Feature

Gross reflects on vacuum career
Caption: Bill Gross holds a plague that was presented to him and his wife Pearl earlier this year in honour of their support for the Vacuum Dealers Trade Association.
David Willberg
"Fifty years in business is long enough," says Bill Gross, who operated Gross Product Systems until it closed recently.
Gross said he decided to sell the operation a year ago, but he didn't hang a "For Sale" sign until May 1.
All of his tools, accessories and most of his vacuum cleaners were sold earlier this year during an auction sale. He kept a couple of antique vacuum cleaners as souvenirs.
"The mind is willing, but the body is not," said Gross.
The white sign with "Vacuums" in blue letters, which used to stand over the intersection of Fourth Street and Fourth Avenue, is gone. Gross and his wife Pearl sold the building that was both their office and their home. They have moved into a condominium.
Gross entered the vacuum industry on a part-time basis in 1954, launching a career that spanned 52 years and six decades. At the time, he was working at the Canadian M and S Coal Mine as an electrical engineer, but he thought coal would be phased out after the discover of oil.
The following year, he resigned from M and S and opened an Electrolux dealership in Estevan. He worked in sales and eventually became a manger, while Pearl tackled the office work.
The Gross' left Electrolux in 1972 when they wanted him to move to B.C. Gross shifted to centralized vacuum systems, and business was bustling enough that he quickly opened a shop in Regina.
The Regina office closed in 1986, but the Estevan office would remain open for 20 more years. In recent years, Gross' focus was strictly repairing vacuums, which he called a "hobby."
He owes much of his success in the vacuum industry to his engineering background, which enabled him to, among other practices, install systems in stone houses.
"People always asked me 'How did you get the pipes through the stones?'" recalled Gross. "I said 'Drill a hole through the rock.' I had all the tools."
When he wasn't busy selling and repairing vacuums, Gross was pursuing another passion in his life: the Vacuum Dealers Trade Association (VDTA). The Gross' have attended the VDTA convention in Las Vegas every year since its inception in 1981.
"In 1981, when the organization started, I was one of the instigators to get the convention going in North America," said Gross.
Earlier this year, they were presented with a commemorative plaque in honour of 25 years of involvement with the VDTA.
He has kept in contact with his friends at the VDTA, and the Gross' continue to pay the dues. The VDTA has offered to give them a free subscription to the magazine
Gross said he misses the job that was a fixture of his life for over 50 years, but he has new ambitions. He wants to record memoirs of his life and career.
"I have a tape recorder, and I'm going to start my story from Day 1, when I was born in Austria," said Gross. "I came to Canada in 1929 when I was seven years of age. I'm going to tape my life story, because we've had a very good life."

News

Vehicle donors recognized
Caption: (L-R) Rod Wagner from Peak Energy Services, Jeff Hirtle from Northrock Resources, Leslie Scory from Canadian Natural Resources (CNR), Lampman Mayor Gerry Perkowitsch, CNR's Phil de Gagne, RM of Browning Reeve David Schnell, Lampman firefighter Grant Palmer, Todd Kreics and Brian Rutledge from CNR, and Lampman firefighter Richard Kochie participated in a donor recognition July 19.
The RM of Browning Fire Department recognized contributors to the purchase of a new rescue vehicle and equipment on July 19.
The new rescue vehicle is a one-ton cab and chassis with a service body. An assembly delay has delayed its arrival until late July or early August. The equipment includes a Jaws of Life, medical tools and more.
The RM was previously lacking the equipment. They also respond to calls in part of the RM of Benson, and assist other departments in the region during emergencies.
The vehicle and equipment cost about $145,000. Individual and corporate donations fetched about $70,000.

