The 2012 Magnificent River Rats Festival has been saved after a critical meeting at the Athabasca Regional Multiplex last Tuesday.
When the meeting was called to order there were five members on the committee, but when it ended there were 10. Everyone who attended the meeting became a member because they wanted to see the festival continue.
The meeting was held to decide if the festival was to continue or not, as a lack of volunteers was becoming an issue.
“We need bodies,” president Robin Dosenburg said. “There are not enough members.”
With 10 volunteers committed to helping out, this year’s festival will be scaled back compared to the years past.
The festival will be held on Canada Day, a Sunday, with potential for an event on Saturday night as well.
The main reason why people tell Dosenburg they cannot help out is because they don’t have enough time.
Dosenburg said that he doesn’t have the time to perform all the duties of a 10 to 15-person committee, but with more members, the workload is spread out.
The potential for a beer garden was discussed and there weren’t any strong objections, but a few concerns were raised on keeping the festival a family event.
Although there was talk of hosting the festival at the Multiplex, there is a strong desire to keep it at the riverfront.
Thanks to the five people who showed up at the meeting to volunteer, the festival will continue, but Dosenburg says that people in the community need to realize that if no one volunteers to help out in the future, the festival will not be able to continue.
More members are still being sought and the organizing of this year’s event will soon begin. Bands need to be booked, and the event needs to be planned.
The festival is still looking for members, and would welcome any at their next meeting, March 6 at 7 p.m. at the Multiplex.
