April 1St, 2019 – March 31St, 2020

2019-2020

April 1st, 2019 – March 31st, 2020

Report Annual

Table of Contents

Agenda ...... 3

Minutes of 2018-2019 Annual General Meeting ...... 4

Chairperson’s Remarks...... 8

Executive Director’s Remarks ...... 8

History of the District ...... 9

Map of the District ...... 10

2019-2020 Board of Directors ...... 11

2019-2020 Staff ...... 12

2019-2020 Membership ...... 13

10 Year Service Awards ...... 14

2019-2020 Programs & Services ...... 15

Partnerships...... 23

2019-2020 Tri-Global Update ...... 24

2019-2020 Auditor’s Report ...... 39

MISSION STATEMENT Rivers West District is a non-profit organization dedicated to facilitate and foster the development and delivery of sport, culture, and recreation programs and services.

RIVERS WEST District for Sport, Culture & Recreation Annual General Meeting Tuesday, June 16th, 2020 1:00pm CST ZOOM Meeting

AGENDA

1. Call to Order a. Introduction of Current Board of Directors b. Introduction of Guests

2. Adoption of Agenda

3. Minutes of the last Annual General Meeting and Special Meetings a. Annual General Meeting June 18th, 2019

4. Business Arising from Minutes a. No business arising

5. Reading of Correspondence a. No correspondence

6. General Business a. Chairperson's Report – Arlene Southgate b. Executive Director's Report – Donna Johnston-Genest c. 2019 - 2020 Annual Report d. Tri-Global Report – Kerry Bailey, SPRA; Amy Shipley, SaskSport; Damon Badger Heit, SaskCulture

7. Financial Report a. Auditor's Report – Jordan Schechtel, Treasurer b. Reappointment of incumbent auditor – Vantage Chartered Professional Accountants

8. Report of Committees and Special Committees

9. New Business

10. Election of Representatives to the Board of Directors a. Reading of incumbent Directors b. Reading of names of nominees c. Nominations from the floor

11. Adjournment

RIVERS WEST District for Sport, Culture & Recreation Annual General Meeting

MINUTES Tuesday, June 18th, 2019 1:00 pm CST Ancient Echoes Interpretive Centre Herschel, Saskatchewan

ATTENDANCE Donna Johnston-Genest, RWDSCR; Arlene Southgate, Unity; Crystal Imrie, Kyle; Ollie Marciniuk, Hafford; Cynthia Tymoruski, RWDSCR; Bonnie Mills Midgley, RWDSCR; Sekwun Ahenekew, SaskCulture; Lisa Watson, Elrose; Amy Shipley, Sask Sport; Annette McGovern, North Battleford; Brittany Gilchrist, Ancient Echoes Interpretive Centre; Erin Poitras, Biggar; Erin Munn, North Battleford; Kerry Bailey, SPRA; Antje Rongve, RWDSCR; Tyra Smith, RWDSCR; Danielle Legasy, RWDSCR; Kelsey Peterson, RWDSCR; Lori Fenrich, Wilkie Regrets: Jordan Schechtel, Battleford; Jenna Fouhy, RWDSCR

CALL TO ORDER Chairperson, Arlene Southgate called the meeting to order at 1:02 pm CST and introductions were made. Thank you to Ancient Echoes Interpretive Centre for hosting the AGM.

AGENDA MOTION #1: That the agenda be adopted as presented. MARCINIUK/TYMORUSKI Carried.

MINUTES MOTION #2: That the minutes of June 19, 2018 meeting be adopted as presented. POITRAS/MUNN Carried. BUSINESS ARISING No business arising.

CORRESPONDENCE No correspondence was received.

GENERAL BUSINESS Chairperson’s Report: Arlene read her Chairperson’s Remarks as contained in the Annual Report. MOTION #3: That the Chairperson’s Remarks, as contained within the 2018-2019 Annual Report, be accepted. WATSON/FENRICH Carried.

Executive Director’s Report: Donna reviewed highlights of her report. MOTION #4: That the Executive Director’s Remarks, as contained within the 2018-2019 Annual Report, be accepted. POITRAS/IMRIE Carried.

2018-2019 Annual Report: A paper copy of the report will be mailed from the head office if requested. An electronic copy of the Annual Report will be posted on the Rivers West District website.

