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Locally Owned and Operated Celebrating Twelve Years of Community

VOLUME NO. 14 - ISSUE 12

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The first annual ‘Party on the Pond’ event was held on March 13th and 14th at the North Ridge Community Centre in Martensville. The weekend tournament had 30 teams participate. More information can be found on page 4.

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Page 2 - MARCH 19, 2020 - martensville messenger

Province Announces Class Suspensions Effective March 20

On March 16th, the Government of Saskatchewan announced that all classes in Saskatchewan pre K-12 Schools will be suspended indefinitely, effective March 20, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. For the period of March 16 to March 19, pre K-12 classes were scheduled to wind down. This meant that parents who were able to keep children home were encouraged to do so, with no absence or grade impacts. Parents with limited childcare options had a window to plan for class suspensions. On Sunday, March 15, the Chief Medical Health Officer indicated that school closures would be based on a number of factors including: • Evidence of sustained transmission within the community; • Rapid increase of local cases; and • Transmission without a known link to travel or confirmed cases. There continues to be no evidence that any of the above three criteria have been met. Children that remained in schools between March 16 and March 19 faced a low risk of exposure to COVID-19. A preventative approach of proactive school closures beginning March 20 means reducing the risk of COVID-19 transmission. Every student will receive a final grade based on their current grade, and students will progress to their next grade level next year. Every student who is eligible to graduate from Grade 12 this year will graduate. The Ministry of Education and School Divisions will work with Saskatchewan Post-Secondary Institutions to adapt entry requirements for programs commencing in the next academic year. Teachers and staff can work from home or in schools as scheduled during the class cancellations. For the rest of the scheduled school year, the Ministry of Education will work with School Divisions and Saskatchewan Teachers to implement a supplemental curriculum program through distance and alternative learning methods. While this supplemental curriculum will have no impact on final grades, it will ensure that students seeking to continue learning will have the resources necessary to do so. These measures apply to daycares that are co-located with schools, but do not apply to licensed daycare facilities outside of schools. Further measures regarding licensed daycare facilities are being considered and will be implemented at a later date. Officials are currently examining options to provide childcare services for individuals that are providing essential services during the COVID-19 response. COVID-19 Information: We understand that residents have questions about COVID-19 in Saskatchewan. If you have recently travelled internationally and are experiencing respiratory or flu-like symptoms, please call HealthLine 811. For the latest advice to the public and information on prevention measures being taken, visit www.saskatchewan.ca/coronavirus. 20033DE0 20033DE1

FUN & GAMES ACROSS 1. Slam 5. Save up 10. Maybe yes, maybe no 14. Take a coat off 15. Restorative 16. Word on a sign on the lawn, perhaps 17. Short break for the breadwinner 19. Offshore 20. Monogram of Dr. Jekyll’s creator 21. Repose 22. Puck’s worker 24. Talk of the Gaelic 25. Bird with brilliant colors 26. Consummate 29. Window or wall opening 32. Some game 33. Loren’s husband 34. Displayed fear 35. Venomous snakes 36. Faint from surprise 37. Cargo platform 38. Year in St. Evaristus’ papacy 39. Kind of paper 40. Coeur d’___, Idaho 41. Firedogs 43. Refrained from punishing 44. Rifles 45. Sportscaster Gowdy 46. Raid site 48. Singer Tennille 49. Curative waters 52. Rajah’s consort 53. Reason to slow down 56. Temptation location 57. Silent star, Bara 58. Chrysler Building style 59. Ovid’s existence 60. Oscar winner Spacek 61. Pull a switch DOWN 1. Inscription of Caesar’s time 2. Burglar’s take 3. Author of ‘’Topaz’’ 4. Sleuth in pulp fiction 5. Finally 6. Pad type 7. One of the Windsors 8. Oft-bracketed word 9. Composer of ‘’Godspell’’ 10. Prophetic OT book 11. Productive one, to the boss

Answers to this week’s puzzle can be found on Page 5.

12. Take a powder 13. Kind of book 18. Typeface extensions 23. Start of a play 24. They may be ringing 25. Billing period 26. Ropemaking fiber 27. Bow application 28. Express trains 29. Tires (with ‘’out’’) 30. ‘’I Believe’’ singer 31. Wrapped up 33. Schemata 36. Public demonstrations 37. Bedframe crosspiece

39. Pirate potable 40. Showery time 42. Bottle in a first aid kit 43. Blue law subject 45. Many college students 46. Emancipate 47. Dangerous dosages 48. Ball-bearing items 49. Merganser’s kin 50. Variety of type 51. Surmounting 54. Key letter 55. Some cards and tags

SUDOKU

martensville messenger - MARCH 19, 2020 - Page 3

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 1020 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.

