The moment, it seemed, was a long, long time coming. The room burst into applause and standing ovations early Saturday afternoon when Wendy Stiver was announced as the Volunteer Citizen of the Year for 2011.
The moment, it seemed, was a long, long time coming.
The room burst into applause and standing ovations early Saturday afternoon when Wendy Stiver was announced as the Volunteer Citizen of the Year for 2011. Stiver has been the chair of the board for the local chapter of Special Olympics for 24 years, volunteering her time tirelessly for 250 days for each of those years.
This was the scene at the Alliance Church for the 44th annual volunteer recognition awards ceremony, an event put on by the Community Information and Volunteer Centre.
Even though the competition for the top prize was tight – with Murray Barker, Walter Carroll, Michelle Guest-Moore and Valerie Spink also in the running – no one could deny Stiver’s incredible volume of volunteerism estimated at 12,000 days.
Big things have small beginnings, it turns out.
“I just thought that I would volunteer a couple of hours a week and that would be it,” she said, “but once you spend time with this population, you want to spend more time with them.”
In addition to being the chair, she co-ordinates and supervises all eight sports offered locally. She fundraises extensively, provides transportation to the athletes, and often accompanies them to events, even at the provincial and national level. On her weekends, in her free time, she supervises at a special needs group home. The list goes on and on. Her love of people with intellectual disabilities is indeed great.
“They’re the hook. They’re just so enthusiastic about everything they attempt that the general population could take a leaf from hanging out with these athletes. This population just attacks everything with so much enthusiasm and joy.”
Also in attendance at the ceremony was newly minted MLA Stephen Khan. He remarked about the importance of volunteers, not just in any politician’s campaign to get elected. He said that society in general needs volunteers to be healthy and he thinks this community is doing pretty well.
“It’s such a tradition in St. Albert. It’s so engrained into everything that we do. We’re so remarkably blessed and fortunate to have such a passionate and committed volunteer community. Almost every aspect of community life is enriched by volunteers.”
The crowd of giants
The CIVC also presented special awards to each of the five finalists before the big trophy was handed out. For her work, Stiver was given the Community Volunteer Leadership Award.
Barker won the Family and Community Service Award for his endless efforts to improve accessibility for all. For his work with Lo-Se-Ca, Carroll was given the Community Outreach Award. The Community Volunteer Youth Award was handed to Guest-Moore who has been involved with Girl Guides for almost 20 years. As a very active president of the St. Albert Association of Friends of the Public Library, Spink was the winner of the Social Advocacy Award.
The ceremony also featured the youth winners of the Leaders of Tomorrow Awards: Will Drake in the six to 12 year category; Nyall Hughes (13 to 15 years); Vanessa Peynenburg (16 to 18), and the école Marie Poburan Reading Team (Youth Group). There was no winner announced for the 19 to 21 year category.
