What’s inside
A local project was sidelined after not being
Frenchman Butte festival wows
The 34th annual Frenchman Butte Museum Festival brought hundreds to the small community to learn about history and take in activities.
The festival, held on Sunday (Aug. 10), started with a church service before the museum buildings opened and eventgoers packed the area.
“It’s kind of our annual festival. We have it every year and have entertainment and a few demonstrations going on,” said Glen Grant, vice-president, Frenchman Butte Museum.
“We’ll have the blacksmith open, they do rope making, and the fur guy is here. Some of the booths are selling books and our museum trinkets, a couple of artists, they’re new this year.”
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
Lloydminster baseball legend Kevin Payne
CHRISTIAN APOSTOLOVSKI STAFF WRITER
Christian Apostolovski MERIDIAN SOURCE
The festival is the museum’s biggest fundraiser of the year and showcases the history and items its gathered, free for people to tour.
A parade looped around the small community twice, showing off old vehicles, businesses, dignitaries and tractors.
Entertainers took to the stage throughout the day before the event wrapped up with a roast beef supper.
“We have supper in the evening, entertainment throughout the day,” said Grant.
Volunteers greeted people as they entered the old buildings, ready to recount the rich history of Frenchman Butte.
“We’ve got a school that used to be local over here, built early in the 1900s,” he said. “Then a bunch of other buildings with displays.”
Grant said the festival is typically quite full, and this year, the grounds were packed prior to the parade. People took in a quick lunch and enjoyed homemade pie.
As for the museum, while it’s their big event for the year, they’re open throughout the summer for those wanting to learn about the area’s history.
“We open May long weekend and we’re open every day until September long weekend,” said Grant. “Times other than that, we can have a private tour. You can call ahead and book a tour.”
Thurs - Fri: 3pm - 7pm Sat: 11am - 7pm Sun: 1pm - 6pm Between Kitscoty & Lloydminster Hwy 16 & South on Rg Rd 24 ½ mile.
The 34th annual Frenchman Butte Museum Festival drew crowds from far and wide enjoying local history, pie, entertainment, dinner and a large parade through the community. Christian Apostolovski Meridian Source photos
Transitional housing plan lacks funds
DAN GRAY STAFF WRITER
The Lloydminster Men’s Shelter’s recent transitional housing project proposal was not selected by The Saskatchewan Housing Corporation.
Without capital funding, the proposal couldn’t go forward.
“We had to retract our submission to the city planning department because we couldn’t secure this funding,” said the shelter’s executive director, Kagan Kneen, noting the project’s goal was to give community members a stable place to live while moving from emergency shelter to independent housing.
“Not because of community pushback. We actually received overwhelmingly positive support from so many in the community with this proposal, which we are extremely grateful for.”
Kneen spoke to Saskatchewan Housing Corp officials after the decision and was told the application was strong. The issue, they said, was their budget.
“They explained other communities had higher needs than Lloydminster,” said Kneen. “It came down to funding, not whether the project was needed here.”
Kneen said the proposed transitional housing would have filled a gap in Lloydminster’s housing issue, while noting the shelter often sees clients who are ready to leave emergency shelter but cannot find affordable, stable housing with the supports they need to succeed long-term.
“Without transitional options, many end up cycling back into homelessness,” said Kneen. “We’re doing everything we can within the shelter, but at some point, we need more than just beds. We need the next step.”
For Kneen, the decision was a setback, not the end of the road.
“We know this model works. It’s about getting the right people to the table and making the numbers work,” he said, adding the need in Lloydminster is only growing. “We’ll keep looking for other funding streams.”
The shelter will continue advocating for the project with both provincial governments.
The Meridian Source reached out to Lloydminster MLA Colleen Young for comment on transitional housing in the city and what the plan is going forward. No response was received by press time.
Predatory towing no longer allowed in Alberta
It’s not a common problem in Lloydminster, but Alberta’s new rules on predatory towing could help protect local drivers travelling to Edmonton or Calgary in the event of a collision.
The province imposed a 200-metre exclusion zone around crash scenes, banning tow truck operators, or anyone directing them, from pitching services unless invited by police, emergency crews or the driver involved. The rule came into effect Aug. 8 and violators could face a $1,000 fine.
Transportation and Economic Corridors Minister Devin Dreeshen said the changes target aggressive and unethical behaviour such as towing vehicles without consent, withholding key information from owners and charging excessive fees.
“The last thing someone needs after a collision is to be taken advantage of,” said Dreeshen. “These new rules will protect Albertans from unethical behaviour, give drivers more control in a stressful moment and help reduce insurance costs.”
The Alberta Motor Association welcomed the crackdown.
President and CEO Michelle Chimko said most of the industry operates with “trustworthiness and professionalism,” but clear rules send a message that predatory practices have “no place here.”
Edmonton Police Service Deputy Chief Nicole Chapdelaine said the EPS has made several arrests related to such practices.
“Albertans have the right to select the towing company of their choice … and should not feel pressured to immediately accept services offered at the scene,” she said.
The province said the measures will create a consistent, provincewide standard and give drivers the right to request information before agreeing to a tow.
Stock photo
Stock photo
DAN GRAY STAFF WRITER
Focus Society hosts jamboree fundraiser
Vermilion’s Focus Society for Support Services is hosting its third jamboree on Sept. 5.
The event serves as a major fundraiser for the organization.
“The intent is, this is going to be our annual major fundraiser,” said Dawn Riley, director of special projects, Focus Society for Support Services.
The location is a little different this year as it’s been moved to 49 Ave. between 50 and 51 St., closer to the Vermilion Elks Hall.
“The Elks are a huge supporter of this,” said Riley, noting if the weather gets bad, they can go inside the hall. “If the weather’s nasty, we always have the hall booked.”
There’s also a few changes to the event lineup this year, including a new musical act.
“We have Sask Steel coming to play,” she said. “What’s also new this year is a silent auction.”
There will be about 20 items available for auction, including a signed Edmonton Oilers hat, Edmonton Elks tickets and a cut of meat from Zayn’s Diner, amongst other items yet to be named.
Funds raised will be used to support the non-profit’s programming.
“So, our medical transport, our transit service, our disability support services, and then our family and children support services,” said Riley.
The Focus Society empowers communities by delivering personalized support services and fostering equal opportunities.
“Our medical transport, our transit service, our disability support services, and then our family and children support services, which is totally based on the Saskatchewan side of Lloyd,” said Riley.
She says support for the event has been pivotal.
“The community support in terms of the businesses has been great,” she said. “This community, the way it supports Focus, is unbelievable.”
Doors for the event open at 5 p.m., supper’s at 6 p.m. and the jamboree is at 8 p.m. People can get tickets for the rib dinner and dance for $60 or just the dance for $20. Tickets are available at the Focus Society, 4921 51 Ave., Vermilion.
ATCO continues growth into second quarter
CHRISTIAN APOSTOLOVSKI STAFF WRITER
ATCO is reporting second-quarter growth in 2025.
The company reported adjusted earnings for the second quarter of $101 million, which is $5 million higher than the same quarter last year.
“Overall, we had a strong first half of the year, driven by growth across our portfolio of investments,” said Katie Patrick, executive vice president, chief financial and investment officer, ATCO. “As we look to the second half of 2025, we will continue to focus on executing the strategy we set out for ourselves while capitalizing on opportunities when available as we drive continued share owner value.”
ATCO structures continued its growing market presence, including the addition of a new manufacturing facility in Australia.
“ATCO Structures delivered another strong quarter with adjusted earnings of $32 million, representing the 12th straight quarter in a row of delivering year-over-year adjusted earnings growth,” said Adam Beattie, president, ATCO structures.
They were also awarded three contracts to provide rental space, workforce housing and permanent modular construction solutions supporting mining operations in Western Canada, air transportation in Central Canada and for a women’s transitional centre in Northern Canada. The awards total $21 million and include sale and lease contracts.
Looking forward, ATCO Structures is looking at securing new opportunities across their key product lines.
“Our long-term growth strategy is focused on housing expansion, base business growth via our rental fleet growth, new branch locations, and advanced manufacturing, which focuses on incorporating process technology advancement and new product lines in our operating geographies,” said Beattie.
ATCO Energy Systems continues its work on utility infrastructure opportunities including two previously announced projects, the Yellowhead Pipeline Project and the Central East Transfer-Out Project.
ATCO EnPower saw $169 million of revenues across the first six months of the year, an increase of $9 million compared to the same time period last year.
