The Observer October 23, 2025 by Carlyle Observer

Lamontagne

Carlyle Community Complex Foundation (CCCF) reaches financial goal

By Kaitlynn Nordal

As the Carlyle Community Complex Foundation (CCCF) proves, it takes many people to keep a community thriving.

Carlyle had been on the list for a new school for over a decade.

“After some discussion, it was determined to step up and advocate various government groups harder,” said Jared Riddell, a committee member and advisor for CCCF.

While gathering information, meeting with various delegates, and preparing supporting documentation for an official proposal, suggestions were also made to include the efficiency of a joint-use community facility.

In the fall of 2021, an architectural concept drawing was developed, approved, and included in a final proposal submitted to the school division and Ministry of Education.

While they waited for a response, it was decided to be proactive, and fundraising for this concept was approved in August 2022.

Not long after, the CCCF was registered as a non-profit organization, and the work began to fundraise for this new concept.

In the spring of 2023, the provincial budget included the announcement for the planning of a new Pre K – 12 school for Carlyle.

“At this point, we had already initiated numerous fundraising programs and raised a modest amount of funding. As priorities do

change over time, in October 2024, we made a formal commitment to raise $500,000 towards the new school as discussions for the future replacements of other community facilities are currently on hold,” said Riddell.

Those at CCCF wanted to do something different and to include the region, reducing the amount of handout canvassing, so they decided to initiate a hands-up approach.

Farming for the Future was then born.

“Farming for the Future was a way to include volunteers within Carlyle and the surrounding farming communities,” said Riddell.

“School presentations and field trips were made to educate students on agriculture and to also teach them how communities rally together for a common goal,” said Riddell. “Volunteers were arranged, including farmland, equipment, fuel, seed, chemical, fertilizer, and even supper in the field.”

The first crop was in the spring of 2023,

“We were ready the day after the provincial budget announcement and also completed harvest in 2024 and most recently on October 1, 2025,” said Riddell. “These events were all met with great success. Thanks to all the volunteers and generous donors, we raised $300,000 in total on the three farming fundraisers.”

This year’s harvest had nine combines, seven trucks, 34 working volunteers, food servers, and many spectators.

The CCCF is proud to announce they have reached their financial goal of enhancements for the new Carlyle school. Photo contributed

Community Calendar

Your first stop to find events happening in our community!

October

Fri, Oct 24 – Fowl Supper - Kisbey Fri, Oct 31 – Blaze a trail for kids haunted bash – Carlyle Memorial hall

November

Sun, Nov 9 – Fowl Supper – Maryfield Sat, Nov 22 - Rory Allen- Arcola

2026

Tues to Sat - Mar 25 -29

– 125th Arcola Curling Club Bonspiel

*Do you have a community event you want listed here? Send us the name of the event, date, and what community it’s being held by emailing: observer@sasktel.net OR calling: (306) 453-2525.

Always Remember To Recycle Your Old Newspapers

CCCF reaches financial goal

“It was an overwhelming experience and an event everyone should be very proud of,” said Riddell.

Along with the proceeds from Farming for the Future, CCCF also collected $50,000 from six other fundraising programs, as well as $150,000 in donations and sponsorships.

“We are excited that we have already submitted our total committed goal of $500,000 to the town of Carlyle to be allocated towards the enhancements on the new PreK-12 school in Carlyle,” said Riddell.

“On behalf of our committee, we would like to thank everyone who has generously contributed to reaching our goal over the past three years,” continued Riddell.

Students listen to a presentation during Farming for the Future. Photo contributed

The CCCF committee is made up of (L-R) Tammie Riddell, Amy Geiger, Judy Valentine, Shawn Peterson, Charity Brown, Nancy Mathewson, Brian Isleifson, Jared Riddell, Joey Eaton, David Lemieux, and Brent McLean. Photo

SaskTel 2025 Pass, Punt and Kick held in Carlyle

By Stephanie Zoer

SaskTel Pass, Punt and Kick is back for another season, and it is in full swing. This event is funded by the Saskatchewan Roughriders Foundation and holds all levels of local, regional and provincials. At the last home game of the Roughriders, 12 boys and 12 girls will be crowned provincial champions.

