Category Archives: featured

Craik, featured

Renos continue at Craik fairgrounds as Lions plan summer event

Members of the Craik and District Lions Club were on hand Thursday to accept a cheque for $75,000 for upgrades to the Craik fairgrounds from Co-op Community Spaces.

By Joel van der Veen

CRAIK — A $75,000 grant from Federated Co-op Ltd. will provide a major boost to ongoing renovations at the Craik fairgrounds.

The funds, provided from the company’s Community Spaces Program, will be spent on upgrades at the site, including renovations to the agricultural building, concession stand and one of the ball diamonds.

Gayle Skeet said there are also plans to build a new ticket booth at the entrance to the 23-acre site, as well as an entertainment stage, to be known as the Co-op stage.

“The grant is going to be spent for the betterment of the community,” said Skeet, secretary of the Craik and District Lions Club, which is taking charge of the project.

Members of the local club were on hand Thursday evening to accept the five-figure cheque from two Palliser Plains Co-op representatives: general manager Mike Sigouin and board member Mark Wegner.

“It’s important that we give back and make investments in our community and people, which is what Co-op Community Spaces is all about,” Sigouin said in a prepared statement.

The Community Spaces program supports recreation, environmental conservation and urban agriculture projects. A total of 27 projects are being supported through the program this year, receiving a combined total of $2 million.

The Craik and District Lions Club has seen significant growth in the past five years, growing from six to 24 members.

Club members are getting ready for the second annual Craik Fair, following the success of last year’s event.

The year 2017 marks 100 years of Lions International, and the club has selected the fairgrounds as its Legacy Project.

The Craik Fair, scheduled for Saturday, July 29, will expand this year with the addition of a gymkhana event, organized by a resurrected Craik Ag Committee.

For the full story, please see the June 19 edition of The Davidson Leader, or call 306-567-2047 to subscribe today.

Bladworth, featured

Goats add playful twist to yoga class

Janelle Shewchuk (left) and Julie Nykiforuk sit in a lotus pose during a goat yoga class on Monday.

By Joel van der Veen

BLADWORTH —  A herd of goats, a yoga mat, and thou.

These were the ingredients for a unique experience at the farm of Mary Smillie and Ian McCreary at Bladworth on Monday night.

Around 45 people visited the farm for a session of “goat yoga,” led by local instructor Lois Dueck.

It’s exactly what the name suggests: a yoga class given inside the goats’ pen, with the animals freely walking around, nibbling on grass and sometimes getting up close and personal with the participants.

Dueck, who has been teaching yoga for 12 years, said she wasn’t sure what to expect heading into Monday evening.

She had visited the farm previously to meet the herd and said she found it easy to warm up to the goats, who seemed to have a calming effect.

“It brought all levels and ages together, and that was very cool,” said Dueck. “Being outside was very nice, too.”

Dueck remarked that she’d expected the goats to be more curious, noting that they were drawing closer to the yoga group as the evening went on.

The goats appeared comfortable despite the presence of the large group. Some drew close enough to be petted or held, or to nibble on a participant’s shoelace. Occasionally a few of the goats would startle, leading to a brief, harmless stampede.

“People really have to try it to know what it’s like,” said Dueck. “I’d be up for doing it again, for sure.”

Smillie began raising goats six years ago, starting with 12 animals. Currently, her herd includes 30 nanny goats, 14 replacement doelings (one year old) and 42 kids.

The event was inspired by videos of goat yoga that were recently posted online. To Smillie, goats and yoga sounded like a natural pairing.

“Yoga should be about feeling good and relaxing,” said Smillie. “It seemed to work.”

She contacted Dueck, who was immediately on board. She said afterward that she was pleased with the response, adding that several more would have come if not for prior commitments.

More sessions are planned for the future, said Smillie, adding that she would appreciate feedback from those who attended the first.

For the full story, please see the June 12 edition of The Davidson Leader or call 306-567-2047 to subscribe today.

Davidson, featured

Excitement grows for pool’s opening

Davidson’s new pool is expected to be ready for public swimming by June 19.

