The annual Parade of Lights went off without a hitch despite frigid temperatures. Pages 3-4
By Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
The 25th anniversary edition of the Festival of Trees set a record for the highest amount raised for the Family Place, at the inperson auction of trees held on Wednesday evening at the Great Plains Ford auction building.
In the end, this year’s fundraiser brought in $93,027, which includes $65,100 from the tree auction of 27 decorated Christmas trees; $12,740 from the online silent auction, and $8,881 from the extra silent auction items on Wednesday night; $1,056 from a raffle; $525 from the 50/50 Santa’s List; $510 from the 50/50 gala night; and donations from Canadian Tire ($2,000), Whitecap Resources ($2,000, including $820 at the silent auction), a late donation $1,000 from Remax Realty, plus $35 in bar tips, with more donations still coming in as of Friday.
The auction night was a ticketed event with 240 people in attendance, and a cash bar was available run by volunteers from the Young Fellows Club.
“Our 25th Festival of Trees was an inspiring evening that we will remember forever and hold dear to our hearts. We never dreamt we’d see those numbers and we are feeling so blessed and grateful,” said Dawn Gutzke, executive director of the Family Place.
“A huge thank you from the bottom of our hearts, to all involved in making this extra special for us. The support and belief in the work we do inspires us to continue to work hard to serve our community and families,” she added.
In her remarks to open
the gala evening, she noted how it has been an effort by the community-at-large to support it that has helped the Family Place keep operating over the years.
“For 25 incredible years the Festival of Trees has been a shining example of what a community can achieve when it comes together with purpose, passion and heart. This event has become more than just a fundraiser, it’s a true testament to the dedication, commitment and generosity of our community and our large surrounding area,” said Gutzke.
Festival of Carols held Sunday
The annual Rotary Festival of Carols attracted a full house for both afternoon and evening performances. Page 10
She spoke of her first time at the Festival, and how she felt so overwhelmed by the end of the night with the support by individuals and businesses in Weyburn and area.
“Fast forward 15 years, as I stand here, the only overwhelming feeling I have is of comfort, joy and happiness. The familiar faces we see each and every year, and some of you have been here 25 years yourselves … and to all the new faces that are joining us this evening, your presence in this building is illuminating,” said Gutzke. In the auction of the
trees, which were sold by Winston Bailey and emcee Glenn Rogers, four of the 27 trees were sold as silent auction items, and six of the trees bought were donated back to be auctioned off a second time.
The tree earning the highest price of the night was donated by Collabartive Studios, and was bought by MNP for $6,000.
The second-highest bid of the night, donated by Southern Glass Works, was also voted as the favourite tree by those who viewed all of the trees. This tree went for $5,600, bought by Weyburn Dodge.
There will be changes and updates in the proposed wind turbine project by Enbridge, which representatives said will be revealed at their town hall meeting slated for Wednesday, Dec. 11 at McKenna Hall.
The evening will go from 6 to 8 p.m., with an open house slated for the first hour, and then a presentation will be made at 7 p.m. with a question-andanswer period afterward.
The company is proposing to build and operate a 200-megawatt wind turbine project in the RMs of Griffin and Weyburn. They asked for a pause in the project a couple of months ago, after receiving an angry backlash from many residents of the two RMs about what was proposed.
Enbridge had three representatives in attendance for a meeting held by the RM of Weyburn on Nov. 14, and while they wouldn’t reveal what the changes were, they promised there will be differences from what they initially proposed for the project.
In a statement issued by Enbridge after the meeting, the company said, “At the town hall, we plan
to share a new project schedule that will allow more time for community engagement and a revised wind turbine layout that incorporates larger minimum residential setback distances, among other design considerations.
In the meantime, Enbridge remains committed to having conversations with Weyburn-area residents, gathering input and working with the community to help shape what we believe will be a beneficial project for the area and the local economy.” Among the promised changes will be adjustments to the timeline and to the proposed setbacks, based on the feedback they have been getting from RM area residents, the RM meeting was told.
The proposed setbacks have been a hot bone of contention since it was revealed they were going to request a reduction of setbacks from 1,000 metres to 750 metres, for the distance a wind turbine can be from an RM residence.
The request to the RM was part of what the company put on pause, and the project update will apparently address this issue, among others.
Photo – Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
Taking bids at Tree Festival Winston Bailey, far right, took bids from the audience as he auctioned one of the 27 decorated Christmas trees, at the Festival of Trees. The decorated trees, along with silent auction items, were set up in the Great Plains Ford auction building, and raised a record level of funds for the Family Place.
Photo – Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
A family pleads with grandma
The Spirit Singers made a heart-felt plea to their grandmother not to send anymore fruit cake at Christmas, in this humourous song,“Grandma’s Killer Fruitcake”, performed at the evening service for the
Sunday. This group is directed by Kendra Gonczy and accompanied by
Absenteeism growing as families’ priorities change, Holy Family school board hears
By Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
The issue of rising absenteeism is going to become a growing problem for school divisions, the Holy Family board of trustees heard as they approved the division’s annual report.
