Feature

Encouraging education among women
Caption: Estevan University Women's Club president Jean Bode believes in the organization's promotion of education and empowerment of women.
By David Willberg
The Estevan University Women's Club has been promoting education among women, while providing fellowship and the chance to enjoy the arts for its members, since its formation in 1980.
The club meets the fourth Monday of the month for supper, at Granby's Restaurant in the Days Inn or the Estevan Art Gallery and Museum (EAGM). President Jean Bode said the club allows women to meet, socialize and promote education.
"We have four key points: the pursuit of knowledge, the promotion of education, the improvement of the status of women and girls, and the active participation in public affairs in the spirit of cooperation and friendship," said Bode.
The club's big event each year is an author's banquet. This year it will be Friday, May 2 at the Days Inn. Saskatchewan poet laureate Robert Currie will be the guest reader.
A bursary will be presented during the evening to a Grade 12 student who will study math or science at the post-secondary level.
"We're supporting them in something that traditionally women didn't use to enter," said Bode. "I think we're seeing a lot more women now go into the science and math field than when this scholarship was first started. They're going into engineering and those types of jobs."
The club will also host a presentation March 12 at the EAGM by Coralee Peterson, a child and youth support worker and counselor for the Violence Intervention Program. An International Women's Day Event, she will be speaking on the effects of family violence on children and women.
Members travel to various events in Regina, such as the Globe Theatre, the ballet or a musical. There is a fee for transportation.
Donations are made to numerous community groups. The club has purchased a seat for the Souris Valley Theatre and the new arena. They donate to the EAGM and the Estevan and District Musical Festival.
They also fill a Christmas hamper for a single mother, provide tickets for young women to attend the author's banquet and the Women of Today Awards, and they make an annual donation to the Estevan Family Resource Centre.
"With the Family Resource Centre, I think we feel ... the first three years of a child's life are critical for learning, and that's what the Family Resource Centre's all about: promoting healthy relationships between parents and their children," said Bode.
The club currently has 10 members, including several charter members. Bode said they're always looking for more.
"That's one of the problems - we haven't been able to recruit or keep new members," said Bode. "I think a lot of young women that are working have kids, and the kids are so involved in stuff it's hard for them (to join)."
Any woman with a university degree, and not necessarily from a Canadian university, can join. Associate member status is available for women without a university degree, but some level of post-secondary education, such as tech school.
Bode joined the club 10 years ago because of their light meeting schedule, and their support of ideals she believes in - education, the empowerment of women, and an equal voice for women in society.
"I thought it would stimulate my mind, because they have had various guest speakers over the years," said Bode.
It's a fun way to get out and meet and learn from other women with similar backgrounds and interests, she said.
Estevan's University Women club is one of 122 across Canada. The Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW) has a history that traces back to 1919. It is non-governmental, non-partisan, self-funded and bilingual. CFUW belongs to the 82-member International Federation of University Women.
On an international scale, University Women has a consultant status with the United Nations committee on the status of women. University Women has also taken actives roles in environmental, human rights, health and First Nations issues.

News

Finally some snow
(L-R) Owen Lucas, Reese Madsen and Curtis Lucas were among the youth who were at the hill in Westview February 17 for some tobogganing. The recent snowfall was good news for people who enjoy using toboggans, snowmobiles, snowboards and other merchandise in the Estevan area.

POLICE REPORT
*Estevan Police were called to a trailer that had a signal light damaged in a hit-and-run. The offending vehicle left a piece of his bumper behind.
*A 43-year-old male was arrested and charged for impaired driving.
*A 21-year-old male was charged with impaired driving. He was lodged and held in police custody until sober. A second male from the same vehicle was arrested for public intoxication.
*Police were summoned to a commercial dwelling unit to a report of a domestic. As a result, police are investigating charges of driving while over .08, and mischief under $5,000. A female from the domestic was lodged in cells until sober.
*Police are investigating an assault with a weapon report at a local parking lot on February 15.
*A 28-year-old male was charged with impaired driving following an accident in the Estevan Shoppers' Mall parking lot.
*Police are considering criminal charges after they received numerous nuisance phone calls from an intoxicated resident.
*A 33-year-old male was arrested for public intoxication and was lodged in cells after punching a police patrol car.
*Police received a report of an impaired driver that was leaving the bar in Bienfait and heading to Estevan. The driver was located and charged.
*Police are investigating a hit-and-run accident in the George Street area.
*Police responded to a motor vehicle accident in the Hillside area. A vehicle swerved to avoid an animal that had darted out onto the road, and collided with a parked vehicle. The owner of the parked vehicle couldn't be located, and police assisted the driver.
*Police are asking for the public's assistance as they investigate willful damage to the interior of the shack at the Rusty Duce Playpark.
*An assault complaint at a local school is under investigation.