Carlyle and Weyburn schools had students take part in the local competition, and on October 8 at the

Carlyle Gordon F. Kell Highschool the regional competition took place.

Shelley Sargeant organized the competition and had 24 students from Carlyle and Weyburn join in to see who could pass, punt, and kick the furthest. The top athletes will go to the south provincial competition in Regina on October 18.

The following youth will be moving on to Regina. The eight and under boy’s pass went to Lincoln Brown from Carlyle with a winning dis-

tance of 38’ 7” and the girls pass went to Klhoe Brady from Carlyle with a 22’ winning distance. Boys punt of 38’ went to Oliver Anderson from Carlyle and the girls punt went to Xia Cusping with 10’ 11” winning distance. Steven Villamar of Carlyle had the boys kick at 46’.

The ten and under group also all came from Carlyle with the boy’s pass of 47’ 11” going to Cade Dayman and the girls pass of 36’ 5” going to Scarlett Nistor. Boys punt went to Colter Wilson with 76’ 2” and the

girls kick of 10’ went to Chantily Monkman-Cyr.

The twelve and under boy’s pass went to Jase Anderson from Weyburn with a winning distance of 60’ 1” and the boys punt of 77’ 6” going to Brett Strole of Weyburn and the boys kick of 67’ went to Dexton Linnen of Weyburn. The girls pass of 65’ 10” went to Carlyle’s Rylee Brady and the girls punt went to Weyburn’s Bailey Schaeffer with a 61’ 9” winning distance. Ellexah Humphries of Carlyle took the kick with 42’ 4” distance.

Zion Siwale of Weyburn took the fourteen and under boys pass with a winning distance of 155’ 6”, while the boys punt went to Cale Porter of Weyburn with an 85’ 2” winning distance, and the boys kick went to Donovan Lanz of Weyburn with a 66’ 11” win.

These youth will go on to south provincial competition in Regina and then on to the Roughriders final home game on October 25 against the BC Lions if they make it. Good luck to all of them.

Twenty-four athletes from Weyburn and Carlyle competed in the SaskTel Pass, Punt and Kick competition in Carlyle. Photo by Shelley Sargent

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Halloween bugs add to the fun

When most people think of Halloween, they picture ghosts, pumpkins, and costumes. But there is another classic symbol of the spooky season that often gets overlooked, and that is bugs, spiders, beetles, and other creepy crawlers that play a big role in making Halloween feel just the right amount of eerie. Whether fake or real, these little creatures remind us that Halloween is about embracing what usually gives us the chills.

There is something fascinating about how bugs have become part of Halloween tradition. Fake spiders dangle from webs, plastic cockroaches scatter across tabletops, and glow in the dark centipede’s crawl through haunted houses. These decorations bring a playful fright that captures the spirit of the holiday. They let us explore our fear in a fun way, turning something that usually makes us squirm into part of the excitement.

At the same time, Halloween bugs remind me of nature’s amazing, and sometimes creepy side. Real spiders, for instance, are incredible little architects. Their webs glisten like lace in the fall moonlight, and although they give me the shivers, they actually help control other pests.

Halloween can be the best time to appreciate these little creepy crawlers, but for me as long as it is from a distance. No matter how helpful a real spider is, I still can not get past the fact that they give me the creeps.

Another bug that seems to come out in the fall is the dreaded Halloween bug or the box elder bug. Can someone please tell me what the purpose of this annoying bug is?

We have had thousands on our fence, in clusters so big that they are on top of each other. They make a mess with everything they crawl over, and I have yet to see them have any real reason to be on the face of this earth.

They are everywhere. In my house, crawling on my dogs, and they are even found in my bed. Seriously they have overpopulated this year, and how do you get rid of them?

With their orange and black colouring I will assume this is how they got their name. They are not creepy bugs, just annoying bugs that seem to not care what and where they sit. Even my dogs dislike them.

This brings me back to the spiders and their webs. If they catch more of these nasty bugs, I am quite sure that I could tolerate the spider more, but since it seems that these Halloween bugs do not get caught in the webs, the spiders can go too.

