Thank you for providing the tiny community of Fauquier – population around 150 – with a Neighbourhood Small Grant! Initially I had planned to do an outdoor event that involved mud play to get adults and children to experience childhood, sensory play, outdoor fun and laughter. However, it was such a dry year, that once it got warm enough to play in the mud and water, we didn’t get any rain – until November. I brainstormed alternative ways to bring the community together and during some informal gatherings, people expressed an interest in coming together to play games indoors once it got cold and grey.
I purchased board games that were social in nature, some with nostalgic value, others with easy to learn rules, as well as one with beautiful visuals and learning opportunities. I also purchased a few healthy snacks, such as bagels and cream cheese, apples, mandarins, yogurt, cheese as well as crackers and dip.
The board game night was hosted in our community hall, which allows for lots of space for people to sit and gather as well as some space for movement for the younger crowd. It’s also centrally located in town with easy access for everyone.
Advertising happened on social media (Facebook) as well as on our local bulletin board – I also put up posters in the neighbouring communities of Burton and Edgewood, each about the same size as ours. There was quite a bit of interest online in response to the ad.
I had expected people of all ages to attend as board and card games are accessible to everyone. It turned out that the evening was popular amongst families with children. The children enjoyed the chance to try new games, especially Spot It and Blokus, and to play with their friends (also the food!), while the adults took advantage of the event as a social gathering and to exchange news.
I will attempt to organize another board game night in January and/or February as those months are cold and grey in our region and there are few other opportunities to socialize.
Thank you again for providing our town with the resources to put on this event!