Meetings held on school closures
Informational meetings have been held in four Southeast Cornerstone School Division communities to discuss motions to consider school closure and grade discontinuance.
The meetings February 11 at Glenn McGuire School in Oxbow and February 12 at Frobisher School looked at school closure. Frobisher is a Kindergarten to Grade 6 school; Glenn McGuire is a school for special needs students.
Two meetings February 14 examined grade discontinuance: Grade 9 at Bienfait Weldon School, and Grades 10 to 12 at Lyndale School in Oungre.
Attendance at the meetings ranged from 12 for Glenn McGuire to 99 for Lyndale.
Southeast Cornerstone director of education Don Rempel said ratepayers were able to ask about the process, but not the impact of potentially closing the schools or eliminating grades.
“Additional meetings, with the school board in attendance, could be held in the future”, Rempel said.
Final decisions will be made at the board's May 15 meeting.
Frobisher School community council vice-chair Tanya Forseth said Frobisher School should remain open because of the bond between the older and younger students, and the "phenomenal" one-on-one interaction between students and teachers.
"The teachers know the kids as well as we do," said Forseth. "I believe that small schools and small kids are suited best for each other. I don't think 22 kids in a class are going to have very much one-on-one time."
Forseth wasn't surprised that the Cornerstone board passed a motion to consider closure. “Enrolment is low, with 20 students this year and only 16 projected for next year, and there has been talk about Frobisher School's potential demise for seven years”, she said.
Some people in the community didn't realize that it was a motion to consider closure, Forseth said, and they thought the board had already passed a motion to close the school.
Lyndale School community council chair Glen Walkeden said he was pleased with the meeting and the turnout. He looks forward to a future meeting between the community and the board.
Lyndale School has 15 students in Grades 10 to 12 this year, but only nine projected for next year.
"But in three or four years, our enrolments will almost double," said Walkeden. "In five years, our numbers will be over 20. With the way the population is changing now, we just found out there is another family moving into our community with a couple kids. So that will change the outlook there."
Walkeden suggested the Cornerstone board should delay school closures due to Saskatchewan's booming population.
"I think they're jumping the gun," said Walkeden. "Once you close it, it's really hard to bring it back. We have an excellent, qualified, young and vibrant staff. The chance of getting them back would be slim once they move on."

Riders added to dinner line-up
Two members of the Grey Cup champion Saskatchewan Roughriders will be at Estevan's new arena fundraiser.
Wide receiver Matt Dominguez and offensive lineman Jeremy O'Day will be part of the line-up of speakers for the fundraiser March 15 at the Estevan Comprehensive School. Dominguez is one of the top receivers in the CFL; O'Day is a two-time CFL all-star who is entering his 10th season with the team.
Michael Landsberg, the host of TSN's "Off the Record," will be the keynote speaker. Author and former Israeli spy Michael Hoover will also speak at the event.
Funds raised during the dinner will go to construction of Estevan's new arena. A little over $5 million has been raised through naming rights sales and fundraising. The goal is $6 million, and it must be reached before construction can begin.

More land sales records fall
A record-breaking 2007 for sales of Crown petroleum and natural gas rights has now been followed by the best single land sale and the best fiscal year in Saskatchewan's history.
February's sale of Crown petroleum and natural gas rights raised an amazing $197 million in revenue for the province, more than doubling the old record of $85 million set in 1994. This brings the 2007-08 fiscal year total to $419 million, eclipsing the previous record of $202 million set in 1994-95.
"These numbers are simply incredible and are a great start to 2008 for our province and our oil and gas industry," Energy and Resources Minister Bill Boyd said. "They speak to the dynamic investment climate for our oil and gas resources, and underscore the heightened interest in the rich Bakken oil play in southeast Saskatchewan and the emerging oil play in the Shaunavon area.
"They are also reflective of the confidence businesses have in our new government. This record land sale will also translate into more economic growth and job opportunities for Saskatchewan people."
February's sale included 16 exploration licenses that sold for $120.5 million and 308 lease parcels that brought in $76.7 million. Another record shattered was the average price paid on a per hectare basis at $2,495, beating the old mark of $1,515 set in October.
On the strength of the hot Bakken oil play, the Estevan-Weyburn area dominated the sales activity, bringing in $132 million. This was followed by the Swift Current area with $47 million in sales, largely on the strength of the new Shaunavon oil play.
The Kindersley-Kerrobert area was next at $16 million, followed by the Lloydminster area at $2 million.
The highest price paid for a single parcel was $30.7 million. Saskatoon Assets Inc. purchased a 2,900-hectare exploration licence in the Shaunavon area.
The highest price paid on a per-hectare basis was $15,255. Saskatoon Assets Inc. picked up this lease parcel of deeper rights, located in the midst of the Bakken play at Stoughton, for just under $2 million.
"We have a great oil and gas story to tell, and Premier Wall and I have been telling that story across the country," Boyd said. "Coming off a $250 million record calendar year in land sales, Saskatchewan and our leading industry are poised for excellent economic growth."
The next sale of Crown petroleum and natural gas dispositions will be Monday, April 7.