Never Lose a Bill, Save Paper and Avoid those Late Fees!

The City of Martensville offers a number of services to help you conveniently receive and pay for your utilities or property taxes. - Apply for e-Billing to receive your monthly utility bills through email. - Apply for Pre-Authorized Payments, to avoid late payment fees. - Apply for the Tax Installment Payment Plan for equalized monthly tax payments. For more information on these services contact or visit us at City Hall or visit Martensville. ca

April Council Meeting Dates Regular Council - April 7th 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

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

City of Martensville Closes Facilities as Precaution Against COVID-19

The Warman Detachment of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police received 105 calls for service from March 9, 2020 to March 16, 2020. March 15, 2020 at 10:06 Police Investigate a.m. RCMP received a call in Multiple Reports of Martensville of theft. A 2012 Theft in Martensville Hit and Run Reported in March 13, 2020 at 3:25 GMC Terrain, grey in color Martensville p.m. RCMP received was stolen. This is still under March 10, 2020 at 10:26 a call in Martensville investigation. a.m. RCMP received a call of theft. A light bar in Martensville of a hit and was stolen from a 2005 run. A vehicle was struck by Silverado. The brackets Suspicious Male Reported an unknown vehicle while and wiring were broken. in Martensville parked. There was damage This is still under March 12, 2020 at 11:46 done to the vehicle. investigation. a.m. RCMP received a call in Martensville of a suspicious Police Investigate March 14, 2020 at 8:42 person. A male in late 50’s Warman Road Rage a.m. RCMP received a wearing a three tone grey March 15, 2020 at 11:56 call in Martensville of jacket and blue jeans was a.m. RCMP received a call theft. A trailer was broken knocking on doors. Male in Warman of road rage. A into and wood working was last seen running vehicle was being followed tools were stolen. This is southbound. A white Dodge by an aggressive man in a still under investigation. truck with male driver was red Chev Equinox. A male seen following the male. driver grew angry when March 15, 2020 at 9:23 driver wouldn't pass a semi. a.m. RCMP received a The agitated male was call in Martensville of If you have information regarding these or driving around trying to other crimes, please contact Warman/ theft. A truck was broken any Martensville RCMP at 306-975-1670/306-975find them. This is still under 1610 or if you have information and you wish into. Stolen items were investigation. to remain anonymous in your reporting, please work equipment, hand contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS submit a tip via their website: http:// tools, cameras. This is (8477), saskcrimestoppers.com/ or text in a tip: TIP206 + your tip to CRIMES (274637). still under investigation.

The City of Martensville continues to work with its stakeholders in the region in keeping with information being provided by the Province and the Saskatchewan Health Authority to implement safety measures to limit the spread of COVID-19. The health, safety and well-being of the public and our employees is our top priority. The City is committed to ensuring as much as possible that core programs and services are not impacted by the COVID-19 virus. As of March 16, 2020, at 2:45 p.m., the following is for the information of Martensville residents, business owners, and visitors to the community: Closure of all City Recreation Facilities - All City of Martensville run Recreation Facilities will be closed effective March 17th. This includes the MAP, North Ridge Centre, Sports Centre, Heritage Centre and Library. We will provide regular updates on the status of facilities as they are known. Please contact City Hall or the Martensville Athletic Pavilion with any questions or status of a program or booking. City Hall Hours of Operation – City Hall remains open for residents wishing to conduct resident and business transactions and to access payment services. However, residents are encouraged to use online payment services as much as possible. Find out more about online services offered on the home page at Martensville.ca. A reminder if you are not feeling well, please stay home and contact us by email or phone with any questions or concerns. Regular Council Meeting – The meeting scheduled for Tuesday, March 17th proceeded as planned. Safe distancing guidelines were to be followed by members of the public that wished to attend the meeting. Spring and Summer Program Registration – Registration for spring and summer programs opened today. Residents are encouraged to register for programs online through Martensville.ca or to register by phone. At this time, it is unknown how COVID-19 will impact programs schedules and facilities, but residents are encouraged to register if they wish. Should programs be postponed or cancelled, the appropriate measures will be taken to refund program fees per policy. This is an evolving situation and the City will continue to provide regular updates as they are available through our website and social media. The City encourages residents to continue to take preventative measures to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19. These include: Practice proper cough and sneezing etiquette (into the bend of your elbow); Wash your hands often with soap and water; if soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer; Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands; Maintain safe food practices; Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

