NEWSLETTER

MARCH 2023

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The Grande Prairie Regional Association of Volunteer Organizations is a membership organization for the civic sector in the Northwest Peace Region, serving charitable and non-profit community organizations in the City and County of Grande Prairie and beyond.  Our member agencies and clients represent a broad region. They range from; small rural agricultural groups to large agencies providing services to families and individuals in distress, through to indigenous agencies, cultural agencies, sports groups, and more.

Showcase your Agency!

Association Members - Meet Me at the Mall is scheduled for April 29 to May 7! Meet Me at the Mall is a Member Exclusive event at the Prairie Mall’s Community Booth allows our Members a free opportunity to showcase their programs and services to mall patrons in individual time slots during mall hours.

REMINDER – Members participating in Meet Me in the Mall – During your allotted time period, you will be the only agency featured at the Community Booth. Please ensure that your volunteer/staff are there on-time and that you have someone at the booth during the entire time that your agency is scheduled to be there. Please remind your volunteers/staff know that they cannot stop/approach people in the corridors and they cannot hand out brochures or other written materials in the corridor. Mall customers must come to the booth.

**Due to the number of no shows during past Meet Me at the Mall events, organizations failing to attend their scheduled time slot will be charged $150.00 no-show fee. **

We would like to welcome the following new members!

Thank you for joining our Association.

December 5th, 2022 is marked as International Volunteer Day by the United Nations, in recognition of this day the Grande Prairie Region Association of Volunteer Organization (VolunteerGP) in partnership with the City of Grande Prairie hosted the Annual International Volunteer Day Celebration Breakfast featuring the 2022 Volunteer Awards!

The free breakfast, held at the Golden Age Centre, returned after a three-year hiatus to show appreciation to volunteers in our community and around the world. The breakfast was prepared and provided by the Rotary Club of Grande Prairie Barbeque Crew, Coffee donated by Tim Hortons and Juice donated by Northgate Safeway.

During the Event VolunteerGP presented the 2022 Volunteer of the Year Awards and the Leaders of Tomorrow Awards presented by ATCO.

The Leaders of Tomorrow Awards presented by ATCO and the Grande Prairie Regional Association of Volunteer Organizations, honour outstanding young Leaders in Grande Prairie and the surrounding area. These awards are presented to youth in two age categories, Junior (13-15 years) and Senior (16-18 years). These youth exhibit dedication and excellence in their fields of volunteer work (e.g. school, community, social activism, athletics or arts) and inspire the spirit of volunteerism in others.

THIS YEAR’S LEADERS OF TOMORROW ARE:

Carter Walisser was awarded the Leaders of Tomorrow Senior Leadership Award and Kaylee Fehr was awarded the Leaders of Tomorrow Junior Advocacy Award, both were unable to attend the Breakfast.

Leaders of Tomorrow Awards presented by by ATCO’s Adam Chambers.

Click Here for more on the 2022 Leaders of Tomorrow Awards presented by ATCO

The Grande Prairie Regional Association of Volunteer Organizations launched the Volunteer of the Year Award in 2009. The award honours an extraordinary individual living in the Grande Prairie region for their volunteer contributions in the most recent twelve-month period for their considerable impact within the community.

In 2013 we added the Corporate Volunteer of the Year Award to recognize a company or business that, through its staff and policies supporting volunteerism, created an impact on a not-for-profit organization(s) in the last twelve months.



Along with the Volunteer of the Year Awards, the Association presents the Outstanding Members of the Community Awards. These awards pay tribute to individuals, groups and businesses who have improved the quality of life in the community through volunteer work. Nominations for the Awards open late August early September.

The Individual Volunteer of the Year Award is sponsored by Servus Credit Union and the Corporate Volunteer of the Year Award is sponsored by the Prairie Mall. 

THIS YEAR'S RECIPIENTS ARE:

Volunteer of the Year - Devin Bateman

Award presented by Servus Credit Union’s Jamie Rigler

Corporate Volunteer of the Year- Stonebuilt Homes LTD.

Outstanding Citizens Awards

Jared Gossen was also recognized but was unable to attend.

