The Moose Jaw Multicultural Council (MJMC) found a great way to improve its office environment during the holiday season, and that’s achieved through the door decorating contest held by the organization’s Bureau of Serious Fun (BSF).
This marks the sixth year the contest was held, and winners were announced Dec. 19.
The first-place winner is Megan Jahnke-Stonehouse’s ‘Sweater Weather’ theme, which was the combined effort of her adult literacy class. Razan Suliman and Nik Cochrane came in second with ‘Happy Little Winter Wonderland,’ featuring the famously calm painter, Bob Ross. Third place was awarded to Ginny McColl and Jennifer Maxfield’s ‘Swede Merry Kithcmass’ (sic), which featured The Muppets.
Each winner received a gift card in the amount of $75 for first, $50 for second, and $25 for third place.
For each year’s contest, the BSF supplies wrapping paper, glue, tape, glitter, and several other crafty materials. These supplies are left upstairs and entrants are welcome to grab what they need, with an invitation to include anything else they want.
The bureau helps make the workplace environment more interesting, involved, and it supports a stronger team environment.
“Everything we do as a social committee is designed to make it a more fun place to work,” explained Gail Ennis, MJMC’s financial controller. “It’s just lots of fun to see what other people are doing and come up with ideas.
“Our (BSF) is made up of one manager and about four or five other employees,” she said. “We’re in charge of doing the social things… to keep people happy and involved in things.”
The organization doesn’t hold a Christmas event, as the MJMC aims to remain non-denominational and inclusive. In place of Christmas programming, the BSF plans a winter celebration that usually takes place in January or February and ranges from skating at the Kiwanis River Park Skating Oval to a potluck dinner.
“We come up with different ideas over the course of the year and depending on who’s on the committee and what ideas they have,” Ennis explained.
“Each individual or group of people working together on a door… comes up with their own inspiration for their design,” Ennis said. “Lots of people keep it secret until the very end, and with some, you know what it’s going to be as soon as they start putting it up.”
The BSF announces the official start of the project on Dec. 1. After the stated deadline, an outside, non-partisan group of judges is invited to determine a winner.
The annual contest is held at both the MJMC office, located at 60 Athabasca Street East, and the Newcomer Welcome Centre, which is affiliated with the MJMC and located at 432 Main Street North.
In response to some providers blocking access to Canadian news on their platforms, our website, MooseJawToday.com will continue to be your source for hyper-local Moose Jaw news. Bookmark MooseJawToday.com and sign up for our free online newsletter to read the latest local developments.
