Skip to content

Bentley Community News: local dinner theatre garnered rave reviews

By June Norvila

Almost 200 patrons, the majority of which had reserved their tables, attended the Bentley Library Society's fifth dinner theatre. The new spring date seemed to work well.

The play put on by Theatre Didsbury was well received, the food served by the Fire Hall Catering crew from Clive got great reviews, and the decorating done and ambience created in the Blindman Valley Ag Centre venue was admired.

Bright spring flowers were everywhere. Along with candles on each table were a bundle of used books from the library. Attendees were encouraged to take them home for a donation that went directly to the library. Avid readers were generous this year.

Terisa Strasser, Muriel Freeman, Betty Geinger, Colleen Jackson, and Cora Knutson won door prizes.

The society hopes to clear over $1,000. They are trying to figure out how to entice more people to the event so ticket prices can be kept low.

Such a successful event would not happen without volunteers of all kinds behind the scenes. There was bar staff, ticket sellers and school students who set up the tables and chairs ahead of time. Volunteers helped clean up and put away tables and stack chairs afterwards, and of course society members greatly appreciate the help from their families.

It would not happen without the support of those who attend either, many coming back year after year, some attending for the first time.

It had been a busy week for the society as they had just hosted a casino in Red Deer two days before where they had counted on more volunteers!

When, or indeed if, they will host another dinner theatre will be discussed at their annual meeting on April 27. It is a lot of work by a small group of people for one production.

More members to sit on the society are invited. Call Marg Beddoes at (403) 748-2132 or Arlene Tanasiuk at (403) 748-4429 if you are interested in meeting and working with a great group people and helping stage community events that support the local Bentley library.

More changes coming for Bentley school students

Some interested parents met in the Bentley Elementary School library to give wanted feed back to Bentley school principal Lane Moore and vice principal Ian McLaren at the April Bentley Parent Advisory Council meeting.

Council chair Pat Schmidt mentioned Education Week was approaching. Some special lunch will be provided one day for the staff.

Among the things discussed were the need for probable cuts/changes/reductions to stay within next year's budget restraints, projected decrease in enrolled students next year, and next year's school calendar including Bentley PD days.

Agenda books to help students learn how to get more organized are going to be implemented for all students next year. The cost will be added to tuition.

Swim lessons for Grade 1-6 students will be implemented. Students will be bussed during the regular school day to Lacombe for six lessons (one per week) at a cost of about $40.

To help keep the cost of individual school yearbooks down, a larger order could be placed. If all students (K through Grade 12) purchased books, they would average about $29 each. Some parents felt only one book per family was needed, not one per student, especially in smaller grades.

Pros and cons of having the school purchase all student's school supplies in bulk and billing families will be investigated.

The jr./sr. high track meet day is scheduled for May 14 and the elementary track meet day for June 12. Parents will help man a canteen for May 14. Anyone who can volunteer to cook hamburgers, etc., can call Pat Schmidt at (403) 748-3795 or the school at (403) 748-3770.

Attendees broke into two tables to work on possible new mottos for the school.

The next Bentley School Parent Advisory Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 19 at 7:00 p.m. in the high school library, or the video conferencing room if a video is shown. Input from as many families as possible is desired to help guide the administration so the more people that come the better.