Construction of Kinsmen Park’s new shack underway
JOAN JANZEN joanjanzen@yahoo.com
The foundation for the new shack at Kinsmen Park, located at 5065th Street Crescent, was being prepared on Wednesday, July 15. Contractors chosen for the construction are Heartgold Homes Inc. out of Regina. The Friends of Kinsmen Park group raised funds for the building project.
Tammy Anderson, president of Friends of Kinsmen Park, said, “Heartgold’s tender outshone in regards to what they could build for us within our budget.”
Once completed, the new building will replace the older one, which had been demolished in May of 2020. This new structure will be user-friendly and equipped with wheelchair accessible washrooms, an area where children can put on their skates and a concession area.
“One of the things we added was a canteen area. If a user group wants to use the canteen for a summer program,
birthday party or family reunion, the canteen will be available to rent. It’s a building that can be used by almost anyone. That’s huge!” Tammy said.
The Friends of Kinsmen Park group is 100 percent volunteer and has been fortunate to be the recipients of some generous grants, such as the Co-op Community Spaces Grant, in the amount of $100,000 received in June of 2019 was instrumental in helping the project to move forward.
The Friends of Kinsmen Park group consists of Tammy Anderson as president, Elyse Moss as vice-president, Steve Sawchuk as treasurer, and Gwendolyn Hrycak secretary.
“Once the shack is completed, our group is going to dissolve. Any money leftover from the build will be put into a Kinsmen Park Reserve with the Town of Kindersley,” Tammy said.
The new shack should be completed by this fall and will be operating this winter. It will be a welcome addition to Kinsmen Park.
PHOTO BY KATE WINQUIST
SUBMITTED PHOTO
The foundation was poured for the new shack at Kinsmen Park on July 15.
Former Tyner resident writes his fourth book
JOAN JANZEN joanjanzen@yahoo.com
Dan
Danielson is excited about his latest book, “Tyner Tales from Goose River Lodge”, a follow-up of his three previous books. “My home town of Tyner gets top billing and our now vacant farmyard, known as ‘Goose River Lodge’ is the setting,” Dan said. “It’s where people came to enjoy nature and hunting and came to stay and visit.”
Dan grew up in the Tyner/Eston area and also farmed there. The cover of his latest book displays a photo of his old farmhouse, which they called ‘Goose River Lodge’. The book includes thirty-one poems and twelve farm fables spiced with humour, rural history and folklore. Also included in the book are some historical photos.
“The kind of photos I want are more difficult to find. I was lucky enough to have people to provide me with those pictures,” Dan said. The book also includes twelve sketches by Ted Hansen, which provide a visual for some of Dan’s stories and poems.
“The book comes from a lot of visits and meetings I’ve been at, where I would take notes when my mind would wander. I had an accumulation of material that I would someday put in a fourth book. So when the virus came along, I started at it. It shortened my time of writing because I had a lot of material to work with,” Dan explained. The book was written during the isolation period during COVID 19, and the completed product arrived at the beginning of July.
“For me, humour always helps break the ice in new situations,” Dan explains. “I love to find the comical side of life’s events.” As an author, Dan injects almost every piece of his work with simple to profound lessons, made more memorable with the help of some basic humour.
However, on the serious side, he points out some observations about how the “new normal” could be improved based on the best parts of the “old normal.”
“In my writing, there’s things that disappear and not enough things that return. The theme is very timely. It sums up how everybody needs to come together, join hands, put down differences, and solve some serious local, national and global problems,” Dan explained. But along the way, he utilizes folklore humour to break the ice and add enjoyment to his informative blend of non-fiction, fiction, and biographical-based real-life experiences.
“This book is not an academic type of book. I like to have a lot of humour in my books,” he said.
Anyone interested in the history and current aspects of rural life will find Dan’s book to be an excellent read. It is available by e-transfer to danielson@ sasktel.net for $25 plus $5 for shipping.
“And I am available to come out for a public reading if anyone is interested,” Dan said.
COVID-19 update: 42 new cases reported last Thursday
42 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Saskatchewan on July 23, bringing the total to 1,072 cases. The new cases are located in the South (23), Central (11), North (3), Far North (3) and Saskatoon (2) regions.
One person from the North who tested positive for COVID-19 has died. This person was in the 60-69 age range.
Of the 42 cases reported on Thursday, 17 are from colonies in the southwest and west central regions where there were existing cases. There are currently 15 Hutterite communities with active cases in both the southwest and west central regions.
Of the 1,072 reported cases, 218 are considered active. A total of 838 people have recovered. Thirteen people are in hospital. Nine people are receiving inpatient care; five in Saskatoon, two in the North, one in the South and one in Regina. Four people are in intensive care; three in Saskatoon and one in the South.
Of the 1,072 cases in the province:
• 192 cases are travellers;
• 559 are community contacts (including mass gatherings);
• 205 have no known exposures; and
• 116 are under investigation by local public health.
Recreation Fall 2020
We are still anticipating and preparing for the fall and winter recreation programs as normal and are implementing the COVID-19 safety guidelines as directed by the Saskatchewan Government. We are continually checking on COVID changes and government regulations and will plan accordingly if things change.
We currently have registration open for fall soccer, as well as winter hockey and CanSkate Check out our website at eston.ca to register. Keep an eye out for hockey school and curling registration as well!
Overall, 16 deaths related to COVID-19 have been reported to date in Saskatchewan.
To date, 86,384 COVID-19 tests have been performed in Saskatchewan. As of July 21, 2020, when other provincial and national numbers were available from the Public Health Agency of Canada, Saskatchewan’s per capita rate was 62,798 people tested per million population. The national rate was 97,362 people tested per million population.
