Category Archives: featured

featured, Loreburn

Down to a faithful few, Loreburn church closes its doors

Organist Ruth Rendall plays a piece from memory at the close of Loreburn United Church's final service on Nov. 6.
Organist Ruth Rendall plays a piece from memory at the close of Loreburn United Church’s final service on Nov. 6.

By Joel van der Veen

LOREBURN — When lightning struck the Loreburn United Church in May 1948, igniting a fire that destroyed the building, its members faced some difficult questions.

“I can only imagine the horror that went through everyone’s mind the night that happened,” said Keith Forrest, speaking to the congregation on Sunday.

“In the Christian faith the question always is ‘why.’ Why this church? Why now? Why would God let that happen?”

Before long, the church’s members — including Forrest’s father John — turned to the idea of rebuilding. In 1949 they built a new sanctuary on the same site, with people of all denominations throwing their support behind the project.

“The question ‘why’ turned out to be a positive,” said Forrest, “so this community could rally, rebuild and start all over again.”

Forrest himself noted the irony as he spoke to the crowd gathered for the church’s final service on Sunday.

While his father had played a large part in the church’s construction almost 70 years ago, he said, “I’m one of the people that has the honour of selling it.”

A service of closure was held at Loreburn United Church on Nov. 6, marking the end of a 98-year history.

Roughly 50 people were in attendance, virtually all of them middle-aged or older.

The crowd easily dwarfed the church’s usual attendance — between 10 and 15 people on a typical Sunday morning, and sometimes dipping into single digits, especially during the winter months.

Leaders said it is increasingly difficult to find volunteers to run programs or even maintain the building, with more work falling on fewer shoulders.

The church board made the decision several months ago to put the Loreburn building up for sale and amalgamate with Elbow United Church. (A call for tenders was issued in August but has so far been unsuccessful.)

The two churches already share a minister, Rev. Ursula Wiig, and recently they have held services on an alternating basis — one week in Elbow, the next week in Loreburn.

For the full story and more photos, please see the Nov. 14 edition of The Davidson Leader or call 306-567-2047 to subscribe today.

featured, Hanley

Hanley couple honoured at 70th anniversary party

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By Joel van der Veen

HANLEY —  They met at a dance at the Hanley Opera House, and after two years of courtship, the rest was history.

Family, friends and wellwishers filled the Hanley Centennial Hall last Saturday to celebrate a milestone anniversary for Roy and Lillian Tweet.

The Tweets were the guests of honour at a come-and-go party, marking exactly 70 years since their marriage on Nov. 5, 1946.

The event attracted visitors from as far as the Turks and Caicos Islands, as well as guests from North Carolina and Florida, and many from Canada’s Western provinces.

The happy couple was in good spirits during the party, welcoming their guests with smiles and hugs.

“It’s pretty awesome to have so many family and friends,” said Lillian. “I didn’t think it would be that many.”

For the full story, please see the Nov. 14 edition of The Davidson Leader or call 306-567-2047 to subscribe today.

Davidson, featured

Second dentist to join Davidson clinic

Dr. Tatiana Novoselova
Dr. Tatiana Novoselova

By Joel van der Veen

DAVIDSON — It’s been a long journey from Kyrgyzstan to Davidson for Dr. Tatiana Novoselova.

The dentist, who emigrated from the former Soviet state to Canada in 1997, is set to join Dr. Abe Chaukla at the Davidson Dental Clinic, practising there part-time.

Dr. Novoselova told the Leader that she has visited the clinic a couple of times, getting to know the staff and seeing what a typical day looks like.

“I’m looking forward to it,” she said. “I spent time in the office and I know what I am getting into.”

Her homeland of Kyrgyzstan was part of the U.S.S.R. until its breakup in 1991. The dentist was born and raised there, and enjoyed a stable upbringing with both of her parents employed.

But changes were on the horizon in the early 1990s, with economic instability on the rise, and ethnic and cultural tension building.

“I just saw no future for myself there,” she said. “I had my dreams and I didn’t see that I could fulfill them in the country at that time.”

