Get the Scoop!       November 2018 Edition

Information is key to success in today's sport, culture and recreation environment. In Get the Scoop, you will find the latest news, funding and resources from the  Southeast Connection Sport, Culture & Recreation District.
2020 Saskatchewan Games
Saskatchewan Summer Games will take place in Lloydminster from July 26 - August 1st, 2020.

Nearly 2,000 athletes from nine District Teams will compete in 14 different sports over seven days, all for one incredible experience. #2020SSG

The following sports will be on the sport calendar at the 2020 Saskatchewan Summer Games in Lloydminster.
1st Half: July 26-29, 2020
2nd Half: July 29-August 1, 2020
Spotlight Story: Grenfell Culture Days
Grenfell Library and our partner the Town of Grenfell hosted a Multicultural Textile Art Exhibit on Saturday September 29, 2018. There were over 20 exhibitors. The art included: Scottish felting and silk painting, fabric “faces”, a 3 x 6 silk embroidery scene made by a new Chinese resident, Ukrainian ribbon head pieces, embroidered outfits, First Nation ribbon shirts and skirts, knitted animals, Days for Girls Kits, dreamcatchers, leather moccasins, cross-stitch pictures, weaving, tatting, crocheting, quilted jean purses, quilted art scenes and even “clothes into memories”. 
 
Alongside the art exhibits there were three classes offered by local artists. We offered a door prize draw with a prize donated by one of the artists. Herbal tea was provided by the library. 
Ribbon Skirts: Sandra Nelson from Cowessess First Nation taught eight participants about the history of ribbon skirts starting with the trading of silk ribbon from the French explorers. She also shared a short YouTube video which was very helpful in motivating the learners! The design can be very individual but the common trait of ribbon skirts is that they touch the ground to let “Mother Earth” be in contact with the women who are passing by. We provided sewing machines and materials and each woman was able to work on their ribbon skirt to take home with them. The enthusiasm and joy of working together, choosing the fabric, ribbon colours and even the spacing of the design was evident in this class.  
 
Dream Catchers: Louise Bananish from Grenfell led nine participants in learning the skills of leather wrapping the hoops, weaving the waxed “gut thread”, and adding the beads. This was a very accessible activity for younger participants (10-12) but equally challenging for the older participants. The variety of weaving patterns, the use of traditional materials and the beading possibilities made this activity very fun and interesting. Louise was an excellent guide to the skills and the importance of dreams in First Nations culture.  
 
Scottish Silk Painting: Marilyn Paterson lived in Scotland for 40 years before returning to the prairies. She taught ten participants the Scottish technique of using watercolours and salt on silk to make a 10” by 10” picture. The ease of learning the technique and the variety of results made this another successful and enjoyable project for the participants.  
 
There was lots of conversation with our artist teachers, many pots of herbal tea were consumed, and I think there are smiles in the pictures! 
 
Some of the exhibits were able to remain on display at the Library and have been viewed by more than 50 new people so far, generating much interest in the “cultures” of Grenfell. 
 
Submitted by: Sheila Warne-Peter, Grenfell Public Library Branch 
Cheer Stories
Check out our latest Cheer Stories profiling the amazing work that happens in communities in sport, culture and recreation.
Newcomers to Canada Lead in Physical Activity
A  new survey  published by the Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association (SPRA) and conducted by Insightrix Research has found, out of a random sample of 805 people over the age of 18, people who moved to Canada in the last five years are the most physically active demographic in Saskatchewan. 46% of newcomers to Canada reported they receive the Government of Canada's recommended 2 ½ hours of physical activity per week, and 31% are more active than the recommended amount.

"Newcomers to Canada are engaging in healthy, active lifestyles, and enjoying Saskatchewan's parks and recreation opportunities," said Todd Shafer, Chief Executive Officer of SPRA. "Recreation providers in Saskatchewan are working to offer more inclusive and accessible recreation programs and services in their communities, and their success is reflected in the survey data."

