Feature

Four long-time oilfield workers receive awards
Caption: (L-R) Dale Fox, Ken Dowhanuik, Roy Arndt and Matt Weinrauch were presented with Lifetime Achievement Awards by the Estevan OTS during the awards night October 23.
By David Willberg
Estevan's oil patch would probably have a much different look without the efforts of Matt Weinrauch, Ken Dowhanuik, Dale Fox and Roy Arndt.
Their contributions were saluted during the Estevan Oilfield Technical Society's annual Awards Dinner and scholarship fundraiser October 23. Each of them was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Weinrauch was one of the founders of Rocket Sales and Service in 1977. He spent 46 of his 47 years in the oilfield in the southeast. Fox, Dowhanuik and Arndt were instrumental in the growth of TS&M Supply.
Weinrauch started working with drilling and service rigs in 1955. He purchased two service rigs. Weinrauch switched to a hot oiler in 1974, and moved to Drayton Valley in 1976. In 1977, Weinrauch moved back to Estevan to help start up Rocket Sales and Service. He remained with Rocket until he retired in 1992.
"It's a great pleasure to receive this award for all the years I've been in the oil patch," said Weinrauch.
The patch was always a lot of hard work. Three men used to work on the service rigs. Now there are five doing the same work.
"When you're pulling pipe that's four-and-a-half inch casing out of the ground, and laying it down, and you have one man tailing it down, it's hard work," Weinrauch said. "It's always been hard work on those rigs."
Dowhanuik and Arndt, along with a third partner, Dave Bergman, purchased an industrial supply company, Technical Sales and Maintenance, in 1973. They changed the name to TS&M. Two years later they bought Estevan Fire and Safety. Fox joined TS&M in 1976.
At one point, TS&M had 11 branches from Richmond, B.C., to Winnipeg. Offices in Richmond, Calgary and Edmonton were eventually sold to Bergman. Fox, Dowhanuik and Arndt focused on Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
Arndt retired in 1992. Dowhanuik and Fox followed in 1997 after they sold TS&M.
Dowhanuik said the highlight of his time in the oilfield was the friends that he made.
"Being successful is always nice, but I think it was the people that worked for you, the friends that you made and the customers that made all the working worthwhile," said Dowhanuik.
Dowhanuik said he was honoured to receive the award with so many people he worked with in attendance.
When Dowhanuik first started, business was done on handshakes, he said. Now they need partnering agreements with customers, and they have to watch for government regulations. Paperwork takes up a lot more time than it used to.
"The younger generation has more professional people involved now than we had in our times, with accountants and definitely more engineering," said Dowhanuik. "I'm sure that things are more efficient now than when we were in business."
Fox said the price of oil is one of the biggest changes that has taken place since TS&M started out. Also, companies have grown in size.
"When we started in the oil patch, there was a lot of small independents and a lot of competitors," Fox said. "With buyouts and amalgamations, everything just got a little bigger. The way of doing business was a little bigger.
"A lot of it went from being done locally to global purchasing, which affected a small business like ours."
Fox said he doesn't miss the headaches of doing business. But TS&M had a lot of good employees, and they had a good rapport with their customers.
Arndt said it was an honour to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award with Dowhanuik and Fox. They were a team together, and that team included the staff. Arndt said they didn't have a lot of staff turnover during his tenure.
"We had a good organization, we worked hard, and our motto was service," said Arndt. "People would phone in and order something, we'd meet them somewhere. We might not make money on the project, but we give the service. And that meant a lot to us."
The evening is a fundraiser for the OTS scholarship fund. This year's recipient of a $2,000 bursary is Jay Vanstone. Vanstone is studying in Saskatoon, and was unable to attend the banquet because he had a mid-term earlier in the day.
Vanstone's father, Marlin, made a brief speech to the OTS on his son's behalf. Jay Vanstone said it's a highly sought-after bursary. Receiving the scholarship made his diligent studies pay off.
The OTS also announced a $1,000 contribution to the Southeast Education Foundation. Funds will be directed to the Early Safety Training Institute.
A Theresa Fuhr original and several Fuhr prints were auctioned off to help raise money for the scholarship fund.

News

Police report
*Two youths and an adult are facing charges of possession of stolen property following a disturbance at a local gas bar. The trio entered the gas bar and bothered the attendant for nearly 30 minutes until she could call for help. They stole several items when they finally left. They were in possession of the items, and some alcohol, when they were apprehended. The subjects were also intoxicated.
*A 15-speed triumph dark purple bicycle was stolen from a yard in the Pleasantdale area.
*A hit-and-run was reported at the Wholesale Club. The offending motorist backed into the victim vehicle and drove off. The matter is being investigated, and police are seeking assistance.
*Three people are facing charges of possessing stolen property after they were found going through a vehicle in Pleasantdale. They were found hiding in trees near Pleasantdale School, and they were in possession of rifle ammunition, an IPod and sunglasses. The owner of the vehicle confirmed the items belonged to him, and were from his vehicle. The suspects also had a cheque book and currency. The cheque book owner confirmed it had been stolen. One suspect had a large hunting knife, and was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
*Officers on patrol observed a motorist driving erratically along 13th Avenue. When it turned east onto Seventh Street, it cut off another vehicle and nearly hit it. Police found several occupants consuming open alcohol. A small amount of marijuana was also seized. The operator is facing several substance and driving related charges.
*A 21-year-old Estevan male was charged with possession of cannabis marijuana and cocaine after a vehicle stop. He was released on a promise to appear in court.

