聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Rama citizens were proud to display their pride in their village when CTV Regina made the village its second stop during its Fall 2016 Hometown Tour.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The Hometown Tour is a program that features coverage of important people and landmarks in small communities throughout Saskatchewan. The program has previously covered Odessa, Kenosee Lake, Mortlach, Forget, Big Beaver, Standing Buffalo, Estevan, 小蓝视频ey, Cupar, Norquay, Carnduff, Vanguard, Dalmeny, Middle Lake, Blackstrap Lake, La Ronge, Eston, Shell Lake, Kindersley, Vanguard, Humboldt, Wakaw, Nipawin, Melfort, Outlook, and Lebret.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 CTV hopes to 鈥渇ind out what makes the communities tick,鈥� according to the CTV Regina website. Rama was selected to be visited on September 14.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Festivities kicked off with a barbecue hosted by the Rama Co-op. Workers from the Co-op sold burgers, soda and donuts; and organized raffle draws. The event was deemed a huge success, with workers selling out of burgers only an hour into the event and needing to deliver more. About 280 burgers were sold.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The barbecue was also attended by dozens of students from Invermay School.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e had to close our old school, but when we told Invermay School about the event, they wanted to make sure the Rama students and their friends could celebrate with us, so they brought in four busloads of children,鈥� said Darrel Dutchak, the Rama mayor.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The festivities continued with the CTV crewmembers filming major landmarks in the city. Mary Kowalyshyn, who nominated Rama for the Hometown Tour, said part of the reason was due to the St. Anthony鈥檚 Church grotto.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e have the most beautiful shrine in all of Western Canada. It was built in 1936 in order to ensure pilgrims had somewhere to pray for peace in the Second World War, and the grotto and hall remain standing today,鈥� she said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Kowalyshyn also said that St. Anthony鈥檚 Church holds annual pilgrimages, with this year鈥檚 小蓝视频 the 75th anniversary of the celebration.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Other landmarks covered included the grain elevator and the Rama Hotel, which has been in business since 1911 and is currently 小蓝视频 renovated to retain a classic 20s and 30s style.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Many residents were also available to provide entertainment during the event. Aaron Halifax, a Rama resident originally from Toronto, made balloon art.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 used to do this for tips when I lived in Mexico,鈥� Halifax said. 鈥淚 love it because it allows me to start conversations with people and be social.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The Rama Performing Arts and Leisure Society (PALS) offered horse cart rides, and David Corey performed horse tricks while also teaching spectators about the nature of horse training and getting along with the dominant creatures he performs with.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Dutchak said he was most excited about the opportunity for people to show their pride for a little, but close-knit community.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭here鈥檚 only around 80 people here, but we鈥檙e a very tightly-knit group. I鈥檝e been mayor for 25 years, but it never ceases to amaze me that during any event or even during any tragedy, everyone bands together. We鈥檙e very close and very proud of our little community,鈥� he said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Dutchak also mentioned that Rama holds several events over the year, including the annual pilgrimage, a Canada Day celebration, Remembrance Day services, a fall supper, a perogie supper, and a Christmas tree lighting 小蓝视频.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚鈥檓 excited to portray everything this village does on a big scale like this.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The barbecue, while also meant to celebrate the community for the Hometown Tour, also held the purpose of fundraising.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e want to restore the community park, since there鈥檚 been a string of vandalism and we want to bring the equipment up to code.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭here鈥檚 a big need for this park,鈥� Dutchak said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Dutchak highlighted the community aspect for CTV, and said that 鈥渆very place that is livable is lived in here. A lot of people come here because it鈥檚 affordable.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 He also mentioned the clean water, which the village has had access to for 12 years.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t鈥檚 the best-quality water in Canada, which is hard to find in a small community.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 With a community featuring three different, active churches and people from all walks of life, it may be hard to believe everyone would get along so easily, but Dutchak is confident that through the CTV Hometown Tour, viewers will see that the village is proud to stick together and co-operate with each other.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭hings have a way of working out in Rama,鈥� he said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 CTV鈥檚 Hometown Tour of Rama will air on September 29.
