Terry Farrell
Record staff
Time is running out to purchase, or renew, a Filberg Heritage Lodge & Park Association 2016 membership.
The association switched memberships to coincide with the calendar year for the first time this year, and want to get the word out that memberships will only be sold until the end of January.
“Before, our year started in April, but nobody belongs to something that goes from April to April,” said Cynthia Davies, a director for the FHLPA.
“Everything goes from January to January, and people will do it when they renew their memberships for everything else.”
The FHLPA is having a membership drive to make sure that no one misses out on the opportunity to become a member, or to renew their membership.
Volunteers will have a table set up at Comox Mall this Friday and Saturday (Jan. 15-16) from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Memberships are also available online at filberg.com/membership/
The FHLPA generally has between 700 and 900 members. Money collected through the $25 annual membership fee ($20 for seniors and students) goes toward the restoration and maintenance of the buildings and structures within the park.
Davies said the Town of Comox is an invaluable partner, inasmuch as grounds maintenance is concerned, but the upkeep of everything else is up to the association.
“The common misconception is that the Town pays for it all, so why do we need any money?” she said. “The Town does a wonderful job with the grounds, and are very supportive of everything we do, but they don’t have the money to look after everything else. That’s where the membership money goes.”
Members receive free admission into the annual Filberg Festival, a four-day, multi-media arts and entertainment festival held on the August (BC Day) long weekend. (Membership does not include entrance to the Friday night concert.)
Members are also given voting privileges at the annual general meeting, and receive email updates of news and special events.