Marketplace 2023-03-17

Local talent in the squared circle

After a busy and successful 2022 season, the Canora Minor Baseball Association is gearing up for the coming baseball season, included mixed baseball and girls softball. On the baseball side, teams are being offered from 6U right up to 18U age groups.

For the second year in a row, girls softball will hit the diamonds in Canora in 2023. Teams are being organized in age groups ranging from U11 to U17.

Excitement building for upcoming Canora Minor Ball season

Courtesy of Canora Courier

After a long and cold winter, ballplayers in Canora and the surrounding areas are looking forward to warmer weather and getting back on the diamonds to play baseball and softball.

For mixed baseball, there are six age groups looking for players: Junior Rally Cap (8U), Senior Rally Cap (8U), 11U, 13U, 15U and 18U.

After a successful launch in 2022, girls’ softball will once again be on the diamond, with teams in the U11, U13, U15 and U17 categories.

U17 softball is new this year to provide the opportunity to continue playing for a number of local female players who have moved up to this age category.

According to Brigitte Herriges, secretary and webmaster, registration opened on Feb. 21 at canoraminorball.com.

“The early registration deadline is April 1, with late fees applying afterwards at $50 per registration,” said Herriges. “Registration closes on

April 15. We will not be taking any more registrations after April 15 unless approved/confirmed by the board and the head coach.

“There will be no refunds after April 1, unless a medical note is provided. These changes have been implemented in an attempt to get registrations in sooner to assist us with planning for the ball season with scheduling, obtaining volunteers, ordering equipment/uniforms, and so on.

“Parkland Minor Ball requested this due to many communities not being ready for the annual scheduling/coaches meeting typically held mid-April for age categories 11U and older. Coaches for softball and rally cap will have time to schedule games before the season starts, which also helps us with planning and/or scheduling parents for fundraising duties if needed.”

Herriges went on to add that Canora Minor Baseball “was incredibly pleased with how the 2022 baseball/softball season went. It was a bit hectic getting the

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season started especially with offering softball for the first time in years as well as starting up our website, but overall the season went smoothly with over 140 registrations between baseball and softball. It was a big transition for many families to register through the RAMP portal, but already this year, things are going smoother and there has been less confusion.”

New jerseys are being ordered for the 6U and 11U baseball teams, since the old ones are worn out. Depending on the financial picture as the season progresses, more uniforms and/or equipment will also be purchased.

“With having registrations in sooner this season, we will also be able to start indoor training for the older age categories as well as offer some clinics,” said Herriges. “At this point, no clinics have been scheduled; however, we are strongly considering offering a baseball umpire clinic if there is enough interest. If interested, email us at canoraminorball@gmail.com. Those interested in being an umpire for softball can register for the clinic in Melville through the Softball Sask Website or complete the online modules.”

Vern Schick has also offered to do in-person training with any-

one who completes an umpire course this year to prepare them for onfield situations.

Herriges said they are looking into softball and baseball player and coaching clinics with the hope to have these offered indoors mid-toend-of-April or outdoors at the beginning of the season.

Players dedicated to working at and improving their hitting and pitching skills could soon have new equipment available.

“We are in the planning stages of building a batting cage this season with the possibility of also purchasing a pitching machine,” said Herriges. “These are two bigger expenses where fundraising and sponsorship will be extra important this season.

“Our fundraising committee will be discussing fundraising options for this season. At this point, we are exploring proceeding with the concession as our primary fundraiser and/or raffle draws. Further details will be emailed to parents with regards to their fundraising duties by early to mid-April.”

Herriges said they have done some work to streamline communication for the coming season.

“We have purchased a Team APP through RAMP which will ensure

all teams are using the same form of communication. This was indicated as a need from last year, particularly for parents with children in different age categories. This allows them to focus on using just one app versus three or four different apps.”

The Canora Minor Ball annual general meeting was held on March 7, with 26 persons in attendance.

The executive for the coming year was put in place, including three new members:

Kelly McTavish, president (since 2019); Travis Mentanko, vicepresident (since 2022); Amanda Zbitniff, treasurer (since 2021); Herriges, secretary/ webmaster (since 2019/2022); Jill Craig, registrar (since 2019); Jodie Kowalyshyn, baseball equipment manager (since 2019); Christopher Simon, softball equipment manager, (since 2022); Carmen Wolkowski, fundraiser co-ordinator (since 2022); Amy Nordin and Lizemari Menton, fundraiser committee (new), and Brandi Zavislak, picture co-ordinator (new).

Herriges said they are still looking for an umpire co-ordinator, “to obtain the list of umpires from Parkland Baseball/ Softball; recruit new umpires and possibly host an umpire clinic

in Canora. As well, they would pass the umpire list to managers who are responsible for booking/canceling umpires for games.”

The response from parents and community members to fill coaching positions has been encouraging to this point.

“This is a huge change from previous years where we have had to recruit volunteers to coach, but this year, people are coming to us. Having coaches already lined up will assist us with focusing more on providing clinics and early training than searching for volunteers.”

However, there is still a need for team managers in all age groups, as well as umpires for both baseball and softball. Anyone interested in volunteering, is encouraged to please send an email to canoraminorball@gmail.com

The annual Canora Minor Ball Day has been scheduled for Saturday, June 2.

“We are excited for the 2023 ball season as we offer both baseball and softball for the second year in a row,” said Herriges. “We anticipate approximately the same number of registrations as last season and hope to continue to build our program more each year.

OPEN Cinema to screen Sask. First Nations documentary

YORKTON – The Yorkton Film Festival announced their final

installment in the 2022 – 2023 OPEN Cinema screening program, March 21.

For the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination join the Yorkton Film Festival for the screening of The Pass System, at the Yorkton Public Library at 7:00 p.m.

‘The Pass System’ takes you into a Canada

that wilfully denied many First Nations the basic freedom to leave their reserve for over 60 years, from 1885 to 1951.

Elders from treaty areas four, six, seven and eight share their stories of living under

and resisting the system with narration by Tantoo Cardinal, music by Cris Derksen and directed by Alex Williams.

“The Yorkton Film Festival is proud to screen The Pass System and to host the discussion of the stories being highlighted in the film,” said YFF Executive Director Randy Goulden. -Submitted

Cheers to Lists!

One of the biggest lies I tell myself now is: “I don’t have to write that down. I’ll remember it.”

When I was younger, it wasn’t my memory that was a problem. I needed a list because I was much too busy and needed to organize myself. In fact, I didn’t feel complete until I’d stroked off every last item on the note I’d written for each day. Full disclosure: sometimes I’d even jot something down that I’d ALREADY DONE and find great fulfillment in immediately scribbling that out, as well. (After reading that, you may feel compelled to psychoanalyze me on some level but pull the log out of your eye and move on. (In other words — stop judging!) We all have obsessive compulsions about something.)

