Feature

Christmas memories
Caption: Estevan's Joyce Fonstad holds her Christmas basket. She has fond memories of Christmas that date back to the Great Depression.
By David Willberg
Joyce Fonstad of Estevan has fond memories of Christmas in the 1930s Great Depression: gifts, traditions, Christmas concerts, food and time spent with family and friends.
Her family didn't have much in the 1930s. Gifts were homemade, practical and inexpensive. Mittens and scarves were common, but they were also needed and appreciated. Men and boys received socks.
One of her earliest Christmas memories was receiving a children's car when she was three. Other gifts included a bassinette made out of a grape basket, and a doll.
"We hung up our stockings on Christmas Eve, but we didn't open our gifts until after breakfast Christmas morning," said Fonstad.
The gifts weren't expensive like they are now, she said.
The Second World War broke out in 1939, and the economy improved. The gifts became more expensive, Fonstad said, and there were more store-bought gifts.
Fonstad's family grew up in the central Saskatchewan community of Elbow. Christmas and New Year's were celebrated with a neighbouring family. Christmas was usually at the neighbours' farm.
"I can remember going across the fields in a bobsleigh, and there was snow up to the horses' stomachs," said Fonstad.
The weather was always cold, and there was lots of snow, she said.
Christmas supper included poultry of some kind, either chicken or turkey. All of the food was home-cooked. Fonstad recalls eating cookies, lots of homemade candy and mince pies.
"My mother always made a mock cherry pie at Christmas, which was actually a cranberry pie," said Fonstad.
Fonstad loved homemade candy at Christmas time. It seemed like everyone made their own candy back then, she said.
Her family didn't go out and buy a Christmas tree. Fonstad remembers that she adamantly wanted a tree one year, and her family's farm had a lot of trees.
"So I went out and picked the smallest one, and asked if we could bring it into the house for a Christmas tree," said Fonstad. "Well, it reached the ceiling. And all we had for decorations was a few bits of crate paper. I can remember trying to make homemade decorations to cover up the tree."
Children waited anxiously for the Christmas holidays, she said. Students went to school in August back then so Christmas vacation extended well into January.
The school Christmas concert, at an old one-room schoolhouse, was the highlight of the winter.
"The little schoolhouse would be just packed with people that night," said Fonstad. "Santa Claus always came, and sometimes tried to kiss the teacher."
Students received homemade candy and a Christmas orange at the concert, she said.
That old schoolhouse didn't have power or other amenities. They were lucky to have a piano. There were school choruses, short plays and drills. Santa's appearance was the memorable part of the night.
Fonstad moved to Torquay in 1946 to teach at Torquay School. The concerts were different: the Christmas carols and comical plays were the same, she said, but more people were involved.
Torquay was a big school, with four classrooms to accommodate all of the students from Kindergarten to Grade 12.
Fonstad's Christmas plans this year will send her to her grandson's house in Oxbow on Christmas Eve for supper and a gift opening. About 20 people from within her family will be there, including a great grandchild.
She'll return to Estevan for Christmas Day, so that she can attend church in the morning, and spend Christmas with some family in the city, and some of her fellow tenants at Trinity Tower.
Even through Christmas used to be simpler and less expensive, and even though people travel further and families might not spend as much time together, Fonstad still enjoys Christmas in 2007.
"We have wonderful Christmases now," said Fonstad.

News

Kettle campaign begins
Caption: Estevan Salvation Army Captain Heather Fudge encouraged people to donate to the kettle campaign.
The Estevan Salvation Army launched their 2007 kettle campaign December 1 at the Estevan Shoppers Mall.
Local dignitaries brought greetings. Representatives from the Estevan Royal Canadian Legion and the Estevan Elks presented donations. A small instrumental band played several Christmas carols.
Captain Heather Fudge noted that the kettle tradition started in 1891, and it quickly grew in popularity. More than 100 years later, they're still a Salvation Army fixture, she said.
Kettles will be located at the mall, the Estevan Wal-Mart and the Southern Plains Co-op until Christmas. The Salvation Army has set a goal of $11,000 for the kettles. They want to bring in $41,000 for their Family Services fund through kettles, donations and mail-outs.

