President’s Message – September 2024
As September presents itself, we can pat ourselves on the back to tackling the challenges of summer and coming out unscathed, for the most part. Road construction – a summer challenge we’ve come to accept as a necessary evil. Water rationing – a bigger challenge this year than most. High heat – I think I saw someone trying to bake cookies on a cookie sheet sitting on their truck’s dashboard. Fires – as I write this article, the threat of fires is much too close for comfort and leads into the poor air quality that causes respiratory issues for many residents. As I watched the news reports on the decimation of Jasper, it was heartbreaking. There are going to be many Aberta residents who will need help.
Fall programs will be ramping up. Check out the calendar for a list of what’s available for both children and adults. I know I need to get back to yoga, not only to give my muscles a good stretch but also to find a little calm in the day. The Food Trucks and the Farm Stand will continue at the ECA until the last Thursday of the month. We also have a Sports Swap coming up from 12-3 on September 14. Note that you need to go to the website and pre-register if you are planning to set up a table at the event or simply attend. Tables are $5 each. Entry is free with a donation to either the Food Bank or the Breakfast Club encouraged. We are planning a Winter Market for November 16. Vendor registration is also available online. For those looking to shop till they drop at the Winter Market, donations to the Hamper Program are encouraged for entry. Thanks to those vendors who provided feedback from the Spring Market. Your comments are being considered as we hope to improve the experience for both vendors and customers.
We continue to look for volunteers to help with our casino event at the Elbow River Casino on October 31 and November 1. If you can spare a few hours, contact [email protected]. Casinos contribute significantly to our overall ability to function and offer programs.
Grants also figure significantly into our program budgets. I’d like to acknowledge the support we received from the City of Calgary through their micro-grant program for funds and to ATCO for grills without which we couldn’t have had our community pancake breakfast. Thank you also to Calgary Nordic Alliance for their support of the Nordic Rodeo. Both funds and access to free resources help us make our community an interesting place to be.
A final thought. Sometimes we have to take joy in the little things. Someone once said to me that if a child gives you a rock, accept it with grace. That rock may be all that child has to give and they have chosen to give it to you. Be kind and make a difference in someone’s life.
Pamela Wilson
President