The federal government last month announced the Prime Minister's Volunteer Awards, the first annual federal program to acknowledge the country's hardest-working citizens.
"We want to recognize the contributions that volunteers make to our communities," says Yorkton-Melville MP Garry Breitkreuz. "This is one of the areas that's often overlooked when we give out awards and recognize important people. Without volunteers, many of our communities would have projects left undone."
The three prairie provinces make up one of five regions considered under the awards. Each region will have winners selected in three categories yearly: Community Leader (for an individual or group), Business Leader (for a business), and Social Innovator (for a non-profit organization).
In addition, two national awards will be given out annually: the Lifelong Achievement Award and the Emerging Leader Award.
"Not everybody will be able to win one of these, but it does show and highlight the importance of volunteers to all of us and the quality of life we enjoy in our communities," says Breitkreuz.
Nominations for the first set of awards, to be presented in early 2012, are open until September 9.
"I hope people will be looking around in their communities. Even to be nominated for this would be an honor in itself," Breitkreuz says.
More information is available online at www.pm.gc.ca/awards
