“Volunteers do not necessarily have the time, they just have the heart.”
That was the opinion of Elizabeth Andrew, the first organizer of the Labour Party in Wales, and it certainly seems true for the community members recognized at the 24th Annual Leadership Awards on April 10.
Recognizing three inspiring youths for the elementary, junior high, and senior high categories of the Leaders of Tomorrow awards and one community member for the Heart of Okotoks award, the recipients have seen and done it all.
“It’s the experiences you get along with it more than anything,” said recipient of the senior high award, Andrew Loe of Holy Trinity Academy, when asked why he volunteers. “You learn how to appreciate everything you have, that you didn’t even know to be appreciating before, like water.
“When I went to Mexico we had to order it in and get the clean jugs and have all of the tablets to not get sick. Obviously, not everywhere in the world has those things.”
Loe has done several “Build” projects around the world, and has worked with young children in impoverished countries. In addition to his international volunteerism, he gives much of his time to helping his community and region.
Volunteering at the Okotoks urgent care as well as the Rising Sun Long Term Care facility in Black Diamond each week, he also serves on the family community support services committee.
On top of those weekly commitments, he plays viola with the Calgary Fiddlers and performed 180 performances last year for seniors and vulnerable groups.
Loe is a prime example of the impact youth volunteers can have on the world, but he isn’t done yet.
“I don’t know why I was chosen still [for the award], it’s just an honour to be here,” he said. “I would say it’s nice getting recognized for my accomplishments, but I know I haven’t done enough yet. This is one step in my journey of trying to find things to help out with.”
Boasting a similarly impressive list of volunteer credentials, the junior high award recipient Emersynn Hefferan of St. John Paul II Collegiate has also volunteered abroad through a missionary trip to Ecuador on top of her multiple volunteer efforts through school campaigns.
“Volunteering has just always been a part of my life,” said Hefferan.
After donating gifts at her birthday party as a child, she saw first-hand the affect it could have on people.
“It really impacted me quite a bit. It was such a nice feeling and I like doing this, it’s one of my passions,” she said. “It’s not always just work, it’s also fun and you do make a huge impact on somebody’s life. I would say just strive to do your best in volunteer situations because you can make a difference even if it feels small.”
Even for the youngest recipient of the night, the spirit of helping others was evident. Grade 6 student Emma Hayes received the elementary award for her role in the Breakfast Club at St. Mary’s School. Emma shows up to school 45 minutes early every day to help prepare nutritious food for students who didn’t get to have breakfast that day, helping to foster a healthy learning environment for everyone in her school.
“I feel like volunteers, when they actually feel it and feel like they are doing something good, they feel like they are meant to be there and helping out. I love it,” said Hayes.
The last recipient of the night was Carol Faye, who was honoured with the Heart of Okotoks Award for her role in the community.
Nominated for her work with the local sports teams, Faye has sung the anthem for the Oilers and the Bisons for up to 14 years and was fundraiser, vice-president, then president over a 12 year span with the Foothills Stingrays. She has also helped with building four playgrounds around town, and gives her time to helping seniors in subsidized living, providing meals, cleaning, and singing for them.
“It was certainly humbling, because there are so many that do way more than me. I think I just got caught,” she said with a laugh. “So many people before me that have won this award that have done tons in this community to build it, I just think it was quite an honour. It was amazing.”
When asked what she would say to get other young people into volunteering, Faye has one piece of wisdom.
“Say yes. Say yes to the small things, because they can turn into big, and every little thing counts. When somebody asks you, just say yes.”
When the Leadership Awards started 24 years ago, it was in search of a way to recognize the youth in the community, according to John Lockhart, president of the Rotary Club of Okotoks.
“It’s all about trying to find a way to say thank you to the youth in our community,” he said. “Too many things were being pointed at the youth, vandalism and everything else, and this was a way to show our community what gems we have out there, what kids are out there giving us a ‘wow,’ and that’s what [these recipients] are doing.
“… Every year, to sit up there and listen to these young people and what they’re doing, I never did that when I was that age. To see the spirit they have, and to see them do it selflessly. No parent is forcing them to do it. Every year they excite me, they make me proud of living in a community that has these types of young people.”
