Skip to main content

March 3, 2022

Page 1

• Complete Automotive and Tire Service Centre • Journeyman Factory Trained Technicians • Easy Vehicle Repair & Accessory Financing Available FREE courtesy cars available Open 7:30-5:30 Monday - Friday

checkeredflagautomotive.ca

Receive 15% off your next service if you mention this ad!

109 Centennial Dr. No Martensville

Call: 306.975.2140

Message us on FB

Business as USUAL Located at BACK of building

MARTENSVILLE PHARMACY Monday-Friday 9-6 Saturday 10-3 Closed Sundays & Holidays

Your City; Your Newspaper March 3, 2022

17 Centennial Drive North

VOLUME NO. 16 - ISSUE 09

306-931-2868

Re-roofs New Construction Residential Commercial

Over 9 Years Making Your Real Estate Dreams Come True!

306-931-2266

Bay 4 #1 - 4th St S Martensville

www.infinitysalonandspa.ca for online booking

Locally Owned and Operated Celebrating Fifteen Years of Community

306-934-4888 www.martenswarman.ca

scottroofingsask.com

306-384-(ROOF)7663 | 306-222-4093 scottlandru61@gmail.com

www.martensvillemessenger.ca

The Martensville Curling Club hosted the Saskatchewan Junior Men’s and Women’s Provincials from February 23-27. A total of eight men’s and women’s teams competed with the winners moving on to compete in Nationals as Team Saskatchewan.

Sweep!

306-242-7888 www.saskfunerals.ca

Because We Care

591 Centennial Drive North - Martensville

JUST THINK... Had this been your ad, people would have noticed it. Call the Martensville Messenger and ask about our affordable advertising

Ph: 306-668-1093

Martensville Curling Club

MARTENSVILLE SPRING PROGRAM GUIDE 2022 will be available once again in March

Reserve Your Advertising Spot Today Contact Jocelyn at (306) 668-1093 or advertising@martensvillemessenger.ca


Page 2 - MARCH 3, 2022 - MARTENSVILLE MESSENGER Box 970 37 Centennial Dr. S. Martensville, SK SOK 2TO Phone:(306) 931-2166

Visit www.martensville.ca for more information

Civic Services Under the Lifting of the Public Health Order - What You Should Know!

Saskatchewan’s current public health orders will be extended to February 28, 2022. City Hall is Open - Masks are mandatory in indoor public spaces as of September 17th. Online and contactless payment options remain available for customer convenience, such as online banking, e-transfers, preauthorized payments or TIPPS. Cheques can also be dropped off after hours in the drop slot at City Hall.

Rapid Testing Kit Availability As a way to continue to monitor and prevent further spread of COVID-19 within the community and region, rapid testing kits are made available from various businesses or organizations. Test Kits are currently available from the Martensville Library, the Canalta Hotel and the Martensville Fire Department. Distribution is available while supplies last.

Snow Removal this Winter – What You Need to Know

Please do not visit City Hall if you are feeling unwell, experiencing flu-like symptoms or have been in contact with someone who is presumptive or tested positive for COVID-19.

The Snow removal program aims to reduce hazards in the community, ensure roadways for emergency vehicles, and provide access to goods and services in the community.

Current Status of Public Facilities as of February 4th

Our crews strive to deliver excellent service, however sometimes weather can be unpredictable, and snow and ice control activities may vary. Every reasonable effort will be made to remove snow and ice and create safe driving and walking conditions promptly. There are ways you can help to ensure to keep streets clear and safe

Martensville Athletic Pavilion - Operations completely resuming, including drop-in programs. Contact the MAP or Martensville.ca for information on upcoming programs or questions. City Hall - Open North Ridge Centre - Re-Opened for Bookings Heritage Centre - Re-Opened for Bookings Sports Centre - Open for the Season Wheatland Regional Library (located in the Civic Centre) - Open 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 After Hour Water and Sewer Emergencies- should still be directed through the Emergency line at City Hall, (306) 931-2166, ext.1. Questions about Facilities or Programs? City Staff are available to work with the public via phone or email. Questions or inquiries can be directed to City Hall via phone (306931-2166) or inquiry@martensville.ca OR the Martensville Athletic Pavilion (306-6835576) or mapreception@martensville.ca

City of Martensville City Hall

- Do not shovel, blow, or push snow from private property onto the street – this causes snow Hours of Operation: ridges on your driveway when our plow cleans our street.

