Welcome to this edition of Outreach. If there is a theme to my comments, it is that of cycles.
This issue marks the completion of the first full cycle of the refreshed publication as we shifted to a quarterly publication late last summer. Along with this change, Executive Notes was implemented, providing more timely, in-depth updates after each of the four Provincial Executive meetings and the AGM.
Thank you to Chapter Presidents for passing the Notes along to their Chapter membership.
Our STS logo also experienced change as we shifted to an anniversary logo for the anniversary year featuring the number 50 throughout 2023. Now that we have cycled through our Golden Anniversary, the new logo going forward incorporates the year of establishment as 1973, as a tie to our history.
The third cycle is that of the regular transition in the Provincial Executive which occurs at the AGM.
As President for the past two years, I welcome the incoming President-elect, and the 2024-25 Executive team, and wish them every success in the coming year. By the time you receive this issue, elections will already have occurred. I have every confidence that the organization will continue to serve its members and advance the interests of superannuated teachers in this province.
One of the main reasons for the Outreach refresh last August-September, is the ability to incorporate themes into the publication. The three previous editions featured “Your New Outreach”, “Advocacy to Learn Truth and Seek Reconciliation”, and a collection of articles around Health and Wellbeing in Spring 2024.
This time of the year marks the waning days of the school year cycle. This is often marked by planning that takes place for summer, which includes some form of travel, whether to the lake, summer camp, another destination, or other rewarding activities that are part of a slower pace of life in the summer. The notion of the “Road Trip” is a natural one for this edition, and we hope that you find the entire issue one that might accompany you this summer wherever you spend your leisure time.
For any changes to your address and/or Group Benefits coverage, please contact the STS Office directly at 306-373-3879 or email sts@sts.sk.ca Have a story idea or a topic you would like us to include? We’d love to hear from you. Reach us at sts@sts.sk.ca
Content Curator Kevin Schmidt
by providing the STS Office with a copy of the Seniors’ Drug Plan confirmation letter. For information on the Saskatchewan Seniors’ Drug Plan, please speak with your pharmacist or contact the Seniors’ Drug Plan office at 1-800-667-7581. If you live in Regina please call 306-787-3317.
www.sts.sk.ca
ELOW IS A selection of photos by members of the STS. Do you have a photograph, idea or a topic you would like us to include? We’d love to hear from you. You can reach us at sts@sts.sk.ca
PICKLEBALL WAS ORIGINALLY a sport that many people enjoyed on winter vacations in sunspots like Phoenix or Maui, but it is becoming increasingly popular with people of all ages, especially older adults. According to the 2022 Sports & Fitness Industry report, more than half (52%) of core players—those who play eight or more times a year—are 55 or older, and almost a third (32.7%) are 65-plus. Pickleball Canada believes that as many as one million Canadians are playing the game.
Part of pickleball’s appeal is that it is easy to learn and there are more places to play in local communities. The court is smaller than a tennis court with a lower net which means that running is in short sprints and hitting the plastic ball has low impact on your body. If you have good coordination and physical health, you can start playing pickleball.
For older people thinking of starting to play the sport, Paddletek Pickleball states that “the adaptable nature of pickleball embraces all ages with open arms, especially seniors. And it is not just a game - it is
a pathway to a healthy lifestyle, offering the perfect blend of low-impact exercise, balance improvement, and flexibility enhancement.” Another great benefit is socialising with people who may be of a similar age and interests in staying active.
Dr. Laurie Hiemstra, an orthopaedic surgeon in Banff, AB, said in a July 2023 CBC article she feels pickleball provides great benefits for older people, but she is seeing an increase in injuries to pickleball players. Injuries may occur if participants are less active before starting to play pickleball and their bodies are not ready for the activity. Dr. Hiemstra recommends wearing
... the adaptable nature of pickleball embraces all ages with open arms, especially seniors.
When you contact a place about pickleball there are some questions that you may want to ask to help you get started:
• Is equipment provided? (if you do not already have your own paddle or balls)
• Is this open to all skill levels?
• Do you offer lessons?
• Do I need a partner?
