Mayor Jeff Richards, left, and the newest constable for the Weyburn Police Service, Brandon Brown, were congratulated by Deputy Chief Shane St. John, following a swearing-in ceremony at City Hall. The mayor was sworn in as the newest member of the Weyburn Police Commission board.
By Norm Park, Contracted Reporter for SECPSD
Marilyn Yurkiw, the manager of finance and payroll for the South East Cornerstone Public School Division, provided a quarterly report to the division’s board members on Dec. 18, during their public meeting.
Yurkiw focused most of her remarks on the variances found in the financial records moving forward in the period from Sept. 1 to Nov. 30.
She spoke about conditions within the revenue and expense side of the ledger that explained the variances within the school division that carries a current revenue expectation of approximately $125.6 million, which is about $672,000 under budget with expenditures currently listed at just over $122 million.
As noted in earlier reports, the cost of instruction (i.e. teachers teaching
students) continues as the main factor on the expense side with 65 per cent of the budget being taken up by this sector.
Plant operations and transportation are also significant factors within the budget.
Grants are a major source of revenue and mostly involve the money received from the provincial government that gains the income from the provincial tax base.
The provincial grant is based on enrolment and the changes in SECPSD this academic year, and that led to a decrease in the budget of just over $851,000, she reported.
Tuition fees received, however, showed an increase of slightly more than $166,000 and other related fees to the division are also over the expected budget by $13,000. This revenue reflects fees associated with a partnership agreement to
provide professional services to Pheasant Rump First Nation, she said.
Tuition fees paid to other school systems, however, as well as for students under the age of 22 attending the Basic Education Program at Southeast College, come in at just under $34,000.
There are also schoolgenerated funds and funds received from other agencies for complementary services, such as pre-Kindergarten and early learning programs as well as First Nations programs.
External services also tweak the revenue side on the upward scale on occasion, as will such things as user fees, reimbursements, interest and royalties received on a regular basis throughout the year.
The overall picture to date indicates there are no major alarm bells to be heard within the financial and corporate structure of the public school division.
The Saskatchewan Police College (SKPC) welcomed 40 new recruits who are taking their first step toward a career in policing, including the newest recruit for the Weyburn Police Service, Brandon Brown.
He was sworn in to the WPS in a ceremony on Thursday morning, along with Mayor Jeff Richards, sworn in to the Weyburn Police Commission board.
Brown has lived and worked in Weyburn for the last four years, loves the community and wanted to give back, as he felt policing was the right fit for him.
He began Police College on Monday, and the training will go for the next 21 weeks.
“We are very excited to have someone of his character and quality joining our service, and cannot wait until he is here working the street fulltime,” said deputy chief Shane St. John of the WPS.
For 50 years, the SKPC has been the official institute for the provision and co-ordination of training and education for municipal and First Nations police
officers in Saskatchewan.
This group of recruits represents the 90th class trained at the SKPC since its inception in 1974.
Training at the SKPC, located at the University of Regina, is delivered by experienced police officers, legal experts and staff with backgrounds in education and instructional design.
Training for new recruits includes (but is not limited to): communication, de-escalation, use of force techniques, comprehensive legal studies, cultural and diversity awareness and officer wellness and mental health.
The program is designed to help recruits develop the knowledge, skills and abilities required to excel as police officers.
“Congratulations to the new recruits starting their career at the Saskatchewan Police College, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2024,” Corrections, Policing and Public Safety Minister Tim McLeod said.
“The College has shaped generations of police officers and prepared more than 2,100 officers for frontline policing pos -
itions since 1974. We thank the Police College staff, management and recruits for their commitments each year to the safety and security of our province.”
The SKPC continues to evolve to support the ever-changing needs of recruits, policing services and communities. Initially, training for new recruits was delivered over 16 weeks, but it is now delivered over 21 weeks to cover a wider range of topics to better serve citizens in Saskatchewan.
The SKPC also offers ongoing training to both sworn and civilian municipal police service personnel to ensure they remain up-to-date on the latest advancements and best practices in law enforcement.
“As policing needs change, so does the training we provide to our recruits,” Saskatchewan Police Commission Executive Director Brent Penner says. “The curriculum undergoes a thorough review process following each training class to ensure it remains relevant, effective and aligned with the needs of our communities.”
The Tiny Tots dance was led in the fun song, “YMCA”, on Thursday afternoon at St. Michael School’s gym. This was one of three fundraising dances held that day for three Weyburn soccer players who will be on their way to Madrid, Spain in the spring. The three players are in the middle of this dancing line, and include Ranson Jordens, Ethan Thiedig and Lexington Roy.
