Anyone new to the Shaunavon and surrounding southwest area, is invited to attend a meet and greet event tomorrow morning.  

The Grand Coteau Cultural and Heritage Centre is hosting the first Welcome to Shaunavon event, to introduce newer members of the community to the established folks. 

Brenda Waldron, a member of the committee, said the initiative is a recent re-birth of the area’s Welcome Wagon.  

“I noticed in particular, that on the good old Shaunavon Observers page, people were moving in and asking the same questions,” she said. “So, I got ahold of Baillie Berg from the [Shaunavon Chamber of Commerce], and she said, ‘the Welcome Wagon died.’ I mean, it was fading out and then COVID completely killed it, because people couldn't get anywhere to find the information.” 

Waldron, along with committee members Jan Smart and Shelley Lehmann, who both moved to the area in the last few years, decided to join forces in creating a special document, and planning events like tomorrow’s. 

“The document is an electronic document, the living one so we can update it," Waldren explained. “And it tells and anybody moving into town who doesn't know where things are, where to find it. What we have is the links to where to find the information.” 

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The come-and-go event kicks off at 10 a.m. in the Grand Coteau Heritage and Cultural Centre Meeting Room, with coffee to be shared, snacks to be enjoyed, and connections to be made. 

Folks will be given the e-document and shown how to use it to source out the answers to any questions they may have, as well as coupons, maps, pens, and more.

“We just really encourage people [to come], if they're new to town or new to the area,” she said. “I mean, there's people who have moved out to Admiral, Climax, Frontier and East End, and we’re kind of their next stop before you go to Swift Current or Medicine Hat. And so, we encourage you to come on over and see what's available here.” 

The Welcome to Shaunavon committee plans to hold another meet and greet event this fall.