Police report
*Police received a call of a three-year-old boy wandering near the apartments on Nicholson Road, wearing only shorts in -20 C temperatures. A woman found the child and returned him to the residence believed to be his home, but the parents were not there. When police arrived, the door was locked and nobody answered. The parents' vehicle had returned to the home before police arrived, and the parents were believed to be in the residence at this time, but they wouldn't answer the door. The parents, both 23, have been charged with child abandonment. The children in the residence have been place in foster care with the Department of Social Services, who has launched an investigation of their own. The parents have been released under strict conditions, and the court date is December 20.
*Police responded to a missing person complaint in the Hillcrest area. A school contacted police after a student failed to return after lunch. Officers determined the whereabouts of the boy and informed the school of his safety and location.
*A 24-year-old Estevan female was charged with theft of under $5,000, after a lengthy investigation
*A 39-year-old Roche Percee resident was charged with dangerous driving and operating an unregistered vehicle after he reportedly tried to drive into another vehicle.
*Police responded to a two-vehicle accident at 13th Avenue and Eighth Street. No injuries were reported. Tow trucks were needed to remove the vehicles.
*A 33-yar-old Estevan male was arrested for impaired driving and refusing to provide a breath sample.
*A 20-year-old male was arrested for possession of a controlled substance.
*Police are investigating a complaint of a suspect attempting to break into a city core residence and assaulting the occupants. The suspect was gone when police arrived.
*Police responded to a hit-and-run in the 500 block of Fifth Street. An east bound vehicle, believed to be a pickup, was likely traveling at a high rate of speed, lost control and collided with a 49-foot livestock trailer parked on private property. The impact caused the trailer to move 12 inches. The offending vehicle likely suffered extensive damage to the passenger side. Anyone with information is asked to call the Estevan Police Service or Crime Stoppers.
*Police are investigating an assault complaint following a fight at a convenience store.
*Police and Estevan Fire Services responded to a fire at Wil-Tech Industries. Fire came from the roof of an addition under construction at the back of the main building. The fire was extinguished and the cause is under investigation.

Mid-year financial report
Saskatchewan Finance Minister Rod Gantefoer said the province's Mid-year Financial Report reveals an almost $1.24 billion improvement for 2007-08 but a concerning financial picture for 2008-09 and beyond.
"There is no question that Saskatchewan is enjoying prosperous times and that government revenues are way up this year," Gantefoer said.
"However, the volatility of resource revenues coupled with the spending legacy of the previous administration had Saskatchewan headed back down the road to deficit budgets if we don't change course.
"I guess this explains why the previous administration refused to table a four-year financial plan in its last budget."
Gantefoer said the operating expense forecast is 30 per cent higher in 2007-08 than it was only three years ago.
The government is expecting one-time windfall revenues of nearly $1 billion this year.
The current four-year forecast for Saskatchewan based on September assumptions and the spending plans of the previous administration includes a $4 billion deficit from 2008-09 to 2011-12.

LaFrentz wins RM election
Caption: Kelly LaFrentz
Kelly LaFrentz won a by-election in the RM of Estevan December 5 to fill the vacant seat in Division 2.
LaFrentz defeated Nathan Lamb 47-28 to win the by-election. A total of 211 people were eligible to vote.
Division 2 is the RM's south-central jurisdiction, stretching from Estevan city limits to the U.S. border, and encompassing both sides of the Boundary Dam reservoir.
The election was necessitated by the passing of Division 2's previous representative, Councillor Bob Mantei. Mantei was acclaimed to represent the division earlier this year, but he passed away after he was acclaimed.
Other members of the RM of Estevan Council are: Reeve Marie Dukart and Councillors Lorne Jahn (Division 1), Dennis Blackburn (Division 3), John Kish (Division 4), Richard Gervais (Division 5) and John Bachorcik (Division 6).

"High School Musical" performed this weekend
The Estevan Comprehensive School will perform their rendition of the popular Disney movie "High School Musical" December 7 and 8 at 7 p.m., and December 9 at 2 p.m. The play showcases the acting, singing, dancing and instrumental talents of students from the school. The performers have rehearsed for months so that the play is ready to go.

New physicians recruited
Caption: (L-R) St. Joseph's Hospital executive director Norman Poirier, new physician Dr. Shailendra Lala, and Sun Country Health Region chief of staff Dr. Veno Padayachee.
Physician recruitment by the Estevan Chamber of Commerce, the City of Estevan and the Sun Country Health Region has brought four new doctors to Estevan in the last year-and-a-half, and more could be on the way.
Dr. Shailendra Lala, a general practitioner with an interest in gynecology and obstetrics, is the newest physician to arrive in Estevan. Lala is from South Africa originally, and he has practiced in Australia and England.
"I wanted an opportunity to come to Canada, with an idea to provide for my wife and my son, and the opportunity presented itself," said Lala. "It's been good so far."
Lala arrived in Canada in mid-November. His family could join him before the end of the year, he said.
The physician recruitment plan includes various incentives for physicians who relocate to Estevan: hotel accommodations and three months of living quarters, a provisional free lot to build a house, a one-year lease on a new GM vehicle, and passes to various recreation, culture and sport venues.
Estevan has provided a warm welcome so far, Lala said. The incentives package eliminated many of his concerns, including accommodations and transportation.
Dr. Veno Padayachee, the chief of staff for the Sun Country Health Region, said they have 13 physicians in Estevan. Two more could be coming early next year.
"We'd like to see ourselves providing 24-7 obstetric service," said Padayachee. "Dr. (Diana) Naidu is the only one doing that, and Dr. Lala has some of the same skills. I have another doctor who shows a lot of interest in wanting to come to Estevan, and she does obstetrics as well."
The other physician who could be coming to Estevan has anesthetic experience.
"It's not just a matter of bodies coming, it's bodies with the skills set that we need," said Padayachee.
Padayachee reiterated his desire to see St. Joseph's Hospital in Estevan become a regional hospital. If that ever does occur, Padayachee said they might need more than 15 physicians.