• Is there a fee or membership needed to play?
proper shoes, building up strength and making sure you are on a proper court. Regular stretching and warming up before playing a game will help decrease injuries to legs, hips, and ankles. Relaxing your grip on the racket will allow your swing to relax so that you do not tense up your arms and shoulders.
According to Pickleball Canada, “the sport is inclusive, fun, and easy to learn but challenging to master. It has something to offer for every skill level and ability and is unique from other paddle or racquet sports.” Pickleball Canada also recommends taking lessons to learn the rules, layout of the court, equipment and your skill level. The basic rules are on the Pickleball Canada website as well as information about how to keep score.
If you are ready to start playing pickleball you can search the Pickleball Canada Find a Club tool or check with your community or recreation centres to see what is available in your area.
Remember that pickleball is a terrific way to be active and social while playing a game. Enjoy your new activity and always remember to take good care of yourself. ●
Kimberly Brown is a retired school administrator who is enjoying substitute teaching and spending time with family and friends. As a Yoga Alliance
E-RYT® 200, YACEP® Yoga Teacher and a Yoga Medicine® Registered Therapeutic Specialist, she teaches yoga classes and workshops and works with individual clients in Regina and during the winter in Mexico. Kimberly has offered clinics for running half-marathons. She loves being active whether indoors or outside.
From selecting your favorite playlist to setting up the GPS, a recent CAA (Canadian Automobile Association) poll revealed more than three-quarters (79 percent) of drivers have done something on the road that’s considered distracting or dangerous. What may seem like minor distractions are actually causing big problems on Canadian roads.
Motorists who drive distracted are eight times more likely to be in a crash or near-crash event compared with non-distracted drivers. But here’s an even more sobering statistic: distracted driving contributes to 21 percent of fatal collisions every year, which is up from 16 percent just a decade ago. In some parts of Canada, distracted driving fatalities have surpassed those caused by impaired driving.
Unsurprisingly, technology remains a top distraction for drivers. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the U.S., sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for five seconds. At 90 km/h, that’s like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed. CAA research also shows 47 percent of Canadians admit to typing or using the voice-memo feature to send a message while driving.
However, it’s not just personal devices competing for a driver’s attention. The expansion of invehicle technology has made driving more like multi-tasking – which proves detrimental for road safety.
“Today’s vehicles are incredibly rich,” explains Christine Niemczyk, director of corporate communications with CAA Saskatchewan.
“We can scroll through our favourite music app, get text notifications and alerts on the outside temperature. Individually, these are great. Collectively, they distract us from our single most important job behind the wheel: driving safely.”
Research has shown that even if your eyes are on the road – with your hands on the wheel – if your mind is taken off the task of driving, you are distracted. Which means you might not see a child run onto the road or you could miss a cyclist turning into your lane.
To help reduce this cognitive clutter, CAA’s latest campaign aims to remind motorists that technology is meant to assist, not replace the driver. Motorists should avoid distractions they can control. “The great news: Distracted driving is entirely preventable,” Niemczyk notes. Set your GPS before heading out. Adjust your seat, mirrors, and other vehicle settings prior to putting the vehicle in gear.
“In short, do it all before you drive so you can keep your eyes and mind on the road.” For more smart driving strategies visit caask.ca/safety ●
Reprinted with permission from CAA Saskatchewan Magazine
If your mind is taken off the task of driving, you are distracted.
SUMMER IS UPON us and one of the great pleasures in life is taking time to enjoy some entertaining reading. These books and many others are available at the Emma Stewart Resources Centre (ESRC). The staff of the ESRC will be more than happy to mail these books or any others they have in their collection directly to you. Keep the envelope in which they arrive and when you complete the book, simply place it back in the envelope, attach the prepaid return mailing label (included) and drop the envelope in the mail.
Consider the following books for your summer reading.
Sharon Butala, a Calgary-based author, shares her new novel. Retiring social worker Judith falls on the ice on the way to her retirement party. The debilitating concussion that follows seems to shake loose a confusing whirl of memories.
