Past President Terry Ann Diack, left, and new President Natalie Chubala in the newly renovated Three Hills Memorial Community Centre kitchen Aug. 20. At what proved to be a do-or-die meeting, the Three Hills Memorial Community Centre Society lived to face another day of involvement, especially in staffing the group’s fundraising efforts at a Red Deer casino. ECA Review/D.Nadau
Old-guard—tired and retired.
New guard—young, and eager to work and learn.
The old guard nursed and shepherded the Three Hills Memorial Community Centre Society through decades of change and challenges.
That volunteer work gradually took its toll and at last Thursday’s August 20 Society meeting, President Terry Ann Diack and Secretary June Kanderka tendered their resignations.
“What we face,” said President Diack, “is shutting down the Society or finding new blood to take over. It’s that simple.”
At one time, the Society, commonly known as the Hall Board, ran the community centre, but its varied duties, from bookings to janitorial services, were gradually taken over by the Town of Three Hills, leaving the Society with one task: supply volunteers for a casino in Red Deer.
The Society’s casino funds proved critical in making renovations and repairs possible, the most recent of which was a more than $20,000 kitchen upgrade.
Of the 12 who attended the meeting, now-retired June Kanderka, with more than 40 years of society experience, said her work was interesting and that she enjoyed it, despite some hassles. “It is,” she said, “exciting to see younger ones stepping forward.”
Coun, Vernon Wiebe, representing town council on the Society’s board, said, “Without the casino money, the town would be hard-pressed to keep the hall as we know it.”
With the kitchen upgrade nearly complete, the next big thing for new President Natalie Chubala and her seven-member board will be to address a stage upgrade.
David Nadeau
ECA Review
