Organized sports would not be possible in rural communities without volunteers, says retired teacher Lance Brown of Craik, Sask.
Brown is one of nine Saskatchewan recipients of this year’s volunteer awards handed out annually by Sask Sport, Sask Culture and the Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association.
Brown said paid professionals are not as prevalent in small towns as in larger centres, so programs run because of volunteer efforts.
“It’s a big benefit to our province and our community,” he said.
Another award recipient, Mae Wesley of Edgeley, said rural communities were founded on volunteerism, from her grandparents building the local church to others establishing school boards.
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“Communities have always been run by volunteers, that’s what keeps activities going in communities,” said Wesley, a retired schoolteacher.
Brown’s volunteerism grew from an active family that helped out in its community of Hazenmore, Sask.
“It’s part of the social fabric of small towns,” he said. “It is sort of expected of you.”
It continued through his 30 years of teaching school and firearms safety and coaching sports teams from baseball to soccer, hockey and lacrosse.
The father of three children carried on long after his brood left Craik, leaving the hands-on coaching for younger volunteers and taking on roles on boards like the Associated Entities Fund and Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association.
“I like to take charge and get things done,” said Brown, noting he works by committee, doing a little lobbying ahead of a vote. His strengths lie in his organizational skills, people skills and a “desire to get things done.” This involvement has connected him to people, resources and information useful back at the local level.
He has mixed emotions about the volunteer award, feeling others have also contributed.
He is happy his efforts have been recognized, but believes the real rewards are intrinsic, “the feelings you get because you know you are giving something to society and community.”
Wesley has been a youth group leader for the Duke of Edinburgh’s award for more than 28 years. The award recognizes achievements in community service, physical fitness, outdoor exploration and hobbies or skills.
Through Girl Guides and the Edgeley youth group, she has helped young people contribute more than 20,000 hours of service on projects ranging from painting the local curling rink to assisting Telemiracle.
She started the Edgeley youth group in 1981 to raise money for the United Church.
“The kids run it quite a bit but I have a big left foot that keeps them going,” she said.
She started to help when her children were involved in activities like Lions’ band.
“You would just get home and you would have to go and pick them up,” said Wesley, who decided to stay and help instead.
She remained years later because of her love of working with children.
“It’s very important to let kids find out how it feels to do something for someone else, to learn to give,” she said.
Highlights of her volunteering include international exchanges, including a trip to England, where she was among those leading 180 children from 10 countries.
In the next few years, Brown plans to ease out of his responsibilities, to allow others to serve. Wesley has no plans to slow down just yet.
“There’s always someone asking you to do something new and it keeps you going,” she said.
