Northern Lights recipient – Caroline Barclay

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Location: Cochrane, Alberta

In her position as director of the Cochrane Immigrant Services Committee (CISC), Caroline Barclay’s smile has become one of the agency’s most effective tools to helping newcomers feel welcome. Never hesitating to step forward to volunteer at CISC events, Caroline is helping to build on Cochrane’s reputation as a diverse and inclusive community. From helping to organize talent and encourage the participation of local cultural organizations in the 2019 edition of Alberta Culture Days celebrations, to delivering the prizes for CISC’s first-ever Youth Poster Celebration, Caroline can be counted on to lend a generous helping hand.

Such was the case when the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic began to be felt in the community. Caroline, along with fellow members of the Filipino-Canadian Association of Cochrane Alberta (FCACA), began delivering meals to those in need and found ways to continue to celebrate the rich culture and diversity of Cochrane and area. With a big heart and passion for strengthening Cochrane as a welcoming, inclusive community, Caroline is helping to demonstrate the true meaning of the town’s motto of “How the West is Now.”