October 12th, 2016
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The Lung Association of Saskatchewan has just received a generous donation from the Prince Albert Associated Canadian Travellers/United Commercial Travelers council. We were also notified that the club was disbanding after 86 years of community service.
The ACT Clubs of Saskatchewan have a long history of support in helping all residents of Saskatchewan to have the best lung health possible and to be able to breathe easily.
In the 1930s the ACT Clubs began raising money for the fight against the tuberculosis (TB) epidemic which was still in full force in Saskatchewan. The very first ACT Radio Amateur Hour Show was held in 1939 by the PA ACT Club and CKBI radio. Over the following decades, their fund raising for the Saskatchewan Anti-Tuberculosis League was key to providing the mobile TB x‑ray vans that criss‑crossed the province to diagnose people with TB. They also supported the PA TB sanatorium that was in operation from 1930 to 1961.
The PA ACT Club did more than raise money, they also raised awareness about TB and the need to have it diagnosed early to promote better treatment and to prevent the further spread of TB in the community.
As TB was brought under control and the three TB sanatoria in the province were closed, the Saskatchewan Anti-Tuberculosis League became the Lung Association. The PA ACT Club continued its support for the battle against all lung diseases. From 1988 to 2007, they supported a Lung Association-ACT summer camp for children with asthma.
In 2002 the ACT joined with the United Commercial Travelers to become the ACT/UCT. In addition to all of their fine work throughout the community, they continued to support the Lung Association. Our spring door-to-door campaign in Prince Albert relied on volunteers from ACT/UCT club.
Over the years the ACT Clubs in Saskatchewan provided almost $2.5 million of support to the Saskatchewan Anti-Tuberculosis League and later, the Lung Association. Several members of the PA ACT Club received Lung Association Life Membership and other awards in recognition of their commendable work.
While the sad news is that the PA ACT/UCT Club is disbanding, the club has a very distinguished record of 86 years of outstanding community service of which every one of the current and past members should be justifiably very proud. The Lung Association of Saskatchewan wishes to express its very sincere thanks to all of them.
Dr. Brian L. Graham, CEO
The Lung Association of Saskatchewan