Blair Frederickson, who retires this month, was honoured at the June 9 potluck at Davidson School.
By Joel van der Veen
DAVIDSON — After 30 years of teaching, Blair Frederickson found himself back in the same place he started, finishing his career in Davidson.
Though he grew up and attended school in Punnichy, he was born here while his father was working as the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool agent in Girvin.
“It was a good way to end my teaching career,” said Frederickson, who turns 60 this summer. “I’m sure I’m going to miss the kids when school starts again in September.”
“Freddy,” as he is known to many students, was honoured on Tuesday during the Davidson School Community Council’s annual potluck supper.
Principal Jason Low read a brief poem in honour of Frederickson, who retires this month, two years after his arrival in Davidson, where he served as the career guidance counsellor and co-ordinator for the CWEX (Career Development and Work Exploration) program.
Low said later that the staff and students felt fortunate to have had Frederickson as part of the community for two years and would miss him, but also wanted to congratulate him on the milestone.
“His dedication to students and school activities was unparalleled and will be difficult to replace,” said Low.
Frederickson has also served as a coach in several sports, most notably football, and was instrumental in beginning a community minor football team in Davidson.
He said that being active in extracurricular activities was a great way to connect with students outside of school, allowing them to get to know each other in different settings.
“You spend a little time with kids outside of school, and suddenly everyone supports you,” said Frederickson, adding that he was “amazed” with the kindness and support he experienced here.
Before going into teaching, Frederickson said he went through 12 different jobs, which included stints with SGI and CNR, on the oil rigs and at the Allan potash mine.
He completed his studies at the University of Saskatchewan, becoming a teacher at age 30 and serving schools in Kindersley, Watrous and Nokomis before his arrival here.
Frederickson said he plans to move to Regina with his wife, Lise Gauthier, who will work at a medical clinic in the city. Lise has two grown children and the move will bring them within a short drive of their two grandchildren.
He said he has already signed up for courses in art history and Chinese history, and plans to continue coaching in the city. Frederickson is also an active runner who has competed in the Boston Marathon four times.
Frederickson said he feels optimistic about the next generation, saying he’s been pleased to work with a bright generation of students.
“We’re lucky that we have such great kids,” he said. “The future looks good, as far as I’m concerned.”
For the full story, please see the June 22 edition of The Davidson Leader.
Workers are pictured on Tuesday preparing East Sellers Crescent for the installation of pavement and curbs.
By Joel van der Veen
DAVIDSON — After years of delays, the company responsible for developing East Sellers Crescent has begun preparations to pave the street and install curbs, making the lots ready for construction.
In a press release issued earlier this month, Morsky Industrial Services Ltd. of Regina
said it planned to begin the asphalt paving and concrete curbs on the east side of the crescent in August.
However, Dwight Mercer told the Leader on June 12 that contractors had finished another project ahead of schedule, allowing them to begin work in Davidson this month. Surveying crews were on the site on Monday and work was underway shortly afterward.
Mercer, a consultant working on behalf of the Morsky company, said that now is the ideal time to move forward on the subdivision, thanks to a combination of factors.
He said the company sees that the recent industrial and commercial activity in the Davidson area as a sign of increased demand for new housing.
As well, the fall in oil prices has led in turn to lower prices for contracting the asphalt pavement, allowing Mercer to procure the work at a more reasonable cost, he said.
“We’ve been shopping around for three years,” he explained, adding that the “prices were from another world.”
“There’s an opportunity for us to get things all done now,” he continued. “Once we have the pavement and the curbs installed by August, I think things will pick up.”
The east side of the crescent contains a total of 18 residential lots. Two of these have already been sold and developed, while the other 16 remain for sale.
Town administrator Gary Edom welcomed the announcement, saying the development should be a significant boost in helping the lots to sell.
“That’s good news, as far as we’re concerned,” he said. “It’d be a welcome addition.”
Edom acknowledged that the news had been a long time coming. The subdivision has been in development for more than five years, but its progress has moved at a modest pace.
He said the town has been in contact with the Morsky company “periodically,” but added, “There hasn’t been much there to talk about.”
Mercer confirmed that the company has been in regular contact with the town, noting, “They’d like to see people moving in.”
The lots on East Sellers Crescent were originally defined in 1981, but it wasn’t until 2009 that the Morsky company entered an agreement with the town to develop and sell the lots.
With an average frontage of 60 feet, the lots reflect the approach of that era, Mercer said, noting that they stand in stark contrast to the smaller lots being sold in cities at much higher prices.
For the full story, please pick up the June 22 edition of The Davidson Leader.
Berne Farden (nee Gruenig) was born to a family of seven in Sundridge in northern Ontario on November 25, 1923. She met Ken during the war in Toronto, and they were married in Macrorie and farmed at Bratton, Broderick, and Davidson. They raised their family of five near Broderick moving to Davidson, where Berne has lived for 48 years.
Berne is predeceased by husband Ken and daughter Sharon.