An all-time high of 1,468 COVID-19 tests were performed in Saskatchewan on Wednesday, July 22.
Source: www.saskatchewan.ca
Career Opportunity
ADMINISTRATIVE CLERK
The Town of Eston is seeking a full-time Administrative Clerk to provide customer service and perform a variety of other administrative tasks in the main office.
For a full job description, please visit our website at eston.ca/employment
To apply, please submit a cover letter and resume to contact@eston.ca
Application deadline: Tuesday, August 4, 2020. Town of Eston • 217 Main Street • 306-962-4444 www.eston.ca
Dan Danielson
SUBMITTED PHOTO
The Eston Riverside Regional Park Authority sends a thank you to Prairie Centre Credit Union - Eston branch for their generous donation. Pictured are Robin Houston - PCCU Relationship Manager and Karen MullinsERRP Board Member.
OPINION
CHECK IT OUT
Are we able to hear positive news?
JOAN JANZEN joanjanzen@yahoo.com
The doctor told his patient, “Good news! You passed your hearing test!” His patient responded, “Huh?”
We are receiving an onslaught of Covid-related information, most of which doesn’t cause the listener to break out in a happy dance. Recently I listened to a doctor relaying a positive message, and I wondered if people would be able to hear his words amidst the roar of the mainstream media. Nevertheless, I’ll share his words with you.
Dr. Richard Bartlett is a medical director, author, physician of 28 years living in Midland Texas, who also does a weekly update on Covid on Talk Radio in Texas. First of all he shared some stats: there’s 24 million people in Taiwan, no room for social distancing, and they’ve
Wehad seven deaths. Japan has 121 million people, and has less than a 1000 deaths; 27 people died in Singapore, and ten people died in Iceland.
“In those countries, they’re doing what I’m doing,” Dr. Bartlett said, and continued to explain how he treats his patients.
“I use inhaled steroid, Pulmicort. It’s about $200 for the entire treatment. I use a nubulizer machine. It’s an asthma medicine; it’s a respirator anti inflammatory for Covid, which is a respiratory inflammatory disease. It works; 100 percent of my patients are alive. I’ve been using it since March. Put the medicine into the reservoir of the machine and breath it through a mouth piece for five minutes.”
“When I started using it, patients said they felt better during the first treatment; their chest pains go away, shortness of breath goes away, their fever breaks.”
He told the story of a patient who couldn’t get out of bed, had fever for five days and all the symptoms of Covid. She also had two types of cancer, was on chemo therapy and had radiation a month earlier. “I gave her the treatment that night. In the morning her fever broke; she recovered over
the weekend. On Monday she was working an 8 hour day.”
“Pulmicort (budesonide) has been used safely on premature babies; it’s totally safe. It’s used to prevent asthma attacks and has been out for over 20 years. Big pharmaceuticals won’t make money from it and there’s an abundance of it. It targets the inflammation at the source,” Dr. Bartlett said. When I shared this information with a nurse, she said she wouldn’t have any qualms about using it.
“Early testing and early treatment is the answer. We do early detection for cancer, stroke and every other disease, but we’re told by China to wait, don’t go to the hospital unless you’re really sick,” Dr. Bartlett explained.
Dr. Bartlett also gives an antibiotic called Clarithromycin, that will cover pneumonia.
“This is information people need to know: this is a rapidly mutating virus. In Iceland they broke down the DNA of the virus and found 243 mutations of the virus in April, 2020. A vaccine is not going to be the solution. Flu vaccines at best cover 40 percent and you have to get it every year. If they make this vaccine,
it’s not going to be a one time shot. You’re not going to make a safe and effective vaccine because of those 243 mutations and it’s still changing. We don’t want to warp speed on a vaccine, force it on the people and miss the steps that prove that it’s safe,” he said.
“Why wait for a vaccine? We have working solutions already. The beauty of the treatment I’m using is no matter
how much the virus mutates, the treatment still works.”
Dr. Bartlett said his treatment is being studied, but wondered “whether they would set this up for failure. Their criteria is the patient must have pneumonia, be on a ventilator and be in ICU before they’ll even give them the treatment.” How can the treatment be studied properly in this way?
“There’s a lot of misinformation, a lot of things are blown out of proportion. We should focus on science, instead of fear,” Dr. Bartlett concluded.
If you want Dr. Bartlett’s information you can email americacanwetalk@ gmail.com and they will forward Dr. Bartlett’s paper to you.
You can contact me at joanjanzen@yahoo.com
Government can’t relax on COVID-19
all love the Canadian Football League and love the Saskatchewan Roughriders even more.
Short of a lemon yellow canola field under a living sky of blue, it’s doubtful you will find a Saskatchewan image more icon than green pantone of the ‘Riders.
Saskatchewan is a small province. We have no other professional team. And, really there are few truly unifying things in a place often divided between rural and urban and left and right. The ‘Riders bring us all together.
Moreover, it’s election year when political parties rally around positive and unifying symbols.
So it might have seemed a no-brainer for Premier Scott Moe to make a case for Regina and Mosaic Stadium should to be the CFL hub city, should there be a CFL season.
To not do so in Saskatchewan _ to not send the message that this province is a good as anywhere else, at least when it comes to the CFL _ would have left some grumbling.
So within hours of hearing Manitoba
Premier Brian Pallister _ who presides over the home of the rival Blue Bombers _ was putting up $2.5 million for that province’s hub city bid, we heard Moe was willing to pony $3 million for Regina’s bid.
