Half way through summer already hoping yours has been a great one. Gardens and yards are looking fantastic with a great preliminary layer of moisture followed by some growing power provided by the heat.
The Bantam Panthers competed at provincials last weekend in Kindersley and came out with the gold medal. This tops off a very successful softball season for the Panthers as the squirts captured third/bronze in their quest July 1 weekend, followed by the peewees' gold medal in their home win of the Peewee C title July 8 weekend. The midgets earned a third/bronze placing in their provincials, as well as winning the Battlefords Ladies' League title.
The diamonds will remain busy as baseball is in the last leg of preparations prior to their provincial playdowns. As well the bantam team competing in the Summer Games will be practising and preparing for that event. In addition you may catch glimpses of the junior team as they prepare for their Western championships coming up in Moose Jaw. And the senior Cardinals have got to the first playoff round in the NSRBL.
This weekend, July 22, tryouts will also be held in Unity for bantam-aged girls and boys to form a Zone 7 girls' team and a Zone 7 boys' team, to compete at the annual Fall Ball Zone Provincial Championship to be held in Moosomin September long weekend. The inaugural event was held in Unity last year and was a huge success. Local softball coach Brent Weber will be coaching this year's Zone 7 team along with long-time coach Don Robertson.
Don't forget, if your kids are bored, Unity offers a summer fun program for kids ages 5 - 11 each weekday from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 - 4 p.m. to August 10 at the Unity Community Centre. And every Wednesday is movie night from 7 - 9 p.m. This program offers a variety of activities for kids to help them spend the summer safely with others in a reasonably priced program.
In this heat wave the swimming pool is one of the best places to cool off. Session two of swimming lessons take place in the mornings. The pool is open for public swimming each afternoon and evening, as well as offering weekday aqua-size classes.
The golf course is always ready for your golfing experience. Whether you are a recreational or serious golfer, tee times can be booked through the clubhouse. Why not check out this nine-hole oasis today? It is the home of junior national qualifier, Justin Wood.
Kids, don't forget to head down to the library for Summer Reading Fun. Posters and booklets were handed out to elementary kids to encourage them to enjoy their local library and keep their reading skills fine-tuned over the summer.
Unity and District Heritage Museum is open for visitors. Why not take your guests there when you have visitors in town? The museum committee works diligently to have all buildings and equipment ready for visitors throughout the summer.
And, runners and walkers are encouraged to start preparations for the third annual Candace Heitt Memorial Run that will take place in September. Registrations can be taken now by contacting Donna Boser. Funds raised from this event are earmarked for the walking paths at the health centre to benefit patients and long-term care residents, as well as anyone else who wishes to take advantage of the walk in nature.
Next week, Thursday, July 26 is the date for the second annual community picnic. All events will take place in the regional park. The barbecue will begin at 5 p.m. There is plenty of local entertainment for attendees to enjoy from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.. The Summer Fun Centre staff are hosting kids' games and activities from 5 - 7 p.m. There will also be the always popular bouncy castles.
To promote Saskatchewan Culture Days in September, Sask. Culture is sponsoring a professional storyteller who will be hosting a workshop for the kids as well as benefitting the crowd with her professional storytelling skills. The committee is also thrilled to be hosting the dog agility show, which was a big hit at this year's Canada Day celebrations. And, if you want to be part of some action, there is a bocce ball tournament open to anyone -- contact Nicole at the town office to register.
The proceeds from the barbecue are earmarked for the local arts and culture grant program which benefits youth who cannot afford to be involved in programs in the community that are not sports-related but still have a cost associated with them (such as Girl Guides or Brownies).
Nicole Goldsworthy says, "If it rains, which we all know from this past few weeks of unpredictable weather, there will be a PLAN B (curling rink)." However she is confident that sunshine will accompany this fantastic community event as it did last year.
All events, other than the barbecue are absolutely free. It is a terrific family, multi-generational event that is sure to have something of interest for everyone. It's your chance to come out and enjoy the beautiful surroundings of the regional park, enjoy a visit with your neighbour and have some fun while you're out there.
Whether you are travelling to a wedding, a family reunion or a summer vacation, take care out there as summer brings increased traffic of all sizes and it is better to arrive alive than suffer the consequences of carelessness that come with being in a hurry.
Coffee row folks always have plenty of topics on the table. With three wins, Rider fans are very excited at the winning look to this year's Rider squad which creates the Rider excitement we have come to know and love. Of course the weather topic is never off the table, especially with all the severe weather warnings, and the heat wave we have experienced. So, you see we keep busy in Unity with activities and wisdom from our friends on coffee row. Until next week ...
