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VEREGIN - The Veregin New Horizons Community Hall and Senior Centre was once a building, falling apart, in a horrible state of disrepair, and badly needed saving.

Speaking to SaskToday, Wendy Churnoff says it was a team effort from a small group of people that assembled because they knew they had to do something. These people collaborated as the new the community was in a pinch and what better way to rectify their situation than using that same phrase to pinch perogies for a common cause.

“We don’t have much else for options to bring people to Veregin. We called a meeting in 2015 and everyone who showed up took a position, and together we said, ‘let’s do something’,” affirms the Veregin woman. “Our motto for the first six years was ‘Save the Hall’.”

And holy perogy, did this group make a difference!

Chernoff affirms they literally had to fix everything.  A group of three co-signed a loan for $10,000 because the roof was badly leaking and they had to stop that first, then they needed a hot water heater to eliminate boiling water for cleaning up the place and, eventually, start the process of making thousands of perogies to raise money for everything this small hall needed to become functional and operational.

“Perogies were our first order of business, making and selling. We knew that the number of repairs that needed to be done would require many thousands of dollars,” said Chernoff.

Our President, Nadio Reeben, volunteered to be in charge of the kitchen for the fundraising suppers, perogy and tart making, while Chernoff took on the job of seeking grant money to assist their efforts.

While the exact figure wasn’t known at press time, Chernoff notes that thousands of dollars were secured through grant money, a big assist in their goals at upgrading this community hall and senior centre.

“Perogy sales are main fundraiser.  For the first few years, the building wasn’t good enough to rent out, but now we are able to rent it out for added revenue in this ongoing update, repair and maintenance mode,” ascertains Chernoff.

It’s no secret, Saskatchewan people love their home made perogies and it was quickly affirmed by Chernoff that the group goes hard core in November for Christmas perogies and are at it again now in anticipation of Easter.  The finished product sells out as fast as they are made, all contributing to their fundraising efforts.

Chernoff also says they make the fruit tarts to sell during the big barbecue, put on by the Veregin Rec. Board in Veregin, with money raised going directly towards the hall fundraising efforts

Hall Group says other effort have contributed to their ongoing efforts for the community hall and senior centre

The New Horizons’ groups said they have also started receiving memorial donations, which also helps.  They used to hold two suppers a year for about 180 people but since Covid, that dropped down to once a year, mainly because volunteers are not getting any younger and it is a difficult task to host all of these large events.

Volunteers for the perogy bees, following all the health protocols, assembled 2,300 dozen perogies in 2024, which amounts to 24,960 of the coveted and precious products.

Chernoff estimates that in 2024, they generated $12,000 from perogy sales alone.

The community centre also hosts a coffee shoppe six days a week that is well attended and helps with the cause.  And, the hall is being rented out more now that is is in much better conditions.  Air conditioning was one of the upgrades which is a benefit in warmer months for mid-size seating capacity of 120. The hall is and has been rented for small meetings and events, and of course Christmas parties.

Chernoff is in charge of maintenance and serves as vice president and treasurer, assisted by volunteers and directors who help with maintenance.  Major work for the hall is hired out.

Sadly, the community hall group thought the roof was fixed but it started leaking again.  An engineer has been contracted to come on Apr. 4 to assess and advise on a more permanent solution. Chernoff said they have been fixing the best they can but it is still problematic.

“We have been at it for ten years, and while we are continually improving, with any aged building there is always going to be problems pop up.  We want and need this hall to stay operational so we bite the bullet and carry on,” adds Chernoff

Even though the roof is a setback they were not expecting, this remarkable, resilient group is still feeling optimistic about the hall’s future.  Chernoff acknowledges that they simply look at everything they’ve done in a decade, how far they’ve come with their hard work and know there is a lot to be proud of.

“As we raise money, we can stroke items off the ‘to do’ list and any event that people are at in that hall can see what still needs to be done and what this industrious group has succeeded in knocking off that long list.”

Chernoff is quick to express appreciation to the people who continue to support their events and their ongoing efforts, as well as those volunteers who help with everything their work entails. 

Rentals have included funerals as well as yoga classes recently, but they know the updated/renovated kitchen is a desirable option so they seem to see more rentals each year.

Another added bonus for the hall Chernoff mentions is that the Recreation board has been revitalized and young people have been helping promote this facility, and that these efforts help ‘put them on the map’. The hall committee and Rec. board make a great pair-ogi.

As the saying goes, there is no community without unity in it.  Small communities need to band together to do things like this group has accomplished with the hall. Chernoff and this remarkable, dedicated group say they have put too much into their hall revival efforts to give up now.  She also ascertains that younger people are moving to Veregin, which is good because their group is aging and will need new recruits. 

To find out more information on this venue, and rental options or even how you might be able to help out with ongoing efforts to keep this hall viable long into the future, people can contact Wendy for hall info306-560-8240