Tri-Global Report:

Kerry Bailey, Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association, expressed thanks to the Board and Staff for the work during the past year and for the invitation to bring greetings today. Kerry highlighted the upcoming SPRA Conference in North Battleford on October 16-19th. She mentioned the Conference’s two exciting keynote speakers, Kendal Netmaker and Elizabeth Manley. The theme of the event is All Aboard the Wellness Train and it will provide education and networking opportunities that focus on individual’s well being, as well as, the impact of recreation on the wellbeing of communities. Kerry acknowledged the Government of Saskatchewan and Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport have signed a five-year renewal of the lottery license agreement (April 1, 2019 – March 31, 2024) and their continued support of the Saskatchewan Lotteries system. SPRA, Sask Sport and SaskCulture have partnered with Kn/a HR Consulting to conduct a compensation and benefits survey; a similar survey having been done in 2014. As a service to members in the Saskatchewan sport, culture and recreation sectors, an update on the compensation and benefits survey is being completed which will once again provide organizations with the current salary and benefits ranges for selected positions within the sport, culture and recreation sectors. Once the information has been collected, Kn/a HR Consulting will provide a final report which will be made available to the Districts to use as a resource. The anticipated date of completion is the end of June 2019. Kerry mentioned that June is Recreation and Parks Month with various communities celebrating this event.

Amy Shipley, Sask Sport Inc., thanked the RWDSCR Board and Staff for the opportunity to attend the meeting. Amy’s report included the two multisport games opportunities that are being held in the province this summer. She will be attending the Tony Cote First Nation Summer Games which are being hosted at Flying Dust First Nation from July 14th-19th, 2019. The 2019 Western Canada Summer Games will be held in Swift Current from August 9th-18th, 2019. Amy also shared information on the 2020 multisport games; the North American Indigenous Games in Halifax in July and the Saskatchewan Summer Games from July 26th-August 1st in Lloydminster.

Sekwun Ahenekew, SaskCulture Board member, acknowledged that the AGM was being held on Treaty 6 territory and traditional Métis land. She spoke about the SaskCulture AGM and the

Education Session that had taken place on June 14th in Regina. Sekwun shared information on Culture Days and how these events continue to inspire people not only Saskatchewan, but across the country. She mentioned that the District had awarded the Lloydminster Cultural & Science Centre the “Cultural Event of the Year” award in April. Sekwun advised that the next Annual Global Funding (AGF) deadline is scheduled for December 2019. This application is for thirty Eligible Cultural Organizations and two potential ECO’s and will cover 2020-2022. There is not additional funding for this program over that three-year period. The Multicultural Council of Saskatchewan has provided SaskCulture with five training sessions over the past nine months. Sekwun shared that all SaskCulture staff have had the opportunity to attend the Wicihitowin Conference in Saskatoon. SaskCulture recommends that all staff (and Board members, if possible) of Districts and Tri-Globals attend this event. The 2019 dates are October 16th and 17th. SaskCulture and Office of the Treaty Commissioner (OTC) representatives have met to share information on the nature of activities being conducted by each organization in terms of outreach and reconciliation. It was determined that SaskCulture and OTC can work together and further meetings are scheduled to determine how best to move forward to make a positive impact on Saskatchewan communities.

FINANCIAL REPORT The Financial Statements and Auditor’s Report, as prepared by Vantage Chartered Professional Accountants, for the period April 1, 2018 - March 31, 2019, were reviewed and discussed.

MOTION #5: That the audited financial reports be adopted as presented. POITRAS/MARCINIUK Carried.

AUDITORS MOTION #6: That the firm of Vantage Chartered Professional Accountants be appointed as the auditors for Rivers West District for Sport, Culture & Recreation for the 2019-2020 fiscal year. MARCINIUK /MUNN Carried.

REPORTS There were no additional reports presented.

NEW BUSINESS Constitution Copies of the Rivers West District for Sport, Culture & Recreation Inc.’s Revised Constitution and Bylaws were included in the Annual Report, a copy of which all attendees received. MOTION #7: That the Revised Constitution and Bylaws for the Rivers West District for Sport, Culture & Recreation Inc.be adopted, as presented.

IMRIE/MUNN Note: Constitutional amendments require a two-thirds majority (2/3) vote by voting delegates present. Carried.

The Chair was handed over to Donna for the next portion of the meeting.

ELECTION OF a) Reading of Incumbent Directors: Donna read the BOARD OF list of incumbent nominees: Ollie Marciniuk, Crystal Imrie, Lisa Watson, DIRECTORS Arlene Southgate, Erin Poitras, Jordan Schechtel, Erin Munn b) Reading of Names of Nominees: c) 1st call for nominations from the floor 2nd call for nominations from the floor 3rd and last call for nominations from the floor Donna asked for a motion that nominations cease.

MOTION #8: That nominations cease. TYMORUSKI/POITRAS Carried.

MOTION #9: That all incumbent nominees will form the 2019-2020 Board of Directors for Rivers West District for Sport, Culture & Recreation Inc. FENRICH/TYMORUSKI Carried.

Arlene resumed chairing the meeting.

NEXT MEETING June 2020. DATE

ADJOURNMENT MOTION #10: That this meeting be adjourned (1:38 pm) WATSON

Minutes approved June ____, 2020.

