Flin Flon’s venerable Trout Festival has once again been pulled from the brink of oblivion.
The festival’s annual general meeting last week saw a largely new executive take over, ensuring the summer tradition continues in 2015.
“I thought I’d give it my best shot, and it sounds like I’ve got great people to work with,” said Anita Bradt, who takes over as festival president.
Bradt leads a revamped executive that includes Melissa Richard as vice-president, Annette Last as secretary, Lori Rogan as treasurer and Tim Babcock as past-president.
Rogan and Babcock are the lone returnees, as other executive members were unable to commit to coming back.
Uncertain future
The shortage of executive members had the festival facing an uncertain future heading into the Nov. 20 meeting, held at the city hall council chambers.
“I heard talk that this might be the end of it, and I thought, ‘Well, I don’t want to see the end of the festival,’” said Bradt.
Bradt, a long-time Flin Flonner and active volunteer, said she wants the 2015 festival to offer a family-friendly blend of new and returning events. She said there has been talk of reviving the bed races and fishing derby, once staples of the festival, along with the Queen Mermaid pageant.
“To me, it’s a good thing for the young girls – it gives them some self-esteem,” Bradt said of the pageant.
Bradt, who works as a bakery-deli clerk at North of 53 Consumers Co-op, is also considering bringing back the scenic helicopter rides that were such a hit for the festival in 2013.
Babcock, who is now past-president after five years as president, was grateful for the new executive members.
“I’m very happy that people stepped forward and were willing to step out of their comfort zones…and take on new challenges and hopefully breathe some new life into this festival,” he said.
But Babcock was disappointed that last week’s meeting brought out only a dozen people. When he attended a similar do-or-die
Trout Festival meeting in 2010, the council chambers were brimming with about 70 people.
Babcock said the festival is in good financial health and that he and past executive members will help guide the new executive.
Though the festival executive is full, Bradt said there is still a need for more volunteers. Anyone interested in lending a hand, or in attending the next festival
meeting, may contact her at
204-271-0153 or 204-687-5866.