Monday to Friday - Do not plow or pile snow on streets or hydrants – this can block access to manholes, water valves, and access to water in case of fire. 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (Excluding Statutory Holidays)

- Clear your driveways in advance of the city’s snow clearing operations - this helps our operators clear your street more efficiently as well as more clearly see driveways to avoid ridging. - Do not park your vehicle in an area where it could obstruct snow removal procedures this hinders our operations and could result in a snow ridge blocking your vehicle in place. - Do not leave large piles of snow at the corners of driveways – this snow can be caught by a raised snow-gate blade and topple over into your driveway or the street. - Prevent snow from piling up on the front of your driveway by moving it near your tree/lawn areas behind your walkway.

March 2022 Council Meeting Dates Please Note: Council Meetings may be attended in-person but guests must wear a mask and should practice social distancing within Council Chambers. Those still wishing to attend but would wish to do so virtually should contact the City Clerk or visit the online agenda for the link to attend. Committee of the Whole- March 8th Regular Council – March 15th The Regular Council Meetings are located at Martensville City Hall Council Chambers in Martensville City Hall at 37 Centennial Dr. S. All meetings commence at 5 PM.

- Watch for posted areas for Snow Removal - In case of snow and snow removal, crews need to have roads cleared of all vehicles on posted streets. If you are going out of the City over the holidays, please have your vehicles off City streets. Vehicles left on the street per the traffic bylaw are ticketed and towed (to a non-posted area). - Stay Clear of Sanding Trucks - Crews apply a mixture of salt and sand on our streets and intersections to ensure safer driving conditions. If you are near or behind the sanding truck you are reminded to stay back 15m to allow the truck to disperse materials and to prevent materials from potentially hitting your vehicle. Information on general program procedures and the City’s Priority Map is available online at Martensville.ca

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 full Council and Committee of the Whole Schedule can be obtained at martensville.ca.

Big Changes Coming for Water Meters

The City of Martensville is initiating a program where existing water meters will be replaced with new automated water meters. Neptune Technology Group will be installing the meters by area and will be contacting homeowners to make appointments for the change-out. This project will begin in late February and be completed city-wide by July. To learn more, please check the information piece with your water bill or visit martensville.ca

M

ARTENSVILLE

ESSENGER

Your City; Your Newspaper Box 333, Martensville, SK S0K 2T0 Phone: 306-668-1093 advertising@martensvillemessenger.ca Deadline for submissions is MONDAY at NOON.

www.martensvillemessenger.ca Published Thursdays • 48 issues/year

Editor/Office Manager: Shanine Sealey ssealey@martensvillemessenger.ca

Editor/Ad Design: Jocelyn Ottenbreit

jottenbreit@martensvillemessenger.ca

To Contact Us About Advertising: advertising@martensvillemessenger.ca

Want to Share News?: news@martensvillemessenger.ca

22021JJ0


MARTENSVILLE MESSENGER - MARCH 3, 2022 - Page 3

Martensville Business Recognized with Both Local and International Awards

Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger

Martensville business Prairie ICF was recently recognized both provincially and internationally for their contributions in the world of insulated concrete forms (ICF’s). First opening in North Battleford in 2005, the business made the move to Martensville in 2012 and since then, has been a driving force within their industry. The focus of Prairie ICF is the distribution of Nudura Insulated Concrete Forms and related accessories. Because of this work, Prairie ICF were the winners of an ICF Builder Award at the World of Concrete trade exhibition that took place in Las Vegas from January 1720, as well as winning the Environmental Stewardship Award and the Trade Partner of the Year Award at the Saskatoon & Region Home Builders’ Association (SRHBA) Housing Excellence Awards which took place in Saskatoon on February 12. The ICF Builder Awards are hosted by ICF Builder Magazine each year in Las Vegas in conjunction with the World of Concrete. This year is the 17th year these awards have taken place to help recognize significant projects built with ICF from around the world. Prairie ICF self-nominated two of their recent projects, with one of them being named a finalist in the Specialty Applications Category, along with two other projects, both from the United States. Although Prairie ICF was unable to have a representative in Las Vegas, they did have a Nudura representative in attendance to accept the award on their behalf. The project they received the ICF Builder Award for was a multi-storey construction project on Broadway Avenue in Saskatoon by Baydo Developments. Prairie ICF supplied material for this three-storey parkade, which had an excavation of approximately 30 to 35 feet. Space on site was very limited, leaving only 1-2 inches of space between the outside of the shoring to the exterior face of the parkade wall, which meant that a conventional concrete form would not work for this particular job. Prairie ICF, along with the ICF installer, Howden Construction Ltd., explored several options for solving this dilemma. “We ultimately settled on Nudura’s

