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SATURDAY
Important people in Kerrobert’s history: The Grain Family
By Breena Hebron
We were lucky to have the Park Program come for a visit this week at the museum! During their tour, we attempted to highlight some important people in Kerrobert’s history, some of which include members of the Grain family.
William Grain, the oldest family member to reside in Kerrobert, came out west with the Northwest Mounted Police under James Morrow Walsh in 1874. At the time of his death at 97 years old, William Grain was the second-longest surviving member of the original Great March West. He was one of 30 men who helped establish Fort Walsh in 1875. After two years at Fort Walsh, William received an honourable discharge. William eventually married a woman named Elizabeth, and they came to Kerrobert with their family from Morden, MB, after their son Harry. Henry Thomas (Harry) Grain was a businessman and the first overseer of Kerrobert. In other words, he was unofficially our town’s first mayor! Harry Grain had a hardware shop and a tinsmith shop, which later became Greer’s Hardware. Harry married Nettie Dumville from Superb, who worked as a nurse in Kerrobert until 1928. Unfortunately, Harry was one of the Kerrobert residents who died from the flu epidemic in 1918.
William and Elizabeth’s other children were Roy, Nell, Maude and Elizabeth. Roy and Nell had come to Kerrobert with the family when they first arrived, though the other two siblings resided in Morden and Edmonton. When Maude and her husband died in the 1930s, their two children came to live with Nell in Kerrobert. Nell Grain was a piano teacher in Kerrobert and
lived here for 60 years. She was also the vice-president of the music club in Kerrobert that formed in 1912, and she played the organ for church services and special events in town. Being so involved in music, her home was often one of the only spaces where her nephews and their friends were allowed to hold their band practices. When William Grain became blind, Nell took care of her father for the last 15 years of his life.
After moving to Kerrobert at a young age, Roy Grain joined the Canadian army when the First World War broke out. He was sent to France and fought at Passchendaele and Vimy Ridge, but he was wounded at Amiens and remained hospitalized in England for months after the war ended. At the outbreak of World War II, Roy again joined the army and was sent to England with the Ordnance Corps. He lived in London during the blitz. Three other members of the Grain family, nephews of Roy, also served in the Second World War. Jim Henderson and Alan Atkins served in the army overseas, and Don Atkins served in the Navy on the West Coast. Each member returned home safely by the end of the war. Roy Grain passed away in 1996 and is buried at the Kerrobert Cemetery. Nell Grain, Harry Grain, William Grain, and Elizabeth Grain are also buried at the Kerrobert Cemetery.
The Grain family was one of many who helped establish our community and make it a great place to live. Through their dedication to our community and service to our country, their lives make great examples to follow and teach our youth.
The information in this writeup was found in the Kerrobert History Book, Echoes from the Tower, and Carell Grain’s Pioneers of a Glorious Future.
Left: Nell Grain is on the right. Centre photo is Harry Grain. Above photo: far left is Alan Atkins, and on the far right is Roy Grain.
CHECK IT OUT with Joan Janzen
Reclaiming what is ours
If a modern version of the classic children’s story, “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” were written today, one of the bears might say, “Someone’s been using my phone, and ordered two mattresses, a chair and porridge takeout from Amazon.” The original story was published in 1831, in a book that is now housed in the Toronto Public Library. The book is probably quite valuable.
I took a photo of a valuable document while touring the legislative buildings in Victoria, British Columbia in 2019. At the time I didn’t fully appreciate the value of the Canadian Bill of Rights, which reads, “An act for the recognition and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms”.
Canadians who cherish items from the past often salvage window frames and wood from ancient buildings and barns. They clean off all the mud and debris, in order to reveal the beautiful exterior of the wood. They go through all that work, because those boards have a story to tell about the hard work of men and women who built the barn. They are reclaiming wood that withstood the elements of nature for a century, and still possesses strength to withstand sun, wind, rain and sleet for years to come.
Today Canadians are also reclaiming our freedoms and rights that existed many years ago. However our government doesn’t
want to reclaim our history. Instead they are tearing down statues, banning all kinds of words and books, attempting to sweep away our history, so we’ll forget how we got to the present. They’re promising us a utopia, which is defined as “an imagined place or state of things”. Ironically, the sample sentence after the definition reads, “Misplaced faith in political utopias has led to ruin”.
Canadians need to reclaim what has always belonged to us - our freedom, which is a gift given by God to man. This is vitally important as we witness increasing attempts to stifle any criticism of government actions. A prime example is the recent fine of over $1,000 issued for the crime of writing “Free Tamara Lich” with chalk on a sidewalk in Ottawa.
Another full year of virtual parliament will stifle personal interaction and debate, further eroding the parliamentary process. And no government entity should be permitted to define ‘mis-information’ and ‘disinformation’ for Canadian citizens.
A recent government sponsored booklet, entitled ‘Confronting and Preventing Hate in Canadian Schools’, instructs children to be alert to classmates who invoke, “A free speech issue” in political discussions, as this is a common defence of hate propagandists. This booklet was funded by taxpayers, via a
email: kate@yoursouthwest.com or mail to P.O. Box 727 Kindersley, Sask S0L 1S0
$268,400 grant from Canadian Heritage. Not only are we watching our freedoms dissipate, but we’re forced to fund the process.
