(EDITOR’S NOTE: The following article includes highlights of some of the events which were reported in the Kamsack Timesduring the course of 2015. Dates listed refer to publication dates and not necessarily to the dates of the events. Dates listed refer to publication dates and not necessarily to the dates of the events.)
JANUARY
January 8 – Mayor Rod Gardner said that 2014 was a successful year for Kamsack and 2015 looked like it would be similar…Among the 21 students in the Good Spirit School Division to qualify for the Ministry of Education 2014 General Proficiency Awards of $400 each was Leslie Korpatniski of Kamsack…A total of 20 species of birds were seen at an annual winter count in the Togo area…The Parkland Lions Bantam Girls hockey team won the A-side of the Prince Albert Foxes’ tournament in Prince Albert.
January 15 – A feature story focused on James David Martin of Kamsack who is recognized as being a top Canadian wood carver…Adeline Nykolaishen was presented with the 2012 Garden of Saskatchewan Citizenship Ring…Jarod Hilderman of Kamsack was selected for the Canadian Junior Hockey League prospects game…It was announced that the grades 9 to 12 students at the Fort Livingstone School in Pelly would be attending school in Norquay beginning in September…Lindgren Farms of Norquay was crowned the 2014 Commodity King at Hudye Soil Services.
January 22 – Steve Iles of Kamsack was on his way to Corner Brook Nfld. to watch the Candian Junior Curling Championships and his daughter Jessica who was a ember of Team Alberta’s women’s team…A collective agreement between the Town of Kamsack and its employees who are members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 1881, was formally signed…The Kamsack branch of the Royal Canadian Legion installed its officers for 2015…A survey indicated that the Madge Lake loon population was stable.
January 29 – A bench in memory of the late Fred Cameron of Regina who had been instrumental in promoting the Duck Mountain Loppet to members of the Regina Ski Club was placed on the Rundle Lake Trail at Duck Mountain Provincial Park…Chris Kiser of Kamsack began a career as a firefighter with the Candian Armed Forces…The Paul Abrahamson Rink topped the Norquay Annual Mixed Bonspiel…Brittany Butler succeeded Anne Schlivert as the executive director of the KamKids Daycare.
FEBRUARY
February 5 – The Family Literacy Day was observed at Victoria School with a “books and bannock” event…The Kamsack Cancer Self-Help Group held its 14th annual fundraising luncheon…It was announced that after serving the Togo area for 61 years, the community’s credit union, which was Togo’s only such financial institution, was to close in June…Tori Todosichuk and Logan Foster of Kamsack were selected for the 2015 Canada Winter Games.
February 12 – Stephen Iles of Kamsack was about to travel to Tallinn, Estonia where he was to watch his daughter Jessica, the lead on Team Alberta, compete for the World Junior Women’s Curling Championship…The Paul Abrahamson rink topped the Arran annual bonspiel…The KCI junior mixed rink won silver at the district bonspiel…The Norquay School drama club was about to stage The 11 Worst Break-Ups of All time…The Norquay Health Centre Auxiliary planned to raise $20,000 to construct an outdoor secure area for lodge residents.
February 19 – If they weren’t exactly “green with envy,” members of the Melville delegation that toured the new medical clinic building in Kamsack were definitely effusive in their praise…Members of the Kamsack Order of the Royal Purple began to be member of the Kamsack Royal Purple Elks Lodge…Work began on the development of a wheelchair-accessible playground at Victoria School.
February 26 – Amanda Burback of Togo was presented with the 2013 Garden of Saskatchewan Citizenship Ring…Doug Radford rink of San Clara topped the Togo Mixed Bonspiel…The Annual Togo Snowmobile Derby included Irondog Vintage Derby…The Jeremy Hrycenko rink of Arran topped the annual Benito Open Bonspiel…The Ron Hoehn rink of Canora topped the Kamsack stick bonspiel…Gathered under a gigantic 20-foot by 40-foot Canadian flag.
