The “good eats” part of the festive season in Veregin was extended to January 10 when district residents assembled to enjoy a ham-and-perogy supper held to raise money for the community’s hall.
“The tickets were all sold out by Wednesday,” Lawrence Kazakoff said prior to the beginning of the meal. “We’ve had to turn people away.”
Kazakoff thanked everyone who was attending the banquet, those who had donated items for the silent auction and the volunteers.
He encouraged people to drop into the centre for coffee Mondays to Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.
“We’ve done a bunch of work and we’ve got more to do,” said Nadia Reibin, president of the newly-revamped Veregin New Horizons committee. “We’ve received grants but also need to raise other funds.”
Sunday’s supper included the silent auction, entertainment by local artists and a special visit from Katrina, the joke-telling, crazy-clothes-wearing “Baba from the boonies.”
Constructed in the early 1900s, the building which now houses the Veregin New Horizons Centre, had been a garage and café which was purchased by the Jumaga family in 1935, said information from the committee. The space was converted into the Palace Gardens, a theatre and dance hall, as well as a general store that carried varieties of fabric.
The late Peter and Mary Fofonoff purchased the building in 1978 and then the original Veregin New Horizons group purchased it before it was incorporated as a charitable organization in 1980.
The building required much renovations and upgrades as it was being utilized as a seniors’ centre and adjoining hall, and after the village’s post office was destroyed by fire, space was provided for the post office for several years.
After a number of the members of the original group died, involvement in the building had lapsed until last year when the new committee was formed, the information said. “We began by tackling the leaky roof and water-damaged interior.
“We recruited volunteers of all ages with a commitment to restore the facility,” it said. “We’ve been applying for grants and fundraising in order to finance all the renovations and upgrades that need to be done.
Listed as jobs that have been done are: the removal of a huge tree; roof repair and sealing work; work on eaves troughs; installation of ceiling insulation; finishing the ceiling in the kitchen, bar and bathroom; work on kitchen lighting; painting; improving bathroom sinks and the installation of a donated hot water heater.
Work yet to be done includes: creating a wheelchair-accessible bathroom; work on windows, doors, flooring and toilets; replacing taps in the kitchen; work on the lighting in the hall and centre; installing a new furnace; acquiring appliances including a deep freeze, fridge and stove; acquiring tables and chairs and some small appliances for the kitchen, and doing some repairs to the exterior of the building.
Reibin was recently elected to the Veregin New Horizons Centre committee that includes Wendy Chernoff as treasurer and Lawrence Kazakoff as secretary. Directors are: Ruby Dubasov, Len Buenneke, Tracy Chaptiuk, Molly Poole, Carla Chernoff, Joyce Musselman, Barry Reibin and Trish Chernoff.
Because the former committee had allowed the committee’s charity status to lapse, work is being conducted so that it can be obtained again, Reibin said.
The committee is keen to rent the facility for community gatherings, she said. The Veregin Co-op recently held its anniversary supper at the hall and it will be rented for polls for the provincial election.
“We’re also planning to continue some of the past fundraising methods including selling perogies and noodles,” she said. “But volunteers are always needed for these projects.’
“We hope to organize monthly functions for the hall,” she said, suggesting that they may be hosting a pancake breakfast for St. Valentine’s Day.
