An enthusiastic team of volunteers is looking for more volunteers to help stage the lakecity's first annual Winter Carnival.
The organizing committee is well on the way to firming events for the carnival set for Saturday, Jan. 31 and Sunday, Feb. 1, 2015.
Key organizers include event chair Darrick Boyes, mayor elect Walt Cobb, Tovi Pare, Raman Dhillon and Sue Lachance.
"The Williams Lake Winter Carnival will be a weekend of affordable fun and entertainment organized by volunteers to bring the people of our community together to celebrate in a welcoming atmosphere," Boyes says of their mission statement.
Boyes says the idea of a winter carnival grew out of a small group discussion on what other communities do to chase away the winter blues. The dates Jan. 31/Feb. 1, 2015 seemed the most appropriate given other events happening in the lakecity over the winter.
He says the committee is also working to make the Winter Carnival a truly multicultural event.
"I grew up in a multi-cultural society my whole life and we always struggled with racism and equality and we really need to put all that aside to bring the whole community together for the celebration," Boyes says.
Boyes, expects about 100 volunteers will be needed including team leaders, individual event leaders and volunteers to help the event leaders. People are also needed to help out with fundraising and during the event itself for an hour or two, a day, or even the whole two-day event.
He says they also need help with resources and equipment for the event.
Anyone who might like to help out in any way is invited to come to one of the committee's next meetings which are scheduled for Monday, Nov. 24 and Monday, Dec. 1 starting at 4:30 p.m. at the New World Cafe on Oliver Street.
"People can give their names and contact information and how they might be available to help," Boyes says.
The proposed venues for the first annual Winter Carnival are Boitanio Park, Cariboo Memorial Complex and Williams Lake at Scout Island.
He says volunteers have already come forward to co-ordinate the ice fishing, igloo building and horse drawn sleigh rides, and teepee warm-up tents which will include samplings of First Nations culture.
Volunteers are still needed as team leaders to co-ordinate events such as sledding, ice sculpture, snow painting, snowball throw, snow shoe fun, cross country skiing, dog sled rides, a charity polar bear swim, music, face painting, and a chilli cook-off.
Boyes says the committee came up with about 50 event ideas but narrowed it down to events they knew they could do well. In future years he would like to see even bigger attractions such as hot air balloon rides, and outdoor hockey games.
People who would like to help ice fishing co-ordinator Sean Cooper can reach him at 250-267-5320 or by e-mail at cathierossignol@yahoo.com.
People who would like to help sleigh rides co-ordinator Cathie Rossignol, can reached her at 250-267-9777 or by e-mail cathierossignol@yahoo.com.
Boyes and Dhillon are the team leaders for the snowball throw, show shoe fun, teepee warm up, igloo building, cross country skiing, ice fishing, sleigh rides and warm-up stations events and are looking for event leaders for each of these events.
People interested in co-ordinating any of these events can contact Boyes at 250-305-8119 or by e-mail at darrickdb@hotmail.com or Dhillon, who is also the carnival's website manager att 250-303-0330 or by e-mail at ram_dhillon@hotmail.com.
Lachance is the team leader for the dog sled rides, chilli cook-off, vendor planning, and mail-outs and can be reached at 250-267-3284 or by e-mail at info@newworldcoffee.ca.
Pare is the team leader for the face painting, music, sledding, ice sculptures and snow painting events and can be reached at 250-392-1165 or by e-mail at tovi.pare@yahoo.com.
Tanya Hutchinson is co-ordinating the teepee warm-up tent and can be reached at 250-267-5320 or by e-mail at tanyahutch75@gmail.com.
Walt Cobb is co-ordinating the warm up stations and can be reached at 250-392-0459 or by e-mail at waltcobb@telus.net