Our Bill of Rights states, “Affirming also that men and institutions remain free only when freedom is founded upon respect for moral and spiritual values and the rule of law.”
I restate those words, in case we are unaware of them, or have forgotten them. After all, how can we reclaim something if we don’t know it exists?
Please be advised that we will be closed for our summer holiday break from July 12 to 27. There will be no papers published on July 19 or 26.
NEXT EDITION WILL BE TUESDAY, AUGUST 2nd
Pop89 I Hear a Melody
BY MADONNA HAMEL
Your Southwest Media Group
Tuesday witnessed another funeral in our little community. This time we said goodbye to someone far too young. Melody Laturnus had, on top of other ailments and challenges, an aggressive form of cancer, and despite her good nature and perseverance, she died at the age of fifty.
I met Melody through her parents, Casper and Theresa, residents of Val Marie and loyal parishioners at our Nativity of the Virgin Mary church before it closed due to a dwindling congregation. Casper rang the bell every Sunday morning, and Theresa was our sacristan, preparing the altar and cleaning the sacristy, the room off the altar where we kept all the sacramentals - the candles, cloths, holy water, wine and vestments. (In secular language, the sacristy would be something like the change room and the offstage.)
I was born into the Catholic tradition and so have inherited a respect, if not a veneration, for the movements and gestures of the mass. While all that bowing, kneeling, reciting psalms, blessings, and communal confessing might seem irrelevant to some, I value them as part of my spiritual life as others might value practising the two-step or line dancing as part of their social life. Knowing her faith was a large part of Melody’s character, it was fitting she asked for a funeral mass. I found it sad, however, that so many people groaned they would have to sit through a mass.
Melody always seemed to find ways to put herself in the pathway of her God. Hers was a child-like sense of a parental God who looked after her, smiled down on her. And, despite her many challenges and struggles, she carried a faith far greater than my own. A faith that belied an understanding of The Beyond I’ve never been able to master. She believed that when she died, she would be returned to her parents, whom she deeply missed.
I don’t know how many of us present at her funeral mass felt the same way or believed in the same God or
God’s abilities. The range of responses and energies in the hall covered the gamut, from bored-looking, gum-chewing faces to reverent bowed heads. I wondered if those of us with our moments of skepticism might suspend our cynicism long enough to benefit from Melody’s faith and thereby be open to a humble shift in disposition. I suppose for that to happen, we’d have to desire such a shift. But, if you ask me, churches exclude the skeptics among us when they use exclusive-members-club language like “You must believe in order to be saved.” Even words like: “You have to be open to be changed,” are more along Jesus’ lines?
Melody was open to all kinds of people, and she told every one of us that she loved us. For a while, after her mom died, I would make a point of taking her to Humpty’s for their twofor-one steak night every time I was in Swift Current. She would play her new favourite melody on her phone, usually a Christian rock band. Then she’d ask me if I was going to eat my rice pudding. I assumed she wanted it, but she took it to her dad, who had a hard time chewing and who loved rice pudding.
She texted me just a few weeks before her death to ask how my dad was, and she didn’t mention her own declining health. She seemed to know who needed cheering up and when they needed it, and I believe that included our experience of her own funeral.
Deacon Dave set the tone with a brief introduction before the mass that began with a welcome to all present and an invitation to join in to the degree they felt comfortable.
Maybe you’re here because you knew and loved Melody as we did, he said. Or perhaps you knew her parents. Or perhaps you’re here because that is the way things are done in prairie villages. Or maybe you’re here because there’ll be a lunch afterwards.
Then he turned our attention to “the dash” - the space between January 9, 1972, and June 25, 2022, the dates of Melody’s physical birth and death. A service is a place where we have the opportunity to witness what happens in “the dash.” For some reason, my mind went to the timecheck on CBC radio: “The beginning of the long dash ….” A funeral is a time-check for all of us, and if we’re lucky, we get a long dash before we reach the end. But let’s not make it a mad dash, I tell myself, because it’s always over too soon, partly because we are always in a hurry.
I was asked to read from Ecclesiastes, that classic scripture about seasons and cycles. “There’s an appointed time for everything … a time to be born, and a time to die … a time to weep and a time to laugh … a time to seek and a time to lose; a time to keep and a time to cast away; a time to rend and a time to sew; a time to speak and a time to be silent ….You can’t add anything to it or take anything away from it. Whatever happens, or can happen, has already happened before.”
When I was younger, I resisted those words. Now they bring a certain reassurance and understanding that there is a rhyme and reason to the universe. This time I noted how Ecclesiastes resonates with indigenous spirituality: Life is not about climbing a ladder to ultimate success as much as it is about honouring the cycle of existence, played like a melody with choruses and refrains. We come, and we go, we make errors, we make amends, we move through seasons of growth and decay. Can we show up for it all? Can we learn a thing or two about what is sacred and needs to be treasured and cherished, the way Melody did?
