Carla Barry Betker
-BY JENNIFER ARGUE, Local Journalism Initiative reporter
December 15th, 2022
Carla Barry Betker
The December 9th event was held at the Platform and the Silton Hall; it was a first for the Silton Recreation Committee. The previous Christmas event was passed on from another community group. Donations were accepted to the community food hamper.
The platform is where Silton’s mailboxes were, between the store and the hall. The community decided to build a wooden platform which serves as a community space throughout the year.
People gathered at the platform for the tree lighting, and supplies to build your ice lantern were available. Cranberries, dried oranges, and other items are placed in a form with water and are frozen with solar lights creating a magical effect.
The hall hosted hot chocolate, and many craft activities were available such as sugar cookie decorating, plaster ornaments and tree globes.
Aileen Martin headed up the Silton Recreation Committee and was very pleased with the turnout of the event. She liked that people could come out and enjoy themselves even if they were new to the area. She said Sask. lotteries and community donations funded it.
Carla Barry is an area resident and volunteered to take photos. Her children Emma and Sam had a great time and were very excited.
A karaoke machine was set up, and the kids took full advantage of it. “They were playing Christmas music and the kids were singing or screaming,” she laughed, “it was so good because they would go up and sing in groups or someone would walk by by themselves and pick up the mic and start singing, and it was all Christmas songs. It was fun.”
There was a photo backdrop for Santa photos and a photo booth. Barry really liked how the event was family-oriented, with the kids jumping in to be involved. “The kids helped just as much as the adults and I think that just says a lot. The girls were wearing little elf aprons, they were helping with set up, the little kids make stuff and their own stuff. It was like part of being part of a really big family. Everyone gets along.”
Barry feels lucky to live in the community, “Between Silton and Bulyea we feel really incredibly blessed. The amont of community activities that go on and a lot of it is thanks to Aileen with her involvement with the Prairie Central District for Sport, Culture and Recreation. She knows how to get the grants and the funding for this. And if you don’t have somebody that’s in the know we could be missing out on a lot of stuff.”
The winter fun isn’t over for the community, in fact, it’s just beginning. “There is also an outdoor fireplace. We have an outdoor rink over here too. And I cannot wait, it’s almost ready,” said Barry.