West Nile pool discovered
Saskatchewan's first pool of West Nile Virus (WNV)-positive mosquitoes has been detected near Estevan.
Dr. Shauna Hudson, the medical officer at the Sun Country Health Region, said this discovery was made July 17, during a routine weekly test. The first infected bird was found in the Regina-Qu'Appelle Health Region.
"This is certainly a year where conditions are more conducive to the survival of the virus, because of the habitat in Saskatchewan and because of the weather conditions that we've had in Saskatchewan this year with the early rain and the heat," Hudson told Lifestyles.
The first discovery of an infected pool last year didn't occur until late July. The weather has accelerated the timeline this year.
But the number of cases isn't guaranteed to increase from 2005, she said. While the breeding conditions are optimal, bird populations are more dispersed than in 2003, when nearly a thousand cases of WNV were diagnosed.
Therefore, Hudson couldn't offer a prediction on whether WNV would be more widespread than last year, when there were only 60, 17 of them from the Sun Country Health Region.
To avoid WNV, Hudson said people can take several precautions: wear pants and long-sleeve shirts, use mosquito repellent, install screens on windows, doors and strollers, and stay indoors during the evening.
"Preventative messages have been going out for three years, so if people heed those messages and reduce the contact they have with mosquitoes, then we potentially will see fewer human cases," said Hudson.

Police report
*The Estevan Police Service responded to a motor vehicle accident at the Husky House where an automobile was struck by a semi unit. Nobody sustained serious injuries.
*Police tended to a domestic disturbance in the Hillside area, where an individual was not welcome at a residence. The dispute was resolved.
*An assault was reported at a liquor establishment. An individual departed prior to police arriving. The matter remains under investigation.
*A male was arrested after refusing to leave a liquor establishment following a disturbance. Others involved departed as the police had requested.
*Police were called to a downtown house party on July 14. A resident was warned, but the police were later called back to the house party, and the resident was charged. While dealing with the complaint, an individual at the party was charged with obstruction of justice. The individual fled on foot, but was quickly apprehended and lodged in cells.
*Police are investigating an assault with a weapon case after a disturbance at a liquor establishment.
*Barbed wire was cut at a gated pasture south of the Shand Power Station between June 6 and 11, causing cattle to escape. Also, a tractor parked in the pasture had its wiring and electrical system cut. Anyone with information is asked to call the Estevan RCMP.

Recreation site's future debated
Boundary Dam Recreation Site could be the subject of upgrades, alterations and possibly even an expansion through a Saskatchewan Environment legacy project.
Community leaders established current assets and brainstormed ideas for the future during a meeting July 18. Moose Mountain Provincial Park manager Marty Halpape and Saskatchewan Environment employee Kathie McFarlane moderated the session.
Site manager Joe Blackburn was pleased with the ideas that were volleyed around.
"Hopefully when it gets to the people that make the decisions, some of the stuff we discussed here, we might see happening at Boundary," Blackburn told Lifestyles.
People in attendance pointed to the state of Highway 47 South and the recreation site's access road as the biggest concerns. Blackburn would like to see pavement applied from the picnic tables to the boat launch.
They would also like to see a stable shoreline and consistent water levels, which impacts the beach area, the boat launch and other amenities.
Swimming at the recreation site has been suspended twice in five years due to low water levels.
Halpape expressed surprise at the amount of fluctuation in the shoreline, and its overall impact.
"The fluctuation of water levels affects the fisheries, the shoreline stabilization and the boat launch," said Halpape. "That's the biggest key to Boundary Dam is the fluctuation of water. (I was also surprised with) the importance of Boundary Dam to the City of Estevan and the rural area."
They would also like to see a larger boat dock, possibly even a marina-style dock.
Perch and walleye populations need to be restocked, they said, and Boundary Dam's status as Western Canada's bass fishing hot spot needs to be promoted more often.
Adding non-service camp sites would be beneficial, according to those in attendance. They would also like to see more trees planted. Park expansion could be a possibility in the future, and an advisory committee might be established.
Saskatchewan Environment is hosting over 30 meetings around the province similar to the one in Estevan. Surveys were issued for most recreation sites and smaller provincial parks.
An initial report must be tabled by the middle of August, with monetary amounts to be filed this fall. McFarlane is uncertain whether funding announcements will be contained in next spring's budget.

Poker derby supports the Stropko's
Caption: Participants in the Stropko benefit ride gather for a group picture.
Local motorcycle riders gathered July 15 for a poker derby to assist the Stropko family.
A total of 114 people contributed to the derby, raising over $9,000. A few of those people were unable to participate in the derby, but they still made donations. All proceeds will go to pay for Kylie Stropko's medical costs.
Eighty-seven bikes travelled from Estevan to Weyburn, then to Stoughton and Carlyle, and then passed through Alameda on the way back to Estevan. There were several stops through the route.

