The Jasper Park Chamber of Commerce handed out eight awards at its annual Business and Ambassador Awards Gala held at the Lobstick Lodge Oct. 18. This was the third year for the ambassador awards and fourth for the business awards.
Below are the award winners, along with a brief description why they were selected.
Outstanding Activity/Attraction Ambassador
Mychol Ormandy (left)
“Mychol Ormandy, the man behind the mission to plan, organize and execute the annual Jasper Pride Festival is the first nominee. His ability to juggle all the mentioned tasks, as well as act as an honest moderator and all-around great guy makes him an inspiration in the Jasper community.”
Joe Couture, VP Jasper Park Chamber of Commerce
Communities in Bloom Award
Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge (accepted by Uwe Walter)
“Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge grounds crew has meticulously maintained and grown the landscapes on their very large property for all of those who visit and fully appreciate what they have done.”
Gerry Lettner, Communities in Bloom coordinator
Individual Award of Distinction
Paul Hardy (right)
“Paul had an idea. Armed with a cellphone and a van, SunDog tours has gone from a single vehicle and phone to a multi-vehicle, multi-phone and multi-employee business that can deliver in more ways than one.”
Wayne Hnatyshin, president Jasper Park Chamber of Commerce
Business of the Year
TD Canada Trust (accepted by Cheryl Nelson)
“The staff of TD Canada Trust has served a generation or two of Jasperites over the years, always with a smile and admirable professionalism. As proud supporters of the Jasper Park Chamber of Commerce for the last 18 years, some of their staff have held board positions and continue to serve on various committees. Their community volunteerism doesn’t end there, however, from Rotary to Minor Sports and professional associations to churches, their staff give each and every day.”
Louise Gale, Alberta Human Service
Outstanding Visitor Experience Ambassador
Cyndi Day (left)
Excerpt from the submission that led to Cyndi Day being named the December ambassador:
“My dad is passing through and is out of propane in his vehicle. Has no money. This would have left my dad to freeze overnight in my vehicle, so I called a number on the Jasper council list and got to Mr. Day. When I phoned, I heard an angel’s voice and felt calm immediately. I explained and she said, ‘OK. Let me see what I can do and I’ll call you right back.’ I can’t thank Mrs. Day enough for going out of her way on this cold night with her son to rescue my dad travelling from British Columbia to Alberta to visit his children and his grandchildren.”
Read by Greg Fenton, Supt. of Jasper National Park
Outstanding Community Ambassador and Ambassador of the Year
Greg Van Tighem (right)
“There cannot be a Jasperite who is not aware of Chief Greg's End to End to End MS tour this past spring. Greg embraced the challenge on a personal level and for a very public reason, his quest to contribute to helping find a cure for multiple sclerosis, and if 2,700-kilometres of biking from Wickenburg, Ariz. back to Jasper wasn't enough, consider it took him 23 days to accomplish the task.”
Mayor Richard Ireland
Young Entrepreneur Award
Nathan D'Heer (left)
“Nathan D'Heer had a vision, one that saw Jasper National Park from a truly different perspective and that perspective took him under the water. Having established Jasper Dive Adventures two years ago, Nathan has explored, inspired, taught and shown residents and visitors alike that while Jasper is beautiful on the ground there's much to be seen in the lakes as well.”
Brenda Zinck, member of Community Futures West Yellowhead
