Louise Haubold, a woman with a long history of recreation volunteerism, was recently presented with the George Rathwell Lifetime Achievement Award at the Saskatchewan Regional Parks Association Convention in Saskatoon.
We reflect on and honour the days and years Louise has spent helping Little Loon Regional Park become the park it is today.
Louise, who is 88 years young, has spent her entire life devoted to community service and the helping of others. Before the park came into being, she led 4-H and organized curling bonspiels. In 1965 when the Little Loon Regional Park was established, Louise and her husband, Eric, made the park their summer retreat. Louise, being a lover of flowers, volunteered her time and energy to dig up the sod and make flowerbeds. She would thin her beds at home and plant the extras at the park, along with nursery plants she bought.
A sand green golf course was put in the park and golfing became a passion for Louise. When talk started about upgrading to grass greens, she was all ears. Many people felt it was too costly an adventure for a new park just getting on its feet. Louise, who lived through tough times in the 1930s saw only it as another challenge.
Fundraisers started happening and Louise was right there in the forefront, selling cash calendars and Nevada and 50/50 tickets to help make the grass greens possible. A gold club was organized, which Louise was a part of until this past year.
I do not ever remember a year she did not organize the park's tournaments. Louise not only enjoyed our park, but all the surrounding parks as well. You could say she was our park ambassador. Many times she would be heard saying "if you do not attend other park functions, how do you expect them to come to ours in return."
She would spend hours on the phone calling people about tournaments happening at the park.
When the staff was finished work mid-September, Louise would volunteer her time to run the park concession until the end of September so people could enjoy a couple more weeks of summer.
Louise was our Canada Day clown. Her and a friend would decorate themselves and a golf cart up in red and white and drive through the park welcoming people and selling 50/50 tickets. Mid afternoon she would gather the children together and put on a mini golf tournament. It was important to her that every child would receive a prize as she did not want anyone left out.
Louise loved to help with the Sunday morning pancake breakfasts. When her hip started giving her grief and she could not stand to cook, she took over taking payment at the door. The breakfasts were a way of raising funds for new playground equipment.
Louise was as dedicated to the park as most people are to their children. She purchased a gold membership knowing she wouldn't make use of it, as she had just undergone a hip replacement.
In the 48 years of park history never was there a time she wasn't involved in the park either on a committee or as a park board member.
The board of directors would like to express a hearty thank you to Louise for the many years of selfless commitment to the success of Little Loon Regional Park!