Holy Family still has attendance numbers that are higher than the provincial average, but the trend is definitely going downwards, said education director Ken Sampson.
The annual report notes that Holy Family students have 89 per cent attendance, attending at least 80 per cent of the classes or more. The provincial average right now is 77 per cent.
The figures of Holy Family students who go on to graduate is also very high. Holy Family has no high schools, but they follow their alumni after they transition into Grade 10 and go on to Grade 12.
The Weyburn Police Service responded to 65 calls for service during the period of Nov. 24 to Dec. 1, resulting in a total of 11 charges. Of the charges, eight were laid under the Criminal Code of Canada and three under the Traffic Safety Act.
Weyburn Police Service received a report of a truck and trailer with a side-byside that was stolen from the 1800 block of Eaglesham Avenue on Nov. 26. With the assistance and partnership with the Weyburn RCMP, a search warrant was executed on Nov. 29 at a property in Colgate, which resulted in the stolen side-by-side being recovered. The investigation is still ongoing and police are asking for the public’s assistance for information regarding the outstanding truck and trailer.
covered and later returned to the owner. The Weyburn police thank the citizens of Weyburn for their assistance with this matter.
Police received a report of a shoplifting at a local store on Friday. Police quickly located the suspect who was arrested for theft. The merchandise was seized by police and the accused was subsequently charged and released for a future court date. Over the course of the week police responded to several calls relating to people in medical distress and mental health. Police also responded to several motor vehicle collisions.
The Weyburn Police Service want to remind the public to drive with caution now that the snow has arrived, and give yourself extra time with the winter road conditions.
On the issue of attendance rates, Fingler said, “It’s a trend in society, whether it’s for work or activities. When people are sick now, they stay home.” Sampson added the observation that things changed with the COVID pandemic.
“Since the pandemic, parents’ perception of needs … is changing,” he said. “There’s not a second thought to taking the kids to dance recitals or tournaments. They’re putting the family needs first instead of having students at school.”
He added this is an interesting spin on the dynamics of families.
Fingler said children who are involved in dance
Superintendent of schools Chad Fingler said the number of students who go on to graduate is “extremely strong”, and looking at the reading rates of students, they are also among the tops in the province, and numeracy and literacy rates are near 100 per cent.
or hockey, or other outside interests, are getting value from those activities, “so I don’t want to demonize that.”
At the same time, however, studies from many sources indicate that the best results in school are from consistent attendance.
“It’s hard on the teachers, but we have programs in place to support the teachers,” he said.
Trustee Jerome Sidloski pointed out that many years ago, farm kids would routinely be gone from school for three to four weeks for harvest. “It was normal to miss three to four weeks of school. It wasn’t accepted as an excuse by educators, it was the way it was,” he said.
“It’s a matter of balance in a very busy society,” said Fingler.
“It’s something we have to watch,” said board chair Bruno Tuchscherer. “I definitely think it’s not for all students. Some kids are suffering because they’re
not at a high learning level.”
The annual report also has details on other good accomplishments, said Fingler, noting that over 50 social justice projects were completed by students last year, and importantly to Holy Family, 89 per cent of students achieve well in learning Catholic values.
A section of the report talks about the partnerships that Holy Family has, and he noted they chose to mention their partnership with their public counterparts, the Southeast Cornerstone School Division on issues like transportation, meetings with the education director, joint board meetings and collaborating on developing the school calendar for the two school divisions.
Other partnerships include the family resource centres in both Estevan and Weyburn, and Holy Family’s relationship with an indigenous knowledge keeper, Lindon Linklater.
Residents are being targeted by SGI scam emails
SGI is aware that scammers are targeting Saskatchewan residents with emails claiming to be from SGI. The subject line and text of the emails is ever changing but they’ve covered subjects like residency confirmation and registration requests. SGI does not contact customers via email to receive this kind of information.
If you’re unsure if
an email claiming to be from SGI is legitimate, contact your local licence issuer or the SGI Customer Service Centre at 1-844-TLK-2SGI (855-2744). Don’t use the phone number or email address included in the suspect email. These emails can be very convincing, so approach any email claiming to be from SGI with a skeptical eye and never
click on a link until you are 100-per-cent confident it’s a legitimate email.
If you’ve discovered that the email is fraudulent, don’t click on any links. Report the email as spam through your email provider and delete the email.
If you did click on links in a fraudulent email or provided your personal in-
formation to someone who shouldn’t have it, contact the police and take the steps suggested by the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
Please also notify SGI of the potential issue. There are steps you can take to have your SGI information password protected. You can do this at any SGI motor licence issuing office.