She is survived by friend and caregiver, Sharon O’Brien; brother Art (Lois); children Peter (Sheila), Susan (Wayne) Stulberg, Keith, and Marianne; grandsons, Kory (Andrea), Kevin (Terra), Kelly (Melissa), and Joshua; and eight great-grandchildren.
A Celebration of Berne’s life was held in the Davidson United Church on June 13 at 2:00 pm. Donations in memory of Berne may be made to the Davidson Health Centre, Davidson United Church, or charity of your choice. Hanson’s Funeral Home of Davidson was in care of arrangements.
Trevor Daniel Zdunich March 31, 1968 — June 13, 2015
It is with heartfelt sadness that we announce the sudden passing of Trevor Daniel Zdunich. He is survived by his mother Loraine (Jim) Walmsley; brother Keven (Joann); niece Lacey; nephew Cylus; numerous loving aunts, uncles and cousins; many treasured friends and his faithful dog, Basil. Trevor was predeceased by his father Clarence Zdunich; grandparents Dan and Annie Zdunich and Peter and Helen Sarich; Uncles Leonard, James, Daniel, Stanley and Gabriel. Trevor grew up on the family farm outside of Kenaston, Sask. Once he was done high school he moved to Zama City to begin his 30-year career in the oilfield. He returned home to the family farm in the spring of 2015, until his untimely passing on June 13, 2015. He will be fondly remembered for his one-of-a-kind sense of humour and his unique personality. He was loved by everyone and touched many lives. Trevor had a strong love and passion for Harley Davidson motorcycles, Ford trucks, his work and farming, Mud Bog Racing, his family and his loyal and countless friends. A celebration of Trevor’s life was held on Monday, June 22 at 1 p.m. at Kenaston Place. For friends so wishing, memorial donations in memory of Trevor can be directed at the St. Andrew’s Cemetery Fund. Hanson’s Funeral Home of Davidson was in care of arrangements.
Glen Manz points to a bidder as a small wooden cabinet goes up for sale during the Burgess auction in Bladworth on June 6. Also pictured is Connie Glines.
By Joel van der Veen
BLADWORTH — As Bill Burgess watched the collection of a lifetime hit the auction block last weekend, he seemed resigned to its fate.
“It’s not easy, you know,” he said, “but I realized it had to happen, so I thought we’d better do it now.”
Burgess’s collection of farm equipment, vehicles, tools and other paraphernalia, as well as the buildings that housed them all, was divested in a sale conducted by Manz’s Auctioneering Service on Bladworth’s main street on June 6.
The sale of the vast collection drew an equally enormous crowd from across Saskatchewan and Alberta, including multiple antique dealers.
Upwards of 250 bidders registered over the course of the day, and Jan Manz estimated that more than 500 people had come through to bid, glance over the items for sale or simpy watch the proceedings.
Manz said the sale date was booked last fall, giving their staff plenty of time to promote it but also leaving them at the mercy of the weather. Employees spent a total of four days sorting the items for sale.
“It was just going to have to go ahead,” she said, noting that aside from a brief windstorm on Friday night, the weekend weather was ideal for the sale. “We were lucky.”
Bladworth Mayor Ron Bessey observed that, aside from the village’s annual Sports Days, it was rare to see so much activity in town.
“I’d be lucky if I recognized half of the people here,” he said, adding that it was good to see such a large crowd and fortunate that the weather co-operated.
Barkley Prpick, who owns and operates Barkley’s Bar with his wife Tannis, said his establishment was enjoying the extra business.
His children and their friends were also selling ice cream from the patio; they could later be seen walking through the crowd to sell their wares.
Prpick said he has known Burgess for many years — both as a frequent presence in the village, and for his maintenance work in area schools — but added, “I don’t know what possesses a person to collect all of these things.”
His comments were echoed by others, including Don Wilkins of Girvin, who said he was “overwhelmed” as he looked through the collection.
“The last words I heard leaving the house were, ‘You don’t need anything,’” he added.
Among the featured items in Saturday’s auction were four vintage John Deere tractors restored by Burgess and still in working condition.
Mary Walker, who attended the sale with her husband Lee and other family members, recalled that the tractors were a frequent presence in Bladworth’s Sports Day parades.
The sale also included other farm implements, vehicles in various states of repair, tools, musical instruments, and a host of smaller items, ranging from fire extinguishers to bank calendars.
Four buildings also went up on the auction block, including the former pool hall in which Burgess had displayed some of his collection, and the Silver Lake schoolhouse, which he had converted to use as a workshop.
The buyers of the buildings were told to make arrangements either to purchase the underlying lots through the village office, or to have the buildings moved elsewhere.
Watching the progress of the sale with Bill Burgess was Kay, his wife of almost 64 years. Together the Burgesses raised six children; they now also have nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Bill and Kay were married in October 1951 and lived on the family farm, located 22 miles east of Bladworth, until 1959. They have lived in Imperial ever since.
After leaving the farm, Burgess worked as a carpenter, attending STI (now Saskatchewan Polytechnic) in Moose Jaw to get his certificates. As his first project, he was part of the crew that built St. Pius X Roman Catholic Church in Imperial.
In 1973 he became maintenance supervisor with the Davidson School Unit, remaining in that position for 21 years.
