Message From Your Local Branch President

Our wonderful warm days certainly ended abruptly but it really is amazing to see groves of yellow trees still displaying their fall foliage. On my highway travels during the past month, I have marveled at the prairie scenery in the morning light where endless fields and hills are dotted with cattle, a few sheep, combines, and farmyards-- all a reminder of why we choose to live in these vast flat landscapes.

On a recent trip to Calgary, I stopped to visit Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park, a site situated on 2000 acres dedicated to the signing of the 1877 Treaty No. 7 located eight kilometres south of Highway #1, at the Cluny turnoff east of Gleichen. Perched high on a hill above the Bow River, the museum displaying Blackfoot cultural artifacts is well worth a visit. Various walking trails lead to overlooks of the valley, a tipi village, Chief Crowfoot’s last tipi, Crowfoot’s cemetery, a buffalo jump, and the Earthlodge dig site. Standing on the hilltop surrounded by the beauty and solitude is a very moving experience.

While in Calgary, I visited the Martin Family Legacy Garden, a Dementia-Inclusive park in Dover, SE Calgary, the only park of its kind in Canada. Providing a welcoming space for individuals living with dementia, plus their loved ones and caregivers, the park is an amazing arrangement of three coloured loops (handrails and sidewalk stripes) that enable individuals to walk safely both individually and with caregivers. Flower gardens in the loops are arranged in corresponding colours. Details in the design of the park are truly amazing and worth seeing.

Last week I spent several days with high school students who gathered at the Museum of Human Rights in Winnipeg for the Youth Nuclear Peace Summit as well as The Moral Responsibility of Humanity, a dialogue on nuclear threats, human security, social justice, international law, and our responsibility to future generations. As a former researcher for education implications for peace education, I found these topics pertinent for every secondary student, for these young people are our future.

Back home again, cooler weather signifies my soup-making mode. In the recipe section you will find an addition for Chicken Enchilada Soup.

The STS Provincial Executive meets in early November, ending with the Presidents’ Meeting. Executive notes will soon be available.
Do not forget the Luncheon on Wednesday, November 18!

🍴 Get Ready for the Next Luncheon

STS Moose Jaw Superannuated Teachers LUNCHEON

Wednesday, November 18, 2026
10:30 – 10:45 — Coffee
10:45 — Speaker: Author Marie Donais Calder (copies of her books will be available for purchase)
• Check out her website: http://www.mariedonaiscalder.com/
12:00 — Turkey Dinner - Catered by Charlottes
12:45 — Meeting

Cost: $20.00 per STS member and spouse. $25.00 for non-members

Location:
Masonic Temple Hall
1755 Main St. N.
S6J 1L6
Moose Jaw, SK

Please RSVP to Rosalie by Sunday, November 15, 2026 via email or phone, or click the RSVP Now button below.

Come and Enjoy!

Name: Rosalie M
Phone: (306) 691-0696
Email: stsmoosejaw@gmail.com

📣 Luncheon Guest Speaker: Marie Donais Calder

Author • Speaker • King Charles III Coronation Medal Recipient

​Marie Donais Calder is an author whose stories are rooted in real life, perseverance and the power of connection.

​She is best known for her Other Side series, a collection of young adult and adult historical fiction novels inspired by her father, Edmond Joseph Donais. These books are based on true events and explore the relationships, hardships and hope that shaped lives during and after the Second World War.

Marie also writes children’s books that are filled with warmth, imagination and heart. Her stories invite young readers to explore emotions, kindness and the simple moments that matter most.

Marie is now writing about impactful events in her own life. Sunshine Gone—Marie’s Story takes her readers through her happy early years and into darkness when her dad died. She was only eleven years old. There were no counselors available to assist the grieving little girl. But somehow she came out of the darkness with a fierce determination to utilize her dreadful experience to help others.

Going Blind—Marie’s Story focuses – pardon the pun – on the challenges of diminishing or lost eyesight. She is completely blind in one eye and legally blind in the other. This work serves to offer hope and support to others in her boat. It also serves to assist family and friends of the blind person.

Marie’s work extends beyond writing books. In 2025, she was honoured with the King Charles III Coronation Medal in recognition of her contributions to her community and country. Marie is also a Competent Toastmaster, reflecting her commitment to communication, public speaking, and lifelong learning.

Books will be available for purchase at the luncheon. For more information, please visit her website at http://www.mariedonaiscalder.com

⚕️Did You Know?: Great Health Info from Sunil

Did you know… that you can ask for a rebate for the use of your Health Spending Account (HSA)? All you need to do is phone the STS Office in Saskatoon and request a copy of your premiums paid over the past year to cover the amount of the HSA. Next, you will need to submit this along with a Blue Cross Claim Form, and the funds will be deposited into your account like any other medical claim. (Money back in your pocket!) Or, check the box on a medical claim form to use the HSA. Do this until you have used up all of your HSA. You have until December 31, 2026, to claim the HSA. Make sure you use your funds before the expiry date!

📖 The New Christine Boyczuk Memorial

A new addition to Crescent Park is the Christine Boyczuk memorial. Dedicated on November 2, a large crowd heard thoughtful tributes to a friend and colleague who left us far too soon. Christine’s daughter, Vanessa, was in attendance as we celebrated Christine’s devotion to Early Childhood Education, reading, children’s programs, and the community.

🏡 Have You Moved?

Remember to send the STS your new address whenever you move. Please use the Change of Address Form linked below, from the provincial STS website:

Change of Form Address