Health care volunteers will be celebrated Tuesday at an annual event that has been attracting more than 300 people in the last several years.
With its history dating back to 1996, the event is held in appreciation of those who participate in one or more of several volunteer programs through the Prairie North Health Region. The evening begins at 7 p.m. and runs until 9 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus Hall.
Attendees are asked to pre-register for tickets. Although the tickets are free, space is limited to 350, so phone in to the regional manager for Volunteer and Spiritual Services, 306-446-6892, to reserve yours.
This year's theme is Imagine. In that context, the organizers have asked local artist Dean Bauche to be the guest speaker.
"He's been an inspirational motivator in our community and well known for his work," says Kingwell. "We first met when I was volunteer co-ordinator for the Saskatchewan Hospital. He has a beautiful painting in the front entrance and was very instrumental in an art program [there]."
Kingwell also says entertainment will be provided by Serbian Ruthenian dancers and children and by singer Kayla Bernier, who started out as a student volunteer at 14 years of age.
"Then we have lots of prizes, and food!" says Kingwell.
Andy Thiel of Danish Home Bakeries will be providing some "fancy schmancy" cupcakes, says Kingwell. Of course there will also be other munchies and squares, as well as more "healthy" choices, such as fruit.
"It's not all about nanaimo bars, you know," laughs Kingwell.
Volunteer and Spiritual Services along with the Battlefords Union Hospital Foundation and the Canadian Mental Health Association share costs for the food.
Kingwell and Denise Schmidt, co-ordinator of volunteer services for Battlefords Home Care, say the annual appreciation event started in 1996 with a volunteer fair staged at John Paul II Collegiate. It was held there for about four years. All the agencies that used volunteers in their programs were asked to bring two prizes and a plate of squares.
In 2000, they say, there were five active auxiliaries in the health district, so they decided to get them all together to celebrate, and an event called Angels Among Us was held at St. Joseph's parish hall. It was decided there would be tickets sold, and each auxiliary had 20 tickets.
"It was sold out within a week," says Kingwell.
That set the scene for a ticketed event, even though the tickets are free, and it moved to the Knights of Columbus hall.
"We've had years where there have been people on waiting lists," says Kingwell.
For a few years, they moved to the Living Faith Chapel had brought in entertainment. Their first entertainer was Saskatchewan singer-songwriter Theresa Sokyrka.
Attendance dropped somewhat, says Kingwell, and feedback was that the volunteers enjoyed simply getting together for squares, dessert and coffee, talking together and hearing from board members and the community's mayors. So the format returned to that agenda and also returned to the Knights of Columbus Hall. The Knights do not charge for the event, nor do Dean and Daryl Williams, who have been taking care of the sound for many years.
The event still calls for each agency to use volunteers in their program to contribute two prizes.
"All the prizes are something you would want to have yourself - about a $20 value," says Kingwell. "That's how we put our prizes together, and Sask. Hospital donates a grand prize of a rocker."
About volunteers, Kingwell says, "Not only do they inspire others, they also motivate each other, that's why it's important we all come together once a year."
She adds, "It's that getting together and awareness of what each other does and that community awareness of volunteerism that will hopefully inspire others to volunteer as well."
Kingwell says it's a celebration of volunteerism as well as a personal thank you.
See this coming Tuesday's News-Optimist for more on Prairie North's volunteers.
