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April 9, 2020

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This year, Easter celebrations will be done a little differently, as people across the country practice social distancing to flatten the curve with the COVID-19 pandemic. Although we may not be able to gather together in person, there are other options such as video chat that can help us all feel a little closer. In the end, it may be difficult to spend the holiday with only the ones that we live with; it is a small price to pay for the safety and lives of many people. We hope everyone has a Happy Easter and stays safe and healthy. This incredible Easter display can be seen at the corner of Rockhill Lane and 9th Avenue. (Jocelyn Ottenbreit, Martensville Messenger)

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Page 2 - APRIL 9, 2020 - martensville messenger

Download SaskAlert To Receive Urgent COVID-19 Information

The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) is encouraging residents to sign up for the SaskAlert App as a way to get accurate and timely information about COVID-19. “With the risk of COVID-19 within the province, we are encouraging everyone to download the SaskAlert App,” SPSA President Marlo Pritchard said. “The app will provide urgent, critical information about how individuals and families can protect themselves.” The SaskAlert App allows users to choose to receive emergency public alerts for the entire province, a particular municipality or a First Nation community. The app can target residents in a geographic area if urgent information is specific to one region or municipality within the province. In case of an emergency, a tone will sound, similar to receiving a normal text message notification – even when the app is closed. Individuals can then open the app to find information on the emergency and instructions on any actions you are required to take. “Using the SaskAlert App to push out emergency notifications is not meant to replace the normal methods of getting your news,” Pritchard said. “However, it is an effective method of pushing out urgent information province-wide, or to a localized area.” The app is available for download on Android and Apple devices at http:// emergencyalert.saskatchewan.ca/.

Tools For Saskatchewan Residents To Navigate COVID-19 Information

The Government of Saskatchewan has made a number of tools available for the public to ask questions, access information and obtain support during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic in Saskatchewan, a number of these tools have been introduced or optimized to provide residents with reliable forums for questions and information. HealthLine 811 - The Government of Saskatchewan has acted on concerns regarding technical difficulties resulting from the high volume of calls received by HealthLine 811. On March 17, the HealthLine 811 system was replaced resulting in an immediate improvement in service. Originally capable of handling 32 concurrent callers, the 811 system replacement expanded capacity to handle over 900 concurrent callers, with an option for further expansion as needed, and added a convenient callback feature providing an unlimited number of callbacks. More than 250 additional staff have been trained to receive calls on the expanded system, which has received almost 50,000 calls since the system replacement. Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency Toll Free Line - The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency’s (SPSA) toll free line, 1-855-559-5502, is now being offered 24 hours, 7 days a week. The SPSA toll free line was established in order to answer non-health specific questions about the COVID-19 pandemic. To ensure compliance with public health orders that are mandatory under the state of emergency, the SPSA toll free line is able to receive and coordinate alleged violations of the mandatory public health orders. Non-compliance concerns can also be submitted online. The form can be found under the Public Health Orders section at www.saskatchewan.ca/COVID19. SPSA operators will work with public health officials and policing agencies to follow up on compliance concerns to ensure compliance with public health orders. Any non-health related questions regarding COVID-19, including concerns regarding compliance with public health orders, can be directed to the toll free line at 1-855-559-5502. COVID-19 Health System Information - The www.saskatchewan.ca/COVID19 website is an online source for all COVID-19 information in Saskatchewan. Since being launched, the website has had more than 4 million visits. The Saskatchewan Health Authority’s Self-Assessment Tool has been used more than 350,000 times in March. This online resource, hosted at www.saskatchewan.ca/COVID19, helps people determine whether they need a referral for COVID-19 testing. The COVID-19 public inquiry email at COVID19@health.gov.sk.ca has responded to more than 4,200 email inquiries since it began operating on March 15. Members of the public with email inquiries can expect a response within 24 hours from the dedicated response team. To make residents aware of actions they can take to help mitigate the effects of the pandemic, a COVID-19 public health advertising campaign has been running online and in print throughout March, and will continue to run in April. Public health advertising promotes messages of healthy infection control practices, and help educate people about practices such as social distancing and self-isolation. Further advertising will occur in the coming weeks. Business Response Team - The Business Response Team, led by the Ministry of Trade and Export Development, has worked with businesses to identify program supports available to them both provincially and federally, and to answer questions regarding allowable businesses. Since its creation, the Business Response Team has assisted 1,613 clients over the phone and 690 clients via email for a total of 2,303. Businesses can contact the Business Response Team by calling 1-844-800-8688, emailing supportforbusiness@gov.sk.ca or by visiting www.saskatchewan.ca/covid19businesses. Single Point of Contact for Donations and Supplies - Government has encouraged individuals, businesses, manufacturers and organizations that are offering to donate or manufacture supplies to contact procurement@gov.sk.ca. Since its inception, more than 800 emails have been received from individuals, businesses, manufacturers and organizations offering supplies, solutions and innovations. Staff are working to verify and contact all those who have submitted. Through the generosity and resources of Saskatchewan individuals, businesses and manufacturers, 57 donations of personal protective equipment (PPE) including N95 masks and other equipment and an additional 85 purchase opportunities have been identified. Government is also pursuing a number of opportunities to repurpose production, technologies and accommodations for health and safety needs that have been identified through the single point of contact.

