Debbie Patterson, who has dedicated 36 years to 麻豆社国产Loggers Sports most recently in the crucial logistical role of secretary, is retiring after this year鈥檚 event.
鈥淚 have somebody that I was really comfortable handing the reins over to,鈥� Patterson said of Rebecca Bolkowy. 鈥淚f I didn鈥檛 have that person I probably would still be there. But I have somebody who was very bright and knows the sport. We do need the younger generation to get involved in our community.鈥�
Patterson has deep roots in Squamish. Her grandfather moved here from Toronto just after the First World War. He and Patterson鈥檚 father were both loggers. She sees loggers sports as a testament to the community鈥檚 past.
鈥淚t鈥檚 our history. That was what this town was built on, logging,鈥� she said. 鈥淣ow it鈥檚 changed and we don鈥檛 do things the way that they used to be done, but I think it鈥檚 great to show the people what went on, how things were done in years gone by.鈥�
Her latest activities with the festival have been organizational 鈥� sending out registration forms, managing databases for participants and organizing logistics at the event 鈥� but she has fond memories of a variety of roles over the decades, including the now-defunct pageant that used to be part of the event.
鈥淚 thoroughly enjoyed being the pageant co-ordinator,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 loved being with the young women, the young girls 鈥� they were 17 or 18 years old. We had so much fun. We were sad as an organization when we stopped putting on the pageant.鈥�
The end of the pageant, which both Patterson鈥檚 daughters competed in, was the result of social changes and organizational challenges.
鈥淲hat triggered it, why we decided to stop putting it on [was that] the only place for them to go was to the Miss PNE pageant,鈥� she said. The PNE changed their format from a beauty pageant to a Youth Ambassador Program and eventually disbanded entirely.
鈥淥ur girls could not go to Miss Canada because we didn鈥檛 have enough money, we couldn鈥檛 get the franchise to get into the Miss Canada pageant,鈥� she lamented. 鈥淏ut that was a fun time.鈥�
Other great memories come from the hosting that she and her husband have done while she has served as secretary.
鈥淲e have hosted so many people in our home. When we go to New Zealand and Australia, they, in turn, are amazing to us, so generous and so welcoming,鈥� she said.
She laughs recalling a particularly full house.
鈥淭here was one weekend I had 17 people staying here,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 set up a dormitory in our double garage. I had beds on each side of the garage and they were in their glory. On the outside of the garage door I put up a sign and it said 鈥楰iwi and Australian Axemen鈥檚 Dormitory. No uninvited guests.鈥� Because they were notorious for going out to dances 鈥� because in those days we had a dance every single night 鈥� and I didn鈥檛 know who they might bring home.鈥�
麻豆社国产Days Loggers Sports Festival is strong, but she worries about a challenge that seems to face every community agency in 麻豆社国产and elsewhere.
鈥淲e need volunteers. It鈥檚 not just our organization, it鈥檚 many organizations in Squamish,鈥� Patterson said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e suffering because people don鈥檛 want to volunteer and don鈥檛 want to give their time. Younger people are way too busy. They鈥檝e got too much going on in their lives.鈥�
