Volunteers make a community worth living in, and this past weekend St. Paul and area’s volunteers were out in force making this a better place to live. No amount of thanks seems up to the task for the great gifts delivered year-round by volunteers, which were especially visible last weekend.
The most visible sign for passersby travelling the highways in every direction from town, were the many volunteers, including 4-H members and a variety of clubs and organizations, doing a job that should be everybody’s responsibility. The groups were out with big orange bags picking up the tons of trashing lining the ditches to the edge of farmers’ fields. The bags of garbage marked each quarter section on both sides of the highways, a sign of both the excessive waste some people see fit to dump on the ground, and to the volunteer spirit of 4-H clubs, 4-H members, and parents. Picking up trash is a rather dirty job, but by Sunday, the highway ditches look as litter-free as a conservation area. 4-H clubs and members deserve the community’s support and admiration for a job well done.
Another good example of volunteer spirit on display came in the form of St. Paul’s annual Enerflex Lakeland MS Walk, where 300 people came to show their support for people who have MS. The event was supported by many volunteers both on Saturday, and the weeks, months, and years leading up to it.
The event showcased the strength and friendship of the communities in the region. Mayors and councillors from the towns of St. Paul, Bonnyville, Elk Point and the City of Cold Lake led the way on Saturday, a show of regional co-operation and amiability. Councils worked independently to raise money for the event, and through combined efforts, raised tens thousands of dollars for MS research and services.
Estimates of amounts raised by respective councils at press time show our home team, mayor and council for the Town of St. Paul, came up on the short end of the regional challenge among councils for which could raise the most cash for MS. As agreed among councils, this being a good example of the keen work that they do besides running the municipality, the loser of the competition must host the other challengers to a golf tournament and a barbecue. Looks like Mr. Isley, Mr. Parrish, and Mr. Copeland are due for a barbecue on St. Paul council. The respective council participation in the event and challenge is a good indication of the strong volunteer spirit throughout the region.