SHA Releases Next Phase Of COVID-19 Response Plan

Continued efforts on the part of the public are needed to ensure our health system can respond to the impact of COVID-19 in Saskatchewan. Modeling data released today by the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) indicates that the key variable for saving lives and protecting health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic is public compliance with prescribed isolation measures, physical distancing, effective hand washing and staying home, whenever and wherever possible. It also indicates that current interventions are making a difference. “Our job as a health care system is to provide care for those in need and to be ready for any scenario,” SHA CEO Scott Livingstone said. “While we understand Canadian data is starting to show some hopeful signs about flattening the curve on COVID-19, it is critical to remember not to be complacent. We need to continue to escalate our response to ensure we are prepared for the worst case scenarios and we need the public to help us avoid those scenarios.” The SHA has increased access to testing through the creation of 38 testing sites around the province and tripled the staff available for contact tracing efforts to detect and prevent community transmission. As public health measures and capacity for community care services continue to increase, the acute care system has also been planning to add capacity. Up to 57 per cent more acute care capacity will be phased in as needed over the next several weeks, in anticipation of increased hospitalization rates. None of the major changes in this plan are immediate. Communities will continue to be updated as changes to services and service locations occur in their areas through various communications channels as well as through Saskatchewan’s central access point for information at www.saskatchewan.ca/ covid19. The following are highlights of the measures the SHA is taking in its next phase of pandemic response to ensure safety by segmenting patient populations between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patient populations: • Creating dedicated spaces within many of its facilities to cohort COVID-19 patients; • Designating certain hospitals COVID-19 hospitals. These changes are not immediate. The SHA has proactively identified 20 out of its 65 hospitals that would be designated COVID-19 hospitals, if required to meet the clinical needs of the patient population in their areas of the province; • Adding acute care capacity through the creation of field hospitals in Saskatoon and Regina, with more locations being considered as part of later, contingency planning. These measures are in addition to those SHA has already initiated to meet the demands of COVID-19. A slowdown of non-essential services to increase bed availability has already created acute care capacity across the system for handling a surge in COVID-19 related cases at future stages of the pandemic. As of April 5, 43 per cent of Saskatchewan’s acute care beds were available for use, largely as a result of the slow down and preparation for the surge. “We wanted to be transparent with the plan going forward so the public is aware of the escalated measures we will put into place if needed, but it is critical to remember that many of the changes proposed in this plan will be implemented only in response to anticipated surges in patient demand that start to exceed our capacity,” Livingstone said. “Changes like conversion to COVID-19 dedicated hospitals will only occur where it is absolutely required to ensure safety and maintain access for patients who need our care.” Saskatchewan residents can continue to help by taking specific action, including: • Practising good hygiene, washing hands regularly and practicing physical distancing (two metres apart wherever possible); • Taking care of family, friends and neighbours who may be affected by mandatory self-isolation orders; • Abide by provincial and local travel, self-isolation, event and gathering restrictions; • Use medical supplies effectively and efficiently so that they are there when needed; and • Avoid visiting our hospitals and long-term care facilities unless there are compassionate reasons for doing so. “No health system in the world can manage this challenge without the sustained help of the general public,” SHA Chief Medical Officer Dr. Susan Shaw said. “To save lives, Saskatchewan residents need to do their best to stay healthy and strong and abide by the restrictions and guidelines for the general public around COVID-19. Demand will exceed our capacity as a health system if we are not diligent about these measures.”

