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Assiniboia Community Band donates to Arts Council

The Assiniboia and District Community Band went on many fun band trips, including the Calgary Stampede parade
Band donation photo
Alison Lewis, president of the Assiniboia and District Arts Council, received a donation from the remaining executive of the Assiniboia and District Community Band (from left): Karen Reisner - president, Maureen Ellis - treasurer and Pearl Putman - music librarian.

ASSINIBOIA - The Assiniboia and District Community Band has been around for a very long time. I remember seeing photos at the museum dating back to 1949. 

My involvement in the band started when I was six years old and continued when my children joined when they were six, nine and 10.

The band went on many fun band trips, including the Calgary Stampede parade, and we were fortunate enough to have a lot of great people in the band with us over the many years. We have had many band directors.

Our last band director was Kurt Gillett. When Kurt accepted a full-time band teacher’s position in Moose Jaw, we were not successful in finding another band director to come to Assiniboia.

The band officially folded in 2016. 

We had done a lot of fundraising as we were hopeful to go on more trips. However, since we were no longer a viable organization, we were forced to get rid of our funds and find another charitable organization to give them to. The Assiniboia and District Arts Council seemed like a great choice. They were extremely thankful when we gifted them our bank account. I know they will continue to have some great concerts and music for the community.