After an exciting Canada Day celebration, Medstead ebbed back into summer routine. Gardens are flourishing and the village is seeing enough moisture to keep a fire ban at bay. Of course, summer excitement has not slowed to a halt. The fundraiser for new playground equipment continues to go strong as donations roll in to MADRA and the village office to make the venture happen.
In other news, the village hall hosted an auction July 7 through Boechler Schira Auction. The items were brought forth by the Desmarais family, with a note that they have relocated and are looking to downsize. From appliances to antiques, the hall was filled with items and eager auction goers purchased, at a reasonable cost, items that would otherwise not be accessible. Due to the layout of primarily rural areas, it makes the traditional yard sale more difficult with the lack of foot traffic. So, auctions are held, bringing people together for a group event.
Owned by Kelly Schneider and Fred Walter, the auction company has strong ties to the Medstead area. While the auction company has been around for many years, the tradition of auctions themselves has roots in distant history of more than 2,500 years. Ancient Greece began the tradition of auctions when women were auctioned as wives. Since that time, the practice has taken on many other formats.
Carrying the auction tradition through ups and downs and economic hardship worldwide, these events have become a strong tradition across the globe. The Saskatchewan Auctioneers Association was founded in 1976 due to the need for auctioneers to have input on legislative matters concerning auctions. With an initial board and membership in 1975 of 58 members, the association has seen enrolment as high as 220, though officially notes that 鈥渕embership has levelled off at 170 to180 members per year.鈥�
The auction of July 7 was a successful endeavour, bringing together folk from many communities to support the locals relocating and purchase many items otherwise difficult to access.
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