Davidson, Sports

Double win for jr. boys and girls over Outlook

Davidson’s Noah Schneider heads to the basket during a junior boys basketball game against Outlook on Tuesday.

By Joel van der Veen

DAVIDSON —  A deep bench is paying deep dividends for Davidson’s junior boys basketball team this season.

Coach Garrett Bailey said the team has roughly 16 players in grades 7 through 9.

With such a large roster, he said, “We’ve had to split them up a little bit for some games.”

On Wednesday the Davidson Raiders hosted the Outlook Blues, one of their two competitors in their section.

Knowing they were up against a weaker team, Bailey said he used the opportunity to put some of his younger players on the court.

Even so, Davidson handily won the game, leading 23-10 after the second quarter and finishing with a score of 59-21.

Hunter Herback was the only Grade 9 player on the court for Davidson. This was just his second game of the season, as he had injured his ankle just before Christmas.

Herback — at 6’2”, the tallest player on the team — was the top scorer with 25 points, including a trio of three-point shots.

Gavin Arend scored 13 points, while Donta Desjarlais scored a total of seven points including a three-point shot.

Bailey said the team has a 3-3 record for the season so far.

This includes the games played in a home tournament co-hosted with the junior girls on Dec. 15 and 16, in which the boys suffered somewhat due to the absence of some key players.

“A lot of our better players are hockey players, too,” said Bailey, adding, “We’ve still been pretty strong against most teams.”

Junior girls

Following the boys’ game, the Davidson junior girls played Outlook, defeating the Blues 47-20.

Halle Herback and Tolu Arowolo led the scoring for Davidson with 10 points each.

Leila McDonnell and Mya Charette scored eight points each, while DJ Anderson added seven points to the tally, including one-three point shot.

Joell Tiffin, who coaches the team with Karrie Stamnes, said they have close to 20 girls in grades 7 through 9 playing this year.

“It’s the biggest team we’ve had since (we) started,” she said. “We’re learning a lot at every practice and applying it at games . . . It’s just a fun group of girls.”

The team is a younger group, with about half of the players in Grade 7.

The sectional playoff final for both the boys and girls teams will be held on Feb. 6. The winners of those games move on to West Central District finals on Feb. 14.

Davidson, featured

New bylaw surprises business owners

Pictured is Davidson’s town hall.

By Joel van der Veen

DAVIDSON — After more than three decades in business, Debbie Doell figures she’s paid her fair share of bills.

As the owner of Golden Image Jewelry, she has a wide range of expenses to cover.

Besides the cost of inventory, she pays for utilities, insurance and security services, as well as wages for herself and two casual employees.

As the owner of her building on Davidson’s Washington Avenue, she’s also on the hook for commercial property taxes — roughly $2,500 a year.

Doell learned last week that she’ll soon receive another bill from the Town of Davidson: $100 for a mandatory business license.

A new bylaw, which took effect Jan. 1, requires all businesses in Davidson — whether they’re located in the business district, the industrial park or in somebody’s basement — to purchase a license on an annual basis.

Doell said she’s upset at what she views as a penalty against herself and other business owners.

“You shouldn’t be penalizing the mortar-and-brick businesses,” she said. “They should be finding ways to encourage us and keep us going.”

Business owners in Davidson are reacting with some surprise to Bylaw 778, also known as the “Business Licensing Bylaw.”

Town council approved the draft at its Nov. 21 meeting. A single vote paved the way for the draft to become law, taking effect on Jan. 1, 2018.

Storefront businesses are required to purchase a license at a cost of $100, while home-based businesses — ranging from accountants to travel agents — will be charged $50.

Self-employed contractors will pay $100 a year for licenses, while contractors with employees will be charged $250.

Visiting salespeople will also be required to purchase licenses. Both transient traders and direct sellers — those selling over the phone or door-to-door — will be charged $100.

According to a town pamphlet, the bylaw is intended “to regulate businesses, ensure compliance with land use and building regulations, gather land use information and facilitate planning decisions.”

