First of all I must apologize as I have taken so long to get the month of July community news reported due to the postal strike and my husband and I were on holidays for a couple of weeks to parts of British Columbia and Alberta.
Sadly we have lost a few more well known people from the district and area.
Sympathy to the Haines and Wintersgill families on the recent passing of Randie Haines of Regina formerly of Baljennie. Randie attended Rayner Heights School.
Sympathy to the Bright, Megaffin and Miller families on the recent passing of Glenn Bright of Bridgewater, N.S. Glenn attended Baljennie School. Burial took place at the St. Bridget Anglican Cemetery at Baljennie.
Also to the Gandiner family on the recent passing of my aunt Cathy Gardiner of Battleford. Cathy and her husband Jack Gardiner ran the main garage and service station in Baljenne for many years before selling and moving to Battleford then to operate a television shop. Cathy also attended Beljennie School before she married Jack Gandiner and raised their family.
On the long weekend of July, the Custer family held a 90th birthday celebration at Baljennie Community Center for Vernon Custer of North Battleford. Family and friends came from all parts of Alberta and Saskatchewan to help celebrate the special day. Also celebrating birthdays at the same time were Vernon's sister Eva Rayner of Battleford and Vernon's daughter-in-law Kim Custer of Baljennie. A big thank you goes out to Mark and Kim for putting on the special day for their dad Vernon. Vernon was born and raised in the local area and attended Baljennie School, then married Joyce Blanchard of Sonningdale. They ran the family farm and raised a family. Mark and Kim now manage the farm. Vernon and Joyce have both retired to North Battleford.
A work crew from SaskPower have been in the area rebuilding some shorter power lines. Special equipment had to be brought in to set the power poles in the bog and water area. The power lines are now all hooked up and the power service back to normal. A work crew are now taking down the old unused lines and hauling them away.
Stanley and Dorothy Mills were recent visitors of John and Arlene Rowlands and family of rural Battleford.
Its hay making time and the hay crop growth is in good condition, ready to be cut and baled. Now comes the struggle to beat Mother Nature. There has been some heavy showers of rain to make a delay in the hay making season. Dryer days, sunshine and warmer temperatures are needed. It has been quite chilly all spring and well into the summer season. The crops are all doing well and the wheat and other cereals are all in head. Pea, canola and flax crops have put on beautiful fields of bright colours, contrasting with the green crops and bronze and purple hay fields.