Snow removal to be examined
City of Estevan staff might handle snow removal in a different fashion the next time Estevan is hit with a major storm.
Mayor Gary St. Onge said the current policy has been sent to the public works department for adjustments. St. Onge said he would like to see public works have more discretion and latitude for snow removal and equipment usage.
"They know what has to be done," said St. Onge. "Two of those guys have been there for 20 years. They know what they should be doing, how much they should be spending, but they have always been hesitant to go out there too much, because Council has said 'you spend way too much money."
Eleven centimetres fell during a blizzard February 13, but high winds whipped the snow around the streets, creating high snow drifts, and making some roads impassible.
"We want to give them more power to make decisions, so they don't just follow the policy," said St. Onge. "They followed the policy the other day … but it wasn't good enough, we felt, for the conditions that we've had."
Other areas of Estevan had little snow.
The current policy requires 20 centimetres of snow before a full-scale clearing effort begins, with contractors and 12-hour shifts for City staff. If there is under 20 centimetres, City equipment is used, and staff work eight-hour shifts during regular hours, to solve the troublesome areas.
St. Onge would like to see a lower number than 20 centimetres before full-scale snow removal begins.
He also wants to see crews clearing snow in non-peak traffic hours, such as the early morning and evening.
"The problem is when you're doing trouble spots, there's still so much traffic in the city," said St. Onge. "Everybody's driving, nobody's staying home, and they're on the road, and you can't get much done."
St. Onge said the current policy has been in place for about three years, and this was their first problem.
Previous snow removal procedures often left residents complaining about too much money being spent on snow clearing, St. Onge said.
No outside contractors were hired to clear the snow from the February 13 storm, with the possible exception of a grader, St. Onge said, so costs from the blizzard will be small.

Percussionist the next Stars performer
Stars for Saskatchewan will bring the talented percussionist, Anne-Julie Caron, to Estevan on Sunday, March 9, at 2:30 p.m. at St. Paul's United Church.
Caron is a Canadian who is recognized by leaders in her field as one of the most remarkable talents of her generation. As a marimbist, Caron's career has rapidly developed as an orchestral soloist, a chamber musician and a recitalist. She is highly sought-after in Canada and abroad.
She has performed in solo recitals, as well as with orchestras such as the Montreal Symphony Orchestra and the Quebec Symphony Orchestra. Caron has won numerous international prizes, including the 2007 Opus Prize as "Discovery of the Year."
Caron will be joined on stage by pianist Akiko Tominaga, who has performed throughout Canada, the U.S. and Europe.
Caron's concert is sponsored by Prairie Debut, based in central Manitoba, and incorporated in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Alberta. Prairie Debut is a charitable organization whose goal is to encourage community presenters to strive for artistic excellence in the presentation of professional, classical and global music.
The performance is presented in cooperation with the Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils, with assistance from Sask. Lotteries, the Saskatchewan Arts Board and Canadian Heritage.

Sun Country consultations continue
The Sun Country Health Region has finished the second round of consultation meetings for their strategic planning.
A public meeting was held in Estevan February 19. The public gave feedback on the findings from the first round of consultations, held last spring, and shared their priorities.
Kathryn York from Executive Source Partners in Regina facilitated the meeting.
"We asked the people 'This is what we heard, how does it relate to what's important in your mind,'" said Sun Country CEO Cal Tant. "And then the information that is gathered from the second round is assimilated into the documents."
Sun Country also surveyed more than 500 people through telephone solicitation. It gave them a greater sample size, and reached more people than the public meetings.
Tant said the region's last long-term plan was a five-year strategy completed at Sun Country's inception in 2003. Their strategic plan this time will have a shorter time frame - three years, taking Sun Country to 2011.
"It's something that is measurable," said Tant. "I think people can have a good appreciation for a three-year time period. This is to guide us from a regional perspective, from the people's perspective, for what we should be doing from 2008 to 2011."
The consultants will now take all of the information from the telephone survey and the public meetings, and prepare a draft for Sun Country's board. Tant hopes that the final document can be released by the end of March.

Chief scout awards presented
Caption: (L-R) Scout leader Wayne Biette, Chantelle Heinz, Adam Shirley, Lynaia Lukye, Brendan Tide, Shaunacee McKay and Mackenzie Hientz with their awards.
Six members of Estevan Sixth Scouts have received the top award available through Scouts Canada. Mackenzie Hientz, Chantelle Heinz, Lynaia Lukye, Shaunacee McKay, Adam Shirley and Brendan Tide are recipients of the Chief Scout Award.
The six members had to participate in three one-week camping trips. They learned survival skills for all seasons. They gained first aid skills, and the participated in public speaking.
All six were involved in community service, such as cleaning up parks and graveyards, and they all took on a leadership project. They learned the different levels of Canadian government for a citizenship requirement. And they showed personal development as teens.
Local leader Wayne Biette has also been recognized for 30 years of service with Scouts.