Playing a fun version of ‘Tag’
Assistant instructor Whitney Lanz-McIntyre, at left, showed a group of children how the game “Tag” was to be played using pool noodles. The wrinkle in the game was that everybody was considered “it”. This was part of a day camp held during the ChristmasNew Year’s break from school, on Dec. 27.
Envision Counselling and Support Centre looked back on “a remarkable year of growth” with their yearend message to supporters.
The organization, with four offices in the southeast, introduced a new vision and mission statement, and they celebrated their 30th anniversary with a series of open houses.
The open houses were held in Weyburn, Estevan and Carlyle as a part of Victims and Survivors of Crime Week, and were dedicated to honouring those who have been impacted by crime, and raising awareness of the support services that are available to them through agencies like Envision.
The team grew and developed significantly in 2024, enhancing their capability to serve the community, with continuous training, professional development and strategic new hires.
The counsellors and support staff have been equipped with the necessary skills and resources to meet the evolving needs in the service region.
The new vision statement for Envision is for “Supported, empowered and connected individuals throughout all communities in southeast Saskatchewan.”
The mission of Envision is “To provide inclusive supports that nurture healing, resilience and positive change.”
Envision has also been building partnerships and enhancing collaboration with local organizations and First Nations.
“None of the work we do would be possible without the incredible support of our donors and community partners. Your support enables us to provide free, accessible services to those who need them most,” said Envision in a statement.
With 367,707 calls for service, Saskatchewan RCMP’s Divisional Operational Communications Centre (DOCC) had another busy year in 2024, taking calls ranging from 911 misdials and false alarms to serious incidents regarding matters of public safety.
“Our annual list is fun, but it’s important to realize that DOCC officers play a really important role during emergencies. We are
the first voice someone hears when they reach out for help from police. We are there until emergency services arrive to help them. We dispatch police officers to calls and provide them assistance during them,” said Lee Rosin, Recruiter and Training Facilitator for DOCC. “It’s important that these lines remain open for those who reach out for help through 911 or 310-RCMP.”
Here are the top 10 calls
that “missed the mark” in 2024:
10. Who are you? A concerned individual called 911 to advise that they didn’t recognize someone on their social media friend list.
9. Spick and span: A frustrated individual called to complain that their parents were forcing them to clean their room.
8. Stop stressing meowt: A caller advised that a fox was wandering the neighbourhood and scaring a local cat.
7. To bee or not to bee:
911 dispatchers received a call from a person saying that they had a problem with bees in their home.
6. Tech support: A concerned individual called 911 to ask for help unlocking their cell phone.
5. Litter bug: An individual called 911 to report that someone had thrown their ice cream on the ground.
4. Cut the cat-itude: A caller advised that their cat was being mean to them and they were hoping an officer would come and help with the situation.
3. Loads of fun: 911 dispatchers received a call from a person who was having trouble with their washing machine.
2. I’m counting on you: An individual called 911 asking for help on a math equation as they didn’t want to fail their test in the morning.
1. Party’s over: 911 dispatchers received a call from an individual saying that their tambourine was taken from a party they attended.
Please remember: whether you’re frustrated with your washing machine, trying to unlock your phone or suspicious of a fox – calling 911 must be reserved for emergencies and crimes in progress. Saskatchewan RCMP would like to remind the public that there are ramifications for those who misuse 911. Not only is there a chance of preventing someone with a life-threatening emergency from getting help, there is also a summary offence charge under the Emergency 911 Systems Act with fines up to $2,000.
Wooden toys part of People’s Choice
Regan Lanning placed this group of wooden toys as one of the 23 entries to the James Weir People’s Choice exhibit on Monday at the Weyburn Art Gallery. Voting for the top three choices of viewers of the exhibition is open from now until March 14.
5
hosts Christmas sixes tournament 6-10 Year in ReviewJuly to December
12 WEYBEX awards to be launched Monday
Sabrina Kraft skraft@glaciermedia.ca
The one thing about life is that change is constant, and that it can be difficult to create a plan when you do not know what is on the horizon. Change can be a scary thing for many people to accept in their lives. There are times when you are prepared for the change and can slowly adjust yourself for it, and others that are sudden and life-altering.
We all take time to adjust in January, after a new year is celebrated, as any business might be aware of the time it takes to adjust to changing to the new year in their paperwork. We also take time to reflect, looking back at the big moments that have passed, and how they have impacted the world around us.