By Joel van der Veen

DAVIDSON —  Swimmers in Davidson are counting down the days until the town’s new pool officially opens.

Jessica Foster, a founding member of the swimming pool committee and now also a town councillor, said she’s been stopping by the pool on a daily basis to see the progress.

“Every day there’s people who’ll stop and visit with me,” she said. “I think the whole community’s been watching every step of this.”

Recreation director Trevor Ouellette said Friday that the pool’s opening, originally scheduled for June 16, would be delayed slightly due to equipment issues.

The town is aiming to have the pool ready for use for Monday, June 19.

He said Friday that the delay was due to “technical issues with the mechanical system not being ready to go,” and declined to elaborate.

Previously, Ouellette said he’s also happy to have reached this point, though he’ll feel a little more at ease once the pool has been operating for a few weeks and the proper chemistry has been achieved.

An official grand opening ceremony will be held at the Hamilton Street facility on June 30.

Workers filled the pool with water between Monday and Tuesday. Its total capacity is roughly 690,000 litres, and its deep end is 3.75 metres deep.

Sod is being laid alongside the pool, while grass is being seeded further away.

The fence around the pool, a key requirement for health and safety regulators, was completed the morning of June 2. It stands eight feet high, with a foot-and-a-half of barbed wire at the top.

The diving board, three metres high, was installed last week. Anti-bacterial, anti-slip flooring was installed in the poolhouse in May.

The facility is officially known as the Panther Swimming Pool, in honour of its largest sponsor.

Panther Industries donated $250,000 towards the project. The company’s logo has been installed on the floor at the entrance to the poolhouse.

Another major sponsor, the Kinsmen Club of Davidson, is also being recognized with its logos being placed in both change rooms, on the floor near the exits to the pool.

Guests arriving at the pool will enter through the poolhouse, which houses the office, change rooms, and the mechanical and chemical room.

From the front entrance, the office is straight ahead, along with two family change rooms. The men’s change room is to the left and the women’s is on the right.

The bright, spacious new building is a radical departure from the old poolhouse, which was small, dimly lit and not easily accessible for those with limited mobility.

The new building is fully accessible, as is the pool itself, thanks to the beach-style entry at the northeast end.

A sponsor wall will be installed adjacent to the office, providing information about the project and listing platinum, gold and silver sponsors.

The mechanical and chemical room is located at the west end of the building, taking up about 15 per cent of the overall space. The poolhouse has a total floor space of 1,731 square feet.

“We tried the best we can to have a zero-maintenance building,” said Ouellette, noting that the PVC walls inside don’t require painting.

For the full story, please see the June 12 edition of The Davidson Leader, or call 306-567-2047 to subscribe today.

featured, Loreburn

Loreburn’s cenotaph restored after 90 years

Legion members, RCMP officers and dignitaries pose following the rededication ceremony for Loreburn’s cenotaph on June 6.

By Joel van der Veen

LOREBURN — In 1927, veterans from Loreburn and area built a monument to their fallen comrades in the centre of their village.

They had hauled rocks — likely from the Wankel farm, west of town — and constructed the stone memorial at the corner of Main Street and Saskatchewan Avenue, near the brick schoolhouse.

Ninety years later, residents of the village gathered to rededicate their cenotaph, and to remember and honour the fallen.

Thirteen men are commemorated on the monument — 11 casualties from the First World War, and two from the Second World War.

During Tuesday’s ceremony, Rev. Ursula Wiig spoke of the importance of continuing to remember their sacrifice.

Recalling the horror of conflicts past and present, she added, “We also want to dedicate ourselves to making a better world.”

The 90-year-old monument was recently refurbished by local volunteers, ensuring it will continue to serve its purpose for years to come.

Andy Wong and his wife May led the repairs, removing and replacing the mortar, which had deteriorated over time. Also, the plaques were cleaned and the letters were repainted by Sue Ann Abbott.

The project cost roughly $1,200, about half of which was covered by a grant from Veterans Affairs Canada. The rest of the costs were covered by the branch’s Poppy Trust Fund and by the village itself.

