The Village of Kenaston council and staff
would like to say thanks to the community for all the energetic and helpful support as we get ready for our communities 100th Birthday. On behalf of the Council and staff of the Village of Kenaston we would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Prosperous and safe New Year.

Trade and Craft Show Report: this year’s show was very successful this year with 40 display tables and several turned away!  The school had a busy lunch hour and over 110 people enjoyed the steak supper. The trade show is under review with the potential for changes in the future. Kindly contact any chamber member if you have suggestions. The trade show project will require a convener for 2010.

Kenaston Souvenirs: Kenaston is sadly lacking in any kind of souvenir for visitors to buy as a memento of their visit.  The Co-Op has an order book for souvenir type items. If businesses or an individual wishes to carry a specialty item and wish to order through the Co-Op, please contact Florence.  Our community businesses should consider the potential for novelty items sales during our 2010 Celebration.  Suggestions can also be brought to the Chamber.

Dinner Theatre:
A planning meeting for the 2010 Dinner Theatre will be held

Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at 7:30pm at Kenaston Place

Please consider attending. We need new ideas and volunteers are needed in every capacity.

Community Food Bank: Food bank donations may be left at any of the local churches or the Riverbend Co-Op. Donation over $10.00 will be receipted and your cheque may be made payable to any local church.

New Year’s Eve Party at the Kenaston Hotel with live band “Neon Blue, snacks and drink specials.  Also, watch for the Hotel’s upcoming Ice Shuffleboard Tournament early in the new year as well as a Sno-Pitch Tournament later.

Please join the

for her traditional Annual Christmas Meet & Greet, Tuesday, December 15th, 2009 at the Kenaston Adams Center (705 3rd Street - Kenaston)
from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Congratulations to Charmaine Tweet:  Charmaine grew up in the Kenaston area (daughter of Rick and Brenda) competed on November 27 for the Muay Thai World title in Bangkok, Thailand. She won the Canadian title this fall which gave her a spot on the Canadian National team. Charmaine competed against 74 other countries.

UPDATE: We have been told that Charmaine won the Muay Thai Gold Medal on Friday, December 4th, in Thailand.

Real Estate – A reminder to anyone selling real estate in or around Kenaston that you can put your property for sale on the Kenaston website for only $20.00.  People looking to buy a rural property do look at the community websites, and a good number of our recent sales have resulted from our on-line listing.  Contact Glen Pavelich – 252-2711 or email gene.glen@sasktel.net.

Vandalism:  A cash reward is being offered by the Kenaston Chamber of Commerce for information that can be substantiated regarding vandalism in the village.  We all need to participate in a community watch.  Confidentiality will be ensured.  Please contact M.L. Whittles with information.

A Kenaston resident recently contacted the business community expressing their concern regarding rocks being thrown at their residence.  Please keep in mind that throwing rocks is an unacceptable behavior.  Every resident has the right to live in a harassment free environment.  Thank you!

 

• December 2nd – Kenaston School Desert Theatre  - 7:00pm
• December 3rd – Senior’s Supper at the Adam’s Centre for members and guests
• December 15th – Christmas Concert by elementary grades at 7:00pm
• December 16th – Blood Donor Clinic. 5:00  - 8:00 p.m. Kenaston Place
• December 18th – Last day of classes
• December 24th – Anglican Service at 8pm
• December 24th – Evangelical Service at 8pm
• December 25th – Catholic Service at 10am
• December 31st – Kenaston Hotel
  New Year’s Eve Party – See details below
• January 4th – School classes commence
• January 12th – Dinner Theater Planning Meeting

2010 Centennial Celebration: Please mark July 2 – 4, 2010 on your calendar and plan to join the celebration of Kenaston’s Centennial.  Registration forms will be available shortly after Christmas for the pancake breakfast, gala supper and brunch.  Now is the time to plan your float for the parade. Please identify the decade that you will represent and register with Cory Ouellette. There will be school and church tours, children’s old fashioned sports day games, slo-pitch, a variety night and ecumenical church service.  This event will have lots of time for socializing and celebrating our shared history.  The Kenaston Hotel will have entertainment on the weekend and we invite any businesses, organizations or individuals to set up a booth to serve lunch on the street on Saturday at noon and plan any other events you wish!  We will have street tents and table available, but do let us know what your plans are.  Contact Susan Anholt regarding the street fare! 2010 information will be again left at the Canada Post office and we invite you to mail information to past residents with your Christmas cards. A pdf will also be posted on the Kenaston website which can be sent as an attachment to your Kenaston email contacts.

A mailing will be sent to past residents in January. Our thanks is extended to Gene Pavelich, Leonard and the RM of McCraney crew and for installing the 2010 sign posts and signage on Highway 11. 

Smart Tables: (Excerpt from article by ML Whittles)
The Kenaston School has taken the lead in ensuring that our children have been given a head start with every advantage possible.  Technology is rapidly changing in every aspect of our lives and it became very apparent last year in the Sun West School Division with the introduction of SmartBoards, a tool used when the Kenaston School expanded its role as an educating institution in the fall of 2008 by taking on the role as the Sun West Distance Learning Centre.  Both print based correspondence courses as well as online broadcasts of live classes are available to students within the Division.

The fall of 2009 sees the advent of the SmartTable in Kenaston.  The SmartTable is a collaborative learning centre that requires students to work together on a problem and come to a consensus before proceeding.  The Kenaston School will be the first in the Sun West School Division to have a SmartTable and an Open House kicked off the community fund drive.  Thanks to donations, the school has purchased two SmartTables and is fund raising for a third.  The Chamber has responded by donating $500.00. For those requiring taxable donation receipts, cheques may be made payable to Sun West School Division.  Contact Carol at the school for further details.
‘Our goal is to create a technology rich environment for all our students so that they are prepared for the world they will grow into’, says Principal Gasper.  The Smart Tables real strength comes from the opportunities for collaborative learning amongst the group of students using it and for the variety of ways that it can present learning activities that hold the students interest – visual, auditory and hands on learning.

The elementary teachers who volunteered to participate in the Pilot Program were Linda Purves –Kindergarten and Grade 1; Cindy Menzies – Grade 2; Carol Butcher, Kim Johnson and Shannon Libke – Grades 3, 4, 5 and 6. 

Community Symbol Project: the community symbol project for the highway will be the next project to move ahead. A project leader is required. Contact ML Whittles if you are interested in taking on this project.

Welcome Baskets:  Our welcome baskets to new Kenaston residents and businesses will now be delivered by Della Siroski and Theresa Owen.  Thank you to this new team for volunteering for this important Chamber of Commerce activity.

Village News: Loraas Disposal Services wishes to advise all our valued customers that, due to landfill engineering considerations and Ministry of Environment regulations certain items are not permitted in waste containers. A full list of prohibited items will be inserted with the Dec 31st, 2009 water & sewer bill.