Signature Signature

Chairperson’s Remarks

Good afternoon everyone. Our Board continues to meet through ZOOM. Our numbers are low, so we are recruiting individuals who want to be a part of enriching the lives of citizens of Rivers West. Share your ideas, vision, and knowledge with us. Our summer playground program will not visit communities this year. However, support will be available to community leaders to share with their youth. The Saskatchewan Summer Games, scheduled for Lloydminster this summer, have been postponed until the summer of 2021. We were unable to hold our Volunteer Recognition Gala. The winning recipients will be personally given their well-deserved awards at a later date. The SSFA Seniors Games, scheduled for Prince Albert, have been postponed until 2021. At this time, I would like to acknowledge the Governments of Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Health Authority, Saskatchewan Lotteries, Sask Sport, Sask Culture, and Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association for their strong leadership, transparency, and support. They are setting the standard for all of Canada. Here is a reminder: A piece of coal remains a piece of coal until it is under intense pressure. It then is transformed into a priceless diamond. When the isolation and uncertainty ends Rivers West District will continue our journey together. We will walk hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder. Rivers West is the Best, because we are one, we are strong.

Respectfully submitted, Arlene Southgate

Executive Director’s Remarks

Welcome to the Rivers West District Annual General Meeting and thank you for participating. Our lives have been impacted by global events that will reshape how we live our lives and how we do business for years to come. It is hard not to focus on what is happening to us right now but by taking a look back we can remind ourselves of who we are and better see the vision for our future. There were some changes at the District over the past year. Here are a few of those changes. In April of 2019, Kerry Bailey, SPRA Field Consultant, moved her office to Dinsmore. Kerry and I had shared an office since the beginning of her employment with SPRA in 2011. It was a good way for Rivers West District to keep up to speed on the different programs and services that SPRA had to offer. We have made some adjustments and have worked to keep the lines of communication open and have settled into our new normal. In May of 2019, Janae Dawson accepted a different position in her hometown. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Janae for the five years she spent with Rivers West

District as our administrative assistant. She was a very dedicated employee and we were sad to see her go. In November of 2019, we hired Cheryl Clarke as our administrative associate. Cheryl hit the ground running and has fit right in with the staff at Rivers West District. We look forward to growing and learning with Cheryl for many years to come. Welcome to the District, Cheryl! In February of 2020, Antje Rongve announced her plans to resign from her position as the District Dream Broker for Rivers West District. Her last day would be May 8th, 2020. Well, as they say, “the best laid plans…” Unfortunately for Antje, she has had to put her travel and professional plans on hold as the world has come to a grinding halt. Fortunately, for Rivers West District, we will have Antje for a little while longer. For this, we are very grateful! Cindy and Bonnie continue to be the backbone of our programs and services. They are directly responsible for organizing our workshops, clinics, meetings, grant specific administration, and the hosting of Global programs for Rivers West District. Our District benefits immeasurably from their knowledge and expertise and I am so thankful they are a part of our team! The Rivers West District Board is, and always has been, the best people to work with. They continue to have a common vision for the District and are a great support for the staff. They are my constant in this ever-changing world. Thank you! “Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.” ― Lao Tzu Respectfully yours, Donna Johnston-Genest

This is our story…

Rivers West District for Sport, Culture & Recreation Inc. (Rivers West DSCR) was formed through the amalgamation of Battlefords Regional Recreation Association, Wild Goose Recreation Association, River Junction Recreation Association, and the Zone 7 Sport Council. The new District began operations on February 1st, 2009 and is a registered non-profit corporation governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. The geographic area served by Rivers West District is located in West Central Saskatchewan and encompasses the area from Pierceland and Dorintosh in the north, south to the South Saskatchewan River and from the Alberta Border in the west to Tessier, Hafford and Medstead in the east. Rivers West District is one of 7 Sport, Culture & Recreation Districts in the Province which were formed through the Building Better Communities (BBC) initiative driven by SaskSport, SaskCulture and Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association. These Districts are an integral part of the Sport, Culture & Recreation delivery system in the Province of Saskatchewan. Rivers West District receives the bulk of its funding from revenue generated through the sale of lottery tickets in the Province. The Saskatchewan Lotteries Trust Fund for Sport, Culture and Recreation administers the lottery ticket revenue and this money funds over 12,000 Sport, Culture and Recreation groups.

Map of Rivers West District

2019-2020 Board of Directors & Staff

Arlene Southgate, Chairperson Unity, Saskatchewan

Erin Poitras, Vice Chairperson Biggar, Saskatchewan

Jordan Schechtel, Treasurer Battleford, Saskatchewan

Ollie Marciniuk Hafford, Saskatchewan

Erin Munn North Battleford, Saskatchewan

Crytal Imrie Kyle, Saskatchewan

Lisa Watson Elrose, Saskatchewan

VISION All residents of West Central Saskatchewan will live healthy, active lifestyles through community access to, and participation in, diverse sport, culture, and recreation opportunities.

