By Rob Ficiur

Albertans like to make jokes about our neighbours from Saskatchewan.  During the Alberta boom years I am sure Saskatchewanians got sick of hearing “Will the last one out of the province please shut the lights off.”

There is a loyalty that people from Saskatchewan have for their province.  One way this loyalty shows is in the team’s faith and celebration of their football team (win or lose).

This summer I spent a day in Regina and saw first hand how our neighbours honour and celebrate their own.  At the RCMP training barracks there was a sunset flag lowering service, a local band came to play a song.  When their music ended they added "Go Riders Go!"  which didn’t fit the song but fit the location.

In attendance at the sunset service was the president of the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Mr. George Reed, the great running back that set many CFL records in the 1970’s.  Even though George Reed has not played football for 35 years, they honored him that day in Regina.

George Reed was the superstar CFL running back of his time.  George won the league’s Most Outstanding player in 1965.  Reed and quarterback Ron Lancaster were the best 1-2 combination of their day.  When George retired in  1975 he held the records for career rushing yards -16,116, most touchdowns - 137 and most touchdowns rushing - 134.  Since that time Mike Pringle has broken the first two records, but George still holds the rushing TD record.

George Reed was honored with his own day.  In 1973 Saskatchewan declared October 34 as George Reed day (after his football number).  As you check your October calendar you won’t find the 34th on it…which shows how the Roughrider faithful will go all out to honor their own.

Driving in to Regina from the west there was a sign with a picture of George Reed indicating that the sign was 16,116 yards from Mosaik Stadium where Reed rushed that many yards.  Coming in from the east there is a sign honouring Ron Lancaster how many yards he passed; and coming from the north how many yards Ray Elgaard caught for in his year with the Riders.  Putting up these signs is one way that Saskatchewan Roughriders have celebrated their past.

This year is the 100th anniversary of the team in Regina.  In the local stores there are Roughrider shirts and books prominently displayed.  (Can’t recall seeing too many Stampeder or Eskimos books or shirts this year).

Rider nation does a great job in helping their young people celebrate their shared history.  While at the RCMP event, I saw a young cadet ask to have her picture taken with George Reed.  George Reed retired years before this young cadet was born…yet she knew who he was.

A lady in attendance that night showed George Reed a mural she was painting of him.  He was honored that at the work she had put in.  The art and celebration are among the ways that Rider nation is celebrating the 100th anniversary of their team.

Not big issues – but a celebration of a shared history, even for those who weren’t born yet.

Centennial celebrations don’t happen every year.  Celebrating the Rider past and the heroes of their team is an important part of being a community.

In 2012, Bow Island will be celebrating its 100th anniversary.  We don’t have a CFL team to honour.  But every family and every town has quiet heroes who built their community.  Some of these heroes could be the homesteaders and settlers who were here on and before 1912.  Other quiet heroes lived their lives in quiet service to their community without the Hall of Fame and portraits that George Reed has in Regina.

Bow Island’s centennial celebration is two years a way.  Organizers are already collecting ideas of how to best celebrate our centennial.  If you have ideas, large or small that could be used to celebrate our centennial pass them on to the Commentator staff.  Maybe I should say contact the town office - there's a committee, I just don't know when they meet

Two 2 Historic history trivia facts.  #1 - In 1910 the village of Bow Island was formed, so we have reached the 100 year mark with that already; in 1912 Bow Island was made a Town.  Fact #2 - most of us won’t be around one hundred years from now (in 2102) to celebrate Bow Island’s bicentennial, so if you’re going to share your ideas, better do it for 2012!