As the buzz of the Manitoba 55+ games that were held in Steinbach simmers down, Chair of the Host Committee Audrey Harder looks back over the event fondly and proudly.
"I think that the event went rather well," Harder says with a smile. "I mean, for all of us that were on the Host Committee, in every aspect, we've never done that in Steinbach before. This was a big of a challenge but it went smoothly as we learned our way through it. It was very exciting to be able to show off our community, our new Events Centre and all the wonderful facilities that we have throughout the city. People really felt welcomed and that was number one for me, the sports part was number two. We wanted everyone to feel welcomed and that we were good hosts."
Harder says that from the hots to the volunteers to the athletes, the local people took a lot of pride in being a host to these games. "It was actually quite amazing, I loved getting to actually watch people do the sports that they do, I'm usually at work so I can hear the pickleballs or I head about what they do, so it was nice to be a part of it and watch it. Especially at times when I could give medals out, so when I was giving medals out to locals or someone I knew, my heart went into that. It was a very proud moment to be a part of that, see the smiling faces and present those beautiful medals that were designed for us specifically. They are able to take those home and be very proud of what they did and were able to achieve."
Being the host city was a big deal and Harder believes that with more events wanting to come to Steinbach in the future, the hard work that went into making the 55+ games such a success will not go unappreciated. "I think the best part is that we did accomplish it. People had a good time, the sports all went, the weather held up and everything went really well. I think also, we learned. We learned how to make things better every time. I think as long as we know that we're doing our best now and you're ready to make changes as you go, you're set up for success. Working with the Southeast Events Centre, it was our first time working together and it was fantastic. We learned together, like turning a hockey rink into a pickleball court, that's a little different than hockey. I was very proud to see us work together side by side and the city of Steinbach was so supportive, they had staff working with us and it was great. We could see it all come together and we made it a successful event for 1000 people, and that's not something you can say every day."
Having those 1000 people in town means a lot of volunteers are needed and Harder was left speechless by just how generous the community was when it came to giving their time to make the event so special. "We had 200 volunteers with endless hours, working almost around the clock. They did rosters, setting up sheets, preparing, it was just so amazing to have the volunteers do it because they are proud fo the community and from the community. They wanted the 55+ plus games here, they haven't been since 2011, so it's been a while. Having one community with all the facilities and being able to do it, it's because of the people. I don't think people realize that when they volunteer, they just think they're doing something good, but without each volunteer, we have a very different event. This event was a huge success because of the volunteers. The medical staff was also all volunteer. This community blows my mind with the amount of volunteering that they do. Our oldest volunteer was in their 90's and the youngest was just under 18. So, you have a group of people that want to do well and show off their community and I cherish the time we spent together experiencing such a great event."
Harder now shifts gears as she prepares for the upcoming Summer in the City.