ST. PAUL - A long running event in St. Paul will continue on, despite restrictions in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Community Awareness Night is scheduled to take place on Sept. 22 at the St. Paul Rec. Centre, ensuring residents have the ability to connect with a variety of clubs and groups in the area.
The Town of St. Paul FCSS is taking over organizing the event, confirmed FCSS Director Lynn Smid. In the past, the event had been organized by the St. Paul Community Learning Association.
Smid says she believes the event is important to the entire community, especially people who are new to town. The evening brings a number of groups together under one roof, offering people information about programs that offer athletic opportunities for youth and adults, artistic opportunities, volunteering opportunities, and a variety of support services. Traditionally, many of the groups used the annual event as a registration night.
Smid says a number of safety protocols will be in place for this year's event. She's confident that with the measures in place, the event will be a success.
Masks will be mandatory, and only one individual per organization will be able to sit at the group's table. People will be required to sanitize at the main entry and exit points. The event will also run over a longer period of time, allowing people to come and go over the course of four hours.
Just over 20 groups have already registered for the event, and Smid encourages other organizations to take part. While many clubs may still be holding off on offering programs at this point, she believes it's important to get that message out, even if the club's season is "on hold."
The cost to register a club and reserve a table is $20, and the event will run from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Organizers will be encouraging fewer handouts at this year's event, to decrease the number of shared surfaces. People will be encouraged to take pictures of brochures or forms with their phone, rather than taking hard copies home.
With so much uncertainty around the current pandemic, Smid says she believes it's really important for people to have a place where they can get information and find out what is being offered in St. Paul. She also notes that it's important for the community to continue to support the various groups so they can continue to operate into the future.
Smid says she's happy to be able to help keep the "legacy" going, since Community Awareness Night is one of the longest running events in St. Paul.
For more information about Community Awareness Night, and to register a booth for the event, contact the Town of St. Paul FCSS department at 780-645-5311.