CHRISTIAN APOSTOLOVSKI STAFF WRITER
Photo courtesy Focus Society for Support Services
Mischief up, auto theft down in Lloyd
A recent crime trend report from the Lloydminster RCMP, covering the period from April to June, showed some offences declined, while others increased sharply.
Insp. Brian Nicholl says the quarterly report aims to show residents a snapshot of what is happening in their community.
“The intent of this release is to continue to better inform the residents of Lloydminster and enhance
transparency and accountability of your local RCMP detachment,” said Nicholl in a statement to the media.
The biggest drop came in break-and-enters, which fell to 50 cases this quarter, down from 86 in the same period in 2021. Motor vehicle theft also declined from 44 in 2021 to 37 in 2025.
However, “Mischief – Other” surged to 668 cases from 271 in 2021. The category includes vandalism, nuisance behaviour and public disorder.
Overall, property crime remains elevated, with 1,309 incidents reported this quarter compared to 908 in 2021, down from 1,375 cases in 2023.
TIME CONSUMING
Nicholl says some offences take “dozens of hours by many officers and support staff” to investigate. Priority calls, however, always come first.
Between April and June, officers responded to 4,836 calls for service. Dispatchers at the Lloydminster Operations Control Centre answered 2,208 911 calls, which included police and fire requests.
Detachment staff completed 551 criminal record checks and officers booked 476 prisoners through the local cell block.
Local Business Directory
DAN GRAY STAFF WRITER
Maria’s Days celebrates 55 years, renovations and Marias
Maria’s Days drew big crowds celebrating not just Maria’s, but a milestone for Spiro’s Restaurant and a new look.
Events ran at Spiro’s in Lloydminster from Aug. 7-9 and celebrated Marias.
“It’s my name day and my name day happens to be the biggest holiday in Greece,” explained Maria Kokonas, owner of Spiro’s, who runs the business alongside her mom and dad, Spiro and Tina Kokonas. “It’s the day they celebrate all Marias.”
Festivities kicked off Aug. 7 with a night market in the Spiro’s parking lot.
“I think we had about 45 vendors,” said Kokonas. “It’s big for the vendors. They’re set up by four, open their markets at five and go right till 8:30 p.m.”
Kokonas said they get a lot of feedback from vendors about the positive experience they have during the market.
Jordyn Pollard performed the following day.
“It was wonderful,” Kokonas recalled. “Jordan came and she’s amazing. She draws a crowd and she gives a great performance.”
Community support made the event possible, with contributions from Maz Entertainment and a flatbed donation for the concert from Horizon Ag and Turf. Maria’s Days wrapped up with a pancake breakfast that benefitted the Lloydminster & Area Brain Injury Society (LABIS).
“Today (Aug. 9), Spiro’s is hosting a pancake breakfast for LABIS,” said
Kokonas, explaining they’re happy to be able to give back to the community.
“LABIS is a very hard-working non-profit organization. You and I today, we are amazing and we could bump our head or have some traumatic experience that puts us into a category of we’ve got a brain injury. We didn’t plan for it and now we need the services of LABIS.”
The pancake breakfast took place inside the newly-renovated restaurant.
“We had a fire in this restaurant on July, 29 (2024),” said Kokonas.
“We were able to, this July, complete all the renovations. We shut down for 20 days and did our renovations and now we are back in the swing of things.
“We redid all the colours in here, new light fixtures, new paint textures and did lots of wainscotting.”
She said the functionality of the dining room didn’t change but the kitchen was redone following last year’s fire. New additions to the kitchen include a new floor and a double oven, totalling three pizza ovens.
The festivities for the Kokonas’ family don’t stop there, as this year marks a big milestone for the restaurant.
“We started in Lloydminster 55 years ago in September,” she said.
While no plans are definitive as of yet, Kokonas said they’ll be planning something big.
“We’re going to do something celebratory and have some fun with it,” she said. “We’re making sure the community’s aware we’ve been here for 55 years.”
CHRISTIAN APOSTOLOVSKI STAFF WRITER
The new Spiro’s Restaurant interior after the renovations. Christian Apostolovski MERIDIAN SOURCE photos
LABIS: 40 years of brain injury support
Lloydminster and Area Brain Injury Society (LABIS) is preparing to celebrate a major milestone.
Next year, the non-profit will mark 40 years of helping people in the region live better after a brain injury.
“There was just nothing in town that helped them or a place for them to go,” said director of operations Verna Haight. “So, they created LABIS and it’s been going strong for almost 40 years.”
Now operating out of a bright, accessible space with programs to help participants build skills, confidence and friendships, LABIS has grown from that grassroots start to a recognized local service. Its main program, Pathways to Empowerment, meets three times a week and members participate in activities in the office and around town.
“It enhances participants’ lives through interaction, support, friendship and self-esteem,” said Haight, noting a twice-weekly walking program at the Servus Sports Centre offers another chance to connect.
The group also runs outreach visits for people unable to attend in person, ensuring no one is left out.
LABIS serves as a hub for information as staff provide resource guides and help people connect with provincial services.
“We try to help as much as we can,” said Haight. Transportation remains a challenge as many participants rely on the handy van, which costs $5 each way and can be a barrier for those on fixed incomes.
LABIS has tried to secure grants to offset the
cost, but Haight says funders often prefer more direct program spending.
The society stays visible through community events and fundraisers such as last weekend’s Maria’s Days at Spiro’s, which hosted a pancake breakfast in support of the organization. The group also volunteers with the Lloydminster Bobcats and helps at community events such as mock casinos.
“You want us to come do bartending for you? Give us a call, we love to get out in the community,” said Haight, adding volunteers and donors are vital to the work.
“Without volunteers, there’s lots of times we aren’t able to take participants out into the
community. Money is always the bottom line for a non-profit.”
Looking ahead, Haight says her goals are simple.
“All my hopes and goals are always with the participants to be happy, to be healthy and to continue coming here and feeling like they belong,” she said.
“We’ve been here for almost 40 years and I’m hoping we’re here for another 40.”
The organization is still looking for teams for its upcoming bones and ball tournament.
More information on both events can be found on the organization’s Facebook page.
The Lloydminsters and Area Brian Injury Society, with the assistance of Spiro’s and Maria’s Days, raised money by serving up pancakes on Aug. 9. Courtesy of LABIS
DAN GRAY STAFF WRITER
BFD still deployed fighting wildfire
Britannia Fire Department crews have been deployed for weeks and remain on the front lines of massive wildfires in northern Saskatchewan.
Their current assignment is near Little Amyot Lake, about three and a half hours northeast of Lloydminster.
The West of Beauval fire, reported July 8, is not contained and now covers 55,826 hectares, which is nearly 20 per cent larger than Lloydminster. Crews are battling fast-moving flames that have forced evacuations in Canoe Lake First Nation, Jans Bay and the resort subdivision at Little Amyot Lake. Highway 965 has also faced closures as fire activity shifts.
Helicopters, air tankers, heavy equipment, other departments and even drones are supporting this fire. Winds have gusted up to 70 km/h during storms, pushing flames in new directions.
for trespassing.
The report also noted officers often face delays from false or abandoned 911 calls. Those incidents climbed to 109 this quarter, up from 68 in 2024.
“Officers often deal with calls for service that take them away from legitimate calls,” said Nicholl.
Traffic collisions also added to the workload, with 136 incidents reported inside city limits.
During the quarter, RCMP members laid 1,049 charges. Of those, 295 were for failing to comply with court orders. Twenty-eight tickets were also issued
Nearby, an even larger wildfire has burned since June 28. It spans 346,990 hectares or about 60 per cent of the size of Prince Edward Island. That blaze has hit communities including La Plonge Reserve, Beauval and Ile-a-la-Crosse, destroying valuables and closing highways. Canadian Armed Forces crews are among those aiding the fight. Britannia firefighters are working in the same region and face difficult terrain, thick smoke and unpredictable weather.
Crews run from first light to dark, moving pumps and hoses, cutting fire guards and watching for flare-ups. Falling trees, shifting winds and hidden hot spots add to the danger.
The department’s presence is part of a larger effort drawing in help from across Canada. Containment will take time, calmer weather and hard work on the ground.
Britannia firefighters remain in place holding the line against the advancing flames.
Nicholl says the detachment will continue to release quarterly statistics to help with transparency.
“Through the release of more details on policing in Lloydminster, we are hoping that better informing the residents will give them a clearer understanding of the work being done by all the staff at the detachment,” said Nicholl.
