UNITY ‑ The prolonged pandemic continued but that wasn’t the only story that came out of 2021 in Unity. The Press-Herald and SASKTODAY.ca covered many great stories from this community and while a whole year’s of stories can’t be compiled in one list, here are some of the highlights.
Sports
The pandemic continued to wreak havoc on sports with SHSAA provincial hockey cancelled, and games put on the sidelines resulting in a subdued hockey season. SWHL made if official Jan. 16 that their season was also over. The Unity Curling Club also made the difficult decision to end curling season as of Jan. 18
Unity Sports Hall of Fame lost three of its members when longtime sports volunteers, organizers and supporters passed away. Oscar Housen, Adolf Fischer and Ed Prediger all passed away leaving their legacies in Unity’s sports community.
Unity Motocross Club was thankful to be able to host two events in the Mid-West Am series.
A number of provincial medals were won on the ball diamonds. The Unity junior cardinals captured provincial silver, the U12 Unity Panthers and the U19 Panthers also won provincial silver medals, while the U12 Unity Panthers earned a bronze medal.
The U18 Cardinals hosted provincials and capped off their season with a gold medal win at home in front of supporters.
The greens were good to Wood. Unity’s sports celebrity, Justin Wood, kept people glued to the Canadian Men’s Mid-Am Golf Championship results, as he captured a bronze medal at this national event. Wood is a past Sask-Am champion as well as was inducted into Unity Sports Hall of Fame in 2019.
Mary Anne Gaetz was featured in a story on her 51 years of service to ball in Unity. She was since awarded a lifetime achievement award from Baseball Sask.
Long-ime hockey volunteers and coaches, Dwayne Scott and Stan Weber, called it a career. The U18 AA program is now under the coaching lead of Unity’s Pat Sperle.
Former UCHS Warrior quarterback, Zenon Orobko, made a name for himself as back-up quarterback with the Regina Thunder of the PJFC. Orobko had a number of great performances including the game winning touchdown at Mosaic Stadium playing provincial rival, Saskatoon Hilltops.
Meanwhile, Pat Orobko, builder and longtime coach of the Unity Warrior football program, had UCHS Warrior field named in his honour at a minor football night lights game.
Unity Minor Football won the league championship. Unity Warriors, while winning a trip to provincial playoffs in dramatic last second fashion, were not able to advance to provincial finals.
Longtime football officials Michael Soloski, Duane Clark, Fred Winterhalt and Keith Wilson have hung up their whistles after serving local football programs for more than 15 years.
UCHS volleyball won its first SHSAA provincial medal in 30 years, earning silver. Interesting sidenote is that two members of the 2021 squad included two players whose dads were part of the last UCHS provincial volleyball medal.
People
Jan. 22 was an exciting day as long-term care residents and health care workers began getting their first vaccinations for COVID-19. This would be an ongoing process throughout the year as different groups became eligible for first and second doses and the later part of 2021 delivering booster shots or third doses for prescribed eligibility.
The Catholic Women’s League at St. Peter’s Church marked their 75th anniversary in 2021.
The Unity Lions Club was chartered on March 20, 1946 meaning that 2021 was their 75th year serving the community. While the pandemic does not allow a big community celebration, the club was happy to acknowledge this milestone.
Unity said farewell to longtime Economic Development Director Carey Baker, as he announced in June he and his wife would be relocating to Saskatoon. Baker was lauded for his huge role in much of Unity’s business development, and activity/event success as well as personal volunteer roles. His wife, Kristi, was also recognized for her big role in the development and growth of the Unity Community Resource Centre as well as a number of volunteer roles.
A cycling duo with Unity connections received some celebrity status when they were met camped out in the ball diamonds park on an extremely hot day. Karen and Joey Wagner, children of former Unity resident Brad Wagner, took a break from their cross-Canada cycling adventure in 30 C temperatures.
June brought a second graduation pandemic parade as streets lined with residents who supported the graduates as they strode and rode by.
After the retirement of Unity Fire Chief Leroy Timmermans, and departure of Carey Baker from the town office, a vacancy was open for the Emergency Measures Organization. Terry Smith stepped into the role.
Unity had another claim to fame when UCHS alumna, Chantel Wagner, joined the Global Saskatoon broadcast team.
Another celebrity claim to fame for Unity was celebrated when it was announced former resident, Don Ackerman, would have a role in an upcoming Chicago PD television episode.
Unity residents once again lit up Unity’s Memorial Park cenotaph in recognition of Remembrance Day as well as hosting an evening tribute parade around the park, stopping to allow people to walk through the candle lit park.
A well-known Unity veteran now has a variety of wheat named in his honor. FP Genetics in partnership with the Royal Canadian Legion, Saskatchewan Command, will now have certified seed varieties bear the names of veterans in honour of their service to the country. CDC Silas is the newest wheat variety. Silas Campbell joined the RCAF in 1943 and was posted in England in 1944. Si was a tail gunner on a Lancaster Bomber and flew 36 missions over Germany. Si turned 97 in 2021. He has 17 grandchildren and loves to golf whenever possible.
In response to the devastating B.C. floods, a relief effort was organized by Lindsay Soderholm and quickly blossomed into a trailer full of goods being driven and delivered to its B.C. destination by volunteers Terry Smith and Harvey Johnson.
