Town of Porcupine Plain

POP Celebrating a Half Century!

Porcupine Opportunities Program Inc. (POP) is celebrating its 50th year of operation in 2024. As we reflected on this, we felt it was important to recognize the individuals that helped to make the organization a success over the last five decades and to recognize some of the key milestones over the years.

POP was initially started in 1974 by a group of parents who wished to provide an opportunity for their children, who were experiencing disabilities, to live and work in or near their homes. With their own money and donations from community, the group purchased 27 acres of land on the south side of Porcupine Plain and moved a two-room schoolhouse to the site. They set up a working area in one room, storage and admin office in the second room, and a small woodworking shop in the basement. This formed POP’s infrastructure to start providing services and to support 9 individuals.

Initial operations at POP were largely built around income from Canada manpower grants, while other income came from building grain bids for local farmers and the Co-op. The new beginnings of what would later become the main revenue source for the agency, core box production for mining companies, was also established. However, without a steady operating revenue, the organization was starting to falter by the end of the 1970’s.

In 1983, Karl Kwiatkowski, POP’s manager, orchestrated the transition from the parent group to a community-based board of directors. Base operating revenue was provided by the provincial government through the Ministry of Social Services. Over two dozen organizations were represented at the initial meetings, with some groups agreeing to sit on the board and others offering support.

Over the years, financial circumstances and changes in local organizations gradually reduced the number of organizations involved in the agency. Currently, only the Town of Hudson Bay and RM of Kelvington still appoint board members, while other board members are appointed at large.

From the early beginnings, POP continued to grow and expand its programming. Key milestones included:

• Construction of current day program, workshop and administrative office on Church St. in the early 1980s
• The initiation of residential services in 1985 with the rental of a three-bedroom home from Saskatchewan housing to support individuals in semi-independent living
• Construction of POP’s first group home on 1st Ave. in 198 (Playtondale), with two more group homes being added in 1998 on Cooper St. (ABM) and in 2012 on Katherine Ave. (Glenwood)
• Building of two independent living residences, with the first in 2004 and the second in 2012. These suites house four and five individuals respectively and were attached to two of the group homes. The agency also purchased a four-bedroom home in 2010 to provide additional
  supported living spaces for participants additions to the business
  programming. Through this time, POP also included setup of a
  laundromat and business offices in 1991, the purchase of a four-plex apartment building in 1994, and the addition of SARCAN recycling
  depots in Porcupine Plain in 1997 and Hudson Bay in 2008.
• 2018 addition of dunnage line for Weyerhaeuser
• 2022 construction begins on the 3500 square foot expansion to the workshop

Today, POP has grown to be an integral part of the local communities in Porcupine Plain and Hudson Bay. The agency currently supports approximately 30 participants, supported by 60 full- and part-time staff. Programming for participants continues to evolve and now includes two day programs (Porcupine Plain & Hudson Bay), a seniors’ program, and an expanded workshop which produces core boxes for the mining sector, dunnage for the lumber industry, and various outdoor furniture, planters and other wood products for the public. Most recently, the agency has expanded its supported employment program with the expansion of service in its laundromat. A gift store that features products produced by local and regional artisans, a selection of Filipino Food, and POP Day Program produced crafts was opened in 2019. In 2023, Tid Bits, another supported employment endeavour, began creating individual frozen entrees and desserts in our inspected kitchen to sell at the store, Bits ‘n Pieces.

THANK YOU…

Founding Parent Group: Anne & Mike Kuzek; Sophie & Nick Kwiatkowski; Mavis & Mike Belchamber: Audrey & Don Leepart; Elsie & Joe Dobrowski; Mabel & Fred Seafoot; Phillipena & Herman Heine; Kathy & James Jamieson: and Marg Kraft

Founding Board of Directors: Fred Seafoot, Herman Heine, Anne Kuzek, Mike Kuzek, Nick Kwiatkowski, Jim Jamieson, Kathy Jamieson. Other community
contributors include John & Dorothy Gunderson, Merlin & Elaine Olson, and Marie Szydlowski.

Current Board of Directors: Tracy Slobodian, Tony Lau, Pat Morvik, Mary
Ryhorski, Bonnie Hoffus, Mark Orendi (Town of Hudson Bay appointee), Agnes Ewen (RM Kelvington appointee). If you are interested in becoming a director on the board, please reach out to one of our current directors.

POP wants to thank all former and current staff for their dedication and support to all who have called or call POP their home over the last 50 years.

St. Andrew’s Church 100th Anniversary

St. Andrew’s Church marked its 100th anniversary on July 29th with a joyous celebration.  The church service was officiated by Nancy Steinbachs, with special guests including former minister Tom Morgan and Rev. Alex Parsons from the Saskatoon Synod. Gary Reed shared a captivating 100-year history of the church, while Ray Zimmerman and Debbie Gibson provided musical entertainment for the afternoon. The event concluded with a large potluck lunch. Approximately 100 people attended, making it a perfect celebration.

Now a historic site, St. Andrew’s Church was built in the Shand Creek area in 1924 by returned soldier settlers and pioneers of the area, holding its first service on May 18, 1924. A cairn and plaque erected by the Shand Agricultural Society commemorates the pioneers who built the church, along with the original Red Cross Outpost.

Congratulations Tarin!

Having to miss his own high school graduation ceremony  in Porcupine Plain on June 27th due to the NHL Draft in Las Vegas, Tarin Smith’s classmates opted to have a separate graduation parade on June 22nd to ensure that Tarin could be part of their celebrations.  In a show of
support and well wishes, Tarin’s classmates adorned Porcupine Blues jerseys and residents of Porcupine Plain watched the parade from their homes and workplaces, or along McAllister Avenue, to show their support and wish Tarin luck in the 2024 Draft.

Spending his time in the Western Hockey League with the Everett Silvertips, Tarin was picked by the Silvertips after putting up six goals and 34 points in 43 games with the Saskatoon Blazers (U18 AAA), but was limited to only eight games in his WHL rookie season thanks to a shoulder injury that required surgery. He returned in 2023-2024 with eight goals and 44 points in 67 games, leading to Central Scouting ranking him 38th heading into the NHL Draft; among Silvertip skaters, Smith ranked eighth in points and first among defensemen.

It looks like all his hard work paid off because, in the 2024 NHL Draft, Tarin Smith was selected in the third round, 79th overall, by the Anaheim Ducks!  The community of Porcupine Plain extends its heartfelt congratulations to Tarin. This remarkable achievement reflects his dedication, talent, and hard work.  The entire town is proud of his accomplishment and looks forward to cheering him on as he embarks on this exciting new chapter in his hockey career.