Davidson, featured

Panther breaks new ground, loading lentils for area buyer

Employees at Panther Industries loaded the company's first railcar of lentils for Saskatoon-based Alawa Foods on Nov. 15.
Employees at Panther Industries loaded the company’s first railcar of lentils for Saskatoon-based Alawa Foods on Nov. 15.

By Joel van der Veen

DAVIDSON — Panther Industries is breaking into new territory, thanks to a partnership with Saskatoon-based Alawa Foods.

Staff at the company’s Davidson plant loaded their first railcar of locally-grown lentils for Alawa on Nov. 15.

General manager Clayton Schneider said Panther was looking to expand beyond its current offerings, which include distribution for the oil and gas industries, custom packaging and manufacturing of wooden pallets.

“We were just looking at different ways of diversifying,” he said.

The plant is outfitted with a transloading station that can move goods from truck to rail or vice versa.

Several months ago, Schneider began discussions with Alawa Foods CEO Heidi Dutton Weber about using Panther as a transload station.

Alawa has been in operation for roughly a year and a half. Company officials were interested in doing business with local producers, but needed a location to transfer crops into railcars.

Dutton Weber, a 15-year veteran of the pulses industry, said the company saw room for more competition in the area. Their current focus is on red lentils.

Alawa is currently constructing a 30,000 square-foot pulse processing facility at Vanscoy, with plans to begin operations there by the fall of 2017.

Feedback from producers has been positive since the first railcars went out from Panther, and Dutton Weber said they’re open to talking to others.

“We’re ready to engage other producers in the area,” she said. “Our hope is to give them another choice to help market their grain.”

For the full story, please see the Dec. 5 edition of The Davidson Leader or call 306-567-2047 to subscribe today.

Davidson, Loreburn, Sports

Sr. boys and girls host LCBI to begin basketball season

Davidson’s Elena Nykiforuk attempts to stop LCBI’s Maia Jorgensen during a senior girls basketball game on Wednesday.
Davidson’s Elena Nykiforuk attempts to stop LCBI’s Maia Jorgensen during a senior girls basketball game on Wednesday.

DAVIDSON — Basketball season began Wednesday at Davidson School as both the senior boys and girls hosted teams from Outlook’s Lutheran Collegiate Bible Institute (LCBI).

The senior boys easily triumphed over the LCBI Bisons. The Raiders led 39-21 at the end of the second quarter and finished with a score of 85-45.

Andrew Read was the high scorer for Davidson with 26 points, also racking up 17 rebounds and five assists.

Parker Smith scored 16 points and Mark Rettger, who recently returned to Davidson, added 13 points to the tally. These included a successful three-point shot for both players.

The senior girls began the afternoon with a tight game against the Lady Bisons.

The Raiders led 21-20 at the halfway point, but LCBI pulled ahead and maintained a slim lead for most of the second half, winning 40-37.

Two players from Loreburn led the scoring for the Raiders. Merkayle Lakinger scored 12 points, while Tori Rendall had six points.

For the full story and more photos, please see the Dec. 5 edition of The Davidson Leader or call 306-567-2047 to subscribe today.

 

Bladworth, Obituary

Obituary: Butler, Howard

web-obit-butlerHOWARD E. BUTLER

Howard Eldred Butler passed away peacefully with family by his side on Friday, November 25, 2016 at Royal University Hospital. Howard is survived by his wife Betty; son Gord (Karen) Butler; daughters Linda (Stan) Schneider and Michelle (Ron) Richards; grandchildren Jennifer (David) Price, Jessica (Geoff) Raycraft, Jenise and Kristina Schneider (fiancé TJ King), Shyla and Addison Richards; two great-grandchildren Aurora and Orion Price; brother Lawrence Butler (Teresa) and numerous nieces, nephews and extended family. Howard was predeceased by his son Joe Butler; parents Norman and Janet Butler; and siblings Florence, Gertrude, Janet, Art, Clarence, Harold, Ken and Pearl. Howard was born on the family farm in Bladworth, Sask., on April 2, 1932 where he farmed with his father until purchasing land in the Grasswood district south of Saskatoon in 1964. He married Betty in 1969 and they continued on with the family farm both in Saskatoon and Bladworth, until renting out the land in 1994. They fully retired in 2008 aside from a handful of cows that Howard kept in Saskatoon. He was a proud cattle and grain farmer and was always willing to offer advice. Howard enjoyed baseball, hockey and especially curling throughout his lifetime and was a member of the Nutana Curling Club for over 40 years. He would often be spotted behind the glass cheering on family and friends alike, eager to replay the 7th end over a coffee or a cocktail. Howard and Betty moved into Saskatoon in 2012 and recently to Luther Riverside Terrace. Howard will always be lovingly remembered for his welcoming smile and open home whether you were a friend for a day or a lifetime. There will be a viewing on Tuesday, November 29, 2016 from 7:00 -8:00 p.m. at Park Funeral Chapel (311 – 3rd Avenue North). A Celebration of Howard’s Life was held on Wednesday, November 30, 2016 at 12:00 p.m. at Prairieland Park, Hall B (503 Ruth Street West). Memorial donations in Howard’s memory will be accepted for the Royal Canadian Legion’s Poppy Fund. Condolences and to share your memories of Howard, visit www.parkfuneral.ca “Obituaries.” Arrangements entrusted to Derryl Hildebrandt, Park Funeral Chapel, 306.244.2103.