Police executed a search warrant on the 400 block of Fourth Street South for stolen property on Nov. 27. As a result of the search of the property, evidence of stolen property was seized and within the vicinity of the property, two stolen motorbikes from a previous media release were re-
*Anyone with information regarding one of these matters, or any other matter of a criminal nature, is encouraged to contact the Weyburn Police Service at (306) 848-3250, the local RCMP Detachment at 310-RCMP (7267), or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
Check for ice thickness before going out on waterbodies
With colder temperatures arriving and ice beginning to form on waterbodies across the province, Water Security Agency (WSA) is reminding the public about ice safety. Ice does not freeze at a uniform thickness and its strength can vary considerably from one area to another.
The date that ice becomes safe at a particular site varies from year to year, requiring the verification of the thickness each year as opposed to relying on past experiences.
As a guideline, you need at least 10 cm (four inches) of ice to walk on, 20 cm (eight inches) to drive a snowmobile or ATV on, 30 cm (12 inches) to drive a car or light truck on, and more than 30 cm (12 inches) to support a heavy truck. Be aware
that any activity on ice has risks and guidelines are provided to help individuals make a decision about whether to venture onto the ice. Thickness is just one consideration when evaluating ice safety. Clear, hard ice is the only ice recommended for travel. Also avoid ice that looks slushy; has thawed, then froze again; is near moving water; is layered, caused by sudden temperature changes; or has structures on it, such as pressure ridges. In comparison to lake ice, river ice is often more hazardous and inconsistent, particularly downstream of dams when winter releases are being made. Ice thickness can be unpredictable and difficult to assess at times. To be sure, always check the ice thickness before you travel on it.
Carol Festival on
Colleen Weimer.
Photo – Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
Collecting toy donations for the Family Place
Weyburn fire fighters held a toy drive on Saturday, at both the Canadian Tire and Wal-Mart stores, with all toys collected taken to the Family Place. From left are fire fighter Kelsey Arnott, Santa Claus, Chuck Hignett and fire chief Trent Lee.
Photo – Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
Parade of Lights 3
Special guest appears at parade’s
end
The Parade of Lights’ guest of honour, Santa Claus, waved as he rode on the Prairie Sky Co-op float at the end of the parade on Thursday evening. The float also had players from one of the teams sponsored by the Co-op riding onboard.
Jessi watches the parade spectators
Jessi the fire dog watched the parade spectators while riding in the Fire Department’s pickup truck in the Parade of Lights.
Fire fighters hand out treats along parade
Members of the Weyburn Fire Department walked with bags of candy for the many spectators who braved the chill air to see the Parade of Lights.
Riding with Color My World
This float from Color My World Child Care included a number of hay bales and Christmas decorations, as they took part in the Parade of Lights.
Wings walking in the
Players from the
Young Fellows, Falcons in parade
The Young Fellows Club were joined on their float by players from the U14 Weyburn Youngfellows Falcons in the Parade of Lights on Thursday evening.
Two new trustees for Southeast Cornerstone board attend first meeting
By Norm Park, Contracted Reporter
for SECPSD
There are two new personalities taking a seat at the South East Cornerstone Public School Division’s conference table following the completion of the recent municipal election. One new person at the table is Velda Weatherald who ousted the incumbent Jim Vermeersch rather convincingly by gathering 418 of the 506 votes cast, leaving Vermeersch with 84 while four ballots were
rejected and one spoiled in Subdivision 2, which includes Arcola, Carlyle, Manor, Maryfield and Wawota. The other newcomer to the boardroom will be Craig MacDonald, who will take a seat as the second representative for Estevan. He gained the spot through acclamation. The other Estevan representative who has returned to the board business table is Kevin Keating, who also ran unopposed. MacDonald takes over the chair that was vacated
by former Estevan representative Eric McCrimmon, a one-term (four year) trustee who resigned his seat.
McCrimmon did not leave without posting his reasons for giving up the post, stating that he felt the public system was being led by a non-supportive provincial government and Education Ministry.
McCrimmon suggested their actions (or non-actions) around the COVID-19 pandemic that left the school divisions stranded in many respects
was just one factor. Others included uneven funding decisions. He had pointed to the pull back of funds for public schools while taxpayer funds were being directed to private schools.
The lack of an understandable process in the launching of a provincially based online learning project without any discernable leadership and without consideration of online systems that were already in place and functioning efficiently was also a bone of contention for McCrimmon. He said
the public system was subject to what he saw as that unnecessary change while the separate school and private systems were not subjected to the same type of takeover.
One other subdivision in the Cornerstone system underwent an election process with Audrey Trombley retaining her seat against challenger Cheryl Lake in subdivision 5, which includes Fillmore, Stoughton, Midale and Macoun.
Others who now return to the Cornerstone board
room through acclamation include Devona Putland in Subdivision 1 ( Rocanville, Wapella, Moosomin); Jim Henderson, Subdivision 3 (Redvers, Carnduff, Carievale); Tami Scott, Subdivision 4 (Lampman, Alameda, Oxbow, Bienfait); Michelle DeBruyne, Subdivision 6 (Ogema, Pangman, Yellow Grass, Radville, Gladmar and Oungre).
