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ANGUS HENDERSON
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While other organizations are struggling
for volunteers, the Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede (MHES) is
managing to hold on to its core group of volunteers and even get
some younger ones.
And how important are the 400-500
volunteers in helping put on events like the four-day Stampede?
“It wouldn’t happen without
them... period,” says MHES president Bob Thomson.
Although the Stampede ends today, the work
continues year-round for the volunteers who help out with the
myriad of events hosted by MHES annually.
The Stampede accounts for roughly half of
the approximately $2 million MHES annual budget, with the remainder
coming from the other events held throughout the year.
“We’re always looking for
younger people to come and help us get things done,”
continued Thomson.
“They go through a procedure where
they volunteer for a couple of years and then they become an
associate director and then a director, and they work their way up
in the organization.”
MHES general manager Jim MacArthur says
his organization has been fortunate over the last few years in
maintaining a strong volunteer base and has even seen an upswing in
younger people joining.
“In general though, the volunteer
base is an aging one — similar to most other volunteer
organizations in the community,” he added.
According to MacArthur, more young people
have been attracted to volunteer positions because of the Country
in the City concept introduced at the Stampede over the past couple
of years.
“They see the way the agricultural
community relates to the environment and that’s an issue
that’s important to them,” he explained.
Volunteer Bill Dearborn has been involved
with the MHES for the past eight years. Many Hat and area residents
would recognize him as the blacksmith at Pioneer Village during the
Stampede.
It’s a position he finds personally
very rewarding.
“Children as young as
three-years-old can catch on to what’s happening and they
learn quickly,” Dearborn explained. “It’s such a
good feeling when you see children’s eyes light up and when
they can take something home that they’ve learned to make
with their own hands.” |
