After another year of hard work, volunteers of the Prairie North Health Region were the guests of honour at the annual volunteer appreciation event organized by the health region. Hosting duties were performed by volunteer and spiritual services manager, Darlene Kingwell, who praised the atmosphere inside the Knights of Columbus hall where the event took place as "very much in the theme [of the evening, "We Are The World,"] of people coming together and appreciating the work each other does."
Starting off the program were the First Nation Dancers, including Jo Jo Stevenson, who dances fancy; Laila Weenie-Waskehet, who dances jingle; John Berland Sr., traditional; John Berland Jr., traditional; Denzel Harris, dancing fancy; and Evander Thunderchild, chicken dancer.
Heartfelt thanks were given by PNHRA board chair, Bonnie O'Grady, who emphasized the importance of the work of volunteers. O'Grady's sentiments were echoed by VP of Primary Health Services, Vikki Smart, who noted volunteers brought a sense of community to the people they care for. Also speaking were Jane Zielke de Montbrun, director of the Battlefords Canadian Mental Health Association, and Linda Shynkaruk, director of the Saskatchewan Hospital. A highlight came in the drawing of winners for around 50 prizes throughout the evening.
Violinist Patrick Whelan and pianist Andrea Whelan performed a number of songs, including an instrumental of Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors."Also performing during the three-hour program, with attendees given colouring pages and markers to colour and "de-stress" freely throughout the evening, were Just Fiddling Around, a fiddling duo comprised of brothers Teagan and Keegan Isaac.
Kingwell noted that they're always looking for volunteers for PNHR programs, but added, "that's the great thing about appreciation – it brings awareness.