Megan Schick and Norma Hewitt-Lendrum return as the two representatives for the city of Weyburn.
Photos – Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
Gold
parade
Weyburn U18 AAA Gold Wings walked the route of the Parade of Lights alongside their float, bundled up against the cold air, with players from the Weyburn Red Wings following right behind.
4 agriculture, oil &business
Weyburn Chamber names winners of Parade of Lights
The top two winners of the 2024 Parade of Lights were named by the Weyburn Chamber of Commerce on Monday.
Over 50 brightly-lit decorated floats took part in the 30th annual parade, held on a chilly Thursday evening in downtown Weyburn. “Our hats go off to all our parade participants. The creativity and hard work that goes into each entry is amazing,” said Monica Osborn, executive director of the Weyburn Chamber.
“Each year, our parade gets better and we thank everyone in attendance, especially in the frigid temperatures,” she added.
Although the judges had a difficult time determining a winner in each category, in the end they made their announcement.
The parade awards win-
ners in the two categories. In the business category, the winning float was from Minard’s Leisure World, and for the organization category, Mainil Farms was named the winner.
The Weyburn Chamber of Commerce extended gratitude to all of the organizations, businesses and community members who entered the parade.
They also thanked the Weyburn Police Service, the City of Weyburn, Don’s Plumbing and Heating, and the judges for their service.
“This year’s parade was a great event, as the community pride of our residents continues to be a driving force celebrating Weyburn’s activities and events,” said Osborn. “It was a lot of fun, and we hope to see you all in next year’s parade.”
Best Business float in parade
Minard’s Leisure World was judged to be the best float by a business in the Parade of Lights, put on by the Weyburn Chamber of Commerce.
Seven St ars Energy Project
Please join us—your feedback is important as it helps guide project development.
6
7 – 8 p.m. Town Hall presentation followed by Q&A We’ll deliver a short presentation, leaving time afterward for your questions
To learn more about the Seven Stars Energy Project scan this QR code or visit enbridge.com/sevenstarsenergy
By Norm Park, Contracted Reporter for SECPSD
There is a lot to see and learn by diving into the South East Cornerstone Public School Division’s annual report.
The opportunity to grab some of the highlights of the recent report was provided on Nov. 20 by Education Director Keith Keating, who presented a summary of highlights from the documents during the school board’s monthly meeting.
Keating’s comprehensive glide through the highlights included such items as key success rates in the classrooms as well as within the administration. The report included incisive knowledge on credit attainment and graduation rates that exceeded provincial benchmarks for general student as well as First Nations and Métis populations.
Keating pointed out the modest, but still significant improvements in student attendance figures compared with the 2021-22 figures that followed the COVID-19 attendance restrictions.
The pace of student progress is followed closely and Keating pointed out, using the benefit of charts and graphs, how Grade 10 students, for example, are generally successful in getting eight credits or more as they transition into the higher levels, and again, this rate of achievement is about 10 per cent ahead of the provincial median.
Another key area to monitor, he explained, was to be found in the Grade 3 literacy testing grounds where increases
in achievements have been noted and recorded in both the general and First Nations/Métis groupings. He noted the improvement level for the general population students in Grade 3 was in the four per cent range while the improvements in the First Nations group were close to 14.5 per cent.
Early years learning projects were credited with easing these numbers upward on a steady scale over the past few years, he noted.
Keating also addressed matters such as student connections and safety in SECPSD schools. Bringing in a culture and a sense of be
longing and positive relationships helped improve those attendance figures he had spoken of earlier, said Keating.
Feeling safe in a school environment, especially in the elementary school years is important and it begins, once again, he suggested, by introducing those senses of comfort and connections in the early years, even before Kindergarten, and he cited several supports that are available before youngsters enter the classic traditional Kindergarten to Grade 12 stream.
Overall progress on school division targets and measures, has been noticed and there has been strategic activity launched to support the province’s recently released Education Plan and Priority Actions.
The overall goal across the province is to improve student outcomes and assess them correctly with student screening methods using
universal data collection methods and intervention implementation when required. The director also spoke of improvements in addressing mental health concerns and health communications around sensitive areas and the use of conflict resolution activity kits. Connecting the teachers, learners and their families is also in the offing at the Kindergarten levels and that includes home visitations and welcoming events, mobile learning, student led conferences at higher grade levels and an annual Youth Wellness Day. All these actions and activities as well as traditional classroom action is monitored by superintendents and co-ordinators with the assistance of the in-school administrators. Inspiring successes in the First Nations and Métis communities also includes such things as elder connections, education liaisons and embracing local traditional protocols, Keating said. Understanding the collaborative response model is a key element in response to the needs of learners, he added. There are professional development services to help educators work on positive response models and that could include the inclusion of community partnerships in various occupations.