This collection of essays explores a city boy’s love of the wild, a passion that has enriched his life from childhood. At 80, this irrepressible Saskatchewan raconteur examines his intense fascination with predators large and small, and contemplates our place in the wild, and the value of the wild in our lives.
This debut novel by Trevor Herriot, one of Canada’s foremost writernaturalists, is the richly observed story of Nell Rowan, who has inherited her family’s prairie farmstead and returned there to live after many decades away. Nell is increasingly obsessed by a 19th-century bird collector while haunted by memories of her mother’s disappearance.
COLD BY DREW HAYDEN TAYLOR
A tragic plane crash leaving two women stranded and fighting for their lives is the kick-off to this sweeping and hilarious novel that blends thriller, murder mystery, and horror with humour and spectacle. The author weaves a pulse-pounding narrative with an intricate cast of characters, while never losing the ability to laugh. COLD takes Indigenous myth and folklore and thrusts it into the modern streets of Toronto, exploring themes of displacement and trauma, as well as offering satirical critiques of the current landscape of Indigenous literature.
BY ROBIN AND ARLENE KARPAN
Saskatchewan is tailor-made for backroad exploring. We have more roads than any province in Canada. Possibilities are mind-boggling, from drives through spectacular river valleys to sweeping natural grasslands, lake-studded boreal forest, wild badlands, some of Canada’s largest sand dunes, breathtaking viewpoints, little-known getaways, and historic treasures. The Karpans provide precise GPS coordinates, and maps to make it easy to discover these and many more Saskatchewan scenic wonders.
In this celebration of Saskatchewan cuisine, Naomi Hansen pairs recipes from the province’s best-loved restaurants with profiles of the chefs and families behind those recipes. Only in Saskatchewan captures the mix of culinary influences – Ukrainian, Indigenous, Italian, Vietnamese, Indian, Persian, Dutch, Mexican, and more – that come together in the land of living skies. ●
The Frenchman Butte National Historic Site, about an hour’s drive north-east of Lloydminster, preserves the gun pits that were dug as defensive aids and protection during the 1885 skirmish between Big Bear’s people and the Alberta Field Force. Contact the Heritage Centre to arrange guided tours of the Rifle Pits and visit the grounds where Fort Pitt was built in 1829. (source: Parks Canada)
Follow Highway 16 to Delmas and then take Highway 674 to Poundmaker Cree Nation. Learn history at the Chief Poundmaker Museum and Historic Site curated by author and playwright, Floyd Favel. In 2019, Chief Poundmaker was exonerated at this site. Read the memorial and visit the burial site of Chief Big Bear, another influential Cree leader. (source: Tourism Saskatchewan)
Located about 2 km south of Fort Walsh National Historic Site is a broad valley bottom where American traders attacked a Nakoda camp. The attack on June 1, 1873, resulted in the massacre of Elders, warriors, women, and children. The site preserves the spiritual identity of the locations where the remains of those who lost their lives were interred. (source: Parks Canada)
Prince Albert National Park straddles a transition zone between the aspen parkland to the south and boreal forest to the north. It offers tremendous diversity in topography and plant species. Indigenous peoples gathered here since time immemorial, however, the establishment of the park in 1927 fractured the longstanding connection between these peoples and their territory. (source: The Great Saskatchewan Bucket List and Parks Canada)
Narrow Hills Provincial Park is found north of Smeaton. The park provides a 5.5 km interpretive hiking trail that winds around the outer edge of the Gem Lakes, along shorelines, and climbs to wooded ridges above the lakes where the vantage points are spectacular. The Gem Lakes are a cluster of deep, sand-bottomed lakes reflecting colours of emerald, jade and aqua blue. (source: Tourism Saskatchewan)
About 100 km north of Saskatoon is Fort Carlton Provincial Park. A reconstructed Fort has been built below the forks of the North and South Saskatchewan rivers showing its importance as a fur trade and supply centre as well as a Northwest Mounted Police post. Treaty 6 was signed here in 1876. (source: Parks Canada)
The Battle of Tourond’s Coulee/ Fish Creek National Historic Site is located along the banks of Fish Creek, 25 km south of Batoche. The site provides a view of the key elements that allowed Métis, Dakota, and Cree, led by Gabriel Dumont, to delay the advance of a much larger force of Canadian soldiers, led by Major-General F.D. Middleton, in 1855. (source: Parks Canada)
For hundreds of years, the water of Little Manitou Lake, fed by underground springs, has been credited with the relief of aches, pains, and skin ailments. First Nations healers named it “Manitou” since they believed the Great Spirit bestowed it upon their people. The lake has the highest level of sulphate and magnesium found in any such lake in the world and both are linked to healthy skin. (source: Book of Musts)