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First Annual Party on the Pond Proves to Be Successful Jocelyn Ottenbreit, Martensville Messenger

ABOVE: Numerous groups and individuals donated their time to help make the ‘Party on the Pond’ event successful. (Jocelyn Ottenbreit/MM)

ABOVE: A total of 30 teams participated in the weekend tournament. (Facebook)

The first annual ‘Party on the Pond’ proved to be a very successful weekend with lots of activities and events happening at the North Ridge Community Centre and on the surrounding ponds. This main event which took place on March 13 & 14 was a Premier 3 on 3 Pond Hockey Tournament with 30 teams participating. Each team got to play five games and their registration included the tournament, supper, midnight lunch and entertainment by comedian Kelly Taylor on Friday night and supper and cabaret featuring the Gong Show on Saturday night. All proceeds for the event are going to the Martensville Community Recreation Project (MCRP) to help fund the construction of a new recreation facility. Precautions were taken throughout the weekend with COVID-19 now becoming a concern in our province. The North Ridge Community Centre was disinfected before each evening event, and everyone was reminded to wash their hands and use additional hand sanitizer that was placed around the building. Organizer Jordan Trach said, “We would like this to be an annual event. We felt all the players had a great experience. All the teams we spoke to on Saturday evening had asked if they could already register for next year.” Following the event, Trach wanted to make note of the numerous individuals and groups that helped to make it such a success. “I think there are a lot of thank you’s to go out and I hope to not miss people but we would like to thank the Royal Purple, Elks, Kinsmen Club, additional members of the community that donated their time to working, the MCRP for bringing us on board and showing us the ropes on how to run a great event in Martensville. The City of Martensville, Kent (Mayor Muench), Ted (Schaeffer - City of Martensville Director of Recreation & Community Services) and Don (Crowe - Parks & Facilities Manager) were very supportive in helping out wherever they could. Most of all I’d like to thank all the teams and people that attended our evening events. It’s great to have people show trust in our committee that we were able to host such a successful event in the first year. And last but not least, to the committee members themselves. Twenty five guys on a committee that were extremely committed to helping out in which ever capacity that was needed. It was truly amazing.” Because of the support from the sponsors, the event was paid off before the event even started. “Our sponsors were so supportive in helping this event it was outstanding.”

ABOVE: Teams played a total of five games each. (Blake Tiedeman/BlakeVision Media)

20033AA8

ABOVE: Following the weekend tournament, teams were already showing interest in registering for next year’s event. (Blake Tiedeman/BlakeVision Media)

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martensville messenger - MARCH 19, 2020 - Page 5

Ensuring Leave For Employees During Public Health Emergencies

Martensville Marauder PeeWee AA Finishes Incredible Season With City Championship

Submitted The Peewee AA Marauders, coached by Chris Mathies, had an incredible season this year. Their overall record for the season was 68 wins, four losses and two ties and finished the season ranked third in Western Canada. This past week they played the best of three games against the Saskatoon Titans in the city championship with a fairly easy win on Tuesday 7-2 and again on Thursday, winning 5-0 making them City Champions. They also had a very successful year playing in seven tournaments coming out in first place at the Evan Thomas Memorial tournament, as well as the Swift Current Broncos tournament and the Sask Challenge Cup. They were second place champs at the Fall Brawl in Wetaskiwin, Kindersley tournament and Regina Pats PeeWee Classic, and placed third at the Melee in Millett. Congratulations on a successful season boys!

One Tuesday, March 17, the Government of Saskatchewan introduced amendments to The Saskatchewan Employment Act ensuring employees have access to job protected leaves during a public health emergency. “We want to thank workers across Saskatchewan for everything they do,” Labour Relations and Workplace Safety Minister Don Morgan said. “No one should lose their job for continuing to prioritize health and safety during this public health emergency.” The proposed amendments to the Act are: • to remove the requirement of 13 consecutive weeks of employment with the employer prior to accessing sick leave; • to remove the provision requiring a doctor’s note or certificate; and • introduction of a new unpaid public health emergency leave that can be accessed: - when the World Health Organization has determined that there is a public health emergency and the province’s chief medical health officer has also issued an order that measures be taken to reduce the spread of a disease; or - the province’s chief medical health officer has independently issued an order that measures be taken provincially to reduce the spread of a disease where it is believed there is sufficient risk of harm to citizens of the province. The orders would also be made public to ensure everyone is aware of the direction. The amendments to the Act would come into force retroactive to March 6, 2020. “We also want to thank the members of the Opposition for their assistance in moving this act forward in a timely way so that employees have the peace of mind needed during public health emergencies,” Morgan said.