Continue reading New bylaw surprises business owners →

Davidson, featured

Wheelchairs arrive at Davidson health centre

Members of the Knights of Columbus Council 5384 delivered six wheelchairs to the Davidson Health Centre on Dec. 21. Making the presentation (at right) are Larry Packet, Grand Knight Brian Hanson and Nick Anton. Accepting the donation are (at left) care team manager Cathy Hinther and assistant head nurse Ashley Anderson.

By Joel van der Veen

DAVIDSON — Patients will be hitting the hallways of the Davidson Health Centre in some sleek new wheels, thanks to a recent donation.

Members of the Knights of Columbus Council 5384 visited the centre on Dec. 21 to present a total of six wheelchairs, for use by patients at the facility.

Care team manager Cathy Hinther and assistant head nurse Ashley Anderson were on hand to accept the donation with gratitude.

Hinther said the wheelchairs were much needed — in particular, the two child-sized chairs, which the hospital had not previously had.

“We’re just so appreciative of the donation,” she said last week. “It was such a nice Christmas gift for us.”

The delivery also included two medium-sized chairs and two large-sized chairs.

Having the various sizes available makes it much easier for the staff to respond to the needs of individual patients, Hinther said.

The wheelchairs feature a distinctive red-and-black colour scheme that also makes them easy to spot and identify, she added.

The chairs, which will replace some older models, will be kept in the outpatient department and used to transport patients back and forth between various areas of the health centre.

The donation was a co-operative effort between the local K of C council and the Canadian Wheelchair Foundation, who split the cost 50/50. Continue reading Wheelchairs arrive at Davidson health centre →

featured, Kenaston, Loreburn, Sports

Blizzards squeak by with 6-5 win over 19ers

Kenaston’s Chris Prpich and Loreburn’s Carter Norrish battle for the puck during Wednesday’s senior hockey game at the Kenaston Arena.

By Joel van der Veen

KENASTON — The Kenaston Blizzards held on Wednesday night to claim a narrow win over the Loreburn 19ers at home.

Though the Blizzards took an early lead and were ahead 5-1 by the second period, the 19ers made an impressive recovery in the latter half.

Four goals put Loreburn within spitting distance of the lead, but Kenaston prevailed to claim a 6-5 win.

It was their first game of 2018, and only their second win of the regular season.

“We got kind of undisciplined,” said Blizzards coach Mike Hertz, noting that a string of penalties in the second period for his team allowed Loreburn to take advantage. “It got a little hairy at the end.”

With a 2-10 record for the season so far, Kenaston is in a three-way tie with Loreburn and Elrose for last place in the Saskatchewan Valley Hockey League.

Hertz acknowledged that it’s been a challenging year for the Blizzards on multiple fronts: “We’ve been dealing with a lot of stuff.”

Chief among these was the death of longtime coach and player Dean Blenkinsop on Dec. 7, following a long battle with cancer.

The Blizzards had opened their season on Oct. 28 with a ceremony honouring Blenkinsop, prior to their first game.

Upwards of 350 people, including Dean and his wife Michelle, were in attendance as the team unveiled a banner with his name and number.

“He was touched and honoured,” said Hertz. “I think he was surprised a little bit with the outpouring.”

Continue reading Blizzards squeak by with 6-5 win over 19ers →

Dundurn, featured, Sports

Car club buys jerseys for Dundurn peewees

Members of Dundurn’s peewee Wolfpack are sporting brand new hockey jerseys this season thanks to the Saskatoon Antique Auto Club. The club donated $1,000, a portion of proceeds from the 2014 SuperRun, to Dundurn Minor Hockey to purchase the much-needed sweaters. Pictured are (front left) Bud Small, president of the Saskatoon Antique Auto Club and Norm Mowles, Dundurn resident and car club member, along with members of the peewee Wolfpack with coach Gaetan Blouin (rear left) and assistant coach Dave Dowll (far right).

By Tara de Ryk

DUNDURN — Hockey players for Dundurn’s peewee Wolfpack are sporting spiffy new jerseys courtesy of antique car buffs.

The Saskatoon Antique Auto Club has purchased a set of jerseys for the minor hockey team.

The donation was made possible due to the Western Canadian car show SuperRun, an annual car show held during the August long weekend that rotates between Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

The majority of the proceeds from SuperRun go to Camp Easter Seal, however, after the 2014 SuperRun in Saskatoon, organizers found themselves with extra funds. They decided that each participating car club in Saskatchewan, nine in total, would get $1,000 to donate to a charity of their choice.