I did notice that the fake webbing seemed to catch a lot of these bugs, so if you are looking for a realistic Halloween prop, maybe hang up some webbing and fill them with Halloween bugs. All in all, Halloween is supposed to be fun, and for some people the scarier it is the better. They enjoy hanging things that make a person second guess whether or not to go to that house. But that is what they enjoy.

This Halloween let us keep safety in mind. Please have your children wear items that are easy to move in and that reflect light. Go into groups and have your children learn about crossing the streets safely.

Halloween is on a Friday night this year, and there will be a lot going on in every town. For drivers please be alert and watch for the kids as we all want young and old to have a fun and safe Halloween.

“Everyone can rise above their circumstances and achieve success if they are dedicated to and passionate about what they do.”

Back in the Day

What will they say about us when we’re gone?

When I was a teenager I was asked to provide music at a memorial service for a man who had once resided in our community, but spent much of his life living in places around the world. When he died he didn’t have one place to call home so his service was held on a summer day in the town where one of his siblings still lived. It was a small service with about a dozen family members, the pastor, and me. A brother and a nephew shared a handful of stories that were rather unique in that they weren’t the typical fare at these services. The remembrances included highlights of his travels and some of the unusual jobs he took, but there were also many stories speaking of his inadequacies and shortcomings. It was perhaps the most authentic recounting of someone’s life I’d experienced at a service of this kind. The family members spoke of challenges few outside his circle knew about but were pivotal in shaping the decisions

he made regarding how he lived. It was clear he worked hard to carve out a life that made sense to him, even if others didn’t understand his choices.

In the days that followed there was interest within the community about this man who had lived differently from most. But it was evident they weren’t asking questions out of the best of intentions. They seemed to be craving the gossipy, negative anecdotes to satisfy their curiosities about the man they did not know.

When someone in the public eye passes away, interest in them often increases. Diane Keaton’s memoir “Then Again” published in 2011 is back on the bestseller list following her death on October 11 this year. Sales of music surged following the death of musicians such as Whitney Houston, Prince, David Bowie, Michael Jackson and Amy Winehouse. So did the stories. And that’s where many try to cash in.

Retrospectives of celebrity lives garner attention, even amongst those who didn’t necessarily follow their careers. But so much of the post-mortem coverage seems intended to cast aspersions on the memory of those who passed, knowing the appetite is there and that can raise ratings, readership and revenue.

Initially it is the good stuff; the artistry, the honors, the awards, the sales…until the tide turns

and the public seemingly grows weary of the mundane. It then becomes a feeding frenzy of scandalous stories designed to spark public interest once again using words like “claims include” and “sources close to the star” to give the stories a sense of credibility without having to back it up. It often starts with an eye-grabbing headline like “The Truth about…” or “The10 Awful Things You Need to Know about…”

I was reading an article from a legitimate online news source following the passing of a famous musician. According to the running tally there were just over 6,000 people who had read the story. An item appeared in the side bar under ‘Sponsored Content’ with the headline “The Hidden Truth about…” the man who had passed. There were more than 18,000 hits on that story--three times more than the real one. People were more drawn to the negative, salacious, and unseemly. Innuendo, apparently, is enough to go on, and the more shocking the better.

It might very well be the sponsored story contained true information, I can’t say. But why is it so appealing to read the bad and the ugly, and not necessarily the good? The other extreme of course is when someone passes and they are suddenly elevated to a status that bears little resemblance to the reality of their life. The truth

for them, as it would be for most of us, lies somewhere in the middle. Between the summits and valleys; highlights and low points; there is opportunity to savor the pinnacles while reflecting on the stumbles. I can point to many times in my life where I said and did the wrong thing. I have made many mistakes. But I hope I am remembered for more than what happened on my worst days.

When we hear of the passing of someone we don’t know very well, it would be good to focus on the elements of their life that are part of a shared experience, and not whispered about by those who know little.

I have thought back to the summer day when a small group gathered to remember a man I had never met. He had struggles and many, many lows, but he also had unique experiences and interesting adventures around the world that were high points in his life. Most of his days were lived in the middle. His life would have made for a great book. In his death, segments of the community sought to know the worst. How sad. Whether it’s an acquaintance with an intrusive question or clever marketers trying to get our attention, we should demonstrate the kind of respect…and restraint…we hope will be shown to us when the day comes that our lives will be recounted. That’s my outlook.

