The Humboldt region’s diversity is something to be celebrated.
The Humboldt Regional Newcomers Centre’s first Building Communities Recognition Night did just that on Jan. 28 with awards and a performance by the PFE Dance Troupe.
Newcomers Centre Executive Director Janine Hart says that they wanted to recognize people in their wide reaching service area.
“We really wanted to celebrate the diversity our region has and celebrate those people, workplaces, and schools that really reach out to newcomers.”
Hart says these individuals and businesses are not only providing opportunities by welcoming these newcomers to the area but are also supporting their integration and settlement into the area.
That is what the Newcomers Centre does for newcomers to the area but there are also so many other people working on their own to provide this support that Hart says they wanted to celebrate that.
During the nomination process, Hart says that many people do what they do because it is what comes with being a good neighbour or being a good employer.
“Words like ‘caring’ or ‘motivating’ or ‘inspiring’ came across in every nomination we received.”
What really stood out for Hart was the people who were nominated for work they were doing day in and day out.
Edith Klassen received the Lifetime Achievement Award for her work with helping newcomers.
Klassen says that she was a signpost for people back when the Watrous/Lanigan/Englefeld/Drake area was receiving the original influx of immigrant workers back in the late 2000s, directing them to where things are and helping them with the things they need to know.
In the beginning, Klassen thought about her own family’s journey to Canada and who was there to help them when they were new immigrants.
Klassen says she wanted to be that the person for recent newcomers and she has a huge family from this.
Hart knows Klassen quite well from her work and she saw how Klassen inspired newcomers to take part in what was already there within the community and lay down roots within the community.
“She rallies people together and makes something from nothing...she is a unique lady, for sure.”
Norman Duerr was also nominated for the Lifetime Achievement Award but Hart says his work went beyond just what he has done for his newcomers, namely his children, but what he has done for peace in the community and beyond.
“He never stops,” says Hart, “and people like (Duerr) very rarely get recognized for the tremendous amount of work that they really do.”
The Centre was a big help for Duerr as he embarked on this process and he knows all about some of the obstacles and attitudes facing newcomers in this day and age.
“I’ve always been a strong advocate for break down their barriers, take down the trenches. Realize that even though there are differences between us, we share a common humanity.”
There have been challenges and difficulties for both himself and his kids, but they have also been a blessing on his life, says Duerr.
Also to receive an award was Debbie Sarauer the Educator of the Year Award for her work teaching ESL through Carlton Trail College.
What she found when she would make a connection with a family who was learning English was not only what they would learn from her but what she would learn from them.
“What we want is for people to become part of our community and part of our province and our country. Connections with people is how that’s going to happen.”
Inviting the PFE Dance Troupe and their Canadian Kaleidoscope has been years in the making, says Hart, and they were very happy to finally be able to bring the Saskatoon troupe to Humboldt.
Their performance epitomizes the diversity and the mosaic that is Saskatchewan and the Humboldt area, says Hart.
“We just knew that bringing the PFE dance troupe out would unify everybody and just speak to people through the arts.”
Building Communities Recognition
Award winners
Young Community Builder - Cassidy Oesch and Taylor Block
Welcoming Workplace – Tim Hortons
Welcoming Neighbour – Agnes Pratchler
Welcoming Community – LeRoy
Bridge Builders – Summer League Basketball
Educators of the Year – Debbie Sarauer on behalf of Carlton Trail College
Lifetime Achievement – Edith Klassen
Humanitarian Activism – Norman Duerr
