MELFORT — The City of Melfort has caught the Christmas spirit in a big way.
Dr. Yemi Laosebikan and his wife Foluke have called Melfort home since 2003 and the Christmas season has always played a big part in his life. That’s why, he said, after a quiet 2017 Christmas season, he wanted to help create something special.
It was at the same time the City of Melfort was trying to find a different use for the historic post office building.
It was at that point the historic post office was made into a Christmas castle. After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the castle is re-opening this year.
Speaking with Dr. Yemi, he explained how he wanted to bring the Christmas spirit, peace and family together. His wife, a lawyer by trade, also helped in the creation of the Christmas castle.
There are many volunteers that go into creating something as magical and awe inspiring as the Christmas Castle in Melfort, but talking with local entrepreneur, Tara Muntain, she said that this just would not happen without Dr. Yemi. Muntain, also a Melfort city councillor, wears many hats and truly enjoys what the Christmas castle brings to the community. She has been nicknamed, “the keeper of the music schedule” as music has been another passion of hers and that is how she met and got to know Dr. Yemi and his wife singing at church.
She mentioned Lou Goudy, mother of local MLA Todd Goudy, as another volunteer who has helped create the magic of the Christmas castle and Donna Chase when it comes to organizing all the volunteers at the door.
Admission is by donation. All the proceeds go to a non-profit each year, with this year the money raised going to the North Central Healthcare Foundation (hospitals formerly in the Kelsey Trail Health region). There is also a memorial tree and anyone can take an ornament and place it in their memory.
The castle is open 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. nightly from Dec. 5 through to Dec. 22.