That drive for completion might be the same today if I hadn’t moved

to typing my lists in the “notes” section on my phone. Since moving to this more contemporary option, I’ve found it less fulfilling to delete an item when completed. Where’s the proof that I actually did anything? But, it is easier to use “cut & paste” to procrastinate doing or dealing with a particular item until the next day, week or even month.

At my current age the phrase “getting lucky” means walking into a room and remembering what I came in there for. Even if what’s in my brain is of utmost importance, it may be gone in three seconds. So, you can see how my reason to make lists is even more important, albeit less strictly adhered to.

Having said that, there are items that a person HAS TO address and last week found me

Laugh at Life... Revisited

staring down a particularly daunting one. This task had been “cut and pasted” (aka: procrastinated) more than once on my to-do list, but I could finally ignore it no longer. According to writers and publishers all over the world, authors must have a “presence” on social media and certain more-popular websites, which for myself is becoming the bane of my existence. Merely one example of that was posting (on Facebook for all

to see) my newly designed “Author Page” which I mistakenly made by my very own self on Amazon last week. Setting this page up seemed simple enough. Of course, it may have been unwise to do this on a day when some sort of avenging head-cold had beaten me down and the medication I’d taken for it was not helping the fuzzy feeling inside my cranium. Nonetheless, with my head full of mucous and my brain full of drugs, I placed a photo (yuck),

bio and my three novels onto Amazon. I bravely (stupidly? naively?) then posted the link onto Facebook, which had appeared to be working on my laptop just a measly moment before. I checked on it only a few minutes later to find a friend of mine had posted a picture of a dog underneath my message. Following that, more pictures of various canine types appeared, with dear friends telling me that my attempt at empty fame had failed.

I do give kudos to Amazon, however. When someone screws up their technology, at least words like “this author may be a miserable failure” or “the author who designed this is an idiot” is not what’s displayed. Instead, cute breeds of puppies with “Sorry, We Couldn’t Find That Page” gives the reader some-

thing cute to look upon. Perhaps the cold meds I’d taken served a good purpose because I found it less frustrating and incredibly funny, at the time. But, after trying and retrying, it quickly lost it’s LOL factor.

Finally, in my angst (aka: anger) I did what I do best. I took my phone, went to the “notes” section where my lists now live, cut & pasted (aka: procrastinated) that onto another day.

Here we are, two days later. I’ve finally talked myself into trying again but there’s just one problem. I can’t remember — where I put my phone.

Cheers to the pen and paper! Still the best way to make a list … unless you lose that too.

(Note: Website with added features coming March 15th to pdjanzen. com - not designed by me.)

Flick the marble - scores some goals

As a general rule dexterity games rate rather highly on any list this game player might create – in large part because Crokinole in my all-time favourite game.

The idea of finger flicking games in general means you need a certain level of skill to be successful.

If it is a skill, then you should be able to get better at it with practice.

You can sit at your Crokinole board shooting for the coveted 20-point centre spot for hours, and you will get better. That is a positive for a game which by that factor edges toward being a sport too.

So whenever a new dexterity game comes along it’s of interest.

That brings us to Binho.

Binho is essentially a marble flicking game which is basically a representation of soccer.

The ‘players’ in Binho are simply metal stationary metal stakes. Sure that doesn’t sound to exciting, but here it works fine. They are just there as obstacles you need to shoot around as you go for goal.

And, on your turn you only get one shot at flicking the marble for a goal, then the opponent shoots, so you need to be as skilled as pos-

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Other editions of the board have colours associated with various nations and famed soccer franchises which true soccer fans are going to love.

So where does Binho fit into a game collection?

and dart boards and other active options have gone by the way side in sports bars here which now seem to just focus on a bunch of big screen TVs which you can’t hear but you can watch.

about two-minutes to get on a table, explain the few rules (it’s a penalty if you shoot the marble off the game table), and be ready to go.

sible.

Here though practise is a less assured way to get better, because a round marble is harder to control than a Crokinole disc, and the ‘players’ really are a maze to get through.

What is interesting is the simple ingenuity used to deal with the sidelines.

Often in games such as this, there is an issue where pieces come up against the edge and sit there where it’s hard to do anything with.

Binho has pretty much solved that by making the sideline a strip of elastic banding. The band rebounds the marble most times, and if it does cozy up to the band, it can be stretched enough to still take a reasonable shot.

It does make one wonder if the band will lose its elasticity being stretched around the board all the time, or should it be removed when not in use? It did arrive installed in the

box.

As for the board, it’s really well-made. The sort of standard edition has a green carpet which is really nice.

Well, this is one of those games – much like Klask – that should be standard fare at every sports bar. They should be available for play and even have leagues built around them.

Sadly, pool tables

It would be great to have a spot where rod hockey, Klask and now Binho were standard fare to have fun playing with buds and a brew (or coffee).

Binho is a game which will not be for everyone, but it takes

Once you so start playing though, if you like it, be ready to suggest ‘just one more game’ especially if a bud manages to beat you.

Well made, simple rules, and certainly more fun than watching an actual soccer game *wink.

Binho

IN BRIEF

College of Medicine Regina campus cuts the ribbon on MD program expansion

By Victoria Dinh USask Media Relations

REGINA – The College of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) is celebrating the expansion of its Regina-based undergraduate medical doctor (MD) program with the grand opening of its new campus facilities. The ribbon cutting ceremony officially marks the expansion of the MD program in Regina to the full four years and celebrates the MD program being based in two Saskatchewan cities.

“Thank you to everyone who was involved in this project. Cutting the ribbon on this new facility would not have been possible without the support of our new partner, Hospitals of Regina Foundation, as well as

additional stakeholders, faculty, and students,” said Dr. Gill White (MD), associate dean, College of Medicine Regina campus. “It is exciting to start this new chapter of medical education in Saskatchewan.”

A new classroom, study spaces and an anatomy lab have been added to the campus’s facilities to support the education and training requirements for all four years of the MD program. In August 2022, the campus welcomed its first cohort of Year 1 medical students. Years 2-4 of the program have been offered in Regina since 2012. The anatomy lab is made possible through a partnership between Hospitals of Regina Foundation and the USask College of Medicine. The lab will be outfitted with modern

anatomy tools, equipment and IT, and is an important part of the medical school experience. Students will gain clinical skills and handson learning essential to their training.

“The foundation is pleased to celebrate the success of this exciting new partnership with the College of Medicine and support the medical students being trained right here in Regina. This investment is part of our mission to support the best health care possible for our southern Saskatchewan community,” said Dino Sophocleous, president and CEO, Hospitals of Regina Foundation.