But what about the pandemic?
Many suspect Winnipeg secured the tentative hub city bid weeks ago because the hotels and indoor facilities surrounding Winnipeg’s stadium along with the larger International Airport made it the preferred choice of the CFL players’ association.
a $2.4-billion 2020-21 deficit in which this government seemingly doesn’t have much money for anything _ could $3 million be put to better use?
How should we spend it now?
If this was the case, was it a wise choice of government time to be messing around with this bid in the middle of a pandemic when there are surely other priorities?
MURRAY MANDRYK Political Columnist
But if it was a serious attempt and not a political ploy, was it our best expenditure of money?
With all that is going on _ including
Surely, there are better things we could with the money than throwing it into the infrastructure pot so we can put a new layer of pavement on roads _ pretty much what governments always do before every election. If we do have a few extra coins to throw around, wouldn’t it be better to put it towards make sure teachers had masks and that schools were clean and ready to accept students returning to classes this fall?
In fairness, to Moe and his government, it has tried to be responsible in its spending and has been criticized by some for being too slow in re-opening Saskatchewan.
Three million dollars isn’t much in
the context of $16-billion annual provincial budget. And Moe explained that the CFL hub city bid _ supported by the City of Regina and local hoteliers _ would have been a step towards recovery with some 600 CFL players moving here for two or three months.
But COVID-19 cases in Saskatchewan increase by about 160 cases a week and a half in the middle of this month _ an average of 15 or so a day instead of one or two.
Quietly, this is the second-biggest outbreak since the rapid spread in La Loche.
And while it is true that most can be traced to outbreaks on Hutterite colonies, that doesn’t make what’s going on right now any less serious.
Now is not the time for government to lose sight of the problem at hand. Now is not the time to relax what’s been a vigilant approach by the Sask. Party government in the COVID-19 fight. And now is certainly not the time for a government to be distracted by politically popular notions when this pandemic requires our full attention.
Always desire to learn something useful
KATE WINQUIST kate@yoursouthwest.com
I hope that you will get to know me a little better through this page and have a better understanding of why I came back to west-central Saskatchewan just as I hope to get to know all of you and invite you to share your stories.
Imust admit that I have a curious mind. I love to discover and see new things. Maybe that was part of the yearning to come back to west-central Saskatchewan - what have I been missing for the past three decades? As it turns out, a lot!
My husband, Robert, had come down to visit a couple of weeks ago, and we decided to head east on Highway 7 to see some country that I had never travelled before. Even though I grew up here, we never really headed west of Kindersley. It was always east to Saskatoon or north up to Lloydminster to visit my sister Valarie and her family. On this particular day, however, we wouldn’t get too far on the #7. Our tour, we decided, would take us to the village of Smiley. Just the name of the tiny community can’t help but bring a smile to your face! Highway 772 (if you can call it a highway) is mostly a grid, turns into pavement and is quite a bumpy ride. “Remove your dentures and tighten your bra straps,” I said out loud to Robert’s amusement.
Smiley is located in the RM of Prairiedale and, according to the 2016 Cen-
sus, has a population of 60. “There’s some land for sale,” I said to Robert. He informed me that the for sale sign was probably for hay. Upon entering the village, I immediately noticed the church on the outskirts of the community, not entirely sure if it was still in use. I pulled over to take out my trusty camera. When Robert and I go on road trips together, if I hope to get any pictures, it is a necessity that I drive. He appreciates my photography obsession but sometimes doesn’t see the beauty in things that I do. To the east of the church is the Community Hall, which looks like a source of community pride - prominent, bold signage, and a newly cushioned sidewalk leading up to the doors. I couldn’t help but think of the community gatherings that have been put on hold due to the pandemic. Beside the hall is a monument erected to mark the Smiley School’s original site, which was built in 1914.
We seemed to have the village to ourselves on this day, although I did see one man on his rideon mower. The old Smiley School, which once stood proud, sits on the north end of the village. I mentioned to Robert that I thought it would be cool to transform an old school or church into a private museum or photo gallery. He just rolled his eyes at me.
On Main Street, there is an old building with “Skinner’s Store” on the window. After googling this, I discovered that it was run by Don and Candace (Candy) Skinner. It was the store that Candy’s parents owned when she was growing upMaedel’s Red & White
Store. Candy operated the store and later the post office until she retired in 2005. Sadly, she lost her battle with cancer in 2007.
After leaving Smiley, we quite innocently stumbled across The Great Wall of Saskatchewan site. I can’t believe that I had never heard of this tourist attraction before now!
The Great Wall of Saskatchewan is a project that was created by Albert Johnson back in 1962. Mr. Johnson arranged stones in the form of a wall, cleaning the rocks from the surrounding farmland and adding it. He did this for 29 years! Albert transported the stones and placed them to
support itself without the use of cement or mortar. The outer layer stones are specially shaped and are tapered inward to prevent the wall from moving. Small and odd-shaped stones fill the spaces in between. In 1991, the wall was complete with a 6-foot base, stretching more than a 3/8 of a mile in length. Its average height is 6 feet and 12 feet at places. A sod hut is on the property, but it was too wet for us to walk or drive down. I will be making a trip back at some point to see this additional attraction.
This day was a day of history and a day of learning. Always desire to learn something useful and always find something to make you smile.
- KW
Winquist Publisher Joan Janzen Freelancer
The Great Wall of Saskatchewan. PHOTOS BY KATE WINQUIST
Skinner’s Store in Smiley.