Unity’s commitment to banding together was evidenced in schools, businesses and community support of the Raycraft family as they travelled with their one-year-old son for stem cell therapy from a cancer diagnosis received in March of 2021.
Events/Activity
In what would have been the 93rd annual Unity Music Festival, organizers made the difficult decision to once again hold their event online, due to COVID-19 guidelines. Student performances were pre-recorded and shared digitally with adjudicators.
Unity Wildlife Federation sadly had to cancel their wildlife dinner and awards ceremony, resorting to an online version of awards announcements.
Unity’s Paw Park celebrated a 10th anniversary and celebrated several developments and continued work leading to the park and within the park itself.
After a wonderfully supported fundraising effort, the new Unity cemetery sign and markers were unveiled.
With a brand-new organizing team at the helm, despite frigid temperatures, Unity Winter Wonderland was another big hit including the evening Winter Lights parade.
Stories that went viral
In one of the biggest news stories out of Unity in 2021 was the discovery of one of the largest bat colonies at the Community Centre and the work to remove and relocate this massive gathering. Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation was enlisted to help. The story was picked up by multiple provincial and even national news media sources. The bats were rehabilitated and returned to a number of bat houses that were built by community members and the community was educated on this species and their value in the environment.
Business
An increased demand for services has prompted Unity Dental Clinic to undertake expansion and to make additions to their team.
“We simply had run out of room to add to our team and expand our services; neither of which we felt we were able to compromise on,” says Kendra Haji on the decision to physically expand the clinic.
Renovations have created space for hiring of a third and fourth hygienist because of waitlists with the goal of serving patients in a timely manner. The clinic also recruited another dentist and added some cutting-edge technology to their practice.
2021 had a trio of Unity businesses also undertaking major renovations to help better serve customers and build for the future. Gilbert Agencies, Jaron Bearing and JDS RV and Powersport underwent significant upgrades.
North West Terminal spent much of 2021 celebrating 25 years in the community with a variety of stories in the paper, online and on their social media. Their story began with a group of farmers committed to building such a business and the process of growing NWT, literally from the ground up. Several expansions have taken place in the 25-year time span and included their newest division nwPure, now processing alcohol products, a highly needed commodity for the production of hand sanitizer.
Field’s Store in Unity saw its demise in April as the store closed its franchise in Unity and the building was razed citing a number of structural issues.
Hollyhock’s Greenhouse was prepared for another big year as gardeners new and experienced would look for product to help with their yards, flowers and gardens. Owner/operator Tammy Lauinger continued her commitment to a variety of community causes to help with fundraising efforts. The popular museum live green gnomes, the cemetery fundraiser and many more initiatives were held throughout 2021.
In May, local pharmacies were added to the COVID-19 vaccine distribution program.
Local realtors continued to keep up with the red-hot real estate market that seemed to be borne out of the pandemic.
Lonestar Towing and Auto Repair celebrated a grand opening as well as a new location as this business continues to grow.
It was a month-long celebration for Sperle’s Tire as they marked 50 years of family-owned and -operated business in Unity.
Unity Credit Union marked 80 years in the community with subdued celebrations during Co-operatives week and Credit Union Day.
Two new businesses celebrated grand openings in late November/early December. Hometown Designs, once a strictly online business, is now located on Main Street. The community welcomed a bakery after a more than 24-year absence with the opening of Ma and Me Bakery, housed in the former quilting shop.
Weather
Jan. 13 brought a wild winter storm to the entire province. Above zero temperatures quickly changed when an Alberta Clipper packed a punch delivering freezing rain, followed by snow and excess wind causing power outages, closed highways, stranded motorists and property damage. SaskPower reported more than 65,000 calls for service with power outages impacting 100,000 customers.
Dry weather was a large part of our environment in 2021, causing many issues for local firefighters as a number of grass fires were attended, as well as resulting in poor agricultural conditions. The prolonged drought was a large part of the weather story for 2021.
Other news
The morning of March 9, Unity Composite High School reported a fire that resulted in the evacuation of their building. The benefits of holding regular fire drills was evident in the smooth manner students and staff were evacuated and then returned to the building, especially challenging when keeping pandemic prescribed cohorts together as well as ensuring everyone’s safety in an unclear situation.
Local cattleman, Corey Bloder, was in a featured article in the Canadian Cattlemen’s magazine.
Ready or not, all restrictions were lifted in the province as a result of the pandemic, July 11. While Saskatchewan residents may have enjoyed a free summer, they paid the price come fall as the arrival of the Delta variant led to a dramatic fourth wave that pounded the province’s health-care systems and workers. Omicron arrived in December and has been declared a fifth wave by provincial officials.
KC Rescue, cat rescue operations, celebrated 20 years in the community.
Lady luck smiled on Unity residents as Larrie Thalheimer won $10,626 in the Cut Knife Chase the Ace lottery. One week apart, Unity learned of two $100,000 lottery winners as Sandy Richards took home top prize in the Battlefords Union Hospital Foundation lottery and Rhonda Brandle was announced as early bird winner in the Riders/children’s hospital lotto.