The RCMP encourage anyone with information about ongoing crimes to call the detachment or submit tips anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
DAN GRAY STAFF WRITER
Photo courtesy BFD
From project to program, public transit here to stay in Vermilion
APOSTOLOVSKI STAFF WRITER
The Vermilion transit pilot hit the ground running and has now become a part of the Focus Society for Support Services programming.
Work is now underway for the next year of public transit.
“Now that we know we’ve got a year for sure before we review again, we are going to strengthen our partnerships that we have at the senior centre, the library, the manors and the lodge,” said Dawn Riley, director of special projects, Focus Society for Support Services.
She says the success of the program has been getting people around, including to the library.
“Now they hop on the circuit because it goes right from the (Vermilion Valley) lodge to the library,” said Riley.
“We’re going to survey our riders, our partners, make sure the routes are still working.”
The van has its devoted regulars who ride it Tuesdays and Thursdays and its even hit its full capacity in the past. Recently they offered rides to the fair while it was in town.
“We had a bus stop for seniors and what we were thinking was those seniors that have been born and raised here or grown up here and gone to the fair for 40, 50 years and can’t get there now,” explained Riley.
She says next steps include making permanent stops for the van.
“I will be going to visit town council to ask them to help me create permanent bus stops,” she said.
“What we had done was just temporary. The kids at J.R. Robson made us some beautiful sandwich boards.”
Riley says the program has been so successful that they’ve even had some unofficial stops.
“We have the farmers market, but two doors from our farmers market is the denture clinic, it’s technically not a stop,” she said explaining it helps those with mobility issue get to where they need to go.
The surveys the Focus Society plans to do will help inform them if the current route is working for the community or if they need to change it up.
In total, in the van there are four seats with two potential spots to secure wheelchairs in the middle.
Riley said a market they hope to eventually service is getting kids on the bus.
“Right now, we can’t take kids,” she said. “Car seats don’t fit on these seats.”
If a mom and her kids are looking to ride the van, they won’t be able to.
Reflecting on the pilot program, Riley says it was entirely funded by the community.
“The six months was totally, totally community supported,” she said.
Now the work commences for the Focus Society to gather more community support and sponsorships to help fund the public transit program.
The van runs Tuesdays and Thursdays, first pickup is at 9 a.m. and final dropoff is at 4 p.m. A full schedule of times and stops is available at Focussociety.ca
Carney to review Online News Act
Canada’s Online News Act, which bans media organizations, including the Meridian Source, from posting directly to Facebook and Instagram, may be changing.
The revelation comes after Prime Minister Mark Carney answered a question in Kelowna, B.C., on Aug. 4.
Carney says his government will explore ways to help local news outlets reach Canadians on social media platforms blocked under the federal Online News Act, also known as Bill C-18.
Before indirectly answering the question, Carney hyped investment in the CBC, Canada’s public broadcaster.
“One of the roles of CBC/Radio-Canada is to provide unbiased, immediate, local information, particularly in situations such as you’re referring to,” he said. “That’s one of the reasons why we’ve made the commitment to invest and reinforce and actually change the governance of CBC/Radio-Canada to ensure they are providing those essential services.”
He then addressed the question directly.
“I personally, and this government, is a big believer in the value of what you do … and the importance of ensuring that that is disseminated as widely and as quickly as possible,” said Carney.
“So, we will look for all avenues to do that, and I understand your question, and it’s part of our thinking around that.”
Industry groups say more than 80 per cent of small publishers saw traffic drop after Meta’s block. Facebook fought hard against the regulations, but in the end, lost, causing users to lose a direct connection to timely news.
Carney’s remarks suggest Ottawa might consider new ways to restore that reach while keeping support for local journalism.
DAN GRAY STAFF WRITER
Prime Minister Mark Carney. Flickr photo
CHRISTIAN
Vermilion’s Focus Society for Support Services van has been a hit in the community.
Christian Apostolovski MERIDIAN SOURCE
Thursday, August 14, 2025
MERIDIAN SOURCE
Viewpoint
5921-50 Avenue, Lloydminster, SK S9V 2A4
Phone: 306-825-5111 | Fax: 306-825-5147 meridiansource.ca
Mail: Box 2454, Lloydminster, SK S9V 1W5
Hours: 8AM to 5PM Monday to Friday
The MERIDIAN SOURCE is published once a week, on Thursday.
All material printed in the Meridian Source is copyright and may not be copied or reproduced without the express permission of the publisher. The Meridian Source reserves the right to refuse publication of any advertising or editorial material at its discretion. Columns and letters are the expressed view of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Meridian Source.
Editor Taylor Weaver taylor@meridiansource.ca
Sports Editor John MacNeil sports@meridiansource.ca
Staff Writer Christian Apostolovski christian@meridiansource.ca
Staff Writer Dan Gray dan.gray@meridiansource.ca
Marketing Consultant Bailey Keebaugh bailey@meridiansource.ca
Marketing Consultant Steph Hablado steph@meridiansource.ca
Marketing Consultant Maxine Lebo maxine@meridiansource.ca
Publisher: Reid Keebaugh
Production Manager: Amanda Richard Distribution: distribution@meridiansource.ca
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING bailey@meridiansource.ca
NEWSPAPER DELIVERY
If you’ve missed a paper, to start or stop delivery, or for carrier applications, please call 306-825-5111 for information.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
We welcome letters to the editor. Letters should be 500 words or less. A name and daytime phone number is required for verification. Priority will be given to letters exclusively written for the Meridian Source. We reserve the right to edit letters for clarity, brevity, spelling, grammar, punctuation and libel. Unsigned letters will not be published. Use of pseudonyms will only be allowed in special circumstances, at the discretion of the editor and the publisher, and only if the author’s identity is known to the editor. Publication of a letter does not imply endorsement by the Meridian Source. Send to taylor@meridiansource.ca
Beefing up online news and thoughts on golf etiquette
EDITOR
TAYLOR WEAVER
Before I get to the business portion of today’s column, I’m going to briefly talk about golf etiquette.
I got into golf four years ago after meeting Chels and not checking the golfer box when we first started spending time together.
Sure, I’d played in a few charity tournaments through work, but I wasn’t “a golfer.”
She got me on the course by dangling a cold beer and golf cart keys on a string while dressed in her finest breathable golf skirt. I was sold.
Starting out, I had trouble following my ball and relied on the game sense of fellow players to track my shots and locate my ball.
I wasn’t really paying attention to what I was hitting in respect to ball type, the number or specific markings ... I was simply trying to make contact with a little white ball.
Chels taught me a lot about golf etiquette that first summer ... a big one was not picking up balls found on the course (unless they’re in the woods).
Three years later, I’m much more in tune with my surroundings and my specific ball. Being sober as a judge might have helped a bit.
You might be thinking, “Hey, Taylor, great story, time to land your plane.”
This year, although I haven’t kept track, I’ve played quite a bit of golf, and I’m proud to say I’ve only lost three balls. Those three losses, however, came at the hands of other golfers picking up my ball and going on with their round. Tabarnak!
Golf is a very mental game ... it’s you versus yourself out there. It’s easy enough to get frustrated without someone casually picking up the ball you just hit and ripping away in their powercart. Don’t do it, unless you’re absolutely certain someone didn’t just hit it ... even if it was a tee shot
that landed out of bounds (accuracy is a work in progress).
After discussing my frustrations with co-workers, I took some advise and wrote my initials on my balls with a permanent marker. Hopefully that helps keep my frustrations at bay until I figure out how to hit a straighter drive!
BEEFING UP THE WEBSITE
I wrote a column two weeks ago about the Meridian Source’s year-long efforts to be more active and engaging online. To add to that, I’m pleased to say we’re taking things even further.
The Source’s website will contain Canadian national and international news and political coverage as early as tomorrow thanks to a subscription to the Canadian Press (CP) and Associated Press wire service.
It’s an expensive endeavour, but in an effort to be a one-stop-shop for news, it’s necessary. It’s also got the entire office buzzing with excitement.
A digital CP subscription for the Meridian Source is something I’ve been looking at for a while and I’m over the moon our owners see the value in it, as I do.
We’ll be playing with the big boys, bringing you, the reader, up-to-the-minute news from writers across Canada.
Curious what Prime Minister Mark Carney is up to? If CP has a story, it’ll be on our website.
Tired of reading about my golf woes and want to know how President Donald Trump feels about the game? We’ll have that, too.
