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The warm spring-like weather attracted 165 snowmobilers on Feb. 13 to Chitek Lake area. A total of 165 riders enjoyed either the long trail of 70 miles or a shorter route on the lake and through the forest. The "Chitek Lake Bush Buddies" had a very successful rally this year. There were three cash prizes awarded: first place winner from Lougheed, Alta., Kurt Armstrong, netted $2,115, second place winner Patsy Dougan of Chitek Lake won $1,269, and Trevor Leibel of Saskatoon earned $846 in third place. The winnings were calculated on 25 per cent, 15 per cent and 10 per cent of the total amount brought in by the number of tickets sold. Also, two rider prizes were drawn with each winner receiving $423 – these went to Ashley Leavitt and Kim Chung. Raffle tickets were sold on prizes that many local and distant businesses and individuals so generously donated. A large number of attendees went away happy. Many eager volunteers had worked very hard. 

Keith and Faye Liebaert were away for five days babysitting their two granddaughters in Flin Flon, Man., three weeks ago. Daughter Michelle and her husband Chad took their son Riley to a far away hockey tournament. Faye supervises the Weight Watchers meetings every Wednesday in North Battleford and has been doing this for years. She knows exactly how many points there are in every serving of food, so one tries not to indulge very much when she is present! 

Esther Welsh was away for one month in British Columbia visiting her sister Helen. 

Marguerite Wintonyk, along with her oldest son Ken and wife Leona from Lloydminster, vacationed in Palm Springs for two weeks. Marguerite's husband William decided it would be too long to be away from home. 

Murray and Joanne Strain have done a lot of visiting with both sides of some of their families residing in British Columbia. They were gone for approximately one month. 

Jan Cherwinski purchased tickets many months ago for the live production The Wizard of Oz. Her daughter Veronica Jack and Jan now have good reviews on this performance. She did have a distance to travel to see this, as it was showing in Calgary. 

Leanne and Stephen Cherwinski also returned from Calgary, visiting daughter Carla, son-in-law Kelly Soucy and three grandchildren. They were there for almost one week. 

The thermometer dipped down again to minus 30 degrees Celsius and now that March has arrived, there could still be a few surprises in store for us! No grumbling now, as we have been very blessed with a decent winter. I was looking up the spelling on a word the other day, and the page that flopped open (by mistake) took me to the word snow. There were 16 words in this pocket book Webster's Dictionary relating to snow. Here goes, because once spring has arrived, you will no longer read or hear the following: snowball, snowbelt, snowboard, snowbound, snowdrift, snowdrop, snowfall, snowflake, snowman, snowmobile, snowplow, snowshoe, snowski, snowstorm, snowsuit, snowtire.

March 5, this Saturday, is Rabbit Lake's snowmobile rally. The trails are always well-groomed and marked. There will still be tickets to purchase Saturday morning at the hall. Drive safe and responsibly!