Minister Aheer with recipients of the 2019 Stars of Alberta Volunteer Awards.
The awards coincide with International Volunteer Day on Dec. 5, a global initiative established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1985.
“We are humbled and grateful for the many volunteers who are the heartbeat of the social, cultural and recreational programming that we enjoy in our communities. Each day, these Stars of Alberta recipients give their time and talents to special events, causes and projects that make life better for Albertans in so many different ways. Congratulations to this year’s award recipients who are a gift to our communities, an inspiration to others and shining examples of Alberta’s long-standing spirit of volunteerism.”
Two awards are presented in the youth, adult and senior categories. This year’s recipients include:
- Braydon Fix (youth), Sherwood Park
- Maryanne Leathwaite (youth), Okotoks
- Alicia Bjarnason (adult), Calgary
- Penny Steffen (adult), Grimshaw
- Madeleine (Maggie) Gervais (senior), McLennan
- Knud Petersen (senior), Lethbridge
The Stars of Alberta Volunteer Awards program started in 2000 and since then, 127 Alberta volunteers have received the honour.
Stars of Alberta is part of the government’s efforts to recognize and encourage Albertans to support community initiatives. Volunteer recognition programs help set a standard for service, encourage a sustained commitment to civic participation and inspire others to make volunteering a central part of their lives.
Alberta has more than 26,000 non-profit organizations with more than 1.6 million volunteer positions working to ensure important programs, services and community facilities are available.