Community Tadbitz: Whitecourt Social Experience Club hailed as Community Champion

The partnership with the Community Lunch Box Program and the Whitecourt Social Experience Club is platonic in nature and is a unique one. The Whitecourt Social Experience Club, like the Community Lunch Box, is a non-profit organization. The club’s main mandate is to provide adults with learning barriers a way to engage each other and members in the community in a proactive, inclusive, social way.

Since the Whitecourt Social Experience Club’s inception back in 2011, members of the club have actively partaken in volunteering for the many programs that the Community Lunch Box provides. Selena Kuefler, vice president of the Club says “The WSEC and the Community Lunch Box work together in various ways such as bottle sorting on Tuesdays, tracking and marking down inventory, volunteering at the Oilmen’s Golf Tournament manning the CLB station, bagging groceries at IGA, preparing food at various schools where food programs are provided for the students. I feel that the Community Lunch Box Program is further strengthened by the Club’s dynamic involvement. We work together; this partnership encourages us, as a club to expand our involvement in the community. Before the Club helped the CLB. There was little incentive to be community inclusive. That however, has obviously changed.”

The Whitecourt Social Experience Club currently has 15 adult members that meet once a month for group meetings to plan various club events that actively promote social activities in a structured, safe environment. Holding one of the key positions in the WSEC hierarchy, Kuefler says, “It’s made me into a stronger leader, it’s shown me that I’m able to help others, lead meetings and engage our community in a positive way.” She further added, “At the same time there can be a lot of pressure to do the right thing and it can be, at times a bit overwhelming. Overall, I would say, it’s been a positive, empowering experience.”

The Community Lunch Box is always looking for people or organizations that may be interested in volunteering their time. The CLB can be reached at 780-778-8252 or inquire by email at hello@communitylunchbox.ca. It takes a village to raise a child and together, we can make a better tomorrow.