Other communities in Saskatchewan should be green with envy when they look at the support shown for the Estevan is Riderville committee.

Local businesses and homes are decked out with Rider paraphernalia. Several makeshift gridirons have popped up in the community. Decorations include Rider flags, Rider banners and promotional materials. Several windows have been painted.

We have seen scoreboards, inflatable football players, banners and other unique decorations appearing around the community.

Where else, but in Estevan, would you be able to see a green IMCA modified car that promotes Estevan is Riderville, the Saskatchewan Roughriders, and has the picture of a boisterous fan wearing a watermelon helmet? (Thanks, Jim Harris).

The schools deserve applause as well. Students often talk about having “school spirit.” But they also want to be known for their “Rider spirit.” They have shown creativity, energy and originality in the last few days. Young people in Estevan seem to “Live Rider Pride,” too.

You know that everybody is on board with the quest for Riderville when, at a recent meeting, Estevan City Council members shed their traditional formal attire for jerseys and green Estevan Lives Rider Pride t-shirts.

The staff at Lifestyles has had a lot of fun during this campaign. We have painted our faces, donned watermelon helmets, and shown just how creative we can be with our support for the Riders. And we have enjoyed printing your Rider Pride pictures.

A few weeks ago, we issued the Lifestyles challenge to every other newspaper in a community that has entered the Riderville competition. Needless to say, nobody has come close to Lifestyles over-the-top outfits. And nobody in Saskatchewan has been able to top Estevan for its enthusiasm when it comes to the Riderville competition.

It’s not always easy to unite a community. Estevan’s a diverse city with a lot of different demographics. That’s a good thing. But this community has a knack for coming together for something it believes in. And Estevan has shown that it believes in Riderville.

We seem to really want the Riderville distinction, the sign at the entrance to the community that says “Welcome to Riderville,” and most important of all, the $25,000 in minor sports funding that would provide a real boost to Estevan’s fledgling football programs.

Estevan will find out in a few weeks whether the community is one of the five finalists in the Riderville competition. If Estevan earns that distinction, that will mean $5,000 in minor sports funding.

We won’t know the winner of the Riderville contest until the annual Labour Day Classic. Hopefully Estevan residents will have two victories to celebrate that day: the Riders drubbing the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (virtually a cinch) and Estevan winning the Riderville contest (cross your fingers).

But regardless of whether Estevan wins or not, we all now know that Estevan really is Riderville.