Canadian No. 1 Buttar falls short of making history as ride streak ends in dramatic fashion
LETHBRIDGE, Alberta – After a 138-day hiatus from competition, the premier PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Canada Monster Energy Tour made its historic return to competition Thursday afternoon with the PBR Cooper Tires Invitational in Lethbridge, Alberta, at ENMAX Centre.
Featuring 25 of the nation’s premier riders, attempting some of the country’s top bovine athletes, the ferocious battle for the 2020 PBR Canada Championship and accompanying $50,000 bonus resumed as if no time had passed.
Brock Radford (De Winton, Alberta) and Ty Ellis (Sonningdale, Saskatchewan) tied for the event victory by delivering matching 86-point rides in the championship round. Both riders netted a cheque for $2,688.98, in addition to 58.5 Canadian and 11.5 world points.
“Definitely feels good to be back,” Radford said from the dirt inside ENMAX Centre moments after the win. “We’ve all been sitting at home getting cabin fever, so we’re all excited to be back doing what we do. Us riders can’t be nothing but grateful. Without PBR Canada, we wouldn’t be here today putting money in our pocket.”
Radford and Ellis exemplified cowboy spirit after bucking off their Round 1 draws. Off The Grid (X6 Ranch Bucking Cattle) bested Radford in 6.5 seconds, and Ellis was dispatched by Family Feud (Shay Marks) in 3.3 seconds.
The duo advanced to the final round based on buckoff time, but that did not stop them from converting under pressure in the championship round. Radford made the 8 aboard Stuntman Hank (Wild Hoggs Bucking Bulls) after Ellis
began the championship round with a ride on Carlier Cartel (X6 Ranch Bucking Cattle).
“Sure lit a fire under me to go get that one rode and try a little harder,” Ellis said. “I was happy to capitalize on that one.”
The win marks the second of Radford’s career on the Monster Energy Tour, and it gained him crucial ground in both the Canadian national and world standings. While he remains No. 2 in Canada, Radford decimated the lead held by No. 1 Dakota Buttar (Kindersley, Saskatchewan). Radford is now within 67.5 points of the top ranking after beginning the event 100.5 points behind.
In the broader PBR world standings, Radford gained five positions, rising from No. 40 to No. 35. He is now within the threshold of competing on the premier PBR Unleash The Beast.
For Ellis, the win was a career-first for him on the Monster Energy Tour. He is now ranked No. 7 in the Canadian national standings, 187 points behind No. 1 Buttar.
Additionally, as part of the Shell Rotella Rugged Ride for Charity initiative, a $1,000 donation will be made to charity in recognition of Radford and Ellis’ 86-point efforts. The duo selected the Ty Pozzobon Foundation as the benefiting organization.
Placing third overall was Round 1 winner Tim Lipsett (Lumsden, Saskatchewan).
Covering Strong Arm (Vold Rodeo) for 85 points, Lipsett netted $1,556.78, 45 Canadian and seven world points.
Lipsett’s Top-5 finish allowed him to crack into the Top 10 in the national standings. The 26-year-old is now No. 8 and within 193 points of the No. 1 position.
Rounding out the Top 5 was veteran contender Buttar and rookie rider Tanner Eno (Coronation, Alberta) who tied for fourth.
For Buttar, the PBR Cooper Tires Invitational was not only a chance for him to resume competition, but also for a chance for him to make further history.
After winning both Monster Energy Tour events to start the season, in addition to the Touring Pro Division event in Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, he travelled to the PBR Cooper Tires Invitational amid a consecutive ride streak of 10 in a row.
Looking to make history, Buttar was on the precipice of breaking the all-time ride record in modern Canadian history, an 11-out streak he set between the 2018 and 2019 seasons.
In Round 1, Buttar delivered his 11th consecutive ride, tying his own record, when he covered Trippy Hippy (Shay
Marks) for 83.5 points.
Seeking history, the Saskatchewan man’s quest for the record concluded in dramatic fashion.
Drafting Blow Me Away (Vold Rodeo) in the championship round, the match-up between the two accomplished athletes ended in judge’s review, with the critical assessment concluding that Buttar didn’t reach the requisite 8, coming down in a heartbreaking 7.83 seconds.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, while Buttar chased history, Eno was making his Monster Energy Tour debut.
Having competed in just one PBR event prior, the Alberta rider made a quick statement, covering Muddy Water (X6 Ranch Bucking Cattle) for 83.5 points in Round 1. His hopes of victory, however, were dashed in the championship round when he bucked off Swagger (Vold Rodeo/Dynamite Buckers) in 2.98 seconds.
Both Buttar and Eno earned a cheque for $882.19, in addition to 25.5 Canadian and 3.5 world points.
Buttar remains Canada’s No. 1-ranked rider, while the previously unranked Eno is now No. 11, 220 points behind Buttar.
In the bullpen, Lil Loco (Flying High Rodeo Co.) was the high-marked bull of the event after delivering a 43-point score in Round 1 when he dispatched Shay Marks (Sunnybrook, Alberta) in 2.02 seconds.
Fans can tune in to a one-hour recap show from the historic PBR Cooper Tires Invitational on Tuesday, July 28 at 7:30 p.m. ET on TSN2.
One NHL loser could be a big winner
PENTON
BRUCE
brucepenton2003@yahoo.ca
‘Tanking’ during the regular season for a favourable position in the amateur draft might happen occasionally in the National Hockey League, but tanking in the playoffs? It could happen this summer if and when the NHL tries to salvage what it can from the 2020 pandemic-induced mess that the world has endured since March.
While 24 teams will start the playoffs Aug. 1 with a chance to win the Stanley Cup, only one of eight losers in the playin round will have a chance to win the right to draft Alexis Lafrèniere, the big prize in this year’s amateur draft.