The College of Medicine Regina campus, based at Regina General Hospital, is home to about 160 medical students and

Sask. leads nation in merchandise export growth

Saskatchewan’s economy starts off the year remaining among the strongest in Canada. With January 2023 merchandise exports seeing a 56.7 per cent increase compared to January 2022, Saskatchewan is leading the nation.

Total merchandise exports for January 2023 were valued at more than $4.6 billion.

“Today’s indicators are further proof that Saskatchewan’s exports are crucial to the strength of this province,” Trade and Export Development Minister Jeremy Harrison said. “Our government is committed to increasing our exports and growing our economy so that we can continue to create jobs, generate wealth and attract investment to our province.”

Electronic and electrical equipment and parts as well as aircraft and other transportation equipment lead the year-over-year export growth, with increases of 414.6 per cent and 236.4

per cent respectively.

Saskatchewan’s total annual exports have grown by more than $20 billion since 2012. To support and encourage that growth, the province has established international offices in China, India, Japan, Singapore, Mexico City, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Vietnam and is opening an office in Germany later this year.

In recent months, Saskatchewan has seen growth in a number of key economic indicators, including the provincial job market. January 2023 labour force figures from Statistics Canada show Saskatchewan with 16,400 new jobs when compared to January 2022, an increase of 2.9 per cent.

These indicators show that Saskatchewan remains the best place in the country to live, work, and raise a family. -Submitted

100 residents. Among them is the new cohort of Year 1 students who began the MD program at the Regina campus in August 2022. In previous years, students completed the first year of their program in Saskatoon, then 40 of the class of 100 students would relocate to the Regina campus to finish their degrees. The goal of the program expansion is to avoid disruption of transitioning between campuses and attract more program applicants from southern Saskatchewan.

“The expansion of this campus will enhance

the learning experience for the medical students and strengthen our ability to attract and retain physicians in southern Saskatchewan,” said Andrew Will, CEO of the Saskatchewan Health Authority. “By doing so, our partners at the University of Saskatchewan and the Hospitals of Regina Foundation are providing critical support to help us improve access to important everyday health services.”

Medical education in Regina started with a Family Medicine residency being offered in the

city in 1974. Since then, the campus’s teaching and learning presence has expanded to include five residency programs, one enhanced skills program, and now the entire four-year undergraduate MD program.

Over the last 20 years, medical doctor education programs across the country have been transitioning to a more distributed approach to medical training to better support the care needs of all Canadians, while ensuring trainees have adequate access to a range of clinical learning opportunities.

Kamsack welcomes new community safety & bylaw enforcement officer

Last Wednesday, the Kamsack Town Office hosted a meet-andgreet for their new community safety & bylaw enforcement officer, Sherise Fountain, who is currently training and acquiring the proper licensing and uniform to serve Kamsack.

Fountain said she was attracted to the position since it’s the closest job to her dream of being a police officer, going on to add, “I want-

ed to be a cop. That’s why I went to criminology, psychology, sociology, and a justice degree, the whole thing and it just didn’t work out in my lifetime.”

“Then I saw this job. So, I emailed about it, I was worried about it. Was it going to be shift work and all that? Because shift work is not my favourite thing in the world. When she (Mayor Nancy Brunt) sent me information

about it, I was just like, ‘seriously, like, this is a government job!’ So, I just love it. I think if it was shift work, I probably would still do it, ‘cause it’s the closest I’ll get to doing what I love.’”

Sherise Fountain currently resides in Canora.

“I still live there (Canora). With two sons, two teenage sons. We’ll be lucky if they leave the house alive

at 18… They’re leaving the house at 18! I’m just kidding!” Fountain said, laughing.

After Fountain’s sons graduate and move out, Mayor Nancy Brunt and Fountain are planning to have Fountain move to Kamsack, even though she would prefer to live out by Madge Lake.

Fountain said jokingly, “I could be in a cabin and it’s only 20 or 15 minutes away,

compared to Canora with 30 minutes to get to Kamsack, that’s pretty good!”

Fountain worked with the Canora Fire Department for 10 years, only retiring when she was diagnosed with cancer.

Fountain said, “My doctor misdiagnosed me. He said, ‘I don’t think it’s cancer, it’s something like this or something like that or something.’ So later when I was bleeding from places, I shouldn’t have been bleeding from I was asking myself, ‘is this normal?’”

“So, I want to go back to that doctor and throw my cancer report at him going, ‘next time you think, don’t. Send a person to a specialist. I get you’re a general physician, thank you very much, but a person

needs to be safe ’”

After overcoming her cancer, Fountain grew her hair back with a unique line of grey amongst her jet-black hair. She commented on this distinct look by saying, “No, the grey hair is natural. The black hair is dyed because I shot out all grey when I first started growing back my hair after my cancer, I was like, ‘Ooh, is this all going to be grey? Oh, okay, I’ll leave it ’ But then I just wasn’t quite ready for that. So, this is reminding me I’m getting older, but I happen to like it.

“So yeah, it was a very humbling experience. All of a sudden you realize how fast life can go by and how things can change in a quick second. Because that’s how long it took to get my diagnosis.”

YMA looks to city for support

By Calvin Daniels Staff Writer

The Yorkton Ministerial Association was before the regular meeting of Yorkton Council seeking some financial support for its upcoming endeavours.

Peter Laniya, the president of YMA explained the organization has typically put on a Prayer Breakfast, although the event was not held through the pandemic.

“This year, we are committed to bringing back those two services for the benefit of the community, and we are also looking forward to hosting a community picnic which will bring our diverse community together in a loving and joyful atmosphere,” said Laniya.

“We hope that the City of Yorkton can once again be an integral part of the Prayer Breakfast which used to be known as the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast, but was taken over by the office of the

Member of Legislative Assembly at a point when the City didn’t step up to this role,” he continued.

“At the prayer breakfast, the community comes together to pray for the City of Yorkton, our elected leaders, our protective services and other essential services and personnel within the city, with representation which cuts across government, health and safety, commerce, and the larger community.”

City Manager Lonnie Kaal said while in the past the city had provided meeting space, in so doing other organizations began asking for free space and the practice was abandoned.

As for the Mayor’s involvement any money would come from money allotted the position to be spent at their discretion.

Mayor Mitch Hippsley said it would be a request he would consider.

“I will be taking a good hard look at everything,” he assured.

Sherise Fountain (middle) currently lives in Canora with her two sons Cole (left) and Chase.

Group Home will not be closed as previously thought

Courtesyof Preeceville Progress

The possible closure of a group home had CUPE members joined by community members in a rally protesting the decision on March 6. The rally featured numerous speakers, all voicing their concerns. The Board of Directors were quick to reply in a release to staff and the community that they were not closing the home as had been previously stated.

“In light of the current news regarding closure of Group Home 3 in Preeceville, please be advised, we, the board of directors for Mackenzie Society Ventures Inc. want to confirm that we have no intention of closing Group Home 3, in Preeceville, now or in the future,” stated a release from Mackenzie Society Ventures Inc.

