聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 The 鈥済ood eats鈥� part of the festive season in Veregin was extended to January 10 when district residents assembled to enjoy a ham-and-perogy supper held to raise money for the community鈥檚 hall.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭he tickets were all sold out by Wednesday,鈥� Lawrence Kazakoff said prior to the beginning of the meal. 鈥淲e鈥檝e had to turn people away.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Kazakoff thanked everyone who was attending the banquet, those who had donated items for the silent auction and the volunteers.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 He encouraged people to drop into the centre for coffee Mondays to Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e鈥檝e done a bunch of work and we鈥檝e got more to do,鈥� said Nadia Reibin, president of the newly-revamped Veregin New Horizons committee. 鈥淲e鈥檝e received grants but also need to raise other funds.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Sunday鈥檚 supper included the silent auction, entertainment by local artists and a special visit from Katrina, the joke-telling, crazy-clothes-wearing 鈥淏aba from the boonies.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Constructed in the early 1900s, the building which now houses the Veregin New Horizons Centre, had been a garage and caf茅 which was purchased by the Jumaga family in 1935, said information from the committee. The space was converted into the Palace Gardens, a theatre and dance hall, as well as a general store that carried varieties of fabric.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The late Peter and Mary Fofonoff purchased the building in 1978 and then the original Veregin New Horizons group purchased it before it was incorporated as a charitable organization in 1980.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The building required much renovations and upgrades as it was being utilized as a seniors鈥� centre and adjoining hall, and after the village鈥檚 post office was destroyed by fire, space was provided for the post office for several years.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 After a number of the members of the original group died, involvement in the building had lapsed until last year when the new committee was formed, the information said. 鈥淲e began by tackling the leaky roof and water-damaged interior.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e recruited volunteers of all ages with a commitment to restore the facility,鈥� it said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e been applying for grants and fundraising in order to finance all the renovations and upgrades that need to be done.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Listed as jobs that have been done are: the removal of a huge tree; roof repair and sealing work; work on eaves troughs; installation of ceiling insulation; finishing the ceiling in the kitchen, bar and bathroom; work on kitchen lighting; painting; improving bathroom sinks and the installation of a donated hot water heater.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Work yet to be done includes: creating a wheelchair-accessible bathroom; work on windows, doors, flooring and toilets; replacing taps in the kitchen; work on the lighting in the hall and centre; installing a new furnace; acquiring appliances including a deep freeze, fridge and stove; acquiring tables and chairs and some small appliances for the kitchen, and doing some repairs to the exterior of the building.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Reibin was recently elected to the Veregin New Horizons Centre committee that includes Wendy Chernoff as treasurer and Lawrence Kazakoff as secretary. Directors are: Ruby Dubasov, Len Buenneke, Tracy Chaptiuk, Molly Poole, Carla Chernoff, Joyce Musselman, Barry Reibin and Trish Chernoff.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Because the former committee had allowed the committee鈥檚 charity status to lapse, work is being conducted so that it can be obtained again, Reibin said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The committee is keen to rent the facility for community gatherings, she said. The Veregin Co-op recently held its anniversary supper at the hall and it will be rented for polls for the provincial election.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e鈥檙e also planning to continue some of the past fundraising methods including selling perogies and noodles,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut volunteers are always needed for these projects.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e hope to organize monthly functions for the hall,鈥� she said, suggesting that they may be hosting a pancake breakfast for St. Valentine鈥檚 Day.聽
