The Alberni Valley’s Canada Day Committee is looking for new volunteers for its 2022 celebration.
The committee is gearing up for the new year with its first meeting on Jan. 17, and volunteers are optimistic that the community will be able to come together for the traditional celebration in 2022.
The first step is to recruit some new volunteers for the committee, says Angie Blake, chair of the committee and president of the Port Alberni Folkfest Multicultural Society that leads the organizing effort.
“Since our last event in 2019, life changes have resulted in the loss of several active members, so we are inviting interested members of the community to contact us about getting involved,” said Blake.
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Blake says the committee work leading up to the event includes media communications, recruiting food booth operators, organizing entertainment and activities for children, fundraising, logistics, maintaining the group’s online presence and recruiting event volunteers.
“Luckily, we have maintained an experienced core group, but we need to engage more committee volunteers to have the ability to organize a successful event,” said Blake.
If people are interested in finding out more about helping with the project, they can contact the committee by emailing alberniparade@gmail.com or by visiting www.facebook.com/PACanadaDayParade.
If the 2022 event goes ahead, it will be the first time in two years that a Canada Day celebration has taken place in Port Alberni. The 2020 and 2021 events were cancelled due to COVID-19.
“We’ve gone through a lot as a community since our last celebration together, and we want to make this a day—and a night with fireworks—to remember,” said Blake.