Swarming with support: Estevan Minor Football’s work bee tackled field upgrades

Estevan Minor Football had a successful work bee over the weekend, completing numerous projects in preparation for the upcoming season. Volunteers tackled several tasks, including painting locker rooms, repairing showers and sinks, and cleaning the kitchen, announcer tower, and washrooms.

About 50 volunteers participated, said Pat Ford, president of Estevan Minor Football. “It was probably one of the best work bees I’ve been involved with over the years with minor football.”

On Friday, the organization introduced the Turf Tank, a new piece of equipment designed to streamline operations. “It does a lot of work for us now, which has reduced the time needed for painting,” Ford said. He noted that this will save significant time in the future.

“Previously, it took about 8 to 10 hours to set up the field. Once the lines are painted, it usually takes about 3 hours to maintain them, provided the paint does not fade after the grass grows,” Ford explained. He and Kevin Mortenson had shared this duty in the past.

The announcer tower also received an update, with the Wall of Fame mounted to face the field at Woodlawn. Sheila Leach, Marco Ricci, Brian Senchuk, Brian Smith, Lynn Chipley, Valerie Paulson, Bill Paulson, Wanda Harron, Dave Harron, Shanelle Rioux, and Steve McLellan were all recognized on the tower for their contributions to the football community.

The first games of the season are scheduled for this weekend, with teams travelling to Moose Jaw. “We’ve got a few more touch-ups to do, and we should be ready to go,” Ford said.