- Nelson Mandela

Shelley Luedtke

The 1955 Saskatchewan Golden Jubilee parade in Carlyle. Photo courtesy of Rusty Relics Museum

Weiner dogs and wieners galore in Carievale

By Paul Kimball

Paige DuPerrier is a first-year student at Brandon’s Assiniboine College, taking courses in land and water management. She is somewhat familiar with cancer, as a few members of her ‘family tree’ have suffered from it.

Recently, she learned that a good friend’s mother was diagnosed with it… and Paige felt a desire to do something to help.

DuPerrier is a lover of wiener dogs – dachshunds. She has one of her own – Rocky. She decided to stage a fundraising event featuring her favourite breed of dog – a wiener dog race. And just so non-wiener dogs didn’t feel left out, she added another dimension to the event – a canine costume contest

that was open to any breed of dog.

On October 19th in Carievale, nine wiener dogs raced against each other in heats while wieners were being barbecued for hot dogs. Once the racing was finished and a winner was crowned, the racers got into their costumes and joined the already-dressed dogs to determine the bestdressed.

The races were quite entertaining. At the finish line squatted one person familiar to the dog who it could run to, while at the starting line squatted another who could get the dog going in the right direction. The typical race saw one dog run to the familiar face while its rival chased the winning dog. The race generally concluded with the dogs playfully congratulating each other.

The dog who took top prize was Wren, owned by Lee Leonard. This was Wren’s second competition, the first being Weiner Fest in Bufford, Ontario. This was Wren’s first win.

As for the costumes, more than 15 dogs were dressed for the occasion. Some seemed to really enjoy sporting their costumes…others seemed to bemoan what their owners were doing to them.

When the judging was complete, Rowan, owned by Michelle and Carey Becan, was awarded first place for dressing up as a UPS employee, nosing

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out Mav the Pirate and T.N.T. Typically, UPS employees are wary of dogs…Rowan didn’t appear to be wary of humans.

The dogs…and crowd… seemed to really enjoy the afternoon. And so did Paige. The event raised

Tommy’s Big Barn Dance set for Saturday

By Leslie Coulter

The Tommy Douglas Birthday BarnDance, in celebration of Douglas’ 121st birthday, will be held on October 25 at the Spark Centre in Weyburn, with the Kenosee Lake Kitchen Party providing the music and leading the fun.

The Souris-Moose Mountain NDP Annual General Meeting will be held at 5 p.m. at the Spark Centre and the BarnDance will follow at 6:30 p.m.

“Let’s make some Big BARNdance energy with the Kenosee Lake Kitchen Party teaching us to square dance and how to have some good, old-fashioned fun,” said Sheena Muirhead Koops, organizer of the event and the Souris-Moose Mountain NDP representative.

A variety of Mocktails will be available, along with Build Your Own Trailblazer Mix. A silent auction, including some Tommy memorabilia, will be held during the evening. If you have an auction item, please bring it to the Spark Centre by 5:30 p.m. This is an all-ages event, and everyone is welcome to attend.

“Don’t miss this unique blend of grassroots politics and prairie music,” said Michael Woollard, Organizer and Outreach on behalf of the Tommy Douglas Birthday BarnDance committee.

Advanced tickets are available by texting Sheena at 306331-5533. An individual ticket is $25, a family ticket is $50, and a platinum ticket is $100.

“This is a time to celebrate our roots. In the spirit of Tommy Douglas and the CCF movement we want this to be an inclusive event,” said Muirhead Koops, “so please feel free to join us and pay only what you can at the door.

over $900 for the Canadian Cancer Society as a result of the wiener dog race entrance fees, donations and hot dog sales. Although the day is over, it is still possible to donate by clicking on the link at Wiener Dog Racer on Facebook.

“We’d love to see you there — whether it’s for the AGM, the BarnDance, or both! We are going to have so much fun!”

