Kathy Connors and Dr. Fay Myers have become the latest individuals bestowed a lifetime membership by the Yorkton Chamber of Commerce.
“As one of a group of people who recognized that hungry children don’t learn well at school, Kathy Connors became involved in the Soup Haven 17 years ago,” said Juanita Polegi in reading Connors Citation at a noon luncheon held at St. Girard’s Hall Thursday.
“While Kathy was at the helm of the Soup Haven for many years, she doesn’t take credit for its success. Rather, Kathy credits God and what He has done through the community - the partnerships with the businesses and the many volunteers - for making the Soup Haven such a vital player in the health of the community’s children and families. Today, the Soup Haven provides bag lunches or lunch supplies to all the schools in the city. It also offers monthly meals and Christmas hampers.
“Kathy’s tireless efforts to ensure all children in the city received at least one meal each day of the school year and the encouragement she gave to the children to stay in school have contributed greatly to the lives of countless children and their families.
“It is with great pleasure that the Yorkton Chamber of Commerce inducts Kathy Connors as a Life Member. Thank you Kathy for all that you have done for the betterment of this community and for all that you will continue to do.”
Connors said it was wonderful to have the recognition, not that she has ever been one for the spotlight.
“You’re right, I don’t like to take credit,” she said.
Instead Connors credited her effort as the work of God, and his “knowing in my heart that I wanted to do something like this.”
Connors said she feels God in all her efforts.
“I wish you could look inside my head,” she said, to better understand how he has affected her work with Soup Haven. She said she only looks at all the supporters of the effort to know bios role.
“Only God could bring everybody together,” she said. “Without God I wouldn’t have been able to do this.”
Connors left her last words you’re the youngsters who have been fed through Soup Haven over the decades.
“If you’ve got time pray for the kids,” she said. “Please, please remember the children.”
Chamber president Joel Martinuk read Myers’ citation.
“Dr. Fay Myers led Parkland College as President from 1997 to 2015. During her tenure, the College excelled at meeting the training and education needs of students, communities, and industry in the Parkland region and beyond.
“Dr. Myers served on numerous boards and advisory committees and played an active role in expanding Parkland College’s national profile. Dr. Myers served as a Yorkton Chamber Director in 2003, then becoming a Saskatchewan Chamber Director in 2005 until 2009. During that time, she also sat on the Sask Chamber’s Executive Council.
“Among her many accomplishments as President of the College, Dr. Myers oversaw the introduction of international education programs and partnerships; the growth of the College’s university and post-secondary programs; and a College-wide rebranding in 2008.
“Her vision and determination has led to the development of the Trades and Technology Centre in Yorkton. This remarkable facility is the pride of the region. While the first students walked through its doors earlier this week, thousands more will learn there in the years to come.
“It is with great pleasure that the Yorkton Chamber of Commerce inducts Dr. Fay Myers as a Life Member. Thank you Fay for all that you have done to ensure our young people can continue their post-secondary educations close to home.”
Myers said the honour was “totally unexpected …
“This is wonderful.”
That said, Myers said she too did not accomplish things alone.
“There’s been many, many others working side-by-side with me,” she said.
Myers said her personal involvement with the Chamber certainly helped in terms of creating contacts which later helped the College.
“It was a wonderful opportunity for me to meet the business community of Yorkton, and some of the leaders in the region,” she said.
The new Trades and Technology Centre for the College is of course a huge milestone for Myers who recently stepped down as College head.
“And now the centre is open to new students,” said Connors, who added with obvious pride “my grandson is one of their first students.”
She then added, “The centre is there for our children and grandchildren for years to come.”
Myers said it has been a motto; “a community builds a college and a college builds community.
The proof of that is seen in Yorkton and region, she said.
The Board of the Chamber may bestow a life membership on “persons who have distinguished themselves by meritorious or public service may be elected Honourary Life Members by majority vote by the Board. Honourary Life Membership shall include all the privileges of active membership, except that of holding office, with the exemption from paying dues.”
Previous life members are; 1969 - Brigadier General Alexander Ross and Howard Jackson, 1974 - George Morris, 1975 - G.H. Howie Alberts ,1991 - Stan Stephenson ,1997 - Norman Roebuck and 1998 - Keith Harper, Winnie Spence and John Miller, Ruth Shaw and Allan Bailey in 2013, and Ray Malinowski in 2014.
