Duane Hicks
A new social network that aims to engage young people to explore recreation and civic opportunities in the Fort Frances area is getting the thumbs up.
ENGAGE held its first mix-and-mingle yesterday evening at From the Grind Up, drawing 25 individuals aged 20-35, including some who are new to the area.
Ben Smith, who moved with his friend, Chris Palmer, from just outside London, Ont. to take the paramedic course at Confederation College here, said ENGAGE is a great idea.
“Especially with a small community like this, it’s great to get the young generation involved,” he remarked.
“With the mill closing, it needs a fresh start.
“It’s something that I read about and was instantly intrigued by,” Smith added.
“I might continue to stay here in the future so I’d like to be involved in the community.
“Other than this, it’s kind of hard to go out and meet people,” he noted.
Mandy Lahti, a resource and information co-ordinator at Northern Community Development Services (NCDS) here, said ENGAGE is a great way to get new, young professionals involved and working together with local residents to come up with new ideas for the town.
93.1 The Border’s Jonathan Price, who moved here from Toronto nearly three years ago, said that when he first heard of ENGAGE, he thought it was a good idea, especially for himself and others like him.
“I didn’t grow up here so I don’t have that ingrained group of people that I know, especially my own age,” he explained.
“And with what I tend to do, I interact with people that are a little bit older.
“This is great to be able to come and network with people that are around my age,” added Price.
“It’s a great thing.”
Seth Berguson, an X-ray technician at Rainy Lake Medical Centre over in International Falls, agreed.
“I think it’s great idea,” he remarked. “For young professionals in the area, if you’re not into the bar scene, there’s not a whole lot of options for people doing the same thing you’re doing.
Berguson said he’ll tell other young professionals in the Falls about ENGAGE.
Elin Czayka, a dietitian at the Gizhewaadiziwin Health Access Centre, recently moved here from Winnipeg.
“I’m new to Fort Frances and don’t really know what’s here, so it’s great to meet some people my age,” she noted.
The event was run by Rainy River Future Development Corp. interns Jamie Petrin and Shannon Darby.
Petrin said the aim of ENGAGE is to get young, like-minded, and career-focused people opportunities to network in a casual atmosphere.
“We want to form a sense of community for young people who are coming to the area for the first time or coming back to the area,” she explained.
“We want to get people involved in the different things the district has to offer and open some doors they might know have existed.”
Petrin said there is a definite need for ENGAGE.
“Basically, the amount of people here tonight prove that we need it,” she reasoned.
“There’s 25 people here tonight that want to get involved with other young people and want to get engaged in our community.”
Petrin noted young people often hear that Fort Frances is a seniors’ community.
But while it is true there’s a growing number of aging “baby-boomers,” it’s not just happening here—and it doesn’t mean it can’t be a community for young people.
Another common complaint is that there’s nothing to do. But Petrin said that’s just not true, citing Fort Frances and the surrounding district offers plenty of activities.
With ENGAGE, Petrin wants to get young people outdoors and celebrate what Rainy River District has to offer.
She said possible ideas for future events include skeet shooting, curling, snowshoeing, and ice-fishing.
Newcomers to town also have said that “it is hard to make friends in a town that where everybody has a place,” added Petrin.
“Again, the people who are here tonight prove that is not necessarily true.
“People fall back on what they’re comfortable with, so I’m really happy that there’s such a great turnout tonight showing us that people want to get out of their comfort zone and do something different,” Petrin said.
For more info on ENGAGE, and when and where the next event will be, e-mail Petrin at intern@rrfdc.on.ca
