SaskEnergy looking for art

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SaskEnergy is inviting Aboriginal youth to get involved in its natural gas safety campaign through an art calendar contest.

The contest is open to students from First Nations schools in Aboriginal communities with natural gas service.

One winner will be selected per grade from Kindergarten to 12. Submissions of artwork will be accepted until March 15, with judging by an Aboriginal panel of two artists and a SaskEnergy representative.

Judges will be looking for artwork depicting safety messages including, ?call before you dig,? and ?if you smell natural gas, please call SaskEnergy.?

Thirteen students will win prizes and earn personal and school recognition on the calendar. SaskEnergy will also provide a barbecue lunch for the winners? schools, and the artists will see their work throughout the province. The calendars will be distributed widely to band offices, First Nations gas customers and at Aboriginal events.

?Thirty of 38 schools contacted have already expressed interest in the contest. Let?s see if we can make it one 100 percent representation,? said Basil Quewezance, marketing supervisor for SaskEnergy in Regina.

Quewezance takes the message of the history, importance and safety of natural gas to schools.

?We know that what the students learn, they take home to their parents and grand parents. Natural gas is relatively new in these communities. We want to make sure people are comfortable with the fact that natural gas is a safe and reliable form of energy.? Wood, coal oil, propane, electricity and fuel oil were all used prior to the introduction of natural gas service to the 51 gasified Saskatchewan First Nation communities.

For more information and contest rules, contact Basil Quewezance at (306) 777-9060.