Westlock and area residents looking for something to fill their free time this winter flooded the Westlock Rotary Spirit Centre last Tuesday.
On Sept. 9, the annual Community Showcase hit town, allowing groups the chance to set up a booth and hock their wares in front of hundreds.
Travis Darling, the town’s community services programmer, who organized the event, said he figured between 200-300 people were in attendance to see what the 43 different organizations had to offer.
“It’s a very good turnout for a Tuesday night and a cold night,” he said as the showcase was winding down.
Darling said he is still relatively new to town, but what has impressed him is how many different community groups there are in the area.
“It’s nice to pull back the curtain and see there is more here than people think,” he said.
Organizations set up at the showcase included just about every association and organization in the area, such as the Westlock Gators and Barrhead swim clubs, curling, minor ball and ringette, as well as the Hope Resource Centre, FCSS, Girl Guides and Cadets.
One such group was the Westlock Whitetails Junior Forest Warden chapter. Member Shawn Viney explained the group is all about outdoor family activities, tailored to the ages of the children involved.
Catering to ages six to 18, he said the Whitetails do such activities as camping, hunting and orienteering.
The group proved a bit more popular than he had expected — they had 10 registration forms with them, and with roughly 45 minutes left in the evening were down to their last one.
That near shortfall spoke to the value of an event like the showcase to a group like the JFW, who are a kind of quiet group, Viney said, explaining it helps get their name out there.
He added he likes the showcase because it gives families a chance to see what is out there and helps them decide what they’re really interested in.
“What event doesn’t suit one family will suit others,” he said.
A more adult group at the showcase was the Toastmasters. Vice-president of public relations Dawn Rouncville explained the group is excellent for people wanting to improve their oratory skills.
Participants can learn such skills as how to give speeches, or simply how to be more confident in just normal conversation, she said.
“You can try anything in front of us,” she said, adding it’s a non-judgmental setting where you can learn tips about improving eye contact or reducing nervous mannerisms.
The Toastmaster table saw a fair amount of traffic stop by, Rouncville said, and they gave away several pamphlets, showing the interest is there for what they do.
Darling said this year’s attendance was more than double last year, and that gives him hope the 2015 Community Showcase will continue to show that growth.
“I’m looking forward to maintaining this base and expanding,” he said.
