February’s Notes from the President for Sandstone

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Happy Chinese New Year – The Year of the Black Tiger

It has been nearly two years since the world was introduced to the COVID-19 virus, and despite vaccinations we continue to deal with variants. At a time when most people are extremely tired of their lives being affected by the virus, the latest variant, Omicron, is the most contagious.

Please take good care and be sure to follow all health measures to keep you and your family safe.

When Calgarians were first impacted by the virus in 2020, we saw more people skating, walking, biking, etc. than we ever had. I hope you have continued these activities, because there is nothing like getting out in the fresh air to give you a better perspective on life.

If you are interested in skating at one of our rinks but don’t have skates, please email us at [email protected] and we’ll be happy to help you out. We are also gladly accepting donations of skates and helmets.

As you may have read in last month’s newsletter, despite all the pandemic restrictions of the past year, the SMCA Board continued to support our communities through managing the rinks, offering compost, having permanent planters placed throughout the community, running Yoga in the Park, and so on. We have great plans for this year and are always looking for individuals to join us. Please consider becoming more involved in your community.

In previous newsletters, I have mentioned the community garden project Director Karen Lessard is managing. Karen has been working with the City of Calgary to find a location, and although one site had been approved in principle, we have decided not to pursue it. Rather, we are working on a partnership with Captains Ian and Debbie Scott at the Berkshire Citadel Church to use a parcel of land to convert into a community garden. Karen has been seeking assistance with the design of the proposed garden. Please join the Facebook group Sandstone MacEwan Community Gardeners to get more information, or email [email protected].

Speaking of the Berkshire Citadel Church, did you know they offer rentals for their gym, classrooms, and boardroom? As well, in their foyer, they have an abundance of café style tables where you could host a gathering while maintaining a safe social distance. They are looking to fill daytime rentals that may appeal to seniors or kids’ groups. Contact Captain Scott at [email protected] for more information.

Don’t forget to submit your photos for the SMCA newsletter at [email protected]. Photos must be high resolution and received by the 9th of the month to get into the following month’s edition.

Please go to sandstonemacewan.com to purchase your SMCA memberships online or email Carolyn Gomez at [email protected].

We have over 1,000 Facebook followers, 500 Twitter followers, and over 200 Instagram followers! Please contact us on our website or our social media sites including Facebook SMCA, Twitter @sandstonemac, or https://www.instagram.com/sandstonemacewan/. Look for our occasional emails with our updates and email us at [email protected] to be included in this distribution list.

Sue Coatham

President, SMCA

[email protected]