Vi Oko and Helen Kieran are the joint winners of this year’s Volunteer Citizen of the Year Award, presented by the Community Information and Volunteer Centre at its annual award celebration.
The announcement of double winners came to the delight and surprise of the sellout crowd, and the prize winners themselves, it turned out.
“I’m totally shocked!” said Kieran just minutes after the announcement.
Finding herself at a loss for words, she said the moment was thrilling, and that it was especially wonderful to win with Oko.
She added, “I can’t explain it. I really felt Marg Davison would get it. I do feel so honoured.”
The annual ceremony dates back to 1965. It started as a way of singling out the people who freely give their time and talents to making the community a better place.
“Everybody up there,” Kieran said, referring to the stage, “are citizens of the year. They are, and a lot of other people as well.”
Both winners were still very pleased to share the award with each other. Oko rolled her eyes when asked her thoughts about the calibre of Kieran’s character.
“Look at all the things she does!” she exclaimed.
The last time there were co-winners was back in 2001 when Doug Campbell and Bill Webber shared the trophy. The year before that, in 2000, there were four winners: Bernie Melik, Alfreda Melik, Dieter Knobloch and Dr. Craig Roxburgh.
Even though only Oko and Kieran’s names will get engraved on the big trophy, all of the five nominees were given other trophies for different sub-categories.
Margaret Davison received the Community Outreach Award while Jennifer Smid got the Community Volunteer Youth Award and the Family and Community Service Award went to Clayton Schafers. Oko received the Community Volunteer Leadership Award while Kieran got the Service to Community Award.
There was also a spate of youth trophies for the winners of the Leaders of Tomorrow Awards in different age categories: Haley Kuchar (6 to 12), Katie Fitzgerald (13 to 15), Lindsey Johnson (16 to 18) and Amanda Magyar (19 to 21).
There were also two youth groups that won prizes, including the Hands of Hope group from Ă©cole Marie Poburan. The Bellerose bike-a-thon committee won a new prize called the Youth Volunteer Philanthropy Award for its decade of dedication to the popular event that sees hundreds of students ride stationary bicycles for 48 hours. The effort has raised almost $1 million for the Kids with Cancer Society and the Alberta Cancer Foundation.
“I’m humbled,” sighed Oko.
She said she was deeply honoured to have been one of the two winners but she was also very impressed with the rest of the fine people who received honours.
“It’s astounding! Look at those kids! It just renews your faith in youth and we need that every once in a while," she said. "I did anything that had to do with soccer and baseball and curling and gymnastics and dancing and figure skating and bowling and whatnot … it was because of kids! You do things because they need doing, and you do them.”
During her initial remarks to the crowd, CIVC board chair Ruth Moellenbeck compared all the city’s volunteers to the most precious and important commodities.
“Treasure like gold is usually found in the ground but we have found something much more valuable in our community: citizens who volunteer endless hours in a variety of settings. On this special occasion, we place our treasured volunteers on a pedestal to show our appreciation and recognize the contribution they make to the community. We value them like gold nuggets."
The event at the Alliance Church was packed with a sellout audience. For the first time, organizers had to turn prospective ticket buyers away and they were presented with the challenge of outgrowing the space of the massive church assembly room.