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Kerrobert Recreation Report
Kerrobert Fairgrounds
A great season of ball is coming to a close. A total of 7 Kerrobert Minor Ball teams used our three diamonds this year as well as 6 Rec Ball teams. Congrats to the Odd Balls who won the coveted Robert Kerr Slo Pitch Cup this season, what a season to watch. We are wishing the many local ball players and coaches much success as they head into Provincial Ball playoffs this month!
Kerrobert Swimming Pool & Park Program
So much has been happening at our Pool! We are successfully into our first week of July lessons with another 36 kids learning about water safety this session. The new hours for Aquasizes, Lane and Water Walking have only seen a few people but we are attributing that to the cooler weather and we hope to see the attendance increase as the weather warms. Huge thank you to Kerrobert Credit Union and Nutrien Ag Solutions for sponsoring free swims this season! Be sure to follow our Facebook page to know when they are happening. The Park Program is now happening every Tues, Weds, Thurs. and you can call to get your kids ages 5-12 registered. Various other programs are happening including Dive Clinic, Mobile Playground and Jr. Guarding, call 834-2610 to find out more information or to register. Watch the Facebook page for information on events during Drowning Prevention Week. The Paddling Pool remains without heat due to a part that has been on order for weeks but that part is expected to arrive July 11.
Communities in Bloom
Yard Stake Beautification program is currently collecting nominations for most beautiful yard and business. Be sure to get in your nomination at local businesses.
Communities in Bloom is supporting a new tree project this year with the intention to put a new tree line around the 700 block of Columbia. Members of CIB and local residents are working with Town Council to see about getting this done. Currently the project is waiting for First Calls to get completed so a location for planting can be determined.
Kerrobert Memorial Arena
The tender for operating the arena booth for the 2022-2023 season is now open until August 1, 2022. Please reach out to the Rec Office for more information.
Kerrobert Cultural Center
The Library, Museum and Art Gallery have been busy places so far this summer. The Museum, to date, has seen 265 people tour through, with tourists from as far away as Alaska. Stop in and our summer student, Breena Hebron, can take you on a tour. The Art Gallery has a beautiful show on that includes stone carvings, framed pieces, scarves, printed panels and even leather. More information on artists Bonny Macnab and Shane Junop can be found on the Kerrobert Courtroom Gallery Facebook page. The Library has a summer full of programming including Book Clubs, Park Program visits, Children Author visits and even Sprinkles the Clown. Check out the dates or call the Library at 834-5211 to get more detailed information.
The Courthouse step work is now in the beginning stages of the project. Please be mindful of the equipment working out front and our apologies to those who are looking for a quiet Library as the work being done can be a bit disruptive. The steps will be poured later in the summer and they are hopeful that the work will be completed in the fall.
Mark your Calendar
The planning for the community event Oct. 7-10, 2022 (Thanksgiving weekend) is underway! There are already many exciting plans in place including football and hockey games, a parade, and great food including food trucks and local cooking. The intention with this weekend is to provide committees an opportunity to hold a fundraising event and to bring our community together in one large celebration. If you have ideas or would like to get involved, please call the Recreation office and consider inviting family and friends’ home or holding your class reunion!
Submitted by Bobbi Hebron Kerrobert Recreation Director
FoodMesh celebrates one year of feeding folks
BY JOAN JANZEN
Your Southwest Media Group
FoodMesh in Kindersley just celebrated its first anniversary on July 5th. Yes, it was only one year ago that the program started. Since then, it has positively impacted people in Kindersley, Kerrobert, Coleville, Flaxcombe, Oyen, Eston, Eatonia, Leader, Brock and Rosetown.
In July of 2021, Barbe Dunn and the group of volunteers had no idea how important FoodMesh would become in mid2022 as food prices and essentials such as gas became inflated in price. Food distribution gives folks more money to fill their gas tank or plate a vehicle.
In one year, FoodMesh distributed 9,818 kg of produce, 5,285 kg of grocery, 2,761 kg of bakery, 1,836 kg of meat/seafood, 1,181 kg from the deli, and 13,277 kg of dairy. That equals a total of 34,155 kilograms of rescued food and 62,000 meals. Patrons also appreciate occasional pet food donations from Pet Value and additional bread and bakery donated by a local food store. Various people in the community periodically donate gently used clothing and miscellaneous items.
Costs incurred by the local group were the purchase of a used van for pickups and deliveries, additional freezers and a commercial dehydrator. They also need to supplement their food supply by purchasing meat and other food products.
FoodMesh now has a group of approximately 30 volunteers who contribute over 70 hours of volunteer time each and every week. Justine Jenkins, who volunteers once a week, said she loves connecting with the people of our community and hearing their stories and seeing them leave with a smile.
“Doing this type of volunteering helps you begin to understand the complex needs of our community and where the gaps are. It is just overall rewarding.” She also said that the welcoming atmosphere at FoodMesh removes the stigma of needing help.