Thanks to a surprise development in the NHL’s draft lottery, held in June, one of the eight teams that loses in the first round of the playoffs will be awarded the No. 1 draft pick following a second lottery draw. The top pick is supposed to go to one of the poorer teams, but the very definition of ‘lottery’ deals with an immense amount of random chance, or dumb luck. One of those eight
first-round losers will capitalize on that luck.
So here’s a possible scenario. A series featuring the Calgary Flames and the Winnipeg Jets — two teams with unlikely chances to go all the way through the playoffs to win the Cup — instead find themselves playing (by losing) for a chance to get LaFreniere, a potential franchise player with Crosby-McDavid-MacKinnon-type talent. The best-of-five series is tied 2-2, with the winner to go on to play first-place St. Louis in the second round. So do the Flames and Jets play for next week? Or do they play for next year, and the next 10 years, with the possibility of a franchise player like Lafrèniere to build around?
Fans can only hope a 3-3 tie in Game 5 of this fictitious Flames-Jets game doesn’t go to overtime. It might never end.
Coach Claude Julien of the Canadiens runs one of those teams with a) no shot to win the Cup; and b) a 1-in-8 chance to draft Lafrèniere by losing to Pittsburgh in the play-in round.
Julien told NHL.com that he realizes a good chunk of Habs’
fans probably want their team to lose to Pittsburgh to have a crack at Lafrèniere.
“That’s totally normal. Totally normal. There’s no issues there,” Julien said. “I think everybody’s got their opinions and they’re entitled to it because some fans, and rightfully so, get excited about the possibility of having that guy there.”
It’s been a weird 2020, so keep the weirdness going. And what’s weirder than NHL fans praying their team loses in the first round of playoffs?
• Patti Dawn Swansson, aka the River City Renegade: “I note that Vlad (The Bad) Putin has signed a one-way deal to rule Russia until at least 2036,
about the same time Tom Brady is expected to show signs of slowing down.”
• From Super 70s Sports, on Facebook: “In 1991, Andre Dawson was called out looking by umpire Joe West and then ejected for arguing the call. He was fined $500 by the National League and paid it via cheque with the memo line filled out ‘Donation for the blind.’”
• Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times: The Fuji-Q Highland amusement park in Japan, saying that droplets from screaming on roller coasters could spread the coronavirus, is urging riders to ‘Please scream inside your heart.’ If you think that’s extreme, wait’ll they try to ban booing in Philadelphia.”
• Another one from Swansson, on Patrick Mahomes’ $500-million-plus contract: “Mahomes’ new contract is 117 pages long. I’ve lived in towns that didn’t have phone books that big.”
• Comedy writer Alex Kaseberg: “Green Bay. QB Aaron Rodgers has broken up with his girlfriend, race driver Danika Patrick. Rodgers just felt their relationship was going
around and around in circles.”
• Comedy writer Brad Dickson of Omaha, on Nebraska Cornhusker football fans: “There’s something seriously wrong with people who will wear a rubber corncob head on their noggin but won’t be seen in public in a Covid mask.”
• Headline on theonion. com: “Jerry Jones Changes Team’s Name To Redskins Now That It’s Available
• Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni, to reporters, on why coaching while social distancing isn’t an issue for him: “That’s how we guard anyway.”
• Dwight Perry again: More than 10 umpires will not participate in the pandemic-shortened MLB season. Talk about a mixed message: They want to be safe, so they’re out.”
• Ex-Florida AD Jeremy Foley, to the Orlando Sentinel, on the COVID cash crunch facing college athletic departments: “You have those reserves to get you through a rainy day, but obviously this isn’t a rainy day; this is a hurricane.”
Care to comment? Email brucepenton2003@yahoo.ca
Mace Materi (left) receives a fist-pump from teammate Blake Robertson after one of his two doubles against the Unity Cardinals on Tuesday night. The Kindersley Stallions defeated the Cardinals 6-2 in their last regular-season home game. The Stallions travelled to Lloydminster on Thursday night and suffered their first loss of the season against the Twins, 4-0. They were scheduled to play a doubleheader against the Border City Blue Jays on Sunday afternoon, also in Lloydminster.
Virtual Black Tie NHL Hockey Draft
2020 has been a year of challenges as we all get through the COVID-19 pandemic together as a community. Despite the hurdles set before us, the need for life-saving medical equipment continues for our numerous healthcare facilties across Southwest Saskatchewan. The Dr. Noble Irwin Regional Healthcare Foundation is busy fundraising for numerous areas of healthcare including the “Renal Dialysis Unit” at the Cypress Regional Hospital in Swift Current and we’re pleased to announced our “Black Tie NHL Hockey Draft” is scheduled for August 10. The fundraiser will proceed in the same format as previous years however as a “Virtual” event due to to COVID-19 restrictions.
“We’re pleased to move forward with this annual Fundraiser for the Foundation as the event has been on hold since its’ original date in April,” says Jim Dekowny Executive Director of the Dr. Noble Irwin Regional Healthcare Foundation. “We encourage participants to get together and gather from your board room, deck, living room or garage while practising proper social distancing with your Virtual “Black Tie NHL Playoff Hockey Draft” team. This evening includes Urban
Cellars “Molson – Coors” beer and Louie D’s Lounge Pizza and Wings catered right to your door,” added Dekowny. Proceeds from the event will assist–– with upgrades of new Electronic Chairs for the Renal Dialysis Unit at the Cypress Regional Hospital. Approximately 18 patients from across the Southwest receive Renal Dialysis treatments 2-4 times each week. An ex-
hausting, yet crucial treatment which occurs over 3-5 hours per visit. Therefore, the addition of new Electronic Chairs is a necessity as patients can adjust the chair accordingly for more comfort for their head and feet through the duration of the treatment. Registrations for the “Virtual Black Tie NHL Hockey Draft” are available by calling the Foundation Office (306) 778-3314.
