A former manager of the Wilkie swimming pool has been awarded a Royal Life Saving Society of Canada Volunteer and Lifesaving Award.
Danica Miller, 26, managed the pool for four years and during her tenure worked to ensure drowning prevention week activities were prominent in the community. Lt.-Gov. Vaughn Schofield presented Miller with her award March 28 in recognition of this and other contributions to the lifesaving society.
Although the majority of Miller's drowning prevention activities were focused in Wilkie, she also worked in a variety of other locations including Meadow Lake, Saskatoon and Biggar, as well as in Alberta.
Miller says she was pleased to be notified by Shelby Rushton, CEO of the Sask. Branch of the Lifesaving Society, of the award and she later accepted the formal invitation to the presentation ceremony.
"I am uncertain how I was chosen for this recognition, but I am guessing someone who worked closely with me during my lifeguarding career brought my name forward," said Miller
" While being employed as lifeguard it was important for me to continue with my awards and certifications. I believe the reason I was considered for this honour was because of the continuous training and mentoring I was involved in, as well as examining in a volunteer capacity the past two years."
Miller was hired as a lifeguard when she was 15 years of age, and has been performing lifeguard duties for 11 years. Although she is not currently lifeguarding, Miller has maintained all 12 lifesaving awards and certificates. She is currently applying for recreation programming positions within Saskatoon with a focus on aquatics.
"I want to say that where I am with my aquatic life is very much thanks to the support of the Town of Wilkie, everyone in the office, along with the patrons who came down to the pool to support our events and courses that were run," Miller says.
"This, along with a fabulous lifeguarding team that I look forward to returning each year to help certify and support in their lifeguarding careers."
Miller was one of 22 honoured at the event.
