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McLean Messenger A Small Town Newspaper Serving McLean and Area October 2020 [email protected] With a pandemic now in full force, this year has been a year of firstsfor everyone. It started with our firstday at home in quarantine, followed by our firstshopping excursion (for many, this was an eye opener that things had really changed), and soon after, our firstholiday cele- brated without extended family and friends. The year of firstshas continued as many have cel- ebrated birthdays, weddings or new babies without parties and celebrations. Most recently was the firstday of the school year. While some families chose to homeschool or continue remote learning, many students returned to the class- room, masks on their face, dis- tance between the desks and with no extra-curricular activities. Ad- justing to the changes after 6 months of not going to school Im sure proved difficult for some students and parents (and proba- bly brought a joyful quiet to some homes as well!). The firstHalloween will likely look a little different this year as the government has recently an- nounced that children will be able to trick or treat, with a number of guidelines in place to keep every- one healthy and safe. One of the recommendations is that treats should not be consumed for 72 hours – good luck parents with that one! The firstRemembrance Day will likely look very different this year. An announcement has been made on the national level which has indicated it will be an intimate commemoration with a smaller, heartful ceremony - one where spectators are encouraged not to attend. Locally, there is yet to be a decision on exactly what the ceremony will look like but it very well may be a virtual ceremony and wont include some of the traditions (like the laying of wreaths) we have grown accus- tomed to. As we continue to follow guide- lines set out by the government and local health officials, we are getting more comfortable with the changes in the world and can hope that we continue to keep the number of cases as low as possi- ble. Some activities, sports and meetings have resumed, bringing a sense of normalcy back into our lives. Please remember that many local groups and clubs rely on fundraising efforts that have not been possible for the last number of months and consider how you can support these groups. It could be donating items needed to a group, support- ing the fundraisers that are able to take place (like the Playschool Poinsettia sales or the Daycare Meat Sales), donating your bottle and can recycling funds to the Scouts (see their submission for details), or making a financial contribution to assist a group dur- ing this difficult time. On a final note, on November 9 th an election for local councillors and mayor will take place. I en- courage everyone to get out and have your vote to ensure you have a say in what your town looks like! - Sara Potter Pop Up Drive In Comes to McLean It sure doesnt feel like summer in McLean without Sports Day... So in June the Rec Board started brainstorming for alternative events that met the SHA guidelines and that was when the idea of a pop up Drive-In Movie came to mind. After contacting a few inflatable drive-in busi- nesses and estimating the costs and number of families that would attend, it seemed like it was not financially viable and the idea seemed to slowly start to die. After some phone calls to a few of our extremely support- ive local businesses, the idea of a drive-in theatre in McLean started to come together. The passion of the residents in this village and surrounding area, coupled with the amazing drive from the volunteers on the rec board, allowed us to pull together the public performance licensing within a few short weeks. A post on our Face- book page, a few posters around town, and word of mouth and it didnt take long before the prepaid contact- less orders came flying in. This event was no different than any other event in McLean, well attended, with car loads of all ages, fami- lies, and couples out on a date night excited to see a double header on a 46 foot inflatable big screen out in the corner of diamond #3 at the sports grounds. The feature films on Aug 15th started with The Sandlot at dusk, and finished with Mrs. Doubtfire. Although it was a little chilly by 1:00am when the movies ended, the weather was amazing, there was not a breath of wind, no bugs, and not a cloud in the sky to hide the many constellations and shooting stars (the Whytes were near the back and counted 21 shooting stars). It took a bit of organization but it would not be possible without the generous sponsorship from Wood Country, Blair s, Texcana, Richardson Pioneer, and The Village of McLean. Please ensure you support these local business as they always support the fun events we have in our amazing community. - Ken Wakelam, McLean Recreation Association

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McLean Messenger A Small Town Newspaper Serving McLean and Area

October 2020 [email protected]