As someone who keeps organized, with my little schedule book located close to my computer at work, I always appreciate it when I have the chance to prepare for a change. After all, having a plan does help me feel like I have a sense of control.
There are still situations beyond my control, as life is full of obstacles and challenges, and those are moments when I need to adapt quickly. Humans have proven adaptable to change throughout history, as we continue to have to adapt and evolve to the ever-changing world around us.
One might feel a sense of chaos and stress when they find themselves in one of those situations where there is no control, but just like we all learn when driving a car - you just need to slow down and try to remain calm to stay in control, as much as you can.
It is important to not to focus too much on the negative emotions or stress that might occur during a sudden change. Things may eventually get better once the dust settles on whatever your change is and you get used to it.
Try your best to settle your mind, so that you can make the short-term decisions that might be vital in the moment, and let yourself take time to settle before moving forward with making any long-term decisions or plans. Remember to rely on your support systems if you need help with the urgent items, especially if you feel too emotional to make wise decisions in the moment.
It is also important to note that while you might not be in control of the change, you can help control your reaction. In the business world, it is vital to stay polite and professional. Take time to process your emotions and find a way to address any concerns you might have, while still maintaining a good work ethic.
I know that when big change happens to me, I suffer from shell shock, and will repeat the event or incident in my mind. Sometimes reacting to change means you have to go through the same stages as grief, and work through denial and anger before you get to the acceptance stage. Find ways to shake off the shock to find healthy ways to move forward.
Also remember that life is all about perspective. One man may see a change as a crisis and another view that same change as an opportunity. There might have been changes in your past that when you look back on them now, you see how you had overcome that obstacle and grown stronger because of it.
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Take time to focus on the bigger picture, and keep a clear perspective of what might impact your family and social life. A moment that may seem to be overwhelming and daunting may not as big an issue, especially with other struggles you have faced.
Life is not going to be an easy path for anyone, so try not to compare your situation to another person. One of the dangers of social media is that some influencers and famous people seem to have the ‘perfect life’, but in reality everyone has their own problems that they are facing in private.
Patience is the best way to help cultivate behaviours to help you cope with change. It is important to take time to adapt, instead of rushing the results or acting impulsively. Let things unfold and let go of the outcome, especially when there are external factors that influence what happened.
Stay practical, persistent, and positive. Change may come rapidly but often takes a considerable amount of time to accomplish. It is also important to keep an open mind, be flexible, and entertain various possibilities. Take heart in the old adage ‘when one doors closes, another opens’, as you look for opportunities that might come into your life. When you have a moment to reflect back on how you handled the change, you might see some strengths and resilience. Take note of the methods you used to stay strong, and keep them close in your heart - because change will come again, and often in our life times. Remember to stay positive and adaptable, to take steps to improve yourself when you can.
By Stan Popovich
No matter how hard you’ve studied, you may still find yourself feeling anxious about an upcoming exam.
While some amount of test anxiety is normal for most students, exam anxiety can have long-term negative effects on some students’ daily lives. As a result, here are some ways on how to help manage the stresses of taking tests.
1. Know the signs and symptoms of exam anxiety: While anxiety is a natural psychological response to potential threats, it can take extreme forms for those with anxiety disorders. You may have exam anxiety if you experience the following symptoms before an exam:
• Feelings of dread, worry, or fear;
• Headaches, stomach aches, nausea, and other physical symptoms of stress;
• Inability to focus or concentrate on coursework;
• Feelings of hopelessness, self-doubt, depression, or anger.
Note that it’s normal to feel these symptoms at many points throughout your life and during your studies. However, they could indicate an anxiety disorder if they continue
to have a negative effect on your academic performance and daily life.
2. Understand that exam anxiety is normal: According to sources compiled by Affordable Colleges Online, it’s estimated that 18 per cent of college students experience moderately high exam anxiety, while a further 16 per cent of college students experience high exam anxiety.
Anxiety has come to replace depression as the most common mental disorder among college students, with one in five surveyed college students reporting that they have experienced severe anxiety.
3. Establish a consistent pre-test routine: A pre-test routine can help maintain consistency between exams and eliminate some of the uncertainty causing your anxiety. Try adopting some of the following routines before your next exam:
• Get plenty of sleep. It’s widely known that a good night’s rest helps increase learning capacity and concentration;
• Try relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, and gentle stretching;
• Eat and drink something before an exam. An empty stomach can worsen anxiety.