The various food departments pull products before their best-before dates and box them up. Food pickups at Buy-Low Foods are done Monday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons and then transported to the church kitchen for sorting. In the evening, another group of volunteers put out the food and welcome people as they register at the door. Limited space in the kitchen allows two households to shop at a time. There’s lots of quality food to choose from, consisting primarily of produce, dairy and bread. Friday’s food pickup is taken to Dawnview apartments where the food is distributed.
FoodMesh is not only operating in Kindersley; the network is made up of over 2,500 organizations. FoodMesh helps organizations waste less and feed more. Since 2017, this food recovery service has been assisting businesses in diverting the maximum volume of unsalable food away from landfills and onto the plates of people who need it.
The problem is that 58% of all food produced in Canada is never consumed, and 86% of that waste occurs along the supply chain. The good news is over 50% of that waste is avoidable and can be used by the one in eight families in our communities who are experiencing food insecurity. The FoodMesh organization acknowledges that there isn’t a food shortage problem; there is a connection problem, and that’s where FoodMesh comes in. Their mission is: “Waste less. Feed more. Save money.”
BY BRIAN ZINCHUK
Helium Evolution spuds first well in south central Saskatchewan, closes offering, agrees to farmout with North American Helium
McCORD – One more helium operator has put bit to ground in Saskatchewan, making it the third in recent years to begin drilling in Saskatchewan.
Helium Evolution Incorporated announced on June 28 it had spudded its first well at HEI 06-12-006-05W3M (“HEI-1”) on June 25. It joins North American Helium and Royal Helium in the drilling game in recent years.
The well is on the company’s 100 per cent owned and operated McCord property in southern Saskatchewan. The location is approximately 12 miles due east of McCord, Saskatchewan, north of the east block of Grasslands National Park.
Additionally, Helium Evolution has closed its non-brokered, brokered and strategic investor private placements announced on June 9. This raised aggregate gross proceeds of $6,918,200 through the issuance of 17,295,500 total units at $0.40 per unit.
First Well Spud at McCord Property
Drilling of HEI-1 is expected to take approximately 15 days from the spud date to reach total depth of approximately 2,670 metres targeting the Deadwood formation. This is the same formation other helium producers in Saskatchewan have targeted in initial exploration, and is the deepest sedimentary formation in southern Saskatchewan above the granitic Precambrian.
That’s key, because helium derives from the decay of uranium and thorium in the Precambrian rock.
The company said the HEI-1 well location targets a structural high, a geological characteristic typically associated with high concentrations of helium, and was selected based on detailed geological and geophysical seismic interpretation of the Deadwood formation. Offsetting wells have been drilled in the immediate area by other operators.
“Spudding our first well at McCord is another significant milestone for HEVI. The HEI-1 drill represents one of six locations already identified on the McCord property in our inaugural 2022 drilling campaign,” said Greg Robb, president and CEO of HEVI, in a release. “Our drilling program is a critical step in successfully proving up our acreage at McCord and supporting our broader commercialization plans. As a result of our farmout agreement, HEVI’s program will be complemented by North American Helium Inc. (“NAH“) drilling five, 100 per cent funded wells across other land blocks in HEVI’s portfolio, with the view to validating the prospective nature of our overall helium land base.”
North American Helium has been the most active helium developer in Saskatchewan to date, having drilled the most wells and having built a helium purification facility near Consul, Saskatchewan. CONTINUED
As announced on June 9, that farmout agreement will see NAH will drill a total of five wells, incurring 100 per cent of the drill expenditures, on three predetermined blocks of land in Saskatchewan comprising approximately 2.3 million acres located west of the third meridian. For each well, NAH shall have earned an 80 per cent operated interest in the section on which the well was drilled plus nine contiguous sections of land adjoining to the well, up to a maximum of 32,000 acres. The farmout agreement specifically excludes HEVI’s current drilling focus in the McCord area. Helium Evolution will retain a 20 per cent working interest in the earned lands and each successful well drilled by NAH. NAH must notify HEVI of its five drilling targets within six months following the execution date of the farmout
agreement, with a requirement to drill all five wells within 24 months. NAH must drill one well in each of the three blocks, with no more than three wells drilled in any given block.
“This farmout agreement with North American Helium truly sets us apart, as we are able to work with one of the helium industry’s leading operators, and to welcome them as a strategic equity investor,” said Robb in a June 9 press release. “Having this farmout agreement validates our original strategy to acquire sizeable acreage in Saskatchewan in regions featuring a high probability of helium reserves, while the offering allows HEVI to successfully fund the farmout arrangement with North American Helium and provides substantial financial flexibility to continue executing our overall strategy.”
Testing
Once drilling concludes on its first McCord well, the HEI-1 well will be completed over a 14-day period, during which the company will conduct flow testing. Preliminary results from the flow test are anticipated by the end of July, with further wells expected to be drilled predicated on the success of HEI-1. Since the spring of 2022, HEVI has also been advancing the engineering and design required for processing facilities while also engaging in discussions to secure an offtake agreement.
