Duane Hicks
They’ve committed time and energy to making their communities a better place—often working behind the scenes to make things happen.
But last Tuesday night, it was their turn to be in the spotlight.
District residents were honoured with the Volunteer Service Award for their dedication to local organizations at La Place Rendez-Vous here.
While not all were able to make it to the ceremony, there was a total of 26 recipients.
These included five Fort Frances residents, including four Fort Frances High School medical first responders—Oryn Albanese, Justin Bartsch, Cassandra Jackson, and Samantha Martin.
The fifth recipient was Coun. Rick Wiedenhoeft, who has been active with the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame for five years.
There also were three recipients from Emo, including FFHS medical first responder Marissa Kinnear, Michael Williams (Emo Public Library—15 years), and Glen Jackson (Township of Chapple—20 years).
Six volunteers from Barwick were honoured, as well, including June Wheatley and Heather Oltsher—both of whom have volunteered for the Township of Chapple for 20 years.
Emily Clink, Bill Clink, Joan Both, and Steve Both, meanwhile, all have volunteered on the Chapple Heritage Committee for 10 years.
And a dozen individuals from Atikokan were lauded, including Diane Bain, Diana Beaudry, Alex Broski, Roberto Campanaro, Garry Girard, Sharron Halvorsen, Arlo Jewell, Kai Kruger, Judy Kruger, John Nephin, Shirley Pierce, and Sharon Veran.
Altogether, the honourees represented 345 years of service in Fort Frances, Emo, Barwick, and Atikokan, according to Colleen Moran, who conducted the ceremony along with Luc Vincent of the Honours and Awards Secretariat—Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration.
The evening’s guest speaker was Peggy Loyie of the Rainy River District Victim Services Program, who last month was honoured with the Attorney General’s Victim Services Awards of Distinction for 2013.
Loyie said she works with volunteers and one thing she’s noticed is that they often are the ones who fail to recognize the significance of what they do, so she is really appreciative of events such this that honour their contributions.
Loyie noted that without volunteers, she wouldn’t have a job as program manager of Rainy River District Victim Services Program.
“Our volunteers, to Rainy River District Victim Services, are an essential service, and nobody has to convince me of the importance or the significance of them,” she remarked.
On a larger scale, Loyie said she got to thinking of all of the volunteers in the community and all the roles they play in “making this a pretty good place to live.”
“As those of you from Fort Frances know, we have a beautiful sports complex here,” she said. “But when I think about it, imagine what that place would look like during the fall and winter months without volunteers?
“The coaches and managers who give of their time to provide opportunities for some many children and young people, without them it might be a pretty empty space,” she reasoned.
“I think of the parents who volunteer and who plan tournaments and man tables, the list goes on.
“At this very moment, there are probably who knows how many kids running around the soccer field, and they’re being played out or called in by a volunteer coach or provided with some guidance or playing tips,” Loyie added.
“How many seniors or shut-ins were fed today or this evening by someone volunteering to deliver ‘Meals on Wheels,’ and how many small children were read to by someone today who was a volunteer at a school or at the library?”
Loyie said she recently attended a fundraiser dinner for a local family that is going through a difficult medical crisis, and family members, friends, and co-workers volunteered their time to plan the event.
“And although they couldn’t do what we’d all like to do in that case, which would be to make it better or fix it, their efforts have had a huge impact on that family,” she stressed.
“And I can tell you from personal experience their efforts and the fact that they volunteered to do that will never be forgotten.
“That’s the thing about volunteering,” Loyie said. “Your contributions will never be forgotten because they are contributions of the heart and conscience.
“Even when we think our good intentions may go unnoticed or taken for granted, let me assure that they are not.”
Loyie said that with volunteering, it doesn’t matter as much what you do—whether it’s sports, feeding the elderly and shut-ins, or planning a fair or community event—it’s that you do it.
“Congratulations to all of you and thank you, because without you and your input, we would have a stagnant community,” she reiterated.
“But with you, our community becomes more vibrant and that is something to be proud of.”
Also recognized at last Tuesday’s ceremony was Tyson Grinsell, who last month received the Ontario Medal for Young Volunteers—the highest honour a young person can achieve for their volunteerism contributions.
The 22-year-old Fort Frances resident has volunteered in many capacities over the past five years, including tutoring students in math and coaching youth soccer.
The ceremony also featured a rendition of “O Canada” by local singer Brittany Hayes, and a video message from Citizenship and Immigration minister Michael Coteau.
“The Volunteer Service Awards are a very special kind of recognition,” he said.
“These awards are for outstanding individuals who volunteer with an organization over a number of years and show strong commitment to volunteerism.
“That kind of dedication and perseverance is a great foundation for our communities,” he added.
Coteau sent a special thanks to youth volunteers as “they are the ones who will be our future leader.” But he also congratulated the adult volunteers being recognized for their outstanding dedication.
“Together, you are making our province strong,” he remarked. “Volunteers truly are the heart of our communities.”
Coteau also thanked the organizations that took the time to nominate award recipients.
The ceremony was one of 52 being held across Ontario to honour more than 10,000 volunteers.
More than six million Ontarians volunteer each year, contributing more than 860 million annual volunteer hours—equivalent to about 450,000 full-time jobs.
