Stars of Alberta Volunteer Awards – Recipients

Jhanna Mariel Villanueva

Nominated by: Teofy Buluran

“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?”

Calgary’s Jhanna Mariel Villanueva has chosen to respond to this question, posed by Martin Luther King Jr., with action – her volunteer contributions to numerous organizations touch the lives of countless others both in her community and beyond our nation’s borders.

Jhanna’s volunteerism began in earnest in 2018 when she offered her services to the city’s Veterans’ Association Food Bank, sorting and packing donated foodstuffs, assembling hygiene kits and organizing food drives. Her enthusiasm and caring nature have not gone unnoticed by the non-profit that relies on its volunteers to ensure vulnerable veterans are able to access healthy and nutritious meals. Along with helping ensure the food bank shelves are well stocked, Jhanna also travels the city to collect items to help support the association’s Thrift Store.

The experience Jhanna has amassed in the seven 7 years she has supported the Veteran’s Food Bank is shared generously with organizations across the city. Jhanna has been a dedicated volunteer with Kids Cancer Care since 2019, participating in fundraising events and donating her own locks in support of “Angel Hair for Kids,” an initiative to collect donated hair for the crafting of wigs for kids undergoing cancer treatment.

Helping children and families in crisis has become a theme guiding much of Jhanna’s volunteerism as she has generously given her time and talents to support non-profits, including Brenda’s House (now known as Inn from the Cold), Children’s Cottage Society, Give Kids the World Foundation, Step Up For Kidz Foundation and Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child. From donating computer equipment, clothes and school supplies to organizing and participating in fundraising to delivering treasured toys to the city’s most vulnerable, Jhanna is the first to step up to fill any role required.

Jhanna’s compassion extends to both those in need here and abroad. Jhanna has volunteered with the Philippine Canadian Cultural Society, serving on the Kids Board of Directors. Jhanna has organized fashion shows as a means to raise funds for the purchase of wheelchairs for individuals with mobility challenges both in Calgary and the Philippines, opening doors to new opportunities and enhancing the quality of life for many.

Bringing people together to combat loneliness and isolation, a primary goal of non-profit Beyond Our Image, has also inspired Jhanna into a new area of volunteerism, her contributions to the organization serving to empower individuals in need, promote self-worth and helping to build a sense of community.

Jhanna has enthusiastically answered Martin Luther King Jr’s question, and through her actions, continues to ask herself, “What more can I do?”

For this and so much more. For stepping up with compassion, caring and concern for others. For inspiring others by serving as a shining example of community service, Jhanna Mariel Villanueva is a 2025 Alberta Volunteer Star.

Karnik Gupta

Nominated by: Samit Gupta

Steadfast.

It is a word that has best described Karnik Gupta since he stepped up to serve his community back in the 10th grade. A word that speaks not just of his commitment to volunteerism, but of the strength of character demonstrated in how he has sustained and deepened that commitment in the years since. It has been an eventful five years during which Karnik has contributed more than 1,500 hours of service in support of the community and in return, has experienced a sense of accomplishment that can only come from helping others. And all this while pursuing a university degree with a major in Cellular, Molecular and Microbial Biology.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, a time when many were forced to give up their voluntary roles, Karnik stepped up, – co ordinating health education efforts in an Indigenous community initially resistant to vaccination. With patience and diligence, he listened, learned and worked side-by-side with health leaders to deliver information with respect and sensitivity, becoming more culturally aware to support those at risk. That patience and understanding led to real change and new relationships built on trust.

Karnik’s volunteer contributions can be seen both on the frontlines and behind the scenes. Since 2022, Karnik has been part of the volunteer team at the Peter Lougheed Centre, amassing more than 300 hours in support of the centre’s Wayfinding Program and in the hospital’s emergency department. Here, Karnik has demonstrated his leadership ability, lending his communications skills, initiative and passion for helping others as he engages with patients, staff, visitors and his fellow volunteers. As one of the centre’s Wayfinders, Karnik serves as a hospital ambassador, ensuring patients, family members and visitors get to where they need to be. Each engagement is unique as Karnik draws those he is assisting into conversation creating a supportive and comforting environment and providing each the opportunity to share their experiences and stories and for a moment, a brief respite from what is often a stressful situation.