Outstanding Citizen Awards presented by Grande Prairie Regional Association of Volunteer Organizations Board President Phil Linfield.

Click Here for more on the 2022 Volunteer of the Year Awards.

Congratulations to all award recipients. The Grande Prairie Regional Association of Volunteer Organizations would like to thank the following organizations for their support: the Rotary Club of Grande Prairie Barbeque Crew for providing & preparing this year’s breakfast, Northgate Safeway for donating juice, Tim Hortons for coffee; Leaders of Tomorrow Awards presenting sponsor ACTO; contributing sponsor International Paper; Individual Volunteer of the Year Award sponsor Servus Credit Union; and Corporate Volunteer of the Year Award sponsor Prairie Mall.

Thank you Breakfast and Award Sponsors:

VolunteerGP and the City would also like to thank the Golden Age Centre, Emcee Tom Pura, Representatives from the City and County of Grande Prairie for this year’s proclamation. Special thanks to Costco, D.A.H.T. Merchandise Ltd, Fairy Floss GP, Grande Prairie Regional Sport Connection, and Vintage Wine & Spirits for donating door prizes.

SAVE THE DATE! National Volunteer Week is April 16-22, 2023. Follow us @VolunteerGP on social media for update on how we are celebrating this year.

THE QUEEN ELIZABETH II’S PLATINUM JUBILEE MEDAL CEREMONY & TEA

The Platinum Jubilee Medal is a commemorative medal created to mark the 70th Anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the Throne as Queen of Canada.

QE2 Platinum Jubilee Medal Ceremony photo by Maj Photography

The purpose of this medal program is to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the province or a particular region or community. The medal honours the Queen and her lifelong service to Canada by acknowledging residents of Alberta who, like Her Majesty, have devoted their lives to making this province a better place.

The City of Grande Prairie, the Community Foundation of Northwest Alberta, the Grande Prairie Regional Association of Volunteer Organizations, the Grande Prairie Regional Hospital Foundation and the United Way Alberta Northwest was invited by the Government of Alberta to submit nominations and host a medal presentation acknowledging the chosen recipients and celebrating the life of her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

On December 14th, 2022, the organizations mentioned above held a ceremony and tea at Teresa Sargent Hall located in the Montrose Cultural Centre to recognize medal recipients.

QE2 Platinum Jubilee Medal Recipients photo by Maj Photography

List of Medal Recipients:

• Krysta Atkin – Grande Prairie Regional Hospital Foundation
• Adele Bonetti – Grande Prairie Regional Association of Volunteer Organizations
• Patsy Campbell – Grande Prairie Regional Hospital Foundation
• Deb Cryderman – City of Grande Prairie
• Kamie Currie – United Way Alberta Northwest
• Katelyn Dafoe – United Way Alberta Northwest
• Kim Drever – Grande Prairie Regional Hospital Foundation
• Erica Fisher – United Way Alberta Northwest
• Eunice Friesen – Grande Prairie Regional Association of Volunteer Organizations
• Tahnia Getson – Community Foundation of Northwest Alberta
• Bethe Goldie – United Way Alberta Northwest
• Gordon Halliday – United Way Alberta Northwest
• Phil Linfield – Grande Prairie Regional Association of Volunteer Organizations
• Lindsey McNeil – United Way Alberta Northwest
• Margaret Martel – Grande Prairie Regional Hospital Foundation
• Kathy Miles – Community Foundation of Northwest Alberta
• Ryan Mitchell – Community Foundation of Northwest Alberta
• Chandra Oliver – Grande Prairie Regional Association of Volunteer Organizations
• Lionel Robins – Community Foundation of Northwest Alberta
• Sean Sargent – Grande Prairie Regional Hospital Foundation
• Rose Shmyruk – United Way Alberta Northwest
• Linda Side – Grande Prairie Regional Hospital Foundation
• Denise Skoworodko – United Way Alberta Northwest
• Kevin Szakacs – Grande Prairie Regional Hospital Foundation
• Dale Tiedemann – United Way Alberta Northwest
• Terry Tissington – Community Foundation of Northwest Alberta
• Gail Ungstad – United Way Alberta Northwest