Hanley, Obituary

Obituary: Haraldson, Neeta

Neeta Haraldson
Neeta Haraldson

Neeta Haraldson
October 15, 1924 — November 25, 2016

Neeta, age 92, passed away at RUH after a severe stroke. Neeta was born Elta Neeta Trask, the youngest of seven children to Commodore and Elta (Neet) Trask in Harris, Sask., and raised in Hanley, Sask. After high school, she worked in the post office and Royal Bank before marrying Jack (John) Haraldson on March 16, 1947 and moving to his farm southwest of Hanley. She raised five children on the farm while growing a large garden and being very involved in the community, particularly the Hanley United Church (organ player, Sunday School teacher, CGIT leader, UCW “circle” member). Neeta was a life member of the Royal Canadian Legion Ladies Auxiliary. She enjoyed curling, golf and accompanying soloists and choirs. In 1985, Jack and Neeta moved from the farm to a house in town, and then she moved to Luther Tower (Saskatoon) in 2013 when Jack moved to Luther Care Home. Neeta is survived by three children, Wendy (Ron) Obrigavitch of PA, Ed (Patti) Haraldson of Outlook and Charlotte Carroll of Toronto; seven grandchildren, Greg (Tracee) Obrigavitch, Erin Reimer, Jeremy (Aimee) Reimer, Sean Haraldson, Troy (Ashley) Haraldson, John Carroll, Emily Carroll; and eight great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband, Jack; six siblings; daughter Lorna Reimer; and son Grant Haraldson. Memorial donations may be made to Hanley United Church. A Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Dec. 12, 2016 at Hanley Centennial Hall in Hanley, Sask. Arrangements in care of John Schachtel — Mourning Glory Funeral Services, 306-978-5200, www.mourningglory.ca.

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Bladworth, Davidson, featured, Sports

A Grey Cup to call their own

Cliff (51, left) and Wayne Shaw (50) pose with their father Edwin "Mud" Shaw after winning the Grey Cup with the Saskatchewan Roughriders at Vancouver's Empire Stadium on Nov. 26, 1966.
Cliff (51, left) and Wayne Shaw (50) pose with their father Edwin “Mud” Shaw after winning the Grey Cup with the Saskatchewan Roughriders at Vancouver’s Empire Stadium on Nov. 26, 1966.

By Joel van der Veen

BLADWORTH — Being a Roughrider fan in the 1960s was, in the words of Ron Bessey, “basically the way it is now — wild and woolly.”

Five decades into its existence, the team had yet to bring home the Grey Cup, even after reaching the championship eight times.

They’d ended the 1959 season with a 1-15 record, still the worst in the team’s history. After that, there was nowhere to go but up.

The Riders steadily improved through the decade, and the 1966 season was their best in many years — a 9-6-1 record, and a win over Winnipeg in western conference finals.

As they made their way to Vancouver for the Grey Cup final in November, the team knew they were still fighting an uphill battle.

“We were the underdogs,” said outside linebacker Wayne Shaw.

Indeed, the Ottawa Rough Riders were so heavily favoured to win that the TV networks had set up cameras in Ottawa’s dressing room on Saturday afternoon.

But the banner headline on Monday’s Leader-Post told the story: WEST RIDERS BEST.

Saskatchewan had its first Grey Cup with a 29-14 win over Ottawa.

Roughrider history was made on Nov. 26, 1966, and two boys from Bladworth — Wayne and his brother Cliff — were part of it.

For the full story, please see the Nov. 28 edition of The Davidson Leader or call 306-567-2047 to subscribe today.

The Davidson Leader, Davidson, Saskatchewan