The Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal honors people from the province who have made an impact over the years through volunteer work. This year, nine people received the honor, including W. Allan Bailey of Yorkton.
The number of organizations Bailey has been involved in is long and varied, and stretches over several decades. Bailey has been volunteering since the 1950s, when he began activities in the Jaycees in Prince Albert, and has been active in that organization everywhere he has lived, including being the national vice president for two terms. Since moving to Yorkton in the '60s he became active in the Chamber of Commerce, serving as the president in 1967, became active in the Rotary Club, serving in as the president in 1985. He's also been active in his church, Westview United, serving on the building committee for the addition in 1999.
His support of the arts in the city has also been wide ranging, from being the chair of the Yorkton Film Festival, supporting the Moose Jaw Festival of words and being a founding member of the Yorkton Arts Council. In 2011 he was also made an honorary lifetime member of the Saskatchewan Craft Council.
He has also been a major part of Yorkton's civic development, from beginning as an alderman and being Mayor for twelve years. He also was instrumental in the initial cable television license for Yorkton and area.
Bailey says that he got involved in the many different causes because they were things that interested him, and as the opportunities came he took them.
He says that the medal is an honor, but that there are many people in the city working as volunteers that deserve recognition as well.
"I can think of a lot of people that deserve this award besides myself. It takes a lot of people to work with you in order to accomplish these objectives. The Agriplex for instance, though I was given credit for spearheading the building, it took other people who worked with me, and deserve as much credit as myself for accomplishing these things," Bailey says.
"I think there's a good core group of volunteers in Yorkton who are ready to help out whenever they're called upon. Yorkton has a good record of volunteerism."
He didn't expect to receive the medal, and doesn't know who nominated him, though he says that it was clearly someone who knew him very well.
When it comes to the achievements of which he is most proud, Bailey says two stick in his mind. One was getting the Agriplex constructed, and the establishment of the Parkland Regional Library.
"I'm a great believer in literacy... That took a lot of work, a lot of miles put on travelling around to all the communities and rural municipalities in our area to convince them to be part of the library system in our area and watch it grow," Bailey says.
Volunteering is something that Bailey clearly believes in, and he says that everyone needs to do their part.
"I believe that everybody should be prepared to do something in order to make their community a better place in which to live," he concludes.