Gonzalez to represent Green Party
Caption: Sigfredo Gonzalez
Sigfredo Gonzalez will represent the Green Party in the November 7 provincial election.
Gonzalez was nominated by the Green earlier this month. He ran for the New Green Alliance in 1999 and 2003.
The Green Party is the only party that will offer something different for Saskatchewan voters, Gonzalez said. The other parties bring the same policies, and they aren't trying to fix the problems that they created.
Environment and health are Gonzalez's top priorities. He's concerned about the global warming and energy issues. His party is opposed to nuclear power and uranium refining.
In terms of health care, Gonzalez doesn't think the problems can be fixed simply by spending more money. "There has to be a different approach, different ideas, a different way of looking at the situation, and we have to try to find a different measure to deal with this," said Gonzalez.
Gonzalez was initially hesitant to run, since he has run in two provincial elections and a federal election. He has also committed to coach the soccer team at the Estevan Comprehensive School. But soccer is done before the end of the month, so he knew he'd have the time to campaign.
Gonzalez conceded it will be difficult to win the election because the constituency has traditionally voted for the Conservatives or the Saskatchewan Party. But his first priority is to give the voters a different option, because so many people tell him all the politicians and the parties are the same.
"Everybody makes promises, and they don't do anything when they get to Regina," said Gonzalez. "They're trying to get elected."
If they want to find out whether Gonzalez and the Green Party are the same as the other parties, he said they should elect him and send him to Regina.
"I believe I'll be better, because our policies are different," said Gonzalez.

Forum for provincial election
The Estevan Chamber of Commerce will host a forum for the upcoming provincial election on Thursday, November 1, starting at 7:30 p.m., at the Royal Canadian Legion.
Each of the four candidates - Liberal Tim Seipp, the NDP's Morris Johnson, the Green Party's Sigfredo Gonzalez and incumbent Saskatchewan Party MLA Doreen Eagles - will participate in the debate.
Candidates will issue an opening statement, answer a question from the Chamber, answer questions from those in attendance and prepare a concluding statement.
Greg Salmers will be the moderator.

Election campaign passes the halfway point
Four candidates in the Estevan constituency are more than halfway through their campaigns for the November 7 provincial election.
Saskatchewan Party candidate Doreen Eagles has been going door-to-door. The most common sentiment that she has heard is it's time for a change in government.
"People are saying that it's time for Lorne Calvert and company to go," said Eagles. "Calvert boasts of the economic boom we're in, and we are in one. But the message is loud and clear: Lorne Calvert cannot take credit for it; it's because of the oil and gas industry."
Much of her attention has been spent canvassing in communities outside of Estevan, but her focus for the final week-and-a-half will be in Estevan.
People like the Sask. Party platform, she said.
"They think that we are on the right page as far as the future of the province," said Eagles. "We're addressing the concerns that need to be addressed regarding health care and the education portion of property tax."
Her office on Sixth Street in Estevan has been open since the election was called.
Liberal Tim Seipp said he's been attending a lot of public events, especially those that support youth in the community. Door-to-door canvassing will take place as the election approaches.
Seipp said people have told him that Estevan needs a strong voice in the Legislature.
"We need to be heard, we need to have things going forward from this constituency," said Seipp.
Seipp's constituency office is on Fourth Street, next to City Hall. There will be a meet-and-greet October 30, starting at 3 p.m.
Seipp believes his party will win at least eight seats on election night. He claims to have seen polling results that indicate they might win as many as 28 seats. The Liberals will have a voice in the Legislature, he said, so they can articulate their ideas.
"We're going to hold the government to account, there's going to be open and honest debate, there's not going to be backroom deals at late hours," said Seipp.
NDP candidate Morris Johnson is pleased with how the campaign has unfolded. He'll be going door-to-door to meet people, present his ideas, find out their position and gauge their opinions on the issues.
The NDP platform contained a lot of "pleasant surprises," he said, and things that are important to the people are in the platform. He said he'll find out, as he talks to people, whether the promises in the platform are what the public is looking for.
He's looking forward to the candidate's debate November 1.
Johnson is confident that the voters will hand the NDP another majority government.
"A majority would be nice," said Johnson. "There are a lot of new candidates replacing members who have experience, and I think they'll do well. I'm expecting at least what we have now."
Johnson hasn't opened a campaign office yet. If he does open an office, he said it won't be open until a week before the election.
Sigfredo Gonzalez of the Green Party was the last candidate to enter the fray. He wasn't nominated until mid-October. He decided to run because he believes the Green Party is the only one that offers an alternative to voters, while the three primary parties are the same.
Many people have told him that they view all politicians as the same, he said.
The Green Party is running 48 candidates in the province, and Gonzalez is optimistic they can win one or two seats in the Legislature.
"We're not saying that there is a set number that we think we can win, we're just hoping that the people will try to find something new, and we're the only party that will offer them something different. If they want a change, that's what we're here for."