MARCH
March 5 – Rev. Frank Emereuwa returned to Kamsack after having visited him former home in Nigeria, saying the people were frightened of the actions of Boko Haram…A total of 182 skiers participated in the 36th annual Duck Mountain Loppet held at Duck Mountain Provincial Park…KCI acquired new silkscreen equipment for its graphic arts classes…Midget Cobras won first round of provincial playoffs…The Larry Dahl rink took first place at the annual Norquay Legion Bonspiel.
March 12 – The Canora-Pelly Constituency of the Saskatchewan Party selected Terry Dennis of Canora as its candidate for the next provincial election…It was announced that the work of Kristen Doyle, an art teacher at the KCI, would be included in an exhibit at the Godfrey Dean Art Gallery in Yorkton…The Parkland Lions advanced to the provincial finals…A classroom at the Fort Livingstone School in Pelly ranked in the top of the Candian Classroom Energy Diet Challenge.
March 19 – Dr. Michael Bishop of Kamsack achieved a medical practice milestone as he celebrated his 50th year serving Kamsack district residents…The Parkland Lions claimed the championship of the South Saskatchewan Female Hockey League bantam division after finishing the regular season with a perfect 22-0 record and then defeating the Moose Jaw Mavericks in the final playoff game…The Swan Plain Poker Derby attracted 230 sleds…Attending a Skills Canada Yong Women’s Conference in Melville were KCI students Lexie Tomochko and Ali Thomson…AnnaLee Parnetta, the home economics teacher at the KCI, presented her master’s thesis project at a national symposium…Former Kamsack resident Valorie (Brandt) Robertson of Ebenezer was profiled in a United Kingdom Truck & Driver magazine.
March 26 – Stephen Iles of Kamsack learned that he was the father of a world champion curler when Team Alberta, which included his daughter Jessica as the lead, won the World Women’s Junior Curling Championship in Talinn, Estonia…Kamsack students competed in the Parkland Music Festival in Preeceville and Sturgis…Togo figure skaters performed a year-end carnival to the theme of Disney on Ice…The Norquay School junior drama club was preparing to stage the musical Frozen.
APRIL
April 2 – It was announced that nine plays staged by senior high school students in five communities, including Kamsack, Norquay and Preeceville, would be performed at the Saskatchewan Drama Association’s Region 4 Drama Festival at the KCI at the end of April…The Hudye Group, which was based in Norquay, announced the sale of its crop input retail business, Hudye Soil Services Inc. to two investment funds managed by PFM Capital Inc. of Regina…Memorial donations made to the Kamsack and District Nursing Home in the name of the late Lillian Cherkas was used to purchase equipment that allows residents to communicate with family members through the Internet.
April 9 – More than 100 pink T-shirts advertising the Red Cross’s Day of Pink campaign were donated to the students and staff of Chief Gabriel Cote Education Complex…Hikers said that Duck Mountain was among Canada’s top 10 hiking destinations, according to the Internet website at EscapeHere.com…The junior and senior badminton players at Keeseekoose Chiefs Education Centre won a total of five gold medals, two silver and two bronze medals at the junior and senior badminton playoffs.
April 16 – Among the winners of trophies at the Kamsack wildlife federation’s annual fundraising awards banquet were Wyatt Ewasiuk and Riley Barrowman. Ewasiuk placed first in the junior northern pike category and second in the typical white-tailed deer junior category, while Barrowman placed first in the typical white-tailed deer and the moose categories.
April 23 – Allan Bennett and his son Chris were profiled after they had installed nearly four miles of powder blue plastic tubing that connected taps in Manitoba maple trees to a centralized vacuum pump that sucks sap from the trees in order to produce maple syrup…Kamsack volunteers with the Sunrise Health Region were honoured at an appreciation event…Audrey Horkoff of Kamsack was recognized for having been an Agribition volunteer for 20 years…Erin Bishop, granddaughter of Dr. Michael and Sally bishop of Kamsack won two gold medals at the provincial gymnastics championship in Moose Jaw…Former Pelly resident Carla (nee Gulka) Jackman of Calgary discussed her involvement in iron distance triathlons.