This deep topographical slice meanders over 400 km from the Manitoba boundary west into Southern Saskatchewan. First Nations people told of hearing a voice crying out as they travelled through the valley. They called back in Cree, “Ka-tepwet?” (“who calls?”). “Who calls?” to a French-speaking trader was “qui-appelle?” so the valley became the Qu’Appelle Valley. The valley offers natural beauty including four lakes plus a plethora of recreational and cultural opportunities. (source: Book of Musts)
The Claybank Brick Plant National Historic Site can be found during a day trip out of Moose Jaw or Regina by veering off the Red Coat Trail. The site is virtually unchanged since it began firing bricks in 1914 utilizing the finest clay deposits in Western Canada. Plant tours can either be guided or self-guided and provide an educational experience called “Clay to Kiln”. (source: Book of Musts)
La Roche Percee Provincial Historic Site straddles the village of Roche Percee in the Souris River Valley southeast of Estevan near the Saskatchewan-North Dakota border. The name means “pierced rock” because of the precontact petroglyph carvings inscribed into the soft sandstone. The site was sacred to the Nakota and a major camp site of the Northwest Mounted Police in 1874. (source: Book of Musts) ●
TTHERE’S SOMETHING LIBERATING about the thought of the open road. The cool fresh breeze thrashing freely through your hair, a carefully curated road trip playlist reverberating from all speakers, and the journey ahead promising adventure and the excitement of the unknown. Saskatchewan is designed for exploring. With more roads than any other province in Canada, the road trip possibilities are endless. You can discover Saskatchewan’s natural wonders along scenic roads. The freedom of a road trip allows you to play games along the way and stop to explore at a moment’s notice, savouring the view, meeting people, enjoying local cuisine, and soaking in the culture of villages, towns, and cities.
Road trip books are a great idea. The following books are helpful for preparation and as companion guides on your trip. Safe travels.
FLAT OUT DELICIOUS: YOUR DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO SASKATCHEWAN’S FOOD ARTISANS BY JENN SHARP
From as far north as Dore Lake and as far south as Minton, from its city restaurants to its small-town diners, Saskatchewan is depicted as the humble heartland of some of the most delicious food in Canada. Flat Out Delicious is a travelogue designed to help you tour the province to discover new culinary experiences and rediscover old favourites in your own community.
BY JACK
HENSELEITJack Henseleit’s illustrated pocket-book of road trip games is for all ages and features more than 60 original and classic games and more than 200 brain-teasing trivia questions plus an intriguing treasure hunt. Best of all, none of the games require any special materials to play. This may just be the greatest collection of road trip games ever assembled. ●
Magi McFadden is currently serving on the Executive of the Regina Chapter of the STS as Social Committee Co-chair. A retired K-12 special needs teacher, Magi has served at the provincial level and local council level of the STF professional growth network LEARN as president, vice president, and editor of their official publication “Query” for more than a decade.
Studying adult development has had a positive effect on how I see others. Realizing we’re all somewhere on a developmental continuum - all in the process of growth – has made it easier to be open to people with varied perspectives and priorities.
When disagreements arise, I can respond more rationally if I keep in mind that different decisions and opinions make sense from different perspectives.
Familiarity with the stages adults go through allows me to see how the decisions we all make come from our prevailing view of the world. I would never presume to define the stage of development of another person, but I can find out about what’s important to them and consider where their opinions and choices might be coming from. When I remember that different times and circumstances in life mean different motivations, I can acknowledge the concerns of others and connect with them more effectively. When disagreements arise, I can respond more rationally if I keep in mind that different decisions and opinions make sense from different perspectives. Retirement has provided me a new opportunity: to be an agent of civility in society. I can form
positive relationships with a diverse array of people when I affirm multiple viewpoints and really listen to new ideas, even when discussing differences. I now try to approach people with questions and to be open to learning, especially from those who reason from another view of the world. That’s my goal anyway.
