The "sports event of the year," as selected by Rivers West District for Sport Culture and Recreation, was the 2012 Meadow Lake Saskatchewan Summer Games.
The award was presented at a banquet in the Neilburg Community Hall April 24.
A proposal to host the Summer Games was developed in December of 2009 and the Saskatchewan Games Council accepted Meadow Lake's bid in January of 2010.
Games co-chairs were selected and a board of approximately 20 people made up the various sub-committees. By the summer of 2010, the volunteer core base consisted of 150 people. By the time the games were over, the volunteer count was over 1,200.
The community rallied around the need for donations. Contributions came in to the extent that the games ended with a slight surplus. One of the goals of the Meadow Lake Saskatchewan Summer Games was to enhance community development through a sport legacy of upgraded equipment, facilities, experienced officials, cultural understanding and appreciation, as well asorganizing a core of volunteers. These goals were overwhelmingly met.
When the games were over, the local committee (the Saskatchewan Games Council) and the community at large all saw the effort as an outstanding success, as did the many visitors to Meadow Lake who commented continuously about the wonderful venues and the exceptional way in whichthey were treated.
The 2012 Meadow Lake SaskatchewanGames Committee went to great lengths, in the world of volunteers, as such a large event could not have taken place without them.
The award was accepted on behalf of the Meadow Lake Saskatchewan Games Committee byDonna Johnston-Genest,the Executive Director of Rivers West District.