April 30 – The KCI senior drama club staged The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon at the regional drama festival held at the KCI…It was announced that the Kamsack Flyers senior hockey league would be admitted into the Triangle league for the 2015-16 season…Brenda Kondratoff of Kamsack was featured in a solo show at the Godfey Dean Art Gallery in Yorkton…Minor hockey players were celebrated at an awards banquet…Kamsack air cadets discussed their trip to Ontario that they took during the Easter break…Kamsack Skate Park was cleaned on Earth Day.
MAY
May 7 – Town council left the municipal mill rate unchanged, but increased residential taxes slightly anyway…A High Impact Wrestling show was staged as a fundraiser for the Kamsack Legion…Former Kamsack resident Danielle Barnett was named the best supporting actress at Theatre Saskatchewan’s TheatreFest in Melfort…Sadok Ukrainian dancers won bronze at a Saskatoon competition…Maureen Stefaniuk of Kamsack recalled the symbolism in one of her paintings as her daughter Ilara waited for her second kidney transplant operation.
May 14 – A ribbon was cut to mark the official opening of the expansion to the Norquay Co-op’s hardware retail store…Kamsack Karate Club members held a year-end demonstration…Theresa Wilson of Melville was nominated as the New Democratic Party candidate fort the Canora –Pelly Constituency…Grade 1 students at the Victoria School in Kamsack visited Grandpas Garden greenhouses where they were able to pot their own plants.
May 21 – Dr. Balbir Chhina, who had been trained as a physician and surgeon in India, began his first Canadian medical practice in Kamsack…Kevlen Towing business began For Nines taxi service…Customer appreciation events raised nearly $1,000 for the Kamsack SADD (Students Against Drinking and Driving) group…Tenants at Davies Towers in Kamsack were having a gazebo constructed.
May 28 – Sgt. Terry Wilson of the Kamsack RCMP was the reviewing officer at the Kamsack air cadets’ annual ceremonial review…The Power House Museum was officially opened for the 2015 season…The Norquay School class of 2005 held a 10-year reunion…A new sprinkler system was being used at Riverside Golf Course…Ardis Irvine, who had served for 15 years as the Honoured Royal Lady for the former Kamsack Order of the Royal Purple, was elected as the first Honoured Royal lady for the new organization known as the Kamsack Royal Purple Elks.
JUNE
June 4 – The Kamsack Subway restaurant opened…Town council decided to send a letter to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II congratulating her on being the longest serving monarch in modern history…Sunrise Health Region approved a balanced budget of $221 million…Anglican Church bells were being rung to remind residents of Canada’s 1,122 murdered and missing aboriginal women…KCI beginner and junior band students performed at the Moose Jaw Band Festival.
June 11 – KCI outdoor education students returned from a four-day camping trip to McLennan Lake canoe area…Kamsack Eastern Star members attended a grand chapter event…Employees and retirees of the Sunrise Health Region at Kamsack were honoured…Keeseekoose students attended traditional awareness events…Tara Taylor, a Grade 5 student at KCI won $200 because her drawing was selected as the winning entry in a contest to design new banners to hang from the light standards in the downtown core.
June 18 – The Royal Canadian Legion’s 90th anniversary medals were presented to members during the Kamsack Decoration Day service…Keeseekoose students were about to leave on a trip to Rome and Athens…Arson was said to have been the cause of the destruction of the Fort Pelly-Livingstone Museum in Pelly…Denton Dietz won silver in the long jump and bronze in the 100m hurdles at the provincial track-and-field meet in Yorkton…High seatbelt usage resulted in a prize of $20,000 for Keeseekoose Chiefs Education Centre.
June 25 – It was a near capacity audience that filled Westminster Memorial United Church to hear the Kamsack Community Choir’s spring concert entitled Colour My World…Four grandchildren of the late Fred Lamb, who was a Saskatchewan surveyor, visited the lake located at Duck Mountain Provincial Park which had been named for him…Among the most decorated senior students at the KCI Spectacular Spartans program were: Denton Dietz, Allison Thomsen, Kaylie Bowes and Jaelyn Dietz.
