Derek Neary
Northern News Services

Fort Providence (Mar 29/02) - If Cliff McLeod is still a little weary, it's for good reason.

As recreation co-ordinator in Fort Providence, he spent the past week running from one spring carnival event to another, sometimes literally. The Bison Jamboree, the Kingland Ford invitational hockey tournament and Mackenzie Days are the three biggest events on his calendar.

"I like to see everybody enjoying themselves. I hate to cancel things," he said. "I'm always trying to look for something new and different or out of the ordinary."

He's accustomed to working evenings and weekends but gets a break when others shoulder some of the load.

"You do rely on volunteers quite a bit, but if they're not there you end up doing most of the work yourself," he said.

Sponsored by the hamlet, McLeod attended Lethbridge Community College, where he took the two-year recreation and community service management program.

After graduating in 2000, he spent a year as a trainee and has been working as the full-time recreation coordinator ever since.

Besides planning and organizing gym and arena schedules and holiday events, McLeod is responsible for acquiring licences and supplies and running fund-raisers such as bingos.

"We're always looking for money," he laughed.

Prior to becoming rec coordinator, he was a seasonal employee for Digaa Enterprises for 10 years.

He had always been involved in recreation, tagging along with Michael McLeod and Ronald Bonnetrouge when they played baseball and hockey. Cliff went on to become president of the local recreational hockey and broomball leagues.

"My better half said, 'Clifford are you getting paid for all the stuff you're doing?' I said, 'No.' (She said) 'Well, you should go back to school and get your ticket for it.' I said, 'OK, I'll give it a shot.'"