PAGE 12 - WEYBURN THIS WEEK
FRIDAY, APRIL 6, 2018
M. Isabelle Butters Quota International Community Service Award Donna Rooney Nominated by: Val Ness and Tana Torkelson You would be very hard pressed to name a community event in Yellow Grass and the surrounding area where Donna Rooney was not involved in some capacity. Through the activities she is involved in to the community oriented banking in which she provides; Donna exudes the qualities of a leader, mentor, role model and possesses the qualities and more of the M. Isabelle Butters Quota International of Weyburn Community Service Award. Raised on a farm just outside of Yellow Grass, Donna attended SIAST in Moose Jaw, before she began her career with Weyburn Credit Union in 1998 where she continues to provide her services today. A devoted patron, though Donna since moved with husband Mike, and 3 children Jade, Cole, and Taylor to Weyburn, she remains actively involved in most all Yellow Grass events. Donna was one of the original members of the organizing committee for the Yellow Grass ladies night, an event that has raised significant funds for the community over the years. This event required driven and dedicated individuals to maintain the passion to make this a success. After her move to Weyburn there was a stoppage of the event shortly after. Upon realizing the impact that the event made within the Yellow Grass community, it was asked that the event be reinitiated and a few including Donna were approached to bring it back. Tireless efforts were made by the group to make the event a success. Donna helped solicit local talent, to help develop costumes, choreography and music resulting in the success of the event and raising over $10,000 in funding for the community. This event now plans on running semi-annually with Donna as a key member. Leveraging her financial experience Donna also acts as the Treasurer of Dinner Theatre Club, though her involvement encompasses organizing, and even lead acting roles in the performances that are held. She is also known to be heavily involved in food prep for the dinner and performance operation activities. The funds raised from these events are substantial and are reinvested back into the community where Donna has been involved for over five years. As a part of the Yellow Grass Homecoming Committee member in 2017, she brought much needed experience to the new event as treasurer. The event held over 230 attendees, and all of the funds provided to put on the event were raised by the community which Donna helped in canvassing to help gather donations. Donna has brought her inspirational leadership skills into the workplace at Weyburn Credit Union where multiple initiatives promoting community have been rolled out. Donna has been a key member in the organization and development of the Community Involvement Committee in order to address a more streamlined way for bank members to participate in community fundraising events. Donna spearheaded this initiatives and the committee has evolved substantially over the eighteen years since its inception. In addition to Donna’s countless hours of involvement in streamlining how Weyburn Credit Union gets involved within its community, she also lead her team to victory in the bank’s “Helping Hands Challenge” where they donated over 80 hours picking garbage in the ditches along the communities of Yellow Grass and Lang, volunteering at ball games, running canteens, and hosting a children’s baseball windup event. Donna is a passionate and strong woman who volunteers her time and talents for the betterment of her community. ABBY KRADOVILL Nominated by: Jenna Smolinski “It takes a village to raise a child” and “many hands make light work” are both well placed motto’s used by Abby Kradvill. As both an active community member and dedicated mother to two active children, Abby demonstrates the strength in her abilities as an effective leader across the multiple organizations that she is involved with. Abby was born in Moose Jaw, attended SIAST for Water Resources and later moved onto Arts and Sciences at the University of Regina where she later worked for 8 years at Amec Environmental Company. After which, family ties to Weyburn brought her, her husband Bill, and their two kids to be closer to both sets of grandparents in 2007. Working as a Safety Coordinator, Abby has been working with Miller Well Servicing for the past 10 years since her family’s move. Over that time, she has gone above and beyond and filled her schedule through her involvement with a multitude of organizations and committees. The foundation of her community work was started through her passion for safety acting as committee member to Early Safety Training Steering, a group dedicated to providing basic safety training to young people between the ages of 16-21. Here Abby was the driving force for their annual golf tournament fundraiser, where the event evidenced successful growth every year she had been involved. Abby has always been actively involved in her children’s sports and education. As such, she turned her attention to their activities where she joined as Coach Liaison and Registrar for the Weyburn Silver Seals Competitive Swim Club, the President of the Colour My World: Childcare Board of Directors, a Community Council Member for the Haig School, and more recently an executive member of the board for the Weyburn Synchro Stars. A further natural fit was afforded to Abby as Co-chair of the Weyburn Oilwomen Association. Abby has always been an advocate for women’s rights, gender equality, and women entering non-traditional workplaces, so her decision when invited to the organization was unquestionable. Within her capacity, she leveraged her previous experience with Early Safety Training Steering to help provide a successful golf tournament to raise funds. She acts as liaison between the group and the golf course, sponsors, and vendors. Through successful events and fundraisers such as this one, the Weyburn Oilwomen Association has provided over $30,000 over the years to various areas in the community. After her daughter joined the Girl Guides of Canada as a Spark in 2010, it “sparked” Abby’s interest in becoming a leader
