Celebrating our volunteers

PHOTO BY JAMIE RIEGER- Terri-Lynn Arnel, Early Childhood Development coordinator, serves coffee at the Foremost volunteer appreciation dinner on Friday evening.

By Jamie Rieger
Throughout the year, it is the volunteers who organize events, help with cooking at fundraisers, coach local sports, and sit on committees and boards; all things that help keep the wheels of a community turning in the right direction.
On Friday evening in Foremost, and Saturday evening in Bow Island, local volunteers were treated to dinner and live entertainment as a show of appreciation for all of their dedicated efforts.
Corinna Roth-Beacome, director for Forty Mile Regional Family and Community Support Services (FCSS), spearheaded both events.
“The volunteer appreciation nights are a way for us to celebrate our volunteers; children, youth, individuals, and groups who give so much and who help grow our communities. This is to celebrate everything they do and to say thank-you,” she said.
Cypress-Medicine Hat MLA Drew Barnes was one of the dignitaries who showed their appreciation by serving coffee, dessert, and clearing the tables at the end of the meals.
“So many rural communities are built on the values held by volunteers,” said Barnes, who attended both events.
County of Forty Mile councilor, Steve Wikkerink, who served at the Bow Island supper, said, “I believe a good volunteer is a gift from God…Everybody here this evening shares of themselves and shares so willingly.”
Robert Larrabee entertained the volunteers both evenings with his “An Evening with the Legends” performance, that included renditions of Elvis, Neil Diamond, Tom Jones, Johnny Cash, and other performers. He also had people in stitches when he would get the audience involved with his routines, especially the Blues Brothers.

PHOTO BY JAMIE RIEGER- Drew Barnes, MLA for Cypress-Medicine Hat serves coffee following dinner at the Bow Island event on Saturday evening.

PHOTO BY JAMIE RIEGER- Tom and Coreen Thacker (aka Richard and Elizabeth) were on the receiving end of Robert Larrabee’s performance on Saturday.

PHOTO BY JAMIE RIEGER- Terri-Lynn Arnel, Early Childhood Development coordinator, serves coffee at the Foremost volunteer appreciation dinner on Friday evening.