University president addresses past and future students
Caption: University of Saskatchewan president Peter MacKinnon
University of Saskatchewan president Peter MacKinnon promoted the campus to future students and alumni during a visit to Estevan October 18.
A total of 208 students from the Estevan area are currently enrolled at the university, and MacKinnon would like to see more. Another 250 to 275 alumni are in the Estevan area.
Total enrolment at the university is about 19,600 students. That number has grown considerably in recent years, and a high enrolment creates the challenge of building facilities amid soaring construction rates.
"I think the other challenges are born of the competitive factors," said MacKinnon. "Making sure that you're recruiting really good faculty and really good staff, and making sure that students think the University of Saskatchewan is a really good place to study."
Finding room for all of those students is an issue. On-campus dormitories can accommodate about 1,500 students. Students who live off-campus were also able to find accommodations this year, MacKinnon said, but affordable housing could become an issue with the current economic boom.
Residences are not under construction right now, but they are in the works, he said.
MacKinnon expects enrolments to stabilize at around the 20,000 level.
"Twenty thousand is a lot of students, and we want to be sure that we're doing the very best we can for them," said MacKinnon.
The province-wide economic boom has enticed some students to enter the job market right out of high school instead of going to university, MacKinnon said.
"One of the reasons I wanted to come down today is to talk to students at the high school about a different vision for their future," MacKinnon said. "They can jump into the job market right away, and that may be fine for some of them, but for others, we would hope they're thinking about their future five years, 10 years, 20 years and 30 years out, and what they need to build their future in an era of great change.
"And we think university education is one of the most attractive options out there."

Council notes
Highlights from the October 22 meeting of Estevan City Council:
*Council gave approval for the Estevan Chamber of Commerce's second annual Kick-Off to Christmas on Friday, November 30.
*The Estevan Public Library's 2008 budget and a $5,000 funding request from the Estevan Woodlawn Golf Course were referred to budget deliberations.
*The committee for Estevan's new arena continues to sell individual seats. Their new deadline to raise $6 million in naming rights is December 31.
*Estevan is appealing the results of the 2006 Census. A meeting will take place in November. City manager Jim Puffalt said Saskatchewan Health's total of 10,923 card carrying people in the city is more accurate.
*Council accepted UMA Engineering's $19,975 proposal for a public transit feasibility study. The provincial government will pick up 90 per cent of the tab, so the City will have to pay less than $2,000. UMA's proposal was only $25 less than that of Wallace G. Atkinson, but UMA included a promise for extensive public consultation. Council members voiced concerns with awarding the contract to UMA due to previous problems with the firm.
*The total projected operating cost for the City's equipment fleet in 2008 is $387,237.50.
*Fifteen more building permits were issued in September. A total of 122 permits worth more than $16 million have been issued this year. Estevan will likely enjoy a record year for building activity in 2007.
*The truck route's temporary Sixth Street location will continue until next spring. Truckers will have to use Sixth Street from 14th Avenue to Second Avenue. A three-way stop at the corner of Sixth Street and Souris Avenue will also remain in place through the winter. Council wants to protect the eastern blocks of Fourth Street from the trucks. Watermains have been replaced on eight blocks of Fourth Street this fall.

Delegates learn about clean coal
Caption: Neil Collins spoke on the potential of clean coal.
About 45 delegates from across North America toured facilities in southeast Saskatchewan October 24 as part of a clean coal conference.
Prairie Mines and Royalty, the Boundary Dam Power Station and Apache's carbon dioxide flood site near Midale were their destinations. They also attended a clean coal symposium in Regina October 23. The convention was hosted by the Canadian Institute.
This year's convention theme was "Making it Real." Spokesperson Catherine Lummack said Estevan was a logical destination because Estevan has power generating facilities, and Estevan was chosen by SaskPower to be the site for a proposed clean coal plant.
Delegates also attended a luncheon at the Estevan Royal Canadian Legion. Representatives of the local clean coal coalition, which is trying to bring the clean coal plant to Estevan, spoke on the benefits of clean coal.
The coalition includes representatives from the City and RM of Estevan, the Estevan Chamber of Commerce, Prairie Mines and Royalty and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW).
Several coalition members spoke during the luncheon.
"It's an investment," said local IBEW business manager Neil Collins. "It's not a cost. It has a long-term benefit for the citizens of Canada. Not just now, but in the future."

Shoe boxes coming in
About 40 shoeboxes have already been turned in for the Operation Christmas Child campaign in Estevan.
Shoeboxes, and a label for the desired age group and gender, can be picked up at the Estevan Alliance Church. Donors can also use their own containers or shoeboxes, local coordinator Marge Dyck said, as long as they include a label for gender and age.
Shoeboxes are collected for boys or girls, from the ages of two to four, five to nine, and 10 to 14. A donation of $7 must be included with the shoebox for shipping costs. A separate envelope with a message for the child can be enclosed. Dyck said that adds a personal touch.
Toys and school supplies are popular items for the shoeboxes, she said. Hygiene products are accepted, except for toothpaste. No food is allowed except for hard candy. Breakables, used items or products that leak aren't allowed, either.
The shoeboxes will be distributed to Argentina, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Chile, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, the Ivory Coast, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Senegal, Uruguay and Venezuela.
Dyck said Operation Christmas Child is one way to help children in other countries affected by war and famine. It's also a good method to make children in Estevan aware of global needs.
The deadline to return shoeboxes is November 10. Nearly 1,900 shoe boxes were assembled in Estevan last year, Dyck said.
Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan's Purse, an international Christian ministry.

Chunky Danger Band next in Koncerts series
The Chucky Danger Band will be the third performance in the 2007-08 Koncerts for Kids series on Tuesday, November 20, at 7 p.m. at Spruce Ridge School in Estevan.
The Chucky Danger Band has been on the rise since their debut at the East Coast Music Awards in 2004. Dressed in tailored back suits and ties, their performances feature a pop-rock sound.
They have performed throughout the Maritimes. In 2004, they released a debut CD, "Colour," and they won Entertainer of the Year at the P.E.I. Music Awards.
In 2006, the single and the video for "Marching Machine" received airplay on the CBC and on MuchMusic. They also won their first East Coast Music Award.
Estevan is one of 20 stops for the Chucky Danger Band during a tour of Saskatchewan.
Koncerts for Kids is part of the Estevan Arts Council.