Lacrosse players from across Saskatchewan converged on Weyburn’s Credit Union Spark Centre on Dec. 29, for a day-long Christmas Sixes Lacrosse tournament, brought by the Saskatchewan Lacrosse Association.
The tourney was to show up-and-coming lacrosse players the style to be used in the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, where lacrosse will be an Olympic
sport for the first time.
The style to be used is Sixes, a form of field lacrosse where there are five players and a goalie on a team, on a shortened field.
As this was a demonstration event where
lacrosse players from various age levels came to try it out, the players from around the province, including a number from Weyburn, were mixed together on U11, U13, U15 and U17 teams to
A group of children watched as a coach demonstrated a drill he wanted them to try, during a clinic hosted by Weyburn Minor Football on Dec. 28 at the Credit Union Spark Centre. They invited anyone who was interested to come out and try some exercises and drills that minor football teams would go through in training.
play each other throughout the day.
Games alternated with three U11 and U13 teams playing each other and three U15 and U17 playing each other.
Meantime, the Weyburn Lacrosse Association will hold three “Try Lax” nights, starting with Saturday, Jan. 18.
If you can’t attend in January, there will be an additional day in February and last day in March.
There will be three time slots, with the first for kids aged three to 10,
from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Girls of any age can come from 7:30 to 8:15 p.m., and athletes aged 11 to 17 will have a session from 8:15 to 9 p.m. at Weyburn’s Credit Union Spark Centre. The sessions are free of charge, just bring clean runners, a helmet with cage, and hockey or lacrosse gloves.
Members of the Weyburn Lacrosse Association will be attending for any questions about the sport or the 2025 Box and Field seasons.
The Weyburn U18 Gold Wings were shut out 3-0 in their first game after the Christmas-New Year’s holiday break, as they hosted the Regina Rebels on Tuesday evening at Crescent Point Place. There was no scoring in the first period, then the Rebels scored twice in the middle frame before rounding out the scoring
with a power-play goal in the third period. Amy Swayze was in goal for the full game, and she made 40 saves on 43 shots on net. Coming up in league action, the Gold Wings will host back-to-back games with the Battlefords Sharks on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 11-12, both games will be held at 2 p.m. at Crescent Point Place.
The community of Radville has suffered the loss of a major historic structure, the Long Creek Saloon on Main Street in a fire on Sunday night.
Fire crews were called to the scene around 12:30 a.m. on Sunday, and worked through the night but were not able to save the bar or the restaurant next door.
The lone occupant of the building, who lived and worked at the saloon, was able to escape unharmed, but he lost everything in the fire.
The Radville Fire Department was assisted by the Ceylon fire department, along with a number
of water trucks that were brought to to the scene.
In 2022 fire destroyed the town hall – they only recently rebuilt that structure and officially opened it – now an iconic bar and restaurant in the community are gone.
A gofundme page has been set up for Aryan Sharma, as well as a trust fund at Radville’s Radius Credit Union, to help him out. Donations can also be sent to christasaffery@gmail.com.
It served as one of the longest running establishments in the area.
Radville fire fighters worked overnight Sunday into Monday morning, as a fire destroyed the Long Creek Saloon on Main Street. The lone occupant was able to escape without injury, and the cause of the fire is not yet known.
Photo – courtesy Paul Saffery
By Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
The councils for the RMs of Griffin and Weyburn both had large crowds of ratepayers and citizens in attendance on Tuesday and Wednesday, voicing their opposition to Enbridge’s proposed wind turbines.
The RM of Griffin met Tuesday evening in the Griffin Rec Centre, to accommodate the large number of residents who spoke or asked questions about the turbines.
This followed a statement by the council saying they will be seeking
a setback of at least 1500 metres from a turbine to a residence.
Reeve Stacey Lund noted that Enbridge wanted to have a meeting with the Griffin council, but they put off that meeting until after they heard from the ratepayers at the council meeting.
He said their position is that if this project goes ahead, they do not want it to cost the ratepayers anything, such as for road building, and noted the setback will have to be negotiated with Enbridge in conjunction with the RM of Weyburn.
In some parts of the RM where turbines are proposed to go, there are no good roads to accommodate the construction crews, and Enbridge will have to build a lot of roads to make it happen, he said.
“It’s disappointing the province doesn’t have more guidelines in place,” he said, noting the turbines seem to be getting bigger all the time. The RM heard from Enbridge in June and met them on July 9, but “none of us know much about it. … There will be lots more discussion on this for sure.”