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Page 6 - MARCH 19, 2020 - martensville messenger

Provincial Politics with

Murray Mandryk

Unity on the Right Started Here

Consider what’s going on all through Canada and North America. Conservatives are finding themselves uniting under big tents while those on the left are most squabbling and setting up their own tiny encampments. This right-wing solidarity started 23 years ago right here in Saskatchewan. Of course, some might dispute the notion that the 1997 formation of the Sask. Party via the merger of four Liberal and four Progressive Conservative MLAs was the catalyst for this North America-wide trend. Certainly, there’s little evidence that what happened locally had any impact on the monster that is U.S. politics. There again, when Saskatchewan elected North America’s first social democratic government in 1944; arguably, this province’s previous claim to political fame; no one thought its promise of free health care paid for by government would change the nature of Canada and even have such a profound effect on U.S. political debate for decades to come. Could it be that what we are now seeing all over the place was cooked up the incubator that is Saskatchewan politics? The thought crosses one’s mind with the news the right-wing Wexit movement; those wanting to remove Saskatchewan and Alberta from confederation; has just received party status. That means that Wexit will now be allowed to run candidates in the (possibly, sooner-thanexpected) next provincial election. Combined with another recent development that sees the old Saskatchewan Progressive Conservative party gaining support from members of the Maxime Bernier’s federal People’s Party of Canada and we are suddenly looking at political spectrum becoming rather crowded at the far right end. One might think that Premier Scott Moe would be a little concerned about a party promoting separatism … especially, since Wexit’s existence is surely driven by the same western alienation sentiments that Moe has said are real and common among many of his supporters. It makes the Saskatchewan Premier’s comment that it’s “not my job to worry about them” all that much more peculiar. There again, why would the Sask. Party leader really be worried about Wexit or the PCs? With a penchant of winning its rural seats by 75 to 80 per cent of the vote (and one presumes both Wexit and the PCs will have their most success in rural seats), the Sask. Party probably isn’t worried about losing a few votes here and there. Consider the last Saskatchewan general election in 2016, when the PCs received 5,571 votes throughout the province (1.28 per cent) while the Western Independence Party received a whopping total of 318 votes (0.07 per cent). By comparison, Sask. Party votes in 2016 totaled 270,776 votes, or 62.36 per cent of all votes cast in this province. That’s the second highest percentage ever in Saskatchewan election history. The only time a governing party registered a higher percentage was in 2011 by the Sask. Party. This is the end result of years of single-minded dedication to defeat the NDP. It’s a goal so engrained on Saskatchewan’s political right that the vast majority of them, don’t much fuss over ideological differences on even critical social issues. The focus is simply not just defeating the NDP but ensuring that the NDP never forms government again. After years of unrest on the federal scene that saw the old Reform Party and Progressive Conservatives merge into the Canadian Alliance, we are seeing the same singlemindedness in the Conservative Party of Canada. Not even Bernier’s PPC that took a far more libertarian view on things like marketing boards had much impact. Similarly, most American Republicans can’t justify Donald Trump’s indiscretions or questionable policies like tariffs or government subsidizing farms and businesses, but like conservatives in Saskatchewan, they clearly know what they don’t want. It’s an approach that started here more than two decades ago.