Around 140 people gathered Tuesday morning for the ceremony. This included close to 100 students from Loreburn Central School, who walked to the site for the occasion.

The date, June 6, was chosen as the 73rd anniversary of the landing at Normandy, popularly known as D-Day.

Joe Sitavanc, president of Loreburn-Elbow Branch No. 251 of the Royal Canadian Legion, served as emcee.

For the full story, please see the June 12 edition of The Davidson Leader or call 306-567-2047 to subscribe today.

Craik, featured

Rubber hits the road in Craik bike rodeo

Aubrey Boyd stops at a checkpoint during a bike rodeo in Craik on May 27. Helping her out is volunteer Judy Anderson.

By Joel van der Veen

CRAIK — Safety was the order of the day during a fun event for the whole family in Craik last weekend.

Several businesses and local organizations partnered to host Craik Community Kids Safety Day on May 27.

Part of Third Street was closed to make room for a bike rodeo. Each participant made their way through seven stations, and volunteers were on hand to provide tune-ups, helmet fittings and other assistance.

Clear, sunny skies were much appreciated by organizers, though they had to keep close eyes on obstacles that were prone to being rearranged by the wind.

“We’ve really lucked out with the weather,” said volunteer Judy Anderson. “It’s not 60-mile-an-hour wind . . . yet.”

Const. Nathan Boyd of the Craik RCMP said just under 30 participants completed the bike rodeo.

The event wrapped up a little earlier than planned due to the wind, though all who had registered were able to make their way through. Boyd said they were pleased with the turnout and results, expressing appreciation to the sponsors and volunteers.

The Craik and District Lions Club and the Craik branch of the Royal Canadian Legion served a barbecue lunch in Cornerstone Park.

Public health nurse Sheri Warkentin provided a car seat clinic, while the SGI Safety Squad was also on hand to provide education.

The RCMP and the Craik Fire Department had their emergency vehicles on display, open for tours.

Craik Playschool operated a bake sale table, and local high school students provided face painting. A bean bag toss in front of the Long Lake Insurance office also proved to be a popular attraction.

Craik, Davidson, featured

Dulle on the road for mental health

Jade Dulle stopped in Davidson May 29, taking a pit stop during her Ride for Mental Health. She’s cycling 1,300 kilometres from Consul to Creighton to raise money and awareness for the Canadian Mental Health Foundation.

By Tara de Ryk

DAVIDSON — With the wind at her back, Jade Dulle’s managed to travel at a pretty good clip in her journey to raise money and awareness for mental health.

She set out from Consul May 23. Six days later she arrived in Davidson after cycling roughly 450 kilometres, completing one-third of a 1,300-km trek called Jade’s Ride for Mental Health. The ride will end in Creighton. Jade says the objective is to get there by June 20, but if the wind keeps blowing her way, she could reach the finish line ahead of schedule.

The fundraising effort is ahead of pace as well, having raised $14,000 towards her $20,000 goal.

These funds are much needed and, according to Jade, will go to a worthy and needy cause.

Jade, 21, battles bipolar disorder. She was diagnosed a year-and-a-half ago and says programs and services offered by the Canadian Mental Health Association have been very beneficial.

“They cover the vastness of mental health. The support is ongoing. I found it very helpful to different people I know and to myself.”

She points to the CMHA’s Mental Health First Aid course as one that helped the most.

“I became more aware. It taught me how to recognize symptoms of mental illness and how to help and how to remove people from situations that could trigger. Overall it gave me more confidence about mental health,” Jade said.

She has company along for the ride. She has a support crew of partner Courtney and her parents Calvin and Tracy Dulle who follow behind in an RV, its hazard lights flashing.

Her dad and Courtney take a shift on the bike every now and then so she can take a break, but Jade says she’s doing the majority of the cycling.

To support Jade’s Ride for Mental Health, people may go to CanadaHelps.org and search for the CMHA Saskatoon branch and under the Donate option, put their donation in honour of Jade’s Ride for Mental Health. People may also follow the ride on Facebook.

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