Visit the SPRA website and read the summary of the survey findings to learn more.
Redesigning Volunteer Jobs That Are "Too Big"
Does your organization have volunteer jobs that seem overwhelming or “too big” and are causing volunteer fatigue?

Rather than searching for a “super volunteer” to take on these big jobs, Tobi Johnson suggests you re-design these roles, and offers some helpful tips and steps you can to take.

This article by Tobi Johnson was originally published on Tobi’s Volunteer Management Blog.
Indian Head Grand Theatre - 2018 Award Recipient
The Ecclesiastical Insurance Cornerstone Awards bring national attention to exemplary projects and places that contribute to the quality of life and sense of place and illustrate the viability of heritage buildings and sites for traditional or new uses. The Grand Theatre in Indian Head is receiving an award under Category A: Projects completed between 2012 and 2017 that have creatively renewed or transformed historic places or landscapes for new uses.

The Grand Theatre is a community-owned, volunteer-run enterprise and multi-entertainment facility and a gathering place for people of all ages in the community of Indian Head. At the time it was built in 1904, it was the only opera house between Winnipeg and Vancouver. The historic building was later turned into a cinema in the 1930s, and was eventually put up for sale in 2012. The small town of Indian Head called on residents to get involved or risk losing their beloved historic cinema, and soon after community members formed a group of volunteers to save the theatre.
Train-the-Trainer Pickleball Workshop
In the last few months, Pickleball Saskatchewan has provided pickleball demonstrations and equipment to 50 communities across the province, with the support of a grant from the New Horizons for Seniors program. To further build capacity, we will be offering a train-the-trainer pickleball workshop to give you the skills to instruct others how to play.

This one-day workshop will be held in Regina on Sunday, December 2, 2018 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Laval Elementary School at 1601 Cowan Crescent. Registration is free. You will be responsible for your own food, travel and hotel costs. If you or someone from your community is interested in taking this workshop, let me know. Space is limited to 16 people.

Note that to take the workshop, you will be required to pay a $15 fee to become a member of Pickleball Canada.

Contact Dennis Lowe, President, for more information.
Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils Performing Arts Tour Dates
The Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils (OSAC) along with its member Arts Councils, are proud to present the following performers in concert in communities across south east Saskatchewan. The performances are part of the 2018/2019 Stars for Saskatchewan and Koncerts for Kids series.

Prairie Debut Presents Rolston String Quartet

Jann Arden

Canada's Ballet Jörgen - The Nutcracker: A Canadian Tradition

Pretty Archie

Luke McMaster
Val Marie Elevator - A Living Heritage Project
Check out this fantastic preservation of a heritage building in small town Saskatchewan.

View the video documentary and read the booklet that were launched mid-September in Val Marie!

Article courtesy of Heritage Saskatchewan
What is a House Concert?
For communities that do not have arts councils and are interested in having small concerts there is a way to do that - through House Concerts!

Simply put, a house concert is an invitation-only music performance in someone’s home, presented by a host who does not profit from the event. Traditionally, artists are paid by a suggested donation ($10-20) requested of each attendee.

Most house concerts are:
  • Held indoors
  • Attended by 15-50 people
  • Put on inexpensively. Hosts spend from $50 – $125 on food and beverage. Attendee donations pay the performer.
  • Known to include light snacks, beverages or a pot-luck dinner
  • Attended by the host’s friends, neighbors, co-workers, and maybe a few fans of the artist
  • Performed by solo acts, duos and small groups
  • Performed with a very small sound system or no amplification. Artists usually bring what they need.
  • Intimate — audiences sit close and are attentive
  • Stronger for artist merchandise sales than traditional venues
  • Willing to house and feed the artist for the night
Coaches Association of Canada launched Coaches Kitchen
Recipe Videos for Sport Performance to provide coaches and parents with recipes that will support the dietary needs of their athletes. The recipe videos offer ideas on what to eat and drink before, during, and after training or competition in order to enhance performance.