“We are fully committed to maintaining the operation and running of the Group Home. We plan

to work with the staff and management to keep the home fully operational. We have reached out to CUPE and will work to address communication and concerns brought forward to the organization. We have sent communication to the staff that Group Home 3 will remain operational. We are dedicated to the staff, the community and most of all, the valuable participants who we have the privilege of supporting in our small community. The main goal is to keep our residents safe and give a quality of life at the present time, and into the future for many years to come,” continued the release.

In the beginning, CUPE had called for action to save a Preeceville group home from permanent closure. Group Home 3 in Preeceville is home to residents with disabilities, with staff providing 24-hour care, stated a release from CUPE.

Attacking cancer cells from the inside out

SASKATOON –Researchers from the University of Toronto (U of T) are harnessing the power of proteins to stop cancer cells in their tracks.

“Proteins are the workhorses of the cell,” said Walid A. Houry, professor of biochemistry at U of T. “They define the cell and allow it to divide or migrate if needed.”

The team is especially interested in proteases, enzymes that chew up old or misfolded proteins and act as cellular quality control. Houry and his colleagues used the CMCF beamline at the Canadian Light Source (CLS) at the University of Saskatchewan to identify key compounds affecting these quality control mechanisms that cause cell dysfunction and, ultimately, cell death. Their research paper was recently published in Structure.

“Let’s say you have a small puppy and when you leave it in the room, it starts chewing your sofa, your carpet; it’s just hyper and eating everything up,” Houry said. The compounds cause the proteases to act like the puppy, “and the cell cannot handle this type of disruption to its machinery.”

Mackenzie Society Ventures, the company operating the group home, had recently announced plans to close the home permanently at the end of the month without explanation, leaving the future of the residents unknown and the loss of at least eight jobs in the community.

“We were caught entirely off-guard by this announcement,” said Angie Pawliw, president of CUPE 3364. “Mackenzie Society Ventures has been unable to provide a clear reason for closing this group home, for which they receive funding from the provincial government to operate. To close this home and put the vulnerable people who live there at risk is completely unacceptable.

“If the home is closed, the impact will be greatest felt on the residents who live there. Several of the residents are elderly, and it is unclear where

they will be relocated to if the home closes. Group Home 3 provides essential housing and care to those with disabilities,” added Pawliw.

“This is their community, where they’re cared for by dedicated staff. These residents should not be forced out of their home, and staff should not have to lose their jobs with no real explanation.” The union

was in the process of writing a letter to Social Services Minister Gene Makowsky as well as Canora-Pelly MLA Terry Dennis, and is encouraging community members to send their own letters expressing their concern over the effect a closure would have on the community, including the loss of good paying jobs and the support of local businesses the

home relies on for its operations.

“The community came together to support this group home when it first opened back in 2001. The residents who live there and the staff who care for them are a part of the community, and they need everyone’s support once again to demand action and ensure that this home stays open,” concluded Pawliw.

By targeting the cell’s self-destruct button, Houry’s team, including collaborators at Madera Therapeutics, is designing a new approach to cancer therapy. Synchrotron techniques allowed the researchers to visualize the interaction between their compounds and the proteases.

Houry said hardto-treat cancers like glioblastomas and certain types of breast cancers are good candidates for this new approach.

“Instead of inhibiting a protease, we are hyperactivating the protease, and that is unique.”

The CLS is crucial to the team’s work.

“Synchrotron technology is extremely important for us and our structure-based drug design,” he said. “We want to know why the protein is going wild when we add our compound.”

The next step of the study is to push the limits of the compounds. Houry also hopes to use them as tools to help visualize the inner workings of the cell.

“If you can play these games with the compounds, that would be really exciting. All of this would be guided by the structures we see at the CLS.”

The more often a consumer sees your advertising message, the better your chances are that they will remember you when they’re ready to buy.

The possible closure of Group Home 3 in Preeceville had CUPE members joined by community members in a rally protesting the decision on March 6. The rally took place in front of the Mackenzie Society Ventures Inc building.

Winter weights removed in mid-March

vents damaging important roads in the spring.

“It’s imperative we protect our road network at this time of year by reducing the weights trucks are allowed to carry,” Highways Minister Jeremy Cockrill said. “On different occasions throughout the year, we adjust allowable weights to ensure the efficient movement of goods while protecting our highway infrastructure.”

Winter weights are being removed effective Wednesday, March 15, 2023 at midnight (12:01 a.m.). Any existing winter weights will be removed and revert back to regulation weight.

bans typically begin in March and run for six weeks, ending in late April to early May. The bans only impact secondary weight highways and not primary highways such as 1, 11 or 16.

Truckers are advised to monitor their loads and watch for restrictions during this period.

To check which highways are impacted by weight restrictions, please visit truck weight classifications and restrictions at saskatchewan.ca/truckingweights. Commercial

truckers and shippers are encouraged to check the status regularly.

Information is also available by contacting the Highway Hotline at www.saskatchewan.ca/ highwayhotline or dialing 511.

Technical and regulatory information is available by calling 1-866-9335290, while truckers outside of Saskatchewan call: 306-933-5290. The line operates weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. except statutory holidays.

-Submitted

Truckers are advised to closely monitor their loads when using secondary highways in

Saskatchewan. This is the time of year when truckers must reduce the weight

of their loads, since all secondary highways revert back to regulation weights. This pre-

Spring road restrictions will begin soon. These road bans reduce allowable weights on RM roads and secondary weight provincial highways by 10 to 15 per cent and typically last about six weeks. Road

LEGACY CO-OPERATIVE ASSOCIATION LIMITED CALL FOR DIRECTORS

Vehicle noise: How loud is too loud?

SGI

New policy defining excessive vehicle noise

Legacy Co-op is part of the Co-operative Retailing System that serves more than 600 communities and more than 1.9 million members across Western Canada. Today, approximately 160 retail co-operatives own FCL, which provides central wholesaling, manufacturing and administrative services to its member-owners.

Legacy Co-operative Association Limited boasts sales of more than $140 million and employs more than 250 employees. Sales outlets include a gas bar and food store in Kamsack, a food store and agro/home centre in Churchbridge, a cardlock and service centre in Theodore, an agro centre in Ebenezer, two gas bars, two cardlocks, an agro centre, a liquor store and a food store in Yorkton, cardlocks in Rhein, Esterhazy, and Langenburg and keylocks in MacNutt and Dubuc. We provide a variety of goods and services including: petroleum, food, lumber, general merchandise, crop supplies, feed, fertilizer, seed, bins and chemical.