Two Estevan authors recognized
Two budding Estevan authors had top-three finishes in the GMAC Great Canadian Writing Contest, a nation-wide, bilingual short story competition for children in Grades 5 and 6.
Daniel Tocher, a Grade 6 student, finished second in Saskatchewan for Air Borne Assault, a tale about troops going into battle. Chantelle Schiestel, who is also in Grade 6, penned Cross-Country Horse Racing, a story about a close horse race. She finished third in Saskatchewan.
Second and third place finishers received a prize pack, featuring a game and an autographed copy of a Kenneth Oppel book.
More than 2,200 entries were received from across Canada. Short stories of about 150 words had to be completed by May 8. They also had to conform to the theme of travel, and include an illustrated book cover.
Entries were judged for originality, creativity, storytelling, story flow, sentence structure, grammar and spelling
The five regional winners and the 12 provincial winners will have their works published.

Water sports for arthritis
Captin: Keira Weinrauch and Desirae Shiels were among the many people who went for a ride July 15 at Boundary Dam.
The Arthritis Society's Joints in Motion program held a water sports fundraiser July 15 at the Boundary Dam Recreation Site.
Participants flocked to the site throughout the day. B and B Water Sports from Midale brought two boats and several inflatable water toys, which were tugged behind boats, and used as trampolines or for parasailing.
Barbecued hot dogs and hamburgers were sold throughout the day.
A goal of $16,500 has been established for the Estevan area. Upcoming events include a steak and lobster night September 16, and a dress down day. Individuals can also make donations.

Dry weather hurting crops
The impact of the hot, dry weather has been felt across a significant portion of the province during the past week, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food's weekly crop report.
Spring cereal crops are 63 per cent heading; flax crops are 65 per cent flowering; canola and mustard crops are 23 per cent podding; pulse crops are 51 per cent podding; and 62 per cent of fall cereal crops are at the dough stage. All crops are advancing ahead of normal.
Reporters in the southern and western areas of the province indicated that heat stress has started to impact crop yields.
Over the past week, topsoil moisture conditions on crop, hay and pasture land have deteriorated in the southern and western portions of the province. The northeastern grainbelt reported adequate topsoil moisture. There were very few reports of surplus topsoil moisture in the province.
Fifty-four per cent of crop reporters showed adequate topsoil moisture, while 44 per cent rated topsoil moisture as short, and/or very short.
Haying progress continued from last week. The first cut of the hay crop that has been baled or put into silage doubled from 31 per cent last week to 62 per cent this week. Yield estimates are considered to be average for the 2006 dryland brome/alfalfa hay crop.
Hot, dry weather and insect damage were the major sources of crop damage. Other sources included flooding, insects, diseases and gophers. There were several reports of spraying for wheat midge and other insects during the past week.

 

Columnists

GARDEN NOTES
By Gerry Fichtemann
Dazzling Daylilies
If you are a person who uses the common names for flowers you call them Daylilies but if you call them by the correct horticultural name you call them HEMEROCALLIS. Either way, these are the most popular perennials in Canada today. The reason being the ease of growing and the reliability. They can take almost any kind of soil and can go for long periods of drought, once they are established; however the more water they get the better they will perform for you. Daylilies come in all sizes from 12 to 40 inches tall. Most of them prefer full sun, but there are some varieties that need afternoon shade to prevent the flowers from fading.
They come in a large array of colours (no true blues or whites). Hybridizers have been busy the past 10 years developing new cultivars and to date there is a mind-boggling 15,000 varieties. Not only are the colours different but there are bi-colours and different shapes of blossoms which makes Daylilies one of the most popular perennials for the plant collector. Prices can range from a very low $4.00 up to $300 per root. The expensive ones are the new introductions. They are not plentiful for a few years. This does not mean that the newer ones are nicer...because some of the older varieties that go back to the '50s are just as nice as the new ones and besides, they have stood the test of time which means a lot. There are many 1950's daylilies that are still very popular and will remain for years to come.
I have noticed in the nursery that the daylilies are the best they have been for a long time with many scapes of blossoms which should put on a tremendous show in the nursery plots. If you are able, we extend a warm invitation to all you gardeners and day-lily collectors to visit the River-Bend Nursery to catch all the beautiful daylily blooms which should be blooming by the weekend along with quite a few of the Asiatic Lilies.
One could write a book on Daylilies as it is such an interesting subject. In fact, many books have been written on the subject of Daylilies alone and deal only with this one certain plant.
I will be writing more on Daylilies next week to give you more of an in depth look at this amazing plant.
Gerry Fichtemann is the owner of River Bend Nursery in Estevan.