Keating concluded his 40-minute dissertation by noting with a smile, “there’s a lot of information in there,” while pointing to the annual report charts displayed on the video screen
of the trustees.
Mainil Farms wins for Best Organization float
Several members of the Dale Mainil family, with children and grandchildren, filled this float to win the prize for best float by an organization in the Parade of Lights last Thursday night in Weyburn.
Photos – Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
&
editorial opinion review weyburn
Don’t forget those in need at Christmas time
With all the bright, colourful lights, Christmas music in the air, fun get-togethers and school concerts, along with all of the community activities going on around this time of year, it can be very easy to forget that Christmas can be a tough time of year for some people.
One of the economic factors that plagued many people throughout this year has been inflation, particularly of grocery prices, but also at the gas pump and in the cost of many household necessities.
These prices have continued into December, and can make it very difficult for those on fixed incomes or raising a young family, with the added pressures of young families wanting to get presents for their children.
This gets tough when a choice has to be made between the rent, paying bills, putting food on the table, or getting prescriptions or paying other medical bills.
Over the course of this year, the Rotary Club found there was a need, and began supplying fresh fruits and vegetables to the Family Place, who then disbursed these to young families.
This need came up as families are caught trying to decide whether to pay bills, put gas in the car or trim expenses in the grocery bill — so this is a real challenge out there, as sometimes the choice is made and kids don’t always get the fresh fruit or veggies in their diet.
As the Christmas festivities occupy our hearts and minds in the coming days and weeks, we should take care not to forget those who are less fortunate and are struggling just to make ends meet.
There are agencies who need our support, such as the aforementioned Family Place, as well as the Salvation Army’s food bank.
There will be many opportunities to share in smaller or bigger ways to help all families be able to have a merry Christmas.
There are food drives underway to help bolster the food bank, plus events like the CPKC Holiday Train, which collects food and donations for the food bank when they roll through.
The Salvation Army has their famous red kettles out in various locations, so be sure to find loose change or an extra bill or two to put in and lend a hand.
Those who are willing and able to volunteer their time are always welcome by most any service organization or agency, not to mention they are always grateful for donations of food items, funds or anything else that might help those in need.
If in doubt at all, remember the admonition that it is more blessed to give than to receive.
— Greg Nikkel
MEET THE STAFF
Publisher/Sales Manager: Andrea Corrigan acorrigan@glaciermedia.ca
News Editor: Greg Nikkel gnikkel@sasktoday.ca
Production Supervisor: Leslie Coulter lcoulter@glaciermedia.ca
One of the great pleasures of the Christmas holidays, which now seem to be the entire month of December, are Christmas movies. There are classic ones that have been around for many years, and every year there are new ones that come up, particularly with the advent of streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime and the many others now out there.
What I find amazing is how well some of the old classics still stand up today as entertaining films to watch amongst the newer, flashier movies and the Hallmark movies that are favourites of some people.
Some of the movies we watched with our kids include one we bought with our first VCR and large Sony flatscreen TV, “It’s a Wonderful Life”, starring Jimmy Stewart among many others.
This happened to be one of Stewart’s first movies after he returned from serving in the Second World War in the air force. He was reportedly changed in some ways, which is not a surprise. One result is, for those who may have seen the movie, he got very emotional as he prayed while in the bar and started crying, which was apparently not in the script.
By Greg Nikkel
gnikkel@sasktoday.ca
In some ways, this is a movie that could be viewed any time of the year as Stewart deals with how special life is, even when facing hard circumstances, and happily he discovers this at Christmas time with his family.
“A Christmas Carol” is another story that comes out of Christmas, and there are more versions of this story than I have space to talk about.
The 1951 version with Alistair Sim holds up as one of the best ever, although Michael Caine did a good version with the Muppets, and George C. Scott did also.
There was a recent animated version with Jim Carrey as Scrooge, but even in animation he can’t help but be way over the top, and there are some strange scenes in that version that simply are not in the story that Mr. Dickens wrote.
The movie “Miracle on 34th Street” has two good versions. The original has Natalie Wood as the little girl who learns that Santa is real, and then there’s an 90s version with Mara Wilson as the precocious little girl. Unlike some remakes I could name, I think both versions are equally worth watching, and are definitely part of the lineup of good Christmas movies to see.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
RM resident has concerns over proposed wind turbines
To the Editor:
My family resides on the east-southeast corner of the proposed wind turbine farm. The closest turbine is just to the west of a very environmentally sensitive quarter-section I own.
This quarter has nature reserve status with a 20-year permanent cover of established grassland, two half-mile parallel wildlife shelterbelts with eight water reservoirs.
The largest of those floods to 25 acres and approximately 300 yards from a turbine. This creates a grave danger to established bird and waterfowl populations.
Ten turbines would be constructed near the five miles my wife travels to work in Weyburn five days a week, including dropping our son at school and home again.
