MEOTA — We’ve had another typical Saskatchewan week in Meota. The prairie wind was moving something around, and the trees were being battered. It was somewhat difficult to determine whether it was a cloudy day or smoke from the northern forest fires. It’s great that everyone is abiding by the no fires rule, especially with the high winds. The lake has dramatic white caps and it’s a good thing my hat has a chin strap.
Once again, we notice residents stepping up to keep Meota neat and tidy. Mark Chapman and his neighbours worked hard and trimmed up the lilac bushes along the sidewalk to the Meota United Anglican Church. The sidewalk was so overgrown that you could only see half of the concrete. Once Mark and his friends were finished, you can use the sidewalk instead of dodging the traffic on that part of Beach Avenue.
I see Charles Baillargeon has rototilled the plot of land adjacent to Meota’s United Anglican Church and planted cucumbers. Caroline and Dirk VanEe provide the water so that they’ll grow, and in the fall, the food bank in North Battleford gets the bountiful gift of fresh cucumbers.
The church is blessed to have local volunteers who cut the grass in summer and clear the snow in winter. It’s appreciated, especially by our regulars and our many summer visitors. This Sunday, we were happy to have three little ones baptized. We all enjoyed the sounds that children bring to the service. It’s music to our ears.
Arlene Walker has been busy reading and summarizing all the minutes and records from the Do Drop In. She’s preparing for the 50th anniversary celebration that is coming up on Wednesday, June 18, from 2 to 4 p.m. She gave me a nine-page document. That’s too much to include here, but I think it’s still worthwhile to include some of it.
From 1920 to 1975, the seeds were sown to get a seniors’ centre to fill a need in the community. The Legion was formed in 1926 and disbanded in 1974. They were the ones who bought the two lots where the Do Drop In is now. The building was an old school that was added to the Legion Hut.
It’s fascinating to see the prices of things in those days. Membership was $2 a person. She describes how all the little things that make up the Do Drop In came together. Everything from the piano to the shuffleboard and kitchen equipment was slowly purchased over time. At one time, they even had lawn bowling in the backyard. There was a hobby band that had jam sessions there for several years. These seniors did a lot of things together, from decorating parade floats to working on the Footsteps in Time history book. In 1983, they even decided to sponsor a foster child. They continue to support TeleMiracle.
In the ‘80s, they joined the Saskatchewan Seniors Association. They joined the winter festival, took part in the tractor tube races, played games, shuffleboard, whist, cribbage, bingo, pool, Kaiser, 500 and exercises. All these activities brought in some money to operate on. They discovered that 10 cents didn’t cover the cost of making the coffee. Over the years, donations kept coming in and necessary maintenance and equipment were covered.
This week, we were treated to a noon lunch on Wednesday and a plant sale with hamburgers and hot dogs for lunch on Saturday. Every week, there’s Chat and Chew on Wednesday mornings and canasta on Fridays at 1:30 p.m. This week's winners of canasta are first place, Stella Rendle and Gwen Lacerte and second place, Evelyn Dutton and Bev McCrimmon.
By 2012, membership fees needed to be raised from $5 to $10, which is what they still are today. There’s a wellness clinic at the Do Drop In twice a month and the nurse practitioner is there Tuesdays. Unfortunately, she has been away for June but will be taking appointments after July 1. The seniors work with the local Lions Club to achieve their goals and they have close connections with the embroiderers’ guild. With the new facelift of the facility, the Do Drop In has a new lease on life and it will be able to keep the community of Meota as a very welcoming place for residents and visitors alike. I can’t wait to see their new sign.