Estevan hosts RCMP conference
Representatives from 47 RCMP detachments in southern Saskatchewan attended the annual Program Oriented Work Planning Meetings October 21 to 23 in Estevan.
Staff Sergeant Rob Frame, the South District non-commissioned officer, said meetings and presentations dominated the three days.
"Primarily we bring people in from within the RCMP to provide their expertise within their various areas," said Frame.
Topics covered during the convention included: drug awareness, staff recruiting, internal investigation, officer wellness and border patrols. They also looked at annual performance plans, in which the RCMP meets with the people to determine the priorities and focal points in the community.
"It started as a pilot project here in Saskatchewan in 2005," said Frame. "There were two detachments, Punnichy and Indian Head … and there were four other detachments across the country."
Assistant commander Darrell McFadyn, the No. 1 RCMP officer in the province, was among the guest speakers.
Frame said the ideas addressed at convention can be applicable to any detachment in Saskatchewan.
Meetings were held at the Days Inn. Frame commended the Days Inn staff for hospitality and service.
More than 100 people attended a regimental dinner. Officers donned their red surges and observed traditions that have been passed on for the last 130 years, such as toasts to the Queen and to the RCMP. Saskatchewan Roughriders president Jim Hobson was the keynote speaker.
There was also a Fallen Officer's Table - a table for one with a white tablecloth, a single red rose, a vase with a red ribbon, a slice of lemon on the bread plate, a pinch of salt, an inverted glass and a candle.
"It had more meaning again this year with the recent tragedy up in Hay River, and Spiritwood last year and Mayerthorpe the year before," said Frame.

Locals graduate from Regina
Several local students graduated from the University of Regina during the fall convocation October 20 at the Conexus Arts Centre.
Communities with graduates included:
Estevan: Shannon McDavid, bachelor of kinesiology; Shayne McMillen, masters in education; Karly Millions, bachelor of arts; and Ira Pylypuk, arts.
Alameda: Gail Sloan, certificate in local government authority.
Arcola: Amy Lawson, arts.
Midale: Shane Clauson, bachelor of business administration.
Oxbow: Paula Haygarth, arts.
Torquay: Dallas Fonstad, bachelor of applied sciences.

Donor clinic October 29
Canadian Blood Services will have a blood donor clinic in Estevan on
MONDAY, OCTOBER 29th, at the Souris Valley Aquatic and Leisure Centre.
Clinic times are from 1:00 to 3:45 p.m. and 5:15 to 8:00 p.m.
A single donation, which takes about one hour, can save up to three lives.
"That's the beauty of giving blood," said Donna Underlich, director of Canadian Blood Services Prairie Region. "Those receiving this priceless gift will be forever grateful for the generosity of blood, platelet or plasma donors."
The national blood inventory dipped to critical levels this summer. Recovery plans continue, but it will take an above average number of donations to rebuild the blood supply to fully meet the hospital demand.
To book an appointment or for more information, contact the organization at 1-888-2-DONATE (1-888 236-6283).
Canadian Blood Services is a national, not-for-profit charitable organization that manages the blood supply in all provinces and territories outside of Québec. We also oversee the country's Unrelated Bone Marrow Donor Registry. We have a dedicated team of over 4,500 staff and 17,000 volunteers across the country. We operate 41 permanent collection sites and more than 19,000 donor clinics annually. We are a non-governmental organization; however, the Provincial and Territorial Ministers of Health provide operational funding, and the federal government - through Health Canada - is responsible for regulating the blood system.

Festival of Arts November 3
The Estevan Art Gallery and Museum (EAGM) will host their annual Festival of Arts on Saturday, November 3 at the Beefeater Plaza.
Cocktails will begin at 6 p.m. Supper will be served at 7:30, and a live auction starts at 9 p.m. There will also be appetizers, a margarita and martini bar, a chocolate fondue and music from Nathan Pylypuk.
Local and Saskatchewan art will be sold during silent and live auctions. Christmas trees will also be available, including an Angel Tree and a German Tree. The Festival of Art is an opportunity to wind up Christmas shopping.
Proceeds from the evening will be directed to programs at the EAGM, including their children's programs.

New Block Parent signs available
Caption: (L-R) Cst. Don Dechief, Estevan Block Parent coordinator Valerie Hall and Mayor Gary St. Onge with a Block Parent flag and highway sign.
New window signs are being distributed to Block Parents in Estevan.
The new signs feature a serial number, an expiration date, and decals at the top. Outside of the changes, the signs bear many similarities to the familiar red and white Block Parent signs that have been staples in Canadian communities for many years.
Block Parent applicants must submit to a new screening process, which includes a criminal record check. A new sign will be issued once the Block Parent candidate passes the screening process.
Local Block Parent coordinator Valerie Hall said there was about 280 Block Parents in Estevan before the new standards took effect. Many of the old signs have been turned into her, but Hall said a few are still out there.
Block Parents must register each year, or their sign will expire.
New Block Parent community signs will hang at each of Estevan's four main entrances. Estevan is the first community in Saskatchewan to receive the signs. Hall presented one to Mayor Gary St. Onge October 22.