Check out meridiansource.ca for more!
Google photo
Thursday, August 14, 2025
MERIDIAN SOURCE
Opinion
Chris’ A-Z: The tallest mayor in Lloyd
When you think of the name Russ Robertson, I’m sure you’re transported to an ice surface filled with cheers and sounds of hockey. For me, I think of a six-foot-six man who helped shape Lloydminster and welcomed British royalty to the quiet Border City.
When I first saw Robertson, I was immediately surprised by his height. When pictured next to most, including Queen Elizabeth II, he was like an anomaly. My favourite fact about Robertson was he never liked to describe himself as six-foot-six, rather he would tell people he’s five-foot-eighteen.
For the tall mayor, he came to Lloydminster later in his life. It was the small town of Balcarres, Sask., that raised Robertson. It was also where he eventually met his wife, Anne.
He had a variety of jobs, teaching at a school, working at the rural municipality when his father died, but none were quite the right fit for him. He even tried his hand at running a general store.
My favourite thing about Robertson’s story is in 1948 he “decided” to own an oil company, partnering with his brother-in-law. I don’t know how you decide to own a successful company, but I have to try that sometime.
It was that company that brought him to Lloydminster. The pull of municipal activities quickly drew Robertson to city hall. He held a variety of positions, becoming the city’s first commissioner, city councillor and eventually mayor.
Robertson was pivotal in starting the process to get a $48-million sewer and water treatment system that would eventually be approved by a future mayor taking years to go through the process.
Life in city hall wasn’t the only thing keeping him busy. Robertson enjoyed helping in hockey and coaching young people in junior ball. He taught Sunday school at the Grace United Church; he was the chamber of commerce secretary and the secretary for the exhibition board.
Now, we can’t talk about Robertson without mentioning his accomplishment of getting the Queen to Lloydminster. He didn’t physically bring her here, but he invited the Queen to visit the British-built city and, with the help of the legion, that was a reality on July 30, 1978.
Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Phillip and Andrew arrived by special plane from Saskatoon to be greeted by Robertson and his wife Anne.
Anne recalled the Queen showed great interests in the Barr Colonists and the pioneers, visiting the old log church. It was a day that was forever marked in history and something Robertson will always be remembered for.
He died following a battle with cancer in 1981.
He was honoured by Mayor Kathleen Mathison as she held the mayor’s prayer breakfast a program centered around Robertson and Anne. They were paid the highest tribute and recognized for their leadership.
Robertson was driven with a strong work ethic and left a permanent mark on Lloydminster. He was remembered for his efforts in bringing the Queen here, often being referred to as the “Queen greeter.” In interviews with mayor’s after Robertson’s time, he was remembered for his leadership in the community and his efforts to bring better water to the community. Today he’s still remembered through the arena named after him.
Former Mayor Russ Robertson at a tree-planting ceremony at the Barr Colony Museum site with Queen Elizabeth II. Photo courtesy Lloydminster Regional Archives
The Meridian Source Calendar of Events is a free service provided for non-profit organizations located within our coverage area. All events are in chronological order, as space permits and at the editor’s discretion.
Bingo at the Moose Lodge
Bingo at Moose Lodge is closed for the summer. Thank you to all the players, volunteers and members who helped make this a successful year. Bingo will resume on Sept. 3.
Pubnight at the Legacy Centre
The Legacy Centre is hosting a pubnight on Aug. 20. Doors open and dancin’ at 5 p.m. and supper is at 6 p.m. Dance the night away after supper! Cost is $20/person at the door. All members and guests welcome. Call the Legacy office at 780-875-4584 for more.
Spades
Tournament
The Legacy Centre is hosting a spades tournament on Aug. 21, starting at 10 a.m. Cost is $10/ person to play and $12/person for lunch. Everyone welcome! Call the Legacy office at 780-875-4584 for more.
Kaiser Tournament at the Moose Lodge
The Moose Lodge is hosting a kaiser tournament on Aug. 23 at 1 p.m. Registration is from noon to 12:45 p.m. All players must register by Aug. 21. Cost to play is $20, which includes snacks and tea/coffee. Prizes for the top three teams. Contact Arne at 306821-7459 or Bruce at 780-522-6972 for more details.
Cribbage Doubles Tournament
The Legacy Centre is hosting a cribbage doubles tournament on Aug. 28, starting at 10 a.m. Cost is $10/person to play and $12/person for lunch. Everyone welcome! Call the Legacy office at 780-875-4584 for more.
Complimentary Concert at the Vic Juba
The Government of Alberta and City of Lloydminster are bringing a complimentary concert to the Vic Juba Community Theatre on Aug. 31 featuring Spencer Jo and Dylan Hansen & The Rough Cuts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at the Vic Juba box office or online at vicjubatheatre.ca/tickets
Gord Cormier at the Legacy Centre Back by popular demand, Newfoundland’s Gord
Cormier returns to the Legacy Centre on Sept. 3 at 7 p.m. Tickets are on sale now for $30/person and can be purchased at the Legacy office. Come out for a night with Gord Cormier and his “Country Legends Tribute Show” along with some Newfoundland songs, stories, jigs and reels! Call the Legacy office for more info at 780-875-4584.
Green River Revival - CCR tribute at the Vic Juba The Vic Juba Community Theatre is ramping up for Green River Revival, the ultimate CCR tribute concert, for an 8 p.m. show on Sept. 5. The two-hour event promises to bring you back to the golden age of rock and roll. Tickets are $55 and available at the Vic Juba box office or online at vicjubatheatre.ca/ tickets
More at meridiansource.ca
Gray Matters: Tyranny or public safety?
Nova Scotia’s latest wildfire rule has crossed a dangerous line.
The province stated it will fine people up to $25,000 for simply hiking in the woods during the current fire ban, even on private land. Royal Canadian Air Force and Afghanistan veteran Jeff Evely learned the hard way after receiving a $28K fine.
This isn’t just tough enforcement. It’s an overreach of government power that risks turning public safety into public tyranny.
Wildfires are a real threat. They destroy homes, wildlife and forests. No one disagrees with the need to protect people and property. But punishing someone with a massive fine for taking a walk in the woods? That’s seems unfair and extreme.
This isn’t some one-off thing, either. Canadian governments keep grabbing more control through emergency powers and harsh laws that don’t match the actual threat level.
Remember when they used the Emergencies Act in 2022 against those protests?
Courts later said it wasn’t justified. They froze bank accounts and shut down basic freedoms over what turned out to be something that didn’t meet legal emergency standards.
Ottawa’s also pushing environmental rules that stomp all over provincial rights. Something Alberta is familiar with in regard to oil and gas.
Something closer to home is taking guns from law-abiding citizens to prevent gun crimes. A 2022 Statistics Canada survey shows a measly 13 per cent of guns used in homicides were registered.
The pattern seems to be clear. Governments keep setting strict rules and punishments that don’t line up with real risks or protecting rights. When they hit regular people with crazy fines or restrictions that aren’t actually making anyone safer, it stops being about public welfare and starts looking like power trips.
Don’t get me wrong, protecting communities and nature matters, but there has to be limits.
For Western Canadians already side-eyeing federal overreach, Nova Scotia’s hiking fines sound familiar, like another warning bell pushing back.
Transparent and balanced decision-making, especially during emergencies, becomes crucial. Bottom line is, citizens can’t afford to stay quiet. Speaking up against government overreach isn’t just our right, it’s basically our job these days.
Those in power work for us, not the other way around. Let’s not forget that.
When restrictions cross from safety measures into freedom-crushing territory, it’s not just trails getting closed off, it’s everyone’s liberty on the line. In my opinion, that’s something worth fighting for.
Thursday, August 14, 2025
MERIDIAN SOURCE
Thiessen carries Alberta into Games
JOHN MacNEIL SPORTS EDITOR
While a banner finish is the goal for any athlete, Team Alberta softball pitcher Katherine Thiessen took it one step further and fashioned a banner start at the Canada Summer Games.
Thiessen, a 2025 graduate of Lloydminster Comprehensive High School, carried the Alberta banner during the Games opening ceremonies last Saturday (Aug. 9) at the Mary Brown Centre in St. John’s, N.L. She and fellow banner-carrier Ethan Darpoh (soccer) of Edmonton joined flag-bearer Jonnie Newman (canoe-kayak) of Calgary in leading the Alberta contingent during the colourful and musical opening-night show.