martensville messenger - APRIL 9, 2020 - Page 3

Civic Services During the COVID-19 PandemicWhat you should Know!

At this time, all City facilities are closed to the public, including reception areas. City Staff are available to work with the public via phone or email. Questions or inquiries can be directed to City Hall via phone (306-931-2166) or inquiry@martensville.ca during this time. Residents and Customers are requested to carry out transactions electronically such as online banking, preauthorized payments or TIPPS. Cheques may also be dropped off in the drop slot at City Hall. After Hour Water and Sewer Emergencies - should still be directed through the Emergency line at City Hall, (306) 931-2166, ext.1. Protective Services - There are no changes in duty or status to Protective Services such as the RCMP, Martensville Fire Department, and Ambulance Service. Water and Sewer - These services remain unimpacted and unchanged, including water quality testing. Meter reading will continue to take place; however, staff will not be doing reads of meters located inside of homes or occupied buildings. In these cases, estimates will be taken or reads can be provided into City Hall. In respect to water and sewer emergencies, city staff will not be able to enter resident homes at this time and private contractors should be considered. The City of Martensville will no longer charging interest on water and sewer accounts indefinitely to assist residents impacted by COVID -19 impacts. Garbage and Recycling - Services remain in place and on schedule with no anticipated service delays at this time. Road Maintenance - will continue as required, including snow removal, and is not expected to change at this time.

Lane Usage During Spring Thaw The City of Martensville encourages residents, for which their lane is a secondary means of access to their property, to limit their usage of lanes during the spring thaw. Heavy or repetitive vehicle usage during spring thaw and wet conditions can cause further rutting and reduce drainage. This limits the ability of crews to conduct maintenance on the lanes in a timely manner and increases the amount of materials and time required to reshape lanes. For questions or further information please contact Pubic Works at 931-2166.

April Council Meeting Dates

Please Note: The upcoming Council Schedule may be subject to change based around any potential new developments around the COVID-19 Pandemic. Anyone interested in attending is strongly encouraged to contact the City Clerk prior to planning to attend. Committee of the Whole- April 14th Regular Council- April 21st The Regular Council Meetings are located at Martensville City Hall Council Chambers. Martensville City Hall at 37 Centennial Dr. S. All Regular Council Meetings and Committee of the Whole Meetings are open to the public. All meetings commence at 5PM. Those wishing to address or do a presentation to Council must be placed on the agenda. To be placed on the agenda please contact the City Clerk’s office at City Hall or visit the website for details. The Council and Committee of the Whole Schedule can be obtained at martensville.ca

Stay Informed! -The City of Martensville has created a dedicated webpage to provide information, updates and additional resources around the COVID-19 pandemic. This page is accessible through the homepage at Martensville.ca. Please continue to follow us, media sources and information from the Province of Saskatchewan for the most current information around updates or new measures for the prevention of the spread of COVID-19