In connection with the entering into of the farmout agreement, HEVI and NAH have entered into a standstill agreement pursuant to which NAH will be subject to certain standstill restrictions relating to, among other things, the acquisition of HEVI securities for a 24-month period following completion of the offerings (as defined herein). In addition, HEVI and NAH have entered into a pro rata participation and board nomination agreement pursuant to which NAH will be permitted to maintain its pro rata undiluted percentage of HEVI common shares following completion of the offering for a 24-month period. Furthermore, should NAH’s ownership reach over 10 per cent in the next two years, NAH will have a right to appoint a nominee to the HEVI board of directors.
Private Placement
The press release described the private placement as such: Pursuant to the offering, HEVI issued: (i) 8,750,000 Units to NAH for total gross proceeds of $3,500,000 (the “Strategic Investor Private Placement”); (ii) 3,175,500 units via a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of $1,270,200; and (iii) 5,370,000 units via a brokered private placement with Peters & Co. Limited acting as sole bookrunner, for gross proceeds of $2,148,000.
Each unit is comprised of one common share of HEVI and one third of one common share purchase warrant with each whole warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one common share of the company at a price of $0.70 at any time on or before the date which is 24 months from today. If the 30-day volume weighted average trading price of the common shares on the TSX Venture Exchange is at or above $1.20 per common share, the company may accelerate the expiry date by giving notice thereof to the holders of the Warrants, and in such case the expiry date will be the day that is 30 calendar days after the date on which such notice is given by the company. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, the expiry date will be no less than six months from June 28.
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Loggerhead Shrikes: Busy times for the Butcherbird!
What is that raucous calling in the bushes? It may be a nest full of hungry Loggerhead Shrikes (a.k.a Butcherbirds)! While most chicks can be quite noisy at feeding time, these birds named for their shrieking call can take it to another level.
These migratory songbirds are a threatened species and Saskatchewan is an important part of their breeding range. They return to the Canadian prairies each spring from their wintering grounds in southern Texas and Mexico; and right now, their chicks are hatching and starting to leave the nest!
“Now is the best time to see Loggerhead Shrikes because the adults are constantly on the hunt to feed their ravenous chicks, and the chicks are getting brave to hop out of the nest to surrounding branches”, explains Rachel Ward, Habitat Stewardship Coordinator with Nature Saskatchewan. “They can frequently be seen sitting on a dead branch up high in a shrub as they are a sit-and-wait predator and will perch on a high vantage point before swooping down to grab prey”.
Loggerhead Shrikes are predatory songbirds and provide excellent natural pest control. In addition to their main diet of insects, they will also
eat mice, voles, frogs and even snakes. These tenacious birds will even attack and carry prey up to 129% of their own body weight! Unlike other birds of prey, shrikes do not possess the strong feet and talons necessary to hold their prey down and tear off pieces. To get around this, shrikes impale their prey on thorns or barbed-wire, and then use their hooked beak to tear off edible bits. “This adaptation of hanging up their prey is how they got the nickname Butcherbird,” says Rachel.
Loggerhead Shrikes are slightly smaller than a robin, with a white breast and belly, a grey back, and contrasting white markings on their black wings and tail. They also have a distinctive bold black eye “mask” and a black hooked beak. Loggerhead shrikes have a song composed of short bubbling trills, as well as a variety of rasps and clacks. However, the call they are best known for is the distinctive high pitched shriek they give when alarmed.
Nature Saskatchewan delivers a voluntary stewardship program called Shrubs for Shrikes that works with rural landowners to conserve this species at risk. They are asking anyone who sees a Loggerhead Shrike, or impaled prey, to call their toll free line at 1-800-667-4668
population. “Personal information is never shared without permission”, adds Rachel.
We welcome submissions to the newspaper! • Sports Score • Photos • Story Idea 306-463-2211 or email: kate@yoursouthwest.com YOUR SOUTHWEST MEDIA GROUP
Independent Grain and Special Crops Market Analysis
“Why did grain prices drop? Isn’t there a food shortage or expectations of shortages” I was asked these questions on Twitter.
Have you been asked this question?
Perhaps you have asked this question.
Commodity prices are notoriously volatile, and we search for an explanation for why the price moved against our position.
The explanations provided are lengthy and often include the weather in grain-growing regions, Australia’s bumper crop, reduced demand due to high prices, and the rising interest rates causing money to flow out of commodities.
While many of those expla-
nations are legitimate, some are noise created to explain and display knowledge. How do we process that information? What information is relevant? What can we ignore?
All this information makes my head hurt. So I try to keep things simple.
Keeping things simple leads me to consider applying Occam’s razor. Occam’s razor, also known as the principle of parsimony or the law of parsimony, is a theory of principle construction or evaluation, commonly described as “the simplest answer is most often correct.”
Occam’s razor resonates with me. Why overcomplicate things?
Take a look at the Durum wheat chart.