Coaches from each participating Alberta sport nominated candidates for the ceremonial roles, before the final three selections were made.
“I was really grateful that my coaches chose to write about me and enter me to be considered, and I’m really grateful that the board selected me,” said Thiessen, 18.
“It’s a super-cool experience that I don’t think I’ll ever forget. Just like being in the (athletes’) village, there’s just so many people here, plus all the families and friends, and just the community that’s come to watch. Even tickets for the opening ceremonies were hard to get, because people wanted to be there and wanted to see all the athletes. The number of athletes here is in the thousands.”
Thiessen’s leadership and athletic abilities paved the way for her to carry the banner, parading hundreds of Alberta athletes into the flagship St. John’s arena.
“On the team, I’m kind of a natural leader, and I’m not nervous to step into big roles or anything like that,” she said. “And then, I think partly too because I have played at the national level, on Team Canada, and also going to an NCAA Division 1 school, just those kinds of things probably stood out to the board.”
Even before the Canada Games, Thiessen has had a standout summer season with the U19 women’s River City Hornets of Edmonton, especially during their national championship at Surrey, B.C.
“I had a really good nationals,” Thiessen said. “I was named all-star pitcher and tournament MVP, so I was very thankful for those awards. I had a great nationals, both pitching and hitting-wise.
“I think our club finished seventh in the nation. We lost our first playoff game, so that kind of sucked. But we had a really good season overall. We were 29-7 on the year. I think we were a little disappointed with how our nationals went. But the thing is, most of this team can return, so we’re excited to be an older group next year.”
The hard-throwing Thiessen will again be in the thick of the action, just as she is this week at the Canada Games.
“The whole season, I pitched quite a few innings. I mean, we had a great (pitching) staff overall, so it’s not like I had to overthrow my arm or anything. But whenever I wasn’t pitching, I was just hitting (as a designated hitter).”
Those nationals, and the Canada Games tournament, set up Thiessen well for her inaugural NCAA season with the Southeastern Louisiana University Lions. The Lloydminster Comprehensive High School graduate flies to Louisiana immediately after the Games. Her father is driving stateside from Alberta with her belongings for college, while her mother has been in St. John’s this week to catch all the action.
“For sure, I think it’s the perfect leadup to school,” Thiessen said. “Going from the nationals, which is always competitive, the best teams, to the Summer Games, which is the best-of-the-best tournament in Canada. So, just to play this high-level competition leading into my fall season at college is going to be a great step up to the challenge that my college ball will be.”
DOUGAN ALSO ON SOFTBALL TEAM
Thiessen and fellow Lloydminster native Karter Dougan have stepped up this week as part of Team Alberta. Both played integral roles as the Albertans posted a 3-1 record in preliminary play and advanced to the playoff round.
Most notably, Thiessen threw a one-hitter Sunday (Aug. 10) as Alberta defeated Saskatchewan 1-0. Thiessen and Dougan, with two hits in that game, batted one-two in the order.
Before becoming Alberta teammates, Thiessen and Dougan played together with the Lloydminster Liners every other year, because the 17-year-old Dougan is a year younger.
“She’s a great ball player,” Thiessen said. “She totally deserves to be on Team Alberta. I’m excited to be back playing with her.
“She plays outfield and second base, and she has a really good stick.” Dougan was part of the Liners U17 A team that placed fourth at their
After graduating from Lloydminster Comprehensive High School in June, pitcher Katherine Thiessen is headed to Southeastern Louisiana University this coming school year to play NCAA Division 1 softball. John MacNeil Meridian Source
nationals this month in Warman, Sask. She’s headed to Saskatoon this fall to combine her Grade 12 studies with softball training in the Bridge City. With four past or present Lloyd Comp students in the Saskatchewan rugby 7s mix, that’s one of the sports Thiessen and company were hoping to watch during schedule breaks at the Games.
“I know everyone wants to get out and try to watch all the sports,” she said. “But I played (high school) volleyball with Daryl (Levitsky), and she’s on the Sask rugby team, so I think it would be fun to go and watch her.”
Hall of Fame calls Payne
Lloydminster’s longtime senior baseball star part of Saskatchewan shrine’s class of 2025
Standing in the infield of the Lloydminster Meridian Twins’ home diamond, one of the senior team’s most distinguished alumni looks past the outfield fence and sees Border City history in a baseball type of way.
Kevin Payne remembers when the home-run balls that cleared the Legion ballpark and landed on and around Highway 16 would be picked up the next morning as commuters headed to work. That stretch of highway was otherwise void of the developments across from the park today, such as the casino and the Co-op gas depot.
Payne, who was a longtime player and manager of the Twins, loves baseball lore both at the local and Major League levels. Now, he’s making history himself as part of the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame class of 2025 being inducted this Saturday, Aug. 16, during ceremonies in Battleford.
“To even be considered was an honour,” Payne said after receiving word from Saskatchewan baseball icon Jane Shury, the ageless founder and president of the hall of fame.
“But to get the call from Jane that I was going to be included in this year’s induction class was really special, especially with this being the 40th annual induction.
“It’s truly an honour to be included with fellow inductees for this year, and the deep history of baseball in Saskatchewan, with so many great players and organizers and teams. It’s very humbling, for sure.”
PASSION FOR BASEBALL
From humble roots, great stories emerge, especially in many of the small towns that have been prominent in Saskatchewan’s baseball history.
Payne, who turned 47 in July, was born in Lloydminster, which was home for both of his parents’ families. His start in baseball came in the village of Forestburg, Alta., where he played from T-ball through the 11U division.
“I just always really had a passion for it, ever since I can remember,” he said. “Growing up around the ballfields, with both my parents having played. I recall watching my dad playing shortstop, and he was definitely the biggest influence in my game, as a youngster.”
Payne was 10 years old when his family moved back to Lloydminster in 1989, which happened to be about the same time that the Border City was reviving its minor baseball program.
The visionaries of the time recognized that the game was not only ideal recreation for youth, but that baseball truly belonged in Lloydminster, which had been home to semi-pro ball in the 1950s and 60s.
“It’s a cool, long history of baseball in Lloydminster,” Payne reflected. “Back from the old semi-pro days of the 50s and 60s when the team was called the Meridians. That’s how Bart (King) and his brother Graydon came up with the name Meridian Twins (at the senior level), to pay homage to that pro team.
“For the group of us that grew up together, to get baseball back growing again, and then with all the people who’ve put in so many hours of work to get it where it’s at now, it’s pretty special.”
POWERFUL HITTER
Payne was still midget age, 17, when he and hard-throwing Shayne Ermel and heavy-hitting Jaime Smithson were called up to play with the senior Twins in the North Saskatchewan River Baseball League. That was in 1996, the same year that Bernal Ulsifer and the King brothers founded the team.
The next year, Payne became a full-time member of the Twins. He went on to become a perennial league all-star and team MVP, best known for his powerful hitting.
“I just didn’t know how much that team would mean to me over the next two and a half decades,” he said. “We had a really special team and we put in a good run.
“Baseball is obviously a team sport, so this hall of fame induction wouldn’t even happen, I don’t think, if not for all the teammates I’ve had over the years. The group we had with the Twins just had such great team chemistry. We planned and committed our summers around the team for so many years.”
Payne remained a big part of the organization for two-plus decades, from his achievements as a hitter, pitcher and infielder to those as a manager. Not to mention Lloyd’s string of championships.
Lloydminster’s Kevin Payne, for decades a fixture with the senior Meridian Twins, is being inducted into the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame on Aug. 16 at Battleford. John MacNeil Meridian Source
JOHN MacNEIL SPORTS EDITOR
Saskatchewan River Baseball League. Submitted photo
PAYNE FROM PAGE 14
“Stacy Walker took over as manager in 1998, and by 2000 everything began to click,” Payne said of Lloyd’s first championship season. “We had a good group of local players come up and some new players had moved to town that year. That’s when everything with the team started gelling and we began having a lot of success.
“Then, in 2004, myself and Troy Winterhalt took over management of the team, but we were still full-time players. We were player-managers over the next decade.”
The winning ways continued as Lloydminster captured 11 NSRBL championships over two decades. In his final year as manager, the legendary Arnie Lund guided the Twins to the first of their six straight titles through 2014. Lund, a three-time provincial hall of famer, died in 2022.
“Arnie was a big part of our team for a few years,” Payne said. “He was one of the best guys I’ve ever met. He was a lot of fun and I loved talking ball with him.”