One-Series product line. These unique ICF’s have a layer of EPS insulation on the exterior and a removeable formply on the interior. Since they are internally supported, no access to the exterior wall is needed and the plywood interior can be stripped away and panels reused. The interior surface is an exposed concrete wall that provides the desired durability and moisture resistance needed in a parkade. A peel-and-stick membrane was used for damp proofing all ICF walls. This is normally installed in full height strips after concrete has cured, but since the space at site made this impossible, the installer had to apply this to each 18"x96" form as they were placed to ensure proper vertical and horizontal overlap is maintained,” Prairie ICF co-owner and Manager Tyler Dagenais explained. Although ICF is a more common building technology these days, when Prairie ICF opened their doors 17 years ago, it was a different story. At that time, ICF was not widely used, and was largely an unproven technology that had not been exposed to most homeowners and builders. “This product evolution followed a similar trajectory internationally. The ICF Builder Awards are therefore more competitive with each passing year. There have been a few Saskatchewan projects that were named finalists in various categories throughout the years at this event, but I believe we are the first to be named a winner at the event. This accomplishment is a testament to the time and hard work by not only the staff at Prairie ICF, but also our manufacturing and industry partners,” said Dagenais. The SRHBA Housing Excellence Awards are set in place to celebrate the achievements of the SRHBA members and winners are chosen by an international panel of judges consisting of Home Builders’ Association professional members from across North America. Prairie ICF have been members of the SRHBA since 2008 and although, as a supplier, do not qualify for many of the awards tailored to builders and renovators, have won the Trade Partner of the Year award for the past two years, and this year, they added the Environmental Stewardship Award, which recognizes a company for their commitment to environmentally sustainable operating practices, to their list of accomplishments. This year’s awards were held in-person following a virtual awards presentation last year. “It was great to be able to see many of our industry partners in person after several years of virtual meetings. The

JUST THINK... Had this been your ad, people would have noticed it. Call the Martensville Messenger and ask about our affordable advertising

Ph: 306-668-1093

ABOVE: Prairie ICF was recently awarded for their work with insulated concreate forms both provincially and internationally. (Submitted)

local construction industry is a network of professionals that work collaboratively in many ways to share bestpractices and ensure the homes being built are of the highest quality,” Dagenais said. “Any time you have a chance to be recognized at any level it provides a great deal of pride to the team at Prairie ICF. As anyone that works in the construction industry can attest, it is a high paced industry with many long days and endless multi-tasking as you have numerous projects underway in various stages at any given time. Industry awards provide a reason to pause and reflect on both the successes of your team, as well as the challenges that had to be overcome to realize those successes.” Learn more about Prairie ICF by visiting www. prairieicf.ca or by following them on social media.


Service PLUS Flat Glass Services!!

Page 4 - MARCH 3, 2022 - MARTENSVILLE MESSENGER

“Bringing the Tools to You!!” Email JAGplus@sasktel.net

•Automotive Repair Specialists or call 361-4527Monday to Friday 7:30-5:30 801 Centennial Dr. North •Advanced technology & diagnostics facility Visit www.JAGplus.ca today!!

306-244-4950

Martensville, SK

KEEPING YOU SAFE & ON THE ROAD

Martensville Curling Club Hosts Junior Provincials Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger

From February 23-27, the Martensville Curling Club hosted the CurlSask Saskatchewan Junior Men’s and Women’s Provincials. A total of eight men’s and women’s teams competed in a triple knockout format. One qualifier from the A and B pool, along with two qualifiers from the C pool went on to the playoffs. The four women’s teams that participated in the playoffs were: Team Kleiter from Saskatoon, Team Kessel from Balgonie, Team Taylor from Saskatoon and Team Kesslering from Saskatoon. For the men, Team Pomedli from Wadena, Team Bernath from Saskatoon, Team Ede from Martensville and Team Bryden from Regina made their way to the playoffs. Teams Kleiter and Bernath won the first game of playoffs to get a spot in the final, and both teams took home the championship. These two teams will now go to Nationals as Team Saskatchewan, which will be taking place from March 25-April 1 in Stratford, Ontario. In the men’s event, Saskatchewan will be sending Team Pomedli as Team Saskatchewan 2 to the national championship based on past years standings in the event. “We want to thank all of the players, coaches, parents, spectators, umpires, volunteers, ice crew and CurlSask for making Junior Provincials a success. We were happy to host this event. While it was work, it was certainly a ton of fun,” the Martensville Curling Club stated.

