MEOTA — It is more evident every day that spring is on the way. The geese have arrived at Taber and they skate in the morning and swim in the afternoon. Gophers are starting to come out of hibernation and looking for food.
Bridge was played at the Pioneer Hall on March 14 with two and a half tables in play. Top score went to Etta Meisner and Donna Scherman. In second were Richard Groves and Margaret Dyck. On March 16, again with two and a half tables, top score went to Jean Lawes and Fraser Glen followed by Margaret Dyck and Dave Creegan.
Norwegian Whist was played at the Towers on March 17, with only 11 folks showing up. Top score went to Bev McCrimmon with 67. Second was David Sayers with 49 and Judy Walker scored 45. They only played six rounds but had a good afternoon anyway. Many of the usual players attended the funeral for the late Maurice Bru in the Community Hall in Meota that afternoon.
St.Patrick’s Day coincided with regular Friday happy hour at Edam Enriched Manor. This combination created a wonderful afternoon for the manor residents. Most folks wore something green. They were served green beer and Baileys Irish Cream, with or without coffee. Snacks of green-tinted popcorn and green chocolate-coated truffles were enjoyed. Activity Director Debbie Belland read the history of St. Patrick and added some facts about Ireland and its people. Irish blessings and Irish sayings were read and discussed. Debbie wore an official pub uniform which really set off the afternoon as an “Irish” setting. Everyone appreciated all the work Debbie went to, to make the afternoon as Irish as she could. In the background of the picture is Valour Stadt, one of the cooks who makes life “the best” here at the Manor.
Vawn Snowmobile Rally
(submitted by Brandon Doom)
It was a chilly Saturday, Feb. 25 morning; but that did not stop 50 riders who participated in the sixth annual Vawn Community Hall Snowmobile Rally. All riders were greeted by staff of the Edam Credit Union who ran the registration table. The rally was a 50-mile ride that took riders through the Jackfish Hills before stopping at Simplot in Cavalier for the halfway pit stop. At the pit stop all riders were treated to free hot dogs and hot chocolate donated by the Turtleford and District Co-op. The ride then saw riders veer towards the North Saskatchewan River before ending up back in Vawn.
Following the rally riders were given door prizes, from more than 30 different sponsors and could bid on silent auction items, get a drink, and a bowl of chilli. The 50/50 was also a guaranteed $500 sponsored by the Vawn Hotel and Steak House. Congratulations to Bubba Valliere of Vawn who won the $885 jackpot.
After all bills were paid, the Vawn Community Hall saw profits of more than $4,000. We are currently raising funds to update the playground. We plan to get in some new playground equipment, re-pave the basketball court and install a few non-electrical campsites. Thank you to all the volunteers, riders, and sponsors who made the event a success.
The Vawn Community Hall's next event will be Vawn Celebrates Summer July 8. This is a full day of activities with a ten-team mud volleyball tournament, tug of war in the mud, bouncy houses, horse wagon rides, live entertainment featuring Putt Putt's Garage and a fireworks display to end the night. To enter your team or for more information contact Brandon at 306-821-1330 or email [email protected]
Meota Curling Club
(By Derek Welford)
The season long grind between icons, champions and future greats came to a final day in Meota, as the Grand Slam event came to its conclusion. Thirteen teams gathered, in a showcase of the village and area’s brightest stars, all looking to make history and claim the illustrious Silver Broom. A two-game minimum, single-elimination event where every shot could prove critical and adaptability would be key.
The A side of the bracket, found the season leading Derek Welford rink meet up with the Randy Orchison team in the A side final. Welford knocked off perennial tournament favourites Gil Cadrin and Dave Code to get there, while Orchison defeated Kyle Doom, Dean Menssa and Randy Sharp to get to the final four. Welford held onto a three-point lead coming home to secure their shot at their first career Silver Broom.
The Colin Sharp rink dropped down to the B event after a tournament-opening loss to the Brent Czuy rink. After defeating Doom and Wanda Weber, the Sharp rink was destined for a collision with the Pat Mohr team, who found their way to B Final after downing Darcy deMontarnel. Down by one with the hammer coming home, the Sharp team consisting of Bob Bartkowich, Cory Iverson and Tylor Clarke took two points and earned their way to an ultimate head-to-head battle against the Welford rink.
The Silver Broom final marked the first time these two teams have met this season, as Colin Sharp finished the regular season with a 6-5 record while the Welford rink finished 9-2-1. The intensity and focus could be felt throughout the rink, as the middle sheet was cleaned off and the first rock was thrown.
Using the same strategy that got him to this final game, Sharp found himself where he wanted to be, with the hammer coming home, only down by one score. He was facing three opposing red stones, a near-capacity crowd and needing to find the four-foot in a season-defining draw to force an extra end. In what was an almost indescribable event, the Sharp stone was millimetres away from where it needed to be and an abrupt team decision to not measure left fans shaken to the core in disbelief as the Sharp rink conceded the point.
The Welford team of Taylor Markwart, Trent Lafreniere and Emma Schaefer subsequently etched their names into Meota history as the 2023 Silver Broom winners to conclude a season unlike any other.