JULY
July 2– It was announced that within the next few weeks Sparty Park, the wheelchair accessible playground at the Victoria School, would be constructed…Staff of Affinity Credit Union raised $9,125 for the Heart and Stroke Foundation by riding on the Big Bike in Norquay…Bryan Matthew, who had many years experience operating heavy equipment and supervising major construction jobs acquired equipment to allow him to accept jobs in the district…A petition calling for more support workers at Kamsack’s schools gathered 184 signatures…Members of the 2015 graduating class at Norquay School were: Dylan Bebenek, Alundra Stevenson, Justin Hudye, Maria Hutchins, Blake Newberg, Angela Hamm, Kaylee Howard, Haley Nystedt, Danielle Turta and Kalyna Livingstone.
July 9– Members of the KCI graduating class were: Rylan Cote, Reuben Bugera, Ross Hoffert, Corban Anquist, Austin Guenther, Donald Weis, Dustin Burback, Tylan Szegi, Michael Fernuik, Rihana Bielecki, Jaelyn Dietz, Hayley LaBelle, Morgan Fatteicher, Megan Thomsen, Cassidy Aker, Kaytlyn Placatka, Alexis Schwartz, Victoria Henderson, Jessie Kosmenko, Kali Wyllychuk, Madison Mines, Hanna-Marie Wosminity, Hannah Werrell, Shianne Musqua, Chase Shingoose, Michela Cook and Kayla Gervais…It was announced that the late Albert Cottenie of Kamsack, a former member of the Kamsack Cyclones baseball team, was to be inducted into the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame…Mud Boggin’ was a highlight of the Canada Day celebrations in Kamsack.
July 16– Mike Robey was hired as the superintendent of public works in Kamsack…Kassidy Petruk of the Kamsack district, who had recently graduated from the equine science course at Olds College at Olds, Alta., placed well at an equestrian competition at Willow Ridge Stables south of Saskatoon…Former Kamsack resident Robert J. Falkiner of Brampton, Ont., was honoured by ASTM International and Imperial Oil for having invented and developed a kit for testing crude oil vapour pressure…Earl Rudd of Kamsack, who had extensive construction and installation experience, was making use of a small tractor and equipment to accept yard work…Rev. Kevin Sprong, who had been living in the Swan River area since 2013, was hired as the part-time minister for Westminster Memorial United Church in Kamsack.
July 23– Adam Bates and Natalie Rauckman, who had been converting a former church building into an all-purpose gym, planned to open Average Joe’s Fitness Centre…Former Kamsack and Pelly resident Tricia Lozinsky, who is a destination specialist for several popular vacation spots in the Caribbean and southern USA, opened her own travel agency, Route 83 Travel in Swan River…The accent was on music and culture at annual Heritage Day program at the National Doukhobor Heritage Village in Veregin.
AUGUST
August 13 – Participating in the ninth annual Old Dog Run, cycling from Kamsack to Yorkton and back, were: Tom Campbell, Greg Nichol, Harold Maksymetz, Ken Achtymichuk, John Ross, Joe Kozakewich, Brenda Andrews, Warren Andrews, Jim Nahnybida and Murray Chutskoff…The judge said that the 68th annual Kamsack Horticulture society show was “really good” and Vicky Koreluik won the grand aggregate award for having accumulated the most points at the show…A newly-elected board for the Fort Pelly-Livingstone Museum voted in favour of establishing a new museum to replace the structure that was destroyed by fire.
August 20 – Lisa and Craig Kosokowsky of Kamsack, who had been working in the food service industry in the community for more than 20 years, opened their restaurant, the Iron Grill, on main street…Stopping in Kamsack when he was half-way on his two-year, 40,000-kilometre bicycle trip around the world was Alwart Boers of the Netherlands…Dr. Ade Mosuro, a second-generation doctor from Nigeria, joined the staff at the Assiniboine Valley Medical Centre…Rev. Nancy Brunt of Kamsack, who had been serving as a deacon in the Anglican Church of Canada was ordained into the priesthood during special services at the Anglican Church in Yorkton.
August 27 – It was announced that a new garbage and recycling service would come into effect in Kamsack by the beginning of October…The 25th anniversary of Duck Mountain Ambulance Care was celebrated…S/Sgt. Kirk Badger, who arrived in Kamsack from Esterhazy in June, was the new head of the Kamsack RCMP detachment…Former Kamsack air cadet F/Sgt. Brooklynn Andrusiak of Tisdale distinguished herself as a top biathlon athlete at a Marksmanship instructors’ course in Whitehorse, Yukon.
