In the moments before her name was called to receive an outstanding volunteer award, Sheila O’Kane was busy making a list of everyone else she thinks is deserving of such an honour.
“I feel like I’m just receiving it on behalf of everybody else who volunteers here,” said O’Kane, who received the award in the elder category.
She had come up with a list of 15 people worthy of the award before she had to get up from the table to receive the plaque.
“There are a lot of senior volunteers, almost senior volunteers, and then all of the young parents who are volunteering for hockey, soccer, volleyball, basketball,” she said. “The town is full of volunteers.”
During the presentation, O’Kane's involvement in the Inuvik Emergency Warming Centre, now known as the John Wayne Kiktorak Centre, was mentioned as an achievement.
“I would just like to thank all the other volunteers in town, including our volunteer fire department, not only for volunteering to protect us from fires and other hazards, but also the financial support they’ve given in honour of their lost comrade, John Wayne Kiktorak,” said O’Kane, referring to the organization’s recent $38,000 donation to the centre.
She likened her interest in volunteerism to a children’s song about lighting a candle in your small corner and making the place bright there.
“It’s the idea you can’t fix the world, but you can sometimes make your small corner a little better,” she said.
In the future, O’Kane hopes more work is done to create second-stage and transitional supportive housing, as well as looking at food rescue and recycling in the community.
She said she realized she had more to do after she turned 50.
Mayor Jim McDonald said he takes pride in the community’s dedicated spirit of volunteerism.
“Without the support and the volunteers in the community, a lot of the events and the help that’s needed in the community would not happen,” he said. “Their dedication and commitment is really what makes the community what it is.”
He said he is amazed at the time O’Kane puts in.
Premier Bob McLeod, who was on hand to make the announcement, said volunteers are an essential part of community life in the Northwest Territories.
Other recipients of outstanding volunteer awards were Nigel Koplomik from Ulukhaktok, Sudhir Jha from Yellowknife and the Food Rescue group from Yellowknife.