The presence of smartly uniformed members of the Estevan Troops of Frontiersmen is readily noticed on almost every occasion where crowds of people gather in the city and even in nearby places.

They provide a type of policing service yet one that is not offensive because of the courtesy which accompanies the authoritative and efficient execution of the duties which they assume.

Their work is an unselfish one. Frontiersmen are men who feel they can provide a community service which as citizens they believe it is their duty to perform. They are a body of men, voluntarily banded together, uniformed at their own expense, trained by competent instructors, ready to give assistance in any emergency if called upon, yet all such services are of a voluntary nature. They need not be war veterans as many people suppose.

Compensation for their work is not looked for though organizations sponsoring projects for gain are expected to make a donation to the unit in an amount commensurate with services performed. Such donations cover dues, organization fees, death benefits' etc. and under certain condition part goes to members performing duties for which they were invited.

Frontiersmen are to be seen regularly at theatres, auditoriums, handling parking at exhibitions and games, and assisting the city police in point duty and traffic control during street parades.

The Estevan troop have been called to serve at Oxbow rodeo and bonspiels, Weyburn bonspiel and that city's one-week drama festival and Macoun graduate dances.

The Estevan troop was started in 1958 by the following: Arnold McMillan, Don Bailey, Bruce Peterson, Cecil Hitchcock and F. Slater. The latter was the first OC with the rank of lieutenant.

The present OC is Lieut. Cecil Hitchcock, who took charge in 1961 and secretary is Corporal George Vandergucht.

Several of Estevan's young men in the fall of 1958 became interested in the objects of the national junior Chamber of Commerce, usually referred to as Jaycees. These objects on the main are for the improvement and development of men between the ages of 18 and 40 yeas in business management and civic leadership and in active participation of community projects.

Following the necessary preliminaries in which these young men were assisted by the Regina group, charter night for the newly formed Estevan Jaycees was held on Jan. 31, 1959. It was celebrated in the Canadian Legion hall, with members from other points in Saskatchewan and North Dakota numbering approximately 150. Clayton Reeves of Lloydminster, vice-president of Canadian Jaycees was, the guest speaker at the banquet.

There were 33 charter members and Dr. Ian Stephen was the first president elect. Other presidents since have been Reg. Schell, Dick Wood, George Funke, Ray Fichter, Earl Ast, Brian Madden, Frank Ort. President for 1967 is Al. Batters.

Projects initiated during the charter year and continued since have been 'teen-age safe driving rod-e-o, Saskatchewan Wheat Queen contest of ACT, participation in beautification and clean-up week at which Premier Tommy Douglas took part the first year, child safety programs, safety lane sponsorship, Christmas toy project for needy children in the district.

The unit has always taken great pride in promoting civic elections in the city through building up interest in elections. To further this it instituted Candidate's Night to which civic candidates are invited to attend and speak. This has continued to be a very successful project.

During the past year 800 individual survey sheets were circulated to ascertain through expression of ratepayers' opinion what the needs of the city were.

Various money making projects have been carried out and funds so raised have been put back into community betterment activities.

Besides the Christmas toy project the unit has carried out Christmas tree clean-up and bon fire, Christmas light-up campaign to promote the decoration and beautification of business and residential areas.

The Estevan unit is to be congratulated on its successful promotions in 1959 of the first Jaycees International Conclave to be held in Saskatchewan. Also the provincial finals of the 'Teen-age Road-e-o held in 1960, safety awards to the city in 1961 and top promotion in the 1962 elections.

The Kinsmen Club of Estevan was organized in 1945 and at its first dinner meeting .. February 26 it was presented with its charter by Past National President J. D. Clare Thacker of Regina.

The charter members were: Dave Deno, president; Walter Hanson, secretary; Paul Nessman, treasurer; Bill Sullivan, historian; Mickey Krivel, editor; Jimmy Sissons, assistant editor; Maurice King, registrar; Captain Ron Ewing, padre; Allan Trout, Wilf Bastian and Elmer Chapman, directors. In all there were 39 charter members.

