By: Charlee Mitschke
Langenburg has always been known for its hospitality. Records from 1993 and likely very sooner show that Langenburg had a Welcome Wagon and organized the Wine & Cheese reception for the new residents. Over the past years, Langenburg has welcomed more people from abroad than ever before.
In 2018 Langenburg Economic Development Board with leadership from Lina Petkeviciene made the decision to revamp the Langenburg Welcome Committee and to set new goals. They no longer just wanted to welcome new residents to the community, but also to help them integrate and become part of Langenburg’s big family. The committee wants to be not just a welcoming community, but a community that values diversity.
The Newcomer Committee is a group of individuals designating their time to help recent additions in the community branch out, feel welcome, make friends, share their cultures and become immersed in Langenburg. Ran by Langenburg’s Economic Development Officer, Lina Petkeviciene; Langenburg Recreation Director, Juli Mitschke; Cathy MacKenzie; Barbara Rindisbacher; and many other dedicated community volunteers, events and services have been offered for years.
The Committee welcomes newcomers and new residents by visiting them and bringing a welcome basket that includes information about our community, town brochure, tickets to movie and concert donated by the Langenburg Arts Council, small gifts from local businesses, businesses cards and a volunteer application form to encourage newcomers to be involved.
About once per quarter, the committee organizes “Hi Day on Friday” events and newcomer parties where newcomers have the opportunity to meet people, make connections and receive information. Over the past years, they have played with newcomers Croki-curl, had a house party by fire, game evenings at local restaurants, Canada Day celebrations at a farm, played golf at Carlton Trail, rode horses around town and invited newcomers to Langenburg Culture Days. At these culture days all the community members had the opportunity to learn more about the countries newcomers came from and to taste their delicious national food.
The Langenburg Evangelical Fellowship does incredible work helping newcomers to integrate into Canadian culture and job market as well. Cathy MacKenzie together with Marlene Desnoyers are helping newcomers to improve their language skills.
They offer free Conversational English Classes for Langenburg newcomers every week. The pair have helped many new people learn the English language. Barbara has been working with newcomers for a long time and can share many success stories with newcomers becoming part of the community.
“I think it is important to have this committee because it can be very difficult to move into a brand new community. Many of the newcomers to our community come from other countries and so it is not just about moving into a new community but adjusting to a new country,” explained Cathy MacKenzie.
Her parents immigrated from Europe. Although they learned English and adapted well, Cathy can recall hearing many stories about the country they had left in their moments of homesickness. Her father immigrated with his family, but her mother came on her own. She was never able to get back to her homeland to see her parents before they died. Cathy recognized that her mother was often lonely.
“Growing up, I saw my parents reach out to immigrants and help them in many practical ways. Some even lived in our home. That is why I think the newcomers committee and the idea of mentoring and getting people together is a fantastic idea. I applaud Lina for initiating it in this format,” said MacKenzie.
“When I was looking around the room at our last meeting, I realized there was not one person in our group that was born or raised here in Langenburg,” mentioned
Rindisbacher. She commented on how it’s difficult to imagine how it feels to be a newcomer or how important the group is if you’ve never moved into another town, or even country.
Twenty-one years ago when the Rindisbachers moved to Langenburg, they didn’t know anyone. “Most people knew that we were the ‘Swiss family’ that bought Hildebrandt’s farm. Nick and I both spoke a bit English, with a bad accent, but enough to get around and order parts, seed and chemicals,”explained Rindisbacher.
Since their kids were not in school at that time, they didn’t have much to do in town. Because of that, it was hard to make connections with people in Langenburg.
“On our first spring here in Langenburg after seeding was done, all our neighbours from the surrounding farms showed up one evening. Their pickups were loaded with food, drinks and even firewood! They welcomed us with a little redneck surprise-party in our backyard. We will never forget that evening! It meant so much to us,” Rindisbacher exclaimed.
Rindisbacher explained that when you come as a stranger or newcomer, you are not likely to go out by yourself. It feels awkward to join a crowd full of strangers. Everybody looks at you, but only a few people start a serious conversation that could lead into a new friendship. As Swiss immigrants, the family had the same skin color, same religion and similar food. Still, they were not familiar to the people of Langenburg; they were new faces that spoke with an accent.
“I know a little how it feels to be a newcomer. Even though I can’t represent Langenburg and Canada to the fullest, I can be here for them with an open mind, house and heart,” said Rindisbacher. Anti-Racism starts right here, in our town, with our new neighbours and co-workers. Barbara has offered up her home and her ideas to welcome newcomers into the community of Langenburg with various group get-togethers and activities.”
“Everything to a new family is foreign… you look different, you come from a different place, you may speak a different language, the culture is different, the school system isn’t the same, there’s a different political system, the food is different, and the main religion of the area may be different. Newcomers leave their families, pieces of their culture and a certain piece of their story be- hind them. They leave all that is familiar for a new place with better opportunities, a safer environment and to fulfill
dreams. The events give newcomers an opportu- nity to connect with each other and with new people.
Newcomer events are currently open for all town residents to attend. The committee invites the Langenburg community to be part of this important initiative and help Langenburg become an inclusive town. Residents can help by becoming a newcomer mentor, donating house- hold items for the committee, informing the
committee about new residents and participating in newcomer events.
The idea is that long time community residents will also attend the events and interact with the newcomers. To get involved or attend a newcomers event, you can visit their Facebook page at Langenburg Newcomers Network, visit www.langenburg.ca or contact Barbara Rindisbacher at 306-743- 3244/ Cathay MacKenzie at 306-743- 7556.