Martensville SK 306-244-4950

CVVC United U17 Brings Home Third Place Win The Central Valley Volleyball Club United U17 team competed in the Prince Albert Toppers Tournament in Prince Albert this past weekend at the Comprehensive High School. A total of eight teams competed. The CVVC U17 team played five games and came home with a third-place win.

ABOVE: The CVVC United U17 team brought home a third place win this past weekend following a tournament in Prince Albert. (Photo submitted by Paula Johnston)

ABOVE: Team Bernath were the winners in the men’s division at the Junior Provincials held in Martensville from February 23-27. (Martensville Curling Club)

ABOVE: Team Kleiter were the winners in the women’s division at the Junior Provincials held in Martensville from February 23-27. (Martensville Curling Club)

COMMUNITY • SERVICE

LOCAL NEWS

• QUALITY

The Martensville Messenger is Martensville’s ONLY LOCALLY OWNED WEEKLY COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

We cover LOCAL issues that matter to LOCAL people. Almost ALL of our advertising partners are LOCAL. Celebrating Fourteen Years of Community Box 333 Martensville, Sk. S0K 2T2 Ph: 306-668-1093

Your City; Your Newspaper

advertising@martensvillemessenger.ca www.martensvillemessenger.ca

22031BS0


SPORTS Saskatchewan Shows Strong in International Border Wars

Keep the Community up-to-date on MARTENSVILLE your team scores, events, photos MESSENGER - MARCH 3, 2022 - Page 5 and tournaments. Submit material to jhayward@sasktel.net or drop it off at the Martensville Messenger Office at Bay #7 - 301 Centennial Drive North to be included in our Janine Hayward weekly sports report.

Martensville Hockey Teams Have Successful Weekend Martensville Messenger

Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger

A total of five teams from Saskatchewan recently made their way to San Antonio, Texas to participate in the International Pigskin Tournament and the International Border War. Teams are made up of players from across the province who compete in divisions ranging from U10 to Varsity against teams from across Canada, the United States and Mexico. Numerous Martensville Maddogs players were chosen to play for their home province including: U10 #33 Ashton Houmphanh, U13 - #3 Kyren Houmphanh, U13 - #4 Wyatt LaRoche, U13 - #77 Hunter Dumont, U13 - #28 Caton Harrison, U14 - #73 Nick Cook, U14 - #38 Aidan Low, U14 - #58 Emilio Rodriguez, U14 - #42 Treagen GreenEdmonds, Varsity - #52 Chase Wendt and U13 - Ethan Douglas, who was unable to attend.

In total, the five teams consist of approximately 40 boys and girls, with a total of around 200 or more kids representing their province in the tournament. The tournament itself sees on average 40 teams competing within the different age groups. The Saskatchewan teams performed exceptionally and brought back three golds and 2 silvers medals. The 10U Saskatchewan Selects played San Antonio North Elite in the final, ending the tournament with a silver, as well as the Sask Selects 13U division, who took on the Texas Beast Bois and earned themselves a silver. Gold medals were won by the Sask Select 14U team, who beat out the Texas Raptors, the Varsity Blue division, who won against Alberta Select and the Varsity Gold Division, who were victorious against the Texas Gladiators.

ABOVE: The Martensville AA U18 Marauders had an 8-5 win over the KC Colts this weekend to become the B-side Champions. (Facebook)

ABOVE: The Martensville Marauder U11 Mavens fought hard in their tournament this past weekend to win the A final . (Facebook)

ABOVE: U14 - #73 Nick Cook, U14 - #38 Aidan Low, U14 - #58 Emilio Rodriguez, and U14 - #42 Treagen Green-Edmonds. (Maddogs Football)

ABOVE: 10U - #33 - Ashton Houmphanh. (Maddogs Football)

ABOVE: U13 - #3 Kyren Houmphanh, U13 - #4 Wyatt LaRoche, U13 - #77 Hunter Dumont and U13 - #28 Caton Harrison. (Maddogs Football)