Becky Kelly leaving for China
Estevan's Becky Kelly will depart for China December 10, and arrive in the Asian country on the 11th, to receive treatment for progressive multiple scleroses (MS), using the umbilical chord blood of newborn babies.
She will receive four stem cell transfusions, and she will undergo a bone marrow transplant, during a one-month visit in the country.
A fundraising cabaret was held in November to help cover some of the travel, accommodation, food and treatment expenses.
Anyone interested in Kelly's experiences while in China can visit her blog at www.stemcellschina.com/blogs/becky. Best wishes can be sent to pat.kelly@sasktel.net.

Lampman Health Centre lockdown ends
A lockdown at the Lampman Health Centre, caused by an outbreak of gastro-intestinal illness, was lifted December 6, 10 days after the outbreak began.
Ten residents and eight staff showed symptoms of the illness, such as vomiting and diarrhea. Eighteen people live at the health centre.
Dr. Shauna Hudson, the chief medical officer for the Sun Country Health Region, said there's a "fair amount" of gastro-intestinal illness in the community. Gastro-intestinal illness has forced several other health facilities in the region to be shut down in the past.
Lockdown duration is dependent on the severity of the gastro-intestinal illness, Hudson said, and early detection. In this case, it was diagnosed early, so the lockdown lasted only 10 days.
"They identified (gastro-intestinal illness) when there were just two cases, and they did a very good job in terms of notifying public health," said Hudson. "That allowed infection control to be involved early, and the public health inspector went out there."
The illness in this instance was transmitted by a visitor to the health centre or a staff member, said Hudson. It was not caused by food.

Estevan City Council holds budget meetings
Estevan's 2008 budget includes work on Kensington Avenue and Fourth Street, five blocks of watermain replacements and new residential lots.
The budget - discussed at meetings December 3 and 5 - has a surplus of $25,000 in the solid waste utility, and deficits of about $90,000 in the general fund and $50,000 in the water and waste water utility. The water utility deficit includes a 10 per cent increase for next year.
Mayor Gary St. Onge is uncertain whether there will also be an increase in the mill rate.
"We won't know 100 per cent (whether there's a mill rate increase) until the spring," said Estevan Mayor Gary St. Onge. "We don't know what the provincial revenue sharing is."
Council did manage to cut more than $300,000 in operational and capital expenses. A new student administration job in Leisure Services and a new Public Works job were slashed. Responsibilities for a Fire Services clerical staff member, a Public Works superintendent and another Public Works employee were reduced.
Summer staff benefits were also reduced. Those efforts saved nearly $100,000.
Eliminated from the capital budget were handheld meter readers ($10,500), a new stage for Leisure Services ($45,000), a ditch for Devonian Street ($109,000), and work on the front parking lot of the Souris Valley Aquatic and Leisure Centre ($25,000).
The parking lot at the Lignite Miners Centre will be paved for $55,000 instead of the original $110,000 that was budgeted. Council is optimistic that the project can be finished for $55,000.
Councillor Lori Carr suggested canceling two capital expenses - laptop computers for council and the city manager ($6,720) and an irrigation system for Torgeson Park ($65,000).
She also recommended that $70,000 be spent to replace the windows at the Leisure Centre and the Estevan Public Library, instead of the $110,000 that was budgeted. All of her motions were defeated.
The laptops will allow Council members to receive their meeting agendas on disk instead of in bulky agenda packages, saving paper and saving time for City staff.
Other capital projects include:
*Resurfacing of Kensington Avenue from Fourth Street to the northern railway crossing ($510,000). Council is confident that most of the project can be accomplished by milling the ruts and applying asphalt.
*An intersection upgrade to Kensington and King Street ($1.2 million), including traffic lights. Partial funding will come from Harvard Developments.
*Resurfacing Fourth Street from Eighth Avenue to Kensington Avenue ($1.5 million). Two-thirds of the funding will come from the federal and provincial governments.
*Crossing arms for the south Kensington Avenue railway crossing ($30,625).
*Several new lot developments: surface works to the latest phase of the Trojan subdivision ($2.188 million), which includes paving Rooney Road; starting the next phase of Trojan ($235,060) which will include two multi-family lots and 12 single-family lots; a 26-lot development in the Royal Heights subdivision ($436,540); a 19-lot cul-de-sac in Dominion Heights; and three lots in Bay Meadows ($50,000). Projects would be funded by lot inventory.
*Five blocks of watermain replacements: Henry Street from Bannatyne Avenue to Spruce Road, and Spruce from Henry to King ($1.7 million, partially funded by local ratepayers).
*A geotechnical study for Spruce Road from Henry Street to Albert Street. Resurfacing could cost $300,000.
The Estevan Police Service budget will be discussed by the police board.