Olsen chosen for Rotary exchange
Caption: Charles Olsen from Mid-West Surveys will learn about life and work in Australia through the Rotary International Group Study Exchange.
A local oilfield company employee will represent Saskatchewan and learn about his vocation Down Under.
Charles Olsen, an employee at Mid-West Surveys in Estevan, will travel to Australia in April as part of Rotary International's Group Study Exchange. He'll spend four weeks in Australia's northeast province of Queensland. He will also visit Papua New Guinea, and possibly the Solomon Islands.
"I thought it would be the experience of a lifetime," said Olsen.
Olsen has worked at Mid-West Surveys for 18 years. He was a field surveyor for 12 years; then he moved into the office to become a draftsman and he is now a survey calculator.
He knows he will spend time with several Rotary clubs in the region. Each team member will also have time to study their vocation.
"Hopefully I'll be involved somewhat within the vocational industry over there," said Olsen.
There is some oil in Australia, he said, but not much, and it isn't a primary industry. Papua New Guinea has a little more oil.
"I sure hope to (visit some oilfield businesses)," said Olsen. "I don't know. It's up to that district over there that's doing that itinerary.
Olsen will be part of a five-person team. The team leader is a bank district manager from Brandon. The other members are a band teacher from Saskatoon, a dance instructor and studio owner in Winnipeg and an economic development specialist from Dauphin, Manitoba.
Estevan is part of a Rotary district that includes Saskatchewan, Manitoba and western Ontario. Later in the spring, a team from the Queensland district will visit to learn about life and work in Canada.

Local student qualifies for spelling bee
Caption: Wyatt Dougherty is going to the southern Saskatchewan spelling bee.
Wyatt Dougherty, a Grade 6 student from Hillcrest School in Estevan, has qualified for the southern Saskatchewan spelling bee, to be held March 15 in Regina.
Wyatt won Hillcrest's spelling bee in January against 21 other students. He took a written test, of 60 words, to qualify for the southern Saskatchewan bee. He'll be one of 40 students entered.
Wyatt said the southern qualifier will likely be an oral test. If he wins, he will go to nationals in Ottawa.
He is practicing a lot for nationals, he said. Wyatt has been given the list of words that will be used in Regina - about 400 words in all. He writes down each word five times to memorize the spelling.

Jorgenson to address farmer's crowd
Arlene Jorgenson of Saskatoon will be the guest speaker at the 2008 Farmer's Appreciation Evening February 28 at the Days Inn Plaza in Estevan.
Jorgenson has a background in farming and agriculture, and she is a motivational speaker. Her topic will be "If you think life is a maze, then you are amazing."
Jorgenson is also a business owner, occupational health nurse specialist, author, trainer and a camp director. She has over 15 years of experience speaking to audiences across North America. She uses style, energy, humour and perspective to convey her thoughts.
Jorgenson has a degree in nursing from University of Saskatchewan and specialty designation in occupational health nursing. She founded HEALTHSERV, an occupational health consulting company, in 1993, which now boasts two clinics and six staff.
She won the North Saskatoon Business Assoc Business Excellence Award for Innovation 2001 and Customer Service in 2003; she was a finalist for the SABEX Business Excellence New Venture award in 2002; she was nominated twice for the YWCA Women of Distinction Award for Entrepreneurship; and she is a distinguished Toastmaster.
The event will also feature the presentation of the Farm Family of the Year Award, a trio of 4H speakers, and a farm safety presentation.

Crop insurance plan questioned
NDP Agriculture Critic Pat Atkinson today called on the Saskatchewan Party to release its plan for crop insurance.
Agriculture Minister Bob Bjornerud's mandate letter states that he will "Conduct an immediate review of the crop insurance program to determine how to increase coverage and reduce premiums for producers."
"Traditionally, the NDP government announced what the crop insurance program would look like for the year ahead at about this time in February, so producers had some certainty," Atkinson said.
"Obviously the Sask Party felt coverage was inadequate and promised to conduct an immediate review to improve it. If this is a priority then let's see the results.
"Property tax reductions and a new and improved revenue sharing formula were also priorities for the Sask Party, and they've both been put on the backburner. I certainly hope that's not the case with crop insurance."
Bjornerud's mandate letter also states that he will "explore the development of partnerships with other western provinces to improve crop insurance protection for Saskatchewan agricultural producers."
"For years, the Sask Party has talked about how it would develop a new and improved crop insurance program and fix agriculture in general," Atkinson said. "With spring just around the corner, Saskatchewan farmers are anxious to hear what priority the Sask Party places on this sector, that is so vital to the province's future."