With a pandemic now in full force, this year has been a year of “firsts” for everyone. It started with our “first” day at home in quarantine, followed by our “first” shopping excursion (for many, this was an eye opener that things had really changed), and soon after, our “first” holiday cele-brated without extended family and friends. The year of “firsts” has continued as many have cel-ebrated birthdays, weddings or new babies without parties and celebrations. Most recently was the “first” day of the school year. While some families chose to homeschool or continue remote learning, many students returned to the class-room, masks on their face, dis-tance between the desks and with no extra-curricular activities. Ad-justing to the changes after 6

months of not going to school I’m sure proved difficult for some students and parents (and proba-bly brought a joyful quiet to some homes as well!). The “first” Halloween will likely look a little different this year as the government has recently an-nounced that children will be able to trick or treat, with a number of guidelines in place to keep every-one healthy and safe. One of the recommendations is that treats should not be consumed for 72 hours – good luck parents with that one! The “first” Remembrance Day will likely look very different this year. An announcement has been made on the national level which has indicated it will be an intimate commemoration with a smaller, heartful ceremony - one where

spectators are encouraged not to attend. Locally, there is yet to be a decision on exactly what the ceremony will look like but it very well may be a virtual ceremony and won’t include some of the traditions (like the laying of wreaths) we have grown accus-tomed to. As we continue to follow guide-lines set out by the government and local health officials, we are getting more comfortable with the changes in the world and can hope that we continue to keep the number of cases as low as possi-ble. Some activities, sports and meetings have resumed, bringing a sense of normalcy back into our lives. Please remember that many local groups and clubs rely on fundraising efforts that have not been possible for the last number of months and consider

how you can support these groups. It could be donating items needed to a group, support-ing the fundraiser’s that are able to take place (like the Playschool Poinsettia sales or the Daycare Meat Sales), donating your bottle and can recycling funds to the Scouts (see their submission for details), or making a financial contribution to assist a group dur-ing this difficult time. On a final note, on November 9th an election for local councillors and mayor will take place. I en-courage everyone to get out and have your vote to ensure you have a say in what your town looks like! - Sara Potter

Pop Up Drive In Comes to McLean It sure doesn’t feel like summer in McLean without Sports Day... So in June the Rec Board started brainstorming for alternative events that met the SHA guidelines and that was when the idea of a pop up Drive-In Movie came to mind. After contacting a few inflatable drive-in busi-nesses and estimating the costs and number of families that would attend, it seemed like it was not financially viable and the idea seemed to slowly start to die. After some phone calls to a few of our extremely support-ive local businesses, the idea of a drive-in theatre in McLean started to come together. The passion of the residents in this village and surrounding area, coupled with the amazing drive from the volunteers on the rec board, allowed us to pull together the public performance licensing within a few short weeks. A post on our Face-book page, a few posters around town, and word of mouth and it didn’t take long before the prepaid contact-less orders came flying in. This event was no different than any other event in McLean, well attended, with car loads of all ages, fami-lies, and couples out on a date night excited to see a double header on a 46 foot inflatable big screen out in the corner of diamond #3 at the sports grounds. The feature films on Aug 15th started with The Sandlot at dusk, and finished with Mrs. Doubtfire. Although it was a little chilly by 1:00am when the movies ended, the weather was amazing, there was not a breath of wind, no bugs, and not a cloud in the sky to hide the many constellations and shooting stars (the Whyte’s were near the back and counted 21 shooting stars). It took a bit of organization but it would not be possible without the generous sponsorship from Wood Country, Blair’s, Texcana, Richardson Pioneer, and The Village of McLean. Please ensure you support these local business as they always support the fun events we have in our amazing community. - Ken Wakelam, McLean Recreation Association

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McLean Bethel United Church There is not any real dates for the open-ing for the McLean Bethel United Church at this time. We are waiting to see the results of the school openings. There are more positive contacts in Regina and surrounding areas lately so our feeling is that we continue to remain closed until we have a more positive history or a vaccine. There is a number of radio, TV and Zoom services available during this time.

We are still hoping to do a Remembrance Day Service in McLean this year but it is not decided as to whether this will be live in the hall (not likely) or if it will be via Zoom. There will be posters up to let you know. The Indian Head Legion is not or-dering any Wreaths this year but are hop-ing for donations to help out with their expenses. John Ashdown, McLean Bethel United

Church

The Hi Point Drifters Snowmobile Club The Hi Point Drifters Snowmobile Club will be having their first meeting of the year on Thursday, October 29th, 2020 at 7:30 pm at the McLean Motel. The forecast for the winter looks promising for the snowmobile season. The topics at the meeting will be club registration, $50 per person or family, as well as trail develop-ment in the McLean area. Thank you. Look forward to seeing you at the meeting. Yours truly, Dan Normandin, President

We have officially started our 2020-2021 year with 17 cubs and 12 Beavers, and the kids are beyond excited! At this point we will be enjoying only outdoor activities and we are encouraging the Beavers and Cubs to bring their own hand sanitizer. If you have a child in K-2 and are interested in joining Beavers please contact one of the leaders, spots are limited. At this time we unsure if we will be able to go door to door with our biannual bottle drive, but we have another option, Sarcan Drop and Go! Group name: McLean Scouts and our Group Phrase is: always be prepared. Please support our group as it pays for their adventures. Christy Balbar [email protected].