Those Twins represented the Border City during its golden era for senior baseball.
“We had so many great players over the years, but our core — including Stacy Walker, Troy Winterhalt, Craig Traverse, Kelly Hoffer and Jaime Smithson — that was really the glue that held it all together for so long to have so many winning seasons,” Payne said. “So many great memories with the team.
“Then, around 2015, it was awesome to see Steve Barbour and Chris Osmak — they were great players for us at the time — they also stepped up and took on more management of the team to keep it going. Which meant a lot to us vets, when we couldn’t maybe continue to put in quite as much time.
“Now, it’s just great to see (player-manager) Trent Kusch and the new young generation of players keep it going. It really means a lot to us old boys.”
When he was one of the young boys, Payne also played junior with a select Midwest White Sox team — made up of players from various NSRBL clubs — that hosted and won the provincial junior championship in Lloydminster in 1999. That ranks atop the batting order in Payne’s baseball memories. Championship Sunday was his 21st birthday, on which he fired a complete-game one-hitter in Midwest’s 1-0 semifinal victory over the Saskatoon Pistols.
‘A HUGE HONOUR ’
In a full-circle moment, one of the teams Payne faced in the 1992 provincial bantam A (now AAA) championship was the Battleford Beavers, the same club being inducted into the hall of fame this year.
Although he doesn’t personally know the other inductees, “it’s a huge honour to be inducted with them,” Payne said.
“I know of Logan Hofmann. I played against his dad and his uncle for many years. He was drafted into the big leagues by the (Pittsburgh) Pirates, so that’s pretty neat.”
Payne believes he’s fortunate to be a part of the rich baseball tradition in Lloydminster.
“I’d like to thank Bart King for my nomination and Leo Wurtz for helping to put it together,” he said. “I have a lot of respect for both, especially considering all the years they’ve put into the game. It really meant a lot, coming from them, too.”
While softball was most popular in Lloyd summers back in the 1980s, the resurgence of minor baseball began in the 1990s and gained steam in the 2000s.
“I want to thank everybody that contributed to the baseball scene in Lloyd over the years,” Payne said. “It’s just awesome to see how much it’s grown over the last 35-plus years.
“Kathy and Brent Smithson loved the game and gave it so much of their time. They really led the charge for the minor ball program back through the late 80s and 90s and gave us the opportunity to play.
“Bob Ermel also really knew the game well and put in a lot of time with us growing up through those years.”
YOUTH MOVEMENT
Even with more competition from other sports, and the recent loss of the AAA program locally, minor baseball in Lloyd certainly has strength in numbers.
More than ever, more players are playing minor baseball and softball, Payne affirmed. “Through the 2000s and up until now, it’s great to see the amount of Lloydminster minor ball teams winning provincials at different levels and all the new facilities being built. Now, there’s so much more opportunity for young players, with the year-round training facilities and the academies and the winter travel teams.”
With their two children active in sports, Payne and his wife Carmen remain connected to local minor ball.
Their daughter Haley, 19, plays softball at the university level. After two years in Missouri on a college scholarship, she’s bound for British Columbia this fall to attend Simon Fraser University — Canada’s only NCAA school.
The Paynes’ 15-year-old son, Brody, is a multi-sport athlete. He spent this summer as a member of Lloyd’s 18U AA Prairie Pirates baseball team. He’s going into Grade 10 at Lloydminster Comprehensive High School, where he’ll play football with the senior Barons. Last spring, Brody was invited to a Western Canadian football prospects showcase in Richmond, B.C.
“I had to miss quite a bit (of my children’s sports) over the years, because of work,” Payne said. “But we plan our summers around that, to try to follow the kids. We’re proud of what they’ve accomplished in their sports and school and everything.”
Payne’s induction caps a solid streak for the Twins. The team was inducted into the Saskatchewan hall in 2023, and Walker became an individual inductee last year.
NOTICE
The Tax Enforcement Act
NATHAN EDWARD LIVINGSTONE AND TRISHA LYNN BOUVIER
TAKE NOTICE that the Town of Turtleford intends to be registered as owner under the above Act of the land described as LOT 10-BLK/PAR 2-PLAN N5406 EXT 0, Title No. 141691541.
The municipality claims title to the land by virtue of an interest based on the tax lien registered against the existing title to the land in the Land Titles Registry as Interest Number 200964708 and you are required to TAKE NOTICE that unless you contest the claim of the municipality or redeem the land pursuant to the provisions of the above Act within six months from the service of this notice on you and, subject to the further provisions of The Tax Enforcement Act, a certificate of title will be issued to the applicant and you will thereafter be forever estopped and debarred from setting up any claim to, or in respect of, the land.
The amount required to redeem the land may be ascertained on application to the Clerk, Treasurer or Administrator of the municipality. For any questions about the tax enforcement process please contact Taxervice at 1-877-734-3113.
Dated this 8th day of August, 2025.
Deanna Kahl Lundberg, Administrator Town of Turtleford
Kevin Payne of Lloydminster heads to the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame after a long and distinguished career with the Lloydminster Meridian Twins of the North
Brody Payne, son of Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame-bound Kevin Payne, plays 18U AA baseball with the Lloydminster Prairie Pirates, and high school football with the Lloydminster Comprehensive Barons. John MacNeil Meridian Source
Reiniger courts success with Sask
When the Saskatchewan men’s volleyball team heads to the Canada Summer Games in St. John’s, N.L., there’s seemingly “no turning back” for those Prairie boys.
At least that’s one of the mental-performance approaches that most inspires one of Team Sask’s best players, Will Reiniger of Vermilion, Alta.
During the team’s training sessions, he was intrigued with the wisdom from Mark Epp, a mental skills coach with the University of Saskatchewan’s varsity programs.
“He talks on the mental side of the game with most of the sports teams at the U of S, so we get to have team meetings with him,” Reiniger said of Epp. “He’s a really cool guy. We can kind of tell him whatever.
“But he also gives good examples. The one example that stuck out to me the most was when he said, ‘Back in the day, when countries were going to war, they’d take the sailboats and when they landed on the island, they’d burn the boat and basically say there’s no turning back.’
“So, when we go for a competition, we’re there for a reason and there’s no turning back. Leave it all on the court, kind of thing.”
As they anchor in the Rock — Newfoundland and Labrador — for volleyball action Aug. 19-24, the Team Sask players believe they’re ready to face national competition in an East Coast setting.
Reiniger was the team MVP just a few weeks ago at the Canada Cup in Niagara Falls, Ont., as the Saskatchewan boys lost a tough quarter-final to Manitoba, which went on to win the tournament.
“I think I bring a very high IQ when it comes to this game, not only in selecting shots and stuff, but also in knowing what to say to a guy when he’s in his head,” Reiniger said. “Some guys, they just want to be left alone. Where I kind of go, ‘Next one. You’ve got the next ball. Keep swinging.’ Bring ’em back.
“I’m also very aggressive when it comes to attacking. I don’t hit too often, so if there’s a time where we need a guy to score some points or put a ball to the floor, I’m that guy.”
ON A MISSION
Reiniger, 18, graduated from St. Jerome’s Catholic School in June. Before he begins his freshman season at Medicine Hat College, with twin brother Brett and older brother Landon, Will is on a mission with his volleyball buddies from across Saskatchewan.
“I played Team Sask with these guys the last couple of summers,” said Reiniger, six-foot-three and 180 pounds. “A lot of them are from Saskatoon, there’s a few from Prince Albert, and a couple from Regina.
“They’re all very, very talented athletes. They’ve definitely pushed me to want to work harder and become the best I can to earn that starting spot.”
Reiniger now is in the spotlight, especially back home in Vermilion and in nearby Lloydminster, where he has played club volleyball with the Rustlers for the past four years.
From the quiet countryside of his family’s acreage, he has emerged as the next rising star from Vermilion, which in contemporary times has produced the likes of Colton Waltz in hockey and Sam Ree in rowing and cross-country skiing.
“I’m hoping so that my name sticks around in Vermilion a little longer,” he said.
Make no mistake, Reiniger is as humble as they come. He told just a few buddies in June when he received an email confirming his selection to the 12-man Team Sask. Word eventually got around school and the community, perhaps even to the Co-op gas bar where he works part time, although not as much so this summer because he’s been on the road for volleyball practices and competition.
He’s been otherwise fuelling Team Sask, which has complemented training camps in Saskatoon and Regina with national events in Ontario and now Newfoundland and Labrador.