Pro-Life banquet is November 3
The Estevan and District Pro-Life Association will host their annual fundraising banquet on Saturday, November 3, at the Estevan Church of God.
Supper will be served at 6 p.m. The program will likely begin around 7 p.m. Becky Green will provide entertainment, and there will be a silent auction.
Carol Cundall from Estevan Diversified Services will be the guest speaker. Pro-Life president Cindy Billesberger said Pro-Life is not just about abortion, it's about support for life at all stages, regardless of quality.
Billesberger said Estevan Diversified is a perfect example of a pro-life organization in Estevan.
Proceeds will go to Pro-Life's operations. The event is Pro-Life's largest fundraiser of the year.

Lions host southeast conference
Caption: David Stoufer, a director with Lions International, was one of the guest speakers during the 5CE convention.
About 80 Lions club members from across southeast Saskatchewan were in Estevan October 19 to 21 for the annual 5CE district conference.
David Stoufer, a director from Lions International from Washington, Iowa, was one of the guest speakers.
"It was mainly on Lionism and how to build a club, what sort of pitfalls to avoid, and he spoke of many, many personal examples and situations that he's been in," said convention chair Bob Abernethy.
Stoufer spoke during one of the sessions and at the banquet on the 20th.
"He was a very powerful speaker," said Abernethy. "At times he had everybody laughing, and at times you could hear a pin drop."
Local physician Dr. Veno Padayachee gave a talk on health care in Saskatchewan. Abernethy said that the thrust of Padayachee's speech was on the importance of thinking outside of the box when it comes to health.
Other speakers included District 5CE governor Donelda Phillips of Regina and Multiple District 5 Council chair Leo Grossman of Carlyle.
About 50 awards were handed out during the convention, Abernethy said. Lillian Fai from the Bienfait Lions Club was presented with a Melvin Jones award.
"It's about the highest award you can get in Lionism," said Abernethy.
Jones was the founder of Lions Clubs, and the award is reserved for exceptional, long-time members.
Meetings took place throughout the weekend, and there was time for the Lions to socialize.
Abernethy said he had a good organizing committee, and everyone fulfilled their responsibilities.

St. Joseph's Health Care Auxiliary meets
St. Joseph's Health Care Auxiliary held their monthly meeting October 15.
New hospital CEO Normand Poirier commended the auxiliary for their past contributions to the hospital. He also gave some background on his career and his life. Poirier said he is glad to be back in health care.
Janet Ternes was welcomed as a new auxiliary member.
The auxiliary will attend the grand opening of St. Joseph's new dialysis unit on Thursday, November 29. A ceremony will take place at 3 p.m.
The auxiliary's tea and bake sale will be on December 5.

Moose spotted near Estevan
Two moose were spotted south of Estevan October 21. The animals ventured into the Luscar Park baseball diamonds and into fields south of the city near the old Immaculate Heart Junior High School before heading south of the city. (Photo courtesy of Tom Blondeau).

Hunters and Anglers Contribute to the Economy
A review of the economic impact of hunting and fishing shows hunters and anglers are major contributors to Saskatchewan's economy. It also shows that, as a tourism sector, hunting and fishing is second only to gaming in total annual expenditures by visitors.
Of the $1.4 billion tourists spent annually in Saskatchewan, approximately $307 million or 22 per cent is spent by people engaged in hunting or fishing activities, including money spent on outfitting services. Hunters and anglers who live in Saskatchewan spent $176 million of that, or about $100 every time they went hunting or fishing.
Approximately 61,000 people from outside Saskatchewan come here to hunt and fish annually. Nearly 28,000 of them were clients of outfitters.
The review, commissioned by Saskatchewan Environment, is the most extensive study to date of hunting and fishing expenditures in the province. It will form one piece of a body of environmental, social, and economic knowledge that will be used to help make decisions about conservation and resource use.
The reviews are available at www.se.gov.sk.ca/fishwild/

Columnists

SAINTLY BROTHERS?
By Linda Wegner
There were two evil brothers. Both rich, they used their money to keep their ways from the public eye. They even attended the same church and looked to be perfect Christians.
Then, their pastor retired and a new one was hired. Not only could he see right through the brothers' deception, but he also spoke well and true, and the church started to swell in numbers. A fund-raising campaign was started to build a new facility.
Suddenly, one of the brothers died. The remaining brother visited the new pastor the day before the funeral and handed him a cheque for the amount needed to finish paying for the new building.
"I have only one condition," he said. "At his funeral, you must say my brother was a saint." The pastor gave his word and deposited the check.
The next day at the funeral, the pastor did not hold back. "He was an evil man," he said. "He cheated on his wife and abused his family." After going on in this vein for a small time, he concluded with: "But, compared to his brother, he was a saint." (http://www.renealegre.net/jokes/clj34.html)
This week I spent time with my mom. She's failing in health and we took the time to laugh and cry together, fully aware of the preciousness of those moments. Added to that was the blessing of spending time with siblings while reinforcing the knowledge that all is well between us. Living or dying, there's not much worse than festering wounds of bitterness and un-forgiveness. Sticking together in good times brings unity in the bad times.
No one in my family is perfect (especially me!) but we know we need each other. When facing death, Jesus called on his friends for support: "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful…stay here and watch with me."
Watching means caring, not comparing!