MLA Report With Nancy Heppner COVID-19 Update The challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic are top of mind as the number of cases increases around the world. This is a situation that is changing daily. Therefore, we don’t want to provide information here that will be out of date by the time you read this. You can keep up to date on COVID-19 at www.saskatchewan.ca/coronavirus, including questions and answers for the public and care providers, and testing surveillance. If you suspect you may have been infected, please call Saskatchewan Healthline at 811 for advice and direction. Saskatchewan residents can take a number of basic steps to protect themselves from respiratory illness: • Wash your hands frequently – for at least 20 seconds; • Do not touch surfaces and then your mouth, eyes or nose; • Use tissues when you cough or sneeze and dispose of them immediately (use your elbow if a tissue is unavailable); and • Stay home if you become ill and prevent the spread of illness. Finally, please use common sense when shopping for food, water, and household supplies and be sensitive to the needs of others. We are all in this together. Saskatchewan Budget To Be Presented on March 18 The uncertainty caused by COVID-19 has affected our stock markets. Markets have been hit hard again after the steep drop in oil prices. As you know, lower oil prices are a challenge for our government and for our Saskatchewan economy. There is always volatility in resources prices. That’s the reason we made the decision three years ago to reduce our dependency on resource revenues in the provincial budget. Our reliance on these revenues once peaked at 32 per cent; today it is 11 per cent. Oil revenues now make up less than 5 per cent of our provincial budget. Saskatchewan is in a strong financial position and we will not respond to dropping oil prices in a knee-jerk fashion by cutting programs or services. Rather, we think it’s time to invest in programs and services, and that’s what you will see in the budget. Improving Saskatchewan’s Job Market Recently, we announced that the Government of Saskatchewan would be moving forward with its 2020 Targeted Initiatives for Older Workers program. This is in an effort to increase the engagement of older workers in our labour force. The program is aimed at workers aged 55-64 who are currently unemployed and are legally entitled to work in Canada, but lack the skills needed to successfully secure employment. The Government of Saskatchewan is also investing in English for Employment programming to assist newcomers to overcome language barriers and engage in the labour force. English for Employment programming assists those with a low English proficiency in developing their language skills, with a focus on supporting their capacity to find and maintain employment in Saskatchewan. It is anticipated that more than 300 newcomers will participate in English for Employment programming over the coming year. These investments and the latest figures from Statistics Canada show us that Saskatchewan people are hard at work. The most recent job numbers show that 569,700 people in our province were employed in February – an increase of 4,900 compared to February 2019. Over the same period, full-time employment has increased by 3,100 and part-time employment increased by 1,900. Saskatchewan’s economy remains strong. 20033KK0 20033KK1

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.

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With everything that has been going on in the world, it can be a little overwhelming and intimidating; however, it is important to remember that the people who are the most likely to be affected by COVID-19 are the ones who are unable to go into public places such as grocery stores for fear of getting sick. There are also people that are unable to purchase the items that they require due to financial struggles. Therefore in times like this, we all need to come together to ensure that everyone is taken care of and has the items they need to stay safe and healthy. Because of this, one local resident; Wanda Aamodt, has decided to step up to help spread a little humanity throughout the community. Aamodt operates Respite Care Services in Martensville, and wants to help seniors and low income families both in our community, and the surrounding area. “Due to this virus and isolation precautions, our respite clients and members wanted to help fundraise for the seniors and low income families in and around Martensville. This all came about from a story that we had heard about in Saskatoon where a woman with small children at home had taken the bus to go get groceries on a day that she was able to. While at the grocery store, she was unable to get toilet paper and other items on her list because they were sold out. Another woman on the bus saw that she was upset and after hearing her story, wanted to help so she got her address and went out to pick up the toilet paper and other items that were needed and dropped them off,” Aamodt explained. After hearing this story, Aamodt, who has worked in senior care for years, wanted to do something to help those in our own community who have went to the store and found that the items they required were sold out, and for those unable to go to the store due to mobility issues or due to precaution. From now until Thursday, March 19th, those interested in contributing can donate non-perishable items, cleaning supplies, tea, money, etc. to this cause. Aamodt, along with her respite clients and some volunteers, will be putting care packages together and delivering them to those in need on Friday, March 20th. “I would like to be able to include some sweet treats and maybe a flower for each person when doing deliveries as well. Some of these people have been cooped up so it will be nice to add a little brightness to their day.” “There are people that are in a compromised situation and instead of panic and fear in a time like this we need to be practicing kindness and understanding. It is something that we should always be doing, but especially in times like this. There is a lot of bad in the world, but there is just as much good; if not more, and we need to use the good to outshine the bad,” Aamodt noted. Aamodt along with her family, who have been residents of Martensville since 1999, often volunteer their time to help out with community events and fundraisers. “I truly believe in supporting your community and lending a hand to those that are in need. People coming together can make a big difference in the lives of others. We just need a little positive thinking in our community and to be more supportive, share and be respectful of others.” Items can be dropped off at 526 Klassen Cres in Martensville, or E-transfers can be sent to waamodt@sasktel.net. All that donate to this cause will be entered to win three hours of home cleaning or car detailing services.