For Christmas, I want...
Caption: Jordyn, Riley and Mike Thomas gave Santa Claus their wish list December 1 at the Estevan Shoppers Mall.
Santa Claus and his reindeer were at the Estevan Shoppers Mall for the mall's children's day December 1.
A breakfast with Santa got the day going. Children were able to chat with Santa, and give him their Christmas wish lists. Pancakes were served for breakfast. All proceeds from the Santa breakfast will go to the Violence Intervention Program.
Children were also able to have their pictures taken with two members of Santa's reindeer, which were brought to Estevan by the Heartland Game Farm and Petting Zoo in Watson.

GM donates to Lampman youth curling
Caption: (L-R) Murray GM comptroller Dennis Bode, Lampman Youth Curling coach Monica Dukart, and Dawn Schell, the recreation director for the Town of Lampman and the RM of Browning, participated in a $2,000 cheque presentation.
The Lampman Youth Curling Club is one of 60 community sport clubs to receive a grant from General Motors (GM) Canada for coaching skill development.
GM Canada contributed $1,000, and Murray GM in Estevan and Oxbow also donated $1,000, for a total grant of $2,000. The funding will assist coaches to become more qualified to teach children and young adults the skills of curling in a fun setting.
The curling club is hoping those curlers will continue in the sport as they grow up, which will keep the club sustainable.
The donation came through GM's Making Dreams Possible Program, which supports coaching development. In the program's first year, it supported over 5,000 coaches and nearly 70,000 athletes in 115 communities across the country.

Debate on electronic devices in schools
The Estevan Comprehensive School hosted debate students from across southern Saskatchewan November 30.
Twenty-eight teams, and a total of 56 students, were involved. Students debated the topic of whether personal electronic devices, such as cellular phones, should be banned from schools.
The debate used the parliamentary format. A prime minister and an MP were on one side, and an opposition leader and another MP were on the other. Cross-examination was allowed at any time. Heckling was permitted and even encouraged. Points of personal privacy were permitted in the event of slander or a misquote.
There were three rounds of 14 debates. Each debate had a winner. Duos received points for their debating ability.
Six teams from ECS were among the 28 entered. Adam George and Jordan Walliser were second in the junior division.
Margaret Duncan, a coach of the team along with Lori Cline-Slath, said the ECS debaters won a lot of debates, and they did a great job.
People from around the community volunteered as judges, Duncan said.

The Glory of Christmas
The Southeast Chorus and Northwest Chorus came together for their annual performance of Christmas music December 1 and 2.
"The Glory of Christmas" was performed on the 1st at Trinity Lutheran Church in Estevan, and on the 2nd at Concordia Lutheran Church in Crosby, N.D. Hundreds of people attended both performances, which featured a blend of traditional Christmas choral music and contemporary Christmas carols.
Approximately 50 singers from southeast Saskatchewan and northwest North Dakota were involved in "The Glory of Christmas." They spent nearly three months rehearsing for the performance.

Birthday gifts for the Humane Society
Caption: Hailey Dukart stands with some of the pet food donated at her birthday party.
Estevan's Hailey Dukart used her 10th birthday party as an opportunity to support the Estevan Humane Society.
Hailey invited her classmates from the Grade 5 class at St. Mary's School to her party. Instead of birthday presents, they brought pet food and cash for the Humane Society.
"I love animals and I wanted to help the Humane Society out by giving donations to them to help so that they don't have to spend so much money buying dog food and cat litter," said Dukart.
About 20 classmates were at the party. Family and friends were also present. Hailey's mother, Tia, estimated they brought in about $200 worth of food and cash donations.
Hailey told her mother she wanted her entire class at her birthday. Hailey said she didn't need any gifts, but she wanted to support the Humane Society.
Hailey's family has a dog, a Jack Russell terrier named Mollie.
"I think animals are so beautiful, and they can be your friend," said Hailey. "You can love them and take care of them. It's just a fun job."

Chamber seeking directors and committee members
The Estevan Chamber of Commerce is seeking members for its board of directors and committees.
President Lynn Chipley said they need people who can meet and greet new business owners, as well as existing entrepreneurs. With just two staff currently at the Chamber, Chipley said it's difficult to get to all of the businesses in Estevan.
"We need help with all of our committees, and with directors," Chipley said.
Numbers aren't low for committees or directors, Chipley said, but attrition usually claims a couple of members each year.
The only requirements are a current Chamber membership and a willingness to be involved. Once they join, they'll realize all that the Chamber does in the community, Chipley said.
"I think we're fairly visible in the community, and I think we have an impact, but you can always do more," Chipley said.
Chipley would like to see the board of directors and its committee structure finalized by mid-February.

Reception for young artists
Caption: (L-R) Estevan Art Gallery and Museum board member Linda Holden, Kelly Oliver-Gress, Ashton Lonethunder, Jazmane Penill, Brendan Campbell, Brooklin Gillie, instructor Lindsay Arnold and Chenise Neumann with the artwork they created in Targeting Talent.
Nine budding local artists had their work exhibited at the Estevan Art Gallery and Museum December 5, through a new Targeting Talent program.
The students, who are 12 to 14 years old, were recommended by teachers at their schools for their artistic ability and interest.
“This is a way of giving them the opportunity to try new techniques, work in a studio environment so they can make a mess, and learn how to be artists,” said gallery educator Lindsay Arnold.
Arnold was very happy with how it turned out. The children really enjoyed it, and each participant was able to walk away with a finished project that they can be proud of.
Arnold hopes that there could be another class in the spring of 2008.

