Mary-Patricia O’Neill was heralded as the new Volunteer Citizen of the Year during the annual awards ceremony put on by the Community Information and Volunteer Centre (CIVC) on Saturday.
The long-serving volunteer was not expecting to hear her name announced over fellow nominees Dr. Alan Murdock, Shayne Kawalilak, and Mavis McKay.
“It took my breath away,” she revealed shortly after the ceremony concluded. “I really was not expecting it.”
O’Neill – not to be confused with her near namesake, the former MLA Mary O’Neill – has been a busy volunteer since she started helping with the local Brownies when she moved here 50 years ago. The retired educator continued her involvement with Girl Guides to eventually become the area commissioner, but she has reserved enough of her time and energy for the children’s festival, the Alberta Highland Dancers, the botanic park, and the Saint City Rotary Club, along with special events such as the Seniors’ Games.
“As a volunteer, I enjoy simply helping wherever I can.”
The four nominees also received individual awards for their stellar contributions to St. Albert. For her work, O’Neill received the Service to Community Award, Murdock took the Arts, Culture and Heritage Award, Kawalilak received the Community Volunteer Youth Award, and McKay was given the Social Advocacy Award.
Also named during the ceremony were the youth Leaders of Tomorrow Award winners: Kaylee Eaglesham (for the 6- to 12-year age category), Amy Polczer (13 to 15), Kelsey Saxby-MacKay (16 to 18), and Andrea Frick (19 to 21), as well as the 533 Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron for the Youth Group category. It was the second time that the 533 received the group prize after its first award in 2001.
The event also saw the announcement of the CIVC’s new executive director, Cindy de Bruijn, after Glynis Thomas retired late last year. Formerly involved as the head of the Gateway Association, de Bruijn was thrilled to join the volunteer agency’s family at such a moment of celebration. She expressed how important it is to honour people for their gifts to the community, especially the youth volunteers whose work she described as “mind-blowing.”
“Even the contributions that all of the nominees make, you realize that they really are the fabric of our community. They do so much and not for recognition, fame or notoriety, but rather just to be giving back and making sure that St. Albert is the vibrant place that we all know and love.”