The 24 recipes have been assembled by Angela Dufour, Nutritionist at the Canadian Sport Centre Atlantic and Performance Dietitian with Team Canada at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics.
Estevan's Wylie Mitchell Air Cadets Receive Top Provincial Honors
Estevan's Air Cadet squadron recently received a provincial nod of recognition for their efforts of improvement and involvement in the community.

During their weekly parade night on Tuesday evening, a banner was unveiled to name the Energy City's 30 Wylie Mitchell Air Cadets as the year's Top Rural Squadron in the province, announced during the Saskatchewan Air Cadet League's AGM in Saskatoon over the weekend.

The League, which is the main funding and activity facilitator for squadrons throughout the province, chooses the top squadron each year in several categories, including rural, based on consistent or growing numbers, strong staff, and participation in many of the regionally directed activities such as marksmanship, band, curling, survival training and effective speaking. This year, the Wylie Mitchell Cadets stood out.

"It means a lot to the squadron. It shows that our numbers are growing and that we have cadets who are really excited to participate in the activities that we offer, and the activities that are even outside of the squadron, where they can meet with other cadets from squadrons across the province," shared Captain Danielle Fleury, the group's Commanding Officer.

"We were very excited to be receiving this award. We've been working at it for quite a few years and we've been trying to get the staff and cadets interested in joining more and more activities, now they are. It's also good because we have a lot of new cadets in the squadron, so it's a good way to show them how much we do within the squadron, what's all available and how we're going to keep striving to do more and more."

One can look no further than this year's recruiting drive throughout September and October to see a prime example of the local youth program's health and progress.

"We recruited a lot of new cadets and there's a lot of cadets that have transferred in from other squadrons to our squadrons. We actually hit over forty cadets, which is very exciting. It just means that we can offer more programs and activities, we can go to more things and have greater opportunities for fundraising to go on larger trips."

"It's great that our squadron is very active. We're going to try and get out a lot in the community, and do a lot more volunteering around the community, and make the Air Cadet program known, because it's such a great, free program for any youth," Fleury said.

Article Credit: Discover Estevan
Who is Your Multicultural Superhero?
Saskatchewan Multicultural Week takes place from Saturday, November 17 to Sunday, November 25, 2018 and to celebrate the Multicultural Week, the Multicultural Council of Saskatchewan (MCoS) is inviting residents of Saskatchewan to share successful examples of leaders - Multicultural Superheroes - who inspire others through their values, beliefs and actions.

Check out the MCoS website for more information.
Upcoming Training Opportunities
Mini-Workshop Cafe - Ongoing
Southeast Connection Wants Your Ideas!
Are you seeking specific training in your community or are you seeking certain resources or tools? Send us your ideas through our online suggestion box!
We Want to Meet with You!
Guess what? Southeast Connection staff are available to attend your next board meeting or can come to meet with members of your town council! We can give you a glance of different resources that are available. To set up a meeting, contact Tara-Leigh Heslip, Community Development Consultant, at 306.695.2006. Don't know much about us? Check out our 2018 Year in Review video.
Share Your Story!
We would like to feature a monthly story about one of our communities, volunteers, recreation directors or a local event taking place in the South East District. Sharing these stories and tips will help build bridges and link communities together in our district, so we can learn from each other and highlight and recognize what we are doing well.

We are proud of what we do and where we live and we know you are too! 
Send your stories, highlights and information in monthly to Dallas Cossar, Administrative Coordinator, at admin@southeastdistrict.ca and you may be featured in our next Get the Scoop!

The deadline is the 1st day of every month.
"Southeast Connection is a community driven organization for sport, culture and recreation in southeast Saskatchewan. 
We help to build creative, active, and healthy communities. Join us!”
     With Support From:  
Support Line for Sport, Culture and Recreation
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