Every time one turns on the television or read daily newspapers, the topics are COVID-19 and the drop in oil prices. COVID-19 can kill people, collapsing oil prices are devastating to our local economy. Yes, this spring is tough in a few areas. Let’s hope and pray everything will be stabilized in the next few months.
My neighbours Roman and Elizabeth Ewanchuk are happy people these days. The won a 2019 Lincoln Nautilus SUV in the children’s hospital lotto sponsored by the Roughriders.
March 20 there is a potluck supper in Ruddell at 6 p.m. with bingo and a bar. The theme is St. Patrick’s Day.
Georgina and John Youst have returned from their two-month vacation in the Caribbean. Now they plan to visit their four children and grandchildren who live in Meadow Lake and Â鶹´«Ã½AVern Saskatchewan.
Due to weather, church services at All Saints Catholic Church in Mayfair have been cancelled the past two Sundays. Now, with the virus, a few practices have been suspended, such as the sharing of wine from a goblet, the holy water no longer to be used and no hand shaking just before Holy Communion. There are only a few Sundays until Easter, April 12, which happens to be my 68th birthday. My mother often related how I was almost an Easter Bunny or a baby chick, but more interestingly, a boy. The nurses wrapped me in the wrong colour receiving blanket, so others thought my mother had given birth to a son. I guess I surprised everyone.
Cowboy Church is still going strong in Rabbit Lake and it ends with a potluck meal once a month. More and more people are drawn to this gathering.
A first open microphone jam session at Ubettcha’s Tavern in Medstead drew interest. If you play an instrument and/or sing, come join in for a fun, exuberant evening.
It’s been 10 years since Diane Englisbee (nee Kostiuk) passed away. A memorial was published in the News-Optimist March 12. Their three children graduated from Mayfair Central School in the 1990s. She also resided in Maymont a number of years with Bob McLeod, who still lives there.
The snowmobile rally at Rabbit Lake March 7 was well attended by many. The conditions were excellent and the temperature hovered around -6 C. There was a wiener roast on the trail ride and once the snowmobilers returned, a supper was served for $15 a plate. There was also a breakfast from 8 to 10 a.m. at the hall. There were prizes of $5,000, $2,500 and $1,250 offered. Proceeds went to the Rabbit Lake Agricultural Society.
The Bad to the Bone Archery Club is fundraising to buy 3D targets for the Spiritwood and Medstead area club. Only 1,000 raffle tickets will be sold with a draw date of March 25. Contact Crystal Dietz-Wright at 306-824-2133 for more information. First prize is a three-night stay at Timberlost Outfitter’s Shell Lake cabin near Chitek Lake and a food voucher from Leoville Grocery. Second prize is a custom-made, stainless steel campfire ring from Lavoie’s Machine and Welding Shop in Spiritwood and a booze basket. Third prize is a bar fridge from Simoner Refrigeration in Shell Lake, two camp chairs donated by Wright’s Choice Grain Cleaners and a booze basket. The tickets are $20 each.
Chitek Lake Bush Buddies vintage snowmobile rally slated for March 21 has been cancelled.
Cancellation is the news buzzword in our current situation. Keep safe, everyone.
My oldest son, Curtis, has been out of this country of three and a half months and was scheduled to return the end of April from Costa Rica. For many years he has been fortunate to travel worldwide and meet many surfers and fishermen in his winter way of life. He tells me he is not rushing home and maybe in five weeks things will have settled down.
