Items from the Welcome Wagon

My husband and I feel well and truly welcomed to Moose Jaw thanks to a fantastic idea called the Welcome Wagon.

Founded in 1930, Welcome Wagon is a free greeting service for families experiencing a lifestyle change.

I came across the service while working for the Moose Jaw Times Herald at a wedding fair, which was also organised by the Welcome Wagon.

I was having a conversation with a lovely lady and she asked if my husband and I were new to Moose Jaw. I told her we were, and she soon set me up with a welcome bag full of useful information and gifts.

The items are sponsored by companies across the city and include a bottle of Prairie Spring Water, a toothbrush courtesy of Main Street Dental Clinic (which I must join soon) and glass cleaner.

The bag is also filled with leaflets and gift vouchers. All I have to do is wait for the business to give me a call.

It also provides useful information such as a local map, recycling details, and news from the library.

The first Welcome Wagon visit was made in Vancouver in 1930 and the service is now available in more than 500 communities across the country.

It is a lovely idea to give someone as much help as possible when beginning a new life, and the pack includes a booklet with a whole list of clubs to join as well as civic information.

I’ve already been to Evan’s Florist on High Street with a voucher and they gave me a lovely red rose in a vase.

I’ve also got vouchers for the Co-Op, a free coffee at the Cornell Design & Landscaping Garden Centre, a facial treatment from a Mary Kay beauty consultant and many others.

I’m enjoying going round visiting all the companies and getting to know what Moose Jaw has to offer. Speaking of which, the city hosted one of its most popular events of the year this weekend —  Christmas in October.

The idea is that businesses in Moose Jaw decorate for Christmas and put on special weekend offers to kick-off the season.

It was started nearly 20 years ago by Yvette Moore, who runs the Yvette Moore Gallery.
She later got the Moose Jaw & District Chamber of Commerce and Moose Jaw Tourism on board and the event has now grown to include most businesses in the town.

While all the snow we had earlier in the month has now gone, and temperatures are back at 9 or 10 degrees centigrade instead of -10 degrees centigrade, Christmas in October has certainly put me in a festive frame of mind.

I’ve already started writing my cards ready to send back to England on time.