Just a Gal from Glidden: Striving, Serving, and Shining
By Kate Winquist
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been thinking a lot about what to write—and I’ve noticed something: the more I write, the easier it seems to get. I suppose that’s true of most things we try to accomplish in life. Practice, perseverance, and dedication—these are the ingredients of progress, whether in sports, music, service, or any pursuit we hold dear.
Take music, for example. Five students from Eatonia and Kindersley were recently chosen to represent their schools in the 2025 Saskatchewan Music Educators Association (SMEA) Honours Band—a well-deserved recognition of countless hours of practice. Or consider Simeon Bakanec from the Kerrobert/Kindersley area. After years of skating and training, he qualified for the Skate Canada Trophy, a national figure skating competition to be held in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, in February 2026. Simeon is the only Saskatchewan Novice Men’s Freeskater representing Team Saskatchewan.
Kate Winquist, the Gal from Glidden
Then there’s former Rosetown Royals receiver Daniel Wiebe, named 2025 Canada West Football Player of the Year for his standout season with the Saskatchewan Huskies. Wiebe led the conference in receptions, yards, and touchdowns, helping the Huskies reach the 60th Vanier Cup this Saturday at Mosaic Stadium in Regina. And speaking of Mosaic Stadium, the Saskatchewan Roughriders will be playing for the Grey Cup tomorrow. Former Kindersley resident Logan Ferland, a steady anchor on the Riders’ offensive line, was recently honoured with the CFL’s prestigious Jake Gaudaur Veterans’ Award—recognizing a player who embodies strength, perseverance, courage, comradeship, and community impact.
Awards and recognition are wonderful. We all enjoy a pat on the back. Last week, I was humbled by emails, phone calls, and even a few people stopping me on the street to say they appreciated my Remembrance Day coverage. I imagine the students in the Honours Band felt the same pride seeing their accomplishments in print and online. But more than the accolades, what truly matters is what drives us—what motivates us to do our best, show gratitude, and push ourselves when we could just as easily stop.
And it’s not just about sports and entertainment. Volunteers quietly strengthen our communities in ways that often go unnoticed. Darlene May and the Kindersley Royal Purple continue to raise funds through events like Braingo Tango. Danit Vass received the Canadian Forces Decoration, marking 12 years of dedicated service. The Junior Rotary Club brings joy to seniors at Dawnview Apartments with monthly bingo visits. And then there are the Luthis of Rosetown: father Arnold, 73, a veteran of Canadian peacekeeping in Egypt, and son Rylan, 27, who has served two tours in Latvia with the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry. They remind us that service, commitment, and sacrifice span generations.
And these are just the stories we’ve learned about in the past couple of weeks! Look around you, and you’ll find countless people making a difference in your community. We enjoy sharing these accomplishments, big or small, with our readers because, as I’ve said before, they are the stories that matter—they’re ours.
Whether through music, sport, volunteering, or military service, each of these people demonstrates what it means to strive, serve, and shine. And perhaps the greatest reward isn’t the awards themselves, but the sense of purpose, growth, and community they inspire.