Courage to change presentation
Caption: (L-R) Denise Fonstad and Ulla Cinnamon from Herbal Magic in Estevan made a presentation to Laurel Buck and Alana Clow from the Violence Intervention Program.
Herbal Magic in Estevan has completed their Courage to Change Month campaign.
A final monetary total isn't available yet. Cash and nurture items - such as paper towels, Kleenex and toilet paper - were collected for the Violence Intervention Program in Estevan in November.
Courage to Change Month is part of a national promotion to support women's shelters and other organizations that assist women.
Members of the public dropped off cash and nurture items to Herbal Magic. Also, Herbal Magic donated $25 to the Courage to Change campaign for each person who joined Herbal Magic in November.

Sun Country establishes primary health teams
The Sun Country Health Region (SCHR) has announced the establishment of two primary health teams this fall to enhance health care services for individuals and communities.
"Primary Health Care is the future for our health," said SCHR CEO Cal Tant. "We're in the beginning stages of developing new sites in SCHR. We will work very hard to reach and surpass the goals set by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health."
Tant said it's very exciting to see these teams being built, with physicians, nurse practitioners and other health professionals, working together.
The new teams are located in the Lampman/Midale communities and in Arcola/Carlyle.
Local PHC teams involve communities and individuals in the decision-making process. They help health care providers work together to improve the continuity of care, reduce duplication of service, and ensure individuals have access to appropriate health professionals.
The teams include nurse practitioners who receive advanced training to engage in their practice. The Saskatchewan Registered Nurses Association (SRNA) licenses nurse practitioners as independent practitioners guided by a set of standard core competencies and a national exam.

Chamber hosts Christmas launch
Caption: Santa Claus gets a Christmas wish list from Jesse Gibson.
The Estevan Chamber of Commerce did their part to build excitement for Christmas during their second annual Kick-off to Christmas on Fourth Street November 30.
City Councillor and Chamber president Lynn Chipley brought greetings to the public. The Christmas tree in front of City Hall was lit for the first time this year.
Chipley encouraged people to remember to do their Christmas shopping locally.
"We believe that small business, medium business and big business are the backbone of the community," said Chipley. "We appreciate your support of all of our businesses."
Cookies and hot chocolate were served at the Wicklow building. Santa Claus chatted with children. Sleigh rides were offered up and down Fourth Street.
A local brass trio performed several selections. Estevan's Sparks, Brownies and Girl Guides sang Christmas carols at different businesses on Fourth Street.
The House of Stationary won a contest for the best decorated store front. Art Concepts Custom Framing and the Estevan Mohawk gas station received honourable mentions.
Many businesses had sales and specials during the Kick-off to Christmas.

Plaques added to monument
(L-R) Larry Preddy and Ken McDonald stand with one of seven new plaques added to the Estevan Collegiate Institute monument December 5. The plaques contain approximately 4,100 names of students, staff and teachers who attended the school from 1914 to 1969. Each plaque cost about $4,000, and required 12 hours of laser work.

Another good year for Exhibition Association
The Estevan Exhibition Association (EEA) enjoyed another financially successful year in 2007, according to financial statements released during the organization's annual general meeting December 5.
Net income was $13,706, about $500 more than the net income from the year before. Revenues were down from $190,910 in 2006 to $184,076 in 2007 - thanks mostly to the absence of the Rumble in the Dirt, and a decline in grants - but expenses also dropped from $177,677 in 2006 to $170,370 in 2007.
Much of the financial success can be attributed to the Estevan Fair in June, which had a net income of more than $52,000.
The Estevan Rodeo also had a good year financially, with $9,680.73 in net income, compared to a $351.77 loss in 2006. The Canadian Cowboys Association rodeo itself suffered a small deficit, but the other events associated with the rodeo - the rancher's rodeo, the 4-H show and sale, the rodeo dance and the light horse show - resulted in the surplus.
"That's a pleasure to see in July," said Rodney Dukart, who has been the EEA's president for the last three years. "Our gate numbers were up there, so the rodeo's coming around."
Those who attended the annual meeting voted to retire the EEA's remaining long-term debt - about $13,000. Dukart estimated that it's the first time in 15 years that the EEA has been out of debt.
"That's one thing that we've looked forward to for the last number of years, and it's a nice feeling to see that disappear," said Dukart.
The domestics show had 396 entries in 2007, up about 50 from last year. Domestics chair Mary Jacobs said the photography competition saw the biggest growth.
The executive for 2008 will be determined at a later meeting. Dukart has one more year left on his term as president, and he will remain the president unless someone challenges him.
Dukart said plans for 2008 will begin once the EEA meets in January. He said they might try to bring in some more entertainment to go along with the popular Estevan Idol competition.
The Estevan Fair in 2008 will be from June 16 to 18, and the Estevan Pro Rodeo will run from July 3 to 5.

