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This week's editorial

Joan Ritchie's editorial from this week's issue of The Moose Jaw Express
Editorial_JoanRitchie
Editorial by Joan Ritchie, editor

The Moose Jaw Express' 9th edition of the Explore Moose Jaw magazine is hot off the press and will be delivered to your door in this edition. It certainly was compiled in interesting times during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, most annual events to take place have been cancelled, but we at the Express have endeavoured to bring you what information was available, as well as maybe some new options to consider. We hope you enjoy it. 

*****    

Wow!  What great participation and support there was on Canada Day when hundreds of Moose Javians paraded their prized vehicles up and down Main Street, as well as the hundreds of on-lookers who eagerly social-distanced  to catch a glimpse. Personally, I don’t remember ever seeing that much traffic on Main...

Notably, there were 85 other vehicles that participated in the Canada Day Scavenger Hunt, too  

Thanks to Jody Chell and Krista McDonald, Brandon Richardson, and Moose Jaw Express/MooseJawToday.com staff Wanda Hallborg and Gladys Baigent-Therens for their facilitation and hands-on work, as well as to Moose Jaw Express and a number of local businesses who sponsored this year’s Canada Day celebrations. All of the registration fees for the car show are to be given directly back to the Moose Jaw & District Food Bank, topped up by the Moose Jaw Express for a total of $3,500. A big thanks goes to the Kinsmen Club of Moose Jaw for their sponsorship of the fireworks. They went off with a big bang! Good job all!

*****

Through the ongoing pandemic, it has been a good time to reflect on how grateful we are for our health care providers, including paramedics. Here in Moose Jaw and also the province, we can be so thankful for the work they do. Congratulations to Angela Sereda, a member of the Moose Jaw & District EMS who compiled an article “Individually Strong, Collectively Influential” that featured female paramedics locally and across the province and was included in the 2019 women’s issue of Canadian Paramedicine. The MJ & District EMS team currently has approximately 10 female paramedics out of a total of 25 within the province. 

In dealing with trauma and life and death situations, you are a special breed of individuals.  We appreciate the work you do and thank you very much for the care you give. 

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And then there is Moose Jaw Police Service’s four-legged version of compassion, Kane the yellow Labrador retriever and his handler Donna Blondeau that provide comfort during stressful situations to both children and adults.  A big thanks goes out to Ms. Blondeau on the book that was recently released that is to be distributed free to families within the Public and Catholic School Divisions later this fall, if and when school resumes. 

*****

Thinking of our Saskatchewan farmers and the continued stress they endure year-in/year-out when their livelihood depends on so many variables that are out of their control, it is great to see the Ministry of Agriculture launch an app that will be an integral support to farmers’ mental health. 

Calls to the province’s farm stress line doubled in 2018-2019, but this year with the additional stress of the pandemic, it is expected that farmers’ tensions will increase into the future.       

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.  



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