The RM of Weyburn will be sending their zoning bylaw to SARM to help them word it before it comes back for a first reading, then a public hearing will be held.
At the Wednesday morning council meeting, they allowed three delegations to speak and present their views, but they were not allowed to ask the council questions, as this would occur at a public hearing.
No time line was given by Weyburn on when the amended bylaw will be introduced, as Reeve Norm McFadden noted it’s a process that will take months.
For these presentations, Coun. Dan Cugnet declared a conflict and left the room, as he is a landowner who has agreed to have wind turbines on his property.
Reeve McFadden acknowledged that they are in a tough situation as councillors, but he commented they will have to be fair to everybody, both those who oppose it and those who are for it, “even to Enbridge.”
The residents in the room disagreed with this last comment, noting the council works for the ratepayers, not for Enbridge.
“The fact you want to
be fair to Enbridge and not protect your ratepayers worries me,” said one resident.
The residents were told once the bylaw is scheduled for first reading, the public hearing will be advertised for two weeks and held. If there are any amendments to be made to the bylaw as a result of that, another public hearing would be needed before it’s given second and third reading, a process that could take months to complete, said the reeve.
Published August 15, 2024
RM of Griffin hears residents concerns
The RM of Griffin council heard the concerns and comments of RM residents about the proposed wind turbines by Enbridge, as they held their meeting at the Griffin Rec Centre to allow for a bigger crowd. The RM of Weyburn also held a council meeting, and allowed some delegations to make presentations to them about the proposed project.
CUPE 5430 President Bashir Jalloh addressed the over 200 union members at an information rally held at the Weyburn General Hospital on Tuesday. The union was in Weyburn to hold a two-day annual meeting, and held the rally in protest over the state of health care in Saskatchewan.
By Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
Over 200 health care workers from across Saskatchewan marched on the Weyburn General Hospital on Tuesday morning and held an information rally, demanding a fair deal from the provincial government and their employers.
The members of CUPE Local 5430 were in Weyburn for their annual meeting at McKenna Hall, and took time to march over to the hospital to hold the public rally to voice their grievances with the state of the health care system in the province.
CUPE President Bashir Jalloh addressed the rally, noting the union has been without a collective agreement for 17 months now. He said they will be meeting for talks on Sept. 18, and then not again until November as they take October off for the provincial election.
“It’s been going on for far too long. We can’t cope with the cost of living in this province. We have
chronic short-staffing that is putting significant pressure on our workers, who are being run off their feet,” said Jalloh.
The government and the Saskatchewan Health Authority have misplaced priorities, he said, noting they are busy spending resources to recruit health care workers from outside of Canada, but are not making any effort at retention of those workers.
“The other problem with this government is they are spending millions of dollars building facilities. We all want good facilities, but before you build those facilities, you should have a plan for how you’re going to staff them,” said Jalloh.
He pointed out a new facility in Regina that was supposed to be open and running 24/7, but is operating at half capacity because they don’t have the staff.
In addition, contracting out and privatizing health care is creating low morale, as these workers are
Published September 12, 2024
By Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
The parent board and some of the children of the Color My World day care gathered for a ceremonial ground-breaking on Tuesday, as they officially kicked off the start of a ma-
jor expansion which has been in the works for over a year now.
The day care currently has 50 spaces for children, and will be adding another 90 spaces once the expansion is complete, with 9,400 square feet of space, with
classroom settings and a small gym as part of the new building. The current facility has about 3,400 square feet of space.
The day care currently has around 180 people on their wait list, so the new spaces will be filled up very
quickly, said Jen Symes, executive director of Color My World. The project is estimated to be completed by the fall of 2025, with DSI Construction as the main contractors.
There are currently 17 staff at the day care, and
another 30 staff will need to be hired when the newlyexpanded facility is ready to open. The 90 new spaces will be for children aged six weeks up to four years, while the other 50 spaces will be made available for those aged four to 12 for after-school care.
Government grant funding and financing will pay for the construction costs, and Color My World is looking for sponsorships for the new play equipment and supplies that will be needed in the larger facility.
The board of Color My World Child Care, along with some of the children who attend, gathered for a ground-breaking ceremony, to officially start the construction on Phase Two of their facility. The new construction will add 90 new spaces for children, and about 30 new staff will be hired for the expanded day care, set to be complete by the fall of 2025.
