Season 4
Late in winter of 2026 I spoke with Alvin Law about Yorkton’s Snowarama, a longtime fundraiser for what is now SaskAbilities. Each year the Council would name a Timmy, someone who represented the council at events and was the ambassador on behalf of the so-called “handicapped” community of the province. Alvin was the Timmy in 1976, at the age of 16.
Alvin was born without arms, one of about 125 in Canada whose mother was prescribed thalidomide. He has since become a well-known motivational speaker, who has travelled the world from his home base in Calgary, providing a positive message to audiences while also amazing them by playing the piano and drums.
I knew of his parents, Hilda and Jack Law, but didn’t know them personally. So when I talked to Alvin back in February, I suggested we should do a podcast – not about him, but about the couple who first became his foster parents, then adopted him. At the time they were in their mid-50s. They had raised two sons who had moved out and away to start careers and their own families. They were empty nesters. But they took on a task most would not even consider, let alone do… caring for a newborn baby with no arms.
Leadership lessons from my dad on Alvin's website
Tribute to Hilda Law, by Alvin Law
Jack Law and Remembrance Day, by Alvin Law
Alvin's Laws of Life: 5 steps to successfully overcome anything, book by Alvin Law published in 2007
Thalidomide survivor says Canadians should 'trust the science' on vaccines, CBC Radio, May 6, 2019
Yorkton thalidomide survivor, musician and motivational speaker's story goes viral, CBC News, by Bryan Eneas, Dec. 27, 2019
Speakers Bureau of Canada - Alvin Law
In the very earliest years of Yorkton in the 1880s, the pioneer residents in the village and on the farms either had their own cows for milk, or bought it from farmers.
By 1891, a group of residents saw the possibility of establishing a dairy to distribute milk, but that only lasted a couple of years because some of the shareholders did not come up with funds when needed to continue the operation. In 1895, local businessman James Crerar had another go at setting up a creamery, but he went out of business in 1902.
After that, it is said, as many as 14 farmers made their way into the village to sell their milk, butter and whatever other dairy products they produced on the farm.
This is the story of milk processing in Yorkton, which went from farmers selling their milk to -- at one time -- five or more creameries and dairies processing milk locally (and more than 40 dairies in the province), to today, when there is only one plant in Saskatchewan processing milk.
Creameries and dairies in Yorkton: a historic timeline
Barbara Peet, Yorkton's modern milkmaid, story in the Winnipeg Tribune by Colleen Bailey, 1968
City Dairy history by Cecil Peet
The workings of the dairy industry, a speech by Cecil Peet to a Rotary Club, date unknown
Map of plants operated by Saskatchewan Co-op Creameries, 1944
The Facts About the Saskatchewan Co-op Creamery Association Limited, a booklet published by the co-op in 1944
Dairy merger sees plants specialize, Western Producer, Feb. 1, 1996
Vi-Co, a Milk By Any Other Name, on a personal blog, 1999
Vi-Co on Grokipedia
Saputo Canada Sector website
Saskatchewan Dairy Industry, Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan
Dairy Farming, Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan
City Dairy
Saskatchewan Co-op Creamery / Dairy Producers Co-op
Saskatchewan Co-op Creamery / Dairy Producers Co-op
Saskatchewan Co-op Creamery / Dairy Producers Co-op
Sherry Whitehawk has eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. For most grandparents that’s where the counting stops. Not so for Sherry.
For clarification: many still know her as Sherryl and still call her that, but she will explain how that additional letter in her first name came about, and why it is no longer there.
Since her retirement from a career in social work and very active volunteer participation in community and Indigenous organizations, she became a story-teller known as Grandma Sherry, talking about her childhood and youth growing up on a reserve in southwest Manitoba, and touching on many indigenous aspects of life.
She is also grandma now to literally tens of thousands of people who subscribe to her TikTok channel, where she has 250,000 followers and almost two and a half million likes. Plus some thousands more on Facebook and Instagram.
This spring and summer, Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) Language channel is showing a series of 13 half-hour programs called Grandma Sherry’s Kitchen – a cooking show that was recorded in Yorkton last year.
