The 2019 Weyburn Communithon fundraiser will be a ‘Blast from the Past’ at the Weyburn Legion Hall.
The Communithon committee wants to celebrate all the volunteers who have made previous Communithon events special. They have something anniversary themed planned for the opening ceremonies at 8 a.m. on Friday, October 25, and want to end with a blast for the closing ceremonies at 11 p.m.
“I really encourage Weyburn and area residents to come out. We’re really hoping it will be a celebration, and we’re getting a lot of great talent who will be coming to share their gifts with the community,” said Wanda Miller, chair of the Communithon committee.
There will be special surprises throughout the day and familiar faces from the past gracing the stage.
The entertainment will feature school groups, bands and choirs throughout the day, and then local entertainers are lined up to carry the event on into the evening.
“We are extremely excited about the entertainment line-up. Weyburn schools will be filling the Legion Hall with energy and excitement throughout the day. Starting at 3 p.m. we have some very talented community people who are set to take the stage and share their music. We will keep things lively right until 11 p.m., and it promises to be a good time,” said Colleen Weimer, who co-chaired the entertainment committee along with Jackie Wilson.
The groups will range from singers and dancers to service clubs (such as the Rotary Club), community and church groups, and talent from the region, such as Focal Point and Micah Walbaum from Forget.
The Communithon is being held in support of 11 community agencies, which include Big Brothers Big Sisters Weyburn, Canadian Mental Health Association, Canadian Red Cross, Community Low Income Centre, CNIB Foundation, Envision Counselling and Support Centre, Inclusion Weyburn, Spinal Cord Injury Saskatchewan, Weyburn Care-a-Van, Weyburn Special Care Home Auxiliary and the Weyburn Youth Center.
“The 11 community agencies that gives great services and programs for people in Weyburn and the surrounding area,” said Miller, noting that videos on each of the agencies have been produced, and will be shown in the Legion and on the Access broadcast of Communithon throughout the day.
Miller said they have received a lot of positive feedback from residents since the committee announced their return to the Legion, after being at the Cugnet Centre for the past few years.
“We’ve had people stop us when we’ve been out selling our 50-50 tickets, and tell us they are glad that it’s back at the Legion,” she said. “Our committee has been working hard since February planning, and we’ve been meeting on a regular basis.”
In the last couple of months, those meetings have been held at the Legion so they can make their plans tailored to the hall’s size and logistics.
In conjunction with Communithon, the Knights of Columbus and Prairie Sky Co-op will once again hold their perogy and cabbage roll supper at McKenna Hall from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Residents can enjoy perogies, cabbage rolls, smokies, onions and ice cream, along with coffee, tea or juice, for $15 per adult or $6 for children. Babies and toddlers are free of charge, and all proceeds from this meal goes to the Communithon.
Residents who want to share their favourite Communithon memory can upload a comment on the organization’s website at www.communithon.com. They are also calling all businesses and organizations to join the Community Business and Service Club Challenge to boost the donations and fun at the Communithon.
They can provide 10 minutes of entertainment during the evening, such as a song, skit, or whatever a group can come up with. Groups can join the event by completing the online application to entertain at www.communithon.com. This is in addition to the “Jar Challenge”, where businesses have been trying to raise the most funds for Communithon.
In promoting the theme of ‘Blast from the Past’, the committee encourages any Communithon posters to celebrate going back to their roots in the downtown core. Posters can also promote any of the 2019 community agencies. Poster pick-up from schools or businesses can be arranged by emailing communithoncommittee@sasktel.net
