The City of Weyburn is no stranger to hosting major provincial or even national-level sporting events, so it came as no surprise when the city announced its intentions to bid for the privilege of hosting the 2004 Saskatchewan Summer Games.

Weyburn had bid for the Games once before, but two shortfalls in the bid caused the selection committee to go elsewhere: the cultural component, and the number of rooms available for accommodations.

Having gone through the process before, and recently hosting some major events, including the national mixed curling championships at the Colosseum and the provincial 55 plus Summer Games, a number of Weyburn residents took on the chore of putting the bid package together for the 2004 Games.

Councillors Gary Goski and Mike Pickering took on the job as co-chairmen of the bid committee, and have tried to address every aspect of the Games that the selection committee wants to see. The package will contain extensive, up-to-date information about Weyburn and area, and will include a video with footage shot in and around Weyburn to promote the city's bid.

The job of hosting the Games is no small venture, as the councillors have pointed out many times: it will take a massive volunteer effort and the total commitment of the community at large in order to pull off such an event.

There will be some 2,000 athletes and coaches on hand for the event, and the army of volunteers will need to be nearly the same number to help run the various venues of games, and to fill all of the various jobs that will need to be done, everything from hosts/hostesses and drivers to guides, security and so on.

Weyburn already has most of the facilities that will be needed, with the exception of the track at the Comprehensive School, which the city will undertake to make upgrades on in order to bring it up to the proper standards for the Games.

To address the cultural component which was lacking before, the bid committee is hoping to tie in the annual Wheat Festival celebration to the Games, which in itself is one of Weyburn's major summer events requiring many volunteers to organize and run.

While the task may seem daunting to some residents, Weyburn has proven it can handle such a hefty assignment, and the experience gained in hosting provincial and national events will be valuable to the organizers as they line up the personnel and facilities that will be needed.

With the bid package now in the selection committee's hands, the committee itself will be visiting Weyburn the week of Oct. 15-19 to check out the community and its facilities in person.

The enthusiasm and spirit put forward by the community when the committee is here will be of paramount importance to landing the Games in Weyburn; it will confirm that this community has what it takes, in every possible way, in order to host the Games.

Whether you're a business owner, student, retired or any other ordinary resident of the city and area, let's be sure to put our best foot forward, Weyburn, and bring the Games home! - G.N.