Legacy Co-operative is seeking progressive, forward thinking individuals with a good understanding of the retail climate who would like to fill 3 vacancies on the Board of Directors in 2023. (Three 3 year terms)

In accordance with bylaw 6.02(c) the name of each nominee to the position of director must be:

1. Submitted in writing by the nominee to the Co-operatives Nominating Committee at least 30 days before the date of the Annual General Meeting when the election will be held; and

2. Published by the Co-operative’s Nominating Committee with the notice of the Annual General Meeting

Nomination papers can be picked up at any Legacy Co-operative Association Limited locations in Yorkton, Kamsack, Churchbridge, Ebenezer or Theodore, from any board member, from the link on our website or by contacting the following Committee members:

Wade Karcha

(306) 621-7361

Judy Charney

(306) 621-4338

Electronic nomination forms can be found online at: https://bit.ly/LegacyCallforDirectors

Dustin Brears

(306) 621-7161

All nominations must be submitted by 5:00 pm, April 11, 2023 to the Legacy Co-operative Administration Office 30 Argyle Street, Yorkton, SK., S3N 3Z4 or via email to: Info@legacycoop.ca RE:BoardofDirectorsNomination

– and how to measure it -to be implemented later this year

Vehicle owners in Saskatchewan will soon be able to know exactly how loud is too loud.

Excessively loud vehicles in our communities are disruptive to residents and distracting to other drivers. SGI is working on a new provincial policy to objectively identify excessive vehicle noise. The policy is expected to be implemented in late spring or early summer of 2023.

“Right now, determining whether a vehicle is excessively loud is up to the discretion of law enforcement which can make it difficult to enforce because the criteria is subjective,” said JP Cullen, COO of the Saskatchewan Auto Fund. “This policy will remove all guesswork by introducing an objective way to measure whether or not a vehicle is creating excessive noise.”

Having objective criteria will allow vehicle owners to know whether their vehicle is excessively loud so they can make the necessary changes to bring it into compliance.

Over the next few months, SGI will be working to finalize the standard of how to better identify excessive vehicle noise. That work will involve completing any required Request For Proposal processes, working with our partners, and finalizing the policy and implementation plan.

Once the policy is finalized, SGI will be hosting free educational days where there will be opportunities for motorists to test their vehicles. These tests will be in accordance with the new policy and will be done without any consequence so motorists can gain an understanding if their vehicle is over the established threshold.

More information will be provided to the public once the policy is finalized.

Winter weights are being removed effective March 15 at midnight.

A typical day in the life of a pharmacist

Are you considering a career as a pharmacist? A typical day in the life of a pharmacist involves many different duties. Here’s an overview of some of the tasks they perform.

• Fill, dispense and package medications. Pharmacists must ensure their patients have the correct prescription by determining the right brand, strength, form and quantity.

• Update and maintain patient records. Pharmacists review patient records to check for potentially dangerous drug interactions, order medications and keep in touch with physicians to discuss prescriptions.

• Give advice about over-the-counter medications. Pharmacists answer patient questions and recommend over-the-counter drugs to best treat their symptoms.

• Conduct medication consultations. Patients can speak with a pharmacist to determine how to take their medications. They can also find out if specific prescriptions need to be stopped or modified and if any will lead to unintended drug interactions.

• Provide vaccines. Pharmacists are qualified to administer various vaccines, including flu shots, COVID-19 boosters and travel injections that help protect people from hepatitis A and B, cholera, yellow fever and more.

Most pharmacists in pharmacies and drugstores work 40 hours per week, covering evening shifts, weekends and holidays. If you’re interested in becoming a pharmacist, look for training opportunities in your area.

Debunking 4 myths about pharmacists

March is Pharmacy Appreciation Month in Canada. It’s the perfect time to recognize, celebrate and express gratitude for the dedicated pharmacy professionals keeping you safe and healthy. Here are four common myths about pharmacists debunked.

1. Pharmacists never interact with patients. Working with patients is a big part of being a pharmacist. Pharmacists must regularly interact with patients by providing medication advice and counselling them on managing their health. They also guide patients on how to use medical devices, such as blood glucose and blood pressure monitors.

2. Pharmacists only work in drugstores or pharmacies. Pharmacists work in various exciting and diverse settings, including hospitals, drug development companies, government departments, nursing homes, community clinics and more.

3. Pharmacists count pills all day. Although dispensing medications is a critical service provided by pharmacists, they perform many other daily tasks, like reviewing patient records, requesting new prescriptions and administering vaccines.

4. Pharmacy work is less important than medical work. Pharmacists are essential in healthcare by ensuring patients get the best results and outcomes from their medications. This Pharmacy Appreciation Month, make sure you take the time to thank a pharmacist.

SGI’s Special Investigation Unit investigates odd and unusual insurance claims, some of which turn out to be untrue.

Insurance is there when you need it, but some people create deceptive stories to collect it even when they don’t. That’s where SGI’s Special Investigation Unit (SIU) comes in.

In 2022, SIU busted hundreds of fraudulent claims – resulting in $5.8 million in savings for SGI. This important work preventing insurance fraud helps keep insurance rates low for our valued customers.

Here’s a look at some eyebrow-raising attempted insurance frauds from 2022:

Heist hoax

A customer – we’ll call him Cole* -- reported his vehicle missing. He claimed the vehicle had been parked in front of his house with a spare key locked inside.

One hour after Cole reported the vehicle missing, police found it a short walk from his house, on the front lawn of someone else’s property. It had collided into a nearby parked vehicle and a tree. Cole then filed a theft and collision claim with SGI, while another customer filed a claim for the parked vehicle and property damage was also submitted.

SIU found security footage that showed the subject vehicle travelled at a high rate of speed, lost control and collided with a parked vehicle, then the tree. The footage shows a person matching Cole’s description walking away from the vehicle and locking it with a fob. Cole confessed to causing the collision following a celebration - saying he should not have been driving.

Cole was on the hook for $50,000 in vehicle and property damage.

Rollback rip-off

Jessie* submitted a claim saying she drove her truck through a “dip with standing water,” which caused the engine to quit. The truck needed a costly engine repair or replacement. SIU found that, during the investigation, the vehicle’s odometer had somehow been rolled back. Investigators discovered that Jessie rolled back the truck’s odometer to show 150,000 fewer kilometres than what should have been on the engine, in order to increase the value of the truck.

Jessie withdrew her claim after being confronted with the SIU findings – saving SGI $7,000.

Turnoff tales

Connor* told SGI he and his girlfriend were travelling around 55 km/

Busted!

top five insurance fraud cases

hr through foggy conditions in the early morning hours when he missed a turnoff and hit an abandoned vehicle on the shoulder of the highway. He said they panicked and walked to a nearby house for help, rather than calling the police.

The residents of the home reported to police that the couple said they did not want police to know about the collision.