Columnists

Making things better
"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows…Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:7-9).
This passage is often quoted to teach the importance of focusing on spiritual things, but I believe that these verses teach other lessons as well.
For example, notice that effort is often required before the reward is seen. Oddly, many people seem to think that blessings should come without requiring anything from them beforehand. In reality, it does not work that way.
In marriage counseling, couples are often told to "act as if you are in love". Why? Well, when each person takes responsibility to "Go first" and to treat the other with love, then that attitude will likely grow in the relationship. However, if both sit back and wait for the other to treat them well, nothing good happens. This "Go first" principle applies in any relationship. You can often improve things by going first and doing the things that you wish others would do. If you wait for everyone else to treat you properly first, you may be waiting a long time.
Note, too, that we are encouraged to keep trying. Farmers in New Testament times did not sow seeds as farmers do today. Back then, the farmer would "broadcast" the seed by throwing handfuls of it everywhere. He sowed generously and expected some of it to do something good (see 1 Corinthians 9:6-11). I like that picture! Our job is not to try once and then quit if nothing happens. We are to go about doing the good we can do, day in and day out, trusting that God will give us a good result in "the proper time". As someone once noted, "The only thing that can hinder our harvest is letting ourselves grow weary".
While there are no guarantees, in most cases you can make things better by simply going first and living out the love of God.
Tim Pippus, Estevan Church of Christ

HOW ARE YOU VOTING?
By Linda Wegner
I attended an All Candidates Forum this evening, if I recall correctly, a first for me. While I don't remember going to any other such event, I do follow elections and political events with a lot of interest. Whether it's an election here or somewhere else in the world, I enjoy learning about issues and listening to the rhetoric surrounding them - not that I believe much of anything that is said by any politician. In spite of my scepticism, though, I have never missed exercising my right to vote; after all, if I don't, I can't complain!
This evening's forum provided an opportunity for the six candidates running for a seat on our local City Council to present their platforms and for the public to ask questions. We're a small city but we're facing some huge issues. As in any election, accusations and counter accusations, information and, we've been told, lots of misinformation is floating around. To the credit of the candidates, the presentations were well thought out, issues addressed and questions answered…well, as a politician would answer them. I narrowed my choice to two possibilities with less than a week to make a final decision. That process will involve weighing values against lifestyle and proven commitment to the well being of our community.
Five candidates earned my respect for their dedication to democracy; the sixth is neither worthy of my respect nor of my vote. In fact, I'm still shaking my head at the preposterousness of the demeanour, the remarks and the flippant attitude toward the governance of our city that was displayed by this contender.
What I saw and heard contradicted everything this person claimed to be able to do.
"Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold…" Proverbs 8:10
We never go wrong by choosing to live wisely.

GARDEN NOTES
By Gerry Fichtemann
EARLY BIRD BLUES
The sun is getting stronger and the odd day is warm, however this is still much too early to start your bedding plants at home. Believe it or not, I have gotten phone calls regarding help being needed with their tomato plants. Imagine we are still at the end of February and the odd person has already planted some bedding plants. They tell me that their tomato plants are tall, stringy and very weak. When they ask me what to do with them, my only reply is to put them in the compost. These plants are a total disaster and will never survive until they are moved outside in the garden. If they do try their luck and put them in their garden they will be so soft that they will just wilt and die off. The plants were just not given a chance.
If you like to try your luck at planting some seed indoors, timing is the major secret. For example, I don't plant my tomato seeds until April 15th. This way, the plants should be ready for planting out on May 24th. The plants should be short, stocky and adaptable to the outside weather. I do not have a greenhouse so I use 4'flourescent lights plus a fan turned on low to keep the air circulating to prevent fungus and rotting. For people that have greenhouses, you can plant your seeds earlier and still end up with strong plants due to length of light conditions.
I use a 2 bulb fixture on adjustable chains or twine so that the light is only about 3-4 inches away from the plants. As the plants grow later, the lighting fixture can be hoisted a few inches at a time. The fan should be kept at a distance so the breeze won't be too strong. There are some plants that take much longer to germinate and grow. Starting petunias should be done the last week in February or the first week in March. They grow much slower than other plants.
If you are a marigold fan, I wouldn't even bother getting a head start indoors as they can be seeded outside and their growth is rapid.
I distinctly remember visiting a big-box store in early March of last spring and I noticed bedding plants on the counters an absolute shock. The first thing that came to mind was that they don't care about their customers. I guess their only after their money and whatever happens, it's the customers fault. If you buy them and take them home, they will get to thin and stretched and you are the loser. You are only fooling yourself if you think you'll succeed by being early. Nature doesn't work that way!
Gerry Fichtemann is the owner of River Bend Nursery.