SEPTEMBER
September 3– Kamsack was commended at the grand opening of the Assiniboine Valley Medical Centre…The Power House Museum in Kamsack was to mark its 30th anniversary…Matt Procyshen of Yorkton topped the 2015 Golden Duck match play golf championship at the Madge Lake Golf Resort…The six teachers new to the Victoria School in Kamsack were: Keri Lindsay, Ken Paskewitz, Mike Woollard, Rebecca Gibbs, Barbara Johnson and Aleskandra Stankusz.
September 10– Two work crews were in the community re-surfacing streets…New to the staff of Chief Gabriel Cote Education Complex were Dallas Cote, Sara-Ann Keshane and Elton Keshane…The Norquay horticulture show attracted 13 exhibitors…F/Cpl. Steven Guillet talked about his experiences attending a basic aviation camp during the summer.
September 17– The second annual Hint of Garlic Festival and Trade Show was held at the Kamsack Legion Hall…New to the Keeseekoose Chiefs Education Centre was Alexander Tawpisim, a member of the Muskeg Lake Cree Nation…Darryl Binkley and Glen Sterzer of Kamsack won the men’s division of the Canora Seniors’ Golf Tournament…Retired former Kamsack district resident Nick Bayoff of North Battleford discussed how he enjoys “doing nothing” all summer while camping on his property near Kamsack…Wendy Becenko of Kamsack expanded her reflexology business into a thriving weekly market garden enterprise.
September 24– Kamsack air cadets and their parents were involved in completing the assembly of the 95-gallon plastic garbage and recycling bins that the community’s homes were about to receive…Fifty three-person teams participated in the 10th annual Kamsack Team Penning competition…Winning silver medals at the Run for Peace cross-country competition held at the Cherrydale Golf Course in Yorkton were Kira Kitsch and Maija Rousseau of Kamsack…Patricia Kachman of Hyas and Genevieve Galay of Stenen made up The Parkland Pair at the Riding Mountain Bike Challenge raising money for the multiple sclerosis organization.
OCTOBER
October 1 – the 17th annual Kamsack Indoor Rodeo was held at the Broda Sportsplex…It was announced that the Stars for Saskatchewan concert series for 2015-16 would begin with the Travelling Mabels…A bus evacuation practice was held at the Victoria School…Brooke Malinowski, a Greystone Scholar at the University of Saskatchewan, was acclaimed as the Liberal candidate for the Yorkton-Melville constituency.
October 8 – Brooke Hausermann of Kamsack was selected as one of Saskatchewan’s top 20 under 16 female hockey players…Students and staff of the KCI went on a walk in the name of Terry Fox and his Marathon of Hope to raise funds for cancer research…Kamsack Mayor Rod Gardner cut a ribbon marking the grand opening of the Kamsack Subway restaurant…Winners Chapel International, an evangelical congregation headed by Dr. Emmanuel Ogali, moved into a new location.
October 15 – Kurt Lackten information was added to the Broda Sportsplex hall of fame…Zach McGriskin of the KCI qualified to advance to the provincial cross-country competition…The Kamsack rodeo trade show attracted 36 vendors…A cheeseburger barbecue raised funds for the KCI SADD group…Culture Days were celebrated at Kamsack with food, entertainment and displays.
October 22 – Former members of the Victoria School staff were special guests at a program held to mark the centennial of the school…It was announced that the senior Kamsack Flyers hockey team would not be playing during the 2015-16 season…Mayor Don Tower, who had resigned as mayor in March, was returned to office in a byelection…Keeseekoose students conducted an “Apartheid Walk.”
October 29 – Kamsack residents were upset that the minister of education planned to spend Kamsack school tax money on a school in Langenburg…Selected as Students of Distinction were: Dustin Gamble of the Victoria School, Kaylie Bowes of the KCI, Tamara Auchstaetter of the Fort Livingstone School in Pelly and Elena Gustafson of the Norquay School…Brooke Badger of Kamsack, who is an Earth Ranger, held an iced tea stand on her lawn in order to raise money to help protect endangered animals…The home of David and Shelley Filipchuk on Nicholas Street was fully decorated for Halloween.