In retirement, I’m definitely a work in progress and I am grateful that progress now seems possible. Knowing I am still capable of development is a gift, though it does feel weird. Old comfortable assumptions (and clothes) no longer fit, formerly frivolous notions are now the serious business of my life, and all my conversations and decisions require more consideration. This transition to a new sense of self means a lot of change. But strangely, it's like the person I am becoming is really the person I always was deep down. So, I can metaphorically (and actually) get rid of my old suits!
I now know that development can continue as I age. So, along with spotting some new bird species, I look forward to where the insights from adult development will lead me in the years to come. ●
Dave Derksen spent 31 years with Saskatoon Public Schools. In retirement, he enjoys life with Marlys, his wife of 35 years and their growing family. He features diverse human experiences on his podcast Stories told by Friends and is a regular guest on TPI’s The Kitchen Table.
Saskatchewan Blue Cross is proud to partner with the Superannuated Teachers of Saskatchewan to provide its members with a robust Health and Dental benefits package. Meeting the needs of a vast array of members means plan design is always top of mind as we continuously look for ways to improve our member benefits and experience. We are pleased that the following plan design enhancements will become effective July 1, 2024, with no premium increases required.
An increase to the Formulary prescription drug benefit from $2,250 per person per calendar year to $2,500 per person per calendar year.
A vaccine benefit has been added to the plan which will be covered at 80% to a maximum of $500 annually.
The hearing aid benefit has increased in flexibility of use by changing from $1,000 per participant every three calendar years to $2,000 every six calendar years. As of July 1, 2024, claims submitted for reimbursement will be reviewed from what has been submitted in the last six years. If only $1,000 has been claimed, members will be eligible for an additional $1,000. If no hearing aid claims have been submitted in the last six years, members will be eligible for up to $2,000.
If you have questions surrounding eligibility or past claims experience, the Saskatchewan Blue Cross Member Experience Centre will be happy to assist you.
In an effort to expand coverage on mental health services, coverage for registered Psychotherapists has been added to the Psychologist/Social Worker/ Counsellor benefit with a combined maximum of $500 per participant per calendar year.
Myofascial Release Treatments have been added to the Reflexologist/Massage Therapist benefit with a combined maximum of $500 per participant per calendar year.
Registered Nurse Foot Care has also been added, with coverage at 80% to a maximum of $500 per participant per calendar year.
With all these exciting changes, we encourage members to take advantage of our self-serve member resources like our Mobile App and Member Portal. This allows members to access claims history, view their coverage and submit claims. Visit sk.bluecross.ca and select login to visit our online Member Portal, or download the Saskatchewan Blue Cross Mobile app through the app store.
If you need any assistance or have questions related to any aspect of the Plan, please do not hesitate to contact the STS Office. If you have any questions related specifically to your claims, please contact Saskatchewan Blue Cross at 1.800.873.2583. ●
Anna Shewchuk is a Senior Client Experience Specialist with Saskatchewan Blue Cross.
The wonderful woman to whom this anthology is dedicated inspired this poem, which was written a short while after her death in 1986.
It was just in jest she said it, a throw-away line, rehearsed nevertheless, If only I knew where I was going to die, I’d never go there.
She must have said it a hundred times since I was old enough to understand death and dying. That’s wrong. Who does really?
We joked about it. I got laughs when I told my friends, strangers to her, what she had said.
They caught only a glimpse of what she really was –Mother, wife, sister, friend, ally, pillar. Cull the clichés from the obits, Multiply them a hundred-fold, they won’t describe her.
She can’t be defined as some, She was fully character, fully all that mothers and wives and sisters and friends should be, could be.
Ernie Dawson, a Saskatchewan boy from the days of the Second World War, spent most of his career in education, teaching English and providing educational leadership. He recalls being a member of the first ever education internship program, teaching in Kinistino, moving to Lethbridge for sixteen years and then returning to this province to continue his work with children, young people and superb colleagues.
