The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Kelly Carrington Staff Writer A lack of volunteers has put the Denare Beach Winter Festival in jeopardy. Denare Beach Recreation Board member Mary Wright says if there isn't more support, the recent 2013 edition of the festival could be the last. 'We suffered from a lack of people volunteering and (wanting to) form a committee,' she said. Wright says though people say they will help, the rec board is often left without volunteer assistance. 'That doesn't help put (the festival) on,' she said. A resident of Denare Beach for 20 years, Wright has been a community member on the rec board for roughly 18 years. She says if others don't start stepping up, the Denare Beach Winter Festival will be over. This year's festival was put together by the rec board, but Wright says there needs to be more help. 'If we can't help people to organize the event, it's just not going to happen,' she said. Sad to see Wright says she would be sad to see the festival go if it comes to that. But with a board of mainly senior citizens, she doesn't know if there is another festival left in them. 'I think it's important to bring the community together and see the kids having fun,' Wright said. 'But the people doing the work in the past are seniors now. 'We need younger people to take over.' A senior citizen herself, Wright says she knows of two members on the rec board who will resign in the coming weeks. With the status of another member still undecided, Wright says there may not even be a rec board in the coming weeks. Though there weren't the volunteers they had hoped for at the 2013 Denare Beach Winter Festival, Wright says the event was fun for those who attended. Turkey Curling was a popular event again this year, as was the boot hockey tournament, Freezie Mountain and horse-drawn sleigh rides. 'I think it generally went quite well,' Wright said. 'I think we did fine financially.' Plenty of fun was had by those who attended the other events like bingo, trap-setting and jigging, a frozen t-shirt contest and the fishing derby. 'The ones I've talked to, they enjoyed it,' Wright said. The weather couldn't have been better for the weekend as mitts and toques were optional for many. The festival was held Feb. 22 and 23.