20019-2020 Staff

Bonnie Mills Midgley, Donna Johnston-Genest, Cynthia Tymoruski, Community Development Executive Director Community Development Coordinator Coordinator

Cheryl Clarke, Administrative Antje Rongve, District Dream Associate Broker

2019-2020 Membership

Town of Battleford Kyle & District Recreation Board Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame RM of Lacadena Town of Biggar Town of Lashburn Village of Borden Resort Village of Kivimaa Moonlight Bay Coleville Recreation Board City of Lloydminster Clayton McLain Memorial Museum RM of Britannia No. 502 Cut Knife Recreation Board Hillmond Sports Society Denzil & District Recreation Board The Norbion Cooperative Community Centre Village of Dinsmore Richard Larsen Barr Colony Foundation Village of Dodsland Arts Without Borders Festival Village of Dorintosh RM of Loon Lake No. 561 Town of Eatonia Royal Canadian Legion #165 Loon Lake RM of Chesterfield No. 261 Luseland Recreation Board RM of Turtle River No. 469 Maidstone Eldon Recreation Personal Membership Town of Maidstone RM of Monet Major Recreation Board Inc. Elrose Monet Recreation Board Marsden Lakeland Library Town of Eston Marshall Rec Board Eston Riverside Regional Park City of Meadow Lake Frenchman Butte Museum Society Inc. Village of Milden Tangleflags Community Club Neilburg Recreation Board Village of Glaslyn RM of Hillsdale No. 440 RM of Newcombe No. 260 City of North Battleford Battlefords Minor Softball Association Battleford Immigration Resource Centre North Battleford International Street Performer Festival Association Battlefords Boys and Girls Club Battlefords Pickleball Club Village of Paradise Hill RM of Frenchman Butte No. 501 Paradise Hill School Red Cross Community Centre Corp. Paynton & District Recreation Board Village of Perdue Village of Pierceland Pierceland Recreation Association Richard Rec Board Town of Rosetown RM of Pleasant Valley No. 288 RM of Marriott No. 317 RM of Douglas No. 436 The Goodsoil Historical Museum Inc. Town of St. Walburg Goodsoil Theatre Group Brightsand Lake Regional Park Authority Hafford & District Recreation Board St. Walburg Allied Arts Council Biggar Gymnastics Club Town of Turtleford & RM of Mervin Fire Association Village of Harris RM of Mervin No. 499 RM of Harris No. 316 Town of Unity Ancient Echoes Village of Waseca RM of Grandview Town of Wilkie Town of Kerrobert Wiseton Recreation Board

10-Year Service Awards

At the December Luncheon of the Board and Staff, two Board Members and two Staff Members received their 10-year service awards. The awards were presented by Erin Poitras, Vice Chair of the District. Board Members, Arlene Southgate and Ollie Marciniuk, along with Staff Members, Donna Johnston-Genest and Cynthia Tymoruski, have been with the District since its inception in 2009. Congratulations and Thank You!

OUR VALUES Respect We will act with fairness, honesty and professionalism. We will value each other’s perspective, opinions, beliefs, and contributions.

Participation We will strive to diminish “participation for all” barriers.

Leadership We will take a grassroots approach to enhance communities through collaboration and development.

Inclusion We will strive to be an organization that embraces all cultures, practices gender equality, and inclusion of all ages and abilities.

Transparency We will be honest, fiscally responsible, ethical, open, and accountable in all that we do.

2019-2020 Programs & Services

Aboriginal Community Sport Program (ACSG) - Aboriginal Community Sport Grant (ACSG) provides greater sport participation and development opportunities for Aboriginal youth in Saskatchewan. Rivers West District adjudicated fifteen grants for a total of $60,000 grant dollars. Allocated through Sask. Sport dollars went to the development of Hockey, Volleyball, Soccer, Table Tennis, Weightlifting, Basketball, Badminton, Down Hill Skiing, Martial Arts, Skating, Judo, Rugby, and Disc Golf. Each sport gets $10,000 total / sport allocated over a three-year period. We are now moving forward to new and existing communities applying for new sports.

Creative Kids - Creative Kids is a charitable giving program designed to reduce social and financial barriers for children and youth who wish to participate in arts and cultural activities in Saskatchewan. 2019 has marked the completion of the 10th year in which the Battlefords Committee provided funding for the community. Participants were funded for activities that included Piano, Dance, Music, Voice, Choir, Pottery, Visual Arts, Community Strings. We continue to add to our list of service providers who are on board and offer quality instruction. Our Annual Celebrate Kids fundraiser which highlights the multitude of talent from the Battlefords, was to be held in the fall of 2020 but due to social distancing regulations we will reschedule as permitted. The Battlefords Committee received 203 applications totaling the amount requested for funding $42,831. We were able to fund 197 kids for a total of $35,940. Thanks to a partnership with the Rivers West District for Sport, Culture and Recreation and Volunteers; Siobhan Gormely, Elaine Poirier, Cindy Tymoruski and Kerilyn Voigt. for helping Creative Kids thrive in the west.