Protect your Property and Be Ready for Spring Thaw

With prolonged cold temperatures and snow accumulation, and now moving into milder climates, we are expecting a rapid melt. This may lead to seepage of water into basement or water to accumulate on property. We are all responsible to protect our own property and mitigate any potential risks. Provided are some helpful tips and tasks to help prevent water seeping into your basement or accumulating on your property. 1. Extend downspouts at least two metres (six feet) from your basement walls. The further the water is from the foundation, the less chance that it will make its way into your basement. Splash pads can help direct the water to a permeable surface, such as a garden or lawn. Clear debris from your eavestroughs (gutters) to prevent them from overflowing. If your eavestroughs or downspouts overflow even when they are clean, install larger ones. 2. Consider moving snow away from the foundation of your home, to prevent a large degree of melting immediately adjacent to your foundation. 3. Ensure proper grading around your home and property or build up the ground slope around your home. Soil should slope down from your foundation and window wells for at least two to three metres (about six to ten feet) at a drop of at least 10-20 centimetres (about four to eight inches). If water soaks into the ground within the backfill zone, it will accumulate next to your basement walls and floor, where it can leak in or damage the foundation. Check your ground slope annually, because soil, sidewalks, patios, decks and driveways can settle over time. You can find grade elevation information on Martensville.ca 4. Check the drainage paths on your property. Ensure that storm water flows to the lane or street, not towards your home. It also shouldn’t flow into your neighbour’s yard. Property should be graded to keep water flowing in the right direction. If water pools on your property, consider pumping it to the street. 5. Fix leaks in basement walls, floors, windows and doors. 6. If you have protective plumbing, such as backflow valves and sump pumps, make sure they are working properly. 7. If you are away from your property for a period (2-3 days) have someone check the property to ensure water is not coming into the basement. 8. Elevate and/or store important equipment and personal items as to avoid damage in case of water seepage. City crews will ensure streets, catch basins, and drain ways are clear to ensure the spring melt does not back up on city streets and onto properties so we can all enjoy and have a worry-free spring. For more information or to report an issue, contact Martensville City Hall or visit Martensville.ca

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Valley Manor Continues to ‘Do the Best They Can’

ABOVE: VMS Vice Principal Michael Cox took part in one of Valley Manor’s ‘At Home Spirit Days’ this week. Green Shirt Day was held on April 7th in support of organ donor awareness. (Facebook)

Valley Manor Staff are working to support Students and Parents working from home by providing opportunities to learn at their own speed with as much choice and engagement as possible. We know that this is strange and scary for all, including our staff, most of which are parents working from home. This is new and messy but our message all along is Do the Best You Can. It’s really all we can do. The final message we want to get out to our students, especially, is that this is not the new normal. This is an unusual space in time where we need to be smart and safe so that once again we can reconvene at Valley Manor and celebrate the VMS Family. Remember to stay Respectful, Responsible, Caring and Sharing as we know this will lead to our communities Success.

Greetings from École Holy Mary School! Submitted by Principal Luisa Giocoli Clark

If one month ago someone would have said that I was going to be the principal of an online school, I would have laughed! I like my computer but, like me, my staff are social beings and we LOVE our students! So, as soon as the COVID-19 suspension of face-to-face classes was announced, our École Holy Mary School staff began the steep learning curve of online teaching. Now, a mere two weeks in and we are up and running! Each day we have over 300 students logging in, video chatting with their teachers and other classmates, offering prayer intentions, reading books, completing math assignments, writing in their journals, following along with work-out videos, asking questions and simply put, learning! We recognize that each household is different and will engage with the work at their own pace, however, we couldn’t be more proud of what’s taken shape. While the government has indicated that this supplemental learning is not mandatory, we are encouraging our families to do what they can to help their child continue their learning at home, as there remains much to learn yet this year. Teachers and other support staff are committed to help facilitating the learning, even if we can’t physically be with our students. And as we started this journey, one of our guiding goals was to ensure that we were staying connected, to each other, our students and their families. As people of faith, this week is a very special time for us as it is Holy Week-the days leading up to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ! And so, in closing, I offer an Easter prayer of gratitude: My Lord, Jesus, You have risen to new life! Give me new eyes with which to recognize your presence in the world around me. Sharpen my vision so that I see beyond the ordinary events of each 20042SS0 day and into the extraordinary reality of your grace. Brighten my view of the world with renewed hope in the coming of your Kingdom. Soften my grace so that I view others with the kind of tenderness and compassion you showed to so many. May each day of this Easter season provide glimpses of your glory. In your sacred name, we pray. Holy Mary, patron Saint of our school, pray for us. Amen. ~prayer by W. Sadlier~ Students of École Holy Mary School, we miss you but are so proud of the work you are doing! Keep it up! Take care and God bless!