We are all excited to be back at school learning together. Things look a bit different, but the students have done a great job of adapting! We encourage students to go home for lunch, if possible, and to not arrive in the morning until 8:45 or later. Thank-you to those who are able to assist us with that. At this time we do not have any activities happening. We are not certain when, or if, that will change. While we would love to see more people at the school, we are really trying to restrict how many people enter the build-ing. If you need to enter, you must wear a face mask, hand sanitize and proceed directly to the office. We would just like to remind people that if you want to use the track and/or the field area of the school, to please do so outside of school time. Also a reminder that if you bring a dog onto school property to be sure and clean up after it. We hope that everyone has a great fall! Crystal Hrbachek, Principal, McLean School

Times are still crazy with COVID 19 happening. We have started to move ahead with hall books and activities as much as the Saskatche-wan Health Authority allows. We had our drive in movie night in August which was great. We are still planning for winter activities but again depending on provincial regulations we will see to what extent. Keep an eye on our Facebook page as well as the sandwich board on Main Street for updates and events. Chris Bailey, President, McLean Recreation Association

Update from the Town Progress on the water plant upgrade has been slow due to permit requirements, having to move the lines coming out of water plant and getting screw piles installed. The permits have been completed and the screw piles have been installed and concrete has now been poured and we are waiting on the contractor to build the addition. The engineers are working on obtaining our greensand filters. The filters are stage 1 of the water upgrade to filter the man-ganese out of our water. Future stages will be to replace the waterlines as they are coated in the manganese. The process is slow but is a step in the right direction to solve our water issues. The Village has closed the 2nd railroad cross-ing to fulfill the agreement with CP for installing the crossing arms on Main Street. It is now up to CP to remove the approaches to the closed crossing. Efforts are being made to have CP fix the crossing on Main Street. The Mayor & Councillors 4 year terms are up in October. To get nomination forms to run for Mayor or Council please come to Village office on Thursday or Friday to pick up nomination forms or email the office at [email protected]. Deadline for nominations is October 7. Election day is November 9th. Come out and have a say who is on your Village Council. Village Office is open Thursdays & Fridays 9am to 4 pm. - Village of McLean Office

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Wood Country is pleased to present the fall 2020 Volunteer Recognition Award to John and Christy Balbar. John and Christy Balbar have been involved in the McLean Scouting Program for a

number of years, leading a large group of children through all kinds of adventures.

Their passion for outdoor activities has led the group to take part in so many fun

activities like field games, hiking, learning about knots and compasses, cross coun-

try skiing, campfire making, and building shelters and fires. They have helped plan

and participate in many different summer and winter camps or sleepovers. These

adventures have included the youngest Beavers, and are indoors, outdoors, even

camping out in a field with no facilities! The annual Halloween party held at their

farm has been a favorite among many of the group members. The group continues

to grow as the children brag to their friends about the fun and adventures they have!

In past years, they have helped do a lot of work to make the Halloween party at the hall a reality. Christy is also on the Playschool Board and is a member of the School Community Council (SCC). John and Christy live on a farm east of McLean with their four children. Thanks John and Christy to your commitment to the Scouting program and other groups in McLean! John and Christy have been awarded a $100 gift card

from Wood Country in appreciation.

Mobile playground was held at the McLean Community

Centre from August 17 – 21st. This year because of so-

cial distancing, the camp was split into two smaller

groups with each group attending for half of the week.

Each camp had 14 or 15 children attending. It was a

very hot week so activities took place outside as much

as possible, with breaks from the sun spent inside the

hall. The kids played games, made crafts, and danced,

with the ice cream treats being a huge hit! Special

thanks to our facilitator Holly Kraemer for doing the pro-

gramming for the camps and the extra work that COVID

added to the mix!

Jenna Bellamy, McLean Recreation Association

Thank you to everyone who came to the three fun days we held on Aug.9th,

Aug.23rd and Sept.6th. We would like to thank Living Sky Trail Challengers

for bringing their obstacles on Sept.6th where our members got to try an ob-

stacle challenge course.

Thank you to everyone who has placed an advertisement or ordered a com-

munity calendar. The order is being submitted soon, there will be a limited

number of extras should someone want one that wasn't included in the order.

