The 2016 award recipients of the Rivers West District Volunteer Recognition Awards were recognized Wednesday evening at a banquet at the Don Ross Centre.
The event was hosted by the City of North Battleford and recognized recipients in eight categories, as well as five recipients in the All Round Volunteer of the Year categories, for their outstanding volunteer efforts throughout Rivers West District for Sport, Culture and Recreation. The purpose of the organization, according to its website, is to enhance the delivery of lottery-funded sport, culture and recreation programming and services throughout the Rivers West District.
The recipients this year in the various categories are as follows:
For Sport – Team: Battle River Horse Club, whose club has hosted horsemanship events and encouraged the participation of youth over its 20 plus years.
For Sport – Event: Skate Canada Saskatchewan Sectional Championships, presented to Skate Battlefords who hosted the event in November 2015 over four days. Hosted were the top skaters in the province to see who would move on to the western challenge and then nationals.
For Culture – Development and Promotion: the St. Walburg Allied Arts Council, which for 30 years has delivered a variety of programs to that community including creative writing, print making, watercolour and oil painting, among others, and has hosted classes within the community.
Also, to the Meota Lakeshore Lions Club for its outstanding work and fundraising in and outside the community. Its fundraising efforts resulted in a swimming area in Meota and playground equipment on the beach.
For Culture – Artist of the Year: the Rivers' Edge Quilters, North Battleford. It was organized in 2000 to bring fiber artists with common interests together. It now includes a membership of 31 including six charter members. The members had some of their work on display at the event.
For Recreation – Professional of the Year: Gary Hamilton of Kindersley, in recognition of his volunteer efforts, particularly as the town’s main contact for the Elks Hall.
For Recreation – Facility of the Year: Marsden Library, which in 2015 embarked on an extensive renovation campaign.
For Recreation – New Buildings: the board of directors of the Edam Community Centre in Edam. Edam embarked on and completed a more than $2 million expansion project at the centre, which enlarged the waiting rooms/hall of the community centre.
Receiving awards for All Around Volunteer of the Year:
Don Light of Battleford for his commitment to preserving the history and heritage of the region, including the North West Mounted Police and area First Nations. He also was deeply involved in the project to relocate a number of graves from Battleford Cemetery and in identifying and restoring NWMP graves in the region.
Heidi Hougham of Paradise Hill, whose efforts included minor hockey, volunteering with local craft sales and 4-H, as administrator for a Paradise Hill care home and at the Paradise Hill Library.
Diane Macnab and Paulette Pavka of Mervin, who together have been involved in volunteer efforts throughout the village including the village cleanup and the street fair, silent auctions, raffles and other events.
Wayne Mock of Kerrobert, for his tireless efforts to improve and maintain local recreation facilities, including at the local swimming pool where he was a key organizer to put in a water slide there.