A summary of the club's projects over the years reveals the activity displayed by this group in community matters.

Its first in 1945 was the building of the Kinsmen play park near Valley View school. This is still in operation with the club providing all cost of new equipment, supervision and maintenance.

It then offered a $200 scholarship at the University of Saskatchewan to the best all-around student in grade 12 attending Estevan Collegiate. This was continued for several years.

Its closing event for its first year was Labor Day Model T auto races.

In 1947 the club handled the fund raising campaign for Canadian Aid to China fund. The local quota was $3,000.

It started 1948 by giving an engraved baby cup and spoon to the first baby born on New Year's day and has repeated this every year since.

During the same year uniforms, equipment and coaching for one or more hockey and baseball teams in the Lerks leagues, were supplied. This also has continued as an annual contribution to juvenile sport.

February of the same year saw the formation of Kinsmen wives into the Estevan Kinette Club as an active auxiliary body.

The club's continuing interest in young folk is shown in many projects. It has provided open air hockey rinks; sponsored the Estevan 'teen-age center for those in the 14 to 18 age group; made donations to the collegiate band for uniforms and trips; built and paid for a complete paddling pool adjoining the Woodlawn park community swimming pool, donated a TV set to the children's ward at St. Joseph's hospital.

Intermingled with the above have been donations to Woodlawn park swimming pool, Legion memorial hall and Estevan agricultural auditorium.

It has held its own carnivals and operated Christmas card lane for the past seven years.

For fourteen years it has taken over the March of Dimes campaign for which in each year it has collected an average of over $1,000.

Since 1963 it has assumed the organization of the Estevan annual fair parade and has expanded and improved it with each succeeding year.

In 1964 it financed and built the Kinsmen school for retarded children, and into which it put over $10,500 of its own funds. To this was added a Department of Education grant of slightly over $9,000. The total cost of building and equipment was approximately $20,000. While the building and its operation has been turned over to the Estevan Public School Board the club cherishes a continuing interest in it and will continue to provide small items required to make it more efficient and maintain its beautiful surroundings.

This year the club is building Kinsmen Centennial Play Park in Hillside subdivision. This will cover almost 300 by 280 feet, completely fenced and landscaped.

It will contain a paddling pool and dressing rooms, skating rink in winter, tennis and basketball courts in summer, swings, slides, teeter-totters, etc. for children, and an adult recreation area, grassed and landscaped with large checker board, shuffleboard, horseshoe pitch, etc. The park will be well lighted and a qualified supervisor will be in attendance to teach and oversee the children. The Park was officially opened September 5, 1967, by Hon. Wilf Gardiner.

Presidents of the club since its inception are: Dave Deno, Allan Trout, Ed. Pettigrew, Elmer Chapman, Willis Whitby, Russ Brooks, Don Perry, Maurice King, Paddy Padget, Gill Barry, Frank Fraser, Keith Irvine, William R. King, Gordon Walters, Vic. Walker, Walter Ropchan, Dave Matchett, Ron Whiteside, Edward Brittin, Don Mortenson, John Reynolds, Gill Russell, Larry Gibney.

The primary object of every Lions Club located in over eighty countries throughout the world is that of sight conservation and assistance to the blind.

This has been carried out by the Estevan club mainly through its annual canvas for the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. Through the whole-hearted support of business firms and citizens of the city, the amounts collected have ranged from one thousand to twenty-one hundred dollars each year.

Three taped talking book machines were purchased in 1965 for use of the blind in Saskatchewan at a cost of $150 each.

On two occasions over 950 pairs of used eyeglasses were collected for the Bank of Light project which sends them to the destitute in far-away lands.

Right at home the Estevan Lions have provided examination and glasses to individuals with poor eyesight and unable to buy their own glasses.

Christmas gifts and hampers are distributed to the blind of Estevan and district each year.