ABOVE: The Martensville Marauder U9A Snipers brought home the A final this past weekend. (Facebook)

LIFE-CHANGING DEBT SOLUTIONS

“We have the answers for a better tomorrow.” Chelene Riendeau CIRP, LIT

Michelle Scheller CIRP, LIT

FREE CONFIDENTIAL CONSULTATION

310-DEBT(3328)

Penny Gipman, Estate Manager

MNPdebt.ca Licensed Insolvency Trustees


Page 6 - MARCH 3, 2022 - MARTENSVILLE MESSENGER


MARTENSVILLE MESSENGER - MARCH 3, 2022 - Page 7

Government Of Saskatchewan Continues Efforts To Support Ukraine NDP Need to Get its Leadership Right

The problem with today’s Saskatchewan’s NDP isn’t just that they are too left-wing, representing an ideology too radical and far-removed from the mainstream views of this province. Yes, this certainly has been the prevailing perception of the NDP under now out-going leader Ryan Meili, but the NDP’s problems likely go much deeper than that. The NDP under Meili actually lost more byelections than it won - including that critical Athabasca by-election that turned into Meili’s death knell because it was in seat that the NDP had only lost once in the previous 47 years. And when it came to general election in October 2020, the NDP wound up with no more seats than it had before the campaign started. Meili and the rest of the New Democrats were running against a government in a pandemic running up the biggest debt and deficits in Saskatchewan history. There were reasons to think they should have made gains. As a doctor leading a party during a pandemic, this would be Meili’s time to shine. Whatever his political enemies might think of him, Ryan Meili wasn’t wrong about many pandemic-related issues, but these results point to bigger issues for the NDP than Meili - issues much broader and deeper than the pandemic. The problems for the NDP are clearly not just about Meili and his perceived left-wing views or his seeming eagerness to support the carbon tax. (As a point of fact, while Meili supported some form of carbon pricing, he didn’t specifically support the federal government program he and everyone else rightly identified as being ineffective in cutting greenhouse gas emissions.) There was clearly greater emphasis on social policy and social concern under Meili’s leadership. But when you break it down to specific policies like more support for northerners and First Nations, health care and mental health, you are dealing with policies that no one now finds particularly radical. Moreover, it can be argued that Meili’s predecessors Lorne Calvert, Dwain Lingenfelter and Cam Broten were all right of the NDP leader when it came their approach and policies. None of them fared much better in the past 15 years of Saskatchewan Party government rule. If anything, the rise of Meili and party’s swing to the left his leadership was said to represent came after frustration within the party about how the same old approach stemming from the Roy Romanow-Lorne Calvert era wasn’t working, but it should also be said that what wasn’t working before surely worked no better under Meili. Arguably, things have gotten worse, given Meili’s tenure was exactly during good times for the Sask. Party government, either. The NDP need to do a lot of things differently. The first thing it needs is charismatic leader that better relates to Saskatchewan as a whole. This doesn’t mean the NDP needs a leader from rural Saskatchewan … although there sure doesn’t seem to be anyone that leaps to mind, but the party does need to have someone that can relate to broader spectrum of the province, in the way that Brad Wall and even Scott Moe has. It should be noted that under both Wall and Moe, the Sask. Party have won seats in urban areas like Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, north Regina and west Saskatoon that simply were not NDP territory before. Again, the loss in Athabasca was very telling. This was a riding where the social issues like First Nations poverty violence and suicide — the very issues Meili championed — are prevalent. That the NDP lost indicates that voters there were looking for something else. The NDP needs a relatable leader that has at least a solid mix of business/ economic and social policies. The NDP needs a leader that’s likeable relatable and isn’t seen to represent a single special interest. Finding such a leader will no easy task.

In response to the ongoing, unprovoked attack in Ukraine, the Government of Saskatchewan continues to work with ministries, crowns and agencies, as well as with partners in the Saskatchewan Ukrainian community to offer supports. In recent days, the province has offered the following supports: • Donating $100,000 to support humanitarian efforts in Ukraine; • Providing administrative support to the SaskatchewanUkraine Relations A d v i s o r y C o m m i t t e e (SURAC) through the government liaison and intergovernmental affairs; • Waiving long distance and text message charges from Canada to Ukraine for Sasktel customers, and roaming charges for those in Ukraine; • Prioritizing applications from Ukraine for the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program; • Communicating with the federal government regarding Saskatchewan's ability and willingness to accept refugees; • Working with post-secondary institutions to determine the impact on international students and potential supports; • Raising Ukraine's flag, which will continue to fly indefinitely outside the Legislative Building; and • Effective immediately, Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority will delist Russian products from its distribution centre and retail stores. Private retailers are encouraged to do the same. Russia should be met with severe and immediate trade sanctions and the Government of Saskatchewan