OF STRAWBERRIES AND DREAMS
By Linda Wegner
The garden's been lush this year- the peas are taller than I am, the carrots, beans and beets are flourishing and the tomatoes are producing beyond my wildest expectations. But the strawberries seem to be done for the season.
This morning, I enjoyed the better part of an hour picking vegetables for the evening meal and contemplating the in-coming potato crop. I'd sampled some peas and raspberries but it wasn't until my daughter-in-law called over the fence that I even glanced at the strawberry patch. "Mom," Grace said, "There are a few strawberries in the patch - not a lot, but enough for a taste. I noticed them yesterday."
That's all I needed. Heading straight for the patch, I spied it--one huge, succulent berry just waiting to be picked. While there were a few smaller berries ripening on the plants, this specimen called my name. Salivating fiercely, I plotted my course through the maze of plants (naturally this treasure was located smack in the middle). To my dismay I leaned forward just a tad too far and found my foot descending slowly but surely, right on top of my coveted berry. It was a goner. I didn't even have the heart to remove it from the vine.
All isn't lost. There will be more berries later in the season and if not then, there are lots in the freezer and more to come next year. It was the lesson I learned that was the most important thing: to crush a berry is not that serious; to needlessly crush the dreams and aspirations of another person can be devastating.
"…let [the words you speak be]... only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." Ephesians 4:29
Anyone can destroy dreams; God specializes in fulfilling them.

Got Water?
If you were to come to my backyard, you would see a lot of dead, dry, brown grass. After being away for a week, we came back and found that the heat just sucked the life out of our lawn. Except, that is, over in the corner by the fence where the grass is green, lush and several inches tall. The heat did not bother it at all. In fact, it is thriving!
The difference between those two patches of grass, as you may expect, is water.
You see, the girls have this huge pool and before we left on holidays, we drained it…and drained it…and drained it! It literally took 2 hours to get all the water out of that thing and it flooded the corner of the backyard. I was convinced that the grass in that part of the yard was going to be dead for the rest of the year. However, that was not the case! That flood was exactly what it needed to survive the heat. While everything else dried up and died, the flooded part grew.
While it may be a very simplistic comparison, watering the lawn and worshipping God have similar effects: they both bring life and vitality.
They both provide something that is hard to live without. The perspective that I gain when I worship God and attempt to see things through his eyes, changes the way I see each day. It reminds me of what is important and gives me strength. In short, a spiritual perspective provides something that helps me grow and get through the heat and troubles of life.
The Bible says that the spiritual person is "like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers" (Psalm 1:3).
Worship, like watering your grass, brings refreshment and life to an otherwise dry existence.
Tim Pippus
Estevan Church of Christ
estevan.cofc@sasktel.net

 

Sports

Estevan to host unprecedented tournament
Caption: Mel Murray
Estevan Minor Baseball is ready to achieve a first for Saskatchewan youth baseball: host four provincial tournaments in one weekend.
Cactus Park will be brimming with activity from July 21 to 23, as 27 teams will converge on the diamonds for the mosquito A and AA, peewee AA and bantam AA tournaments. The number of teams is nearly double the 15 that were in the city for the Western Canadian Baseball Championships two years ago.
Estevan Minor Baseball president Mel Murray said they wanted to host three tournaments, and then they approached Bienfait to have the mosquito A tournament in Estevan.
"We basically went after three provincials, and three had never been done before," said Murray. "When we secured the three, (we knew) it would work well."
All eight diamonds at Cactus Park will be utilized. Volunteers participated in work bees from July 17 to 19. City crews helped to prepare the fields.
Murray noted there are scant hotel rooms available, and predicted a considerable economic spin-off for minor baseball and the community.
Local teams will be entered in all four divisions. The Estevan/Bienfait Coalers will vie for a mosquito A title. The Estevan KPC Sluggers will compete in mosquito AA.
The Estevan Haulers are entered in the peewee and bantam divisions. The Bantam Haulers are returning five players from the team that won the AAA provincials last year.
Champions from the peewee and bantam divisions will advance to Western Canadians in Yorkton in August.
Opening ceremonies are at 5 p.m. on the 21st, with a skills competition to follow. Gold medal games on the 23rd are at 12 p.m., and, if necessary, 2:30 p.m. for the mosquito A; 1 p.m. for the mosquito AA; and 1:30 or 3:30 p.m. for the peewees or bantams, depending on whether tie-breakers are necessary.