VOLLEYBALL FAMILY
Coming from a family of five boys, Reiniger’s progression to elite volleyball has happened in relatively short order.
“Growing up, I played soccer until about Grade 8, and then I kind of did all the school sports, like basketball, badminton, track, et cetera,” said Reiniger, who attended St. Jerome’s since kindergarten.
“Then, it wasn’t until Grade 9 when my parents let me and Brett both play club (volleyball). From there, I just fell in love with the game and continued to grow with it.”
His growth will continue at Medicine Hat College, where he’ll capitalize on a rare opportunity to play with two of his brothers in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC).
Will Reiniger, a graduate of St. Jerome’s Catholic School in Vermilion, is competing in the Canada Summer Games with the Saskatchewan men’s volleyball team. John MacNeil Meridian Source
JOHN MacNEIL SPORTS EDITOR
The stars aligned for a Rattlers reunion when Landon, 21, decided to remain at Medicine Hat College for at least another season to further his studies in advanced accounting.
At about the same time, Brett nailed down his plans for the carpentry program.
Will had been considering other schools, but he settled on the Hat in large part because of the family ties.
“It’ll be fun,” he said. “It’s a cool opportunity, having three of us on one team.”
Will is enrolled in kinesiology studies, with hopes of becoming a chiropractor down the road. His plan to play alongside two of his brothers goes back to when he and Brett were in Grade 10. This winter, however, Will was courted by the College of Rockies, the same Cranbrook, B.C., school that has recruited his volleyball buddy Kolton Wildeman of Lloydminster. The former Rustlers club teammates had long mused about playing college volleyball together.
“Yeah, we talked about that in 15U, that wherever he went, I went, and wherever I went, he went, kind of thing,” Reiniger said. “I went to (College of the Rockies) for a visit, I met the guys, toured the school and I really loved the town as well.
“It wasn’t until Brett decided to sign that I wanted to go to Medicine Hat College. I couldn’t really pass up on playing a season with both my brothers by my side.”
Reiniger would have had Wildeman by his side with the Canada Games team, but Wildeman decided to opt out at the end of Team Sask’s tryout process. He knew it would mean a full summer commitment and a quick August turnaround, reporting to college almost immediately after the Games finished.
“Kolton had a talk with his parents and they listed the pros and cons for both,” Reiniger said.
“But he turned it down, because the day that we would get back from the Summer Games, he would have to start travelling to B.C., so it’s a tight time crunch for him. I don’t blame him. That’s a stressful time, for sure.”
Reiniger can relate. The day after he returns home from St. John’s, he heads to Medicine Hat to report for Rattlers’ fitness testing the next day. His brothers Brett and Landon will already be in the Gas City. Their maternal grandparents live in nearby Redcliffe.
“My auntie and uncle and cousins are also
in Redcliffe, so we have our cheer squad for the home games, for sure,” Will said.
Reiniger’s fan club at the Canada Games will include his parents Joey and Kristy, younger brother Ethan and paternal grandmother Rose Reiniger.
Ethan is going into Grade 10 at St. Jerome’s. He plays school volleyball, along with Rustlers club and beach volleyball.
The oldest Reiniger brother, 25-year-old Jesse, is in the workforce.
The volleyball-playing Reiniger brothers from Vermilion, Alta., include (from left) Ethan, Brett, Will and Landon. Submitted photo
Sunderland’s volleyball excellence takes her to Canada Summer Games
Aubree Sunderland is a clutch volleyball player who embraces the big moments.
It doesn’t get much bigger than the Canada Summer Games, so Sunderland is in her element as part of Team Saskatchewan, competing Aug. 19-24 in Week 2 of the Games at St. John’s, N.L.
It’s kind of nice walking around wearing that. You can really feel the pride.
- Aubree Sunderland
“I like to make big plays and switch momentum, whatever my role is at the moment,” said Sunderland, whose hometown is Kitscoty, Alta.
“I’m a middle blocker, so I like to have a big presence at the net.”
Sunderland comes from a sports-minded family, but she’s charting her own course as an elite volleyball player.
“I tried a lot of sports as a kid, but none of them really clicked until I started volleyball,” she said. “I feel like I just really love the sport. I love the people I meet. My height obviously helps.
“It’s been really good (progress in volleyball), so I’ll continue with it. I love to see myself grow.”
Sunderland, who just turned 17 this month, stands six-foot-one. She’s used to being on the taller side.
“Yeah, kind of my whole life, I’ve been a little bit above the crowd.”
She has stood tall on the volleyball court, whether playing high school with the Holy Rosary Raiders in Lloydminster, or with multiple club volleyball teams in the Border City and Saskatoon, and most notably as part of Team Sask.
COLLEGIATE PATH
Sunderland is going into Grade 12 at Holy Rosary this September. A year from now, she plans to join the University of the Fraser Valley Cascades in Abbotsford, B.C., to play U Sports volleyball on scholarship.
Last November, she verbally committed to attend Fraser Valley, which plays in the Canada West conference.
“Definitely early, but I felt at home, so I wanted
to make sure that I’m going there.”
Sunderland is going places in the sporting world, just like her younger brother Brody, a prospect of the Spokane Chiefs of the Western Hockey League. Aubree is two years older than Brody, who was a fourth-round selection in this spring’s WHL draft.
Throw two older brothers — twins Luke and Owen — into the mix and it’s that much more of a competitive household of athletic and academic achievers.
“Definitely (some competition) between me and Brody, kind of fighting for that spot,” Aubree said. “We’re both athletic. But I think we can share it.”
They both hit the road in the past year to further their respective sporting pursuits. Brody played U15 AAA hockey in St. Albert, while Aubree went to Saskatoon for club volleyball with the Huskies program.
“Yeah, I was really trying to put myself in the higher-competition level, more coaching, a different experience, and really get my name out there,” said Aubree, who previously played with Lloydbased club teams — one year with the Rustlers and the next two seasons with Momentum.
MANY FAMILIAR FACES
Her familiarity with the club volleyball circle of girls has helped Sunderland adapt to playing on a provincial team mostly comprised of players from the major cities of Regina and Saskatoon.
“I know them pretty well from playing against most of them throughout the last few years, but I haven’t really been able to play with them until these (recent) training weeks, so it’s been really good to get close with the girls,” she said. “We’re a pretty tight-knit group right now.
“It’s been a lot of volleyball (this summer), but I’m really honoured to be doing it. I wouldn’t have it any other way, to be honest. Just the travel and the people I meet and the experiences I have.”
One of those experiences was Team Sask’s participation in the Canada Cup just a few weeks ago at Niagara Falls, Ont.
“We played in the Red Division, which is the highest division,” Sunderland said. “We played a few other provinces, but we were missing a few of our key players who were playing with some Team Canada programs, so I feel like our team is going to be a lot stronger for Canada Games.”
The feel of those Games is getting more real for Saskatchewan’s volleyball girls, who fly to St. John’s this weekend, after a final week of training in Saskatoon.
“I feel like I was a little bit nervous at first, but after we’ve been training for a bit, I’m just excited now to just be in the environment and be able to travel for this event,” Sunderland said.
On this occasion, her parents and siblings won’t be able to watch her live in Newfoundland, because they’re busy with Brody off to Spokane’s training camp and the twins returning to Augustana College in Camrose.
Aubree will represent Saskatchewan in style, decked out in provincial colours. She received kits — with swag, bags and apparel — from both the volleyball program and the overall Team Sask.
Wearing such clothing already gives her a taste of the Canada Games spirit.
“Yeah, definitely. It’s kind of nice walking around wearing that. You can really feel the pride.”
Aubree Sunderland, 17, of Kitscoty, Alta., is part of the Saskatchewan women’s volleyball team competing in St. John’s, N.L., during the second week of the Canada Summer Games. Submitted photo
JOHN MacNEIL SPORTS EDITOR
Denem fit for gold with Team Alberta
Weber adapts to position change to help province win U18 Football Canada Cup
JOHN MacNEIL SPORTS EDITOR
As thoroughly as he packed for a 10-day trip to Nova Scotia for the U18 Football Canada Cup, Team Alberta’s Denem Weber found room for one more possession on his return trip home to Lloydminster. A gold medal.
Weber and Holy Rosary Raiders high school teammate Jake Wicker were part of the champion Alberta club that came back from a 21-0 deficit to defeat Ontario 37-34 in overtime in the Canada Cup final July 20 on the St. Francis Xavier University campus at Antigonish, N.S.
