MAYFAIR — Too windy, looking like rain, only a few drops came down, but the weather didn’t deter the fun and excitement this past Saturday at Glenburn Regional Park near Maymont. Four slo-pitch teams entered the tournament, in which the Schwab team from North Battleford were the winner, receiving back the entry fee.
Ages of participants were nine to 69 years old, getting maximum exposure to gusty winds. After being on the ball field for a while, a lady said, “It was cold at first, but having so much fun, players became oblivious to the wind.”
The live band from 4 to 8 p.m. was a great crowd pleaser under a sheltered tent. Some couples were “kicking up their heels” on the dirt floor. The beer and the food concessions did reasonably well, considering only a fair-sized crowd was in attendance. Again, due to a miserable cold day, many more would have come to this event. There is always next year.
The hamlet of Whitkow will not see this many people at one gathering until June 2026. The Ukrainian Catholic Church, with pastor Father Leonid Markov (CSsR), performed the Divine Liturgy at 10:30 a.m., with many still entering a few minutes after. The lengthy service in Ukrainian and English was wonderful, and having the choir sing was special. Many of them were older women in their 90s. The Stella Ewanchuk family, especially daughter Audrey Mushtaler from Lloydminster and Jim and Darc Tkatchuk (Whitkow), volunteered extensively to pull off this important event. Approximately 70 people were in attendance.
This church, without electricity, is well-maintained for being 81 years old. It is a structure well worth preserving and hats off to those who work endlessly to make this happen. Nothing like seeing churches and old elevators still on the prairie landscape as one can see them from a distance. This certainly brings back many memories for us older folks.
People from great distances were in attendance, but the farthest away was Sally and Stuart Wilson, who reside in Prince George, B.C. They made this the highlight of their 12-day trip, visiting her many relatives and friends. Sally (nee Demyon) grew up on a mixed farm near Hatherleigh district, coming to this church as a child with her parents every Sunday. It was wonderful to see them and she said she will try to come more often to the prairies as they hadn’t been back in over 10 years. They also stayed in Saskatoon for two days, visiting her sister-in-law Elsie, who lives in a care home. Elsie’s husband, Myron (Sally’s brother), has been deceased for several years. Her brother Orest, who is retired, still resides on the family farm.
Audrey thanked everyone for coming, the delicious abundance of food people brought and donation of money towards the church and the priest. After much chatter and laughter while having lunch, some gravesites were visited and blessed. The extremely cold temperature and gusting winds had many dressed in their winter jackets.
Organizers were grateful for the attendees and their generous support of ongoing renovations. A huge thank you to Father Leo, the cantors, singers, the Epistle reader and all those who attended. Also a big thank you to the people who helped cleaned and prepare the church and Glasslake Cemetery for this special day.
It was so nice to see some older folks who used to farm in Whitkow, including Stella Ewanchuk and Irene Polichuk. These women in their 90s reside in North Battleford with a younger family member and still sing in the Ukrainian choir. Mary Puto (rural Hafford), a teacher of 29 years at Mayfair Central School and friend Sonya from Blaine Lake were happy to see so many of us local people. Many good stories of the past were shared on June 7 in this church.
The Lakeland Library branch in Maymont is having a book sale for June. For just 25 cents a book, that is cheap reading. Library hours are Tuesday 1 to 4 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. to noon and Saturday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Ball enthusiasts, you will not want to miss this, so please mark your calendars for Wednesday, June 25. Men’s A fastball featuring the Saskatoon Jacks vs. Delisle Pride under 23 in Radisson at the community ball diamonds will certainly be entertaining. The game starts at 6:45 p.m. The concession opens at 5 p.m. and beer gardens will be on site (19 years and older ).
Kids’ wind up ball tournament this weekend at Glenburn Regional Park with teams from Hafford, Borden, Maymont and Speers with all age groups participating. Some games start at 7 p.m. on Friday, June 13 and run throughout Saturday. Come be a spectator and cheer on your team. As a grandparent, I will have to be trying to watch three grandchildren on three different teams, and yes, I’ll be kept busy.
Graduations, whether it be the kindergarten student donning their caps to Grade 12, university and college students, May and June are busy months. Then there are reunions, weddings, outdoor sporting events, car and antique shows, appreciation days, farmers markets to keep many of us a hoppin’ and trying to fit everything into our already busy lives. Enjoy the outdoor weather as much as possible and safe travels to all of the functions. Highways are extremely busy this time of the year.
