The Western Cowboy Night is fast approaching with cowboy poetry, Carol Burnett skits, and excellent old-time and more modern western music by local and distant entertainers. Come support this worthy fundraiser on Saturday at 8 p.m. in Mayfair Community Hall. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children seven to 12 and free for children under seven. Delicious lunch will be included in the admission and a licensed bar will supply the refreshments to people who choose it. The first 50 people in attendance are eligible for a free door prize draw, and raffle tickets will be sold on a beautiful western painting, plus much more. We have many eager volunteers ready to help for this fundraising event.
The Nashville night did not hit reality this April, so this is the first fundraiser being held for the newly organized group, Mayfair's Save a Third World Child. We will be working with well-known, trustworthy groups only, who have a low administration fee under seven per cent. If you check online, a lot of facts are revealed about international charitable groups who have office fees of 20 per cent or higher, with employees earning more than $200,000. Go figure, who are you supporting? It is sad that executives are receiving big bucks meant for millions of starving people who didn't ask to be born in such poor and devastated countries. How fortunate we are, living in prosperous countries with abundant opportunities. Did we ask to be born in Canada? Get the picture! Always be thankful for what you have and please share with the less fortunate.
Ryan Liebaert (Mayfair) and Adam Mischuk (Cold Lake, Alta.) vacationed in Belize for 10 days in March. They thoroughly enjoyed themselves in the sun, meeting many other world-wide young travellers.
Chris and Tiffany Cherwinski have returned from a relaxing holiday in Cuba. Their three sons, Mason, Cowan and Daxon, stayed with grandparents Leanne and Stephen Cherwinski. Carla and Kelly Soucey and family from Calgary, Alta. (their daughter) were home during the Easter holidays.
My neighbour Jessie Konopelski is a proud grandmother to Samuel J, born March 13. Baby Sammy is a small brother to five-year-old twin boys and son of Daniel and Jenny Konopelski who reside in Pincher Creek, Alta. Daniel still farms, as he can take time off from his workplace in Pincher Creek to come back to the family farm of the late Sam (his father) and mother Jessie. Jessie resides in the United States during the cold months as she has a son, Steven, from New Jersey and daughter, Heather Parsons and family, from Green River, Utah. She is originally from near Salt Lake City, with many relatives living nearby. Jessie holds Canadian and American citizenship, as do her children. She has resided on the farm and in North Battleford more recently.
Local bus driver Bev Thomas, with the Spiritwood route, welcomed another student onto her bus. Bev, who has been transporting children safely for many years, has Paulie and Ken Rogers' grandson on her bus. Daughter Earlene and her two young children from Calgary are temporarily residing with her parents.
Condo owner Vivian Saccucci is still soaking up the sunshine in Hawaii, as her husband Lyle has returned home, anxious to get the machinery ready for another year of farming. Vivian and Lyle were dairy farmers for many years, while raising their four daughters, Kristy, Janelle, Darla and Jade. All four have children of their own and reside in Red Deer, Alta., Swift Current, and Saskatoon. They sold their milk quota approximately 20 years ago and are enjoying life at a much more relaxed pace.
Parker, my four-year-old grandson, is a first-year member of the Radisson Skating Club which teaches figure skating and power skating skills. March 6, they held a very entertaining ice carnival in the arena and as usual the wee ones stole the show doing two different programs. Being a proud grandmother, I had my camera focused for most of the evening on all of the skaters. My four children participated in ice carnivals in Mayfair and my daughter in Mayfair and North Battleford ice carnivals for many years. My husband and I insisted that even if our sons were mainly focused on hockey, figure skating was a rule until they were 12 years old. Swimming lessons were also a must until they completed their last badge. Our vehicles could almost go to North Battleford on their own if pointed in the right direction due to the many years of children's activities.
The past always holds such dear memories close to my heart. Sally Salisbury and husband David had recent guests at their farm house near Mullingar. Sally's sister Flora Ratt from La Ronge joined Sally on a Dakota Dunes casino bus with many local Rabbit Lake and Mayfair people. She said bus tours are always very exciting because you meet a lot of people that you rarely see and rekindle old friendships. Ellen Johnson, another sister to Sally and also from La Ronge, also visited just recently. Sally grew up near La Ronge and hails from a large family of nine members with one being deceased. Sally and David are now retired farmers and are enjoying life at a much more leisurely pace, but still help their farming sons when needed.
The Blaine Lake Community Association presented a hilarious live theatrical performance, Drinking Habits by Tom Smith. This play had a cast of eight talented characters and a large crew on lights, sound and set. The director, Julie Lapointe, chose a real crowd pleaser, hosting three performances in March. Adgerine McNutt and Ruby Rafuse thoroughly enjoyed the entertainment.
Well-known resident and former Rosthern-Shellbrook MLA Dennis Allchurch is recovering from a devastating farm accident on his son Mickey's farm near Rabbit Lake April 9. Dennis was rushed to RUH in Saskatoon and has a long road to recovery. Dennis attended school in Rabbit Lake and still has many friends in the Mayfair district. The Allchurch family has encountered much difficulty these past few months, with Robert (brother) passing away, Terry (brother) having a heart attack and awaiting surgery, and now this terrible occurrence. Dennis, we are all praying and hoping for a successful recovery at the hospital so that you can return to your farm home with wife Sheila (nee German, formerly of Rabbit Lake).
Congratulations to a hard-working, dedicated volunteer retired school teacher, Alice Grigor for earning an award to be given at a banquet held in St Walburg on April 22. She was selected to receive a 2015 Rivers West District for Sports, Culture and Recreation Volunteer Recognition Award. These awards are given to individuals or groups who have displayed outstanding commitment to the betterment within the district through their volunteer efforts. She was nominated by me for the Community Achievement award in the Heritage category. A few of us are planning to attend this worthwhile function.
We do have other community members that make Mayfair a better place to reside in. Snow is always being shoveled, grass cut and trimmed throughout the summer months, and just the beautification of the hamlet by doing other small jobs. Without these volunteers, this place would eventually be wiped off the map and become a ghost town.
Roman and Elizabeth Ewanchuk received the terrible news that Elizabeth's sister Helen and husband Pete Roslinski lost their home to a fire a month ago. They reside on a farm in the Alvena area.
I was at Chitek Lake on Easter Sunday with Amanda, Kinley and baby Cooper Sevick to check on my cabin on Chamakese Resort. There was still an abundance of snow in the forested areas but with the above normal temperatures throughout the Easter holidays for school students, I'm sure a lot of it has disappeared. Right now, we are enduring the strong, cold westerly winds with chilly evenings. Does this mean we will be getting moisture in some form or another? Beautiful crocuses are blooming!
