Jasper’s dedicated volunteers had their moment in the spotlight, April 23, at the municipality’s annual Volunteer Banquet.
The evening, which featured a meal by Gopal Shelke of the soon-to-open Jasper Curry and Kabab House, included awards for a few of Jasper’s long-time volunteers, as well as entertainment in the form of a magic show.
The awards spanned the gamut, from a special “Heart of a Lion” award presented by the Jasper Lion’s Club to Greg Van Tighem for his dedicated support of the MS Society of Canada, to an Emergency Services Medal presented to Don
Patry for his 12 years of service on the Jasper Volunteer Fire Brigade, and two Mayor’s Awards presented to Kathleen Buffel and Chris Garnham.
Buffel, a mother of four and prolific volunteer, was recognized by Mayor Richard Ireland with the Distinguished Voluntary Service Award for 2014.
Reading from her nomination, Ireland listed off the numerous organizations Buffel supports, from Societe de Parents de L’éducation Francophone (FPEF) to the Heart and Stroke Foundation. She’s also a minor league soccer coach and the reason that Jasper’s kids have a baseball team.
“This individual single handedly reintroduced the sport of baseball to our children,” said Ireland. “Three years ago she started a league in town—there was one team. This year, Jasper’s mosquito division won second place at the provincial championships.
“[Buffel] is a dedicated individual, both to her family and her work, yet still she finds time to volunteer to an impressive number of causes in our community.”
Ireland said he was delighted to honour her with the Distinguished Voluntary Service Award.
The second and final Mayor’s Award of the evening was presented to Chris Garnham for Fine and Performing Arts.
Garnham is one of the founding members of the Jasper Film Club, as well as its longest and most dedicated volunteer. The club, which brings films from the Toronto International Film Festival to the Chaba Theatre once a month throughout the winter, began in 1981 and Garnham has been the secretary and treasurer for all of those years.
Last year he announced he would be stepping back from the organization to allow a new crew of volunteers to bring new blood to the club.
Ireland joked that with Garnham’s looming retirement, the club is now realizing the full extent of his contribution and desperately trying to talk him out of his “silly retirement plans.”
Also recognized at the banquet were volunteers on various municipal boards: Gord Ruddy and Gerry Lettner of the Greenspace Advisory Committee, Gail Henderson and Ann Thomas of the library board and Jerry Duhamel of the culture and recreation board.
Nicole Veerman
[email protected]
