According to organizers, the long-developing Stettler History Book project is in the home stretch.
Though things have been slow over the winter months, the committee working on the book has continued to meet every two weeks.
Thanks to people who have contributed stories from around the region, the committee is currently working on in between 1,200 and 1,300 files, making them into a format that a publisher is able to work with.
While the committee is not currently seeking additional content for the book, they are still at a point where they can potentially squeeze in late additions; however, they are fast approaching the point where that will no longer be the case.
“It’s … a pile of work,” said Stan Eichhorn, one of the driving forces behind the project.
Thanks to an extensive library of other history books from the region, numbering around 250 books, the committee is working to ensure the new Stettler book doesn’t copy what is already out there and information is being cross-checked where possible.
According to Eichhorn, the Stettler History Book is going to focus on the first 75-80 years of the community, focusing most on when the town began.
Due to the extensive amount of information received, and that needs to go into the book, the plan is currently to have the book split into two, easier to manage, volumes sold in sets when they are actually printed.
It is still unknown what the price is going to be for the volumes, but the committee is currently working with publishers to figure it out.
Because of the significant cost of publishing, the committee will be relying on pre-sales to raise the funds to get the volumes printed once a price is narrowed down.
Anyone wishing to donate or help out with the history book project can do so by contacting the P and H Elevator, which is where the History Book committee is based. The committee can also be found online at www.stettlerhistory.ca.
The current plan is for the committee to work through the files over the coming months and have the entire book wrapped up by the end of 2023.