Long-serving Taber FCSS board reps say goodbye in October

Posted on October 30, 2025 by Vauxhall Advance

By Garrett Simmons
FCSS Communications

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lected officials often do not know what to expect when they are appointed to the various boards and committees that a councillor is expected to serve on.

It was certainly an unknown for Municipal District of Taber councillor, Merrill Harris, when he joined the Barons Eureka Warner Family and Community Support Services board back in 2013.

“I didn’t know at the time when you got on council, about all of the places you could be assigned for committees,” he said.

Over the last 13 years, Harris served on the FCSS board, with a stint as chair from 2017-2023. And while he was simply appointed as the M.D.’s representative back in 2013, each time council’s organizational meeting rolled around, Harris was clear about his desire to stay on the FCSS board.

“I was pleased to be able to stay on after that first appointment,” he said, as he added his knowledge of FCSS was limited going into his first year on the board. “To be honest with you, I knew FCSS was out there but I really had no clue what they were all about, outside of the counselling services they offered.”

Harris discovered the organization had a ton to offer the community, as he highlighted one recent program he was particularly impressed with.

“Four or five years ago, we started the volunteer tax program for seniors to make sure they were getting all of the benefits they were supposed to be getting,” said Harris, who added that service, combined with initiatives such as conferences for seniors, have served that population extremely well over the years.

Throughout his time on the board, he has watched FCSS develop programming for new parents and new mothers, mental health, addictions and helping seniors age well in their communities.

The organizational has also aligned itself with a new provincial initiative to tackle issues such as homelessness, housing insecurity and food insecurity.

“These are different subjects we are trying to deal with,” said Harris, who added FCSS is attempting to determine how it can help solve these dilemmas in the 16 communities it serves. “We are trying to find solutions to some of the gaps we have in these communities.”

It’s all in an effort to help fulfill the FCSS mandate.

“FCSS is all about helping people live their best life,” said Harris.

“It really comprises a wide range of programs.”

For Harris, the services FCSS provides are invaluable to the community.

“I know when life is going good you probably don’t think about places you can turn to to solve family problems or a family crisis but that’s what FCSS is there for – to find solutions to problems and to help you or refer you to someone else that can help,” he said. “It’s a great first stopping place for help.”

Now, with a new M.D. of Taber council in place, following a 2025 municipal election in which Harris did put his name forward, his time of the FCSS has come to a conclusion.

“It’s one of the best boards to be involved with,” he said.

Taber town councillor Garth Bekkering, who also decided not to run in 2025, and with that, he is retiring from the FCSS board after a two-decade run. Bekkering’s time with FCSS kicked off with his

election to town council in 2001. After a brief hiatus from 2013-2016, he was back in the saddle on the FCSS board from 2017-2025. Bekkering also served as chair from 2005-2013.

“I liked it very much and I asked if I could stay, and I did for 20 years,” said Bekkering, who like Harris, made the decision to continue serving on the FCSS board year after year.

It was unlike other committees, which often involved making recommendations on services such as roads and sewer systems.

“I liked the human side of it,” said Bekkering, who added during his tenure, the human side of the FCSS board grew from nine members to 16.

“You would think that having that many elected officials in the same room would be like herding cats but it wasn’t. I was shocked. I thought everyone was just going to fight for their own communities but there was good collaboration and good communication.”

Having that many elected officials working together was one of many highlights for Bekkering, who recalled some of the amazing work FCSS has done over the years.

“When I first got on the board, we had a program called Roots of Empathy,” said Bekkering, who highlighted that initiative, which offered empathy-based programs for children, as one he was particularly proud of.

The DO Crew, an initiative that helps youth develop leadership skills through volunteering and organizing events, is another program that has a bright future, according to Bekkering.

“Young kids from different areas do a lot of really good work in their communities,” he said. “I think they do a great job.”

Bekkering added all these initiatives and programs have benefitted from a collection of committed and dedicated staff members, who have become adept at using the resources they have to the best of their abilities.

“I think FCSS has done a tremendous job over the years with the limited funding they have had,” said Bekkering, who added he cherished every minute of his time working with FCSS staff and his fellow board members. “I thoroughly enjoyed it and I enjoyed the collaboration.”

Dave Degenstein, the current FCSS board chair, said the two long-time Taber board members served as great inspirations over the years.

“I really appreciated them as mentors and role models,” he said.

“Whenever I was uncertain of how to proceed on a specific topic, I knew I could rely on them to provide great guidance that was always most helpful. Not only do I appreciate their commitment but those carrying forward will miss them as a part of this board. I cannot thank them enough for what they have done.”

For more information about FCSS services visit http://www.fcss.ca. To provide feedback on gaps in your community, complete the FCSS five-minute survey by visiting bit.ly/shortsurveyfcss