NOVEMBER
November 5 – It was announced that Kamsack had placed first in the Saskatchewan Municipal Awards program for its doctor recruitment and retention strategy and it Community Health and Wellness Centre…The KCI Fun Night, which raised money for the Grade 12 graduation, had Disney as its theme…A monument to the HMCS Kamsack was being planned for Cenotaph Park…Former Kamsack resident Lieut.-Col. Cecil Berezowski of Victoria, B.C. who had served in the Canadian army from 1945 to 1985 was the subject of the Times’ annual Remembrance Day feature.
November 12 – The Kamsack Ski Club announced that it was offering snowshoes fir the first time this winter…It was announced that a New Year’s Eve benefit was being planned for Teddy Hudye who had suffered a spinal cord injury in April…Kamsack youngsters were involved in a Learn to Skate program offered by Kelly Salahub…Merv Malish of Canora was seeking the Progressive Conservative nomination in the Canora-Pelly constituency…The Norquay Lutheran rummage sale raised funds for charity.
November 19 – Norma Woodward was named the Kamsack Legion branch’s Legionnaire of the Year…The Kamsack Arts Council presented art supplies to Eaglestone Lodge…Margaret Waselenko of Pelly, who is in her 80s, celebrated her fourth 15-kilometre walk along the highway from Pelly to Arran…Beautiful fall weather had helped facilitate a work bee at the Duck Mountain Ski Area.
November 26 – It was announced that Holly Hudye and Kelly Kim Rea, both of the Norquay-Pelly area, would be included in the group of 10 women on the 2016 Prairie Women on Snowmobiles fundraiser for the Canadian Cancer Society…Former Kamsack resident David Bishop of Regina was elected a Bencher with the Law Society of Saskatchewan for the Regina Electoral District…Eugene and Joan Tataryn of Kamsack opened Penny’s Liquidation in the former SaskPower building on main street…It was announced that the Kamsack liquor store would be among the 40 such stores that the provincial government had planned to privatize…First Girls Night Out fundraiser for Eaglestone Lodge said to have been a sold-out “great success.”
DECEMBER
December 3 – It was announced that the Kamsack Times was now available over the Internet…Performing in Death and Taxes, a two-act comedy-mystery staged by the Kamsack Players as a dinner theatre were: Zennovia Duch, Shelley Filipchuk, Annette Purchase, Adrian Hovrisko, Tanya Riablko, James Perry, Beth Dix, Aliki Tryphonopoulos and Nikki Larson…It was announced that old photographs of district communities were featured on an Internet website.
December 10 – Helen Panchuk was named a recipient of the Garden of Saskatchewan Citizenship plaque…Santa Claus and his reindeer attended the Moonlight Madness pre-Christmas shopping promotion in Kamsack…Lloyd Smith of Pelly, operating his team of Tom and Jiggs, won first place in the water race during Agribition in Regina…Five teams were locked in first place in the Duck Mountain Super Curling League.
December 17 – Casimir Broda was named the 2014 recipient of the Garden of Saskatchewan Citizenship Ring…The Kamsack Community Choir presented a concert of Christmas music, much of which was repeated from previous Christmas concerts…The Kamsack Heart and Home Quilt Club concluded its season…Trophies taken by members of the Kamsack branch of the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation were measured.
December 24 – Hillary and Aaron Walter, owners of the Kamsack Family Pharmacy, acquired the assets of the former Norquay Drugstore and after renovations to the building are complete, will be operating the business as the Norquay Family Pharmacy…Kamsack Doukhobors celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Kamsack Prayer Home…Mitul Kakadiya and Nirav Patel of Yorkton purchased the Kamsack Subway restaurant and planned to continue operating the business much as it had been operated…Former Kamsack resident Sophia Hvidston, 4, of Canora, who had been diagnosed with leukemia adopted a “pay it forward” stance which resulted in a massive donation from Canora to the Ronald Mcdonald House in Saskatoon.