Burgess recalled how he would continually add to the collection, restoring some items and putting others on display in the old pool hall, which he called his “museum.”
Asked how she coped with her husband’s growing collection, Kay Burgess said that for the most part she wasn’t aware of it.
“I never knew he bought it,” said Kay, who turns 91 this year. “He would see these things all over the country, and if he wanted it, he bought it.”
Bill, who turns 87 in September, said he plans to keep busy working in his shop at home.
Greg Burgess, their second son, said most of the family had returned home for the auction. He added he was surprised at the extent of the collection.
“I didn’t think he had that much stuff,” he said. “Every building had something in it.”
Greg added that there were no “first dibs” for himself or his siblings. They were told that if they wanted anything, they had to show up and bid like everyone else.
And there was plenty of bidding going on. The tractors and buildings sold for thousands of dollars each, but even some of the smaller items attracted their share of bids.
A keychain collection numbering in the hundreds sold for $270; a collection of pins and buttons went for $70; a lot consisting of four bank calendars and a tobacco sign sold for $190.
Yet there were deals to be had. Trevor Mooney, a 12-year-old lad from Imperial, paid $55 for a black Gibson electric-acoustic guitar. The instrument needed some work, but Mooney was pleased with this purchase.
Another satisfied customer was Greg Prpich, a retired farmer who now raises bison four-and-a-half miles northeast of Bladworth.
Prpich paid $80 for a cloth banner once carried by Bladworth students, bearing the slogan “For King and Country”; he guessed that it dated back to at least the 1940s.
He said he has known Burgess for decades and remembered seeing the banner in his collection. He wasn’t sure what he would do with it but said it would be a unique souvenir.
“It’s my hometown,” said Prpich, adding, “I just wanted a keepsake to remind me of Bill.”
Bill and Kay Burgess watch the auction in progress.
Rev. Tracey Taylor stands in front of St. Columba Anglican Church in Kenaston last week.
By Joel van der Veen
KENASTON — Sometimes it takes a lot of noise to wake people up.
That’s the thinking behind an initiative taking place in Kenaston, where two churches are ringing their bells to raise awareness of the high rate of violence against aboriginal women in Canada.
Their efforts will reach a pinnacle this Wednesday when, beginning at 2 p.m., the churches will ring their bells a total of 1,181 times.
That’s one ring for each and every one of the 1,181 aboriginal women reported as murdered or missing in Canada between 1980 and 2012, as highlighted in a report issued by the RCMP last year.
Rev. Tracey Taylor, one of three associate priests serving the Midlakes Parish of the Anglican Church of Canada, said the churches were inspired to join in the initiative along with other cathedrals and churches across Canada.
She said she believes that Anglicans and other Christians need to raise awareness of the situation facing aboriginal women and thus join the voices calling for change.
“If the church can’t draw attention to this . . . who will?” she asked, adding, “Part of our baptismal vows is to uphold the dignity and (demand) justice for every human being.”
According to a news release, the initiative is part of a 22-day period of prayer and renewal that marks the end of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, established to respond to the legacy of Indian residential schools in Canada.
The period lasts from May 31, the Commission’s last day, to June 21, which is being celebrated as National Aboriginal Day.
“Historically, church bells were used to alert a community to an emergency,” Rev. Mike Sinclair of St. Paul’s Cathedral in Regina was quoted. “Surely, 1,181 missing and murdered women is an emergency.”
On June 3, the bell at St. Columba Anglican Church in Kenaston rang for a sustained period beginning at 2 p.m.
Last Wednesday, they were joined by St. Andrew’s Catholic Church a couple of blocks over. This week will see the culmination of the churches’ efforts.
A group of students from Kenaston School, including this year’s seven graduates, will split up and keep the bells ringing for between 60 and 90 minutes, until they have tolled 1,181 times.
Taylor said everyone is welcome to come by and assist with the bell ringing, or just to sit in the pews and pray.
Part of the problem is changing public perception about violence against aboriginal women, said Taylor, adding, “When you hear on the news that it’s a native woman, people’s attitudes change.”
Instead of making assumptions or relying on stereotypes, she said, people should ask why so many native women end up in dangerous or violent situations.
She acknowledged that the lack of a large, visible native population in the area may make it easier to ignore the issue.
“You only have to go to Saskatoon and you’re in the middle of a very diverse culture,” she said. “We’re a little homogeneous here . . . That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be aware.”
Taylor also countered that there’s a larger aboriginal population here than many might think, though she joked that some native people are “undercover.” For instance, her mother is Cree.
Ringing the bells over the last two weeks has attracted more and more attention, said Taylor, adding, “People were driving by and looking, wondering what we were doing.”
Taylor, who also serves All Saints Anglican Church in Davidson, said she planned to go through some activities on the subject with students at the Wednesday program there.
She said it’s important to engage with younger generations in calling for justice, especially given that many of the murdered or missing women have been teenagers or young adults.
“The hope is that this is not just a flash,” she said. “It’s just a great thing for the church to be doing . . . The church needs to be real in the world.”