Special thanks to the following for supporting this event:

• Master of Ceremonies – Tom Pura
• Colour Guard – Grande Prairie Legion #54
• Piper – Jon Anderson
• Soloist – Mieke de Groot
• Pianist – Carmen Bartel
• City of Grande Prairie Mayor Jackie Clayton
• County of Grande Prairie Reeve Bob Marshall
• RCMP Superintendent Lee Brachmann
• Grande Prairie Army Cadets
• Grande Prairie Air Cadets
• Citrus Catering
• Maj Photography
• Paddington Bear

Click Here for more on the Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee Medal Ceremony & Tea

The Alberta Healthy Living Program (AHLP) offers free workshops to help adults better manage their chronic conditions. Monthly workshops are offered virtually (by Zoom) to all those living in Northern Alberta. Visit www.healthylivingprogram.ca for more information and to register.

FEBRUARY 2023 VOLUNTEERS OF THE WEEK

Centre for Young Parents nominated Char Kaytor

PARDS nominated:

• Nancy Ingram 
• Ellen Archibald
• Eva Sexton
• Ian MacDonald

Melissa Lofstrom - AMA Safety Patrollers nominated Jacob Fajardo

Seniors Outreach - Snow Fairies nominated:

• Jaimie Jackson
• Mitch Pals 
• Katie Kons
• Mitch Bourgeault 
• Kevin Simon

Valhalla Community School nominated Bryanna Rundle

United for Literacy nominated:

• Jessica Reid 
• Marian Mark
• Joanne Peters



Grande Prairie Centre for Newcomers nominated Miranda Snydmiller

Volunteers of the Week receive a $5 Gift Card & Travel Mug from Tim Hortons! They are also entered into our Volunteer of the Month Draw!

The winner of December’s Volunteer of the Month draw is Natasha Boileau-Byrne! Natasha was nominated for Volunteers of the Week by the Wembley & District Agricultural Society!

Here is a look back at what they had to say about their Volunteer, ‘Natasha has been with the Wembley & District Ag Society for 4 years and had offered countless hours to the organization. She started as a director and moved to secretary and now treasurer. She had a big heart and kind soul. She has brought numerous programs to our town. She is Chair of the Fall Fair committee and assists with many of committed without our organization’

Congratulations Natasha!

The winner of January’s Volunteer of the Month draw is Tonya Ploughman! Tonya was nominated for Volunteers of the Week by Whitney Atkinson!

Here is a look back at Whitney’s nomination of Tonya, ‘On behalf of myself and majority of Crystal Lake and Lakeland moms. I would like to nominate Tonya Ploughman, who didn't hesitate to jump up and help organize and fundraise for a Local Family in need. She went above and beyond to help Kristin Beaudry and Family (Kristin was battling Cancer), her medication alone was putting the family behind on bills. Grande Prairie is lucky to have Tonya, who out of the goodness of their hearts spent countless hours to bring holiday cheer to that family.’



Congratulations Tonya!

The winner of February’s Volunteer of the Month draw is Mitch Bourgeault! Mitch was nominated for Volunteers of the Week by Seniors Outreach - Snow Fairies!

Here is a look back at Mitch’s nomination, ‘Mitch and his son became Snow Fairies this winter to help a senior in their area with snow removal. We know how important it is as a parent to lead by example and by including children when doing community service and volunteering it encourages them to continue to do so when they are older. Thank you so much, we appreciate you both!’

Congratulations Mitch!

The Grande Prairie Regional Association of Volunteer Organizations would like to thank Tim Hortons for continuing their sponsorship of our Volunteer Recognition programs.

The Association acknowledges the homeland of the many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Metis people whose ancestors have walked this land since time immemorial. I am grateful to work, live and learn on the traditional territory of Treaty 8.

Disclaimer of Liability: This newsletter contains links to third-party service provider websites. Grande Prairie Regional Association of Volunteer Organizations is not responsible and assumes no liability for the content or materials available on any linked third-party sites.