If the winter carnival is a go we will hand them out there and if not please stay

tuned for an alternate location and time for pickup.

Margaret Manz, Parkland Riding Club

We hope that everyone is staying healthy and are continuing their efforts to reduce their risk of acquiring COVID. Please continue washing your hands, main-taining social distancing and staying home if you are not feeling well. Sincerely, McLean Medical First Responders Ashley Thompson, Haley Gayton, Julie Kraemer, Matthew Deans-Beynham, Ry Parker, Sandra Barker-Schmidt, Sherry Langston, Sue Parker and Wanita Puff

One of the activi-

ties at Mobile

Playground in-

volved “baking”

treats in a home-

made oven in

the sun! Good

thing it was a hot

and sunny week!

Indoor and outdoor activities during the Mobile Playground

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The Qu’Appelle Fire & Rescue team are very excited to announce that we won $24,000 for the department through the My Mutual First Responder Contest. We are so thankful for all the support we received not only from Qu’Ap-pelle, the RM and neighbouring groups but also from friends and families across the world. The support was amazing – people shared the posts, emailed everyone they knew, tweeted it and nagged everyone they knew to help! Special thanks to all the Department members and especially to Michelle Williamson who created the video and coordinated the voting – keeping us all on track and nagging us daily to GET MORE VOTES… It worked. My Mutual Insurance will be making a cheque presentation to the group in the near future.

Lynn Severt, Qu’Appelle Fire & Rescue

Prairie Dreams Learning Centre—We had a fun filled summer and are looking forward to a great year. We have been busy exploring the outdoors and doing lots of art activities inside. We recently had the centre painted and the space has nev-er looked better! We hope everyone is staying safe and healthy.

FUNDRAISER! We are doing our yearly Ottenbreit’s Meats fundraiser. We will be selling from October 7th, 2020 until November 2nd, 2020! If you are interested in purchasing anything please stop by the daycare for an order form, or contact a family that attends. All proceeds will go towards materials to provide quality early learning. Chanel Hanson

Director of Childcare Services, Prairie Dreams Learning Centre 325 Lillis Avenue , McLean 306-699-7256

Playschool is starting for the 4 year old children on Oct 6th. The children are looking forward to a new year and fun year of learning with their beloved teacher

Kerri.

Our poinsettia fundraiser will be returning soon.

If anyone has a 3 year old interested in registering, contact the playschool at [email protected] for registration in January.

Shanna Millie, McLean Playschool

Qu’Appelle Library News We are excited that Stage 4 of the Southeast Regional Library re-open plan started on Sept 8. Patrons are now allowed to browse the shelves, while maintaining a safe distance, and virtual programming has begun. Please keep in mind that any items you touch and do not borrow must be quarantined, so we ask that you browse careful-ly. Curbside pickup of holds is still available, simply contact the Li-brary with that request. We would like to thank the Town of Qu’Ap-pelle for providing a plexi-glass barrier for our circulation desk. We will not be able to accept any donations of materials at this time. We thank everyone for their support in the past, and we’ll let you know when we can take them again. We’ve been having some virtual programs and starting in October we are allowed to have some in-person programs again. Social distancing will apply. Please see our Facebook page for details or ask us! Some examples of our upcoming programs include: book club, craft-in-a-bag kits for children and adults, Youth Photography Club for those in grades 4-8, Bring Your Own Device and learn the Library e-resources, marble run makerspace kit, TumbleBooks Story Time

and possibly photos with Santa. As part of this year’s Treaty 4 Gathering, Southeast Regional Li-brary will be hosting StoryWalks featuring local Indigenous authors. We will be reading Honouring The Buffalo: A Plains Cree Legend told by Ray Lavallee and written by Judith Silverthorne, and poems from Miss, It Hurts by Vera C. Tourangeau. Our StoryWalk will be located north of the Library Sept 25 (10am-5pm) and Sept 29 (5-8pm bring a flashlight!), as well as east of James Hamblin School Sept 30 (10am-5pm). Take a walk through and read at your leisure. How is your 2020 A to Z Reading Challenge going? This is a laid-back event, running all year, encouraging readers to read a book whose title begins with each letter of the alphabet. We will collect lists at the end of the year to be entered for prizes. Our open hours are Tuesday 5-8pm, Wednesday 2-5pm & 6-8pm, Thursday & Friday 10am-1pm & 2-5pm. You can reach us by phone at 306-699-2902, by email at [email protected] or send us a message on our Facebook page. Thank you for your patience in these uncertain times. Librarian, Elizabeth Fries

The daycare hosted their own Ice Cream Stand!