Members of the Weyburn Communithon committee accepted the “Spirit of Inclusion” award from Inclusion Weyburn. From left are Dallen Hodgkin, Lynda Rideout, Jayda Messer and Kim Neithercut of Inclusion Weyburn, Tasha Collins and Korryn Kubashek. In the back are Darren Abel, Helen Crocombe, Lindsay Manko-Bauche, Lindsee Michel and Shannon Fodchuk.
The board of directors of the Weyburn Theatre Co-operative provided an update to the community on the progress of the movie theatre project.
They have been working diligently with their design and construction team and engineered drawings are nearing completion. Once engineered plans are complete, the construction team will be seeking bids from sub-trades to finalize costs.
“What we do know is that construction costs are going to be meaningfully higher than what we originally estimated nearly three years ago,” said Sean Purdue, treasurer of the board.
“While we don’t have the updated figures, we are anticipating that we will need to raise an additional $1 million before this project can be completed.”
The group is considering moving ahead with getting
the foundation of the building in place this fall, but there are a few things to be worked out before that decision is finalized. If they proceed with the foundation work, which includes a significant number of concrete piles, they want the public to know there is a good chance they will have to pause after this stage is complete until funds are in place to proceed with the rest of the project.
“It is not lost on us that the
longer we wait, the more this project is going to cost,” said Ryan Janke, president of the board. “That’s why we are planning to begin the foundation work, while continuing our fundraising efforts.”
While they are still seeking some major sponsors and continue selling seat and walk of fame sponsorships, the Co-operative would like the public to know there is no donation too small.
“If all 12,000 residents
in Weyburn contributed $5/ month for the next year, we would raise more than $700,000,” said Purdue. “We would love to be watching movies by the end of next year but for that to happen, we are really hoping the public will rally behind this project.”
Those wishing to donate can e-Transfer weyburntheatre@gmail.com or contact the group at that address. PayPal payments are also
an option by visiting www. weyburntheatre.com and clicking on the ‘donate now’ button.
WTCSC has engaged industry experts to plan and design a state-of-the-art two screen cinema. Once fundraising goals have been met, construction will begin on the site of the former Soo Theatre.
October 3, 2024
The 25th anniversary of the Festival of Trees is returning to an in-person auction for the decorated Christmas trees, in support of the Family Place’s Early Years Family Resource Centre, along with a silent auction and raffles.
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The set up of the trees took place on Monday and Tuesday, and the viewing of the decorated trees and silent auction items opened on Nov. 20, at the Great Plains Ford auction building, located at 285 First Ave. SW.
A special feature for families will be a visit by Santa Claus on Nov. 25 from 4-6 p.m., and children can sit on Santa’s knee with parents taking their own photos. Those interested in bidding for the silent auction items can go to the tree auction’s Facebook page from Nov. 20-25. November 26 is also when pickup of the silent auction items will be held. The evening for the tree auction, on Wednesday, Nov. 27, will be a ticketed event,. A charcuterie board will be served to the tables at intermission, and a cash bar will be available.
Tannis and Derek
Viewing of the trees will be open from Nov. 2023, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. The viewing will be closed on Nov. 24, and opens again on Monday, Nov. 25 from 1-7 p.m., and on Tuesday, Nov. 26 from
By Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
A longtime former volunteer and advocate for low-income and seniors in Weyburn, Fred Sandeski, along with wife Teresa, reached out for help to the opposition and to government after finding themselves in a dire situation.
Fred had been placed in respite care at the Weyburn Special Care Home for a month, as Teresa prepared to undergo surgery for kidney stones. Once the month was up, he was then required to pay to stay in care, which the Sandeskis could not afford as they are both on a fixed income.
The cost for him to stay would be about $1,380 per month, or $50 a day. Fred is on a pension, and Teresa is on Old Age Security. She had been able to work for a while at the Wal-Mart to supplement their income, but she is no longer able to work.
Subsequently, Fred tried to reach the government, first attempting to call Dustin Duncan,
but finding his number no longer in service, he tried to find a contact for newly-elected MLA Mike Weger, but was not able to reach him at first.
When contacted by email, Weger noted he is in the midst of having his phone and email set up for his constituency office, and he then reached out to the Sandeskis.
Meantime, the couple were visited by MLA Keith Jorgenson, who is the NDP’s shadow minister for Seniors, and they explained their situation to him.
Teresa is due to leave Friday for her surgery, leaving Fred alone. Due to Fred’s health issues, including COPD and blindness, he requires 24-hour care, which was why he was originally placed in respite care.
“It’s a shocking situation,” said Jorgenson, as he met the couple in their apartment on Tuesday. “These are people who’ve worked hard all of their life, and who has been an advocate for people in Weyburn for
many years.”