Dundurn resident Norm Mowles, a past-president of the Saskatoon Antique Auto Club, made a pitch for his club’s $1,000 to go to the Dundurn Minor Hockey Association.

“I know from putting my youngest through minor hockey in Dundurn, it was tough,” he recalls of the costs of running a program.

Dundurn Minor Hockey decided to use the funds to buy jerseys for the peewee hockey team. The jerseys are a brilliant blue colour with the Wolfpack logo on the front and a Saskatoon Antique Auto Club crest on the sleeve.

This is the first peewee team in Dundurn in a few years.

Coach Gaetan Blouin said, in recent years, they haven’t had enough players to form a team, however, the population in the area is growing and the association hopes to field a bantam age team next season and possibly a midget team after that.

Besides players from Dundurn and area, kids from Hanley and Allan are also on the team.

Aylesbury, Craik, Obituary

Obituary: Amundrud, Cletus

Amundrud, Cletus Erling 

It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of Cletus Erling Amundrud on Friday, December 15, 2017 at the Dr. F. H. Wigmore Regional Hospital in Moose Jaw. We felt comfort in knowing that he knew all of his immediate family had gathered by his bedside for his final journey just before his passing. 

He was the youngest of seven children born into the Joseph and Ada (Pratt) Amundrud family. He was born on NE-8-23-27 W2nd at Aylesbury, Saskatchewan on October 5, 1930. He always said he didn’t grow to be a big man because it was the beginning of the Dirty Thirties and he had to fight to get his food from his older siblings. He attended school in Aylesbury and then helped his father on the farm. 

Later he went to Calgary, Alta., and got a job putting up ice into boxcars that was shipped for refrigeration purposes. After that, he got a job working for an electrician and wired the main post office in Calgary. Later on, he came back to the Craik area and worked for Bert Wildfong on his farm, followed up with delivering fuel for the Craik Co-op.

It was at work where he met the love of his life, Celestina (Sal) Krassman, as she was the Co-op grocery store cashier. They got married on a beautiful, warm day on November 15, 1954. In the spring of ’56, they rented the Stevens’ farm, which is 1.5 miles west of Aylesbury, and where their large home still stands. He served on the local farm club executive, the snowplow club and the local Co-op board. 

He was one of the founding members of the Palliser Wheat Growers’ Association and the Canadian Custom Combiners’ Association. They worked very hard on their mixed farm with their three sons and their farm grew to a substantial size. They went custom combining in the U.S. for several years. 

Cletus continued to actively farm until 2007, which was the year he was very honoured to receive the Century Farm Award. Cletus and Sal enjoyed retirement on the farm and grew a large garden every year and looked after their beautiful yard. They loved entertaining their friends and family in their comfortable home. They also enjoyed their weekly trips to Moose Jaw to do some shopping and some relaxation at the casino.

He was predeceased by his parents Joseph and Ada Amundrud; brothers Addis, Ellwyn and Dale; sister Lela McInnes; parents-in-law Louis and Agatha Krassman; brothers-in-law John Vopni, John Kunkel, Ron McInnes, Albert Mills, Vic Krassman, Garry Krassman, and Doug Simpson; sisters-in-law Mary Amundrud and Daisy Amundrud. 

He is survived by his sisters Leona Kunkel of Davidson and Phyllis Mills of Bengough. He is also survived by sisters-in-law Dorothy Amundrud of Melville, Irene Krassman of Davidson, and Monica Simpson of Red Deer, Alta. He is survived by numerous nephews, nieces, loving friends and neighbours who thought the world of him. 

Cletus is survived by his loving family: Celestina (Sal), three sons: Guy Cletus (Janice) of Saskatoon, Alan Russell of Craik, and Brian John of Kobe, Japan; seven grandchildren, two step-grandchildren, and numerous great-grandchildren. 

As per his wishes, Cletus’ memorial service will be held on July 26, 2018 in Aylesbury Hall when it is easier for his family and numerous friends to be together to celebrate his life. Funeral services will be provided by Hanson’s Funeral Services of Davidson, Sask.

The Davidson Leader, Davidson, Saskatchewan