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Barbie didn’t ‘bomb out’ in the costume contest. She finished third. Photo by Paul Kimball

Mav the Pirate had the second-best costume. Photo by Paul Kimball

Rowan delivered the firstplace prize to its owners.

Photo by Paul Kimball

Sheena Muirhead Koops at the T.C. Douglas statue in Weyburn.

Heidi Lamontagne – Kenosee Lake’s youngest entrepreneur?

By Paul Kimball

She is a successful ‘businesswoman’…she’s been called an entrepreneur…and she’s only 11 years old.

Her name is Heidi Lamontagne and she lives with her family at Kenosee Lake in Moose Mountain Provincial Park. She is a Grade 6 student at Wawota Parkland School.

During her short life, Heidi has gone on many vacations with her family. Like most young children, she has a fascination with stickers. During her travels, she has collected hundreds of stickers, which she now proudly displays on the wall of her garage – a ‘sticker art gallery’ of sorts. She also loves sticking them on her water bottles.

In 2023, while on one of her travels, a thought entered into her mind –‘Why can’t I make some stickers for the area I live in?” Upon arriving home,

she looked over her garage wall collection and saw a sticker that she really liked from Yosemite National Park in California. It was a montage of wildlife native to the park. She started ‘tinkering’ with it and came up with a rough design for a sticker for the park she lived in. She sent it to a graphic designer, who ‘professionalized’ it.

The result was her first sticker. Since that time, she has created 17 more.

Most of her stickers focus on aspects of Kenosee Lake, such as the beach and Golf Kenosee. But she has made others, such as a maple leaf, a paw print, an ice cream cone and even one of Saskatchewan.

Most of Heidi’s designs come from her own ideas, but she also draws inspiration from her garage wall and the internet. Her desire is to create stickers that bring back memories to those who have bought them. She has set a per-

sonal goal to introduce five new stickers every year.

She takes the idea and then begins to draw it out, giving thought to such things as colour schemes, size and shape. With help from a designer and a manufacturer, Heidi then takes the finished product to various outlets, where they can be purchased. You’ll find them in locations such as the pro shop at Golf Kenosee, the Beachin Lake Shop, the Kenosee MiniMart and the Home Hardware store in Carlyle.

Her business is so successful that she has even given it a name – Lake Life Stickers, complete with a logo.

Her business may not yet have made her as rich as Taylor Swift, but for a young girl who is not even in her teens, she has done very well for herself. Creating stickers, however, has provided much more than monetary benefits. She has learned how to handle money (giving change, etc.) and how to invoice. She has also learned salesmanship as she has tried to add more retail outlets to those she already has.

And she has found great enjoyment in it.

What is her favourite part about owning her own business? She loves

designing the stickers… and she really enjoys putting more money into her bank account.

As busy as this business keeps her, she also has other interests in life. She is very active in gymnastics and would like to see how far that will take her. But in the meantime, she wants to keep her sticker business going at least through her teen years and then she’ll take it day by day after that.

Lake Life Stickers has been an interesting adventure for the young entrepreneur from Kenosee Lake.

The collection of stickers that Heidi Lamontagne has created. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Greenbank

Heidi Lamontagne alongside her sticker stand. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Greenbank

Don’t approach animals you don’t know. Halloween may make some pets more nervous than usual.

To avoid injury, carry only toy weapons and accessories made of soft materials.

Halloween is a time for witches, sorcerers and spells. These mysterious and magical elements are captivating. Among the most fascinating of these items of enchantment are magic potions. Here are a few of the most famous concoctions.

IN THE WORLD OF ASTERIX THE GAUL Panoramix, the druid with a flowing white beard, creates an infamous magic potion that gives temporary superhuman strength to anyone who drinks it. The only exception is Obelix, whose strength is unending because he fell into the cauldron as a child!

FROM ALICE IN WONDERLAND

Carry a flashlight to make sure you can see where you’re going and drivers can see you.

If possible, carry a cellphone so you can reach your parents

On her wild adventures, the intrepid Alice comes across a small bottle with the words “Drink me” written on it. After tasting it, she shrinks to the size of a mouse. Later, she changes size again by eating some magic cake, which makes her grow into a giant, and then drinking the shrinking potion again.