He noted he is sending a letter to the Health Minister, and planned to bring this issue up in Question Period in the Legislature on Wednesday to let people know of their plight.
When told he would have to pay $45 or $50 a day for continued care, Fred said, “We just didn’t have that kind of money. That’s as simple as it gets.”
While he was in respite care, Fred said the care he received was excellent, and added, “I understand where they’re coming from. It’s just really sad when the almighty dollar gets in the way.”
MLA Weger was able to reach Fred and Teresa later on Tuesday, and said, “I was able to talk to Fred just after 4 p.m. and my constituency assistant is taking a consent form to their apartment for signature so that I can open a case file and pass on Fred’s situation to the appropriate ministry. I also went to the Ministry of Health office … and briefed them on the
Published December 5, 2024
situation, and they will be contacting Fred and Teresa as soon as I get their consent form handed in.”
The couple now awaits word on whether there will be any assistance for
them as Teresa will soon be leaving for her surgery. Sandeski founded and ran the Community Low Income Centre for about 20 years at the CMHA
building in Weyburn, and worked as an advocate for people who needed housing, as well as providing a free service to do people’s income tax returns at no charge.
Weyburn couple requests help Teresa and Fred Sandeski made a plea to the government for help, reaching NDP MLA Keith Jorgenson, and later MLA Mike Weger. Due to their limited income, they are unable to pay for the care Fred needs when Teresa goes for surgery later this week.
The Weyburn Duplicate Bridge Club plays bridge on Mondays at 7 p.m. and on Thursdays at 1 p.m. at the Wheatland Senior Centre, and all bridge players are welcome to come and play. The Club has been offering lessons on Fridays at 1 p.m.
On December 2 there three and a half tables and Gord Bell and Marg Stewart finished in first place, Erskine and Mildred Sandiford took second, followed closely by Terry Bendickson and Lloyd Muma who were third.
Three and a half tables played on Dec. 5 and top honours went to Warren Betker and Jim Kaz who had a strong game playing at 73.6 per cent; Shirley
Sparks and Dave Frayn placed second edging out Jerry Ponto and Millie Nimegeers, who placed third.
The Christmas dinner and bridge evening was held on Dec. 9 and with four and a half tables playing, Jerry Ponto and Millie Nimegeers placed first, Barry Mactaggart and Marg Stewart came second, Gord Bell and Diane Bell took third, and Terry Bendickson and Jeanne Molnar were fourth.
December 12 had just two tables, and there was a tie for first place between the pair of Gord Bell and Marg Stewart, and the pair of Jeanne Molnar and Bev Johnston.
Two tables played
on Dec. 16 and Erskine and Mildred Sandiford claimed first place, while Garnet Hart and Boyd Stewart placed second.
December 19 had two tables playing and there was a tie for first place between the pair of Barry Mactaggart and Lucie Nickel, and the pair of
The
Theresa Istace who came second.
Moving to the tunes at Tiny Tots dance
Young children and their parents began to gather in the St. Michael school gym last Thursday afternoon for the second Tiny Tots dance of the day, held as a fundraiser for three Weyburn soccer players aiming to go to the REAL Madrid Soccer Academy in the spring. Two dances for young children and one for middle school students was held, raising around $2,000 altogether for the players.
The Road To Real Madrid Day of Dance event went well, with three events held at St. Michael School on Jan. 2, raising about $2,000 towards the trip expenses of three Weyburn soccer players aiming to travel to Madrid, Spain in the spring.
The boys who were selected to travel to Spain to take part in the Real Madrid Foundation Soccer Camp are Ranson Jordens, Ethan Thiedig and Lexington Roy. The camp will run from May 24-31, 2025 in Madrid, Spain.
There were Two Tiny Tot events, limited to those 10 and under along with their parents, which ran from 10-12 and 1-3
p.m. A middle years dance with kids from Grades 6-9 was held in the evening, and all were hosted by DJ Richy Roy.
One of the organizers, Rob Jordens, said, “The Tiny Tot events were well attended. In particular, the afternoon session was quite boisterous. Everyone had a great time. We had about 50 at the morning session and 60 at the afternoon session. The evening session wasn’t as well attended as we had expected but those in attendance had a great time. Richy was able to break out different music for this session and had the place rockin’!”
The dances included a concession which offered
hot dogs, cotton candy, special ‘dirty’sodas, and other items.