That route would be paramount to a war zone during construction, and an industrial zone and ecologically unfriendly environment thereafter.
Thousands of additional road traffic would take place also, including 650 tonnes of cement per turbine. We wouldn’t want to navigate this scenario, and I wouldn’t want to reside in this environment either. Residence home values would decrease to a fraction of their current value.
Here is a list of the obvious downsides of this proposal: 1. Profound community division; 2. Environmentally unfriendly; 3. High carbon footprint; 4. Public and health safety; 5. Wildlife safety; 6. Indigenous relations, in a reversal of the discrimination suffered as they were forced from these same lands; 7. Loss of esthetics of rural life, including peace of mind; 8. Exodus of home owners; 9. Resale value of homes. These are important words, selected from an article in the Weyburn Review on Nov. 20: 1. Moratorium, with a full halting of the project; 2. Referendum, with a vote of ratepayers to reject the project; and 3. Setbacks: it should be at least 10 miles from a highly populated area. It’s far too quiet, my countrymen. Those land owners and home owners in opposition should purchase and display signs in opposition to Enbridge on your property. It’s a small cost compared to losing the value of your holdings. Also make your voice heard while you can still have an impact – we need to hear from you! Please submit letters to the Weyburn Review, care of Greg Nikkel, by any Monday before 1 p.m. Gary Sidloski, RM of Weyburn
Red Wings tied in Hwy 39 Cup series
An overtime loss to the Estevan Bruins on Saturday night has allowed the Highway 39 rivals to tie up the Highway 39 Cup series at a game apiece so far.
Weyburn lost the road game in Estevan by the score of 4-3. This was their only league game this week, as a scheduled game to host the Humboldt Broncos on Dec. 2 was postponed due to the closure of Crescent Point Place. The new date for the game will be on March 11, 2025.
The City of Weyburn is currently doing tests and repairs after the rinks were closed due to a minor ammonia leak.
In the loss to the Bruins, there was no scoring in the first period, then Jaxson Ruthven got the Red Wings on the board first, assisted by Ethan Dekay and Jerome Maharaj 31 seconds into the second period.
Estevan tied the score, then Liam Fitzgerald gave the lead back to Weyburn,
on assists by Max Chakrabarti and Lucas Schmid. Ruthven added his second goal of the game in the third period, with assists to Dekay and Simon Martin. The Bruins came back with two goals, the tying goal coming with 1:33 left in the game. The winning goal was scored 26 seconds into the first overtime period.
Dazza Mitchell was the goaltender for the full game, making 32 saves on 36 shots on net.
The Red Wings’ next three games are on the road, which is fortunate as the rink remains closed.
They travel for a pair of games versus Battlefords North Stars on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 6 and 7, and then they’ll be in Melville on Tuesday, Dec. 10.
The next home game is slated for Dec. 13, when Kindersley is to come to town, but it’s unknown if the rinks will be back operating by then.
Gold Wings drop pair in Swift Current
The Weyburn U18 Gold Wings suffered a pair of losses to the Swift Current Wildcats over the weekend, with the games played in Radville due Weyburn’s rink closure.
They were doubled 4-2 on Saturday night, and then lost 4-0 on Sunday. In Saturday’s game, Weyburn’s first goal was scored by Peyton Halayka from Julia Durr in the second period. The second was scored by Halayka on an assist by Liv Peck in the third period, briefly tying the game. Swift Current scored then, and sealed the game with an empty-net goal
with three seconds on the clock.
Amy Swayze was the goaltender for the full game, making 29 saves on 32 shots on net.
In the second game, Tila Boyd was the goalie for the game, and made 36 saves on 40 shots on net.
The girls will be on the road this weekend, as they travel to Saskatoon for a pair of league games on Dec. 7 and 8.
They are scheduled to host Regina on Dec. 11, but it is unknown if Crescent Point Place will be reopened by that point.
Weyburn’s ice rinks are closed currently due to a minor ammonia leak.
the U13 girls team.
Weyburn curler on Saskatchewan team at senior nationals
Weyburn curler Danette Tracey is part of Saskatchewan’s women’s representative at the 2024 Everest Canadian Senior Curling Championships in Moncton, N.B, which runs from Dec. 2-7. She plays second on Team Streifel Nutana Curling Club, which includes skip Tracy Streifel, third Candace Newkirk, and lead Julie Vandenameele.
Team Streifel won their first game, which was against Team Newfound -
land-Labrador, by the score of 7-4.
The second game was a 9-4 victory over Team Quebec on Monday, and they then had their first loss on Monday evening, as they were edged out 6-5 by Team New Brunswick.
The men’s provincial champions, Team Bryden of the Callie Curling Club, is also at the national championship, and is comprised of skip Randy Bryden, third Troy Robinson, second Russ Bryden and lead Chris Semenchuk.