SSFA 55+ Rivers West Committee - The Saskatchewan Senior Fitness Association (SSFA) Rivers West District Committee participates in the 55+ Games. Due to COVID19 both the 2020 Provincial and Canadian 55+ Games will be rescheduled for 2021. In Prince Albert and Kamloops, respectively.

Rivers West District Dream Broker (DDB) program - The DDB Program targets children and youth who are faced with various social and economic challenges that adversely affect their quality of life. These issues create barriers to sport, culture, and recreation such as: economic circumstance, awareness, cultural insensitivity, and access to transportation. Children, youth, and their caregivers are given support to provide greater opportunities that contribute to developing children and youth who are healthy, active, successful members of their community.

This is where the DDB comes in. The DDB works directly with children, youth, and their families from Connaught & Saint Mary’s school in North Battleford to reduce barriers and gain access to existing sport, culture, and recreation activities. Since the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year over 100 students have successfully completed a program or activity with the Dream Broker program. On top of successful completions of existing sport, culture & recreation activities the Dream Broker has been creating in-school programs for students for the past three years. The in- school programs have grown to become the biggest project for the DDB signing up around 250 students each year. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic 6 scheduled Dream Broker in-school 15

programs had to be canceled which would be almost 150 more students. The Dream Broker has used this time to prepare for the upcoming year.

DDB Schools - Connaught School & St. Mary’s School St. Mary School The Dream Broker hired two new service providers this school year – Shanda & Lynal Ernest. Both have helped create & instruct cultural programming. The Powow club was scheduled to start at the end of March 2020 but had to be canceled due to the pandemic. There are plans to start the Pow wow club & have a regalia making club for students starting Fall of 2020. The DDB program and Sask Choral partnered during summer 2019 to host a 5 day-long music camp at Connaught School. The DDB and other camp organizers had less time to register students making it difficult to get the registration numbers up as much as 2018. This year the camp has been canceled as there is no date set for when large groups will be able to gather. The camp will take a different form. Plans are just starting now for the camp to be one session/week for 4 weeks in July or August.

Rivers West District Staff at the St. Mary’s School Round Dance June 2019 Connaught School This year at Connaught we brought several new programs for the kids. With the help local artists Shawn Piller who led Art Journaling, Let’s Get Crafty, Painting with the Masters & Graphic Arts. The Pow Wow Club & Regalia Making Club with Shanda & Lynal were also huge successes. There were a few students who participate in Pow wows here and around the world that were excited to share their talents! Although we had to cancel beading club, Shanda & Lynal are excited to get going once the 2020-2021 school year begins! Each session ran 8 weeks and had 12-24 kids signed up. Each of the classes had specific age groups based on the difficulty of the activity. Snacks were provided for the kids. Many kids had the opportunity to further their artistic abilities or just spend time with their friends after school from 3:30PM-4:45PM. All of the kids were proud to bring home their creations to their families. All instructors were fantastic in their abilities and at teaching different art techniques & cultural traditions & protocols. The DDB program looks forward to working with these three again.

Battlefords KidSport – The DDB is responsible for accepting applications on behalf of KidSport Battlefords. The Battlefords KidSport does three fundraisers every year; fundraising and awareness BBQ (brings in about 4% of total fundraising revenue), lobster sales (about 11%) and Operation Red Nose through the Lions Club (about 85%). KidSport has allocated $40,000 in funding this year helping a total of 428 kids. KidSport did go ahead with lobster sales in the summer of 2019 but noted that it would be the last year that it did so. With COVID-19 restrictions potentially affecting BBQs the planning has been put on hold. There was also a plan for a street hockey tournament fundraiser in the summer of 2020 but will be pushed to summer 2021. 16

KidSport – Did you know? Rivers West District currently has 9 KidSport communities. Those committees, comprised entirely by volunteers, assisted 937 children in 2019-2020 to the tune of $135,135. The top 5 funded sports, across the Province, were hockey, soccer, gymnastics, basketball, and lacrosse. The Battlefords – funded 428 kids for a total of $39,837 Biggar & Area – funded 35 kids for a total of $6,879 Eston – funded 15 kids for a total of $3,537 Kerrobert – funded 20 kids for a total of $2,150 Kindersley – funded 31 kids for a total of $7,475 Lloydminster – funded 127 kids for a total of $46,447 Meadow Lake – funded 86 kids for a total of $15,871 Rosetown & Area – funded 140 kids for a total of $6,168 Unity – funded 55 kids for a total of $6,879 KidSport Saskatchewan – http://www.kidsportcanada.ca/saskatchewan/

Volunteer Recognition Awards - Our 11th Annual Volunteer Recognition Program (VRP) Banquet was to be held in North Battleford in April of 2020. Unfortunately, the banquet and awards ceremony had to be cancelled. Matt Jacques, a talented photographer from North Battleford, created our one-of-a-kind awards. Congratulations to all the recipients!

