A dynamic group of more than 15 community members gathered for a meeting of the Medstead and District Recreation Association on the evening of April 11.
MADRA is a non-profit organization operating in the Medstead area. This association contributes a great deal to the community, including the recent exciting bonspiel. The organization is integral to the spirit of the community and facilitates many group engagements that get the locals together to celebrate and participate in lively recreation.
Village administrator, Coleen Kitching, noted passionately the importance to the community of the work done by MADRA. Kitching noted donations can be made through the village office to support MADRA, saying, “I want to encourage people in the RM to make an annual donation to the arena.”
Throughout the April 11 meeting, numerous matters were discussed over pizza and refreshments. These covered the positive news that the local arena, supported by MADRA, passed the necessary health inspection March 14.
Emphasis was placed on the excitement surrounding the upcoming annual Canada Day festivities, specifics of which are being arranged. The importance of volunteerism and community involvement was expressed with respect to the upcoming merriments, which are to boast a plethora of exciting endeavours.
The floor was given to local resident, Ray Ledinski, who served as president of the association for many years. Ledinski has been the primary co-ordinator for bingos conducted as a part of MADRA for more than two decades. He detailed the nuances of running bingos, with particular emphasis on difficulties relating to manpower. Ledinski noted the required volunteer hours for each bingo, specifically that a minimum of four volunteers per event are necessary.
These bingos have served as successful fundraisers over the years. An attendee of the meeting calculated the gross average of funds obtained over the 26 years discussed, as roughly $8,200 per year. The meeting also noted that after each bingo, 25 per cent of the amounts brought in is then matched by the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority. It was specified during the meeting that the funds go to the Northwest Bingo Association and are subsequently divided amongst the participating halls.
MADRA was allocated 36 bingos during 2016. According to Ledinski, these bingos have been conducted primarily by a specific group of committed locals. Special note and appreciation was given to the decades of work by Avelyn Ledinski, Fred Steinhart, Ray Ledinski, Kay Drieschner and the late Marie Kroeker. Ledinski said these events, for a significant time, have been run by senior citizens. Many of these people, he mentioned, are semi-retired.
According to Ledinski, “This was a volunteer system since the start, in 1970.”
Ledinski noted the bingo licence is set to lapse at the end of April 2017. It was indicated there is a struggle to get helpers for these events. With this taken into consideration, a motion was made to let the bingo licence expire, which passed unanimously.
A great amount of work has gone into these bingos. Everything from setup, to footwork of selling cards, calling the numbers and stringent cash handling has been managed by those volunteers mentioned. Great appreciation goes out from MADRA and the community for the hard work put in by these individuals, as was reflected during the meeting.
Discussions followed regarding the plans for upcoming events, specifically those scheduled for the beginning of July. The enthusiasm and passion of the members of this association and the notable good that it contributes to the community is what keeps pushing this non-profit forward. In so doing, MADRA helps keep Medstead the positive and thriving community its citizens know it to be.