The nominees for the M. Isabelle Butters Quota International Community Service Award gather with Isabelle Butters, representing Quota International of Weyburn. From left are Donna Rooney, Becky Tuchscherer, Isabelle Butters, Abby Kradovill and Lynn Quist. for the group. She has spent countless hours planning meetings, events, and camps that all require itineraries, budgets, travel, equipment, and safety guide paperwork for each. Events served by the group also include many ways to help the community. Abby has trained the last 4 years on Outdoor Activity Leadership Adventure Training, focusing on outdoor adventures such as backpacking, canoeing, winter camping, and snowshoeing. More recently, Abby has taken on extended duties with the Girl Guides of Canada as a District Commissioner for Weyburn, Ogema, and Gladmar. In this capacity she liaises between her assigned district and provincial offices and also sits on the provincial council. Even with the plethora of volunteer commitments, Abby has made time to complete her Applied Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety where she received commendations from the program head for graduation on the Dean’s Honour List. Abby believes that we need to instil the confidence and courage into our young girls so that they can grow to be our future community leaders. She leads by example through the actions she has taken to help empower young women within our community and is deserving of the M. Isabelle Butters Community Service Award. Becky Tuchscherer Nominated by: Nikki Dickie on behalf of Weyburn Gold Wings Becky Tuchscherer not only boasts a tenured background in a variety of activities helping her community, but she helps people by trade. Graduating from the University of Regina with a Bachelor of Social Work, Becky has gone on to work as a Facilitator and Social Worker for Parenting after separation or divorce under the Ministry of Justice, as well as a Counsellor for the Holy Family School Division striving for improved academic and mental health for the students she works with. Within this role she has also taken on eight practicum students who have done their mini and major practicum’s under her supervision over her thirteen year career with the school. Though Becky graduated from Weyburn Comprehensive School in 1996, her community involvement spans back to 1993 where she volunteered playing organ for the choir at the St. Vincent de Paul Church and continued for over 20 years illustrating her character of commitment. Much of her community advocacy has been demonstrated while volunteering with the local Weyburn AAA Gold Wings, an elite female hockey team consisting of players between 1418 years old from across Saskatchewan. Acting as a conduit for community involvement, Becky has been an active pillar in the planning, management, and execution of many of the organization’s community events. Becky began as a Billet for the Gold Wings, where she would gladly take in new team members into her home as her own. The bonds that she makes with her temporary residents are lifelong and enduring as she regularly attends University of Regina and University of Saskatoon hockey games where she cheers on “her girls”. Becky has since gone on to become a member of the Board of Directors, as well as the Team Manager. Her capacity involves all aspects of the team including but not limited to: finding billet families, strategically matching players to billet families, working with coaching staff to organize the team schedules, organizing team building activities, making all travel arrangements for road games, team fundraising events, acting liaison between the team and the school, player counselling as needed, team correspondence to parents and billet families, organizing every game day, organizing volunteers, and organizes various ways for players to get involved in the community. All of which requires thousands of volunteer hours each year, as her year only begins when the teams season ends. All the effort that Becky provides the team, she does with the community in mind. She believes strongly that players should be actively involved in the community they live in as well. She acts as a conduit for players to find ways to volunteer. In the past year, Becky and the team were able to volunteer at the Weyburn Minor Hockey Initiation Tournament, Family Place Halloween Party, Souris School Winter Festival, Red Wing Alumni Game, Skate with Gold Wings event, and on ice help for many of the younger hockey teams. Becky plays a huge part in molding these young hockey players into great community-minded women.