VHS Continues to Work Together Through School Shut Down

COVID-19 has impacted our community and our schools, and the disruption continues to impact students and teachers worldwide. But here at Venture Heights School we are staying strong and keeping positive. Our educators; amongst looking after their own families, have been working hard to make remote learning at home the best that it can be! Programs have included Class Do-Jo, Google Classroom, Google Chat/ Meet, Sumdog, and Mathletics. We recently implemented Seesaw and Starfall for our younger grades. Much of the success in providing these programs for students comes from the fact that teachers work so closely together throughout the school year. The distance challenge from COVID-19 has made that collaboration all the more useful! The responses from our families ABOVE: Mia and Trey, Venture Heights Students, working from home. (Submitted) have been amazing and the participation from students has made this all worth it! They are still eager to learn. Our Director of Education, Lori Jeschke, stated this in a post she received, “Connection is first, everything else is second. A very distant second”. We are looking forward to the days ahead - Together! From all of us at Venture Heights; Take care, stay healthy, and be kind to one another!

ABOVE: VHS Grade 4 teacher Ashley Boehm at her kitchen table engaging in a staff meeting. (Submitted)

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Diabetes Canada Urges Residents to Stop Leaving Donations at Drop-Off Bins For many people, the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic has been a good opportunity to do some spring cleaning and clean out items within their house that are no longer needed. Often items such as these get donated to local charities like Diabetes Canada; however, due to the order by Government that non-essential services be stopped, the pick-up of all textile donations by Diabetes Canada from homes and donation bins across Canada ceased as of March 23rd. This also resulted in the temporary lay-off of the more than 500 staff who manages their donation bin service. Although the pick-up of items has stopped, residents still continue to drop off donations at bins, despite them not being empties. Diabetes Canada also noted that some individuals are using the donation bins to dump garbage and more. “This is posing a serious health and safety issue. We have

contacted government agencies to help us to remove the garbage; however, we have not yet been successful. We simply do not have the financial resources to deploy staff to clean the garbage around our more than 5,000 bins,” Diabetes Canada stated in an open letter. With this, they are asking the public to stop leaving donations or dumping at donation bins. “Our organization relies on your generous charitable clothing donations as a crucial source of revenue that supports diabetes research, sends kids with type 1 to camp and sustains our efforts to end the fight against diabetes. Additionally, more than 100 million pounds of textiles are diverted from landfill annually. With an extended stoppage of service, Diabetes Canada has lost one its major sources of revenue which impacts millions of Canadians with diabetes and prediabetes.”

ABOVE: Diabetes Canada is urging Canadians to stop dropping off donations, as they stopped doing pick-ups on March 23rd. (Submitted)

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martensville messenger - APRIL 9, 2020 - Page 5

Council Approves Bylaw Amendments to Help Residents Financially During COVID-19 Pandemic Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger

