Hello Friends and Neighbours.
Well, it has definitely been a different year for all of us. As a Board we started our year at our February meeting; plans were underway for the Volunteer Night, Western Dance, Canada Day Breakfast, Ghoulfest and the Christmas Craft Fair. The Casino fundraiser was set to go. There was a full slate of Hall Rentals for the spring, summer, and Fall. Everyone was very excited! Then COVID-19 struck and things changed.
The Hall and Playground had to close, all rentals had to be cancelled, the casino was postponed indefinitely, user groups could no longer attend, the Volunteer Appreciation Night, Western Dance, and Canada Day Breakfast that we all so look forward to were cancelled. Board and committee meetings now had to be virtual.
The financial impact of not having rental events or a Casino fundraiser has been significant. We have had to make some hard decisions and also look for ways to save money on little things. Greg, our facility manager for the last 15 years, has accepted a reduction to his hours. Any non-essential expenditures have been halted.
As a community, we worried about our neighbours and friends. Our Membership Director called all members, current and past, to ensure that everyone was managing. It was so good to talk to everyone and see the resilience in our community!
When the Government announced in late June that Community Centres could begin to reopen if they met very specific Guidelines we undertook a huge job of sifting through the Guidelines, creating and implementing a plan for the Hall that met the Guidelines and was as safe as possible. This was not done lightly. The safety of our members was always foremost on our minds.
In August, the Government announced that Preschools could open, again with very stringent guidelines. Our Preschool Director, spent much of her summer going through the Guidelines, meeting with Alberta Health Services, and implementing a plan for our Preschool. Again the safety of the children and teachers was foremost on our minds.
In the Fall we gradually added activities and classes to the Hall and had started to look at rental groups with less than 50 attendees. All of this meant we had implemented stringent COVID enhanced cleaning of high touch surfaces and cleaning between each group. Coming to the Hall was a little different than in the past. While we entered through the usual door, the exit was through the balcony doors, there were 2m markings on the foyer flour, a table in the foyer with hand sanitizer, the Health Checklist and sign-in forms, and signage about safe COVID-19 practices. Of course, as of late November, the Hall has had to close again. However, we will be ready when the time comes to re-open!
Beyond COVID-19 we have completed a “To Do” list at the Hall, looked toward updating our website and communication tools (when financially feasible), continued with the day to day operations and started some new initiatives. The latest initiative is to welcome new families to our wonderful community. If you have any new neighbours that we can welcome, please let us know.
As mentioned earlier, the financial impact of not having rental events or a Casino fundraiser has been significant. Your membership has always been valued and is now more important than ever. Thank you to all of you for your patience and support!
The Annual DCA Membership is $21 per family. Please use one of the following methods of payment: E-transfer to dwca@platinum.ca, call 403-938-2525 with your VISA or MasterCard information, bring payment to the Hall between 9am and 12pm Monday to Thursday, or, mail a cheque to DCA, BOX 111, DeWinton T0L0X0 (Please make chq payable to DCA). Thank you!
DeWinton Community Association News and Events
Hall Closure: The Hall will be closed until January 15 and we will hope that lower COVID-19 cases will allow reopening at that time. Please see our website (dewintonca.com) or Facebook page for updates.
AGM: is set for January 28. We are looking for new Board members for the upcoming term and invite all members to volunteer for the Board or nominate others that would be interested. Please see our website, Facebook page or call 403-938-2525 for updates regarding the AGM.
De Winton Community Preschool Open House and Registration for 2021-22 School Year: Open Registration Night is Wednesday, January 20, 2021 from 6:00 – 7:00pm at the De Winton Community Hall. From this date onward, registration is open to all. Prior to this date, there are certain dates and times that registrations will be accepted for current and previous families. Please visit dewintoncommunitypreschool.com for more information including the Registration guidelines and paperwork. Masks are mandatory at the hall and COVID-19 precautions will be in place. We kindly ask that only one adult (no children) attend the Registration night if possible.
Welcoming new families to DeWinton: Are you or a family you know new to DeWinton? The DeWinton Community Association would like to personally welcome you to our amazing community! Please contact us at dwca@platinum.ca or 403- 938- 2525 to receive a small welcoming gift and learn more about our community events, activities, and preschool.
Call out to Members: Don’t be surprised when we call. The Membership Committee will once again be checking in on current and past members and neighbours to make sure everyone is coping well with the current situation
Best Wishes for 2021
Lastly, and most importantly, we want to wish all our friends, neighbours, and members a 2021 filled with hope, happiness, and good health!
Your DCA Board
