Gregoire closes chapter on teaching career

Another school year is coming to an end for students and teachers at Davidson School this Wednesday, but this time the usual jubilation is tempered with heavy hearts.

Longtime Grade 1 teacher Norma Gregoire is retiring after spending the past 32 years at Davidson School. Gregoire said she had to retire sometime and this will give her more time to spend with her family.

“Although teaching has been my calling and I feel I could teach many more children to read, it’s the right time for me to retire,” said Gregoire. “I have a new grandson, Elliot, in Yorkton and my husband (Mark) is happy that I am going to spend more time with him.”

At the school’s annual awards presentation last Wednesday afternoon, current students at the school showed their appreciation for her help in teaching them how to read by lining up to give her one last hug.

“That was so amazing,” she said. “That wasn’t even planned and I fell apart. It is just amazing to get all those hugs.”

In addition to the hugs at the awards presentation, Gregoire was given a “memory box” that included notes from past and present students which detail the many wonderful moments they have spent in her care. A few hours later at the School Community Council’s annual end-of-year potluck supper, she was also presented with a honourary bookshelf filled with her favourite children’s books that would be placed in the Davidson School library.

“I love books,” said Gregoire. “One of the memories I got in that little memory box from one of my kids is a thank you for teaching (her) how to read books. I love children’s books and I love reading to kids. It couldn’t have been a better gift.”

In a funny way, the bookshelf actually serves as a bookend to Gregoire’s career. After graduating from Brandon University in Brandon, Manitoba, in the mid-1970s she was presented with the Grolier of Canada Award, which was given to one graduate at each education department in a Canadian university for being the most promising teacher to be. The award was three sets of encyclopedias in a bookcase, so it seems her career has come full circle.

To read more please see the June 24 print edition of The Davidson Leader.

Johner brings Boys to Elbow

Brad Johner and the Johner Boys are set to rock Elbow this Canada Day.

Johner said fans heading to the Elbow Rink for the before-fireworks concert can expect a “fun” country and pop show that could feature as many as five of his boys and one of their friends up on stage with him at the same time. He said the Johner Boys first joined him on stage last year for 25 concert dates and this year would see them perform together close to 60 times.

“We’ll do some of my stuff and the boys do their own music as well,” said Johner. “It’s a nice variety and it’s a nice family show. I do some classic country songs. I do some of my songs that have been on the radio for the past 20 years and then the boys do some covers like Bruno Mars, Jason Mraz and Michael Jackson. It’s just a lot of fun stuff.”

The Johner Boys are Brad’s sons Aidan, 8, Matthew, 11, Quinn, 15, Jesse, 17, and Lucas, 19, and their friend Simon, 19. Aidan and Matthew play piano, Quinn dabbles in electric guitar, piano and lead and harmony vocals, Jesse hits the drums, and Lucas plays piano and sings lead and harmony, while Simon is a bass and electric guitar player.

Johner, a fixture on the country music scene in Canada and Saskatchewan since 1991, said he loves taking the stage with his boys and the boys appreciate the opportunity to get out and play some music as well. The four-time Juno nominee and 2007 Canadian Country Music Association male artist of the year said there are not a lot of venues out there right now for kids to take the stage, so using his job as an entertainer to help them get a start is very rewarding.

“It is kind of unheard-of for young people to go out and start playing music and doing concerts on a full-time basis, so they really appreciate that idea that they can go out and play with me,” he said. “I’ve been doing this all my life, so I sort of know what I’m doing and they just like coming along and learning how to do it. They have a great time meeting people and travelling and we all have a good time.”

Johner said after their touring schedule slows down at the beginning of the school year in September, he and his boys are going to be heading into the recording studio “when we have time” to record their first album together. He said until then they’re just going to be continually hitting stages across the province and the country while trying to enjoy their time together.

“It’s real fun playing with the boys. We’ve worked hard the last year getting our sound down and the boys are learning how to play on stage. They’ve come along really well and the response from the public has been great.”