Police visited the collision site and saw several concerning items inside the vehicle, including drug paraphernalia. Additionally, there was no evidence of fog that morning and no nearby turnoff that the driver could have missed. SIU discovered the vehicle was travelling at double the reported speed, and additional witnesses claimed Connor and his girlfriend were both very intoxicated. SIU found Connor’s account of the incident was unreliable and vague. His claim was denied for misrepresentation and saved SGI $40,000.

Deer dupe

Allison* filed a claim stating she hit a deer and left her vehicle at the roadside. She said when she came back to the vehicle, it had been completely burned.

SIU contacted a witness who saw two people remove belongings from the vehicle before the vehicle went up in flames a short time later. SIU discovered the vehicle was not registered at the time of the collision – and registration had been purchased by Allison less than an hour after the crash. SIU believes Allison also returned to set the vehicle on fire in order to receive a payout.

The claim was denied, saving SGI $5,000

Sleeping scam

Katherine* filed a claim with SGI, stating she fell asleep while driving and collided with a parked vehicle. Katherine admitted to significant financial hardship and had recently spoken with a bailiff about repossession of her high valued SUV the day before the collision.

SIU conducted several interviews to confirm Katherine was in financial trouble. It was discovered she had lied to her bank about being able to make her delinquent payments in order to “buy herself some time.” Crash data retrieval evidence showed the vehicle was fully idle five seconds before the collision. That evidence showed that this was followed by a fast depression of the gas pedal, which sent the vehicle propelling forward, with a peak speed of 31 km/h upon impact.

SIU believes Katherine

caused the collision intentionally to avoid having the vehicle repossessed.

Total savings? $63,000.

When making insur-

ance claims, the important thing to do is always be honest about the incident.

Anyone with informa-

tion about potential insurance fraud is encouraged to contact SGI’s Special Investigation Unit at siu@sgi.sk.ca or

1-800-667-8015, ext. 6887. To report anonymously, call Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. -Submitted

SGI image

Turris powers Team Canada West win

The Yorkton Junior Terriers are celebrating 50 years in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League this season.

To mark the milestone Yorkton This Week is digging into its archives and pulling out a random Terrier-related article from the past five decades of reporting on the team, and will be running one each week, just as it originally appeared.

This feature, of which this is he final installment, has appeared weekly over the entire season in the pages of The Marketplace.

Week #26 comes from Nov. 8, 2006.

It was the Kyle Turris show for Team Canada West in the tournament opening game of the Workd Junior ‘A’ Hockey Challenge Monday.

Turris, a member of the Burnaby Express of the British Columbia Hockey League, would score the first four goals of the game to power Team Canada to a 6-2 win over Team Russia at the Farrell Agencies Arena in Yorkton.

Only two players had previously scored four goals in a single game for Canada at the Junior level. Mario Lemieux and Simon Gagne, who both went on to the National Hockey League, had quadruple goal games in World Junior play.

Turris’ Burnaby teammate Tyler McNeeley, and Kyle Reed who plays with Notre Dame of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) would add single goals.

Turris, who was the Team Canada West Player of the Game was

quick to turn attention to the team win, rather than his own efforts.

“It was a good game, but I’m not too worried about my goals and statistics,” said the 17-yearold forward. “It was a good win for the team.”

Asked again about his goals, Turris said, “I was getting lots of bounces, and I had some great passes from my teammates. They were some beauties … They’re skilled and knowledgeable players who knew where I was.”

Team Canada West head coach Boris Rybalka said the fourgoal performance was impressive, but it came from a very talented player too. “He’s a great young man to start with … He’s very modest, but he can play.”

Egor Dubrovskiy, and Yakov Seleznev, who was Team Russia Player of the game responded with goals against Keanan Boomer in the Canadian net.

Russian head coach Miskhat Fakhrutdinov said his team did not accomplish what their game plan had set out for Monday, thanks in large part to Turris putting the Russians into comeback mode most of the game.

“Number 19 (Turris) is a good player,” said Fakhrutdinov through an interpreter.

Beyond Turris’ performance Fakhrutdinov said his team “were not prepared for this game 100 per cent.

“The team was nervous … It was the opening game, of course the boys were very nervous.”

On the other side of the ice Team Canada West was all smiles after

50 YEARS

Looking

the win.

“It was a great moment for our team here and a great experience for me personally,” said Chad Nehring, who is a member of the Yorkton Terriers of the SJHL.

Fakhrutdinov said the nerves meant the Russians were not on top of their game Monday. “We failed to do what we wanted to do.”

The Russian coach said Team Canada was on average two years older than his squad made up almost exclusively of 17-year-olds. That seemed to give Team Canada an edge in skill and physical play, he said.

Playing physical was an obvious game plan for Team Canada West.

“Definitely it was,” said Turris. “We had some guys laying some

GSSD announces new programs and prekindergarten location

Good Spirit School

Division is excited to announce its new Prekindergarten location at Norquay School beginning in the fall of 2023. The Division also offers PreK at Columbia School and Dr. Brass in Yorkon, Canora Junior Elementary School, Davison School in Melville, Langenburg Central School, Victoria School in Kamsack, and we offer a Preschool and Parent Education Program in Esterhazy!

Applications for PreK are now being accepted and can be found at www.gssd.ca on the registration page. Live links can also be found on GSSD’s social media platforms, Facebook,

Instagram and Twitter. Prekindergarten is open to children ages three (by September 30) and four. Please apply by the end of April 2023. Children who turn three later in the year may apply to Prekindergarten throughout the year. The Division is thrilled to be able to offer another location for early learning.

The learning opportunities continue with GSSD’s new Michif Early Learning Program for all children ages three and four. This program will immerse students in Métis culture and the Michif language and will be located at Columbia School. The

application form along with more information is live on our website!

Does your family have a child that was born in 2018? We are excited to announce that it’s also time to register for Kindergarten!

Locations are available across the Division. Head to our website registration page to see which location is right for your new student. Please register by the end of March, 2023.

It’s time to learn, play and grow!

For more information please contact Good Spirit School Division at 1-306-7865500 or visit our website at www.gssd.ca. -Submitted

big hits. That gave us some momentum, and I think we fed off that momentum …

“I thought we really took it too them … I think that was the key.”

Nehring agreed the Canadians wanted to make sure they finished their checks.

“We wanted to go hard every shift and I thought tonight we did that,” he said. “We kept working every shift. We never did let them get into their game.”

Rybalka said a

physical edge is something he wanted to see Team Canada West achieve. “I think that’s just Canadian hockey, being disciplined and physical.” He added the Canadians had to stay on top of the Russians to be successful. “Thry are very skilled. We couldn’t allow them room to skate in open ice. You can’t allow them to dangle or they’ll hurt you.”

However, the Team Canada coach said his team skated stride-forstride with the Russians too.

“I think we showed we could skate with them. I think that shocked them a little bit.”