Walking or Hiding?
They say, "Familiarity breeds contempt". It is also true that, "Familiarity breeds misunderstanding". That is especially true of the Bible where we often misinterpret and miss the point of the familiar stories.
For example, what is the point of the story of Adam and Eve (Genesis 3)? The common answer is "Disobedience is punished". They were told not to eat from that tree, they did eat from it and God was not happy.
While those details are technically correct, that is not the point of the story! The bottom line of the story is actually "The seriousness of losing your relationship with God".
At one point, they walked and talked with God in the garden. After they disobeyed it says, "The man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden… and they hid from the Lord" (Genesis 3:8). Later it says that, "The Lord banished them from the Garden of Eden" (3:23) and placed a guard at the gate to keep them out. The tragedy and the point was not that they disobeyed the rules, but that their disobedience cost them their relationship with God.
The rest of the Bible, then, is about God restoring that relationship. Think about the Ten Commandments. They are rules about relationships with God and with others. The Old Testament sacrifices were about creating a way to be in relationship with God. The tabernacle and the temple were given as places to come and meet with God. Jesus, of course, is the ultimate symbol of how far God will go to restore that lost relationship. "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
We do not inherit Adam's sin, but we have all broken our relationship with God because of our own sinfulness (Romans 3:23). We have lost a relationship that we vitally need both now and in eternity.
The good news is that God has done all he can to invite you back home and back into relationship with him again.
The ball is now in our court. Will we walk with him or continue hiding from his love?
Tim Pippus, Estevan Church of Christ

GARDEN NOTES
By Gerry Fichtemann
WORLD'S HOTTEST PEPPERS (part two)
How do they gauge the heat of all these hot peppers most of the heat in peppers … comes from the white core and lining inside the pepper walls. This is called capsaicin. The higher the capsaicin content, the hotter the pepper. The 'SCOVILLE HOTNESS' scale rates varieties of peppers, ranging from one to ten. Hotness can vary within a variety and even among peppers of the same variety and even among peppers of the same variety within the same garden plot. Peppers rated one are the mildest and they get hotter up the Scoville scale. Sweet green peppers don't even get a rating because they are not hot whatsoever and very sweet besides. Jalapeno are very hot and they rate a number 5, most chili peppers rate around the nine mark while Tabasco cayenne peppers range about eight. If you want to go the whole route and grow the hottest you have to grow peppers rated 10. These would be the Habaneras with the fruit hot enough to burn your hands if you are not wearing gloves.
But the story does not end, there as we now have hot peppers that even tops the ordinary Habanera. This is the newly developed RED SAVINA Habanera which is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the hottest pepper known. The ordinary Habanera has 100,000 to 300,000 Scoville units which are definitely a very hot l0, but the RED SAVINA Habanera is rated at 350,000 Scoville units. It is the hottest pepper possible and I can't wait to order my seeds for next year's garden. The seeds are only available in one or two seed companies in the United States. If anyone is interested in obtaining seed for your garden, you can phone me and I will pass on the information to you. And remember, they are
really a good thing for your arthritis if you can get them down anybody coming for dinner?
Another good feature of these peppers is that they freeze very well without losing any of their hotness. Just wash them, cut them up into chunks (wearing rubber gloves) put them just as they are into small plastic tubs. No blanching or preparation is needed.
In growing these peppers, weather is most important. They love the hot summers in full sunlight. If we get a cool cloudy summer, the pepper crop will be a failure. This past summer was great weather for growing peppers.
Gerry Fichtemann is the owner of River Bend Nursery.

Sports

Locals receive baseball awards
Caption: (L-R) Ken Peterson, Greg Fieber, Kent Phillips and Terry Walliser accepted awards from Sask. Baseball.
Several key contributors to Estevan Minor Baseball were recognized during the recent Sask Baseball awards luncheon.
Glen Peterson Construction was named Patron of the Year. Kent Phillips was named Manager of the Year. And Greg Fieber and Terry Walliser shared the Joe McDonald Special Award of Merit.
Glen Peterson Construction has provided equipment and labour to the development of Luscar Park and Lynn Prime Park. This year, they supplied yards of gravel and crusher dust, and all of the cement needed at Lynn Prime Park, and volunteered their employees to form and pour all of the cement.
One of the fields at Lynn Prime Park was named "Peterson Field" in honour of their contributions.
Phillips has been coaching in Estevan Minor Baseball for nine years, guiding house league teams and travelling teams at the mosquito, peewee and bantam levels. He is also the vice-president of Estevan Minor Baseball.
Fieber and Walliser have coached and volunteered at Luscar Park and Lynn Prime Park in recent years. This past year, even though they spent a lot of time at Lynn Prime, preparing the fields for the Midget AAA championships in July, they didn't ignore work needed at Luscar.

Elecs compete in soccer regionals
The Estevan Comprehensive School Elecs girls' soccer team hosted the regional qualifier for provincials October 20.
Estevan lost 3-1 to Moose Jaw Peacock in the semi-final. Hailey Senchuk scored the lone goal for the Elecs. Coach Tara Johns said the Elecs played "really well" in the loss.
Yorkton beat Weyburn 11-2 in the other semi-final. Moose Jaw Peacock beat Yorkton 4-2 in the final.
Both Moose Jaw and Yorkton advanced to provincials in Saskatoon.
Meanwhile, the Elecs boys' soccer team reached the provincial championship at a qualifier in Yorkton. Estevan assured their spot in provincials with a 1-0 win over Yorkton Regional. Colten Helm scored the only goal for Estevan.
Balgonie beat Estevan 5-2 in the final. Helm and DJ Leibel scored for Estevan.
Estevan will compete at provincials October 26 and 27 in Prince Albert.

