PREECEVILLE - “It is in a great location to be enjoyed by many all season long at the entrance to the Lions Walking Trails on the edge of the Wildlife Campground. The painting is in a black silhouette art form and it was made possible with memorial donations made in memory of Roy Fairburn, Dale Gawrelitza, and Dennis Holte,” stated Heather Gawrelitza, club’s secretary.
Gawrelitza reports it is nice to hear the mural makes people smile when they walk by.
The birds and trees are in memory of Roy Fairburn (1938-2018). Fairburn enjoyed hunting, fishing, and nature. He planted the spruce trees around the Preeceville Wildlife Campground which will be a special living legacy.
The moose painting is in memory of Dale Gawrelitza (1974-2019). Gawrelitza grew up and lived along the border to the Porcupine Forest which led to his love for the outdoors and his passion for hunting, fishing, and trapping.
The fish and elk painting is in memory of Dennis Holte (1942-2021). Holte was an avid outdoorsman and enjoyed trapping, hunting, and fishing. He was often in his boat at his favourite fishing hole at Twin Lakes.
Carrie Olson from Yorkton, and originally from Rockford, returned to complete the mural painting. Carrie is the daughter of Marvin and Karen Curtis of Rockford, and attended school in Endeavour and graduated from the Sturgis Composite High School in 1995.
Olson currently resides in Yorkton with her husband Kevin Olson and their family. She works as an education assistant but has always enjoyed drawing and painting. Olson was honoured to be asked to paint the mural and worked with the families’ ideas and requests to put it all together. Olson also paints on canvas and antlers, and really enjoyed the opportunity to paint on a large-scale wall.
