They were all born in 1945, all at the hospital in North Battleford when it was still known as Notre Dame Hospital and was run by the Sisters of Providence. Three baby boys were born in the space of three days in September. They would all have spent their first days on the same ward, then gone separate ways with their families. After retirement, however, they are all in one place again 鈥� driving for Battlefords Handi-Bus.
Art Bastian was the first to be born, on Sept. 17. Next came Alexander Scott, known nowadays as Scotty, on Sept. 18. Jim Hill was born Sept. 19. All three will be turning 70 this coming September.
Battlefords Handi-Bus is a shared ride service providing people who, because of a physical or cognitive disability, are unable to use regular transit. In 2013, the Handi-Bus logged close to 90,000 kilometres and provided more than 22,700 rides.
Art has been working at Battlefords Handi-Bus for the last 12 years, the longest of the 鈥淭hree Amigos,鈥� (so called by staff member Averil Hall who discovered the coincidence of their birthdates.)
It's probably one in a million chances that anyone would be in their position, says Art.
"We weren't hired for our birthdays," he jokes. "We were hired for what we can do."
Like Scotty and Jim, driving a Handi-Bus is a post-retirement job for Art. He worked for 30 years for Dairy Producers in North Battleford. His career there started as a summer job.
He and his wife ViviAnn, who worked as receptionist for Living Faith Chapel from 1996 to 2007, have three daughters. The oldest is in Athabasca, Alta., the middle daughter is in Houston, Texas (her husband's in the natural gas business) and their youngest is a teacher who works as a learning consultant with Living Sky School Division in North Battleford.
Each daughter has provided them with two grandchildren, says Art.
Art and ViviAnn have indulged in a passion for travelling, which has been conveniently enhanced by having friends and family to visit in various points in the United States. In addition to Houston and San Antonio, Texas, they have trekked to Phoenix, Ariz., Baltimore, Md. and New York City. Hawaii also beckoned them.
Art works for Battlefords Handi-Bus four days a week, but he also has after-work interests. He used to golf, he says, and he鈥檚 interested in technology.
ViviAnn says it was amazing to hear how her husband had been reunited with Scotty and Jim. She laughs as she imagines the three of them in their little bassinnettes all those years ago.
In the middle would have been Alexander Scott. Known as Scotty, he grew up in the Mullingar area. He went to Rothermere School, west of Meeting Lake. He and his brothers and sisters walked three and half miles each way to school. Sometimes their dad would take them in a sleigh or wagon if the weather was bad.
鈥淚 came from a very poor family,鈥� says Scotty. 鈥淲e were very, very poor, so I'm kind of proud of myself and my brother and sisters because, looking back on my life, I'm surprise I got this far, really.鈥�
Scotty says he moved to North Battleford at about 20 years old. He worked at the Western Grocers wholesale building on 104th Street for 24 years. (The building burned down in 2012).
鈥淚 was the last staff member to leave that building. I saw my foreman put the lock on the building and that was the end of my career there,鈥� says Scotty. 鈥淭hat was a very sad day. That happened in July of 1991.鈥�
He was out of work and only had a Grade 10 education.
His daughter-in-law was a teacher, he says, and she helped put him on the path toward finishing high school.
鈥淚 went to the Comp and challenged Grade 12, and I passed it,鈥� he says.
Though he鈥檇 lost his job, he wanted to stay in North Battleford, so he turned his thoughts toward trying something new. He found an employer who would train him as a television repair technician, and he worked at that job for the next couple of years. But his employer moved on to something else and he was out of work again.
So, he became a school bus driver, doing that for about 12 years. Then he took on the job of driving the Battlefords Training and Employment Centre bus for five years.
After that, he decided he would retire. He was 60.
鈥淚 said I'm just going to stay home,鈥� and he did manage to stay home for several years, then the Handi-Bus job came up.
鈥淚鈥檒l be here at this job two years in July.鈥�
He works two or three days a week, and he鈥檚 happy with that routine. It allows him to curl two days a week in the winter.
鈥淚 used to curl three and four times a week years ago,鈥� says Scotty. 鈥淚 had a men鈥檚 team, and eventually let that go. Now I curl twice a week in the daytime senior league.鈥�
His wife, Helen, also enjoys curling once a week.
Scotty and Helen, who is retired after 28 years with SaskTel, have two sons, two daughters, seven grandsons and two granddaughters. Six grandchildren are in Red Deer, Alta., and three are in North Battleford.
As for his fellow Handi-Bus drivers, Scotty says, 鈥淚t鈥檚 weird that out of 12 or 15, three of us you might as well say are the identical age.鈥�
Jim Hill says they became aware of their unique situation at their last Christmas supper.
鈥淚'm the oldest,鈥� says Jim, adding with a laugh, 鈥淚 feel it sometimes.鈥�
It was interesting to find out about their closeness in age.
鈥淎rt's the baby, so we'll be able to use that against him,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e'll be able to tell him, 鈥極K, you鈥檝e got to respect your elders.鈥�
Jim has been with the Battlefords Handi-Bus for five years. He and his wife Brenda ran Bee-J鈥檚 Stationers from 1979 to 2005, retiring after selling their business.
鈥淔or a year and half I didn't do anything,鈥� says Jim, then he decided he needed to do something with his time.
One day, Al Love, who formerly owned the Sears outlet and who has since become the City of North Battleford鈥檚 transit manager, said, 鈥淛im, have you ever thought about working a day or two a week?鈥�
As it happened, it turned out to be more than that, usually three or four, but now Jim says he is scaling back to one day a week, and a younger crew is gearing up.
鈥淎rt is the guy who does all their safety training,鈥� says Jim, who was himself trained by Art five years ago.
鈥淎l Love is a very good, easy boss to work for, but he doesn't compromise on safety, and Art is the perfect guy to train,鈥� says Jim.
He has nothing but compliments for the Handi-Bus staff.
鈥淭hey have a tremendous crew.鈥�
Jim and his wife are both from North Battleford. In 1979 they bought Amos Stationery on 101st Street from Jack Amos. In 1987 they bought the vacant North American Lumber site on Railway Avenue where Bee-J鈥檚 is now.
The downtown store, says Jim, was a card and gift shop with some commercial supplies, but when they renovated and opened the Railway Avenue location it was with the idea of dedicating a business strictly to business office supplies and home office supplies.
鈥淲e stuck our necks out,鈥� he says.
Jim says in the beginning, the owners run the business, then, through luck and hard work, if the business is a success, it starts running the owners.
鈥淚t actually takes on a life of its own,鈥� he says, 鈥渁lmost like you鈥檙e running ahead of the engine.鈥�
When the Regina firm of Brennan Office Plus offered to buy their business, it was an opportune time.
鈥淲e were at the age where a few health conditions started showing up, so we ceased that opportunity,鈥� says Jim.
Since then they鈥檝e had more time to enjoy the five grandchildren their two sons have provided.
