The town of Morinville is calling all volunteers to stand up and be recognized for making a stronger, more vibrant community.
“They’re a huge deal,” explained Amy Dribnenky, the town’s Family and Community Support Services co-ordinator.
“We have so many organizations that just wouldn’t be able to run without the volunteer hours that are being put in, everything from the Sturgeon Hockey Club with all your coaches and managers and your board, to the Rendezvous Centre that puts on different events for seniors, to the volunteers that volunteer for the Town of Morinville to help our events run. There’s lots of volunteers in Morinville.”
She is one of the organizers who are preparing for this year’s volunteer awards ceremony. Dribnenky hopes that she will soon be inundated with applications giving details of nominees and the fine work that they do. She said that these nominations are slowly starting to trickle in as the word gets out, but she encourages people not to wait too long. The deadline is only about two weeks away.
“Even though not everybody wins, for most people just the act of being nominated is huge. What better way to say thank you to somebody that’s made a difference in your life than to have them publicly recognized.”
Residents have until 4:30 p.m. on Friday, April 13 to file their nominations. There are multiple categories to choose from, including Leader of the Year, Citizen of the Year, and Volunteer of the Year. Each application form must be accompanied by a letter that explains why the applicant feels that the nominee is the best candidate for the award.
Dribnenky added that there is a new category this year for Outstanding Youth Volunteer. She said that a 2011 survey demonstrated that there is already a strong community of almost 200 volunteers under 18.
“We’re very, very excited that this is an open event to volunteers of all ages.”
The awards evening will take place on April 27.
Information on all nine categories and nomination packages are available at the Community Cultural Centre located at 9502 100 Avenue, or on the town’s website at www.morinville.ca. Questions can be posed to Dribnenky by calling 780-939-7832.
Nomination letters may also be e-mailed to [email protected] or faxed to 780-939-7889.