Looking ahead to the remainder of the tournament Fakhrutdinov said they will not look

to change their game plan, although they may juggle their line up. Russia was scheduled to play Belarus at the Farrell Agencies Arena in Yorkton Tuesday but results were not available at press time.

Team Canada West’s next game is tonight at the Farrell Agencies Arena, when they face Belarus.

Rybalka said they want to approach the game against Belarus much as they did against Russia.

“We looked at this game tonight as though it was a Game 7. Now we’ll look at Wednesday as a Game 7,” he said.

“…We have to know we have to go out and work hard to win Wednesday.”

Kyle Turris

SaskAbilities kicks off Paper Egg campaign

By Tyson Off Staff Writer

YORKTON – Employees and members of SaskAbilities gathered at Schrader’s motorsports store on the afternoon of March 13 to begin their Paper Egg Campaign.

“We just wanted to be involved – we’ve been involved with Snowarama forever – I’ve been up to Camp Easter Seals and know how important it is,” said Rick Bradshaw, Owner and General Manager at Schrader’s Honda Yamaha Suzuki Polaris Tracker Husqvarna, adding, “it’s a good fundraiser and that’s what they’re raising money for and we said we’d be involved.”

“All across Canada Easter Seals provincial organizations are selling Paper Eggs and all the funds raised here through Saskatchewan will go to serve Camp Easter Seals Summer Fun and Adaptive

Technology Services,” said Deana Stroshein, Community Relations Coordinator with the Yorkton Branch of SaskAbilities.

“All across Canada Easter Seals provincial organizations are selling Paper Eggs and all the funds raised here through Saskatchewan will go to serve Camp Easter Seals Summer Fun and Adaptive Technology Services,” said Stroshein, adding, “those programs are dedicated to enhancing the quality of life, self-esteem and independence for individuals experiencing disability here in the province.”

“Schrader’s has been a long-time supporter of Snowarama which also raises money for those Easter Seals programs,” said Stroshein.

“Snowarama has gone for 46 years and I’ve been involved for pretty much 46 years,” said Bradshaw, adding, “I’m the co-chair of the current Snowarama commit-

tee, but it’s a whole bunch of people putting it together — it’s a big fundraiser — we said we’d gladly be involved.”

“We thought it would be

March 17, 2023

fitting for them to host our launch as they’re also selling paper eggs,” said Stroshein, adding, “we came out here with day program participants

and individuals from the Mental Health Drop-In Centre – which are both programs of SaskAbilities – and we’re out here enjoying a tour.”

Chasing The Good Sleep at the End of the Rainbow

You don’t feel rested. You wake up with a headache. The dry mouth is annoying, and now your bed partner says they are sleeping in another room until you address the snoring. Everyone’s always tired. You’re annoyed. Irritated. And can’t remember the last time you functioned properly. Getting a good sleep is hard. It’s as if feeling rested is an ethereal goal, not quite there, always slinking passed your fingertips staying just beyond your reach. You probably aren’t aware that this is one pot of gold that is actually within your grasp! These are all symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a potentially serious medical condition where the muscles supporting the soft tissues in your throat relax too much, narrowing and blocking your airway. Anyone, including children, young adults and women can have apnea, but those at highest risk for this condition are overweight males over the age of 50.

If you have diabetes or high blood pressure, screening is highly recommended as sleep apnea is a major cause of both. Over time, it causes conditions such as heart attack, stroke and even Alzheimer’s disease. Poor sleep health and hygiene leads to numerous struggles in your day-to-day life, including

increased risk of work-related injuries and even car accidents. When your body isn’t getting the airflow and oxygen it requires, both your brain and body suffer increased stresses.

If you have concerns and wish to be screened, speak with your physician or nurse practitioner as a referral is required for testing. Screening is easier than ever and can usually be done at home, in your own bed, over just one night. A 15-minute consultation is all it takes to learn how to wear and use the device. CPAP therapy pressurizes room air that keeps your airways open. Most daytime symptoms such as morning headaches, foggy concentration, irritability, and dry mouth are gone. Patients sleep deeper with less tossing and fewer trips to the washroom through the night. World Sleep Day was created to encourage and improve sleep education, health, and habits. Parkland CPAP Services is eager to be your lucky leprechaun, guiding you to the gold quality of sleep and health that you deserve. We offer home sleep apnea testing, lifelong education, support, and guidance. We have the machines, parts and accessories that make your CPAP journey comfortable and successful.

Employees of SaskAbilities and members of their various programs gathered at Schrader’s motorsports store on March 13 to commence the Paper Egg Campaign, an initiative to raise funds for Camp Easter Seals Summer Fun and Adaptive Technology Services.

pARTners Gallery looks to add some colour to original works

By Tyson Off Staff Writer

YORKTON – The pARTners Gallery in Yorkton has a new and interactive exhibit for the public to partake in.

Several local artists have come together with original line-drawn works to be coloured in by all ages.

“Cozy Up and Colour actually started with the Yorkton Public Library during COVID – they had distributed colouring kits to people for pickup,” said Tonia

Vermette, Administrator for Yorkton Arts Council in an interview with Yorkton This Week.

During that time, the finished products were displayed in the windows of downtown local businesses during the lockdown.

“I had seen them and thought, ‘we (YAC) should do something with local artists instead of having pages ripped out of colouring books — artists could do this — we could make this into a show’,” added Vermette.

“Last year was the

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first year...we had four local artists and this year we have five,” said Vermette, adding, “all of the colouring pages have been designed by a local artist – which they have been paid a small fee for.”

The colouring pages are available for download at https://yorktonarts.ca/partners-gallery-1 or can be picked up from the Yorkton Public Library, Blue Drip Art Supplies and the Godfrey Dean Cultural Centre.

“Once you’re finished colouring the piece you can drop it off and we will display it until April 27,” said Vermette, “if you’d like to have it returned to you just make sure to put your name and information on the back.”

Vermette said the exhibition was wellreceived last year.

“We had a lot of people who really enjoyed it... people enjoyed colouring something that was created by someone in Yorkton instead of colouring beach scenes or whatever – this is done by local artists and inspired by local things.”

The artists featured have appeared in local exhibitions in the city, according to their bios from the Yorkton Arts Council. They include:

Michelle Easton is a local multidisciplinary artist originally from Saltcoats. After spending some years in British Columbia and the Yukon, she returned in 2010 and continues to create. She has participated in many local group shows including Landscape and Memory at the Godfrey Dean Art Gallery in 2020, Parkland Disc Golf Exhibition in the Community pARTners gallery in 2019, HeArt Works at the Saltcoats Library in 2019 and Cherry Dale Golf & Country Club Local Artists Exhibition from 2017—2019.