Sports

Dam K wins Lampman Oilmen's
Caption: Winners of the A event Dam K Operating consisting of
Devon and Helen Fornwald and Melodie and Donald Willock.
Dam K Operating won the A event at the annual Lampman Oilmen's Bonspiel.
Dam K - consisting of Donald and Melodie Willock, and Devon and Helen Fornwald - beat the H5 Inspection Team - Adam Himmelspach, and Mark, Sandy and Ryan Hanrieder - in the A final.
A total of 19 teams entered the bonspiel.
Prairie Petro-Chem - with Greg and Glenda Kallis, and Gerry and Shelly Naka - won the B event. Apex Distribution - which was made up of Kevin and Connie Wilson, Natalie Greenbank and Kevin Wilhelm - won the C1 event.
Doug and Natasha Seymour, Darlene Johnson and Mike Hayward were on Supreme Oilfield, which won the C2 event.

Benning wins MVP
Captions:
- Former Estevan Bruin Grant Fagerheim was one of the guest speakers.
- (L-R) Assistant coach Sheldon Beatty presented the Tower Café MVP Award to Payden Benning.
Payden Benning capped his final regular season with the Estevan Bruins by winning the Tower Cafe MVP award at the team's awards banquet February 15.
The 20-year-old from Estevan said he was pretty surprised. Anybody on the team could have been MVP, he said.
"It's good," said Benning. "I really appreciate it, because the guys voted for it."
Benning said the biggest differences in his game, compared to two years ago, are his work ethic in practice, and his maturity on the ice.
Benning had 19 goals and 38 assists in 53 games. He won the Canadian Tire Top Scorer Award.
Kealin Wong also had a big night. The 20-year-old defenceman won the A&S Oilfield Operating Award for the Bruins' top defenceman, and the Bill Shinske Ethics Award for his positive attitude, discipline, respect and pride.
Wong also won the Yak's Fitness IronMan Award for playing in all the games and having a commitment to fitness.
Other player award winners were: Brody Haygarth - Spectra Financial Rookie of the Year; Kyle Garagan - Rocket Sales and Rental Most Popular Player, and T&T Repair Rocky Award; Riley Tetrault - Econo Furniture and Sound Mr. Hustle Award, and Royal Bank Community Involvement Award; Garrett Lasko - CJ1280 Radio Most Sportsmanlike Player; Colton MacPherson - Abe Berday Memorial Scholastic Award; Liam Brennan - Enbridge Pipelines Most Improved Player; and Niko Grose - JL's Bike and Skate Most Underrated Player and the Estevan Bruins Training Staff Heart Award.
Gail Gustafson won the Power Dodge Volunteer of the Year Appreciation Award.
More than 300 people attended the awards ceremony, which was also a fundraiser for the club and a celebration for the Bruins 50th anniversary. NHL memorabilia and Bruin away jerseys were auctioned off. Former Bruin Grant Fagerheim and former NHLer Brian Skrudland were guest speakers.
Fagerheim was an SJHL all-star in two of his four seasons with the Bruins. Since retiring from the game in the early 1980s due to a knee injury, he has worked in the Calgary oilfield. He is a member of Hockey Canada's board.
Fagerheim still talks favourably about his years as a Bruin. He's glad to hear this year's Bruins are playing well. He looks forward to the completion of the new arena and the possibility of marquee hockey tournaments coming to Estevan.
Skrudland shared stories from his many travels in the NHL, which took him to Montreal, Calgary, Florida, the New York Rangers and Dallas, and the teammates he had, including Wayne Gretzky. He also talked about winning the Stanley Cup in 1986 in Montreal, and in 1999 with Dallas.
Hockey has led to a lot of relationships, he said. Relationships are important, whether it be in sport or in the workplace.

Atoms lose three
The Estevan Canetic Resources AA Atom Bruins dropped three straight league games.
Estevan lost 10-5 to Weyburn February 15. Kyle Salaway had two goals for Estevan. Kaelan Holt and Erik McKersie also scored. (Fifth goal scorer not available from source).
Estevan also dropped two decisions against Yorkton: 7-3 on the 16th, and 9-7 on the 17th. Cory Peloquin, Kyle Seipp and Josh Giblett scored in the first game against Yorkton. Salaway had three, and Holt had two in the second game versus Yorkton. Giblett and Seth Horn also scored.

Coalers and Combines advance
The Bienfait Coalers and the Arcola-Kisbey Combines have advanced to the next round of the Big Six Hockey League's playoffs.
Bienfait defeated the Pierson Bruins in three games in their best-of-three first round series. Bienfait won Game 1 7-6 in overtime February 12. Pierson won Game 2 5-4 February 15, but the Coalers rebounded to win Game 3 4-2 the following night.
Bienfait will play the Carnduff Red Devils in a best-of-five second round series.
Arcola-Kisbey didn't have as much trouble in dispatching of the White Bear Redhawks. Arcola-Kisbey swept the best-of-three, winning Game 1 8-0 February 17 and Game 2 13-3 on the 19th.
Arcola-Kisbey will play the Carlyle Cougars in a best-of-five.
In the other two best-of-five second round series, the Oxbow Huskies and Midale Mustangs have 1-0 leads. Oxbow defeated the Redvers Rockets 5-3 February 19. Midale edged the Wawota Flyers 7-6 in overtime, also on the 19th.

