Social Action: Power of Community Halls

Community is always important, but I think when you live out in the country, it is especially important. Not only just to socialize, it’s important for the safety of the community too, it’s important that the neighbours know one another. They know if something isn’t right, or that something is going on at that place that shouldn’t be, and they can do something about it.

My husband and I never had any kids, so we didn’t meet people through birthday parties, or play groups, or school events. For a while, we didn’t know many people and it was quite lonely.

When my husband retired, he began to volunteer a lot at the Community Hall. Voting, census, things like that. Soon enough, people would approach him and talk, and we began to feel like we were finally a part of the Community.

We would go to all the events at the hall—pierogi suppers, dances—anything to get out and be with our neighbours. Many of them became our close friends, and we are friends to this day.

That’s very important to me. My husband has passed on since, but I still have the friends we made, and I still go out to the Community Hall as often as possible.

It’s important to know your neighbours and have friends out here—and I think a lot of my friendships are due to the Community Hall.

This story was submitted anonymously and is part of Social Framework in Action – a project to showcase connections in Strathcona County, as told by community members. For more information about this project or to share your story, contact social.action@strathcona.ca