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Local Resident Looking For Support to Help Those in Need Within Martensville and Surrounding Areas Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger

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martensville messenger - MARCH 19, 2020 - Page 7

In Memoriam Myron Dyck March 19, 1947 - March 23, 2011 RENTAL FACILITY

New Horizons Rental Facility for Family Gatherings such as Birthdays, Christmas Functions, etc. 106 4th Avenue North Contact numbers: Rick & Lovina Bischler 306-931-2759 Rae & Kay Butt 306-384-8215

May the winds of love blow softly, And whisper for you to hear That we still love you dearly And wish that you were here. We hold you close Within our hearts And there you will remain To walk beside us all our lives, Until we meet again. Love always, your family

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Page 8 - MARCH 19, 2020 - martensville messenger

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A Night in the Desert Submitted by Dean Johnston

Ever so slowly, we made our way up the side of the massive dune, easily the largest yet. The rhythmic side-to-side swaying of the camel’s awkward gait became even more pronounced as the slope steepened. Reaching the crest, we were blasted by another burst of wind and sand. Vigilant camel-handler, Hassan, glanced back, a concerned look on his face, the same look he’d been sporting the entire journey. He seemed convinced that we had no idea what we were doing. He wasn’t wrong. Already my glutes were screaming in pain and utter disbelief. Some animals seem virtually created for riding. Certain horses with certain riders can appear an elegantly ordained pairing of man and beast. I doubt that has ever been said about a camel. Nonetheless, we were making solid time, slowly but steadily traversing a popular Moroccan portion of the world-famous – and insanely huge – Sahara Desert. Covering 9.2 million square kilometres across Northern Africa, it is nearly the same size as the entire United States. So, while this sobering figure made our tiny 10-kilometre journey seem inconsequential in comparison, it didn’t stop us from complaining wearily at every opportunity. Then, almost without warning, we cleared the top of a new ridge and beheld the welcome visage of an area dotted with a handful of small tents and pens, a semipermanent camp huddled under the protective bulk of a gigantic, majestic dune, its razorsharp, serpentine ridge climbing into the distant sky like a map to the stars. Our grouchy mounts seemed as happy to be rid of us as we were them, not that I have ever come across a happy camel, whether it be working, eating or even just sleeping. We dismounted and stumbled away, delighted to be back on our own two feet, although surprised to now be unable to master the normally straightforward accomplishment of walking in a straight line without limping, swaying or stumbling. Helpful Omar showed us - waddling painfully - to our tent, a well-worn brown pile of canvas subtly blending into the sandy landscape. It didn’t look like much but, then again, by this point neither did we. Next, we were introduced to an ancient Berber nomad with an unpronounceable name, apparently our host for the night. His leathery, folded skin

ABOVE: Sunset climb (Dean Johnston)

looked tough enough to repel bullets, while his large, round Blue Blocker glasses gave him the appearance of a giant housefly. His rugged face cracked open into a semblance of a grin as he – like every single person in Morocco to that point - enthusiastically invited us to join him for tea. The language was unfamiliar (a Berber dialect of Arabic with hints of French? – perhaps) but the sentiment was clear. It seems there is nothing a Moroccan enjoys more than sharing a cup of tea with a perfect stranger, except maybe impressing them with just how high they can pour it from. As the sun began to sink below the surrounding dunes, we embarked on an exhausting climb to the summit of the largest dune to enjoy a magnificent Saharan sunset. Two steps forward, one step back, acres of sand filling our shoes, pockets, and seemingly every square inch of our bodies. But the view! Gently undulating dunes as far as the eye could see, the setting sun’s fading rays providing a myriad of new colours. Lost in awe, we lingered too long, adding darkness to contend with on the already precipitous descent. Back in camp, Blue Blocker awaited us with a wide grin and an entire tent dedicated to a meticulously prepared evening meal. An enormous plate of traditional Moroccan tajine (stew) – literally steaming hot – and fluffy pile of fresh bread beckoned us, saliva glands erupting in anticipation. No cutlery, napkins or even a discreet corner of a tablecloth combined with my legendary ability to spill food, yet a feast well worth all the new stains. Soon after, lulled to lethargy by gluttony and the soothing caress of blowing sand across the canvas shell of our tent, we slipped from consciousness. Only a brief interlude in the wee hours of the morning interrupted our deep, dreamless sleep, waking to discover an inconveniently located rip in the roof of the tent was sending a steady stream of sand directly and quite precisely into my unsuspecting ear canal. Desert life at its most profound, surely. A futile morning search for bodily function privacy and a bowl of sandy fruit only added to the effect, before we clambered back up onto our camels for the return trip. A short journey, eminently memorable, partly because we were still finding sand months later. Dean Johnston is the author of three travel books, including Roam: The 9 Greatest Trips on Earth. He is currently wandering aimlessly somewhere in Portugal or Spain, according to routinelynomadic.com.

ABOVE: Camp life (Dean Johnston)

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