supports the sanctions imposed by the federal government and other nations across the world. The government also continues to call for the immediate end to the importation of Russian oil and natural gas. For any Saskatchewan individuals who may be out of the country, the following resources from the Government of Canada should be used: • Canadians in need of emergency consular assistance can contact the embassy by email at KYIV-Consular@ international.gc.ca • At any time, Canadians can also contact Global Affairs Canada's 24/7 Emergency Watch and Response Centre by phone at +1 613 996 8885 by email at sos@international.gc.ca or by SMS at +1 613 686 3658. As well, the Government of Canada is encouraging people to sign up for the Registration of Canadians Abroad, so that critical information and updates can be directly communicated to those individuals. Individuals can register at https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/ registration. Donations from the public in support of humanitarian efforts can be made to the Ukrainian Canadian Congress at https://www.cufoundation.ca/ donate/ or through the Canadian Red Cross in which the Government of Canada will match donations made between February 24, 2022, and March 18, 2022, up to a maximum of $10 million. Ukrainian culture and traditions are deeply embedded in Saskatchewan, as approximately 15 per cent of our province's residents trace all or part of their ancestry to Ukraine.

Saskatchewan Announces $638,000 For Bridging To Employment Program

On March 1st, the Government of Saskatchewan announced the funding of $638,000 for training and work placements for internationally educated newcomers to Saskatchewan through the Bridging to Employment program. "Saskatchewan is known as a place of great opportunity and continues to attract skilled newcomers from around the world," Immigration and Career Training Minister Jeremy Harrison said. "This funding will provide internationally trained newcomers access to important training and work experience opportunities that will support them in joining the labour market and settling into communities across our province." Bridging to Employment is a 20-week program that includes 10 weeks of classroom training, focusing on communication, job readiness, and digital literacy skills. This is followed by a 10-week paid work experience with a Saskatchewan employer. The program will be offered by the Regina Immigrant Women Centre, Saskatchewan Intercultural Association in Saskatoon, and the Prince Albert Multicultural Council. The program is funded through the Canada-Saskatchewan Labour Market Transfer Agreements and will support 60 participants. Participants will need to connect with SaskJobs Career Services to determine eligibility and obtain a referral to the program. For more information on the initiative and eligibility criteria, contact SaskJobs Career Services at 1-833-613-0485 or careerservices@gov.sk.ca.

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.


Page 8 - MARCH 3, 2022 - MARTENSVILLE MESSENGER

Martensville Free Pantry Expansion Allows For More Support to the Community Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger

The Martensville Free Pantry was first established in Martensville in 2016. What first began as a simple donation drop-off point located within the hallway of the Civic Centre has grown into a community initiative supported by individuals, businesses, sports teams, local organizations and schools to help support families within the community and the surrounding region. The goal for the MFP is to provide a variety of food and hygiene items for local families to access as anonymously as possible. Beginning this year, the MFP now has a dedicated space within the Civic Centre, in Room #2, which can now provide a lot more opportunity for the people in the community. This new space has also allowed for the addition of a refrigeration unit and a freezer unit. Since adding these units, the MFP is now able to accept a wider variety of donations. Recently, the Martensville Co-op Food Store began donating just-expired dairy products including milk, margarine, yogurt, eggs, etc. that are now being included in food hampers. This is in addition to the regular donations of bread and baking items that are set to expire the following day. Co-op also provides customers with the opportunity to purchase Hunger Bags, which are collected and donated to the MFP. According to MFP volunteer Deseri Adrian, they are currently averaging five to six Hunger Bags each week; however, during holiday