IN THE HARRY POTTER UNIVERSE

There are many surprising magic potions in the Harry Potter universe, including Veritaserum (which forces you to tell the truth), Polyjuice Potion (which lets you take on the appea rance of another person) and Felix Felicis (which gives

extraordinary luck). What magic potions would

Creative Tables for Cancer continues to thrive

By Stephanie Zoer

Last year Darlene Olson announced that after 15 years of Creative Tables for Cancer that 2024 was her last year of hosting the event. During these years she raised over $450,000. It was now up to another organization to take it over.

Carlyle Cubs Learning Centre stepped up to the plate and took over this amazing event this year. The event has kept the same format with tables being sold with seating

for eight. Each table is decorated with a theme, which is completely up to the guests who sit at the table.

On October 16, at the Arcola Prairie Place Complex, the doors opened at 5 p.m. and tickets purchased were entered into a door prize. If the 170 guests that attended brought a hygiene item for the Carlyle Food Bank, they would have their name entered for another door prize. Along the north wall of the complex, tables

USED SEED HAWK AIR SEEDERS

were lined up with items that had been donated by local and area businesses and individuals in support of the event. It was a silent auction, and this is when friends bet against friends to win an auction item, all in the means of a good cause.

Justine Kyle was the MC for the evening, and she welcomed everyone to the special event. Kayla Brown spoke on behalf of the learning centre, giving the audience some history on the Carlyle Cubs.

The meal was served by the host/hostess of each table. They went to the kitchen and retrieved the food which had been prepared by Steve and Allison’s Catering out of Lampman. Dessert was provided by the host.

Once the meal was completed the door prize winners were announced and they went to Brie

Blaise and Mac Gelianas. The Food Bank door prize was won by Stephanie Zoer. The NHL package of four tickets and $1,000 went to Jordon Farr.

Teagan Littlechief from White Bear First Nation came to the stage to entertain. An emotional Teagan spoke about her mom being in the hospital and how this has affected her family. Through tears Teagan was still able to belt out some tunes. “I had no idea that this was going to be such an emotional event,” said Teagan. This was the first time that Teagan had been to Creative Tables.

Blair and Deb Andrew were the guest speakers. Deb spoke first about the challenges of being the care giver when Blair had prostate cancer. She said, cancer does not care if you have dreams and goals in life. It attacks anyone.

PUBLIC NOTICE

Public Notice is hereby given pursuant to Section 207 of The Planning and Development Act, 2007, that the Town of Oxbow intends to adopt Bylaw 1162-2025, to amend Zoning Bylaw 1063 as hereinafter provided.

Intent

The proposed amendment would rezone Lot 20, Block 21, Plan 99SE14902, Ext 0, Surface Parcel No. 108095856 as shown and outlined in RED on the attached drawing dated Oct 3, 2025, which forms part of this Bylaw, from Residential Low-Density District - R1 to Industrial District - IND to compliment neighboring and adjacent businesses.

Affected Land

The affected Land is legally described as Lot 20, Block 21, Plan 99SE14902.

Reason

The reason for the amendment is to compliment neighboring and adjacent businesses.

Public Inspection

Any person may inspect the bylaw at the municipal office at 319 Main Street, Oxbow, S.K. between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding statutory holidays. The Proposed Bylaw and Map is available for viewing on the Town website at www.oxbow.ca

Public Hearing

The council will hold a public hearing on November 10, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. at 319 Main Street, Oxbow, S.K. to hear any person or group that wants to comment on the proposed bylaw. The council will also consider written comments received at the hearing or delivered to the undersigned at the municipal office before the hearing. You can contact the undersigned at 306-483-2914 or administrator@oxbow.ca with questions or comments.

Issued at the Town of Oxbow this 23rd day of

During the time that Deb needed to help her husband she learned not to focus on the cancer but to focus on the person. “I do not know how a person with cancer feels,” said Deb. “I needed to focus on Blair as he was still the same person, and I needed to find the balance.” “I found out more about my husband during this time and together we found the strength to move forward.”

Blair was diagnosed with cancer in June 2023 and received surgery in January 2024. “The staff was amazing at the hospital, and the care is exceptional,” said Blair.