Battling the Bruins in Estevan Red Wings players Blake Betson and Josh Karman watched a play unfold along with two Bruins players, during their SJHL game in Estevan on Saturday night.The Wings took an overtime loss, as Estevan is now tied 1-1 in the Highway 39 Cup series. The Red Wings will be on the road for their next three games.
Photo – David Willberg, Estevan Mercury
Team Sask taking part in nationals Team Streifel, including Weyburn curler Danette Tracey, gather as they arrived for the 2024 Everest Canadian Senior Curling Championships in Moncton, N.B, which runs from Dec. 2-7. At the end of play on Monday, the team had a 2-1 record to start the nationals. The team includes lead Julie Vandenameele, third Candace Newkirk, second Danette Tracey, and skip Tracy Streifel.
Photo – courtesy Calli Benko
Leading the charge
A Team Pink player led the charge up the field with the ball, in a fun game held for U8 players on Saturday afternoon at the Credit Union Spark Centre. The young players were coached by older soccer players from
Photo – Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
Concert Series performers excel
Several Weyburn area groups receive charitable gaming grants
Lotteries and Gaming Saskatchewan (LGS) provided $2.8 million in charitable gaming grants in the second quarter of 202425, benefiting more than 1,400 groups and organizations across the province, including several in the Weyburn region.
“Our government is committed to ensuring that communities across Saskatchewan share in the benefits from gaming,” said Minister Responsible for LGS Jeremy Harrison. Grants were paid to charitable groups and organizations in Weyburn and in several communities in the surrounding area.
In Weyburn, the groups included Color My World Child Care Inc., which receives $806.58; Legacy Park’s school community council, $1,792.23; Little Discoveries Early Learning Co-op, $5,899.68; Sunrise Early Learn and Teen Parent Support Centre, $4,026.31; U13 AA Youngfellows Wings, $409.50; U15 A Weyburn Creekside Gold Wings,$473.38, and the U15 A Weyburn Dodge Wings, $226.25.
Other groups include the Weyburn Lacrosse Association, which received $2,544.83; Weyburn Oilwomen As -
sociation, $2,075.54; Weyburn Razorbacks Junior Lacrosse, $42.88; Weyburn Soccer Association, $180; Weyburn branch of the Royal Canadian Legion, $5,448.36; and the Weyburn and District Hospital Foundation, $3,110.50.
The Weyburn groups also included The Family Place, $3,891.88; Weyburn AAA U18 Gold Wings, $815.22; Weyburn Gymnastics Club, $4,218.68; Weyburn Senior Beavers Baseball Club, $209.80; and Weyburn Wheatland Seniors Centre, $1,180.36.
In Ceylon, the U13AA Weyburn Beavers received $625; the Ceylon Gap Swim Committee received $233.75; and the U11 Weyburn Wild received $500.
In Creelman, the Creelman Community Complex received $371.25, and in Fillmore, the Fillmore Public Library received $294.50; the Prairie Memories Museum received $25.63; and the Fillmore Rec Centre received $187.50.
The Gladmar Rec Board received $350, and in Khedive, the Khedive Heritage Recreation Club received $535. Two groups in Midale received funds, including the MORE 2000 Organization, $456.25, and the Souris Valley An-
tique Association, $88.75. In Osage, the St. Michaels’ Ukrainian Orthodox Church received $152.50, and in Stoughton, the Tecumseh branch of the Royal Canadian Legion received $1,723.38, and the Stoughton Lions Club received $480. Five groups received funds in Radville, including the Radville Laurier Regional Park Authority, $329.50; the Radville Marian Health Care Auxiliary, $800; Radville Minor Ball, $204.75; Radville Minor Hockey Association, $1,832; and the Radville Public Library, $200. These quarterly grants are paid to groups and organizations in good standing that conduct licensed charitable gaming activities such as bingos, raffles, break-open ticket sales, Texas hold ‘em poker tournaments and Monte Carlo events. The grants are equal to 25 per cent of the net revenue raised by each charitable event, up to a maximum of $100,000 per group or organization annually. The amount of each grant paid by LGS to each charity is calculated by the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA) based on financial reports and other information submitted by the group or organization.
Flooding for Crokicurl ice
Pianist Godwin Friesen and cellist David Liam Roberts performed a variety of classical works on the Cugnet Centre stage, as part of the Weyburn Concert Series last Wednesday evening. Prior to the concert, the Weyburn Comp’s RISE Choir performed.
Photo – Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
of the city’s ice rinks.
Photo – Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
community lifestyles 9 &
Duplicate Bridge Club to resume bridge lessons in January
The Weyburn Duplicate Bridge Club plays bridge at the Wheatland Seniors Centre on Monday evenings at 7 p.m. and on Thursday afternoons at 1 p.m. All bridge players are welcome to come and play.
Bridge lessons will resume in January at the Wheatland Seniors Centre on Fridays from 1-3 p.m.