Becky has dedicated her entire life to helping youth, through her career as well as all her volunteer work. She has made a tremendous difference in the lives of many children in the community and abroad. Her dedication and generosity are traits that seem to come naturally and she provides a “second mom” to young ladies that come to Weyburn and are away from their families. She provides comfort, a welcome wagon, discipline, and guidance while miles away from their parents. She does this all with undoubted love, compassion, and a true drive to make the world a better place, truly worthy of the Isabelle Butters Quota International of Weyburn Community Service Award.
Lynn Quist Nominated by: Hayley Wall As a committed volunteer within the community Lynn Quist has worked in a variety of organizations and demonstrates passion and poise to each role she has entered. Whether it be a Sunday school teacher, member of the Weyburn Group Home Board of Directors, member of the Grace United Christian Education Committee, or a fundraiser coordinator for the Weyburn Scouts, Lynn brings the same level of enthusiasm and commitment to the organization. Truly, a deserving recipient of the M. Isabelle Butters Quota International of Weyburn Community Service Award. Not to shadow previous volunteering efforts that she has made over her life, Lynn has had significant and life-changing impact within Special Olympics Saskatchewan. Most recently, she has been chosen to be a Team Saskatchewan Mission Staff, a highly prestigious position which is in charge of Power lifting and Rhythmic Gymnastics athletes and coaches. She ensures the athletes of Saskatchewan in these sports are practiced and prepared to compete against their peers from across the country. In 2018, Lynn will accompany a large team of Special Olympics Saskatchewan Summer Sport athletes to Antigonish, Nova Scotia where they will compete not only for national medals, but for positions on Team Canada for the Summer Olympic Games in 2019. Previous to this, Lynn has been part of the Special Olympics Saskatchewan Sports Advisory Committee since 2014. Comprised of one individual from each district, this committee meets and discusses topics as it relates to rules, sports, programs, and availability of programs for intellectual disabilities. This committee makes our programs legitimate and recognized at the National and International levels, which allows for athletes with intellectual disabilities to have the opportunity to compete in high level sport and competition. Not only is Lynn helping progress Special Olympics at the provincial level, she is the only reason we have a Special Olympics Community here in Weyburn. Lynn is the Community Manager, and has been since 2013. She has kept Special Olympics programming available to children and adults within the Weyburn area. She has advocated for people with disabilities and the importance of sport opportunities for everyone. In 2016, Lynn was selected as Chef de Mission for the Southeast district at the Special Olympics Saskatchewan Summer Games, a role she was selected for back in 1994. Within this role, she organized coaches and athletes from across the district and prepared them for the 2017 games. She ensured that all athletes qualified to compete in their selected sports, and there were enough volunteers to get athletes to and from Moose Jaw to participate. At these games, Lynn was awarded her 10 years of service pin from the Olympics Saskatchewan as testament to her dedication. Over and above her full and robust volunteer activity within Special Olympics Saskatchewan, she is also a certified coach in several sports such as floor hockey, bowling, track and field, and bocce ball. She became certified in each of the sports so that she herself could coach all of the programs available in Weyburn specifically to ensure there would never be a time that sports were no longer offered. Though much that has been discussed has been categorized as involvement within the Special Olympics, it is important to understand that this is a dedication Lynn has to sports being available to the Weyburn community. Countless hours have been donated by her, and she exhibits true traits of a role model for perseverance and dedication in support of her passions.