Safe Communities Humboldt and Area took a moment to say thank you to their safety ambassador by giving out two awards during the Humboldt Emergency Medical Services Charity Event on March 3.
The awards were presented to Darrell Wickenhauser and the Humboldt Good Neighbour Store for all their hard work in the community promoting safety and injury prevention.
Executive Director Shari Hinz was unable to attend the event but David Mortensen with the Humboldt and District Ambulance as well as a member of Safe Communities was on hand to speak on behalf of Hinz and hand out the awards.
Wickenhauser was presented the award for his work in many different aspects of Safe Communities, including P.A.R.T.Y., Progressive Agriculture Safety Day, Positive Ticketing, Bike Rodeo and Safety Days, wrote Hinz. Wickenhauser has also been involved with the organization for 13 years as a key volunteer,“even setting aside time with family to spend time with us at our events.”
Wickenhauser has not only been a trusted volunteer, says Hinz, but also a respected leader providing thoughtful and valuable input at the leadership table.
“He is so often one of the first to ask where he can assist with our programming which makes him an invaluable and committed volunteer with our organization,” wrote Hinz.
Wickenhauser is excited and astonished to receive the award.
Helping to promote the Safe Communities message of safety in the community gives Wickenhauser great pleasure in helping and assisting members of the community, he says.
The Humboldt Good Neighbour Store has been involved with Safe Communities since 2009 helping “sustain programming for the Bike Rodeo and Safety Day, Child Car Seat Clinics, Progressive Agriculture Safety Days, and Senior Safety Projects,” writes Hinz.
As a champion of establishing a safe and secure community, Hinz says their model of support and their giving spirit is one everyone should strive to achieve. Many volunteers with the store also help Safe Communities by also volunteering.
Syd Helmkay with the Good Neighbour Store says it is such a pleasure for both their board and volunteers to win the award with many members involved in the store believing in the ideal of giving back to the community.
“It doesn’t matter whether it’s in support of Big Brothers or the Hospital but it benefits us. I know I enjoy working there for that very reason.”
Safe Communities has always been high on their list of priorities, says Helmkay.
Helmkay was also pleased with the EMS Charity Event saying he was impressed with the appreciation shown to all the emergency services personnel.
Humboldt and District Fire Department showed their appreciation for their members by handing out their Firefighter of the Year award.
The Humboldt and District Fire department is full of great people.
Which makes it a hard job for Fire Chief Mike Kwasnica and the rest of the officers to choice a recipient year after year.
This year, Kwasnica and Deputy Fire Chief, Darrell Wickenhauser, had the honour of presenting two of their crew the honour with Jordan Daisin and Matt Nelson taking home the award.
“Every time you’d see one, you’d see the other one, so we really couldn’t narrow it down,” laughs Kwasnica.
The winner is chosen by Kwasnica, Wickenhauser, along with their two captains and two lieutenants, who look for members who go beyond their regular duties and who always go the extra mile.
Everyone has their own jobs, lives, and families, but there are members of the team who always do more to help out, either with training, functions, or around the fire hall with equipment.
Dalsin and Nelson started to team up to offer extra fitness nights each Wednesday of the week to complement the regular Monday night fire practices.
“They show up at the fire hall, they put the scenarios together, they put the training together. And it’s non-paid, promotional thing for these guys to come down and get in better physical condition.”
That has been going on the last couple of months, says Kwasnica and he really appreciates them taking the initiative but they also do much more when it comes to checking on equipment.
“Anytime we need anything extra done, they’re here, usually stopping in. If it’s not daily, it’s every other day finding out what they can do.”
