Despite the challenges brought to the area by excess water, the towns of Manor, Arcola and Kisbey once again went into high gear to prepare for the annual "MAK Attack" competition. The event has been running since 1993, and brings the three communities together in friendly rivalry, to see which one has developed the most in terms of overall growth and beautification.
The event was held in the early afternoon of June 22 at Arcola's Chaparral Inn. The 16 people who came together included town administrators, councillors, maintenance personnel and the four judges. Doing the honours for 1011 were Lois Paul from Carlyle, Myrna Kendall from Stoughton, Lynne St. John from Stoughton, and Thomas Shaw from Sun Country Health.
During the meal, which was enjoyed by all, Shaw spoke about the trip judges had made through the communities, then invited Lee Hepburn (acting administrator of Arcola) to share a poem she had written for the occasion. The poem caused more than a few laughs as it spoke about the potential for bribery through songs, cookies and other incentives, but ended with the simple reality that the judges were welcomed with smiles.
Shaw then talked about the positive elements of each community. He praised Kisbey for being an urban settlement in a rural environment. Of Manor he shared his admiration that they had held onto their own school, and of Arcola he highlighted the provision of their own daycare and the redevelopment work being done by local people, including their mayor. He also said "All of you are winners, you always have been. You have all done awesome."
Although most years there have been flowers and manicured lawns in evidence, with the wet weather and waterlogged ground conditions, Shaw indicated that they'd been looking at the conditions of buildings. Many had new roofs or new uses, and Shaw said it was "A compliment to the communities" and it showed "pride in the communities." He urged the attendees never to give up, "Without the spirit in each community, you won't be able to maintain it" he said.
And then it was time for the announcement. Lynne St. John took to the floor and praised the maintenance personnel from the communities for managing the water situation. She said it had been a hard decision this year, with much discussion between the judges when leaving each community. Then the wait was over as she announced Arcola as the winner for 2011. Lee Hepburn received the plaque and added her thanks to the maintenance staff for their incredible work through the recent difficulties and with that, Arcola celebrated their seventh win of the award.
Although the last few weeks before the award do tend to become busy as communities prepare for the arrival of the judges, it is clearly a year-round job to keep a town looking great. Individual actions by maintenance people, even in their own time, make all the difference in the world. Community spirit and willingness to take pride in their environment are key attributes that make small town Saskatchewan what it is, and once again Manor, Arcola and Kisbey have shown how much they care. They are indeed all winners.