Three rounds complete
Nathan Brignall of Estevan was among 26 local players to compete in the amateur.
The first three rounds are complete at the Saskatchewan Golf Association's men's amateur tournament at the Estevan Woodlawn Golf Course.
Ninety-six golfers, including 26 who are competing out of Woodlawn, are entered in this year's tournament. The first three rounds were held July 18 to 20. The top 15 and ties advanced to the final round July 21.
Defending champion Graham DeLaet of Weyburn was in first place after two rounds at 8-under-par 152 (65-67). His first round score was one stroke off the course record.
Estevan's Nolan Rohatyn was in second spot at an even-par 140 (71-69), eight strokes behind DeLaet.
(Results from the third round were not available at press time. Watch next week's edition of Lifestyles for complete coverage of the tournament).

Record turnout for women's OTS
(L-R) Nikki Herlick, Renee Buskow, Brittany Pouliot and Amy Lund captured the Estevan Oilfield Technical Society's (OTS) ninth annual Oilwomen's Golf Tournament July 14 at the Estevan Woodlawn Golf Course.
A total of 108 women entered, the most ever for the tournament. The winning foursome fired a 2-under-par 70 to win the Texas Scramble event.

Blazers advance to provincials
The Estevan Murray GM Blazers are advancing to provincials in just their second year of existence.
Estevan defeated the Weyburn Beavers 2-1 in the best-of-three regional finals to reach the provincial tournament August 4 to 6 in Regina.
Both of Estevan's wins came in extra innings: 3-2 in Game 1 in Estevan and 12-8 in Game 3 in Weyburn. Weyburn won Game 2 6-4 in Weyburn.
Eight teams qualified for provincials. Estevan boasts seven first-year players and five second-year players.

Mustangs travel to provincials
The Under-18 Estevan Senchuk Mustangs were in Prince Albert July 14 to 16 for the Division 2 boys soccer provincials.
Estevan finished the round robin with a 1-2 record and placed third in their pool. They opened the tournament with a 5-1 loss to Regina Forza and a 4-2 loss to the eventual provincial champions, Lloydminster Meridian, but rebounded to beat Saskatoon 6-3 in their final game.
Landon Senchuk scored Estevan's lone goal in the loss to Regina Forza. Forza had a 2-1 lead at half-time, and scored three times in the second half.
Ian Fernandez and Taylor Stark scored for Estevan against Lloydminster. The game was tied 2-2 until the final five minutes, when Lloydminster scored two quick goals.
Ryan Alexander scored four goals and Senchuk and Fernandez added singles as Estevan defeated Saskatoon 6-3 in their final game of the tournament. The score was tied 2-2 early in the second half, but Estevan pulled away with four goals.
The Mustangs will continue to play in the Estevan Men's Rec League on Tuesdays & Thursdays. Playoffs are at the end of August.

Higgs takes Quick 16
Caption: PLEASE MAKE SURE CAPTION RELFECTS WHERE PHOTOS ARE PLACED. Dolores Hoffart (top) and John Dokken (bottom) were two of the entries during the Arizona Mechanical Bracket Bash July 16.
The Estevan Drag Racing Association's second Arizona Mechanical Bracket Bash of the year attracted 62 vehicles and motorcycles and more than 300 spectators to the Estevan Airport July 16.
Nigel Higgs of Regina, riding a green Kawasaki motorcycle, beat Yorkton's Josh Padar by a few feet in the Quick 16 final.
"It took a whole pile of luck," said Higgs. "It was a nice day, a good day, nice and warm, maybe a little too warm for some of the cars that were overheating."
Higgs said he didn't make any adjustments to his bike despite the sweltering heat, especially on the track.
The win was Higgs' second in an Estevan Quick 16. He also won the Quick 16 two years ago.
Troy Turner of Carlyle won the A event in a 1968 Nova, beating Travis Enger in the final.
Marcel Van de Woestyne of Weyburn captured the B event in his Mustang.
Brandon Striha of Moose Jaw beat Willie Forrest of Estevan in the junior dragster final.
The final program of 2006 will be Sunday, August 27, as part of the Pure Energy Motorsports Weekend. The Rolling Thunder jet car will be the featured attraction.