This total contribution to a particular group of handicapped persons has in itself justified the existence of the Lions club.

Yet the club has contributed its services in the support of more localized activities of a community nature.

These have included such as clean-up and tree planting campaigns, participation of fair parades, support of civic auditorium, sponsorship of teams in Lerks hockey and baseball leagues, Red Cross swimming program, donations to Boy Scouts and Girl Guides, tot lot playground in Pleasantdale, interest free loans to students (1958-1963), furnishing room at Creighton Lodge, donations and work parties at Woodlawn swimming pool, piano for Senior Citizens Home, co-sponsorship of Hillcrest play park and many others.

The club has made a fine historical contribution through the acquiring of an old house from the site of the North West Mounted Police station at Wood End. The latter is now covered by the waters of Boundary dam lake. Used in the construction of this building were the old type cast iron nails which were superseded by the wire nails in the early 1890s.

It was moved by the club to Woodlawn park, placed on a foundation and renovated. It is to become a museum for which many items have already been donated and will be a visible reminder of the early days when members of the famous force who were stationed there brought to an end the depredations of horse and cattle thieves operating across the boundary, and the elimination of wild west gunmen who satisfied their own egos by uncalled for and promiscuous shooting.

The building was officially opened July 3, 1967 with Inspector Ted Mahoney of the RCMP, Regina, cutting the ribbon across the entrance. Civic and club officials assisted in the ceremony.

Starting in 1962 and through 1965 Estevan Lions sponsored Dr. W. G. Mainprize, T. A. Torgeson, Andrew King and Mayor Harry Nicholson as candidates for Pioneer of the Year at Pion-Era celebrations in Saskatoon.

Funds raised by the club to finance its projects have averaged over $4,000 per year, derived from nut sales, stock car racing concessions, booths at Estevan fair and Oxbow Rodeo, merchandise raffles, etc.

It extended the influence of Lion ideals by sponsoring the Oxbow club in 1959 and has been honored by having its first president, Mark Hanna become district governor in 1958-59. The same year Herb Ekvall was chosen cabinet secretary and John Barabash zone chairman in 1959-60.

Charter members were John Aitken, John Barabash, Walter Beckwell, John Bryant, Robert Chalmers, Jim Coleman, Jim Cuthbert, Gordon Davidson, A. C. Duce, Victor Dugeau, Herb Ekvall, Duncan English, Geo. Fox, Murray Hanna, O. Hitchcock, Ken Hodson, J. L. Embury, Doug Kenneth, Art Matte, W. G. Outhwaite, J. F. Outhwaite, Robert Patterson, Harry Patterson, T. W. Ralston, R. H. Sands, K. L. Turner.

Holding the office of president have been Murray Hanna, John Barabash, Herb Ekvall, Bill Ralston, Roy Butler, Norv. Gow, Bob McLean, Gerald Ross, Dan Claypool, John Sim.

The Estevan Rotary Club was instituted March 6, 1923 with T. A. Torgeson as its first president.

Throughout the intervening years it has kept close to the undulating pattern of local conditions as a summary of its activities clearly reflect.

Originally there were 19 charter members which soon rose to thirty while the average in later years has remained between 45 to 50.

As the only service club in Estevan for many years it had ample scope of projects requiring financial and moral support.

One of the club's earliest projects was the planting of nearly one mile of trees on Third Street which the present generation and generations to come will enjoy. This initial step towards the beautification of the city created among its citizens a healthy interest in horticulture which has continued to keep Estevan's streets and private properties well in the forefront, in point of beauty, among other western urban centers.

Another project which also brought the muscles of the members into use was the clearing out of brush along the bank of the Souris river to create the original Woodlawn Park. Access roads were graded, bathhouses built and a bridge constructed across the river.

When the town took over this park the club choose another site farther down the river which the members again cleared with axe and shovel to make Rotary Park. The use of this is made free to church groups, rented for special occasions and is booked solid during the summer months. It was used as a camp by members of the British Air Force STFS No. 38 from 1942-45. One of the buildings was donated by H. A. Westergaard, Norwegian Consul with office in Estevan.