Columnists

Following the Cloud
When the Israelites lived in tents and did not have a land to call their own, the Lord commanded them to build him a special tent called the "Tabernacle". This was to be God's dwelling place among his people. When the tabernacle was complete, a cloud filled it as a sign that the Lord's Spirit was with them.
With that background, read this passage and see if you get the point.
"On the day the tabernacle, the tent of testimony, was set up, the cloud covered it… and at night it looked like fire. Whenever the cloud lifted from above the Tent, the Israelites set out; wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped. At the Lord's command, the Israelites set out, and at his command they encamped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they remained in camp. When the cloud remained over the tabernacle a long time, the Israelites obeyed the Lord's order and did not set out. Sometimes the cloud was over the tabernacle only a few days; at the Lord's command they would encamp, and then at his command they would set out. Sometimes the cloud stayed only from evening till morning, and when it lifted in the morning, they set out. Whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud lifted, they set out. Whether the cloud stayed over the tabernacle for two days or a month or a year, the Israelites would remain in camp and not set out; but when it lifted, they would set out. At the Lord's command they encamped, and at the Lord's command they set out. They obeyed the Lord's order" (Numbers 9:15-23).
The point: "God's people follow God!"
Now that may seem sort of obvious, but it is not. Many who call themselves "followers of God" actually do whatever they want or whatever they think is best. God is not so much their leader, but a consultant that they go to when they need help.
This passage reminds us that really following God requires that we listen to him, have patience and trust that he knows where we are going.
That is not always easy, but, in the end, it is always best.
Are you being led by God?
Tim Pippus, Estevan Church of Christ

WHAT DO I GIVE MYSELF?
By Linda Wegner
Next to trying to figure out what to give others for Christmas, answering the grandchildren's question, "What do you want for Christmas, Grandma?" is one of the most challenging activities of the season. I just have to look around my home to see how much stuff I don't need.
Sometimes I could use the gift of forgiveness, though. US journalist, Franklin P Adams, wrote this: "To err is human; to forgive, infrequent" and Oscar Wilde offered his famous proverb, "Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much. And who of us hasn't taken advantage of Stuarts's Law of Retraction: "It is easier to get forgiveness than permission."
Last week I noted that God really wants our bad stuff so He can replace it with His goodness. This week I'd like to suggest that the best gift we can give ourselves is to forgive someone who doesn't deserve it. Believe me when I say that I'm no goody-two-shoes because I wrestle with the act as much as anyone. Sometimes victory comes rather quickly, other times it's taken years to release my anger at gross injustice against myself or someone else.
Jesus told a powerful story about a middle management guy who showed no mercy to one of his peers and seemed to get away with it… that is, until someone higher up got wind of it and told the boss. The CEO was so angry that he ordered the oppressor to be jailed. Pretty lousy returns for the few dollars he was owed.
"So if you are about to place your gift on the altar and remember that someone is angry with you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. Make peace with that person, then come back and offer your gift to God."
Give forgiveness - it's the best gift you'll get.

GARDEN NOTES
By Gerry Fichtemann
CHRISTMAS TREE CARE
Once your tree is home, store it in an unheated area or leave it outside away from the sun and wind. ( I hope the big box stores read this). They seem to store them right on the windiest side of the store).
The trees you purchase were cut a long time ago so it is most important to make a fresh cut off the bottom of the trunk. This will enable the tree to take up water more easily rather than sticking a dried and hardened cut into water.
The tree must be placed in a stand that is sturdy and has a capacity of 4 litres.
It is also very important to rinse' the tree stand with a capful of bleach added to some water before inserting the tree. This reduces growth of microorganisms that can block the tree's ability to absorb water. Watch very carefully the tree's need for water as an average tree consumes between one and four litres of water daily. The first few days the tree will drink much more and then slow down later on.
Place all trees, real or artificial, away from heat sources such as heating vents, radiators, and television sets. Do not block doorways or exits.
Be sure to turn off tree lights when no one is present. Do not use outdoor lights on your trees indoors. Remember, mini-lights produce minimum heat. If possible, use flame retardant decorations and avoid the use of extension cords. These few and simple points may save you from a disaster at Christmas time.
POTTED EVERGREENS: Some of the big-box stores sell potted evergreens which can later be planted out in your garden in the spring. Do not fall for such a joke!
First of all, the evergreens are grown and imported from 8 different temperate zone then ours which will not be satisfactory for survival. But most of all, these potted evergreens are in a warm store, then placed in your warm home. As you know all plants need a dormant or resting period with cool or cold weather. If you take this fragile little tree directly from your house and set it outside to rest, the temperature change will be far too great for it to survive. So if you are an ecologist or environ- mentalist and think you are getting an evergreen to replant, you are thinking very wrong.
Gerry Fichtemann is the owner of River Bend Nursery.