“Why did the price drop? It is simple. There have been more sellers than buyers. That is all we need to know.
https://www.klarenbach.ca/
Trent Klarenbach, BSA AgEc, publishes the Klarenbach Grain Report and the Klarenbach Special Crops Report, which can be read at
to help them monitor the
Adult Loggerhead Shrike and fledglings. | PHOTO BY BOYD COBURN
Henderson a Canadian hero 50 years ago
BY BRUCE PENTON Sports Columnist
was all over Facebook and Twitter: June, 2022, was exactly 50 years since the break-in at the Democratic Party’s headquarters at the Watergate Hotel in Washington, leading to the eventual resignation of President Richard Nixon. Those of a certain age remember it well, but did you also know that in June, 1972, Jack Nicklaus won his third U.S. Open, at Pebble Beach, and the next day, Greg Norman called him to see if he would accept $1,000 to play on a tour in Saudi Arabia?
OK, just joking about that last bit, but it’s interesting to look back at the world of sports in 1972 — a half-century ago — and see what observations we can make 50 years later.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats beat Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Grey Cup game that year. And don’t think it couldn’t happen again. Both teams are CFL contenders, and it wouldn’t be far-fetched to think those two clubs could make it to this year’s big show in November.
Los Angeles Lakers ran off a record 33-game win-
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ning streak in the NBA in 1972. Fifty years later, LeBron James of the Lakers averages 33 complaints per game about the officiating.
In June of 1972, the NHL was constructing a team to play the national (amateur) team from Russia in what would be known that September as the Summit Series. Paul Henderson, a late addition to the roster after finishing a distant 34th in the NHL scoring race in 1970-71, went on to score the most famous goal in Canadian hockey history.
Fifty years later, anyone born before 1960 probably still remembers where they were when Henderson beat Vladislav Tretiak on Sept. 28, 1972. Fifty years later, fans are still lamenting Henderson’s exclusion from the Hockey Hall of Fame. Baseball has changed in 50 years. Back then, there was no Designated Hitter. No one had heard of performance-enhancing drugs.
Roger Maris’s 61 homers was still a magical number. Hank Aaron was still chasing Babe Ruth’s career HR mark of 714. Vin Scully and Harry Caray were as well known as that year’s home-run leader Johnny Bench (40) or strikeout king Nolan Ryan (329).
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Perhaps the most profound sporting change from a Canadian viewpoint in the past 50 years has occurred in basketball. Even though the game was invented by a Canadian, James Naismith, there were no Canadians of significance in the league 50 years ago. After the Toronto Raptors were born in 1995, the sport flourished across the land. Steve Nash of Victoria is a two-time MVP. Two Canadians have been picked No. 1 overall in the NBA draft, Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett. Wiggins played a major role in Golden State’s NBA title run this spring. Twenty-five Canucks suited up with NBA teams this past season. How will the next 50 years play out? Who knows? But maybe Henderson will be in the Hockey Hall of Fame by then.
• Columnist Norman Chad, on Twitter: “Deshaun Watson supposedly booked massage appointments with 66 different women over 17 months. This sounds more damning than it really is. Heck, I have ordered 66 different items from the Cheesecake Factory menu over 17 months and no one’s blinked an eye.”
• Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times: “Major League Baseball will allow its teams to sell sponsorships to cannabis companies that market CBD products, the Sports Business Journal reported. ‘Spahn and Sain and Pray for Rain’ is about to be supplanted by ‘Cheech and Chong and Pass the Bong.’”
• Steve Simmons of SunMedia: “Canadian Chase Claypool recently declared himself to be a Top Three receiver in the NFL. And maybe math is not his best subject, considering he finished 53rd in catches last season in Pittsburgh and 35th in receiving yards. But it’s good to have confidence.”
• Lou Stagner (Golf Stat Pro), on Twitter: “I find it interesting they make PGA Tour players play in proams. Imagine if LeBron had to play a half-court pickup game against Brad from accounting the afternoon of
every home game.”
• RJ Currie of sportsdeke.com: “A British chef invented the Glamburger, the world’s most expensive burger at over $2,000 Canadian. If you’re wondering about the most expensive hot dog in history — Deion Sanders.”
• Headline at the onion. com: Phil Mickelson: ‘Taking Money From The Saudis Leaves Less Money For The Next 9/11’
• Another onion.com headline: “Nation Unable To Enjoy Baseball Without Dozens Of Pitchers Hitting .124”
• Headline at fark.com: “Trevor Lawrence says Jaguars building ‘something special’ under Doug Pederson —presumably a gallows trap door.”
• Dwight Perry agan: “USC and UCLA? They went Piscataway — er, thataway, off for greener pa$ture$ in the Big Ten.”
• Comedy writer Paul Lander, via Twitter: “USC and UCLA’s moving to the Big Ten, or, as it’s also known, The ATM.”
• Barrett Sallee of CBSsports.com: “Oregon has left the Pac-12 for the LIV Tour.”
Care to comment? Email brucepenton2003@yahoo.ca
ARIES (March 21 to April 19) You dislike waiting for promises to be fulfilled and for commitments to be kept, but resist your headstrong tendency to push things along. Your patience will be rewarded.
TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Expect continuing opposition to your plans from die-hard detractors. However, your determination to see things through will carry the day. A Pisces has romantic ideas.
GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) You might be too close to a troublesome workplace situation to deal with it successfully. Step away in order to get a better perspective. A solution soon becomes obvious.