The Duplicate Bridge Club Christmas dinner will be held on Monday, Dec. 9 at 5 p.m. and duplicate bridge will be played following the meal.
In regular play on Nov. 4 with three and a half tables playing, Warren Betker and Jim Kaz took top honours; Gord Bell and Marg Stewart placed second; and Erskine and Mildred Sandiford were third.
Three tables played on Nov. 7 and Marg Stewart and Diane Bell finished in first place, edging out Erskine Sandiford and Theresa Istace who placed second.
On November 11 there were two tables that played and in a close game, Denis Tremblay and Rick Wanner took first, followed closely by Barry Mactaggart and Marg Stewart in second.
Three and a half tables played on Nov. 14 and the leaders were Marg Stewart and Gord Bell in
first place, followed by a three-way tie for second between the pairs of Bev Johnston and Jeanne Molnar, Denis Tremblay and Lucie Nickel, and Boyd Stewart and Diane Bell.
On November 18 with four tables, Barry Mactaggart and Diane Bell had a strong game playing at 73.8 per cent to claim first place, Warren Betker and Jim Kaz came second, and Gord Bell and Marg Stewart were third.
Four tables played on Nov. 21 and first place went to Barry Mactaggart and Lucie Nickel, second place went to Gord Bell and Boyd Stewart, and third place went to Jerry Ponto and Millie Nimegeers.
On November 25 with three tables playing, Gord Bell and Barry Mactaggart were first place finishers, Marg Stewart and Diane Bell came second, and Erskine Sandiford and Denis Tremblay were third.
The last game of the month was played on Nov. 28 with three and a half tables. First place went to Warren Betker and Jim Kaz, followed closely with a tie for second place between the pairs of Gord Bell and Barry Mactaggart, and Garnet Hart and Boyd Stewart.
for
SGI provides alternatives for customers with mailing addresses to minimize interruptions
SGI is asking customers with P.O. box mailing addresses to provide alternative contact information to minimize service interruptions during the Canada Post strike. While high-priority mail is being sent via courier to reduce disruptions, couriers cannot deliver to
If your mailing address is a P.O. box and you’re concerned about missing important documents, please contact your mo
tor licence issuer or our Customer Service Centre at 1-844-TLK-2SGI (1844-855-2744) to provide alternative contact details.
We also encourage customers to visit their issuer or use MySGI to update their contact information and select email as their preferred communication method. Despite these measures, some delays may still occur during the postal service disruption. You can always check with your motor licence issuer or our Customer Service Centre to see when your driver’s licence or vehicle registration expires. Please renew your vehicle registration and driver’s licence before expiry to ensure your insurance coverage remains active.
Here’s how you can manage your SGI needs during mail disruptions:
In-Person Services: Visit your local motor licence issuing office to complete transactions and make payments.
MySGI: Access policy documents, track claims, renew vehicle registrations, make payments, update your email address and choose email as your preferred communication method. Visit MySGI.ca to get started. Customer Service Centre: Call 1-844-TLK-2SGI (1-844-855-2744) for assistance or inquiries.
Family poses with sensory-friendly Santa
Four siblings gathered
a family photo with Santa Claus, during Inclusion Weyburn’s annual “sensory friendly Santa photos” held on Saturday at Zion Lutheran Church. From left are Lily, Josh, Tjay and Starr. The group booked times through the morning, and opened the opportunity up in the afternoon on a drop-in basis.
Photo – Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
Christmas craft sale held at Knox Hall Knox Hall was filled with vendors for the Christmas craft and
Photo – Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
10 Festival of Carols
Spirit Singers try to escape ‘killer fruitcake’ Members of the Spirit Singers enact driving to try and escape their grandmother’s “killer fruitcake”, as they sang at the
Find more Carol Festival photos on our website at SaskToday.ca
Sharing Christmas songs from India
Singing of ‘A Light of Hope’
The youngest members of the “Prairie Tunes” group helped sing two songs in the Malayalam language, along with carols in English, at the Carol Festival on Sunday night. They are from the Malayalami community in Weyburn, originally from the state of Kerala in southern India.
Playing ‘Kris Kringle’s Kazoos’
The Spirit of Grace singers sang and played during the song, “Kris Kringle’s Kazoos”, as part of the Carol Festival on Sunday afternoon.
Photo – Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
Singing of the very first Christmas
The Small Voices of Grace singers clapped and sang “On That Very First Christmas” as they took part in the Carol Festival on Sunday afternoon.
Adding an African beat
Members of the St. Vincent de Paul Youth Choir played bongo drums to accompany the choir in singing “African Noel” at the Carol Festival.
Carol Festival on Sunday evening.
The Weyburn Comp’s Senior Choir sang “A Light of Hope, A Song of Peace” as part of the Carol Festival on Sunday night, extending candles to illustrate their song. At the end of the evening, they joined Rotary members for Silent Night at the front of the church.
