The last dismissal bell has run, the cap and gowns are put away and the trailers are out of hibernation and on the road. School is out, graduation is over and summer is on. Make it count!
Congratulations to these Unity Composite High School scholarship winners: Living Sky School Division - Courtney Boser; Living Sky School Division Innovation Award - Allison Kuhn; St. Peter's CWL bursary - Brittany Lacoursiere; Unity Credit Union scholarships - Devan Bertoia and Zoher Rafid-Hamed; Unity Health Care Auxiliary scholarship - Brittany Hauta and Kylie Walz; UCHS Leadership and Dedication Award - Jessica Weber and Zoher Rafid-Hamed; Access Communications scholarship - Zoher Rafid-Hamed; Delta Co-op scholarship - Brittany Hauta; Jenai Danielle Bounting Bursary - Zoher Rafid-Hamed; David Ray Surine Bursary - Shevaun Feser; Jeffrey Glen Bounting Bursary - Devan Bertoia; CLR Sask Scholarship - Andrew Risling; Unity Wildlife Federation bursary - Allison Kuhn; Lions Club bursary and scholarship - Courtney Boser and Adam Wallace; Order of the Royal Purple bursary - Allison Kuhn; Ed Burnell and family bursary - Toni Lynn Burnell; Steven Wesolowski bursary - Allison Kuhn; CUPE 4747 scholarship - Erin Bick; Downtown Medical Clinic scholarship - Shevaun Feser; Knights of Columbus bursaries - Devan Bertoia, Brittany Hauta; Legion Ladies' Auxiliary bursary - Jessica Weber; Royal Canadian Legion scholarship - Jennifer Field; Tommy Rutherford Masonic bursary and scholarship - Kylie Walz and Devin Boser; Jimmy and Ethel Anderson bursaries - Adam Wallace and Allison Kuhn; Isabelle Anderson physical science bursary - Zoher Rafid-Hamed and Mackenzie Chorney; Candace Heitt sports bursary - Mackenzie Chorney; Unity Ag Society scholarship - Allison Kuhn; Dr. Robert Knowles scholarship - Mickayla Brandle and Adam Wallace; Reg Cantelon scholarship - Adam Wallace.
Adam Wallace was also the winner of the Grade 12 Proficiency Award, honour roll and the Governor General Academic Medal. Congratulations, graduates!
What will our summer weather consist of? After more rain than was expected, wanted or anticipated June 20 weekend, further into the week and then another deluge June 29, folks are wondering how our summer will look as far as the forecast. However, we sure don't want to sound whiny after we've seen what other parts of the province have experienced.
Unity's Farming for the Future program, which utilizes land behind the North West Terminal, with the help of donated inputs, loaned equipment and volunteer labour, benefits all three local schools by having the proceeds from the final result of these crops divided between the educational institutions in town. Farming for the Future proceeds have gone a long way to purchase such things as SMART boards for the classrooms.
TSN reveals the top 10 selections in the Kraft-TSN Celebration Tour July 1 but of course that was past my deadline. I'm hoping this year will be the magic for Unity and we can finally be part of this awesome opportunity.
As far as ball season goes, our squirt girls who competed in C provincials in Kindersley June 27 weekend did not have the showing they had hoped for after losing two tough games Friday. Saturday the team came out gunning for a better showing and won both games. Their record did not take them to playoffs Sunday; however, they had a positive experience which energizes them for next year's ball season.
The squirt team that competed in Regina for B provincials had an outstanding round robin, not losing one game. However, as we all know, Sunday the skies opened up which forced the delay of all ball until at least Tuesday. With the forecast looking pretty gloomy, it remains to be seen how this provincial competition will be decided.
The weather has all teams heading to provincials July 4 weekend wondering where their events will be at - especially the Junior U.K. Royals who are supposed to travel to Moosomin which is currently in a state of emergency with extreme flash flooding. Stay tuned, folks.
Don't miss this ball game! The Sask. Premier Baseball League is coming to Unity with a feature doubleheader Tuesday, July 8 on the Cardinals' diamond, with games starting at 3:30 and 6:30 p.m. The games feature the Northwest Prairie Pirates, including Unity players Rhett Feser and Blake Robertson. The Pirates will be taking on the Saskatoon Diamondbacks. Unity Minor Ball will be selling burgers and hot dogs at the diamond.
This coming weekend will hold much excitement at the ball diamonds as the Unity Peewee Panther girls will be hosting peewee B provincial championships. Games start at 2 p.m. Friday when Unity takes on the Macklin Lakers. Opening ceremonies will take place at 6 p.m. Game action continues throughout the weekend into finals Sunday. Admission is only $5 a day or $10 for the weekend with 12 and under free. Come and support the Unity Panthers and enjoy some great ball games.
The Summer Fun Centre starts next week and runs Monday through Friday at the community centre for kids, ages 5 - 11 years. Or you can register your kids in the summer preschool program taking place at St. Peter's. If you need to improve your swimming skills or just want to take a dip, the pool is well into its summer season with plenty of fun events planned this summer. Register or learn more about these programs by logging onto the town website, www.townofunity.com, or calling the town office at 306-228-2621.
If you can bake it, make it or grow it, the Unity farmers market wants you. Each Thursday at the Unity Friendship Centre, you can set up shop for your homemade, homegrown goods for shoppers at the weekly market. Contact organizer Carmen Bowker at 306-228-2237.
Coffee row has definitely had plenty of discussion on weather, especially changing weather patterns and the seemly unending rain Saskatchewan has seen thus far this summer. They also enjoy reliving the latest local ball games from the diamonds and making predictions for this year's Rider season. Any topic discussed will carry several sides of the story in favour and against yet none of the participants leave without a laugh or a smile and a "see ya tomorrow" assurance. So you see we keep busy in Unity with activities and wisdom from our friends on coffee row. Until next week.
