During the Arcola Back to School BBQ on Thursday, Oct. 4, the School Community Council organized a community open house spearheaded by Teresa Johnston.
The open house welcomed service clubs and different organizations from Arcola and the surrounding area to set up a table in the Arcola gym. Here they were able to present to community members what it was their club focuses on.
Organizations included both adult-focused groups and youth-based clubs including the Optimists, Moose Mountain Wildlife Club, 4-H, figure skating, minor hockey, karate, the community band, Moose Mountain Air Cadets, and many more.
The school's Students Against Drinking and Driving (SADD) had a booth set up to encourage others to join. Shaleen Hengen told The Observer it is a program for students to become a part of to help raise awareness and prevent drinking and driving.
"We get speakers to come in who have been involved in drinking and driving accidents to speak about their experiences," Hengen said. "We want to prevent drinking and driving in our community."
Hengen added that SADD will again be putting on the P.A.R.T.Y. program this spring. Together the students work with the local emergency responders and organize a mock accident. In the past the cause for the accident has varied from intoxication to texting and driving, with the message being clear that what you do behind the wheel can affect many people's lives.
Other presenters are also present during this time to speak about addictions services, rehabilitation of injuries, emergency response in the hospital, and more.
Another booth set up in the gym included the Girl Guides. They recently came back to the area last year. The group typically meets after school, separating into their age categories of Sparks, Brownies, and Guides to make a craft or learn a skill before coming together as a large group again to end the meeting.
Last year, Aynslee Rakochy, one of the leaders, explained they had worked jointly with other clubs in the area such as a group of Guides from Regina. Together they spent time camping in Yorkton and enjoying learning survival skills and life skills.
Community member, Garth Herman, explained he was happy to see the event held.
" the school is often the centre of the community and to integrate the different organizations together tonight was a very good idea," Herman said.
Having realized the idea from the Moosomin SCC, Johnston said she had wanted to organize it last year but time got away from her. This year she was resolved to make sure it went ahead and was extremely pleased with the amount of people that attended.
"I thought that if it worked for them, why wouldn't it work here?" Johnston said. "I for a first time event it was really well attended. It's a good opportunity for the clubs to come out, but even better for people new to the community who might not know what's all offered in the area. They can see and speak with people about their different interests and find something to become a part of."
"I just want to thank everyone who came out and a thank you to Shockwave Youth Centre for bringing their bouncers out; the young kids loved that while their parents got to look around," Johnston explained.
Cathy Burton, teacher and one of the Back to School BBQ organizers, added that she was amazed to see the response from the community both with booths set up and number of people to come through the school doors.
"I think it was a great idea," Burton exclaimed. "We had more people come through our BBQ than we've ever had before, a lot of the times parents and their younger children come but not always the older youth. I think we have nearly everyone here tonight."
Laughing Burton added, "Next year I'll have to make 300 cupcakes! We usually have some left over, but we ran out and I even had to send Kevin [Hengen] to Chapman's for more hamburgers."
Overall teachers, community members, and the organizations that had booths were happy to be given the opportunity to come together.
