The La Ronge Children's Festival is one event that could be cancelled. (Facebook/La Ronge Children's Festival)

By Derek Cornet

helping hands

La Ronge festivals in dire need of volunteers or faced with cancellation

Mar 1, 2023 | 2:36 PM

Volunteers are needed for two summer festivals that won’t likely go ahead unless help is found.

That’s according to La Ronge Deputy-Mayor Viviana Ruiz-Arcand, who shared the news at a regular council meeting last month. She explained volunteers are needed for both the La Ronge Children’s Festival and the La Ronge and Area Pride Festival.

Dates for both of the events are yet to be set because the need for helping hands is so great.

“We need people to help make these events happen or else they simply won’t happen,” Ruiz-Arcand said. “Right now, I don’t feel there is enough volunteers for a formal committee to actually write a letter.”

The Children’s Festival is typically held on Canada Day, but in 2022, it occurred on Father’s Day weekend. The La Ronge and Area Pride Festival is usually a week-long event that happens in June.

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Since the Children’s Festival customarily happens on Canada Day, Ruiz-Arcand noted many residents assumed the Town of La Ronge were the organizers but that is not the case. The Town of La Ronge did organize some events in 2022 due to an outcry from residents because there were no activities planned.

“There isn’t a request for an actual monetary commitment other than in-kind use of things like tables and chairs, and potential employee participation as a paid employee or as volunteers is what I would like forward to council,” Ruiz-Arcand stated.

Both festivals will need assistance in putting up equipment, taking down equipment, supervising, manning stations, clean up and more.

For those who would like to volunteer with the Children’s Festival. there is an annual general meeting on March 9 at 6:30 p.m. at the Alex Robertson Public Library that the public is invited to attend. As for the Pride Festival, contact Ruiz-Arcand and she will add those interested into a Facebook Messenger group chat.

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @saskjourno