A presentation of $5,000 was made by David Buckingham, on behalf of Canada Pump and Power Corporation of Ardrossan, Alta., to the Borden volunteer firefighters, Dec. 3. The company had supplied many of the pumps during the spring flood in Borden and were impressed how the local firefighters did so much with late hours for over a week during the crisis. They wanted to show their appreciation for renting the pumps from them and to acknowledge the great effort by the Borden volunteer firefighters.
So many times the work of the volunteer firefighters in many small towns and villages does not get recognized and they should all be thanked for all the work they do.
Despite the bitterly cold day, the Borden farmers market had a very good attendance at their Christmas sale Dec. 8, with 17 vendors selling their products in the main hall and 10 home-based businesses in the seniors' centre. Grad 2014, looking after the food for the day, went through 200 bowls of soup and chili over the noon hour and had to bring in more supplies.
Presentations were made by the farmers market to the Borden volunteer firefighters ($250), Grad 2014 and to Peter Thiessen for looking after the vehicles at the fire hall during the summer so we could use the facility.
Five $10 draws were given out by the farmers market, won by Kay Leech, Brooke Burletoff, Heather Prescesky, Donna Miller and Lorraine Lajoie. Six large varied gift baskets were raffled off by the Grade 12s and they went to Sharon Assman, Karen Kerr, Kandice Walker, Stan Foster, Melvin Wasylyshin and Angela Bueckert. Other draws were from Regal - Jean Hryniuk, Avon - Eleanor Walton, Dianne Rawlyk - Alex Orchard and Anne Marie Spezowka.
Radisson Royal Purple held their Christmas supper, gift exchange and meeting at the home of Roberta Harris Dec. 2, with seven ladies present. After enjoying a turkey supper and exchanging gifts, the ladies held a short meeting.
Seven cards had been sent out by sunshine committee Tina Hessell and Lorraine Olinyk. A donation of $100 was to be sent to the Elks and Royal Purple Fund for Children and to St. Paul Lutheran Church from Remembrance Day. Secretary Lorraine and treasurer Tina read semi-annual reports and received an honorarium for 2013.
Plans were finalized for the tea, bake sale and raffles Dec. 14, in the hall at 2 p.m., for Santa Claus day in Radisson. The lodge invited others to set up tables with items for sale. Over $464 was donated for poppies on Remembrance Day and this was being sent in to the veterans' association. The next meeting, Jan. 6, will be a supper meeting for past honoured royal ladies night.
A baby shower was held in the Borden Seniors' Room Dec. 4 for Taya Christine, infant daughter of Gordon and Danielle Neufeld of Borden, who was born Oct. 2 weighing six pounds, eight ounces. Diane Tracksell was MC and introduced the head table - Danielle and Taya, her mom Judy Wiebe and Gordon's mom Velora Neufeld. There was a reading, In Your Eyes and two games, scrambled baby words and names of baby animals and birds.
Diane had another reading on Becoming a Mother, then congratulated the new mother and presented her with the community gift of money. All the other beautiful and useful gifts were opened and passed around. Danielle thanked everyone for coming and for all the gifts. The guests enjoyed a delicious lunch with beverages.
The Borden Care Home Auxiliary held a Christmas tea at the care home Dec. 6, with the Borden Lions and other singers entertaining and Bob Wardhaugh playing keyboard or accordion. The door prize of an Amaryliss was won by Bev Assman.
The Borden Library held an event the afternoon of Dec. 9 in the Seniors' Room, with special guests Arlene and Robin Karpan talking about their new book - Bucket List for Saskatchewan - and also giving a sneak preview of their new book Sleeping with Rhinos.
In the bucket list book we visited Cypress Hills in the southwest corner, and went up through Sask to the far north, seeing beautiful photos of scenic Saskatchewan - the wildlife and wild flowers, garter snake haven, limestone caves, sand cliffs, many rivers and falls and the largest sand dunes in Canada.
Sleeping with Rhinos explored Ethiopia, Nambia, Padagonia in Argentina, Easter Island, Antarctica, Mexico where the monarch butterflies go for the winter, Baker Lake in Nunuvut and the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the seals.
The door prize of the Bucket List book donated by the Karpans went to Sheryl Smith. The cake of the month brought by Cyndy Fairbrother went to Miriam Buswell. The dessert of the month is $10 for the year or $1 a ticket and will be drawn each month.
St. Paul Lutheran Church at Radisson held their annual Carol, Candles and Cookies Dec. 8 with Pastor Bornhuse reading the scriptures, Jackie Meister the organist, Twyla Stott the pianist and candle lighting done by George Hamp. Carols were sung between each candle lighting, scripture reading and special entertainment. Special music was by the First Sask Lutheran Sunday School who sang Away in a Manger and, with musical instrument, sang Little Drummer Boy.
Keeley Bzdel played guitar and sang Santa Claus is Coming to Town and Little Drummer Boy. Glenn and Joan Julseth from Borden sang It Came Upon the Midnight Clear and No Room, No Room, followed by Borden Lions, with Bob Wardaugh playing accordion, singing Borden in Winter Time and Mary Had a Baby. Russ and Eileen Fountain, Cathy Flath and Erwin Hamp played guitar and sang Each Home is a Stable and Little Mountain Church House. The First Sask Lutheran Church Choir sang Calypso Lullaby and A Celtic Silent Night.
The program ended with a special candlelit nativity scene by St. Paul Lutheran Church with background music of Once Upon a Christmas. Closing carol sung was Joy to the World then everyone went to the lower church hall for cookies and beverages.