Her strength came from the simple, easy support that she gave – all of us. She thrived because we thrived. Her energy was synergy.
Know what?
When she died, oxygen mask tied on her face. She won – brain dead.
She didn’t know where she would die. She didn’t go there; we took her. The, she knew nothing.
Seems there’s a kind of justice in what she said just in jest ●
THANK YOU TO the Saskatoon Police for providing an abundance of information on fraud. An important means to mitigate the risk of fraud is to be aware of the various fraud schemes and how they operate. Prevalent fraud schemes will be reviewed in this and the next issue of Outreach.
Scammers use social media, the internet and newspapers to target potential older adults. A call is received claiming to be a family member or a close friend advising about an urgent situation that requires immediate funds. Common themes are the individual was arrested or got into an accident while travelling abroad. Fees are required for hospital expenses, lawyer fees or bail. Usually, the potential victim is instructed to withdraw cash from their bank and send the cash via courier.
• Police, judges, government authorities, or legal entities will never request that money be sent by courier or in the mail.
• Confirm with other relatives the whereabouts of the family member or friend.
• Never voluntarily give out family member's names or information to unknown callers.
• Always question urgent requests for money.
Older adults are solicited over the phone or email and advised they are the winner of a large lottery or sweepstakes. Prior to receiving any winnings, the consumer must first pay an upfront fee. No winnings are ever received. The scammers constantly come up with new twists to prey on potential victims. Recently the CAFC (Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre) has received reports where older adults receive a call from an individual who claims to represent “Reader's Digest”, or “Set For Life Lottery”. They are advised they have won a prize and that in order to receive the prize they are required to provide their bank debit card number, date of birth and in some cases are asked to enter their PIN into the telephone keypad. Scammers target older adults who do not use online banking services and use the financial information to take over the account which is then used to launder money and proceeds from other mass marketing fraud scams.
• Known lottery and sweepstakes companies such as Reader's Digest, and Publisher's Clearinghouse will never request money up front in order to receive a prize.
• Any fees associated to winnings will never be paid through a money service business such as Western Union, MoneyGram or by loading funds to prepaid credit cards.
• Any unsolicited phone call advising that you have won a lottery is fake. The only way to participate in any foreign lottery is to go to the country of origin and purchase a ticket in person. A ticket cannot be purchased on your behalf.
• Never give out personal information over the phone, no matter who the caller claims to represent.
There is a growing number of older adults who are turning to the internet to find love. Unfortunately, scammers know this and use every type of dating or social networking site to seek out potential victims. The scammer will gain the trust of the victim through displays of affection and will communicate through the phone and email for months if needed to build that trust. The scammer will claim to be located in a foreign country but will want to meet up with the victim in person. It is at this time that the scammer will advise that they can't afford to travel and will ask for money to cover travel costs. Other variations include the scammer claiming that there is an emergency with a sick relative and will ask for money to cover medical expenses.
• Be on the lookout for someone who claims to be from Canada or the U.S but they are working overseas.
• Be careful communicating with someone who claims to have fallen in love with you quickly.
• Don't leave the dating site; the person will usually want to use instant messaging or email.
• Beware if they claim they are coming to visit you but some situation prevents it from happening.
• Don't cash any cheques or send the person any money for any reason whatsoever!
If you think you or someone you know has been a victim of fraud, please contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or report online at http://www.antifraudcentre.ca. ●
Alyson Edwards is the Director of Public Relations and Strategic Communications for the Saskatoon Police Service.
2 Labour Day – Office
23-26 Provincial Stitch ‘N Quilt (hosted by Mainline Chapter)
STS Outreach wants to know how we did in our first year as a magazine. Please email us at sts@sts.sk.ca with your comments, pictures, and story suggestions for future issues. We look forward to your feedback and sharing our upcoming issues.
In the photos of Anniversary Celebrations in the last issue of Outreach, the STS Red Deer River Valley Chapter should have been credited with the two commemorative benches. We regret the error and share these photos with members.