For the April 7th Council meeting, the City of Martensville did things a little differently. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, meetings will take place electronically for the time being. For those that wish to listen in on the meeting, you can contact the City Clerk’s Office at 306-931-2133 to obtain call in information. Mayor Kent Muench acknowledged this change and noted that this was the first time that a Council meeting was hosted virtually in the City of Martensville, and although the agenda looked familiar, it would be a very different experience. All of the items listed on the short agenda were administrative, with the first item regarding the City’s annual bylaw to set and establish tax policy. For this year, the main change made was to the uniform mill rate. “Council approved a 1.9% tax increase to property taxes back when budget was approved and the 2020 mill rate is in line with this. Property owners will see that the mill rate increased from 5.29 in 2019 to 5.43 in 2020, for residential and agricultural properties. Commercial properties will see the increase in mill rate from 6.15 to 6.31,” Leah Bloomquist, City of Martensville Director of Corporate Services, explained. Bloomquist added that an example of the “impact of this increase is that for the average property owner with a property assessed at $270,000 – they will see an increase in their taxes of $37.74 or $3.15 per month.” An extension for property taxes was added, which now takes the deadline to October 30th, 2020. The next item on the agenda was added due to numerous calls coming in from concerned residents that are feeling the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of this, the City of Martensville decided to evaluate their options that could help provide a level of relief to residents that may fall behind on payments this year. The bylaw amendment stated that penalties will not be applied on arrears of taxes or on current taxes until November 1st, 2020. “Suspending interest penalties was the first recommendation made and now approved by Council. November 1st was selected to align with the extended deadline for property taxes of October 30, 2020 and provides 7 months of no interest charges,” Bloomquist said. In addition to this, Council also approved a bylaw amendment to the utility accounts. No interest charges will be applied to past due water & sewer accounts until November 1st. “We will also not cut off services to accounts that are overdue as this would cause further hardship to households during this pandemic,” added Bloomquist. Because City Hall has been closed to the public and approximately half of the staff is now working from home, the City of Martensville was forced to delay an audit that was originally scheduled for March to mid-May. “When the province released information allowing municipalities to delay filing financial statements, this seemed like a good precaution to take as we don’t know yet if our audit will be delayed further, or if our auditors will have to complete remotely. We hope to stay on track and meet the September 1 filing deadline but this gives us some flexibility IF we need it.” The City of Martensville will host their monthly Committee of the Whole meeting on Tuesday, April 14th at 5pm.

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Provincial Politics

Green Shirt Day In Support of Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness

Murray Mandryk

April 7, marks the second annual ‘Green Shirt Day’ that started in honor of Logan Boulet who lost his life in the Humboldt Broncos bus crash on April 6, 2018. Because of his selfless act of donating his organs on this day, he saved six lives. Once news of his generous act became known, more than 100,000 Canadians were inspired to register to become organ donors, calling it the “Logan Boulet Effect” – the largest number of Canadians registered as organ donors due to one person or event. The purpose of this day is to raise awareness about organ donation and to encourage people around Canada to sign their donor cards in hopes to help save many lives. It is also to honor everyone involved in the Humboldt Broncos bus crash. People are encouraged to wear green on April 7 and talk about the powerful impact of organ donation. It is also Organ Donation Awareness month across Canada for the month of April. This year Green Shirt Day took on a whole new meaning for me personally as I tragically lost my nephew, Andrew, on February 17, 2020. He was in Calgary with his girlfriend for a Flames game as he was a diehard fan! I got the call from my sister at 5:30 in the morning (never a good sign) and she told me that Andrew had slipped on ice fracturing his skull and she was in the Calgary Foothills hospital with Andrew and his family and that it looked ‘very, very, bad’. I was still trying to make sense of what she was talking about as I had been woken from a deep sleep and then the words that you never want to hear…‘They don’t think he’s going to make it’! ABOVE: Andrew Puetz As I lay there in silence trying to process what I had just heard, my husband and I debated what we should do – do we drive to Calgary or go be with my mom when she gets the news? We didn’t know if we would get to the hospital in time but after some conversations with my family, my husband, son, sister and nephew, we decided we were going to drive there. We just really needed to be with my brother and our family. My daughter was on her honeymoon with her husband in Bali at the time so we quickly face timed them with the news and started our trek to Calgary. The drive there felt like an eternity as we were getting updates from my sister and none of it was good. ‘Andrew is going for a scan now to confirm if there is a chance of any brain activity – they have brought up the subject of organ donation’. I turned to my sister and the tears started flowing…I just had a feeling he was not going to make it. When we arrived at the hospital we were greeted by some family members who gave us the news that he was gone. After many tears and hugs we were able to see our beautiful nephew, although somewhat unrecognizable, as he lay there with swollen eyes and machines surrounding him, and on a respirator, all keeping him alive. It is hard to explain what it was like that first initial moment when we entered his room. There is nothing more heart wrenching than seeing your own child watch the cousin he grew up with, who was like a brother to him, lay there knowing he will never be able to talk to him, laugh with him, have a beer with him. But he was brave and the first thing he asked was if he could put the bracelet Andrew got from his girlfriend, that he had forgot at our house two weeks before, on his wrist. As we watched in silence, seeing his mom lying beside him on the bed, seeing the distraught look in my brother’s face along with Andrew’s brother and sister, it was a moment I will never forget. Andrew’s parents did not hesitate when the decision needed to be made about him being an organ donor. They spent over an hour in a room answering questions and the process would begin as to who the recipients of his organs would be. We were told it would take another full day before they would hopefully have everything in place, and we were able to spend another day talking to him and saying our goodbyes. We were lucky to have all the immediate family present (except for my daughter and son-in-law who were working very hard at trying to arrange flights home from Bali, and my brother who lives in California). We formed a half-circle and held hands and said the ‘Our Father’ and then sang ‘You Are My Sunshine’ as a sendoff to him as our final goodbye. The staff at the Calgary Foothills hospital was amazing through this tragic experience! One nurse in particular, Dallas, was so kind-hearted and she shed tears with us as well saying how, even though as a critical care nurse she sees sadness all the time, but for some reason, this situation was different for her. She could feel the love we had for this sweet, beautiful boy, and the bond our family has. Shortly before Andrew was to be taken to surgery, I remembered this video I saw on either Facebook or YouTube about the ‘Walk of Honor’ for a young man who had tragically lost his life and was going to be an organ donor. I asked some of the staff if we, as a family, could do this for Andrew and video him as he was being taken into surgery. One of Andrew’s favorite songs was ‘Shallow’ from the movie ‘A Star Is Born’ so we played this song as a tribute to him as he was led out the doors to become a hero - taken way to soon - on the eve of February 18, the night before his 23rd birthday! Ironically, my brother received a letter in the mail today, April 7, saying that 7 individuals and their families have had their lives dramatically changed for the better because of his gracious gift. All of his major organs were successfully transplanted including his tissue and eye donation. Tissue donations alone can help up to 75 lives. As I sit here wearing green with pride today, it does give some comfort knowing that someone has received his beautiful blue eyes, his warm heart, and he has given hope to so many other families. Green Shirt Day symbolizes, that even in the most tragic of events and situations, there is always hope for others. Please sign your donor cards and be a hero like my nephew, Andrew Puetz! If you would like to see the tribute of Andrew’s life, you can go to our Martensville Messenger Facebook page to view it.

