‘Spirit Ride’ Memorial to be unveiled at Blue Lights & Burgers in Leader!
By Joan Janzen
joanjanzen@yahoo.com
The new ‘Spirit Ride’ Memorial will be unveiled at Leader on August 11th, and you won’t want to miss it. It all began back in 2017 when the tragic death of tow truck driver Courtney Schaefer brought about a change for other tow truck drivers. At that time, the Roadside Responders Assoc. of Sask. was instrumental in getting the provincial government to pass a law allowing tow trucks to use flashing blue and amber lights instead of just amber. Flashing blue lights can be seen from miles away, essential since one tow truck driver is killed every nine days in North America. Slowing down to 60 km/hour and pulling into the other lane helps ensure everyone’s safety.
As a result, in 2019, Dallas, at Baillie Boys Towing in Yorktown, initiated the idea of hosting Blue Lights & Burgers events annually throughout communities in Saskatchewan as an awareness campaign. It’s an opportunity for emergency responders, including tow truck drivers, firefighters, EMS personnel and RCMP, to spend an evening together and converse with the public.
Dave and Treena Redman of Touchdown Towing in Leader came on board with the idea and have been hosting the event as well. This year’s Blue Lights & Burgers event will be held on the parking lot of Scott’s Fine Foods on Wednesday, August 11th at 6:00 p.m., with burgers sold to the public. At this time, the Roadside Responders Assoc. of Saskatchewan’s ‘Spirit Ride’ Memorial will be unveiled. It is a memorial to all fallen tow operators and emergency personnel.
Treena said they would be picking the memorial up at Dundurn on August 4th, and it will be headed to Lloydminster after it has been unveiled at Leader. Leader will be the fifth community to have the memorial on display. Treena and Dave have invited the local RCMP, EMS personnel, firefighters and tow truck drivers in Leader, Kindersley, Cabri and Maple Creek.
“We’re hoping to have emergency vehicles and other tow companies in attendance,” Treena said, adding that kids are welcome to climb all over the fire trucks and tow trucks. “We’ll have a 1966 tow truck on display as well; the winch and wheel lift still work on it.”
“Although Dave hasn’t been hit, there’s been a few close calls, so he wants to make people aware,” Treena explained. “Someone goes flying by, and within seconds, everybody’s life is changed. We want to bring the community together and show the importance of why you need to slow down.” This is vitally important around the Leader area, where roads are narrow with no shoulders.
“We plan to have a few give-always and draws that night as well,” she concluded. Not only will the evening be informative, but it will be a good time for people in the community to connect.
