This is a call for young people to step up and take the reins.
People stay in small communities for a reason. They stay because home has always meant something to them.
Home is where we played volleyball and went to slo-pitch tournaments and visited with neighbours at pancake breakfasts.
In small communities, everyone has to chip in so these things can actually take place.
I saw it a lot of times growing up where events that were well attended and well staffed one year were cancelled the next because there was no one who was willing to help out.
Talking to many different organizations that rely on volunteers, I am seeing that now.
The Humboldt and District Chamber of Commerce lists 27 non-profits in Humboldt alone, but I know that number is higher.
For each small community in the Humboldt area, especially those that have a school, there is at least another four that need volunteer board members.
Jamie Brockman even said it when it comes to the Humboldt Broncos Board of Directors needing people (Broncos give current state of the franchise, Humboldt Journal, May 25).
And the Broncos are not the only ones.
I have heard it many times from people who joined boards 10-15 years ago because their own kids were participating with the sports team or organization.
I cannot even say how long my own dad did the school board, church board, and rec board, because he constantly had kids in school and sports for around 24 years.
As kids grow older and less involved, I do not blame parents who want to step down from the responsibility and let someone else take over.
These boards do more for people in the community, granted more so for people with kids but also for people between 18 and having their own kids.
Adult tournaments, dinner theatres, suppers, pancake breakfasts, everyone takes part.
I know it is not all the fault of young people and young families not stepping up.
In the last 115 years of census data, the only year Saskatchewan’s rural population had not been on a steady decline was between 1941-1951.
This does affect the number of people attending events and also the number of people available to help with events.
I hear it from small town and large city people a like.
There is nothing to do in small towns.
I do not remember the boring times growing up in a small town. I remember the pancake breakfasts, the slo-pitch and minor ball tournaments, the town bazaars, and the dinner theatres.
I have fond memories of these events because there were people willing to give their time and energy to make sure the event happened.
Let us keep these events going so that other children can have more fond memories of exciting times that bring the community together.
