Rider season is in full swing. The commanding season opener followed by the first road game flop and a subsequent Lions devouring has us wondering when our Grey Cup champs are going to resurface. You know Unity is bleeding green and cheering hard.
What's the deal with the weather this year? After a fabulous summer last year free of tornadoes and hail storms in the area we seem to have had an abundance of all extreme weather so far. And, those poor folks in Â鶹´«Ã½AVern Sask. who just can't seem to get a break! Let's cross our fingers that Mother Nature gets over the "grumpies" and lets summer be summer.
We tried again and once again we missed the mark. Unity did not advance in the TSN Kraft hometown tour, however Prince Albert did, so let's give them our support as the only Saskatchewan participant. I do have to question how Ottawa qualified. How can the nation's capital need money for sports funding?
After three provincial titles were earned July 4 weekend, the Bantam Panther softball team takes their run at a provincial title in Moose Jaw this weekend. Following this is the annual ID camp for a Zone 7 bantam team to complete at the provincial fall ball championship in Regina at the end of August. Unity Midget Panther Mackenzie Chorney was picked up by the Moose Creek Jays to play in the Western Canadian Midget "B" Fastball event held in Battleford in August.
It was very exciting for Unity to be able to host the highest caliber midget AA and AAA baseball league in the province when the Saskatchewan Premier Baseball League came to town. Local players, Blake Robertson and Rhett Feser were part of the Northwest Prairie Pirates while former resident Jayden McKim was part of the visiting Saskatoon Diamondbacks. Players were thrilled with the fan support for this game. The Pirates coach says with minimal folks at their games they are considering a game like this in the future.
Last weekend the Pee Wee A2 provincial team held a home tournament in Unity hosting five teams in a round robin format as everyone seeks to fine tune their game before provincials.
July 24 the UK Royals will hold a fundraising barbecue to help pay some expenses for their five-day trip to Western Canadian junior women's fastball championships leaving Aug. 6 and returning late Aug. 10.
And Unity loves hearing the continuing success story of Justin Wood. Justin has been climbing the ranks in the Maple Leaf Junior tour the past several seasons, and he seems nearly unstoppable this year winning three events so far and has several more to come. This stellar play advances him to nationals this fall in Phoenix, Ariz. News of his success has been shared frequently on Facebook and Twitter pages.
There have been some woes with both the existing pool and the new pool construction. The town assures residents both issues are being addressed and folks should be seeing construction resuming soon at the new pool. With some unfortunate illness and injuries the existing pool has had to reduce hours due to lifeguard shortages. Staff are doing the best they can to fill the gaps to inconvenience folks as little as possible.
If you can bake it, make it or grow it, The Unity Farmers' Market wants you. Each Thursday at the Unity Friendship Centre you can set up shop for your homemade, home-grown goods for shoppers at the weekly market. Contact organizer Carmen Bowker at 306-228-2237.
Coffee row has been discussing the two losses the Riders have had since their commanding season opener, and pondering the season for last year's Grey Cup champs. The folks at these tables have also been pondering changing weather patterns and theories for upcoming summer weather. They are happily discussing this year's farming season. Although some mornings are quieter than others now that summer vacation time is in full swing, this reliable group of community enthusiasts continue to share a coffee and a well-rounded conversation. So you see we keep busy in Unity with activities and wisdom from our friends on coffee row. Until next week.
