WILKIE — Pascal Community Club decided in the fall of 2021 that as a result of inactivity, declining and aging membership and area people who had moved away they would fold. In a collective club decision to do so, members also chose five places to donate their remaining funds to, distributing almost $10,000.
Pascal School, 15 miles south of Wilkie and seven miles out of Leipzig, once operated in the times that Saskatchewan residents were educated in one-room schoolhouses in rural areas. Social activity in those days often revolved around the school and neighbouring churches.
In 1980, as part of Saskatchewan 75 celebrations, neighbours in this area decided to refurbish the school and use it again for community activity and events. Pascal community volunteers set to the task of cleaning and fixing up the property, all pitching in around $60 each, along with their time to help with the tasks. Naming the group Pascal Community Club, their goal was to experience at least 10 years or more out of their efforts.
Flash forward to 34 years later, the group reflected fondly on a number of annual events they hosted that included dances, snowmobile rallies, yearly picnic for members, Oktoberfest and spring dances.
PCC member Todd Miller said, “There had not been an event held here since 2014. Older members, people wintering south, people moving away, it all contributed to declining membership. Thoughts were there might be a kick-start of activity at Pascal once again but then the pandemic hit.”
Miller said in October of 2021, after paying power and insurance for a number of years with no activity taking place, and with no one using the building, the club decided to fold and pay out the money in their account to a number of worthy causes.
Miller said the community club owned the 2.8 acres where the centre is located. The remaining members decided to sell the land and earmarked the proceeds ($5,000) to STARS air ambulance, citing the value of this service, especially in rural Saskatchewan.
The remainder of the money in the club’s account was distributed evenly to Wilkie Swimming Pool Project, Bethany Assisted Living, McLurg High School and Norman Carter High School, totalling $1,150 each.
Miller fondly recalled all of the past events the community club held and that after each event their organization donated between $350 to $400 of their proceeds to various beneficiaries in Wilkie.
“We felt that when we made the decision to fold that we wanted to distribute the funds around the community, just as we had done for the many years that the PCC operated,” adds Miller.