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Deaths a Sobering COVID-19 Wakeup Call

Saskatchewan saw its first deaths from COVID-19, making this pandemic all-too-real and all-tooclose to home. It never ceases to amaze me how connected we are to events elsewhere in the world. This coronavirus pandemic has drove that point home. As it stands right now, the usual economic considerations in which we define our connection to the rest of the world pale in comparison to the reality that we are now seeing deaths from the same virus killing people half a world away. COVID-19 is more contagious and far more deadly than the flu, for which there is a vaccine. We need to heed the warnings to stay home. Thankfully, we are not seeing nor are we likely to see the death toll we’ve witnessed in China, Italy, Spain and now the United States where President Donald Trump downplayed COVID-19 as nothing more than the flu. Even after the U.S.’s initial deaths, Trump was telling his public that social-distancing measures could be lifted by this week’s Easter holidays - a better course of action preferable to the suicides and other outcomes we would see as a result of a slowdown of the American economy. Today, the U.S. has the most identified COVID-19 cases in the world and may soon be challenging Italy for the highest death toll, given some projections saying we could see 2,000 Americans die each day when the pandemic peak hits that country. Whatever the shortcomings of our own leaders, we should be thankful they were as obstinate as Trump. By contrast, they started listening to the doctors and science much, much earlier. They took seriously the modelling showing the potential number people infected if no action is taken and, as unpleasant as it this has been to hear, the proactive approach of our leadership hasn’t been lost on the Canadian public who, overwhelming, have gotten behind their politicians. Opinion polls suggest they very much respect what their leaders have been doing and those like Ontario Progressive Conservative leader Doug Ford are emerging as stars. Trump, on the other hand, only began to come around when the modelling showed U.S. death totals could be between 1.5- and 2.2-million Americans if that country continued to do next to nothing. But does that mean our politicians have moved as quickly as they should have? That answer is obvious. As previously suggested, Saskatchewan is a wide-opened place where you can feel removed from the world. Certainly in rural Saskatchewan where you can be miles from your neighbour, it can lull you into the notion that what’s happening in the rest of the world doesn’t much matter. What this outbreak tells us - what it should have been telling Premier Scott Moe and his Saskatchewan Party government a month ago when they were playing with the notion of a snap spring election - is that they needed to take the possible scenario we are now in far more seriously than they did. When the coronavirus was already a serious problem in China or Italy, no one here was taking it seriously because it was deemed a problem far away from us. Even on March 12 when the first case emerged in Saskatchewan, we were simply told this was the result of travel and today’s serious social distancing. Let’s credit Moe and company for acting after the initial Saskatchewan cases by limiting gatherings to 250 and insisting those returning from the U.S. and other countries self-isolate for two weeks. This came before similar federal government restrictions, but it is also clear Moe was caught up the politics of a spring election, which will now be a black mark on his handling of this crisis. It shows us we can’t assume we aren’t going to be affected by what’s going in the rest of the world.