2020 Award Recipients: (from left to right, top to bottom) Amber L’Heureux, Glaslyn – Female Athlete of the Year Joanne Rivers Wing, North Battleford – Artist of the Year Sesula Mineral & Gem Museum, Radisson – Museum of the Year Adam Franko, Luseland – Recreation Professional of the Year Lloydfest 2019, Lloydminster – Development and Promotion Reece Gilbert, Unity – Male Athlete of the Year Candice Kraft, Luseland – Recreation Professional of the Year Luseland Credit Union Community Swimming Pool – Facility of the Year Shawn Piller, North Battleford – Service Provider of the Year (DDB) Jill McKenzie, Hillmond – Over- All Volunteer of the Year Russell Fersch, Elrose – Coach of the Year 2019 SPRA Annual Conference (featuring Elizabeth Manley & Kendal Netmaker), North Battleford – Event of the Year

Thank You!

Mobile Playground Program (MPP) - The Mobile Playground Program (MPP) provides children from the Rivers West District, who do not have access to any other recreation programs, a day of organized, fun activities. The program is available during the summer school break Monday to Friday and member communities have the option of choosing a full day of their choice by selecting 1 (one) day in July and 1 (one) day in August. If there are extra days left over after all the communities have booked, then the communities who expressed an interest in booking more than two days will be contacted. Two communities may combine for one day to ensure there are enough children to meet the minimum requirements. The summer of 2019 we conducted 33 community visitations with 524 children participating in the program, 276 females and 248 males. Rivers West appreciates the volunteer help in each community that partner to administer the program. Communities that participated included Borden, Cutknife, Dodsland, Edam, Eatonia, Eston, Elrose, Hafford, Harris, Kerrobert, Kindersley, Lloydminster, Luseland, Marsden, Marshall, Milden, North Battleford, Paradise Hill, Pierceland, St. Walburg, Wilkie. 2019 Mobile Playground Coordinators

Jenna Kelsey Fouhy Peterson

Tyra Daneille Smith Legasy

The 2020 Saskatchewan Summer Games have been postponed until July 18th, 2021 to July 24th, 2021 and will still be held in Lloydminster, Saskatchewan. The Host Community continues to work with Games Manager, Nicole Clow, to plan the best Games yet! Lloydminster previously hosted the SSG in 2008. There will be 15 different sports featured at the 2020 SSG. Archery, Athletics, Baseball, Basketball, Canoe Kayak, Golf, Rugby, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Swimming Special Olympics, Tennis, Triathlon, Wheelchair Basketball, and Volleyball. The potential Athlete/Coach/Manager numbers participating in the 2021 SSG is 2,232. There will also be approximately 72 Mission Staff which will make up the 9 District Teams participating. Add to these numbers the Officials, VIPs, parents and spectators and Lloydminster will be a busy place!

Coaching Assistance Program - Rivers West District identified a need to assist coaches in obtaining various levels of coaching certification. In the rural areas of Saskatchewan, it is sometimes a challenge to ensure that a minimum of 10 participants enrol in a NCCP Clinic. Rivers West District developed an assistance program to help coaches offset costs associated with traveling to the larger centres to participate in NCCP clinics and CAAWS workshops not offered in the rural areas. Nine of our District coaches took advantage of the Coaching Assistance Program (CAP) to upgrade their coaching certification outside of the District in 2019-2020. Sport, Culture & Recreation Event and Partnership Building Program - This program was put in place to help communities offset the costs of hosting events, workshops, clinics and training sessions in their communities. Events we supported this past year were: Speed Swimming Provincials – Rosetown, SK Firefighters Banquet – Turtleford, SK 50th Anniversary – Hillmond, SK Trail Ride – Norbion, SK Community Day – Lashburn, SK Soccer Program – North Battleford, SK Hockey Program – North Battleford, SK Picnic in the Park – Resort Village of Kivima Moonlight Bay, SK Fish Fry – Waseca, SK Festival Day – Frenchman Butte, SK Harvest Family Festival – Rosetown, SK Moms & Tots Play – Paradise Hill, SK Community Day – Waseca, SK Heritage Christmas – Waseca, SK Fibre Fair – Biggar, SK Round Dance – Connaught School, North Battleford, SK Round Dance – St. Mary’s School, North Battleford, SK Send Off to Summer – North Battleford, SK 2019 Western Canadian U16 Softball Championships – Biggar, SK Aquatic Centre Grand Opening – Kindersley, SK Missoula Children’s Theatre – Kyle, SK Christmas Eve Skate – Waseca, SK NB International Street Performer Festival – North Battleford, SK Art Classes – St. Walburg, SK Art Therapy Classes – Canadian Mental Health, North Battleford, SK

Culture Awareness Programs - Saskatchewan Arts Board staff, Carol Greyeyes, Consultant for Artists-in-Communities and Indigenous Arts & Artists Programs and Alex Rogalski, Program Consultant, conducted a Grant Programs’ workshop in North Battleford (similar to what was being offered in Regina and Saskatoon) on March 5th for an audience of twenty-six. We had a great afternoon with artists, community members, school staff, etc. in attendance. Special thanks to Peggy Harper, Guidance Councillor at Eagleview School, for her presentation. Peggy is one of the three women who were instrumental in creating the Virtues Project for Onion Lake Cree Nation’s community. Peggy gave a heartfelt explanation about what has been completed and what the next steps are for their Project.

