The Yorkton Chamber of Commerce has inducted two new life members into its ranks. Life membership recognizes people who have distinguished themselves through service over their lives. The two people granted life membership were Ruth Shaw and Allan Bailey.
Shaw has been a volunteer in the community for over 60 years, working with the Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club and a wide variety of other community organizations. She is perhaps best known for her work with the Yorkton Film Festival, and is the last founding member of the Yorkton Film Society. Her work with the festival has been recognized with the Ruth Shaw Best in Saskatchewan award.
Bailey has been involved in the City of Yorkton for decades, including time spent as mayor and as a consistent part of various groups in the city. A recipient of the Volunteer Medal, Bailey says that he feels honored to be recognized for his work in the community, but that he was happy to do it.
"I enjoyed every minute of it, I always accepted anything given to me as a challenge, and I had a great help in my late wife Colleen who was always encouraging me to get involved and she did as well. Yorkton has been a wonderful community to live in, raise a family in, and do business in," Bailey says.
With his interest in literacy, Bailey says that one of his greatest accomplishments was the formation of the Parkland Regional Library, an undertaking which also involved Shaw on the committee. Bailey says that the big challenge was going to all the different small towns in the region to sell them on the benefits of being part of a larger regional library.
Bailey also says that building the Agriplex was another challenge which he was proud to overcome. He notes that it was a close vote, with some vocal opposition, but they were able to get federal money and the end result was something to be proud of.
"The people who were so against it when it was being built were the ones that were always talking about it after, and how it was a great thing for the community."
Another accomplishment was the Anne Portnuff Theatre in the Yorkton Regional High School, something Bailey says was not only a valuable part of the community, but also a great value.
"We spent $100,000, which is a mere pittance when you consider what the Anne Portnuff means today."
