Heed plea

With additional snow on the ground from yesterday’s storm, and perhaps still more on the way before winter finally loosens its grip on us for good, the last thing on people’s minds these days is Fun in the Sun. But July 1 is just three months from today—a relative blink of the eye when it comes to staging a community festival.
Particularly one which seems to be teetering on the brink of oblivion.
There’s no question our annual summer celebration isn’t what it used to be, when it ran for 10 days and saw upwards of a dozen young ladies vying for the prestigious Fun in the Sun Queen crown year after year. Now we can barely fill Canada Day with activities, let alone a week, and the queen pageant had to be cancelled last year due to lack of interest (although, on the bright side, a junior one was held).
This certainly is not a shot at longtime organizer Paul Bock and his small but dedicated committee, who frankly deserve medals for their tireless efforts over the years to keep Fun in the Sun afloat. Unfortunately, like so many other community groups, they face the double whammy of fewer and fewer volunteers to draw upon coupled with a lack of funding ever since the Fort Frances Bingo Hall closed its doors.
As well, given the current economic downturn, people just may not have the money to support all the various causes out there through the purchasing of raffle tickets, attending socials, and the like.
Mr. Bock clearly hasn’t thrown in the towel just yet, but was blunt this week in his plea for support—warning that Canada Day may feature a parade and some fireworks, and little else, unless residents step forward with ideas, funds, and a helping hand.
The committee can only do so much. If we want Fun in the Sun to be a community festival again, it’s going to take the community to pull it off.
The clock is ticking. . . .