Business & Professional

seasons such as Christmas and Easter, those numbers increase to approximately 15 bags per day. “The time of year plays a big part in the donations that we are receiving and we are so grateful for all of the support; however, people are in need all year round. For example, at one point, we had about 40 bags of cereal on hand and now we are down to only four,” Adrian explained. Adrian, who ABOVE: A recent donation of $1000 worth of smokies, sausages and hotdogs was made to the Martensville Free Pantry thanks to a partnership between O’Neill Project Management and began volunteering for Smokehaus Meats. (Martensville Free Pantry) the MFP approximately While based from Adrian’s home, the MFP began four years ago, never imagined the growth this initiative would see in such a short amount of time. “I had originally creating food hampers for families that could provide a signed up to pick up bread and drop it off at the Civic variety of items that are made to last approximately two Centre, and then once Covid hit, I offered to run the free weeks. The only information required for hampers is how pantry from my front porch for 14 days to help flatten many people are in your family, if there are any school the curve. That 14 days turned into a year and a half and aged children and if there are any infants or toddlers. we really got to see how much of a need there was in the “We ask these questions so we can ensure that you get community during that time. This is such an important a hamper that is designed specifically for your families thing for people to have access to and I could not be needs,” Adrian stated. The support from the community has been happier to see how much it has grown and I look forward astounding and whether the donation is large or small, it to seeing how much more it can continue to grow.” is always greatly appreciated. Recently, the MFP received a donation of $1000 worth of smokies, sausages and hotdogs thanks to a partnership between O'Neill Project Management and Smokehaus Meats. Another large donation was made recently which brought in 250 pounds of or email to be shared among the families using the advertising@martensvillemessenger.ca potatoes food hampers. Currently, there is approximately 25 families getting full hampers each month, but that does not include people who use the MFP to grab a few items here and there. Adrian, along with six other volunteers are grateful for the support that the MFP has gotten from the City of Martensville. “They have stood D behind us a hundred percent and are the reason that we have grown as much as we have. It is amazing how much they support what we are doing here.” Another exciting moment came recently when the MFP was notified that they received a nomination for the Prairie Sky Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards in the Non-Profit Organization category. “It means so much to us to be recognized in the community and we are always looking for new ways to get the word out to people in need, so this definitely helps with that,” said Adrian. Donations are what make the MFP possible and Adrian noted that 99.9% of all donations are utilized. Items that cannot be used are donated to local farms to be fed to the animals. “We try to ensure there is as little waste as possible and spread the love when we can. This past December, we had Business so many donations that we were able to share with as USUAL the local Kinettes to help provide to more families. Located at BACK We just ask that people make sure they are not of building MARTENSVILLE PHARMACY donating expired items,” Adrian stated. The MFP is open during the same hours as the Monday-Friday 9-6 Saturday 10-3 Martensville Library, which is Monday, Wednesday Closed Sundays & Holidays and Friday from 9:30am – 5:30pm, Tuesday and 17 Centennial Drive North 306-931-2868 Thursday from 9:30am – 7:30pm and Saturday from 9:30am – 2:00pm. For more information, to arrange for a donation drop-off or pick-up, or to request a food hamper, contact the Martensville Free Pantry at martensvillefreepantry@gmail.com. “I am excited to see where the Free Pantry will go from here. Martensville is continuing to grow, which means the need for support continues to grow. This new location allows for us to support that grown because we now have more room to store food and help more people!”

Directory Appraisals

Karen Parmar, AACI, P.App, BComm (Dist.) Partner & Senior Appraiser - Warman, SK karen@dynamicappraisals.ca 306-220-9082 www.dynamicappraisals.ca OUR EXPERIENCE SHINES!!

Automotive FREE courtesy cars available

306.975.2140 Message us on FB

7:30-5:30 Monday - Friday • Complete Automotive and Tire Service Centre 109 Centennial Dr. No • Journeyman Factory Trained Technicians Martensville • Easy Vehicle Repair & Accessory Financing Available - Automotive Repair Specialists - Advanced Technology & 306-244-4950 Martensville, SK Diagnostics Facility 801 Centennial Dr. North

Dental DR. BRIAN MEYER DR. DACRE HAMILTON

306-934-4446

#12 - 2nd St S. Martensville www.martensvilledental.ca

CREATING SMILES IN MARTENSVILLE & AREA SINCE 2001

CALL 306-668-1093

Government

Pharmacy

Plumbing

Roofing

FREE ESTIMATES

Residential/Commercial Re-roofs/New construction

scottlandru61@gmail.com scottroofingsask.com (306) 384-7663(roof)

Get Your Business Noticed! Call the MEARTENSVILLE S S E N G E R today and ask about our AFFORDABLE advertising

306-668-1093

advertising@martensvillemessenger.ca


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
March 3, 2022 by Martensville Messenger - Issuu