“We’d like to thank our event sponsors, the Weyburn Young Fellows, Weyburn Wholesale Club, Weyburn Co-op, Dana Thiedig, and Dustin and Vanessa Storle, and a big thanks for Sabrina Gulka for the use of the school gym and facilities. We very much appreciate the community support,” said Jordens.
He noted the group is approaching the $10,000 mark of their $30,000 goal.
“We don’t have any other fundraisers planned, but we will gratefully accept any donations that businesses or individuals
care to make,” said Jordens.
Cheques can be made out to Road to Real Madrid and e-transfer donations can be sent directly to road. realmadrid@gmail.com, and Rob can be contacted directly at 306-891-5146.
The three players will spend a week at the Real Madrid Academy, known globally for developing top-tier soccer talent. During this intensive training program, they will receive world-class coaching, hone their skills, and experience firsthand what it takes to compete at the highest levels of soccer.
The Weyburn Chamber of Commerce will kick off the 2025 WEYBEX Awards on Monday, Jan. 13, opening nominations for the awards to be presented on May 9, 2025, at McKenna Hall.
The awards are held every second year to celebrate business success in the city and surrounding area.
The WEYBEX Awards are open to businesses, organizations and individuals in the City of Weyburn and immediate area.
The patron sponsor for the awards is the Weyburn Credit Union, which also sponsors the Business of the Year award.
This award winner is chosen from the winners in the categories of Golden Service, New or Expanded Business and Community Involvement.
The Leadership Excellence Award, sponsored by Saskatchewan Blue Cross, is awarded to a person who exemplifies leadership qualities within the business.
The Golden Service award, sponsored by MNP, recognizes a local business dedicated to customer satisfaction that consistently demonstrates excellence in the delivery of its products and services.
The Community In -
volvement award, sponsored by SaskEnergy, is awarded to a business demonstrating outstanding performance in contributing to recreation, amateur sports, arts and culture, health care, education and charitable or non-profit groups.
The New and-or Expanded Business, sponsored by Community Futures Sunrise, is awarded to a business established or expanded in the past three years and demonstrating exceptional performance in terms of expansion into a new product, service, line of business, or in the creation of new markets and/ or jobs.
The Business Hall of Fame, sponsored by Doane Grant Thornton, recognizes pioneer and cornerstone business leaders demonstrating long-term excellence and contributing to the economic well-being of Weyburn and area.
The deadline for nominations is March 31, 2025. Nominations can be submitted through the Weyburn Chamber’s WEYBEX Awards website at https://weyburncc. awardify.io/.
For more information, contact the Weyburn Chamber of Commerce at 306-842-4738, or visit their office at 11 Third Street, Weyburn.
By Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
Last year there was a black steel panther that stole the show – this year, it might just be a large chicken … or something else might steal your imagination.
The 41st edition of the James Weir People’s Choice art exhibition was installed by curator Regan Lanning on Monday afternoon, and the show opened for viewing and voting on Tuesday, set to run from now until March 14, 2025, as the sole exhibition in the Weyburn Art Gallery.
“This year, for the James Weir People’s Choice, we have 23 unique works on exhibition,” said Lanning. “They range from paintings to drawings to fibre works, to clay and wood-burning. We have a chest of drawers, and we even have a painted guitar case. It’s literally everything you can imagine on display, and voting opened on Tuesday.”
Ballots are available as viewers come in to the gallery, and people are encouraged to vote for their favourite three pieces.
The artists’ names have been removed so as not to impact the voting process, and this year artists were invited to include an artist’s statement if they wished.
The chest of drawers,
featuring several types of wood in its design, includes an extensive artist’s statement explaining why all of the types of wood were included, and what kinds of wood were used.
Lanning is planning to once again host tours for classes of the exhibition starting in February, and invites any interested people or groups in the community who wish to arrange for a tour as well.
“If there are any community groups interested in a tour, just contact the front desk at the Credit Union Spark Centre,” she said.
In addition, the Weyburn Art Gallery is open for viewing anytime the Spark Centre is open, she noted. Voting will be all in person this year, and Lanning expressed doubt that online voting will be used again as it had been during the COVID lockdowns.
“It was quite arduous and difficult. Voting platforms are very particular, and it scales down all of the works to being the same size, so it’s hard to get a true look at it,” she said, noting it’s far better to see in person and see all of the works as they were created.
Setting a painting in place
Curator Regan Lanning carefully placed this smaller painting as one of the entries for this year’s James Weir People’s Choice exhibition at the Weyburn Art Gallery.