CANCER (June 21 to July 22) You might suspect that someone you trust has misled you on an important matter, but a more balanced view of things reveals a misunderstanding to be the culprit.
LEO (July 23 to August 22) The Big Cat’s animal magnetism has rarely been stronger. You can either just bask in all that admiration or use it to your advantage, especially in the workplace.
VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Someone who previously balked at cooperating with you on a project suddenly has a change of heart. Accept both help and advice with grace.
LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Some hazy issues still need to be cleared up before you can move on with your new plans. A friend from the past reaches out to re-establish old ties.
SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Continued positive fall-out follows that risky workplace decision you made some time ago. Your payoff will soon prove to be more substantial than you expected.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) A personal relationship continues to be affected by a recent unexpected turn of events. Things need to work themselves out without finger-pointing.
CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) It’s a wonderful week for all you capricious Goats to kick up your heels with friends or family members in some well-earned fun and frivolity.
1. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is a female fox called?
2. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: How many stars were in the first American flag?
3. HISTORY: About how many slaves in the United States were free by the end of the Civil War?
4. TELEVISION: What was the name of the planet that Mork called home on “Mork & Mindy”?
5. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Which president was born on July 4?
6. U.S. STATES: How many major islands make up the state of Hawaii?
7. MOVIES: Which is the first non-English movie to win Best Picture at the Oscars?
8. GEOGRAPHY: Which is the largest continent in size?
9. LITERATURE: Which 19th-century novel’s subtitle is “The Modern Prometheus”?
10. FOOD & DRINK: What is nori?
2022 King Features Synd., Inc.
AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Caution is advised before making a financial commitment to someone you don’t really know. There are better ways to build friendships than with risky fiscal dealings.
PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Travel plans continue to be favored. A change of scenery brings new opportunities, both personally and professionally. Be open to the possibilities.
BORN THIS WEEK: You have a strong sense of loyalty that shows itself best in your relationships with family and friends.
(c) 2022 King Features Synd., Inc.
Trivia Test Answerst
1. Vixen; 2. 13, one for each colony; 3. 4 million; 4. Ork; 5. Calvin Coolidge; 6. Eight major islands and many small islets; 7. “Parasite,” 2020; 8. Asia; 9. “Frankenstein”; 10. Dried, edible seaweed
HOUSING UNITS AVAILABLE FOR RENT
The Macklin Housing Authority has Senior housing units in both single and double bedrooms available for rent immediately. The units include a fridge, stove, washer and dryer. Rent is based on income. Included in the rental charge are heat, water and sewer services. Tenants are responsible for electricity charges and are required to sign up with SaskPower for service. If you are looking for peace of mind, not having to worry about repairing your home or appliances, or having to cut grass and shovel snow, this is an excellent living arrangement for you.
& Professional Directory
ALSASK
Saturday, September 3
• Beer Olympics 3.0. Theme: Anything But A Human. For mor infomation contact Emily 306-430-8084 or Katina 306-430-1102 by text.
BROCK
Thursday, July 14
• Carolyn Mark and Oldseed perform at The Church 7:00 PM. Tickets $30. Call/text Heather at 306-4605710.
ESTON
Ongoing
Eston Lions Swimming Pool Summer Hours Public Swim
Monday-Friday 1:00-5:00 & 6:00-8:00 PM
Saturday & Sundays 1:00-8:00 PM Lane Swim
Monday, Wednesday & Friday 6:00 - 10:00 AM
Monday-Friday 5:00-6:00 PM
Wednesday, July 13
• Eston Wheatland Library Summer ProgrammingSock Puppet Day 3:00 - 4:30 PM. Making sock puppets, making puppet theatre, then children’s sock puppet plays.
Thursday, July 14
• Eston Riverside Regional Park 2022 Kidsport Mixed Golf Tournament. All proceeds go to Eston Kidsport. Contact Riverside Regional Park Golf Course for more info 306-962-3845.
• Eston Wheatland Library Summer ProgrammingQuiet Reading Day (all day)
Friday, July 15
• Eston Wheatland Library Summer ProgrammingStory/Craft Day 3:00 - 4:30 PM. Various stories and related or unrelated crafts.
Monday, July 18
• Eston Wheatland Library Summer ProgrammingLego Day 3:00 - 4:30 PM
Tuesday, July 19
• Eston Wheatland Library Summer ProgrammingQuiet Reading Day (all day)
Saturday, July 23
• Eston Museum Hot Dog and Drink Sales 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM (weather permitting) at the Museum. This is a museum fundraiser.
Friday, July 29 - Sunday, July 31
• Eston Riverside Slopitch Tournament. $200 per team. Cash Prizes! Ages 16+ To register contact Sherry at 306-962-7403 or brewerjs@sasktel.net
HOOSIER
Sunday Service
• Hoosier Community Church 10:30 am at the Community Hall. Contact Joel Hamm 306-460-7056 or Curtis Kornelson 306-460-7327.