PHOTO BY KATE WINQUIST
Drainage demonstration projects announced, including a focus on potholes
BRIAN ZINCHUK Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
REGINA - In keeping with its recent water theme, the Government of Saskatchewan on July 20 announced a number of agricultural water management demonstrations across the province. Some of this work is meant to drain potholes and allow that land to become usable acreage for farming.
This announcement comes a few weeks after $4 billion of irrigation development projects for central Saskatchewan centering on Lake Diefenbaker.
These demonstration projects are much smaller in scope, however, as just $1 million in funding was announced on July 20 by Minister Responsible for Water Security Agency Greg Ottenbreit.
The announcement was made in conjunction with Glacier FarmMedia Discovery Farm at Langham, which is typically host of a major summer event call Ag In Motion. However, due to the restrictions from the COVID-19 crisis, that event is not taking place this year.
(Glacier Media is the parent company of this publication as well as Glacier FarmMedia.)
One of the 11 agricultural water management demonstration projects will take place at the Discovery Farm, involving 40 acres of the 640 acre facility. Blake Weiseth spoke on behalf of the Glacier FarmMedia Discovery Farm, located at Langham.
It will be the site of a multi-year study that will involve design, regulatory approval, and construction of a drainage system on approximately 40 acres of land. After construction, a field study will evaluate several management practices meant to reduce nutrient runoff.
Some of the demonstration projects will test how farmers and ranchers can irrigate with water drained
from agricultural fields. Other projects will strategically retain wetlands to reduce the downstream impacts of flooding on infrastructure, water quality and habitat. Others will look at applying fertilizer in different ways in order to minimize nutrient runoff, the release said.
“The goal is to design a drainage plan that meets regulatory requirements and optimizes land productivity while preserving the environment,” Applied Research Lead at Discovery Farm Blake Weiseth said. “This demonstration will help producers reclaim marginally productive low-lying areas while incorporating key nutrient management features associated with wetlands.”
“Marginally productive low-lying areas” are in essence what is commonly referred to as “potholes.” Weiseth referred to them as “temporary ephemeral wetlands.”
He said, “These are areas that are prone to periodic flooding throughout the growing season, depending on the amount of rainfall, of course, they might be filled with some water in the spring, or you might be able to farm through them at the beginning of the season.”
That “periodic flooding” may have a negative impact on the crop growth, Weiseth explained.
“If we apply a drainage plan to that area to try to reclaim them, perhaps we can get some better productivity over these lands, as well as overlaying that with a case management strategy to deal with those areas. So that might include looking at variable rate fertilizer application, as an example, has on managing those areas specifically,” he said.
Recent advances in aerial drone technology have made 3-D modelling of terrain much simpler. Weiseth said they are using drone-mounted LIDAR (Light De-
tection and Ranging) “to get very high resolution elevation data on the site, and that’s a very important piece that goes into the final design of the drainage plan.”
These demonstration projects are part of a broader irrigation strategy for the province, according to Ottenbreit.
Organizations taking part in these demonstrations include:
· Saskatchewan Conservation and Development Association;
· Glacier FarmMedia Discovery Farm (Langham);
· Saskatchewan Association of Watersheds;
· Saskatchewan Irrigation Projects Association;
· Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation;
· Saskatchewan Soil Conservation Association;
· Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association;
· Saskatchewan Research Council;
· Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute.
NDP Water Security Agancy critic MLA Cathy Sproule said, “Water is an important environmental resource, and can be impacted by large scale projects. For example, unauthorized drainage issues has been rampant in Saskatchewan for many years with severe impacts on the downstream land owners. Now that the WSA is no longer under the purview of the Minister of the Environment, how will the environmental impacts of these grants be assessed? In addition, we have questions around oversight with these projects – how will the spending be accounted for, what are the metrics for success, and how will the government ensure the people of the province receive full benefit for the investment?”
Prairie West Growing Project is growing!
JOAN JANZEN joanjanzen@yahoo.com
The Prairie West Growing Project (PWGP) is growing a lentil crop in the Kindersley area. Since 2004, the land location of 27-29-24 W3 (six miles west and 3 miles north of Kindersley) has been designated to produce for PWGP. Landowners, Don and Linda Lafleur stressed the importance of this community effort.
“There are so many people that are involved and help out. It’s a huge community effort,” Don said.
There are hundreds of active growing projects across the country, with a wide variety of crops grown, everything from wheat, canola, barley, flax and forage.
The community effort in the Kindersley area began this growing season when Coutts Agro seeded lentils on May 14th, providing the seed, manpower and equipment. Syngenta provided Prairie West Growing Project with two cases of Cruiser Vibrance Quattro obtained from G-Mac Ag Team in Kindersley.
And that’s not all: Bayer Crop Science Inc. approved a grant for the project of $1,667 to be added to PWGP’s total donations at the end of the year. This year, as per previous years, Bayer Crop Science has generously supported Foodgrains Bank Growing Projects with an $80,000 gift and asked the Foodgrains Bank to distribute it to 135 projects across Canada.
“Eric Frieson, who works with us each year with the harvesting, is the Pattison store manager plus four others, so we definitely have an advocate. Pattison is very excited about what the Foodgrains Bank does,” Don said.