Sports

Bruins lose B final at home tournament
The Estevan Canetic Atom Tier 1 Bruins lost in the B final of their home tournament that was held November 30 to December 2.
Estevan went 2-1 in the round robin. They beat Gravelbourg 8-2 in the opening game. Estevan lost 6-2 to the Regina Sharks, but finished the round robin with a 4-3 win over the Moosomin Rangers.
Each of the eight teams qualified for a final. Teams were placed into finals based on their round robin record. Estevan's 2-1 record earned them a birth in the B final.
Estevan lost 8-6 in the B final to their league rivals from Yorkton. It was the closest game of the year between the two teams.
Weyburn beat the Regina Sharks 4-1 in the tournament's A final.

Bruins make more moves
Caption: Bruin goalie Karsten Felske makes the save against the Melfort Mustangs in the Bruins 4-2 win December 1.
Estevan Bruins head coach/GM Karry Biette is satisfied with his defence, after adding another blue-liner prior to the first of two trade deadlines in the SJHL.
Biette acquired Cory Demko from the North Bay Skyhawks in Ontario on November 29, two days before the deadline for teams to reduce their rosters to 25. Demko played with the Battlefords North Stars earlier this year.
Biette is optimistic that Demko's previous SJHL experience will help Demko's adjustment back to the league.
"He's a big strong kid, and he'll have to get in touch with the speed of this league again, but I think he'll fit in well," Biette said.
Defenceman Devon Jonson and forward Trevor Mock were sent to the Lindsay Muskies, also in Ontario, as the future considerations in the trade that sent defenceman Dmitri Levin's playing rights to Estevan.
Now the Bruins have to get Levin released to play in Estevan. Levin's former team, the major junior Oshawa Generals haven't released Levin to play. Biette said Levin wants to come to Estevan.
If Levin does report, Biette said the Bruins will be very deep on defence. If he doesn't, Biette conceded they might need to make a move to add depth to the defence.
Several other teams made moves on or before the December 1 deadline. Biette said there will likely be few transactions for the final trade deadline January 10.
"December 1 is the new January 10," said Biette. "The January 10 deadline is now the dinosaur deadline. Not a whole bunch happens. It's an old bid line that years ago made a lot of sense, because you played hockey into March, and you had 20 regular season games after January 10."
The Bruins had a busy week on the ice, too, with five games in seven days. They started with a 3-2 road loss to the Yorkton Terriers November 30, but rebounded to beat the Melfort Mustangs 4-2 December 1.
A northern road trip took them to Nipawin, Flin Flon and La Ronge. Estevan lost 4-3 to Nipawin in a shootout December 4, but they beat Flin Flon 4-2 on the 5th. (Results from the game against La Ronge December 6 not available at press time).
The Bruins record, prior to the La Ronge game, was 17-14-2-1, which gave them 37 points and fourth place in the Sherwood Conference.

Regina rink wins BLT Classic
Caption: (L-R) Derek Boe, E. Hanley, Dean Cursons and Cory Hubick won the Benson Lampman Together Classic.
The Derek Boe rink from Regina won the fourth annual Benson Lampman Together (BLT) Classic, which was held at curling rinks in the two communities from November 30 to December 2.
Boe's team defeated Benson's Robert Keating 8-6 in the final.
A total of 16 teams entered the fourth annual BLT. The BLT is one of 11 stops on the men's Saskatchewan Curling Tour. The top three teams on the tour will advance directly to provincials.
Estevan's Jim Packet lost to Keating in the semi-final. Mark Mack of Lampman lost in the quarter-final.
Boe's rink won $2,500 for the victory. Keating's team pocketed $1,500. The third and fourth place finishers each earned $800, and the fifth to eighth place teams pocketed $450.

Estevan dominates Melville tournament
The Estevan Prairie Petro-Chem PeeWee A Bruins had a perfect 4-0 record on their way to winning a tournament in Melville December 1 and 2.
Estevan went 2-0 in the preliminary round, defeating Grenfell 14-0 and the host Melville Blues 10-1.
The Bruins continued their success in the playoffs. They beat the Lumsden Lions 11-2 in the semi-final and the Regina Rockets 13-3 in the A final.
In league play, the Prairie Petro-Chem Bruins are third in the five-team South Central Minor Hockey League with a 3-2-1 record. They are four points behind second place Weyburn, but Estevan has two games in hand.

Cougars, Huskies pace Big Six
The Carlyle Cougars have moved into top spot in the Big Six Hockey League's West Division.
Carlyle has a 4-1-1 record and nine points. The Midale Mustangs are one point back in second spot with a 4-0 record. Midale has two games in hand.
The Arcola Kisbey Combines are 2-3-1, the Wawota Flyers are 1-3 and the White Bear Redhawks are 0-6.
The Oxbow Huskies remain in top spot in the East Division with a 5-0-1 record and 11 points. The Bienfait Coalers are two points back at 3-2-1-2. The Redvers Rockets are 3-3, the Carnduff Red Devils are 2-1 and the Pierson Bruins are 0-3.