Blair stressed to get checked out. “Know your health and ask questions,” he said.

He encouraged people to watch their diets, to take care of their mental health, and do not be afraid to talk about it.

“Cancer does not define me,” said Blair. “We have not been to hell and back to hide it.” They said their couch is always open for anyone who wants to talk or has questions. They thanked the daycare for the invite and the support. A few games were played to finish off the evening, and the evening was completed with a social and the silent auction winners. Approximately $20,000 was raised although the final amount has not been calculated. The Carlyle Cubs Learning Centre already has next year’s date booked, and they hope to see everyone there.

From left to right, Blair and Deb Andrew from Living Skies Lodge were the guest speakers at Creative Tables for Cancer. Photo by Stephanie Zoer

Teagan Littlechief from White Bear First Nation, entertained the crowd with several songs at Creative Tables for Cancer. Photo by Stephanie Zoer

A scary time to be in Alida

By Paul Kimball

Twenty-five years ago, Shelly Cowan, along with Marcia Gervais, Shanna Carriere, Dale Anthony, Holly Anthony and Margaret Peet set up a ‘haunted house’ in the basement of the old rink in Alida. It was a creepy place and ideal to send Halloween shivers up and down the spines of local kids who were brave enough to enter the doors.

Every year, the haunted house got scarier.

Even when it had to be moved to the Memorial Hall due to the basement of the rink flooding a few years ago, it continued to grow as more and more frightening elements were added.

Construction on this year’s ‘house’ began in September. Many volunteers are required to make it happen. It is surprising how much ‘scare’ can be packed into one place.

As the scare factor has increased, so have the activities offered.

Two years ago, an escape room was added to challenge the deductive abilities of closet detectives. Normally created by Cowan, this year’s version was designed by expert Mari Grobler of Regina. Sleuths are given 20 minutes to crack the code that enables escape.

A few hundred people from near and far have come to visit the haunted house and escape

Notice

room this Halloween season. One group came from Estevan to successfully solve the escape room code. A family journeyed from Reston, Manitoba, to treat their kids to a scare. Offered over six days, there are still four chances to take it in – October 24th to 26th and October 31st. On the 26th, the ‘house’ will be down scared to be more suitable for younger children and on the 31st, a family dance

will take place.

All of this is designed to raise funds for Alida’s rec board. There is also an opportunity to donate towards ‘pet control’ where the donations will be used to spay and neuter cats wandering the streets of Alida. The feline critters will then be returned to the streets… but unable to add to the town’s population.

It’s a great event –take the time to visit…if you dare.

Sexual violence awareness campaign across the Southeast

Courtesy of Envision Counselling

Envision Counselling and Support Centre Inc. is proud to launch its new awareness campaign, “From Silence to Support.” The initiative is designed to increase understanding, reduce stigma, and highlight the impacts of sexual violence while promoting awareness of the supports available to survivors. The initiative reminds individuals that this is a prevalent issue across our province, while also reminding survivors that they are not alone, and that healing and hope are within reach.

emphasizes the importance of awareness and prevention as critical steps in building safer and more compassionate communities.

The campaign’s message is simple yet powerful:

• Reach out. We are here for you.

Saskatchewan continues to experience one of the highest rates of sexual assault victimization in Canada, with approximately 104 incidents per 100,000 people. Envision’s campaign

• It isn’t your fault.

• We believe you.

• We support you.

“All it takes is one message of support to remind someone they’re not alone,” said Raven Daer, communications specialist at Envision Counselling and Support Centre. “This campaign encourages open conversations about sexual violence while showing survivors that help is available, and that we believe them. We know that sexual violence can happen to anyone, and we hope to replace silence with understanding and compassion.”

