UNITY — “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go!” This familiar tune is holding true to all the activity taking place in Unity this December. Folks are enjoying the gift of music, the parties and activities and the fabulous decorations inside and outside that are a part of Unity at Christmas time. Oh how fun the season of Christmas is. Everyone has a skip in their step, a smile on their face and a friendly greeting for everyone they meet. I love Christmas time in small-town Saskatchewan.
You still have some days to take advantage of the “ShopportUNITY in Unity” and get in on the chamber-sponsored “Grand in Your Hand” promotion. Shopping local benefits everyone in the community. Don’t be afraid to check out your local businesses first to see what they have to offer. Gas is a lot cheaper heading into our businesses in town than heading to shop out of town.
Reasons that shopping in Unity is great: ample free parking. “Grand in Your Hand” offers opportunities to enter at participating businesses and have a chance to win $1,000 in chamber bucks to be spent in town. Long line ups are rare and businesses care about their customers so they do their very busy to serve everyone in a timely manner. Local businesses offer many of the same products and services as bigger centres. Local businesses support and donate to the activities, fundraisers and events in our community. Local businesses are operated by our friends and neighbours adding to the personal service we receive. You don’t have to fuel up your vehicle twice to go on a shopping excursion, or to return an item. Local businesses appreciate your patronage and they will tell you that regularly. It only takes five minutes to get to where you want to shop. We have businesses that offer delivery service and carry-outs.
Downtown is seeing some expansion, meaning our business community has confidence in our economy, choosing to expand, relocate and renovate in our business sector.
Tomorrow is the big night as Unity hosts a pre-tournament World Junior A hockey game featuring Team Canada East and the Russian national team. The committee has been working feverishly on the planning and preparation for hosting this event. Volunteers are in place to make the event a spectacular one, raising funds for Unity Minor Hockey and the Miners hockey club as well as for a special project at the Unity hockey arena.
If you haven’t already got your tickets for the game, you can buy them at the door for $15.
Remember the 50/50 pot is guaranteed at $2,000, with expectations much higher. There is a chance to win a three-year lease on a brand new Chevy car courtesy of the Unity Motor Products sponsorship of the “scoro” event. There will be an autograph session after the game in the upper hall. Plenty of excitement and something to offer for everyone.
You can follow all the action as the UCHS Journalism 20 class livestreams the event with plenty of interviews, game action, replays and Twitter feeds throughout the event. Follow them on Twitter @J20class or their blog at unityjragame.wordpress.com. Don’t miss your chance to be part of it.
St. Peter’s School is having a very busy December. In addition to a number of events the staff and students have already been involved in this season, both the school band and the school choir will take part in the community carol festival Dec. 14. The annual school Christmas concert will be held at 1:30 p.m. Dec. 17 in the church. For a little fun after all that work preparing for all the events, Grades 4 – 6 get to go skiing at Table Mountain and the Grade 3s will go skating.
The school will celebrate Christmas by having a turkey lunch prepared and served for staff and students by their fabulous school community council Dec. 19, which will also be the last day of school before Christmas break.
St. Peter’s School was also part of the Unity schools’ community councils’ fundraiser, Farming for the Future, which benefitted once again from a crop that had many donations from local businesses in seeding, caring for and harvesting the product. This continued support and dedication to this exceptional and unique project helps our local schools excel in educating our youth on how their food is produced as well as providing funding for the many needs within our schools.
And the official baby watch is in high gear as everyone is anxious for the arrival of Principal Volk’s twins, due any day. An exciting time for Mr. Volk as these are his first babies; as well as exciting for students who are making their guesses as to gender, weights, arrival dates and names.
Unity Public School has already experienced a very busy December. They are winding down their busy month with a fabulous family event. The school will host a family fun Christmas night Dec. 18, full of festive fun and activity to celebrate the upcoming Christmas season with the families of UPS students. Dec. 19 will be early dismissal as students head into the much anticipated school break.
Unity Composite High School is another busy school. Congratulations to the SLC group who participated in the food bank drive at Halloween, “We Scare Hunger,” collecting a whopping 1,250.3 pounds of food. Whether students are in curling, basketball, drama, SADD, SLC, yearbook committee, the booth committee, intramural sports or spirit days, there is something for every student at UCHS to keep busy.
After three and a half months of practice and preparations, the drama club was ready to present their winter productions with performances Dec. 9 and 10.
The Journalism 20 class has been working feverishly on their production for the upcoming Team Canada vs Russia World Junior A hockey game in Unity coming up Dec. 12. The class has been busy preparing for pre-game, live game and post-game coverage of this event. Tune into their Twitter feed @J20class, which includes the link to their blog, for all the latest updates on this game and the events that accompany it.
The Unity Miners are in action Dec. 16 hosting Biggar, as well as playing on the weekend. They are hoping more fans can come out to their games.
The two teams in the Unity Peewee division are hosting a home tournament this weekend at the rink so check out these budding hockey starters. The arena will see no rest from such a big and busy hockey weekend.
Check out the Facebook page for game schedules or the Town of Unity website.
If you don’t want to shop on Boxing Day, or sit on the couch watching movies while eating leftovers, then come on down to the Unity curling rink for the Boxing Day funspiel. The curling club is accepting entries now; call 306-228-2212.
The Unity Curling Club has a full lineup of bonspiels coming up so be sure to keep track of everything upcoming on their new Facebook page or you can call the club at 306-228-2212 for details. Starting Jan. 2 with the senior men’s and women’s cash spiel, there will be an event nearly every weekend in the new year.
The curling rink has been a popular venue for Christmas parties and socials. Both the ice and the lounge are available for rent. Kid curlers and the club are selling raffle tickets on the 60-inch TV now in the lounge; that will be drawn for at season’s close.
The annual Secret Santa campaign has kicked off in Unity with collection depots around town at Wildeman’s Sports Excellence, Delta Co-op, Unity Family Foods and the Bargain Shop. Think of those less fortunate when doing your Christmas shopping and add a little something to these bins to help make someone’s holiday just a little brighter. Remember this program is accepting unwrapped NEW items of toys, teenage gifts, adult gifts or cash donations.
To submit names of those who could use a leg up this Christmas, contact Sharon Riou at 306-2284264 or Sandra Kelly at 306-228-4232. Delivery date will be Dec. 22. Volunteers will be needed to help assemble and wrap hampers at 7 p.m. at St. Peter’s Hall. The committee appreciates your support wherever you can offer it.
If you love music, especially Christmas music, why not take in the Christmas singing recital of students of Chrystal Fawell who are performing at the Unity United Church, Dec. 12 at 7 p.m. And don’t forget the annual Christmas Carol Festival will take place at the high school gymnasium Dec. 14, starting at 2 p.m. Both events are sure to heighten your Christmas spirit and envelope your soul in that peace and serenity that these gifts of music can offer.
Coffee row folks are enjoying the sights and sounds of Christmas all over our community. There is no lack of activities to discuss and review. There is no lack of winter to rate. The big World Junior A Hockey talk is a familiar topic as well as the many teams based out of Unity continuing their busy schedules. Local curlers who are competing competitively in their respective divisions are giving curling enthusiasts some excitement.
The conversation is always upbeat and jovial and, whether they know it or not, their laughter and conversations are enjoyed by anyone who is witness to them. The coffee row table is welcoming, non-judgmental, theoretical and lively. Something that we would all miss were it not part of our daily community culture. So you see we keep busy in Unity with activities and wisdom from our friends on coffee row. Until next week.
