MEOTA — I’ve been away for my mom’s memorial, and upon returning, I stopped to pick up the mail. I took notice of the bulletin board so I’d be up to date on what’s happening in the Meota community. There were 12 posters of interest. Too bad I already missed some of the events.
There was a Lake Stewardship Community Workshop this past Thursday, June 19.
Meota has cemetery bees throughout the summer. The next one is on July 5, starting at 9 a.m. When I saw my father's and mother’s headstones in Abbotsford, I realized the importance of this event.
Even the Meota Curling Club is active in the summer months. Their 18th annual golf, supper and silent auction was June 21.
The Meota United Anglican Church is having a bake sale this upcoming Saturday, June 28, at 9 a.m.It’s my experience that you need to be on time, or the baking has all been bought up.
The Meota and District Golf Club is hosting 10 Meota men’s nights. All 10 events are sponsored by businesses and their local representatives. You’ll have to find their poster at the post office for more details.
The Meota Golf Course also has eight ladies’ nights. July 9 is their next event. Their post office poster has all the details.
There’s information on the Village of Meota Playground Committee. The finishing touches to the playground are ongoing and there is still an opportunity to donate and get involved in the finishing touches to the area around the play structure. The trees are in, but more landscaping is needed. Please consider offering a helping hand. Village administrator Kim has all the details on the project.
Meota ADRA is hosting the Meewasinota Craft and Trade Fair on June 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Meota Community Hall.
Meota’s village-wide garage sale will be held on July 4-6. Individual houses throughout Meota will set their days and times. You can drive around and find the deals you’re looking for, then stop by the Meota General Store, the Meota Cafe or the regional park concession. Be sure to stop and enjoy the activities on the Lake.
The ever-popular Meota Car Show will be held July 26, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Meota baseball diamonds. You can preregister or come as early as 8 a.m. to register. Entry is free.
There’s a poster for an emergency preparedness workshop. I was very happy I took that course years ago and learned CPR. It changed my life for the better.
This past Wednesday, the Do Drop In celebrated their 50th anniversary. It was so nice to see the new sign on the building. More people came than expected and we needed to add seating to accommodate everyone. Some of the history was shared and luckily, there was a written summary for people to take home.
We also had greetings from Kirk Morrison, the CAO of the RM of Meota. He shared the history of how Meota’s Do Drop In has become the district’s medical clinic. The vision for a local medical clinic was developed by Ina McOuat. Ina pitched the idea at a joint council meeting with our regional partners: RV of Aquadeo, RV of Cochin, RV of Metinota and the Village of Meota. Ina met with the SHA, who were receptive to the idea of providing nurse practitioner services in a local health clinic. Timing was everything. Several locations were identified. The RM of Meota council agreed to fund the capital costs, with the community partners sharing the operating costs based on the percentage of population. SHA had a deadline of Jan. 31, 2025. If the one-year pilot project was unsuccessful, the investment would be beneficial to local ratepayers. Council passed the following resolution at the Dec. 4, 2024, council meeting:
Heidel/Gabruck - That Randy St. Marie be appointed as project manager for the “Do Drop In” renovations to facilitate the establishment of a health clinic with a budget of $60,000, and that Councillor Jodie Garrick be authorized to approve all expenditures within the budget and further that work may commence upon SHA approval of the project plan and obtaining all required permits.
Jodie Garrick was instrumental in bringing the vision to reality. Randy St. Marie and a group of volunteers accomplished the seemingly impossible task and completed the renovations by the Jan. 31 deadline and came in under budget at $29,665. Clinic operations commenced on Feb. 25 with Nurse Practitioner Latoya Durkop. If you haven’t already been to the Do Drop In, you’ll be amazed at how welcoming it’s become. Fresh paint, new floors, wheelchair accessible washrooms and a major declutter have transformed the space. Important artwork still graces the walls and brings back memories of our community. Our whole community will enjoy this space for years to come.
The Meota Lakefront Paddle and Sail building is in the process of an overdue facelift. Volunteers are busy preparing the ceiling and walls for the fresh paint. The Discovery Co-op has awarded the MLPS with their Communities in Colour grant.
Sask Sail has also lined up two four-day courses in sailing, one with the Boy Scouts of Saskatchewan and one for the public. The courses will be held Aug. 11 to 14. Space is limited, so book early unless you’re willing to take a chance and register when the course starts on Aug. 11. To register, go to the Sask Sail website and look for Meota Sailing lessons. Dennis Mercer is Meota’s sailing director and is happy to answer any questions you may have. Text or call him at 306-480-9223.
Before I submit my article, I always check Mary Sherry’s “What’s Happening in Meota and District.” I got a great chuckle out of the June 28 event. There’s a cute little graphic that says Beer Garden with the words underneath - Library 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 pm. Our librarian might be surprised when people show up looking for a beer.
