Arjun Pillai
Daily Herald
A night of live music, dancing, and a roast beef supper will bring the community together in St. Louis on June 14, as the River Valley Resilience Retreat (RVRR) hosts its first ever “Boots, Badges and Fiddles Dinner & Dance Fundraiser.”
The event is set to take place at the St. Louis Community Hall, kicking off at 5.30 p.m. and features live music by the Dean Smith Band with special guests Freddie Pelletier and Brian Sklar. The evening will also include a Not-So-Silent Auction, with funds supporting the mental health and wellness of first responders, veterans, and public safety personnel, particularly those in rural Saskatchewan.
RVRR co-founder Michelle McKeaveney said the event’s timing is no accident. June is PTSD Awareness Month, and the goal is to shine a light on the often invisible trauma experienced by those in frontline and emergency roles.
“We wanted to bring awareness to PTSD and operational stress injuries that affect police, firefighters, paramedics, and other frontline workers,” McKeaveney said.
The retreat is a non-profit initiative based south of Prince Albert. It was created to serve those who dedicate their lives to public-safety, including RCMP officers, volunteer firefighters, emergency medical responders, and even sectors overlooked such as tow truck drivers or funeral workers. The aim is to offer mental health programming, peer support and a safe space for healing, particularly in smaller communities across Saskatchewan where services are limited.
“In places like Buckland, St. Louis, or Wakaw, people are answering calls with minimal resources, and then going home and dealing with it in silence,” McKeaveney said. “RVRR is about breaking the isolation.”
Dean Smith, a well-known Prince Albert City police officer, will take the stage with his band for the evening’s live performance. McKeaveney described him as a respected officer with a hidden talent for fiddle playing and leading a seasoned group of local musicians. The night’s line-up, includes Feddie Pelletier a renowned guitarist known across Western Canada and Brian Sklar, a long-time country music entertainer with decades of experience. They aim to bring “oldies but goodies” to the stage in tribute to first responders.
McKeaveney herself may also perform a few songs during the evening adding a personal note to a night that blends entertainment with a powerful message.
Beyond music the event invites frontline departments, including police, fire, EMS, corrections, social workers, and youth workers, to nominate a colleague who has shown openness in reducing mental health stigma. These individuals will be acknowledged during the event, which is expected to include special draws and announcements.
“This is your night to show you actually care, “McKeaveney said. “We hope to have some dignitaries and basically anybody who’s able to stand up and show support for mental health amongst our first responders.”
The retreat, located on a 25-acre site near St. Louis, provides short-term stays and a quiet space for frontline workers and their families to decompress form job-related trauma. Funds raised from the event will go directly towards expanding these supports, adding accommodations, creating new resources, and covering gaps for individuals who aren’t supported through insurance or WCB.
“We’re trying to rest our responders,” McKeaveney explained. “The money raised from that fundraiser will go to providing night stays for those who absolutely require a safe space to stay in a supportive environment from the people who actually understand their jobs and understand the stresses of them.”
She emphasized that community support is essential to them retreat’s continued work.
“As long as people still call 911 and ask for Fire, EMS, Police officers, or other emergency services to respond and assist them, there will always be a need to support mental health amongst that group of individuals,” she said.
Public response to the event has already been strong, with excitement building around the musical lineup and the return of familiar names to the stage. McKeaveney noted that many people are eager to attend after enjoying Prince Albert’s downtown events earlier in the day.
“We’re just asking that people line their babysitters up now and come out to St. Louis and join us in the evening after they’ve enjoyed Prince Albert’s festivities.”
The Not-So-Silent Auction will feature donated items from local businesses and community members. RVRR is accepting contributions and offering charitable receipts for donated goods. Those interested can reach out directly at (306)-981-6083.
Tickets start at $45 and are available at rvrrsk.ca/bbf or by e-transfer to tickets@rvrrsk.ca. Table group options are also available. For those unable to attend, ticket donations are being accepted so others in the front-line community can attend in their place.