Winds wreck hangar

Strong winds Thursday morning destroyed a hangar at Davidson’s Airport.
While the wind was still raging, between 9 and 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Charles Deaver said he received a phone call informing him that a piece of metal siding had blown off the hangar that houses two of his planes.
Deaver set out for the local airport, but in the minutes it took him to get there, the building was down.
Both planes were damaged. Deaver said the wind pushed one plane into a skid steer he stored in the hangar, bending the plane’s stabilizer in the process. Another plane received some damage when the wind lifted it up and onto the other plane.
Deaver said he is able to repair the planes, however, the hangar didn’t fair so well.
“I put the building up last November, so it didn’t last long,” he said. “It’s just one of those things that happens.”

Locals find high ground in Calgary

Many people in Davidson and district were making phone calls Thursday evening, checking on the safety of family and friends in the wake of severe flooding in southwestern Alberta.
As many as 100,000 people were expected to be evacuated from Calgary neighbourhoods as the Bow and Elbow rivers surged, spilling their banks.
A large rainfall, as much as 150 millimetres in certain areas caused widespread flooding in the foothills and southern Alberta.
Betty Low said she spoke to her son Shane, who lives in the Discovery Ridge neighbourhood in southwestern Calgary, Thursday night.
Betty said when Shane returned home from work at about 4 p.m. Thursday, they were in the midst of evacuating his neighbourhood. He was allowed to go into his condominium unit to pack a suitcase and was advised to get enough belongings to last about 72 hours.
A video on YouTube shows water pouring into the underground parkade of a building in his development as people attempted to drive their vehicles through the 1- to 2-metre deep water.
Betty said Shane’s building is two over from the one shown in the video. As of Friday morning, the extent of the damage in the area was not known, however, Shane was advised to expect the underground parking lot to be flooded.
Betty said she was relived to hear that Shane was safe and sound. He is currently staying at a friend’s place until he is able to return home.

obitKolinsky, Madeline

Madeline Kolinsky (Stahl)
1916-2013

With great sadness we announce the passing of our awesome mother, proud Nan and loving great Nan at St. Joseph’s Home, Saskatoon, Sask. She was formerly from Bruno, Sask. and Davidson, Sask.
Mom was a loving and caring person and will be missed and always remembered by daughters Merle (Lorne) Manion and Myra Ouellette (Daryle); grandchildren Donnie Manion, Shayne (Diana) Manion and Troy Kolinsky and great-grandchildren Montana Manion and Shay Manion. She was predeceased by her husband Jack Kolinsky in 1951.
The Link of the Chain has been broken.
A private family service of remembrance will be held with Rev. Father Joseph Ackerman, OBS, officiating.
For friends so wishing memorials in memory of Madeline may be directed to the Sask. Alzheimer’s Association, 1405 Falkner Crews., Saskatoon, Sask., S7L 3R5. Hanson’s Funeral Home, Davidson, Sask. was in care of arrangements.

obitFleming, Keith

Lloyd Keith Fleming
1932-2013
Lloyd Keith Fleming passed away peacefully on Tuesday, June 11, 2013 at the age of 80 years. He was predeceased by his parents Marion and Lloyd Fleming and son-in-law Brent Ruholl. He is survived by his loving wife Albena of 56 years; children Teresa (Mark) Wegner and family Michael and Brian; Murray (Marie Line) Fleming; Joanne Ruholl and son Mitch; Bradley (Patricia) Fleming and family Justin, Chris and Michael and great-grandchildren Carson, Kayleigh and Abbey.
Keith was in the Air Force, then moved to Craik and was the grocery manager at the Co-op store until he retired.
The funeral was held at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Craik, Sask. on June 15 at 4 p.m. with Father Eusebio Tubale presiding. Interment will be held at a later date. Hanson’s Funeral Home of Davidson in care of arrangements.