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A dedicated community
effort last week helped Fort Macleod defeat Wetaskiwin in the
Kraft-TSN Celebration Tour on-line voting contest. Fort Macleod
got 128,000 on-line votes compared to Wetaskiwin’s 64,000 to
claim the contest’s $25,000 first prize.
“The little town that could,” proud Fort Macleod Mayor Shawn
Patience said of his community.
The prize money will be used to upgrade the sports field, track and
baseball diamond at F.P. Walshe school, which in recent years
have fallen into disrepair.
The contest pitted Fort Macleod against Wetaskiwin in a 24-hour
period in which people could vote as often as they wished
on-line. When the contest was over reports made their way
through town of dedicated people spending hours in front of
their computers, casting one vote at a time for Fort Macleod.
Support for Fort Macleod came not just from in town, but from
communities across the country as friends, family members and
people with some connection to Fort Macleod helped put the town
over the top. Another benefit of winning the contest is that TSN
will broadcast Sports Centre live from Main Street Fort Macleod
on Friday, Aug.27. The production will take place from 2-5 p.m.,
with the actual broadcast from 4-5 p.m., with the crew to set up
a stage in front of Marly’s Video Plus.
“They would have to start setting up the afternoon of the day
before,” Patience said as town council agreed Monday to close
Main Street between Second and Third avenues.
“I would hope the national coverage on television for an hour would
be worth shutting Main Street down,” Patience said. “I don’t see
any issue.”
TSN crews have already been in town filming for promotion of the
Fort Macleod broadcast.
The contest sponsors have also given Fort Macleod a $5,000 budget
for a community barbecue on Aug. 27.
Patience said any money left over can be used for a community
project, so donations will be sought to keep costs down.
The sponsors will provide another $2,500 to defray the cost of
games during the community barbecue, and another $1,200 to cover
miscellaneous expenses.
“It is amazing what they are giving us,” Patience said.Kraft will
also supply a wealth of merchandise, such as packages of Kraft
Dinner, to be handed out during the community barbecue.
A local organizing committee is being struck right now assists
Kraft and TSN with preparations for the broadcast and barbecue. |