The golden finish for Weber, who wore No. 17, came just three days before his 17th birthday. What’s more, he was born one year after Alberta last won the U18 Canada Cup.
Now, he has his national gold medal and a coveted Team Alberta jersey hanging in his bedroom, already adorned with multiple awards and other mementos from his young football career.
Weber could appreciate the magnitude of his latest achievement when Alberta’s coach told him that the precious jersey was his to keep.
“That was very cool, because you don’t usually get to keep the Nike jerseys, because they’re the nice ones,” Weber said.
“But we won, so he said, ‘You get to keep them,’ so that was awesome. It’s something I’ll have forever and cherish.”
SHOWS HIS COLOURS
Weber wore his Alberta colours with pride, complementing them with rolls of blue tape that he wrapped all around his football cleats.
“It just looks cool,” said Weber, who packed 12 rolls of the blue-coloured tape for the trip.
Most notably, he fashioned his relatively new position in style, adapting to defensive back after transitioning from his traditional role as a receiver.
“I originally made the team as a receiver, but they had me try out as a DB in Red Deer, because they needed someone to play DB, and I played both at this school,” Weber said outside Holy Rosary. “I transitioned to DB. That was a big turning point for me. I was a little late to everything. I wasn’t as advanced as others. But I went through (the change) and I ended up starting for all three games.”
After a decisive win over Manitoba, Alberta staged late-game comebacks to knock off Quebec and Ontario in the semifinal and championship games, respectively.
Weber has played on offence and defence at the high school level, but it’s another story in a national-calibre event.
“You can’t do that at this level,” said the six-foot-one, 175-pound Weber, who has added 10 pounds of muscle during summer workouts. “Everyone is so good at this level, it’s crazy.
“But I had some experience (as a DB), because I play here (with the Raiders), but nothing compares to guarding the guys that I was guarding. They’re phenomenal. Elite talent from Ontario and Quebec. You’re guarding someone who’s five-foot-seven, super-duper fast, and then the next thing you’re guarding someone who’s like six-foot-seven. I was, like, ‘Wow, it’s crazy.’
“The best (competition) I had before was practising against our own (high school) team. We had a couple of Team Alberta athletes last year, and they’re also really good.
“It was a lot harder than I thought it was going to be. Playing receiver is a little easier than playing DB.”
As he enters his senior year at Holy Rosary, Weber is bound to attract more suitors from Canadian university teams, whose scouts were prominent on the St. F.X. campus during the Canada Cup. His versatility makes him an intriguing prospect as collegiate coaches see Weber as capable of playing at the next level as a receiver or as a defensive back.
As he continues to develop physically, Weber is already armed with the mental toughness that Alberta showed in high-pressure games at nationals.
“Our defensive co-ordinator (Cody Ehrmann of Calgary) gave one of my favourite quotes during the gold-medal game,” Weber said. “We were in the locker-room at halftime, and he said that, ‘In order to achieve your dreams, you have to be someone else’s nightmare.’
“Then, we got out (on the field) and we took it from (Ontario). We got the gold medal. It was awesome.”
NATIONAL SUPPORT
During the dramatic final, it was apparent that most people in the crowd — including players and parents from other teams — were supporting Alberta over Ontario, Weber observed.
“We scored that touchdown to send it into overtime and every other team in the nation was cheering for us,” he said. “It was a crazy feeling. That was the loudest I’ve ever heard a stadium. I couldn’t hear anything on defence.
“That feeling, when we got into overtime and we forced (Ontario) to kick a field goal, our running back Joel Thorpe rushes into the end zone, it was phenomenal. I’ve never felt anything like it before. It was electric. Then, everyone rushed onto the field. It was a crazy sight to see.”
CONTINUED ON PAGE 20
At NFW Promotions, we are proud to serve our customers with 15+ years of experience in embroidery, printing, and promotional products.
Lloydminster’s Denem Weber celebrated his 17th birthday a few days early, winning the U18 Football Canada Cup championship as part of Team Alberta.
John MacNeil Meridian Source
During the national tournament, the tidy St. F.X. campus, with its lush green lawns, was a big attraction for the young players, who stayed in dorms and got a sample of their potential university life, from the dining hall to private rooms.
“The dorms were really nice — you got your own bathroom and your own bed,” Weber said. “That was nice to have your own little area to decompress, especially at night and going to bed.
“I’m used to (keeping my house in order). I’ve got a big family, so we all chip in. I know what I’m doing.
“I walked into some other people’s dorm rooms and I was, like, ‘Wow, it’s not very nice in here.’ I had my stuff fairly neat (comparatively).”
Weber was on top of domestic issues even before the cross-country trip as he tried to fit all the items on his team checklist into his luggage.
“That was a big thing I was stressing about, is just fitting everything in,” he said. “It’s hard for a big checklist like that, when you’re going for 10 days.
“Besides all your football stuff, you always need a dry pair of socks and everything else. Extra shorts and T-shirts and loads of socks. I probably had over 20 pair of socks. You want to switch them after every practice, because you don’t want to get blisters. Especially if you have two-a-day practices, which we did on the days leading up to our first game.
“We also had to pack for rain. It rained the last day we were there, but super-hot the rest of the days. It was very, very hot.”
No team was hotter than Alberta, which earned gold the hard way in rallying against both of its playoff-round opponents. That no-quit grittiness was characteristic of Weber, a relative latecomer to football who has made big strides in short order.
QUICK STUDY
Born in Sherwood Park, Alta., Weber lived in Manitoba for eight years before his family moved to Lloydminster when he was in Grade 9. After dabbling with hockey and martial arts earlier in his youth, he first tasted football when he came to Lloyd and joined the Red Dogs bantam team. He eventually became part of Holy Rosary’s celebrated program.
His accolades already include back-to-back Alberta high school championships and Wheatland league all-star honours with the Raiders, along with an MVP performance this spring with the Red Dogs midget team, leading the league in receiving yards.
‘LOTS OF NICKNAMES’
Not to mention working a retail job year-round, Weber is a busy young man.
He attended U Sports identification camps with the Guelph Gryphons and Alberta Golden Bears in the spring, before his eventful summer with Team Alberta. He has decided to defer any more university camp auditions until after the coming high school season.
Along the way, he’s picked up a few nicknames associated with his unique first name. Denem is derived from his mother’s surname, Denham, as in the auto dealership that his grandfather founded with his brothers.
“Lots of nicknames,” the outgoing Weber said with a smile on his 17th birthday. “I think I got three (while) on Team Alberta — there’s Jean Jacket, Jeans and Levi’s.
“All my life, I’ve heard it. You get used to it.”
Now, he’s being called a national champion. His family couldn’t attend the tournament, so the birthday boy’s return home — with a gold medal to boot — was even more cause for celebration.
See next week’s Source for a story on Weber’s teammate, Jake Wicker.
Denem Weber shows off Alberta’s golden spirit. Submitted photo
PROMOTE YOUR MESSAGE THROUGHOUT Alberta. The Blanket Classifieds or Value Ads connect with more than 500,000 readers in the province each week. Choose from three packages beginning at $269, $299 or $599 to share your message in over 70 Weekly Community Newspapers. Contact THIS NEWSPAPER today or email classifieds@awna. com for more information. Call 1-800-282-6903 or 780-434-8746 or visit www.awna.com.
PRIVATE MORTGAGE
LENDER. All real estate types considered. No credit checks done. Deal direct with lender and get quick approval. Toll free 1-866-405-1228; www.firstandsecondmortgages.ca.
MEIER 2-DAY LIVE ONSITE AUCTION for Grant Yeske, Saturday, August 23 & Sunday, August 24 (10am #409, 67325 Churchill Park Rd., Lac La Biche. Selling Bobcat S300, Trucks, Classic Cars, Trailers, ATVs, RVs, Oil Field Buildings, Full Mechanics Shop, New Mopar Parts, Engines, Lawn Tractors, Attachments, Firearms, Sportsman Items, Antiques. Visit www.meierauction.com. BLANKET THE PROVINCE with a classified ad. Only $269/wk (based on 25 words or less). Reach 75 weekly newspapers. Call NOW for details. 1-800282-6903; www.awna.com; email classifieds@awna. com.
*1989 8460 COMBINE2901 hours; *1984 860 Massey Combine - 2367 hours; *885 Massey Swather - 18 Ft. UII Header, Crop Lifters - 2636 hours. Ph: 780-829-2270; email: jlinhondo@gmail.com.
