Tonight will go a long way in deciding the fate of the Weyburn & District United Way. It's no secret the current board is seeking dissolution and the local United Way branch will cease to exist and operate. 

Discover Weyburn reached out to the United Way Centraide Canada for comment on the matter and to discuss what this could mean for local member agencies in the future if dissolvment is the final outcome. National Director of Communications for the Canadian United Way, Heather Chew, says this sort of thing has happened before, although it is rare.

"You're not unique in the sense that this sort of thing happens in rural communities and large communities. We see deficiencies being realized in both types of regions," Chew said. "Looking back, it has happened on rare occasions. But mostly closures take place as part of amalgamations of smaller and more rural United Ways."

One of the biggest concerns if the local United Way folds is the future of Communithon. Of course, along with that is the concerns over how this decision will impact the local member agencies that rely on annual donations from the United Way. Chew insists this decision won't negatively impact the agencies which are closely connected with the Weyburn branch. 

"Many of the agencies that are currently funded by Weyburn United Way are also funded by other United Ways in Saskatchewan. We're not expecting to see too much change, certainly over the short term," she noted. "They're not going to see a great amount of change. The volunteer leadership from the Weyburn community is going to continue to work with other United Ways in Saskatchewan, with support from us."

One Weyburnite with prior board experience for the United Way spoke of how this had been discussed for a while and could actually be beneficial for the community. It seems everyone with an understanding of the situation isn't shocked or seeing a problem with a dissolution. 

Much like what President Sabrina Kraft said last week, Chew touched on the issues plaguing the Weyburn branch. 

"It's just the model of that particular United Way. The size and capacity of the volunteers who run the organization is just not able to continue and remain a sustainable organization," she explained. 

The Weyburn & District United Way has been in discussions with the national parent organization as well as other United Way branches around the province during this time. Chew stressed that the current board members want nothing but the best for the community and the future of charities in Weyburn. 

[Talks have been] "Fruitful for sure. Everyone has the best interest of the community in mind," Chew said. "The volunteers that run that United Way are completely committed to the community and the ongoing efforts to maintain the good work that happens there."

A final decision will ultimately be made tonight, for better or for worse, to determine what the future holds for the United Way branch in Weyburn. The meeting starts at 7:00 p.m. in the Vimy Room at the Royal Canadian Legion.