President’s Message – January 2023
Happy New Year, Edgemont! How many of you made New Year’s resolutions? Not me! I’m trying to deal with things as they come and not wait until I need a “special resolution” to get me to my goal.
For those in Edgemont who follow the Chinese calendar, New Year arrives on January 22, 2023. It’s the Year of the Rabbit which should bring about longevity, peace, and prosperity. All qualities that we could certainly appreciate after the challenges of the past few years and what we see going on in the world.
By the time this newsletter arrives in your mailbox, the outdoor skating rink should be flooded and welcoming skaters. The rink is adjacent to John Laurie Park and maintenance has been the task of a loyal group of volunteers. Skating is a good family activity and certainly gets the blood pumping.
Looking forward to February, we are planning Frost Fest for February 20 (see ad in this newsletter). Details will be on the website. You can look forward to games, skating, plank skiing, a fire pit, and hot chocolate. Keep your fingers crossed for good weather and join your neighbours for a little outdoor fun.
In the spring, we will host a Spring Handicraft Market. If you are interested in being a vendor, call the ECA office (403-239-1211) for details. At the same time, we are doing a drive to support Basically Babies, a charity that helps families in need by providing a layette for a baby’s first year. In November, a few of us from the Board went to the Basically Babies facility to get a sense of what the agency does and the magnitude of its operation. The charity welcomes new volunteers to help sort clothing and assemble its layettes. It hosts a volunteer night every Wednesday. For more information contact 403-510-4195. Jennifer Brookman, Manager of Operations, is enthusiastic about what the charity does and who it helps. ECA will be accepting new and gently used clothing items. Those preferring to make a cash donation can go to the website https://basicallybabies.org/wordpress/. A charitable receipt can be issued for cash donations.
Speaking of websites, we are going to be updating the ECA site and our membership database. Please be patient as we work through this process. The new website will make paying for our ECA membership online easier and we trust that its ease of use will mean that latest information will be posted as soon as details are finalized so you can make plans well in advance to join ECA activities. For instance, we will be hosting our second annual Mothers’ Day Tea in May. The theme and the price for tickets will be revealed online and if all things go as intended (and they always do in IT projects, don’t they?) you’ll be able to purchase your tickets directly from the website.
Businesses and restaurants make our community interesting and liveable. I’d like to send a big thank you to Selia Bar that hosted an ECA Board meeting in November 2022. Board members enjoyed the chance to get together in a more social atmosphere and the food was terrific. Try it for yourself and support a new business in Edgemont!
In closing, I am inviting you to stop by the community centre to view the Volunteer Appreciation Mural. The work on the mural was done in December and is intended to highlight the contributions that volunteers have made to our community. It’s inside the building and is a lovely addition to its ambiance.
Pamela Wilson
President