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Announcements

McLEAN FOOD BANK— Neighbours Helping Neighbours

On April 3, 2020, a McLean Food Bank was launched by Maxine Hanofski, Owner of Country Acres Weddings & Events, with volunteer as-sistance from members of the McLean First Responders. It was established for the citizens of the McLean Community; those residing within the Village of McLean and on surrounding farms & acreages near McLean. It began as a way for community members to reach out to others during this unprecedented time, during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

SUPPORTING THE FOOD BANK: Funds may be eTransferred to [email protected]. Please email [email protected] with your name and/or amount donated, if you would like to be recognized. Or you may donate anonymously. Funds will be used to purchase grocery Gift Cards from the IGA in Emerald Park, SK to fill requests. Any remaining funds post Pandemic will be donated to the McLean First Responders.

If you or someone you know are in need of basic food staples during this unstable time, please email Max at [email protected]. All requests are strictly CONFIDENTIAL.

THANK YOU TO OUR DONORS:

Ukron Enterprises Ltd: $200 Country Acres Weddings & Events: $200 The McLean Rec Association: $250

The McLean Women’s Club: $500 Range Road RV: $200 Sharon Chase: $100 Tracy Lines: $15

Know of anyone celebrating a new baby, a wedding or

special anniversary? Would you like to honour the life of a

loved one through an obituary? Send all the information

into the McLean Messenger and their announcement will

be posted in the next issue.

The McLean School Community Council (SCC) will be holding the An-

nual General Meeting and regular meeting on Wednesday October 7th

at 7:00 pm through a Zoom platform. The terms for Chairperson and

Vice-Chairperson are up this year. If you are interested in joining the

SCC, please reach out to the school.

At this point, we are unclear what type of fundraising options may be

available given the restrictions by the SHA. Further discussion will

take place at the meeting so watch for more information.

McLean SCC

Watch Out…

While the regular Halloween

party at the hall can’t happen

because of COVID re-

strictions, plans are in the

works for an alternate fun and

spooky event. Watch for de-

tails as plans are finalized.

Also, early discussions are

taking place to look at some

winter activities...maybe some

Name That Tune, Bingo or

Trivia. Also in discussions is

the possibility of an adult

physical activity like a volley-

ball night or something like

that. If you have ideas for

other activities, reach out to

the Rec Board!

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Advertisers

Childcare for children 6 weeks to 12

years 325 Lillis Avenue, McLean Saskatchewan

Hours: 6:15am-6:00pm Monday-Friday Email: [email protected]

Tel: 1-306-699-7256

Like us on Facebook!

A special thanks to our advertiser’s for their support! Please be sure to support these

businesses and people! Advertising spots are available for $40 per year.

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Advertisers A special thanks to our advertiser’s for their support! Please be sure to support these

businesses and people! Advertising spots are available for $40 per year.

Wood Country Volunteer Appreciation Award

Do you know someone in the community who has contributed in a positive way? Do you want everyone to recognize that person? The Wood Country Volunteer Appreciation Award is a perfect opportunity to recognize our unsung hero’s! McLean is a busy little community

and it is because of our great volunteers, working tirelessly to plan programs and activities for the community.

Send your Volunteer nominations into the McLean Messenger email address. Each issue with feature a volunteer who will be awarded a Wood Country gift card in appreciation.

Did you know McLean has a beautiful

old dirt road nearby known locally as

the Snake Trail?

This is a beautiful place to walk or ride

bikes, especially in the fall with all of the

beautiful colours. Just head out past the

Sports Grounds and keep going until

you get tired. Make sure there hasn’t

been recent rain as it will be very mud-

dy!

Hall Rentals

If you are looking for a space to rent for an event consider the McLean Hall. It is attached to the school and includes a full kitch-

en, meeting room, and gymnasium. It is available to rent year round and is the perfect space for weddings, birthday parties, conferences, and other special events.

Rental rates depend on the spaces and timeframes you need.

Check out the rental agreement on the Village of McLean website for more information on rental rates.

To book the hall or for any questions, contact Nicole at [email protected].

SUNRISE COUNTRY HAVEN

Personal Care Home

On family acreage…

Singles & Couples Welcomed

Private rooms & bathrooms

Call 306-699-2548

Looking for writers and stories!

Do you have a story to share with the

community? The McLean Messenger is

always looking for new content or submis-

sions to keep it interesting. If you have

an idea or something to print, reach out

through email.