In the past I have at times written about the activities available here in Meota. When a person looks around, there is actually quite a bit available throughout the year if you really want something to do. Having been on the Meota ADRA board I have had something to do with some of these activities and have listened to those who have been on the board before me about what they have done over the years.
From looking at the range of activities provided I have noticed there has been a noticeable change over the years in what types of activities were offered to meet the demands of the population. In years gone by ADRA was heavily involved in sponsoring baseball in the summer and, as it still does, looked after sponsoring and maintaining the skating rink and, to my understanding, hockey was a big thing in the winter months here. The park at one time had three ball diamonds that were in constant use during the summer months. Of course curling is an activity that is still going but the number of teams involved has diminished some over the years.
Since I have been involved we have been unable to generate enough interest to field a single baseball team, when once upon a time there were enough participants to have a few teams. The same seems to be the case with hockey. We still have a few youths who go out and shoot a puck around but there are never enough to have an actual game or even set up one team. At one time I guess that there were times during the summer the ball diamonds were busy as long as there was light, whereas I have yet to see enough activity to keep one diamond busy.
I have heard laments that these sports are not as active any more in Meota but, when I look at the population demographic here, it does not take a rocket scientist to figure out why. I can count the number of youth who are around here for the full year without having to borrow someone else's hands and fingers to do the figuring. We, the citizens of Meota, are an aging population with very few families who have offspring at home. Even when I look around the outlying areas there are not enough kids to form a team of any kind; thus it is not surprising that the activities which now make up the slate here are shifting to those that are of interest to such a population.
A large number of the activities here in Meota now center around the Do Drop In seniors' center. These activities tend to be more of a social nature rather than of a sporting nature, but if you want to get competitive there is no lack of areas to test your skills. Bridge is a regular weekly event at the DDI with contract bridge Monday evenings and duplicate bridge Tuesday evenings. Mondays in the afternoon there is shuffleboard to take up the challenge. Then, if you want, you can test your hand at Kaiser Wednesday evenings and let's not forget cribbage Wednesday afternoons and Canasta Friday evenings.
If music is up your alley come down Tuesday mornings to listen to the hobby band practice and, while you are there, you could play some scrabble. Of course all these events include some socializing and coffee or tea. To get more information on any of these, check out the community calendar.
If you are interested in something a little more active, Meota has quite a nice exercise facility with a good variety of gym equipment to challenge the most daring and, from what I see, the membership rates are quite attractive. Added to this is the walking program that has the community hall open for those who would do laps. At the moment there is a move in the works to accentuate the use of this facility by setting up a satellite center of the Strides program offered by the health unit.
This program started with an aim to target those who have chronic illnesses and needed something to help them improve their level of fitness in a medically monitored program. It has since opened up to those who need some help in improving their physical fitness with some coaching along the way. This program has three main components: a walking portion, an exercise and strengthening component and an educational portion.
These are all carried out under the direction of health professionals to insure safe participation. All the while the participants are monitored for heart rates, blood pressure and blood oxygen levels. Some of the monitoring is self-directed with equipment that is easy to use and there is always someone to show you how. At the beginning and throughout the program there is assessment by medical staff to track progress and identify any problems.
There was a meeting March 8 at the community centre, open to the public and at which representatives from the health unit were present to give information and answer questions. The drive to get this going has come from Carmen Beaumont who is quite keen to get the program offered here in Meota. She is at present one of four from Meota who are attending the program at the Alex Dillabough Center in Battleford. The meeting was attended by 22 residents of the district and interest seemed quite high. Thus a committee will be formed to continue working towards getting things set up with hopes that it might be up and running in September.
Thus we see that Meota is still quite an active community but the ages of the participants have risen slightly.
In contract bridge, first place went to Eric Callbeck with Warren Iverson coming in second, Feb. 27. Then in duplicate bridge first place went to the duo of Robert Iverson and Joyce Antoine, Feb. 28, with there being a tie for second between Marg Dyck and Frazer Glenn and Glenn and Julie Moore.
In Kaiser play March 1, Fred Gansauge took first with Jean Gansauge coming a close second.
The canasta champs March 2 were Cora Christiansen and Lindsay Woodrow.
Quote: "Humanity has advanced, when it has advanced, not because it has been sober, responsible and cautious, but because it has been playful, rebellious and immature." Author Tom Robbins.