Elecs host junior tournaments
The Estevan Comprehensive School junior boys' and junior girls' volleyball teams both finished fourth during their home tournament October 19 and 20.
The junior girls posted a 2-3 record during the round-robin. They beat Midale and the Estevan freshmen girls, but lost to Moosomin, Weyburn and Lumsden.
The junior girls made the playoffs, but lost to Weyburn in the semi-final. Weyburn beat Moosomin in the final.
The junior boys also had a 2-3 record in the round robin. Estevan beat Moosomin and Yorkton Sacred Heart in the round robin, but suffered losses to Balgonie, Lumsden and Midale.
Estevan made the playoffs, but lost to Balgonie in the semi-final. Balgonie beat Lumsden in the final.

Two more wins for the Bruins
The Estevan Bruins continue to thrive on the road.
Estevan won 5-4 in a shootout in Kindersley October 20 and 5-2 in the Battlefords the following night. They opened the trip with a 6-4 loss to the league's top team and the reigning league champions, the Humboldt Broncos.
Head coach/GM Karry Biette said the game against Humboldt was the Bruins best effort in a while. Biette said the Bruins kept pace with Humboldt.
"They've got a fast team and a quick team, but we skated with them," said Biette. "I was pretty impressed with the way we played them. We played them hard and we played them tough. We were out of the game at one time, and we clawed our way back into the game."
Estevan struggled early against Kindersley, Biette said, but they played better as the game progressed. The Bruins were in control for most of the game against the Battlefords.
Forward Vincein Scott suffered a broken ankle against Humboldt. He will be out six to eight weeks.
Biette expects Trent Rumpel to fill Scott's role of a power forward who can fight when necessary.
"Obviously with Scott being 19, and having the experience that he's got, I thought he was a bit further ahead than Rumpel, but Rempel, I feel, is going to do that job adequately."
Forward Payden Benning is day-to-day with a bruised shoulder.
Estevan's road record is 8-4. Biette attributed their road success to two factors: players are more relaxed playing away from home, and team speed.
"We're maybe not built for the confines for the Civic Auditorium as far as being a big, tough team, but I think we make up for that as far as team speed," said Biette.
The Bruins record is 10-5-2. Their 22 points leaves them one point behind the Melville Millionaires for first in the Sherwood Conference. Melville has two games in hand.
Estevan hosts the Flin Flon Bombers October 27, followed by a home-and-home with the Yorkton Terriers: October 28 in Estevan and October 31 in Yorkton.
The Bruins annual spaghetti bash is October 26.

Pass, punt and kick winner
Caption: Whitney Gervais won kick competition for girls 12-and-under during the provincial pass, punt and kick contest.
Whitney Gervais won kick competition for girls 12-and-under during the provincial pass, punt and kick contest. She kicked a football 73-and-a-half feet, or nearly 25 yards. Gervais, a Grade 6 student at St. Mary's School in Estevan, finished in top spot in the competition at her school, and then at the regional tournament in Oungre. Her kicking proficiency will enable her to attend the Saskatchewan Roughriders' final home game of the regular season November 3 against the Toronto Argonauts.

Estevan to host more Western tournaments
Estevan has been chosen to host the 2008 Western Canadian Baseball Championships in the Midget AAA and the Bantam AAA divisions.
The tournaments will be August 23 to 25 at Lynn Prime Park. The bantam AAA and midget AAA provincial runner-ups from the four Western Canadian provinces will travel to Estevan for the tournament. Estevan will field a team as the host city.
Estevan hosted Western Canadians in the bantam, peewee and girls' divisions in 2004.
"That's why we were given the first shot at it, because of that (successful tournament in 2004)," said Estevan Minor Baseball president Mel Murray. "There were other communities interested in hosting one or the other, but not both of them. When we said we'd do both at the same time, that helped a lot."
A city in Alberta was scheduled to host Westerns this year, but they backed out. The Western Canadian organizing committee approached Sask. Baseball to find out if Estevan would be interested in hosting the tournament.
Lynn Prime's batting cage and lighting must be finished before Westerns, Murray said. They'll also have to work on the pitching mounds.
"The work we'll have to do is small, compared with what we had to do last year to get ready for midget AAA provincials," said Murray.
Tracey Fieber will chair Western Canadians. She held the same title for Westerns in 2004. A meeting will be held October 30 for anyone looking to volunteer.

From the Sidelines
Vikings sail in Minnesota
By Kyle Kapiczowski
This week I will be writing about my favorite NFC North team, the Minnesota Vikings.
The City of Minneapolis did not receive a football team until 1959. In 1960 the team became known as the Minnesota Vikings but did not begin play until 1961. Minnesota's first head coach was Norm Van Brooklin.
In the Vikings first season they went 3-11. From 1969 to 1976 Minnesota had seven winning seasons, except for 1972 when they went 7-7.
The Vikings have appeared in eight NFC championship games, 16 division championship games and made the playoffs 24 times. The Vikings have appeared in four Super Bowls but lost them all.
Some of the other past coaches were: Bud Grant from 1967 to 1983 and then again in 1985, Les Steckel in 1984, Jerry Burns from 1986 to 1991, Dennis Green 1992 to 2001 and Mike Tice from 2001 to 2005. Brad Childress is the present head coach.
Some of the past players were: Joe Kapp, Allan Page, Bill Brown, Fran Tarkenton, Chuck Foreman, Jim Marshall, Fred Cox and Wade Wilson.
Some of the current players for the Vikings include safety Darren Sharper, quarterback Tarvaris Jackson, running back Chester Taylor, kicker Ryan Longwell and my favorite Viking, rookie running back Adrian Peterson.
Initially the Vikings played their home games at Metropolitan Stadium. Since 1982, the Vikings have played their home games at the Herbert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis.
The team colors are purple, gold and white. The team's logo is a blonde Viking and their alternate logo is a Viking horn which is displayed on their helmets.
The Vikings new home jersey is purple with gold and white trim. On the road the Vikings wear white jerseys with purple and gold trim. The jerseys feature "Vikings" on the front and the Viking logo is located up by the collar on the back.
Over the years the Vikings biggest rivalry has always been with the Green Bay Packers.
That's all, folks!

