The 2019 Wing Ding saw over 250 people participate. Community members won't have the same large gathering this year. (Aaron Schulze/northeastNOW Staff)

By Mat Barrett

Different Wing Ding

Melfort Fire Department hosting different kind of Wing Ding

Nov 25, 2020 | 5:50 PM

The Melfort Fire Department is getting ready for its annual Wing Ding event, but it will look a bit different for 2020.

Normally, bingo would be played all day as Christmas-related prizes are handed out to winners. Prizes include turkeys, chocolates, Christmas oranges, and much more.

“We’ve been doing this for a long time and it’s been a real good success for the last 69 years, and we didn’t want it to falter this year,” Captain Graham Calow said. “It was important for us to keep it going.”

This year, for the 70th year, it won’t be bingo, but people will still have chances to win some Christmas prizes. The department set up a raffle for this year and have 20 baskets with those same Christmas prizes as before.

The draws will be made on Facebook Live on Dec. 19 and winners will be contacted shortly thereafter.

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Calow said one reason to continue the tradition is department members believe it’s important to be involved in the community. It also helps raise lots of funds for the department itself.

“It is our biggest fundraiser for the entire year,” Calow said. “All of the proceeds go directly to our local fire department.”

The funds help the department continuously upgrade its equipment and make sure the members are able to respond quickly and efficiently.

“In the time of COVID-19 that we’re in, there’s been an increase on our Personal Protective Equipment,” he said. “And so we access funds like this to make sure that our members are safe and ready to respond in all of those different scenarios.”

Tickets for the raffle are $5 and can be purchased by Etransferring the Melfort Fire Department at firehall@melfort.ca. You can also contact members of the department for tickets.

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mat.barrett@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @matbarrett6