Grandma Sherry, who three years ago had those 10 grand- and great-grandchildren, is now everybody’s grandma.
Grandma Sherry's TikTok channel with almost 250,000 followers.
Grandma Sherry's Kitchen APTN series TikTok channel
Grandma Sherry's Kitchen on the APTN website
Grandma Sherry's Kitchen on Instagram
When Linda Cymbalisty graduated from the high school in Canora, Saskatchewan in 1968, she did what many young people from smaller towns do – moved to the big city for further her education, or to work. In Linda’s case it was first a year at the University of Winnipeg, then a move to the University of Manitoba, enrolled in arts with a major in psychology.
That fall of 1968 she had met a young man from Grandview, Manitoba, Joseph Skomorowki, who had also moved to Winnipeg. Two years later they were married. Joe was apprenticing to be a plumber, and they decided what they really wanted, after a few years in Winnipeg, was to move back to a smaller town, set up their own plumbing business, and return to their rural roots.
Part of that plan was a decision by Linda that she would quit university and become a plumber herself! As it turned out, that was easier said than done – much, much easier said than done.
Letter from Red River College voicing "some reluctance" about Linda taking the plumbing course.
Letter from doctor attesting to the suitability of "this girl" as required by Red River College.
Letters from plumbing firms in Winnipeg indicating willingness to hire a female plumber, as required by Red River College for Linda to be considered for admission.
Letter of recommendation from instructor at Assiniboine Community College where Linda eventually enrolled and completed her course.
Winnipeg Free Press article, 1973
Letter from Education Minister Lorne Hepworth appointing her to the Saskatchewan Apprenticeship Program Equity Plan Steering Committee, 1988
Women in Trades News, 1982 story about Linda Skomorowski.
Links related to apprenticeship and women in the trades:
The demographics of the skilled trades workforce in Canada: Insights from the 2021 census, by the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum, 2023
Changes in the population of tradespeople between 2016 and 2021, Statistics Canada report, 2024
Where have all the tradespeople gone? on the website Insights with Ken Jenkins, 2007
Celebrating Women in Plumbing, on the website of Intown Plumbing in Royce City, TX
Breaking Barriers in the Trades, on the website of Envol Strategies, the story of Mary-Ann Bowcott, the owner of Westcom Plumbing and Gas Ltd. on Vancouver Island.
Website of the Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating (CIPH)
CBC story of Ontario's first female plumber, several years after Linda Skomorowski became Canada's first.
In 1997 Gene Krepekavich, the longtime Yorkton Terrier booster, volunteer and club president for six seasons published the history of the first 25 years of the junior Terriers hockey team. It starts with the 1972-73 season.
But what few, if any, remembered then and now, and what is not recorded in recent official histories of junior hockey in Yorkton, is an earlier team, also known as the Yorkton Terriers, which also played in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. It played one season, 1955-56, and hosted that season's SJHL all-star game. It was managed and coached by Bill Hunter -- THE Bill Hunter of World Hockey Association and Edmonton Oiler fame which came a decade and a half later.
On it was one player who still lives in Yorkton, Merve Kuryluk. He was 18 at the time and on his way up the hockey ranks. It was covered for CJGX Radio by a rookie reporter, also 18 years of age, Linus Westberg.
We talked with both of them 70 years later, and listen in on interviews Linus did with hockey and media luminaries who attended the game, and the preceding dinner at the Yorkton Hotel.
Yorkton Terrier Junior Hockey Club official program for the 1955-56 season (PDF)
Courtesy Merve Kuryluk
Merve Kuryluk career stats on HockeyDB.com
Merve Kuryluk on the Yorkton Sports Hall of Fame website
Linus Westberg on the Yorkton Sports Hall of Fame website
Milan Marcetta career stats on HockeyDB.com
Wayne Hicks career stats on HockeyDB.com
All Yorkton Terrier teams from 1937 to present on HockeyDB.com
Saskatchewan Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Bill Hunter
Alberta Sports Hall of Fame member Bill Hunter
The Canadian Encyclopedia article about William Dickenson (Bill) Hunter
A local fundraiser that started in a snowy highway ditch has grown into an event that refuses to slow down, and now includes wheeled riders in the desert and local bowlers.
