This year’s Ponoka Stampede parade theme is the Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) centennial and the group couldn’t be more pleased.
Executive director Beth Reitz feels this is an important accomplishment for the organization. “It’s an awareness to the movement across Canada.”
The group approached the Ponoka Stampede and Exhibition Association at the end of last year’s stampede and Reitz was excited to hear the news.
BBBS has also suggested some ideas to the Stampede Association to maximize their visibility throughout the week and those ideas are being discussed. Reitz has some other plans in store for the parade itself but did not want to say what as those plans are not yet finalized.
She was excited to see how the stampede directors were supportive of their endeavour.
Stampede president Joe Dodds was pleased the association decided on the Big Brothers group. “They’re a pretty good organization across Canada. We felt it was a good project to get behind.”
The association is working on how else they can involve the BBBS group during the week.
A statement from Big Brothers states the group looks forward to the opportunities they will have to promote the centennial. The many different groups that descend on Ponoka during the Stampede will have an opportunity to celebrate the centennial with the BBBS. “When they return home we hope they will ‘start something’ and become involved with Big Brother Big Sisters agencies in their own communities.”