North wins Viking Cup
CAPTION: The 2006 Viking Cup champion North team. Front row, L-R: Brian Hank, Scott Blackstock, Walter Wood, Clark McClelland, Lee Symons and Dustin Ng. Back row: Gail Blischak, Jay Dobrescu, Nolan Rohatyn, Pat Messer, Dan McKersie and Jim Wilson.
Golfers who live in northern Estevan defeated their southern Estevan foes and captured the Viking Cup for just the second time in the tournament's seven-year history.
The North doubled up the South 16-8 in the tournament, held July 15 and 16 at the Estevan Woodlawn Golf Course.
The north established their dominance from the outset, winning both the fourball and foursomes disciplines by 4 1/2-1 1/2 margins. The individual event was closer, but the North still managed to win seven of the 12 match-ups.
The Viking Cup is patterned after the biennial Ryder Cup, incorporating both individual and team play to determine a winner.

Lindros is a Star
By Kyle Kapiczowski
The NHL's Dallas Stars signed centre Eric Lindros to a one-year contract. I think this will help the Stars win the Stanley Cup. Lindros is going to bring size and toughness.
In Major League Baseball, the Washington Nationals got outfielder Austin Kearns, shortstop Felipe Lopez and pitcher Ryan Wagner from the Cincinnati Reds. Washington gave up five players, including two relief pitchers. I think this trade will help the offence for Washington.
In the Western Major Baseball League, the Regina Red Sox are in second place in the Eastern Division. They are one-and-a-half games back of first place Yorkton. In their last game, Regina lost 4-3 to the last place Weyburn Beavers.
At the Lenox Industrial Tools 300 in New Hampshire, Kyle Busch won the race and Bobby Labonte finished 23rd.
In the Craftsman Truck Series O'Reilly 200 in Memphis, Jack Sprague won the race. Mike Skinner finished ninth.
In the NBA, forward Chris Bosh re-signed with the Toronto Raptors. Even with Bosh, the Raptors will still stink.
In the NFL, training camps for rookies will open as early as July 23, and all players will be in camp by July 30. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' and the Atlanta Falcons' rookies and veterans report on July 27, and the New England Patriots' rookies and veterans report July 28.
In the CFL, the Saskatchewan Roughriders are tied for second place in the Western Division after beating the B.C. Lions 29-28. Lions quarterback Dave Dickenson threw two interceptions in the second half.
The Riders next game is against the Toronto Argonauts and running back Ricky Williams. The Riders will stop him in his tracks. The Riders will win by 13.
Terry Vaughn is the CFL's new all-time leader in receptions. He broke the record in Hamilton's 20-17 win over the Calgary Stampeders. The win was Hamilton's first of the season.
That's all, folks!

Viewpoints

What's Happening

Cruise night
The Estevan Antique Auto Club hosted their annual cruise night July 13, with 40 vehicles entered. The public was able to view the classic cars and trucks at the Estevan Shoppers Mall. Afterwards, the vehicles were split into different groups and they cruised around the city for a scavenger hunt. A barbecue and prizes adjacent to Woodlawn Regional Park concluded the evening.

Survive St. Peter's
More than 100 youth attended the Survivor-themed vacation Bible school at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Estevan July 17 to 20. Children enjoyed music, stories, crafts and games, all related to the reality TV show, while learning more about the Bible.

Bible camp begins
The Estevan Bible Camp's 2006 season has started. Squirt camp for children ages seven to nine were present from July 18 to 21. Family camp, junior camp and teen camp will follow later this year. Participants in each camp will enjoy activities, music and speakers.