Jocelyn Ottenbreit, Martensville Messenger

Letter to the Editor

The Martensville Messenger welcomes letters to the editor for publication. Letters must be signed and a phone number and/or email address included so the writer’s identity can be verified. ALL letters are the opinion of the writer and NOT the Martensville Messenger. We reserve the right to edit letters for length, clarity or compliance with the current standards of public taste. Submit your letter to news@ martensvillemessenger.ca or mail to Box 333 - Martensville, SK S0K 2T0.

martensville messenger - APRIL 9, 2020 - Page 7

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City of Martensville Provides Fun Easter Geocaching Event Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger

The City of Martensville Recreation Department has been busy coming up with ideas to help keep people busy while also ensuring that they continue practicing safe social distancing. One of the events that they offer, which continues to grow in popularity is Easter Geocaching. This is a community wide event that will be held during spring break from April 13th to 19th and is intended to get people out and moving. “Geocaching is intended to be an event that anyone can do at any time, in inclusive locations for all to access,” City of Martensville Program Coordinator II, Jessica Loran, explained. The first set of coordinates will be posted on the City of Martensville Facebook page on the morning of the 13th and participants will have all week to find all of the geocaches. Once they have completed them all, the last cache explains how you can enter into a draw to win a prize. “We are structuring the Easter Geocache a little differently this year to make up for the new restrictions in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of having a physical egg that people need to open to find the clues, we will instead have laminated pictures of Easter Eggs with the coordinates on them so that people can easily see them,” Loran said. After looking at the clue, participants will be able to enter the new coordinates and find the next clue. In addition, Loran said that they are recommending for everyone that they practice proper social distancing while out hunting for clues and that if someone is already at a clue, that they wait their turn. Additionally, Loran reminds residents to follow all recommendations set in place by the Saskatchewan Health Authority, such as proper hand washing. “This event will be included in our Mood Boost Activities for next week, as it is Easter themed and encourages people to still have fun and celebrate Easter while being safe.” For more fun themes and ideas for Mood Boost Activities, follow ‘Martensville Mood Boost’ on Facebook.

Having Fun at Home As we settle in for what could be a lengthy time spent social distancing from one another, plenty of Martensville residents are making the most of their time and having fun while doing it. We invite residents to submit photos of themselves and their families having fun while being at home. You can send photos to news@ martensvillemessenger.ca, or message us on Facebook.

ABOVE: Jason Valen practiced safety as he was busy clearing his driveway following the big snowfall that hit on Monday, April 6th. (Submitted by Kim Valen)

ABOVE & RIGHT: There were snowmen a’plenty after the April 6th snowfall, with many people getting creative with their designs. (ABOVE: Jocelyn Ottenbreit/MM)

Business & Professional

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