Diversity & Inclusion – In 2019, Rivers West District has created a plan to become more inclusive and to reach a more diverse cross section of our District. We strive for equitable inclusion in all that we offer. Part of that plan is to offer our staff the opportunity to participate in unique and varied opportunities that will enhance their knowledge and understanding of the diverse cultures that comprise our District. Some of the learning opportunities and events that we participated in, included the following: Two-day Mental Health First Aid Training that was attended in St. Walburg in April. Lakeland College provided a venue for a Poverty Simulation event that staff attended on May 9th. This experience is designed to help participants to understand what it might be like to live in a typical low-income family trying to survive from month to month. The task of the “families” (volunteers are placed in the various roles of both family and community resource members) is to provide the basic necessities and shelter during the four, fifteen minute “weeks”. Attendance at the Taste of Culture in North Battleford sponsored by the Battleford Immigration and Resource Centre. A Reconciliation Gathering was held at the Clayton McLain Memorial Museum grounds in Cut Knife on May 5th. The respectful event provided learning opportunities throughout the day as the Museum, Little Pine First Nation, Lucky Man Cree Nation and Parks Canada together acknowledged 140 years since the Treaty signing. Bonnie also had the privilege of attending a Feast on September 9th at Fort Pitt Historic Site. Attendance at the Chief Poundmaker Exoneration Ceremony at Poundmaker First Nation. Attendance of all staff at the St. Mary’s School Round Dance in North Battleford. Attendance at the Tony Cote Summer Games at Flying Dust First Nation. Bonnie was delighted to attend the Pre-event activities at Old Humboldt and Day 1 of the Saskatchewan History and Folklore’s asohtewak-Hearts Walking Together: Humboldt to Fort Carlton Trail Walk in mid August. We covered fourteen miles in the Humboldt/Bruno area visiting and enjoying the beautiful county side. The Walk spanned from August 16th- 24th. As organizer Hugh Henry stated, “One gets a good sense of the land, its history and people at 4 km per hour. It’s an ideal opportunity for ‘anyone’ to become ‘someone’”. Participation in the Virtues & Belonging Project’s Opening Ceremony at Onion Lake Cree Nation. In October, Bonnie attended the Wicihitowin Indigenous Engagement Conference in Saskatoon. This Conference has been attended by other staff in previous years. Heart of Treaty Six - Rivers West District and the RM of Frenchman Butte No. 501 jointly hosted the September meeting of the Lloydminster HOT 6 group in the Hamlet of Frenchman Butte. The event’s participants were able to share ideas throughout the meeting and enjoy the scenic view from the Museum during the lunch break. Museum tours were available after the meeting. Bonnie continues to be a member of this committee.

Culture Days 2019-2020 - Rivers West District worked with SaskCulture to promote Culture Days- Animate Your Community $1000 grant. Two Expressions of Interest were received from communities within the District and, at the end of August, SaskCulture announced that Rabbit Lake Library had been awarded $600 and Pierceland Library would receive $400. Rivers West continues to support other communities in the District through promotion and advertising of their Culture Days events. This year, Elrose, Lloydminster, Meadow Lake, Herschel, North Battleford, Pierceland, and Battleford all participated in Culture Days 2019. 20

SPRA Enhanced Member Support Initiative - Through our participation in this initiative we have been afforded the opportunity to enhance our programming and services to our members. The following programs and services are a direct result of our partnership with SPRA on this intiative.

Community Visitations - The District continues to travel to our communities to meet the people who are directly involved in providing sport, culture and recreation programs and services in their communities. To accomplish these visitations, we employ various methods such as: personal visits by the Executive Director, conducting workshops and clinics in the communities, our participation in committees such as the West Central Municipal Government Committee and through our traveling Mobile Playground Program. We continue to build our extensive community profiles, complete with pictures of facilities and unique features of the community. Through our personal visitations and meetings, 203 separate client consultations/point of contact consultations were made with District communities and 42 District and Provincial organizations were informed of our programs and services in 2019-2020. We have built a strong communication network that informs our members about Rivers West District and our Global partners through these visitations.