We follow the history of Yorkton’s Snowarama from a 1977 ride sparked by the pro wrestler "Whipper" Billy Watson to a multi‑chapter effort that supports SaskAbilities programs including Camp Easter Seal, the summer fun program, and adaptive technology services that enhance the lives of clients with various challenges.
Seven who built, grew and participated in Snowarama -- Barry Bradshaw, Alvin Law, Deana Strochein, Kenn Propp, Larry Hilworth, Tamara Kerluke-Holowatuik and Dean Bradshaw -- talk about why they did what they did, and most still do! Founders, fundraisers, and next‑gen riders share how Yorkton's Snowarama kept growing while those in Regina and Saskatoon didn't make it into this century.
Program of the first Snowarama (PDF) held March 5, 1977
Snowarama 2026 program (PDF)
Barry Bradshaw receives Easter Seals Canada Volunteer Award, 2020
Kenn Propp receives Easter Seals Canada Volunteer Award, 2022
Riding for Snowarama in Arizona
Yorkton This Week, Feb 14, 2022
Yorkton This Week, March 1, 2024
Yorkton Snowarama on SaskAbilities website
Three SaskAbilities programs benefit from the funds raised by Yorkton
Snowarama:
Yorkton Snowarama through the years
The Desert Chapter
Bowlarama for Snowarama
Duval Lang, known to many as Duve, has been immersed in Calgary live theatre for 46 years now. He ended up there for university, and has called it home ever since, other than when he travelled the world as an actor.
But in Yorkton, in the 1960s, he was one of the players on a provincial high school championship football team, representing Yorkton Collegiate Institute; not a big guy to be playing on the line, but fast and pesky for the opposition to deal with.
His dad, Elmer Lang, owned a plumbing business among various endeavours, and was involved in baseball, hockey and curling in the city; his mother Meta volunteered for many community organizations, including the Yorkton Arts Centre and its art gallery.
We talked about his life in Yorkton as a youth, and his long and well-recognized, rewarded and rewarding career in live theatre, primarily in Calgary but also in theatres around the world.
Quest Theater, Calgary
"In 2009, after 25 years as Artistic Director, Duval Lang decided to step down and pursue other adventures in theatre. An award, The Duval Lang Theatre for Young Audience Award, administered by Quest Theatre was created in honour of him. And no, he’s not dead yet."
Black Radish Theatre, Calgary
Duval Lang wins big at Calgary's theatre awards
Review: Lunchbox Theatre takes a compelling, heartfelt trip through grief and friendship
Review: Don't wait to see Black Radish's take on classic Waiting for Godot
The Master of Children's Literature
Duval Lang biography in Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia, last updated in 2019
Calgary theatre
Family and Yorkton years
To the many newer residents of Yorkton, the name Ruth Shaw likely isn’t recognizable. But to those who lived here in the latter half of the previous century, the name, and the woman who bore that name, was an unassuming but powerful force and voice in helping the province and beyond know about Yorkton through at least three major roles she played in the city.
For 16 years she was the reporter and bureau manager of the Regina Leader-Post, a job she took over from her husband when Cliff died unexpectedly at an early age. She was then the manager of the Yorkton Chamber of Commerce for 22 years.
During all that time, she was an active promoter of Yorkton events, and was involved in the formation of the Yorkton Arts Council and the Yorkton Film Council, which became the Yorkton Film Festival.
In retirement when she was in her 80s, she learned to use a computer and wrote 113 historical vignettes, recalling Yorkton happenings and people.
In tribute to Ruth Shaw, by Kathy Morrell on behalf of the Yorkton Film Festival
History Corner - Newspaper carriers, by Terri Lefrebvre Prince in Yorkton This Week, now SaskToday.ca.
Blank Title
Blank content.