Good Cheer - Pioneers Discover Their Biggest Little Cheerleader!

The SaskTel Pioneers have a reputation for spreading good cheer throughout Saskatchewan.  Along the way, they touch the lives of many people.

For the most part, it is not possible to gage the extent to which a good deed has moved someone.

But every now and then, a story comes along which serves as a reminder that the work they do is making a difference.

Bob Hume, a SaskTel retiree and President of the Yorkton Pioneer Club, was recently giving a presentation about ‘Giving Books’ in Sturgis.  Giving Books have interesting, colorful and fun learning activities that inspire children to give back to the world. 

They also encourage students to write and submit a giving moment story where they did something to help someone or someone has done something special for them.

As he made his presentation, Bob could not help but notice a little blonde girl who was listening intently to the presentation with a big smile.

“When it came to the point in the presentation when Bob asked if anyone knew about the SaskTel Pioneers and what they do, well this little girl named Paige Hansen raised her hand up right away,” said Darrell Liebrecht, Pioneer Manager. 

“He asked her what she knew about the Pioneers.  She said the Pioneers helped make her wish come true – to meet and perform with the Saskatchewan Roughrider Cheer Team.  She was very excited to tell her story.”

The story began when Darrell had his annual meeting with the Children's Wish Foundation, an organization dedicated to fulfilling a favourite wish for children diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses. 

When Darrell asked what assistance the Pioneers could provide them, Paige’s name came up, and specifically how she always dreamed of being a Roughrider cheerleader.

Paige, who has Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, had already received her wish for a playhouse so the Foundation could not help further.  But soon after the meeting, Darrell contacted the Roughriders and the wheels were in motion.

He made arrangements to have Paige meet the cheerleaders and to practice and perform with them, thus fulfilling her dream of being a Roughrider cheerleader.

“As Pioneers, we are part of so many worthy projects,” Darrell said.  “To think that we were able to do something special like this for a little girl is one thing.  The fact that she remembered us that day during Bob’s presentation is, well, it’s an indescribably good feeling.”

Soon after Paige’s day with the Cheer Team, Darrell received a note from Paige’s mother describing Paige’s experience that day.  The note said:

”I still don’t have the right words to express my thanks. Bless you all and what you did to make Paige's dream come to life! Right before she was to go out and perform she looked at the SOLD OUT crowd and whispered to me, "Mommy feel my heart beating *boom boom boom*, but I can do this right?"