Facility Operator Support Program - The purpose of the Program is to provide financial assistance and support to organizations, communities, and individuals to attend training and educational opportunities specific to the operation and management of recreational facilities within the boundaries of Rivers West District. Rivers West District acknowledges that recreation facilities are crucial to the development and provision of sport, culture and recreation programs and services. In order to operate these facilities in the most effective and efficient manner possible, facility staff must be kept current on all aspects of facility maintenance and operations. Through the Facility Operator Support Program Rivers West District is able to provide some funding support to meet this goal. In 2019-2020, Rivers West District supported 17 facility workers from 9 communities in upgrading their skills. in motion - Rivers West District continues to be a member of the Lloydminster in motion Committee through attendance by a staff member at their meetings throughout the year. One of the Committee’s initiatives in 2019/2020 was the screening of Why we Cycle, with conversations around using a bicycle for a main source of commuting and/or for recreation. Provincial in motion staff, Marnie Forsberg and Brenden Branscombe, led Active Saskatchewan/Saskatchewan in Motion provincial profile discussions in Lloydminster during November.

Grant Writing Workshops - Rivers West District hosted four Grant Writing Workshops during the year. As a follow-up to the Lloydminster Heart of Treaty 6 (HOT 6) Committee’s request, Sask Culture’s Outreach Coordinator, Dominga Robinson, provided Grant Writing tips and Sask Culture info to eleven participants on June 3rd. Dominga also facilitated a similar workshop in North Battleford for Mosquito First Nation community members. When Dominga was invited to host a Culture information session for Mosquito First Nation’s Chief and Council, she included the District through Cindy and Bonnie. On November 20th, Wendy Plandowski, of Lloydminster, shared her Grant Writing knowledge with eleven community members at a workshop in Onion Lake. 21

Strategic Planning Workshops - The District responded to a request from the Clayton McLain Memorial Museum in Cut Knife for Strategic Planning for their Board. Lloydminster businesswomen, Glenys Reeves-Gibbs and Wendy Plandowski, facilitated the full day, January workshop for the ten participants. “It was an exceptionally helpful day and process. I really appreciate the skill, experience and knowledge of Glenys and Wendy. They are excellent facilitators!!” - participant

Financial Management for Non-Profit Organizations Workshop - On January 25th, thirteen keen participants gathered in Meota to learn about Financial Management from Lloydminster businesswoman, Wendy Plandowski.

Training programs – HIGH FIVE and Play Leadership Workshops – On April 10th, Crystal Clarke facilitated PHCD training for 13 Meadow Lake Emergency Home staff members. The City of Lloydminster partnered with the District to bring Principles of Healthy Childhood Development (PHCD) training to twenty-two individuals on June 4th. The following day, again under the guidance of Candace Dustan, fourteen people received Play Leadership instruction. On June 8th and 9th, in conjunction with the City of North Battleford, the District hosted a weekend workshop with facilitator, Candace Dustan, offering PHCD (12 participants) and Play Leadership training (11 participants) at the Don Ross Centre. Strengthening Children’s Mental Health (SCMH) - On September 22nd, eight people joined facilitator, Crystal Clarke, in North Battleford to learn more about what they can do to Strengthen Children’s Mental Health.

Recreation Practitioners support – Recreation Practitioners’ meetings/ Friends Around the Table Gathering - On November 1st, in Borden, Rivers West District hosted a Community Engagement Today workshop with Brenda Robinson (The Robcan Group) facilitating. Brenda presented to an audience of twenty-seven which included both youth and adults.

Social Media workshops - On February 20th, Em Ironstar, Community Engagement Coordinator for the Museums Association of Saskatchewan, led a full day, Social Media Workshop at Biggar Museum & Gallery with nineteen eager participants.

Event Planning and Marketing Workshop - Shelley Thoen-Chaykoski conducted an engaging workshop for 23 participants at the Don Ross Centre, North Battleford, on May 27th. Attendees travelled from Lloydminster, Lashburn, Borden (to name just a few communities) and from the Battlefords. Shelley facilitated the same workshop for seventeen people on September 23rd at the Biggar Museum & Gallery.

Lakeland Library Region Branch Workshop - At the invitation of Colin Evans, Community Services Librarian, Cindy, and Bonnie attended the Region’s May 31st event. We were able to share information about the benefits of purchasing Rivers West District’s membership: Volunteer Recognition Program, Mobile Playground visits, workshops, access to the Event and Partnership Building Grant, and much more!

Partnerships Sport Medicine & Science Council of Saskatchewan (SMSCS) Saskatchewan Health Region West Central Municipal Government Committee District Dream Broker Advisory Committee KidSport Battlefords Creative Kids Battlefords Provincial Sport, Culture & Recreation Districts Provincial Eligible Cultural Organizations Provincial Sport Governing Bodies Provincial Recreation Organizations Sask Sport Inc. SaskCulture Inc. Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association Inc.

Saskatchewan Games Council City of Lloydminster City of North Battleford Town of Battleford in motion Lloydminster Multicultural Council of Saskatchewan The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, Saskatchewan Division Battleford Boys & Girls Club Battlefords Youth Network Saskatchewan History and Folklore Society Heart of Treaty Six (HOT 6)