ENFORCEMENT LIST

Note: A sum for costs in an amount required by subsection 4(3) of The Tax Enforcement

in the amount shown against each parcel

One of the haunted house rooms on October 18th… with ‘bride’ Ainsley Cowan. Photo courtesy of Shelly Cowan

The Carlyle RCMP is currently hiring for the positionof Guard/Matron on aCasual Basis All qualifying candidates must pass the RCMP Security Clearance For more informationortoapply, please contact the Carlyle RCMP at 306-453-6707

PlantOperator

•Working withthe teamtoinvestigateand resolvediscrepancies •Shipping andreceiving

•Following established proceduresfor loading andreceiving product

• Adheringtocompany policies and procedures•Maintainingstrict confidentiality

•Completing other dutiesand projects as required

•Assistleaderwith vehicle/equipmentrecords

•Followsafety requirements& help in leading safetyculturearound the site

Job Knowledge Requirements:

•Excellent interpersonal andcommunication skills areessential

•Valid Class5Driver’s License

•Completionofthe following: Transportation of Dangerous Goods, WHMIS, ForkliftOperator,Skid Steer Operator and First Aid/CPR

• Computer skills• Self-starterwith adesiretosucceed

•Ability to work independentlyand contribute to buildingthe team

• Ability to identify opportunitiesand implement solutions

DOWN

1. Play unfairly

2. Latin dance

3. UFO pilot

4. Small carpet

5. Acquire

6. Average grades

7. Having handles

8. Monotone

9. Rubdown

10. Metal-bearing rock

11. Morning mist

22. Grain of corn

24. Not well

25. Rent

27. Deep

29. Admiration

30. Crafty person

31. Game rooms

33. Bet

37. Unhappy

39. Mosquitoes, e.g.

40. TV’s “F ____”

42. Cleanse

43. Tender spots

44. Pinch

CANCER

LEO

ACROSS

1. Study for a test

5. Frosted

9. Stylish

5. Frosted

12. Maui dance

9. Stylish

13. Within close range

12.Maui dance

14. “Bells ____ Ringing”

15. Send out

13.Within close range

16. Superman, e.g.

17. Alter a skirt

14. “Bells ____ Ringing”

18. Lincoln or Vigoda

19. Takes umbrage at 21. Oil boat

15. Send out

16. Superman, e.g.

17. Alter a skirt

23. Leave the track 26. Sinful 28. Peer 29. Off yonder

Drag

18. Lincoln or Vigoda

19. Takes umbrage at

Excluding

Most festive

Forewarned

21. Oil boat

26. Sinful

Rawhide 35. Eroded 36. Bathe

47. Dispute

Having handles

23. Leave the track

Dispute 48. Gave lunch to 50. Like lemon juice

28. Peer

29.Off yonder 32. Drag

34. Rawhide

35. Eroded

36. Bathe

38. Excluding 41.Most festive

51. Silver or glass follower 52. Dark bread 53. Carry along 54. On a cruise 55. Certainly! 56. Potato 57. Secretary’s need DOWN 1. Play unfairly 2. Latin dance

UFO pilot

45. Forewarned

48. Gave lunch to 50. Like lemon juice

Monotone

Rubdown

51. Silver or glass follower

Metal-bearing rock

Morning mist

Race in neutral

19. Race in neutral

46. Ballet skirt

48. Saute

20. Victor’s memento

49. Lens opening

51. Money roll

VIRGO

Changing

LIBRA

Your

52. Dark bread

new relationship, you’ll have serious discussions with your partner about the future. The possibility of moving in together or starting a family may come up.

Victor’s memento

53.Carry along

54. On a cruise

Grain of corn

Not well

55.Certainly!

Rent

Small carpet 5. Acquire 6. Average grades

SCORPIO

At work, a promotion with a pay raise is on the horizon. Be cautious, though, as some colleagues might envy your success. In your love life, a new beginning will bring happy moments.

Deep

56. Potato

Admiration

57. Secretary’s need

Crafty person

Game rooms

Bet

Unhappy

Mosquitoes, e.g.

How to play:

HOW TO PLAY:

Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 only once.

SAGITTARIUS

You’ll spend quality time with your loved ones this week. By managing your schedule wisely, you’ll turn even your professional responsibilities into enjoyable experiences.

CAPRICORN

This week, you’ll reflect

AQUARIUS

PISCES Challenges

Each 3x3 box is outlined with a darker line. You already have a few numbers to get you started. Remember: you must not repeat the numbers 1 through 9 in the same line, column or 3x3 box.