Kelly Litzenberger is a multidisciplinary Yorkton artist. His artwork primarily focuses on the use of a digital canvass, photography, and LEGO. From 2004 until 2011, Kelly lived in Vancouver and worked as the Art Director of Concrete Skateboarding Magazine. In 2018, the Godfrey Dean Art Gallery hosted Kelly’s first solo exhibition, ‘LEGO: Yorkton City’, which replicated Yorkton architecture in LEGO. Wade Dawe is a mixed media artist from Yorkton. Selftaught, his main practice is drawing with ink and charcoal. Frequently, he

produces still life, animal and anthropomorphic works. He started to study art and practice in late 2019.

Faith Rae is a local artist in Yorkton. Rae received her Bachelor of Fine Arts Honours Degree a Brandon University in 2022. Her art practice primarily focuses on painting. Her paintings are conceptually themed in abstraction and portraiture.

Alexandria Blatter is

fueled by nature, story, tradition and good coffee. Her heart lies within the lines and between each space lies hidden imagery that will show the whole story. She participated in the Local Artist’s Show at the Godfrey Dean Art Gallery in 2022.

Participants are encouraged to drop off their completed colourings at the Yorkton Public Library for display in the pARTners Gallery.

Several Yorkton artists created original line-drawn works for pARTners Gallery. The pieces are available for pick-up at several locations throughout the city.

Youth awarded scholarship money for center ice puck shot

By Tyson Off Staff Writer

YORKTON – Back on Jan. 29, during the intermission of a Mauler game, eight-year-old Owen Rhinas made a center ice puck-shot and earned himself a $5,000 scholarship.

The money was donated by local business Lakeview Insurance and also the business of a former Terrier, Jeff Rask of Wellington Altus Private Wealth, Greywolf, Senior Investment Manager.

“Back in the late summer Greg Donnelly, the President of the Yorkton Maulers contacted me and asked if Lakeview Insurance wanted to sponsor the local Maulers,” said Dave Nussbaumer of Lakeview Insurance in an interview with Yorkton This Week, adding, “we came up with the idea of a shootout but I stretched it and said lets do it for kids and make it a scholarship fund.”

Nussbaumer said he approached local business to participate for the scholarship but when they were unable, he reached out to the former Yorkton Terrier.

“I was contacted by Dave (Nusbaumer) and he had an idea to do this scholarship thing so I agreed to partner with him and kind of help support a young fellow with a scholarship,” said Rask in an interview with Yorkton This Week.

Rask said he appreciated the people and time he spent in Yorkton when he played for the Terriers in the 1996-97 season and noted that he had family play for the team as well.

“Part of it was the ties that myself and my brothers all had back to Yorkton – we all played hockey there for the Terriers,” said Rask.

“It was good to be able to to partner with Dave and give back a little bit to the community where my brothers and myself played some hockey,” said Rask.

Rhythm and Ribs cancelled for 2023

By Tyson Off Staff Writer

YORKTON – The Health Foundation’s annual music and food festival, Rhythm and Ribs, which normally takes place in the summer has been cancelled.

“The reasoning is we couldn’t get the vendors to come during the summer,” said Ross Fisher, Executive Director for the Health Foundation in an interview with Yorkton This Week.

“They wanted to come early spring or later September and the weather is just too iffy for us to do that,” said Fisher, adding, “we’ve passed on this year and hopefully we’ll get back to holding the event again in 2024.”

Fisher said the news from the vendors was disappointing.

“I think it’s a good event for the community — a lot of people come — it’s fun, it’s a family event – so it’s too bad that we’re not going to go ahead. It’s one of these events that’s difficult to hold when you might have poorer weather because there’s a lot of work and expense that goes into setting up the event, so you need to be reasonably sure you’re going to be able to hold it at a time of the year when you’ll have a good attendance.”

“We hope that we’ll go again in 2024 – we hope that we’ll be able to do it again in July which is when we held it the first few years,” said Fisher.

“I think part of the issue for us is that...prior to COVID they all ran a Continued from Page A1 number of trucks and they’re sort of starting to build those up again because they all have a number of rigs and we are a secondary market for them,” said Fisher, adding, “if they have more trucks and they

have more staff then they are able to come here during the summer, but if they have a limited number of trucks and staff they put them into the higher volume markets.”

“We’re hopeful that they’ll be staffed up again and able to come again in 2024 – that’s sort of the conversation that we’ve had with them,” said Fisher, “time will tell – everybody is having trouble getting staff these days.”

Fisher said there is no plan to hold a replacement event for the popular festival.

“I think this year we’re going to pass on having a big summer event like that,” said Fisher, adding, “they take a long time to set up – we’ll go with the events we normally have which are a golf tournament and a run...those will keep us busy for the summer.”

“We aren’t alone –Saskatoon normally also has an event with barbecue rib vendors and they are not going ahead this year either,” said Fisher.

Though the event is cancelled, Fisher said that fundraising continues.

“We’ve been getting in some donations and we — over the next while — will probably build into our radiothon which is coming up in April,” said Fisher.

“Some of what we’re raising money for will mean new services for the area. We plan on buying an Echocardiogram machine — we have staff that are able to run it now — currently people have to go to Saskatoon and Regina in order to get an echo which is kind of a basic service for a regional hospital.”

“As we have a slightly older population it’s sort of an in-demand service so we’re happy to be moving forward with put-

ting that in place. I think people see the value of it, we plan on expanding some of the services that we have for children in the hospital – it will be a busy year for us.”

“We raise money each year to try and put new services or expanded services in place in the hospital – we’re not always successful in putting new services in place but the

community has been very supportive of good projects or equipment that they see that will make sense and will enhance the services that we have locally,” said Fisher.

“We expect that they’ll be pleased to see some of what we’re raising money for this year and we expect and hope that [the community] will continue to support us.”

AG OUTLOOK 2023

Distributed Friday, March 24th

Deadline Friday, March 17th

AGRI-BUSINESS 2023

Distributed Friday, April 14th

Deadline Thursday, April 6th

From left to right, Jeff Rask, Dave Nussbaumer Owen Rhinas and Kirby Stewart. The eight-yearold Rhinas hit the target on a center ice puck shot back in January.

Submitted Photo

Nancy Johnson nancjohnson@me.com

306-745-7578

Residential Specialist

Esterhazy, Yorkton and Area

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Gladys.Secondiak@outlook.com

306-620-9700

Residential, Agriculture Specialist

Yorkton, Canora, Preeceville, Kamsack and surrounding area.

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Commercial/Agriculture Specialist Eastern Saskatchewan

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306-730-8151

Agriculture, Residential Specialist Eastern Saskachewan

Personal, professional service.

Whether buying or selling, if it’s a residential property in smaller communities you’re interested in, acreages out in the rurals, recreational properties, investment land or a complete farming operation, I’ve handled the transactions for all of them and would be honoured to help you with your Real Estate needs. Give me a call and we can discuss your particular situation, what’s most important is “you”.

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306-745-7755

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