For the full story, please see the Nov. 14 edition of The Davidson Leader or call 306-567-2047 to subscribe today.

Davidson, featured

Farmers scrambling to finish fall harvest

Harvest remains underway in the district as seen in this photo taken along Highway 44 about 15 km west of Davidson on Nov. 6.
Harvest remains underway in the district as seen in this photo taken along Highway 44 about 15 km west of Davidson on Nov. 6.

By Joel van der Veen

DAVIDSON — In a normal year, the crops would be in around Thanksgiving, and by November most farmers would already be looking ahead to the next season.

But 2016 hasn’t been a normal year.

“Snow in October just changes the whole ball game,” said farmer Daniel LePoudre. “We were just ready for harvest and came to a clean stop. . . That was a challenging spot.”

LePoudre is part of a four-member operation under the name LePoudre Bros., including his sons Nathaniel and Garrett, himself and David Gauthier.

Like many farmers in the district, he’s closing the book on a frustrating month.

A dump of wet snow during the first week of October put harvest on hold for many producers in the area.

Those who had yet to complete the harvest could make only limited progress, given the level of moisture, softer ground and lack of sunlight.

As of Nov. 1, the LePoudre Bros. had several hundred acres still waiting to be harvested, including canola — some straight-cut, some swathed — and some oats.

“We’ve been able to do a little bit of combining,” said Daniel last week. “The boys have to cut pretty close to the ground.”

For the full story, see the Nov. 7 edition of The Davidson Leader or call 306-567-2047 to subscribe today.

Davidson, featured, Sports

Cyclones open season with OT loss to Watrous

Josh Sim of the Davidson Cyclones and Craig McCallum of the Watrous Winterhawks battle for the puck during Wednesday's game.
Josh Sim of the Davidson Cyclones and Craig McCallum of the Watrous Winterhawks battle for the puck during Wednesday’s game.

By Joel van der Veen

DAVIDSON — A 4-3 loss in overtime to Watrous marked the start of the Davidson Cyclones’ regular season.

The team hosted the Winterhawks on Wednesday at the Communiplex with an estimated crowd of 140 in attendance.

Cyclones manager Kirk Johnson said it was a good showing, given that the team had no pre-season games and little time on the ice together.

“We had one practice in town together and we had one skate in the city,” he said, adding that the team is starting to “get the rust off and get going.”

He described Wednesday’s game as a back-and-forth competition, noting that the Cyclones were unable to take advantage of multiple power plays in the third period.

For the full story, see the Nov. 7 edition of The Davidson Leader or call 306-567-2047 to subscribe today.

Davidson, featured, Sports

Fourth high-point title for Sigfusson

Scott Sigfusson is pictured in action during Frontier Days in Swift Current. (Photo courtesy of Teresa Bellows)
Scott Sigfusson is pictured in action during Frontier Days in Swift Current.
(Photo courtesy of Teresa Bellows)

By Joel van der Veen

DAVIDSON — Another season of hard work paid off for local cowboy and rodeo champion Scott Sigfusson.

“I’m a super competitive person,” he told the Leader in late October. “You just hope to go out and do the best you can do and let the chips fall where they will.”

Sigfusson ended this season as the Canadian Cowboys Association (CCA) high-point champion, taking both the finals rodeo title in Swift Current and the year-end title.

This is his fourth time claiming the high-point title, which he earned for the first time in 2012 and now for three years running.

At the finals event he finished third in calf roping, fourth in steer wrestling and sixth in team roping.

The last event of the current season was the Manitoba Rodeo Cowboys Association (MRCA) finals, held the last weekend of October in Brandon.

There, Sigfusson finished the weekend as both tie-down roping champion and high-point champion, also competing in the steer wrestling and team roping events.

In total, he competed in roughly 70 events this year — enough to make the season feel like “a pretty big blur” by the end.

“It’s a super busy summer,” said Sigfusson, who turns 28 in December. “Weren’t very many days spent at home, that’s for sure.”

For the full story, see the Nov. 7 edition of The Davidson Leader or call 306-567-2047 to subscribe today.