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Thanksgiving has passed, and turkey-eating season is now on hiatus until Christmas. 

Each year Thanksgiving causes us all to become a little philosophical and sentimental, and reflect on why we’re thankful.

While the holiday was two days ago, that doesn’t mean we should stop expressing gratitude. Certainly I’m thankful for the big Thanksgiving meal I had with a large extended family over the weekend, although I could have done without the usual post-turkey fatigue. 

(Is the grogginess associated with turkey due to something in the meat, or reflective of the amount of turkey I can eat in one sitting?)

The United Way Estevan’s annual telethon is coming this weekend. I believe the first interview I conducted after arriving in Estevan 15 years ago was with Lynn Trobert, who was the United Way president of the day.

Lynn is still heavily involved with the board, and has been a passionate champion for the United Way for over 25 years. She’s not the only board member or volunteer who has dedicated more than two decades of service. 

I fell in love with the telethon the first time I covered it in 2000. It remains my favourite event of the year in Estevan.

The telethon really is a wonderful event. If you’re new to Estevan, it’s well worth swinging by the Royal Canadian Legion between 8 a.m. on Friday and 5 p.m. on Saturday to check it out. And if you come to the telethon every year, you’ll know it’s worth a visit once again.

In a city like Estevan, with a large number of short-term and transient residents, it can be difficult to find things that bring the community together. But the United Way telethon does just that each year. It’s an event that brings out the best in everyone, because everyone in Estevan understands the money raised – more than $347,000 during the 33-hour broadcast last year – is used to help people in the community.

The Warm Welcome shelter is going to return for another year, too. Some thought it might take a one-year hiatus, since vacancy rates for rental properties are up, rent rates are down at many local apartments, and the two churches that partner for the shelter have gone through leadership changes. 

But the shelter still has a place. It might not attract as many people as last year. But it would be naïve to think there aren’t homeless people in Estevan. And so Warm Welcome still has a place, especially on those cold winter nights.

The federal election is on Monday. A chance for us to exercise our democratic freedom and vote. And we only have to watch those insufferable campaign election television ads for five more days. 

The Toronto Blue Jays have extended their series with the Texas Rangers to a fifth and deciding game. Unfortunately, it’s a 2 p.m. start in Saskatchewan, so many will have to miss the game, or feign illness at work. National productivity could drop five per cent. 

The NHL season is underway. It’ll be another season in which my beloved Vancouver Canucks don’t win the Stanley Cup. But the best players in the world – and the Toronto Maple Leafs – are back on the ice, playing meaningful games, and that’s a reason for so many in Canada to be happy. 

The Saskatchewan Roughriders have been eliminated from the playoffs. Many people won’t be happy about that. But it was inevitable due to the early season losses in winnable games, the injuries, the undisciplined play, the poor coaching and the recent poor outings. Renewal can now begin for the Riders, who have served up more than their fair share of turkeys this season, with the last two weeks being two of the worst.

Now that I’m finished my belated Thanksgiving list, I can start thinking of Christmas, and more turkey to be enjoyed.