Past and current members of the Forshee Ladies Club got together in June to celebrate the club’s 100th anniversary, to share memories, fun stories and to toast the next 100 years.
The celebration was hosted on June 25 at the Forshee Hall and about 50 people came out, travelling in from all over Alberta and even BC. The group had lunch and there was a slideshow presentation to honour the club’s history.
While the 100th anniversary was actually in 2020, the celebration was delayed until health restrictions had been lifted after COVID and the group could get together.
Founded in 1920, the Forshee Ladies Club continues to be an active social club and it currently boasts 17 members. The group raises funds for organizations such as the women’s shelter, hospital, Bentley Care Centre, food bank and more. Every December, with the exception of during COVID, the group puts together a community Christmas concert and they host a community wiener roast in the summer.
Colleen Zaiser has been a member of the club since 2016, after moving to the Forshee area from Calgary, and she said she was invited to join by a current member.
“They’re a nice group of ladies,” she said. “They’re a lot of fun. It’s such a nice community here.”
The club meets on the first Wednesday of every month and they meet in each other’s homes. Zaiser said membership tends to be by word of mouth – a current member will bring someone in that wants to join. But the group is always open to new members.
Going forward, Zaiser said the club will continue to help the community and contribute in any way they can.
The Forshee Ladies Club had several donations for their event – the Evergreen Co-op in Rimbey supplied two cakes, Holly’s Greenhouse donated potted pansies for members to take home as gifts, Bonnie Hoskin provided professional photography services for the event and Lacombe County gave a donation to the club.
“We had a lot of fun and a lot of laughs,” Zaiser said of the anniversary celebration. “It was a great success and everyone enjoyed it.”