As Don and Linda see the lentil crop grow before their eyes, they appreciate that the majority of everything raised by the community will go to needy recipients. “Ninety percent of everything that’s raised is actually used for the people who are in need,” Don said. “The Foodgrains Bank not only encourages people to learn to feed themselves but empowers them to have the ability to feed themselves and their families. We feel that is really important because we can never raise enough food to continually hand out food. But if we can teach them to produce for themselves, they can take care of themselves and share their increase with others. They can support the entire community by sharing their increase so that everyone can benefit.”
As we hear of flooding and drought being experienced throughout the world, the Foodgrains organization (through committee meetings) determines who they are going to assist.
The Lafleur’s said this year’s crop is looking good. Once the crop is harvested, the Foodgrains organization sells the grain, brings the money in and finances and aids people in doing projects in different communities. The hope is those communities will contribute back to their communities.
PHOTO BY KATE WINQUIST
I can imagine the fun that was had cruising the backroads near Richlea back in the day! Anyone have a story to tell?
Jenn McLean, Sales Agent
Phone: 306.463.1766
Cell: 306.460.9419
Jennmclean@royallepage.ca
Royal Lepage Wheat Country
#1 West Road
Kindersley, SK. S0L 1S1
donnamclay@royallepage.ca www.royallepage.ca/kindersley
McLay Sales Agent
OBITUARIES
$90.00 +GST
(Includes photo)
Will be uploaded to our website www.yourwestcentral.com at no extra cost.
Eulogies & Poems will be charged an additional .20¢ per word.
Classifieds
COMING EVENTS
TRACTOR PULL at the Village of Flaxcombe on Saturday, August 8. Start time 1:00 PM (if more thaqn 20 tractors registered, start time will be 11:00 AM). $20 entry fee. Admission is FREE, but donations are welcome. Call Wes 306-4639576 or Shane 306-460-9723 (evenings). Load up your tractors (100hp & lower), come out and have some fun!
FOR RENT
Rooms for rent. $500. Includes all utilities. Call Tim Schuh 306-4609292.
FOR SALE
For Sale: Treadmill, low mileage. Used by a little old man on Sundays. Was $1000 new. $250 you take out of basement. $600 I take out of basement. Reason for selling: bought clothes hangers. gstueck@sasktel.net or text 306-628-7768. Located in Leader.
Some of the items for sale at: Andrea’s 3R’s Shop, Unique Second Hand Shop, 138 Railway Avenue W, Eston, Sk. 306-962-4270. Antique irons, portable electric organ, Red Lion well tank, heavy duty garden hoses and much more.
BEEFS & Bouquets
FOR SALE: 2 Westeel-Rosco Bins. 5 ring. 3485 bushels. Skids on crushed rock. Very good condition. 306-463-4384.
NOTICE
CLASSIFIED RATES (based on 20 words or less). $8.95 plus GST. Additional words are 20 cents each. Advertising Deadlines are Thursday by noon. Call Kate at 306-671-0242.
WANTED
YOUR COMMUNITY NEWS! If it’s important to you, it’s important to us. Send us your news items to Box 727, Kindersley, SK. Please leave a contact number.
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Your West Central Voice reserves the right to edit all submissions, and discard beefs deemed to be libelous or mean-spirited. We will not publish beefs about private businesses or charities (those associated with published news articles notwithstanding). Please keep submissions within 150 words.
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Please email your submissions to kate@yoursouthwest.com, mail to Box 727 Kindersley, SK S0L 1S0 or drop off at our office at 603 Main Street in Kindersley.
Jen and Miguel Malana and their young son from Kindersley recently enjoyed their first visit to the Great Sandhills. They loved every minute of it and plan to
again!
JOAN JANZEN joanjanzen@yahoo.com
If you’re looking for something fun to do this summer, you don’t have to go very far. In just over an hour, you can drive from Kindersley to have an awesome adventure at the Great Sandhills. There’s no need to get lost because you go simply to Sceptre, find the Great Sandhills Museum, where directions are posted on the door.
Once you reach your destination, you’ll spot an archway made of wornout cowboy boots; the sand dunes are in the background rising high above the landscape. The dunes are 26 meters high and cover 1,900 square kilometres. Because of strong winds, the dunes are constantly moving eastward at a rate of four kilometres per year. The shifting
of the sand is capable of burying fullgrown trees and bushes.
Kids will spend hours sliding down the dunes, and anyone passionate about photography will come away with some fantastic shots. The Great Sandhills is one of the largest set of active sand dunes in Canada. Throughout the area, you’ll see rose bushes, sagebrush, chokecherry bushes, as well as aspen, birch and willow trees.
Tourists can bring a picnic and plenty of water because you’re sure to get thirsty after all that exercise. Though there aren’t any souvenir shops, you and your family will bring home lots of sand (in your hair and underwear) to remind you of all the fun you had at the Great Sandhills.
PHOTO BY KATE WINQUIST
The Plato Post Office isn’t very big, but they do have bathroom facilities in the back yard. We alos got our first subscription from Plato this week. Thank you!
SMITH - Eva May Smith passed away peacefully along side her family in Kerrobert Saskatchewan on Sunday, June 28th, 2020 at the age of 88 years.
She was born on the Norris family farm on May 15, 1932 to Fredrick and Annie Maud Norris. Eva was the youngest of the seven Norris children. Eva went to Morntin School and she rode her horse too and from school.
