Stars of Alberta awards celebrate volunteers: one each from Lethbridge and Medicine Hat

Posted on 6 December 2021 by Prairie Post

Nine outstanding Albertans have been recognized at the 2021 Stars of Alberta Volunteer Awards.

The awards coincide with International Volunteer Day, a global initiative to recognize the work, dedication and contributions of volunteers. 

“The Stars of Alberta Volunteer Awards honour our brightest and best community leaders and advocates. We celebrate these inspiring volunteers who give their time and talents to a wide range of projects, causes and organizations to make life better for Albertans. Congratulations to this year’s award recipients who are shining examples of Alberta’s strong spirit of volunteerism. We are truly grateful for their life-changing work in our communities.”Ron Orr, Minister of Culture

Two awards are presented in the youth, adult and senior categories and three awards are presented in the breaking barriers category. This year’s recipients include:

• Garrison Dyck (youth), Edmonton
• John Christy Johnson (youth), Edmonton
• Clayton Bos (adult), Medicine Hat
• Bev Lanz (adult), Lethbridge
• Bill Jackson (senior), Turner Valley
• Shirley Scott (senior), Kitscoty
• Hong (May) Han (breaking barriers – anti-racism), Calgary
• D. Gaye Watson Warthe (breaking barriers – fighting gender discrimination), Calgary
• Émanuel Dubbledam (breaking barriers – 2SLGBTQIA+ advocacy), Edmonton

Also honoured with a Stars of Alberta Special Recognition was Nicholas Kingfisher from Edmonton who, despite significant challenges, continues to inspire with his volunteer contributions in support of the Edmonton Oliver Primary Care Network clinic.

The Stars of Alberta Volunteer Awards program started in 2000 and, since then, 145 Alberta volunteers have received the honour.

Stars of Alberta is part of the government’s efforts to recognize the invaluable contributions Albertans are making to ensure our communities are vibrant, resilient and inclusive. Volunteer recognition programs encourage a sustained commitment to civic participation and inspire others to make volunteering a central part of their lives.