Another of its early interests was the Estevan Agricultural Society to which it gave financial aid and active support. In the face of financial pressures during the depression years, the Rotary club considered disbanding. Learning of this possible move the agricultural society officials begged it to carry on and continue its aid to the society such as no other group could do.

This gave the Rotary members new determination to continue its community service and in order to do this to the utmost in a financial way the club cut its weekly luncheon menu to one cup of coffee and a sandwich.

The first curling and skating rinks in Estevan were destroyed by cyclones in 1913 and 1923. New buildings to replace these were almost completely financed through club efforts at a cost of $20,000. Of this $14,000 was raised through carnivals and $6,000 through sale of rink company stock. Later when the roof of the curling rink was damaged by wind the club donated $1,500 towards its replacement.

During 1937 it contributed $6,000 towards the construction of St. Joseph's hospital and it donated $5,000 to the Estevan Royal Canadian Legion memorial hall fund.

Throughout the Second World War it made donations totalling over $7,500 to War Memorial Fund, Lieut.-Governor's Welfare Fund and other patriotic funds.

From 1942 to 1949 the club raised over $40,000 by holding annual carnivals.

Boys' and Girls' Baby Beef Clubs were first sponsored in the Estevan area by the club. For the first few years the purchase of calves was financed by it until higher standards of sires became established.

At one time $700 was spent on instruments for a boys' band but this failed to become a permanent group. In the early 50s four annual concerts by the Estevan Collegiate Band were sponsored with net proceeds of $800 divided between the band and Crippled Children's Fund.

For over thirty years the club has canvassed the business section of the city on behalf of the Red Cross Society and since 1951 has also promoted the Easter Seal Campaign over an assigned area in south-eastern Saskatchewan. Organizers for the latter have been Rotarians Henry Mandel, H. J. Clasky, Leon Dragushan and Stan Dyer.

Every year since 1963 Christmas carol festivals have been held with as many as 40 singing groups from city and country taking part.

Total cash proceeds from various projects over the years have amounted to well over $80,000.

Each year Estevan Rotary sends two collegiate students to the Model United Nations Association gathering in Winnipeg and one student to Adventures in Citizenship project in Ottawa.

For some years it has stressed international fellowship by holding an annual International Night with banquet and program to which clubs both north and south of the international boundary line are invited.

It has also been active in sponsoring local Pee-Wee hockey and baseball.

The club is proud of the international recognition won by its first president, T. A. Torgeson, in Rotary International circles. In 1927-28 he was elected district governor, in 1928-29 chairman of Rotary Canadian Advisory Committee, in 1930-31 international director. At different times he was member of various international committees.

On occasion of the club's celebration of its 40th anniversary on May 6, 1963, he was specially honored through letters and telegrams of congratulation together with three presentations from his own Estevan mother club.

Presidents throughout the years have been: T. A. Torgeson, E. W. Garner, A. J. Logan, W. J. Perkins, Wm. Smith, G. A. Calvert, W. T. Moore, J. E. Loughlin, B. T. Grundeen, W. R. Whitby, Judge E. R. Wylie, G. H. Winstanley, W. H. Schlosser, N. L. McLeod, J. E. Wright, R. Wilton, H. A. Mutchmor, Wm. Henneberg, H. A. Westergaard, Don Dunbar, J. McMillan, E. P. Rae, A. E. Turner, D. Bannatyne, A. E. Shannon, F. H. Morgan, T. A. Perry, T. R. Bobier, R. H. Sands, Hal Clasky, E. J. Quist, R. D. Newsome, P. L. Grundeen, H. Whyte, H. Mandel, Jim Dyer, Hugh Grant, John Lee, Ralph King, Nick Mehler, Gerry Lennox, Wm. Cantlon, Lloyd Sillers, Wm. C. King, Abe Berday.