Bruins will play Yorkton
If the Estevan Bruins are to advance beyond the first round of the SJHL's playoffs, they'll have to do something they couldn't do in their last two post-season appearances: defeat the Yorkton Terriers.
The Bruins (29-25-2-2, 62 points, fourth in the Sherwood Conference) will meet the Terriers (23-27-3-5, 54 points, fifth in the Sherwood Conference) in a best-of-seven elimination series in the first round. The Bruins will have revenge on their minds: Yorkton eliminated the Bruins from the playoffs in 2005 and 2007.
"For the guys that were here last here, definitely (revenge is a factor)," said captain Kyle Garagan. "The Bruins and Yorkton don't have a good relationship. They're one of our rivals now, and the last couple years, we faced them in the playoffs. We definitely want to pound on them."
Discipline has improved from last year, said Garagan. Players know they can't take stupid penalties.
If the Bruins outwork Yorkton, the Burins will win, Garagan said.
A January 13 meeting between the two teams changed the fortunes for both squads. The Bruins scored three third period goals to defeat Yorkton 4-2. It ended the Bruins' seven-game losing streak, and the Bruins won 10 of their last 14 games.
It also started a 12-game losing streak for Yorkton.
Estevan also defeated Yorkton 3-2 in a shootout January 30, and 4-3 in overtime February 1.
"I expect the games to be hard-checking, low-scoring, and it's going to come down to depth and goaltending," said Biette. "If we get the goaltending, and we can use our depth against them, then I think we stand a good chance to come out of it."
Yorkton beat Estevan in their first three meetings this season, and they had dominated the Bruins dating back to the start of the 2005-06 season. Biette said the Bruins really needed their recent wins over Yorkton.
"It was huge psychologically, and we approached it as such," said Biette. "We had to beat those guys a couple times before (the end of the season), because I knew we might face them."
Biette said he was a little disappointed to not qualify for the SJHL's Selection Series - the round robin reserved for the top three teams in the conference. But he recognizes the benefits of playing in the best-of-seven.
"No. 1, you can sell it, and people understand it," said Biette. "No. 2, you're in the playoffs, and it's a best-of-seven. And No. 3, it's a good learning curve for a young hockey club to play in a best-of-seven, rather than a round robin, and get thrown into a best-of-seven with no playoff experience."
Game 1 is February 22 at the Civic Auditorium. Game time is 7:30 p.m. Game 3 is also in Estevan on February 26. Games 2 (February 24) and 4 (February 28) are in Yorkton.

From the Sidelines
Arena Football Is Ready
By Kyle Kapiczowski
The Arena Football League will begin play on February 29. The first game will be the New Orleans Voodoo taking on the Los Angeles Avengers. Some of the teams that left the league include the Austin Wranglers, who are now part of the Arena Football 2 League, and the Nashville Kats who have folded for the second time in their team history. There is also a new team joining the league this year and they are the Cleveland Gladiators, who were previously known as the Las Vegas Gladiators. I think the Philadelphia Soul and the Colorado Crush will finish first in their divisions. I think the Soul will go on to win Arena Bowl XXII. They will face the Los Angeles Avengers in the final.
In the CFL, the Saskatchewan Roughriders have re-signed three of their free-agents. Fullback Chris Szarka, defensive back Eddie Davis and wide receiver Matt Dominguez have all signed two-year contracts, plus an option.
In NCAA basketball, the Florida Gators lost 61-58 to Vanderbilt. Florida's record is 19-7 overall and 6-5 in conference play.
At NASCAR's 50th running of the Daytona 500, Ryan Newman came from third place to win the race. Bobby Labonte finished in 11th place after starting 22nd. The next race is the Auto Club 500 from California.
In the Craftsman Truck series, Todd Bodine won the Chevy Silverado 250. Mike Skinner finished in 29th place. The next race is the San Bernardino County 200 which is also in California.
In the WHL, the Regina Pats have clinched a playoff spot. The Pats lost 5-2 to the Lethbridge Hurricanes. Regina's record is 36-19-3-2 and they are four points up on Swift Current for first in the Eastern Division.
In the National Lacrosse League, the Calgary Roughnecks lost 15-12 to the Rochester Night Hawks. Calgary's record is 2-4 and the next game is against the first place Colorado Mammoth.
That's all folks!

