on Facebook this week and are on display atMurray GM.
•Atthe telethon, the Bid Line can be called to place bids andbidding will alsocontinue online whilethe telethonis happening
•Bid items will be frequently shownonTVand theLive Streamthroughout the telethon.
ENTERTAINMENT
•Weare excited forall the live enter tainment coming to theLegion Hall once againthisyear! Makesure youcheckout next week’sEstevan Mercur yfor thelist of enter tainers!
If you have anyother questions, contact ouroffice, 306.634.7375 or send amessage to our Facebook, X, or Instagrampages! Email admin@unitedwayestevan.com
