‘If we can’t mingle, let’s jingle’ in Portage
Businesses send holiday greetings in virtual event
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This article was published 03/12/2021 (1409 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
The festive spirit is in the air down the streets of Portage La Prairie, as several businesses are coming together to spread some holiday cheer via recorded videos and greetings.
“We have some really great entertainers in Portage, and we thought it would be a great way for people to show off their talents and send a holiday greeting for the whole community to get involved,” said Megan Romphf, cultural connector for Portage Local Immigration Partnership
“It brings joy and a sense of camaraderie over the holiday season in Portage La Prairie.”
Romphf and her co-worker Tara Brugger, the community engagement co-ordinator for Portage Community Revitalization Corporation, originally wanted to host a virtual community Christmas concert but the idea was set aside this year based on some logistics issues and time.
The two brainstormed some ideas with inspiration from a ‘sign wars’ challenge issued by Styled With Meraki hair salon and Tornado’s Restaurant in the city over the summer. Businesses began promoting others via shout-outs and the idea of ‘If We Can’t Mingle, Let’s Jingle’ took off from there.
“That’s how we came on the idea — what if we could challenge other businesses to put out a holiday jingle just to help spread the holiday cheer,” Brugger told The Headliner.
“I’m so excited, especially as I know we have a few newer businesses in Portage, as well. I think it’s a great way for some of those newer and smaller businesses to jump on board, as it’s free advertising for them. It also brings our community together. We have some members stuck at home and this is a way they can go out, stay safe and get that holiday cheer.”
The idea quickly garnered the interest of Meseyton Construction in Portage, who agreed to be the main sponsor for the event, which wraps up on Dec. 17. The construction company was the first to call out other businesses in the community, including PCRC and E.F. Moon Construction.
“It was a fun little event. A couple of coworkers got together and made a fun video to call out a couple of other businesses and it’ll be interesting to see how it takes off over the next couple of weeks,” said Brendan Schaan, human resource generalist for Meseyton Construction.
“We have a financial commitment in it as well. We’re looking for as many people as we can to get their names put in before the 17th of December and then we’ll do a live draw. The winner can pick the charity of their choice and donate $400.”
At press time, PCRC quickly got their video jingle together based on the Twelve Days of Christmas — their 12 days of Portage video was sent out to Prairie Fusion Arts & Entertainment, the City of Portage and the Family Resource Centre. The lyrics were as follows:
“On the 12 days of Christmas, Portage gave to me: 12 geese a hissing, 11 potato trucks, 10 train crossings, nine zoom meetings, eight months of drought, seven grain silos, six Portage Terriers, five chicken and pizza places, only 4 parking spots, three COVID shots, two Ferris Wheels (round-a-bouts), and one larger than life Coke Can,” Brugger exclaimed.
Schaan has found over his time spent in Portage that the community tends to gravitate towards ideas like this when you’re from a place where everybody knows your name.
“It’s a wonderful thing to see. Over the summer when we did those sign wars, you just saw how this community picked up on something that they thought was a really great idea and they continued to carry it through,” Schaan said.
“People pick up and help each other out as much as we can.”
It’s in part why Brugger and Romphf continue to do what they do as facilitators of events across the calendar in Portage.
“I think what I’ve enjoyed the most is that everyone is so willing to jump on board with ideas to help strengthen and build our community,” Brugger said.
“It feels really good, it’s about coming together as a community and sharing in the spirit of the holidays,” Romphf said.
“It feels very humbling to know that we all share the same passions and goals which is building our community from within the community. It makes everyone feel welcomed to be a part of this.”
To check out the different holiday jingles submitted online, visit PCRC’s Facebook page.