Viewpoints

Editorial
Tea Time
Nothing to Worry About
By Dani Stobbs
I am, like many others I know, a bit of an 'Extreme Home Makeover' fan. I love to watch it and see the transformations that they can accomplish for the people that they are helping. On one of the programs it was focused on a family that had lost there dad/husband to cancer just a few months before the team made it out there. When the wife sat and talked about her husband she mentioned that since her husband had got cancer one of the sayings that he would say is "there are a lot of things to think about, but nothing to worry about".
I was amazed that somebody that knew they were going to die was determined to leave life with an amazing philosophy, and even though I'm sure there was a lot of worry for the family, it is sensational to me that someone can be so strong through something so tough.
When I found out this week that my work permit had been refused again, I have to say I was pretty devastated. I don't have many options left to be able to stay in Canada, and as you regular readers will know, I love Estevan, and the thought of having to leave it saddening. But I must refer to the philosophy of that man. I know that I have so much to think about, but I am going to try my hardest to put the worry aside and try to make the thinking as proactive as possible. And if someone like that amazing man lives by it, then I would be ashamed if I couldn't at least try.
Even though it's such bad news for me, I don't want to give up on my new found dream to stir up Estevan.
When I reflect on "lots of things to think about, nothing to worry about" it took me to a place of thinking about all the things that have come out of my battle for a work permit. I pondered over my columns and the things I have been up to Estevan, and I realised that I have hardly even mentioned the Lifestyles girls and boys. I have been so blessed to have people to stand behind me and fight to try and get me to stay in Estevan, and Lifestyles has been a huge part of that.
With this week being a time of sadness for the rejection of my work permit, it has also been a positive reflection on all those that have rallied around. So thank you Lifestyles for all that you have done. You have given me a reason to want to stay in Estevan and a reason to have one less thing to worry about.
I'm sure we all have stuff to think about - our personal lives, our careers, our children, parents, and even our city, but I am going to give it a try to learn the practical effects of taking the time to NOT WORRY, but to take a step forward in the practicality of living out the things that we think.
"There are lots of things to think about - nothing to worry about".

Letter to the Editor
Dear Editor,
On or before the evening of Friday, October 19 the third act of vandalism this year was committed on the ECI Memorial Site, located in the 1600 block of First Street. In this case some lame-brained loser(s) decided to amuse themselves or their friends by upending two of the stones that are going to be used in the construction of the monument, chipping a large chunk off the comer of one of the stones. These stones were part of the materials recovered, with significant expense and effort, during the demolition of the ECI/EJH building to be used on the monument.
As I said, this is the third act of vandalism on the site this year. In the spring someone scribbled graffiti on one of the painted walls. The vandals who did this were located with the help of the Estevan City Police and restitution was paid by the parents. In the second case, over the summer the site was used a few times as a launching pad for fireworks, causing a bum mark on one of the benches. The pyro-idiots have not been located as yet but I am hopeful that they will.
I am tired of putting up with this and other acts of vandalism that have occurred and continue to occur in our city. I am offering to personally pay a reward of up to $500 for information leading to the apprehension of the individual(s) who damaged the ECI bench with fireworks, the individual(s) who damaged the stones on the ECI Memorial Site or any individual(s) vandalizing any other public property in the city. Persons with information on the damage at the ECI Monument can contact me (Larry Preddy) at 634-7708 or 421-3664 or can contact the Estevan City Police.
It's time for the slack-jawed idiots who are causing the damage to be held responsible and to learn to respect other people's property. It's also time for the parents -who have no idea or really don't seem to care what their offspring are doing, who think it is okay for their offspring to be roaming the streets at all hours of the night, who think it is okay for their minor offspring to be holding and attending drunken parties, littering the neighbourhood with bottles and garbage, who seem to have no idea what it means to be parents -to start acting like adults themselves, taking responsibility for the actions of their children and setting a positive example for them.
Our ECI Legacy Committee and many other groups and individuals have gone to considerable expense and effort and have donated many hours attempting to make our city a better, more beautiful place to live in. It is simply unacceptable to have these efforts ruined by the actions of a few. I'm proud of my city- are you??
Larry Preddy, BSP
Estevan, SK.

What's Happening

Painting the seasons
Shelley Page demonstrated basic watercolour painting techniques during an Estevan Arts Council class October 20. "Painting the Seasons in Watercolour" was for beginner and intermediate watercolour painters. Styles of painting were examined and elements of composition were reviewed.

Author visits Pleasantdale School
Pleasantdale School wrapped up Education Week October 19 with a visit from author and freelance writer Linda Aksomitis. Aksomitis shared stories from some of her global travels, and discussed her writings.

Halloween lights
Halloween is coming, and many houses in Estevan are decorated. This house on Second Street features an array of lights that will certainly help trick-or-treaters find their way on October 31.

Magician performs for students
Magician Ritchie Roy performed for students in Estevan October 24 at the Leisure Centre. Roy, a Weyburn-based magician, demonstrated several easy tricks. He concluded with a brief magic show.