As you drive into North Battleford from Battleford one of the signs along the highway leading up to the railroad overpass is one proclaiming the city as a Block Parent community.
Sadly, those signs will soon be history.
The Battlefords Block Parent organization began proceedings Sept. 1 to dismantle the organization. Spokesperson Pat Welford, in a letter, says the organization has folded due to declining interest. The organization is no longer able to recruit a chairperson or executive board and it was becoming increasingly difficult to find people willing to display the signs and be part of the program. They have begun collecting the distinctive red and white signs that are the trademark of the organization and hope to have that process complete by Oct. 15.
Is this an illustration of how increasing insular we have become as a society? Has it truly become every man (in this case children and anyone else needing assistance or a safe haven) for himself?
It is a bit frightening to think, in a community with crime statistics in the stratosphere, that those in trouble will no longer have a clearly marked place to turn to for assistance.
Ultimately, the Block Parent program has fallen victim to an increasingly pervasive turn away from volunteerism in the community. It seems we've become so busy being busy we've lost sight of the important role volunteer programs play in the health of any community. I can't offer any solutions. I'm as guilty as the next guy, but if this trend continues more organizations will fold and our community will suffer the consequences.
No one can fault the individuals who kept the program going for a quarter century, however. Their dedication to the program was truly selfless and a reflection of their commitment to the community.
We'll let the organization have the last word.
"We thank you for your support for the last 25 years. We have had a wonderful and long history in the Battlefords."