From the Sidelines
College Bowl season will start soon
By Kyle Kapiczowski
The NCAA Bowl season will begin on December 20 with Utah and Navy in the Poinsettia Bowl. Some of the other Bowl games are the New Orleans Bowl - Florida Atlantic and Memphis, the New Mexico Bowl - New Mexico and Nevada, the Motor City Bowl - Central Michigan and Purdue, Champ Sports Bowl - No. 14 Boston College and Michigan State, the Music City Bowl - Florida State and Kentucky, the Insight Bowl - Indiana and Oklahoma State, the Outback Bowl - No.18 Wisconsin and No. 16 Tennessee, the Cotton Bowl - No. 7 Missouri and No. 25 Arkansas, the International Bowl from Toronto - Rutgers and Ball State, The GMAC Bowl - Tulsa and Bowling Green, the Gator Bowl - No. 21 Virginia and Texas Tech, the Capital One Bowl - Michigan and No. 9 Florida, the Rose Bowl - No. 6 USC and No. 13 Illinois, the Sugar Bowl - No. 10 Hawaii and No. 4 Georgia, the Fiesta Bowl - No. 11 West Virginia and No. 3 Oklahoma, the Orange Bowl - No. 8 Kansas and No. 5 Virginia Tech, and the BCS National Championship game - No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 LSU.
In the NFL, the Minnesota Vikings beat the Detroit Lions 42-10. The Vikings record is 6-6 and their next game is against San Francisco.
Other scores were: Dallas beat Green Bay 37-27, Tampa Bay got past New Orleans 27-23, New York Giants beat Chicago 21-16, Tennessee beat Houston 28-20 and Seattle took out Philadelphia 28-24.
In the CFL, the Calgary Stampeders have hired John Hufnagel as head coach and general manager.
Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterback Kerry Joseph was named the CFLPA's Player of the Year.
In the English Premier League, Manchester United beat Fulham 2-0. Man U's record is ten wins, two losses and three ties. Manchester's next game is against Derby County.
That's all folks!

Viewpoints

Editorial
Tea Time
A Walk in the shoes of… Gertie Lev
By Dani Stobbs
This week I walked through the Jewish faith and culture in one woman's house in Estevan. Filled with artifacts from her travels over the world, and symbols of her faith across the walls, it was a real introduction to the life that this amazing 86 year old woman has led.
This woman that I speak of is Gertie Lev. Perhaps you have heard of her, or even know her, and I had the privilege this week to finally be introduced to the famous Gertie of Estevan.
Along with the many stories and precious Jewish memorabilia, came with it decades of community service in Estevan and more.
I stepped into her world at the time of preparation for Hanukkah, which began on December 5th, followed by eight days of celebration.
What I was most interested about was the effort that she has put into our community, and what she has achieved. Throughout her time in this community she has picked up several 'Heart awards', has been the 'Crowning Queen of hearts', 'Governor of General' along with honorary life membership from the Art Gallery and to top it all off, a 'Woman of Distinction' award. That is just to name a few.
But when seeing her certificates, Gertie assures me that her most prized award is the 'Grandma H.U.G award' which is proudly displayed in one of her rooms filled with treasures.
Her heart for being proud of her community and Jewish faith was reiterated by her work that she has done to uphold the best standards for the Jewish Cemetery out in Hirsch, after seeing how much it had been left to ruins in the past.
She has been proud to go into schools with the 'Doll's for Democracy' program, and also to do presentations on the Passover traditions.
While on her pilgrimage to Israel in 1989 she had come across a beautiful red coat that she most definitely had to have. She of course purchased it and she even put it on and gave me a twirl. This was one of the highlights from my time with Gertie.
This woman is not JUST a woman of a certain faith, she is not JUST a woman that has certificates lined up on her wall, she is not JUST a woman that likes to dabble in a bit of community service here and there. She has dedicated so much of her life to worthy causes, such as the nursing home and hospital and has raised equally successful children in their field of careers.
But one of the best things that she said when I asked her about why she has done so much, she replied "I'll be damned if I leave this world without making a mark on it".
That truly spoke to me. So thank you Gertie Lev, for a great journey into your life, and especially for the Raspberry Zinger tea!

What's Happening

Westview talent show
Westview School in Estevan hosted their annual talent show November 29. Students sang, danced, played musical instruments and performed magic tricks. Kianna Konopaki won for Westview Idol and best overall act. Matthew Reeb won best individual act with his beat boxing, and Cole Davenport and Lane Olver won for best group act for their Super Mario performance.

Year-end volleyball tournament
A year-end girls' volleyball tournament was held November 30 and December 1 at Sacred Heart School in Estevan. Nine teams from elementary schools in Estevan and Bienfait competed. A boys' volleyball tournament also took place during the weekend. Elementary schools played in a volleyball league during the fall.

Christmas Card Lane
Dozens of giant Christmas cards are standing in front of the Estevan Court House for the Estevan Kinsmen Club's Christmas Card Lane. The cards are sponsored by local businesses, and each one has a Christmas greeting for the public.

Christmas tea and bake sale
St. Joseph's Hospital Auxiliary hosted their annual Christmas tea and bake sale December 5. Coffee, tea and cake were served to the public. Christmas goodies and other baking were for sale.