THE LIVING WORD
How to hear God’s voice
LEORA SCHMIDT thelivingword@mail.com
Her minister, Pavel Goia, described her as having a solar-powered ability to talk endlessly. She came to him with her concern about her prayer life, explaining that she prayed and prayed and didn’t seem to hear anything from God. Her pastor reminded her that prayer is the breath of the soul, that breathing out was only part of the process. Breathing in is just as important, and that is the part of listening. He reminded her that the Bible says, ’Be still and know that I am God.’ “After we talk to God, we must listen for Him to respond,” he reminded her. So she promised her pastor to discipline herself to listen, besides so easily and voluminously expressing herself to God in prayer.
About six weeks later she came to her pastor with a report. She recounted that at first, in her quiet time she heard nothing, but she persisted. In the last few days she had a strong sense that kept growing in intensity that God was calling her to start a community services center that would provide necessities for the poor. Her pastor applauded her. She went to the church board at her very small church of 30 elderly people attending, to seek their blessing and support. They viewed it as an impossible task. They had no resources, nor vision, nor did anyone feel impressed to assist her. So she returned to the pastor, saying, “God impressed me with this thought, ‘You’ll never reach this town until you
learn to love people.’ You told me how to pray and I need now to take action. I’m not going to the community alone. You must come with me. Let’s meet on Thursday at 9 a.m. to go door to door.”
Thus it was that Thursday after Thursday they doggedly spent three hours knocking on doors of homes and businesses for six months with no encouraging response. They covered their town and the adjoining town with no success. With perseverance and strong conviction, the lady persisted, “We must knock on all those doors a second time.” Finally, the owner of a failed business agreed to an affordable price for his empty building. They joyfully signed the contract. Before the pastor could get on his motorcycle to return home, his phone rang. The person calling was from another closed store, “You have a building now. Do you need shelving? You can have all you want for free. I want to be part of this blessing.” And so it evolved. Everyone in town knew of the project. Why wouldn’t they? They had been contacted twice. Shelves needed to be filled. Pastors from the various churches said they wanted to be involved in the blessing and gathered clothing until the shelves were full.
Then Hurricane Katrina struck in August 2005. From this little warehouse truckloads went weekly to those needing assistance in the Gulf Coast. After this the government asked them to distribute food stamps. Then the prison director asked if they would help transition prisoners into civil
life--give them a job for six months, teach them how to live responsibly, give them Bible studies. Now they had a supply of workers. Their contributed provisions overflowed the small building and they stored some clothes on the outside in the snow. Observing this, the neighboring businessman on one side opened part of his shop for storage because he was not needing all that space for his shrinking business. A few months later, the businessman on the other side called and offered space. He said that the original businessman was thriving like never before from opening up his shop for storage, and he wanted to share in that blessing by opening part of his shop for storage.
People called and asked for prayer, saying that they felt cared for, and could trust these people who shared with them so lovingly. Prayer meeting on Wednesday night over flowed. The pastor of an other church asked if they would conduct prayer meeting in his church on Tuesday nights.
A whole town, and people far beyond, were blessed and brought clos er to the Lord because one woman prayed, listened to God, and persevered in following through on His divine leading. (For the full story: https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=55kdE-ZmYo&t=338s Pavel Goia)
What might God do if each of us reading this account would pray, then wait and listen for God to lead us into His path of service and blessing to oth ers?
Leonard, Eva, and family would go on trips to see her sister Florance in Saskatoon SK, Grace in Wainwright AB, Lela in Daysland AB, Ida in Edgerton AB, and Leonard’s sister Minnie in Vancouver BC, and brother Bernard in Hanna AB. Travelling to Cypress Hills and Montana was also a highlight in her adventures.
Eva always had a very large garden, and in the fall, there was lots of canning, making jam and jelly, horseradish, canned beef and chicken. Eva also enjoyed her houseplants, and she could grow anything. Her favorite color was green, and she loved yellow roses.
Eva met her future husband (the late) Leonard Ralph Smith at a dance in the hall at Broadacres, SK and they were married on July 4, 1953. They made their home on the farm west of Broadacres. There they had three children, Leonora Mary (Smith) Gillett, Keith Fredrick Smith, and (the late) Lorne Edward Smith. Eva had five Grandchildren. Corriena (Gillett) Fox, Kevin Gillett, Carlie Smith, Brandon Smith, and Bailey Smith. Eva was also a Great-Grandmother to Triston, Rayne, Xavier, and Justice. Eva held a very special place in her heart for her little dog Dexter who was by her side for 12 wonderful years.
Eva enjoyed Christmas’ with her father, mother, and her family. She still carried on that tradition with her family. Eva enjoyed her holiday to West Hawk Lake in Manitoba to see her relatives.
Leonard and Eva moved into Kerrobert where they retired.
Eva was a very special lady to many people and will be missed greatly by all her family and friends. We would like to thank Dr. J. Wentzel and staff at the Kerrobert Integrated Healthcare Facility for their exemplary care and compassion. We would also like to thank Tanis and the Homecare Service staff for their years of care for our mother. Also, thanks to Krystal Selinger and staff at the Pioneer Haven home where mom resided for eight months.
A small family service was held in Eva’s remembrance on July 4, 2020 from the United Church in Kerrobert SK. Any donations may be made to KLD Wellness Foundation, Box 730 Kerrobert SK S0L 1R0 or to Mental Health.
PHOTO BY JOAN JANZEN
The tenants at Dawnview apartments are able to enjoy a carefully groomed courtyard, thanks to the occupants who take time to care for the flowers and plants. Various ornaments and benches are displayed throughout the grounds, adding a special touch, and providing an area for people to enjoy the outdoors and sunshine.
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