A great number of Davidson’s children lined its streets earlier this month to demand a safe environment for abused kids and applaud the work of a prospective motorcycle organization with a goal of ensuring this right as they paraded by.

The kids were cheering on the Child Abuse Motorcycle Awareness Ride that made a stop in Davidson Aug. 16 to travel up and down its roads in a parade led by Mayor Clayton Schneider. The 19 Regina-based bikers who took part in the ride from the Queen City to Saskatoon are striving to become the second Canadian chapter of Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA) to go along with BACA Saskatoon.

“This is outstanding,” said Ron “Trouble” Frigon, as he surveyed the many children who played together in Arnold Park after the motorcycle parade had ended moments earlier. “This is more than we imagined.”

BACA is a non-profit organization that was formed in 1995 in Utah to rally a community there to support a wounded child. The body of bikers who work in conjunction with authorities to protect children has expanded from this first group to include chapters across the United States as well as in Australia, Italy, France, Germany, Netherlands and Canada.

The sight of a strong group of burly leather-clad bikers riding in formation though a small town evokes images of the outlaw bike gangs found in “The Wild One” or “Sons of Anarchy” and the parade down Main Street in Davidson under an overcast sky was no different. The light that dispelled this notion was the young kids lining Washington Avenue waving their arms in support as the throng of bikers roared past.

“This all is just people that are for the cause of child abuse awareness,” said Frigon. “It’s a worthy ride. It’s a worthy cause and you know the ride makes people aware.”

Schneider said the BACA cause of empowering children to not be afraid of the world they live in is one that is very dear to his heart. He said it was thus “an honour” to be able to lead the parade through Davidson.

To read more please see the August 25 print edition of The Davidson Leader.

A farm shop break-in near Hanley has prompted a constable with the Outlook detachment of the RCMP to remind people to be vigilant when encountering strangers.

During the early morning hours of Aug. 10 a truck entered a farm located in the Rural Municipality of Rudy. Its occupants broke into a shop at the farm where they stole several items including wrenches, bench clamps and an orbital sander before getting away.

Outlook RCMP Constable Elliot Chubak said a resident of the property discovered the robbery in progress and when he shone a light into the Quonset the crooks took off. He said the robbers managed to steal under $5,000 worth of items before they fled.

Chubak said the resident did not get a good look at the get-away truck and they have no leads at this point. He said this could be different if people report suspicious vehicles to police when they are first encountered.

“The people that do this usually go out scouting first and drive by, go into the yard and ask for directions,” said Chubak. “It’s very important to try and get a plate number and a description.”

This information gives authorities something to look at right away in an investigation, he said, so people should report anything suspicious in the area from strangers selling bibles to asking for hunting information to police.

“It’s a great start for people to notice anybody coming in asking for something just to get a plate number.”

If anyone has any information about the Aug. 10 break-in, the Outlook RCMP is asking them to contact the detachment or Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers.

A beautiful bay on the east shore of Lake Diefenbaker has a new name.
June 24, the provincial government named Cooper Bay, located at 51°9’36” North Latitude 106° 45’ 5” West Longitude, in honour of Clarence Owen Cooper.
That Cooper Bay is just north of Tufts Bay near Elbow seems fitting because both bays’ namesakes were proponents of the South Saskatchewan River Project and development of the Gardiner Dam and Lake Diefenbaker.
Cooper served as vice president of the Saskatchewan River Development Association while Dr. Wm. Tufts served as the organization’s president.
“It’s an honour to have something named after him,” says Tim’s son Gerry Cooper.
He’s proud his father’s work in promoting the Saskatchewan River dam project is recognized.
Clarence Owen (Tim) Cooper was from Hawarden, where he was a former councillor and reeve of the R.M. of Rosedale from 1941 to 1958. In 1958 Cooper turned his attention to federal politics running in the Rosetown-Biggar riding as the progressive conservative candidate. Cooper defeated CCF leader M.J. Coldwell. He represented the Rosetown-Biggar constituency under John Diefenbaker from 1958 to 1965, all the while promoting the South Saskatchewan River Project.
Gerry said his dad promoted the dam project in his maiden speech in the House of Commons.
“As soon as the Diefenbaker government got in they started pushing for it,” Gerry said.
Construction of the dam began in 1959.
To read more please see the Aug. 18 print edition of The Davidson Leader.

The walls in the Spratt heritage home near Girvin were once abuzz with activity thanks to a bunch of busy bees that built a hive in the third-floor attic.
The hive was discovered earlier this summer by residents Keith and Mary Catherine Lindberg (Spratt).
Three years ago the Lindbergs had an interlock metal roof installed on the heritage home.
They selected interlock, because it’s not supposed to leak, says Mary Catherine.
She wasn’t impressed when earlier this summer she spotted wet spots on the ceiling in one of the second-storey bedrooms. She called the roofing company to notify them that the roof that doesn’t leak had sprung one.
Eventually the roofers arrived at the house to inspect their handiwork. One of the crewmembers reached up and touched one of the wet spots on the ceiling with his finger and then licked it. It tasted like honey. The good news is the roof doesn’t leak, the bad new is there is a large honeycomb in the walls that needs to be removed.
The Lindbergs speculate that when the new roof was installed on the house, it prevented the bees from getting to and from their hive. Without bees to maintain the hive, the honey began to run this summer, causing those suspicious looking wet spots.
Unfortunately, with their means of escape sealed by the new roof, the bees had all perished leaving behind a honeycomb in the attic that runs down the ceiling and wall of the room on the third storey.
The hive could be fairly large with its start in the attic above the third storey room and then running down the sloped ceiling, and continuing down the wall.
The Lindbergs have asked a local contractor to remove the hive. This will involve cutting through plaster and lathe to get at the hive inside the wall.