KERROBERT
Ongoing
• Aquasizes daily Monday - Friday 11:30 am -12:00
noon
• Lane Swim and Water Walking daily 5:30-6:00 pm
• Library Storybook Trail
• Men’s Night is Thursdays at the Kerrobert Golf Course
• Ladies Night is Tuesdays at the Kerrobert Golf Course
Tuesday, July 5
• Park Program visits Museum
• Twoonie Tuesday at the Pool
• Free Swim sponsored by Nutrien Ag Solutions
Wednesday, July 6
• Park Program Poolside Park
Thursday, July 7
• Park Program visits Library (register at Pool)
Friday, July 8 - Saturday, July 10
• Kerrobert Rodeo
Sunday, July 10
• Free Swim sponsored by the Kerrobert Credit Union
Monday, July 11
• Dive Clinic (register at Pool)
Tuesday, July 12
• FREE Summer BBQ Tour sponsored by Access Communications 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM at the Curling
Rink Parking Lot
• Twoonie Tuesday at the Pool
• Mobile Playground (register at Pool)
Wednesday, July 13
• Park Program vists Siebens School of Dance
• Parents & Tots at the Library 3:00 PM
• Orphan Train Book Club 6:30 PM
Thursday, July 14
• Park Program visits Library (register at Pool)
Sunday, July 17
• Free Swim sponsored by Kerrobert Credit Union
Tuesday, July 19
• Park Program visits Groovy Do’s (register at Pool)
Wednesday, July 20
• Park Program visits Kerrobert Credit Union (register at Pool)
• Rabbit Foot Bill Book Club 6:30 PM
Thursday, July 21
• Free Swim sponsored by Nutrien. Drowning prevention activities at the Pool.
• Park Program visits Museum (register at Pool)
Sunday, July 24
• Free Swim sponsored by Kerrobert Credit Union
Tuesday, July 26
• Children’s Author Amber Antymnuik visits the Library at 10:30 AM
• Park Program - Yoga in the Park with Cindy
Wednesday, July 27
• Park Program visits Prairie Treasures (register at Pool)
Thursday, July 28
• Park Program visits the Library (register at Pool)
Tuesday, August 9
• Sprinkles the Clown visits the Library 3:30 PM
October 1
• Fall Market
October 7-10
• Community Celebration
November 3-5
• Prairieland Players Dinner Theatre
November 26
• Winter Market
December 2
• Town Christmas Party
Kerrobert United Church Summer Closure Dates: Starting July 3 until September 4, there will be no in-person services. A list of places to find online worship will be made available on the Kerrobert United Church Facebook page. The first service back will be September 11, 2022. Please call 306-834-7735 if you need to speak to someone from the church.
KINDERSLEY
Saturday, July 9
• Kindersley Flatlanders Speedway 2:00 pm Hobby Stock, Street Stock, Stock Trucks. $10 admission Friday & Saturday, July 22 & 23
• Kindersley Dirt Drags and Tractor Pulls Saturday, August 27
• Kindersley Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament September 22, 23. 24 and 25
• Goose Festival Days! Saturday, September 24
• Kindersley Flatlanders Speedway 3:00 pm Hobby Stock Invitational, Legends Touring Series, Wingless Sprints, Street Stock, Truck Stock. $10 admission. Sunday, September 25
• Kindersley Flatlanders Speedway 1:00 pm Hobby Stock Invitational, Legions Touring Series, Wingless Sprints, Street Stock, Truck Stock. $10 admission.
* Kindersley Clay Busters Trap Shooting every Wednesday (6:30 pm) and Sunday (2:00 pm) at the Kindersley Wildlife Federation Range. Your first round is on us, each round after that is $5. Contact Jeff Vass 306-460-5373 for more info.
* Kids Summer Camp at Kindersley Aquatic Centre “All Summer Long”. Open to ages 5-10 years. Outdoor games, drees-up days, treasure hunt, story telling, themed weeks and field trips. Lessons included! Pre registration required. For more info 306-4632081.
MACKLIN
July 22-24
• U18 Tier 3 and U13 Tier 4 Ball Provincials will be hosted at Macklin Regional Park.
MAJOR
Ongoing
• Major Play Pals Pre-School Bottle Fundraiser from June 1 to September 30. All funds will be put back into our pre-school program. Call Megan 780-2378077 or Bailey 403-700-7145 to make arrangements for pick up.
• Major Play Pals Pre-School is seeking toy donations. Please ensure your donations are clean, in good working order, not missing pieces and appropriate for ages 3 to 5. Call Megan 780-237-8077 or Bailey 403-700-7145 to make arrangements for pick up.
Sunday, August 7
• 100th Anniversary of St. Catherine’s Anglican Church at Prairiedale (south of Major). Following the service there will be a potluck supper at the Patton farm. BBQ Beef on a bun supplied by the Patton and Jeffries families. Please bring a salad or dessert. For more info call Murray 306-463-8028 or Delmer 306460-8739.
MISCELLANEOUS
Tuesday, July 19
• SK Prairie Conservation Action Plan presents July Native Prairie Speaker Series Free Webinar: Habitat selection and prey composition by great horned owls. Speaker: Victoria Hartley-Cox, Masters of Science Student, University of Regina @ 12:00 pm. Contact caitlinmroz@hotmail.com for more info.
