MAYFAIR — The September long weekend brings most of the university and college students into the studying and thinking mode. So much education now is online that it seems like its easily accessible to sit and learn in your pyjamas.
In the great north country where I’ve been for last few days there is suddenly an abundance of blueberries, so I’m in seventh heaven. As of last year, the First Nation people have been selling an ice cream pail for $50 and the buyers aren’t complaining about the price. Many pickers are in the forest where the low bush cranberry trees grow, also yielding decently.
With the nice weather holding out, people riding quads is common in resort places. In the Chitek Lake forest and farther north the trails are impeccable for summer riding and great snowmobile trails in the snow thus taking the outdoor enthusiasts up to Meadow Lake country and Big River area. The 12th annual memorial quad rally for Aaron Boyer of Chitek Lake is slated for Saturday, Sept. 10 with registration from 9 a.m. to noon costing $20. Rider prizes are $1,000, $500. and 300 and there is a 50/50 draw, a draw for a Harley Davidson refrigerator and many door prizes to be won. For more information call Eugene at 306-961-1951 or Clent at 780-871-1833.
Farmers can be thankful for nice weather we’ve been experiencing for at least the past three weeks. Many places in Saskatchewan have broken high temperatures records. Crops are even being combined in Leoville district, which is earlier than usual. Yields look good. The prices per bushel aren’t that great but farmers don’t have any control because of the world market. There is supposed to be snow in the third week of October and staying for all winter. Ouch. That would be not what one would like to have, but we will wait and see.
The horticulture society in Spiritwood had a successful show with 34 entrants this August. President Roberta Wasden said despite heavy hail and rain earlier in spring and summer, this show was a real crowd pleaser. The entries were down from other years, but the houseplants and flowers stole the show. This is not a common event in small towns, so good for Spiritwood in keeping up this tradition.
Oksana Panchuk (nee Stolkako) formerly of Mayfair is proud of all three of her children’s accomplishments in rodeo. The family resided on a small ranch near Pike Lake (near Vanscoy) while the children were interested in horses. Oksana now lives in Saskatoon. Twenty-four-year-old Fayth Panchuk is sitting first place in the CCA rodeo standings thus far. The CCA finals are in Saskatoon at Prairieland Park Oct. 20 to 23.
Here is a write-up Oksana texted to me for this paper. When Fayth was in high school rodeo she won three saddles at the Saskatchewan High School Rodeo Association finals. She won Canadian high school rodeo finals while in Grade 10. She qualified every year that she competed in high school rodeo to go to the national finals that were held in Wyoming. Fayth has already won approximately $10,000 while displaying her skills.
Along with her sister Rybecca and brother Dallyn, they qualified to attend high school rodeo finals in the United States. This was a huge accomplishment requiring hard work and dedication to the sport of rodeo. Rybecca had qualified for breakaway roping. Dallyn qualified for roping, steer wrestling and team roping. Fayth’s siblings did the CCA rodeo this year, but Rybecca sold her seasoned horse partway through the season and rode young ones, so did not make it to the finals. Her brother Dallyn hurt his knee on his way to making the finals, and because of this injury he was forced to quit this year.
Proud gramma is Helen Stolkako of Saskatoon.
As we all know, way too much destruction is going on in the world. Almost every continent is experiencing some sort of turmoil which results in upheaval for mankind. An excerpt from Mother Theresa, who lived and worked for nothing in Calcutta, India and who dedicated her life to helping the poor. Let us not use bombs and guns to try to solve the problems of the world. Let us use love and compassion. Peace begins with a smile Do it for peace. Many years after her death, the world still has wars and too much hatred. Yes, let there be peace as we are supposed to be everyone’s keepers.