Viewpoints

Editorial
Tea Time
Welcome All the Babies in Town
By Dani Stobbs
Congratulations are in order this week as two of people I know have just given birth to baby boys! Both only two days apart from each other, and they went into labour on their due dates - very impressive.
I went to visit my friend a few hours after she had her baby, and she looked incredible. I couldn't believe how stunning she looked after just having a baby! She had that baby glow too - as she sat in one of those moments that you know she will remember forever.
I was sat in the corner watching Uncle Matt hold his new born baby and it made me so emotional. It was amazing to see that the "baby bump" that Kimi had been carrying around for nine months was now laying in his dads arm. It definitely is a moment that you need to sit and really take in.
As a gift to them, the boyfriend and I decided that it would be fun to give the most unnecessary, biggest gift we could find. And what does a family with a newborn baby wish for the most when they bring home a new baby - yes, you got it - the biggest teddy bear you can find!
I hope you realised the sarcasm there, I do realise that it's probably the most unnecessary present to ever give a new family but they have a sense of humour, and I'm pretty sure they like it!
I definitely think that it's a time to celebrate the baby, and it's so exciting to see this new person and welcome him into the world, but as I was walking around the shops looking for presents to buy for the baby, I had a little nudge on my heart…
We often forget the mother that had to give birth to the new baby, and the husband that stood by her side and supported his wife. Even though the baby is as cute as can be, I wanted to recognise in this article, two amazing friends.
Why have I chosen to congratulate my friends on their new baby? I hear the phrase "Your going to make great parents" all the time. Especially when someone has just become pregnant or after they have just had a baby. It is sometimes such a overused sentence, and does it have any real justification to it, or are they trying to make someone just feel good?
As I was writing in their card the words "Your going to be make great parents", I started to ponder on what made me think that. And here is my few words of written praise for these two "great parents".
From the beginning on my stay here in Estevan, they took permanent residence in my heart. They are the people that come up and ask "How are you feeling?" when you have been hoping someone would! She is the type of friend who doesn't think twice about saying "I appreciate you" or to hug you. She definitely has the wisdom to say "Actually I think you might need to rethink that", and help you back on track. She is one of those people that invests in a relationship by just loving you despite your broken heart.
He is the type of guy that even as girls you instantly feel comfortable around. It takes about two seconds to realise that he has a sense of humour that will make u wonder if he is being serious or not? And that's fun to watch. He always seems to be conversing with so many different people, old, young, men and women. Plus he has English in his roots, so that's all good with me.
So when I wrote "Your going to make great parents" in your card, this is what it truly meant. If you passed on half of what you have poured into me in the last year and a half, we have one special baby about to grow up in our town.
Congratulations on the new babies in town! It's all very exciting!!

Editorial
Afghan mission will end in 2011
By David Willberg
Canada's commitment to the mission in Afghanistan will end in 2011, if legislation introduced in the House of Commons is passed.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper's original plan was for the government to review Canada's role in the war-torn nation at the end of 2011. Now Harper has stated that the mission will end in 2011. Canadian troops will depart the country through the last six months of that year.
Harper's change in direction was an effort to appease the Liberals. The NDP and the Bloc Quebecois want Canadian troops out of Afghanistan in 2009.
The Liberals, who sent Canadian troops to Afghanistan in 2001, want the mission to end, but they are receptive to troops remaining in the country beyond next year.
It's sad that some elected officials would like to use the plight of the Canadian troops as a political issue, and would even be willing to use the troops as a prop to force an election.
Recent years in Afghanistan have not been kind to Canadian soldiers. Casualties were few when Canadians were stationed in Kabul, the nation's capital.
But once the troops moved south into the volatile Kandahar region, the mission became much more dangerous. Casualties mounted. Some soldiers were killed. Many more were injured. Canada's military equipment has once again been exposed as insufficient to handle devices such as roadside bombs.
It's also sad that Canadians only hear about the fatalities, the injuries, and errors committed by Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan. Canadians aren't hearing about the progress in education and health in that country, or the progress in women's rights over the last six years.
When Canada joined the U.S. at war in Afghanistan in 2001, just weeks after the September 11 terrorist attacks, dissenting voices were few. Afghanistan's government, the Taliban, was believed to be harboring September 11 mastermind Osama bin Laden, and other terrorists.
The Taliban was quickly removed from power. But the greatest battle wasn't overthrowing the Taliban; it's been fighting their forces that are still in Afghanistan.
It's been six-and-a-half years since Canada went to Afghanistan. When the mission ends, Canada will have been in Afghanistan for a decade. Until it ends, Canadians need to support the troops, regardless of what they think of the mission.

What's Happening

Westview winter fun
Westview School in Estevan held their annual winter carnival February 15. Students enjoyed an afternoon filled with outdoor activities on a fresh, thick layer of snow.

King and queen of Valentine's Day
Gertie Lev (standing) crowned Rachel and Alphonse Lavoie the king and queen of Valentine's Day at the Estevan Regional Nursing Home February 14. Lev coronates a king and queen each year, and this year, the nursing home wanted to crown a couple. The Lavoie's have been married for 49 years.

Winter play day
Pleasantdale School in Estevan hosted their annual winter play day February 15. Students participated in various outdoor activities - some traditional winter activities, and some non-traditional winter activities adapted to the conditions.