Canada Day in Martensville is upon us once again. This will be the tenth year that the Martensville Information & Visitor Centre (MIVC), formerly known as the Martensville Community Access Centre, has organized this event. Each year, the board for the MIVC, along with volunteers, put in countless hours of work ensuring that Canada Day has something to offer everyone. This year however, that workload was doubled, as no volunteers stepped up to join the Canada Day Committee.
Lack of volunteers hasn’t stopped those at the MIVC from digging in their heels and planning a fun-filled day for the community. This year will be similar to previous years; however, instead of beginning the event in the morning, they will instead begin at 3pm. “We have had difficulty getting volunteers and people out earlier in the past, so we wanted to give it a different try this year. We will still have all of the favorites, but won’t be adding anything new,” Kristee Lynn Adrian of the MIVC said.
Some of the items and activities that families can look forward to include cake and ice cream, bouncy castles, a history display, cinema under the stars, fireworks and more. Other popular items being offered include an art exhibit, brain injury booth, a toddler area, entertainment, a concession, BBQ and of course the famous donut-on-a-string game. Each year, families look forward to ‘Cinema under the Stars’, and this year is sure to be another great family friendly movie! The day is free to attend, and although donations are welcome, they are not required.
Events such as this can’t take place without the help of volunteers, and the MIVC is seeking help for Canada Day. “We need everything from set up, clean up and everything in between. Volunteers can choose their time slot and the area that they wish to offer their services. Any time is appreciated; even an hour of their time can make a huge difference,” Adrian explained. Families are invited to volunteer together, and are encouraged to bring their little ones along to take part in the fun!
If you are unable to contribute your time this year, the MIVC is always looking for people to join their Canada Day Committee. Meetings typically take place once a month and volunteers are not required to be here on Canada Day to help. “We always need help preparing and getting ready before the event. You don’t have to have experience and anyone can join! We work on people’s strengths and build from there,” Adrian noted.
Through the years, Adrian states that the MIVC has seen Canada Day in Martensville change and evolve, and although they would love to be able to make the event bigger and better each and every year, without volunteers and funding, it is unfortunately not an option. Being a non-profit, the MIVC runs through grants and sponsorship, which Adrian notes has seen a decline this year. “Funding is always a struggle and this year we can especially feel it, not just with our events, but with the operating funds at the Centre as well. We have been looking for different avenues to work either with partnerships in the community, sponsorships, and other things,” said Adrian. With a shortfall in funding, the MIVC has been required to cancel some of the programming that was previously offered.
For more information or to volunteer, contact the MIVC at (306) 242-0362 or office@martensvilleinfo.ca. You can also sign up for Canada Day volunteer opportunities at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0b4bafa82fa2ff2-canada3.