Karnik brings that same calming compassion and care to his volunteerism with the Canadian Red Cross’ Friendly Calls program. Reaching out to the city’s seniors, Karnik offers emotional support to seniors. His outreach not only dispelling loneliness but also helping improve overall mental well-being. Karnik’s calls have helped to ensure at-risk seniors are monitored and supported, providing a measure of assurance to those on the other end of the line.

It is his interest in supporting the health of those in his community that led Karnik to develop MediDonate, an app that serves as an exchange for people with surplus basic medical equipment to connect with those in need. Before the app was even launched, Karnik personally sourced and donated nearly $5,000 worth of items, including walkers, crutches and shower chairs to individuals who otherwise couldn’t afford them. Through these donations, seniors have regained mobility, patients are able to recover comfortably in their homes and families are gifted with peace of mind.

With $6,000 raised in development funding, Karnik led the design, legal work and testing of the user-friendly app that protects privacy and makes requesting or donating supplies accessible to anyone. Already active in Alberta, and through partnerships with local medical supply companies, the app is removing the barrier of affordability to those most in need. For his efforts, in 2024, Karnik was recognized by the University of Calgary’s Biology Students Association (BSA) as a recipient of the BSA Innovation Award.

For the quietly compassionate Karnik, the attention was likely a bit overwhelming but not nearly as overwhelming as the impact of his volunteerism on his community and his province.

As steadfast as the North Star and shining just as brightly – Karnik Gupta is a 2025 Alberta Volunteer Star.

Sairose Kassam

Nominated by: Mathew Burpee

Ensuring that children in need have the opportunity to celebrate their birthday is just one of the many volunteer initiatives to which Sairose Kassam has contributed her time and long list of talents.

It was in 2013 that Sairose stepped up to help her daughter fulfil a vision. Together they created Children’s Birthday Miracles (CBM), an organization dedicated to helping ensure that every child could experience the joy of a birthday party. As Executive Director, Sairose has overseen the growth of the non-profit. CBM has organized over 400 birthday celebrations for children living in homeless shelters. These events, complete with entertainment, cake and presents, have provided more than just a day of fun. Each event has created lasting memories for each child, boosting self-esteem and fostering a sense of inclusion for youngsters facing adversity. For families experiencing homelessness, the celebrations offer a rare opportunity to celebrate their children’s milestones, strengthening family bonds and providing hope during challenging times.

Sairose has partnered with other local organizations to expand the impact of CBM. Through her work with Kids Cancer Care, Sairose and CBM has not only brought smiles to faces of children battling illness but helped to provide medical equipment to help with rehabilitation. Most recently, Sairose stepped up to ensure that moms and their children who’ve sought refuge in women’s shelters can also share in the joy of a birthday party. And having seen the local impact of CBM, Sairose recognized the opportunity to share the happiness far beyond the borders of the community and the country, organizing birthday celebrations in schools and orphanages in Africa.

The success of CBM has inspired others to step up in service and what better group to support the delivery of birthday parties to children than other children. Sairose initiated the CBM “Party it Forward” initiative to encourage kids to help other kids and as a result more than 200 local children have been inspired to donate birthday gifts and funds to children in need.

Sairose’s innovative and determined nature was on full display during the COVID-19 pandemic. Refusing to let the virus deprive children of their birthday miracle, Sairose enlisted local food truck operators and entertainers to offer socially distanced picnics and outdoor entertainment. The birthday celebrations continued and played an important role in maintaining a sense of connection and joy for children and families during a time of isolation and uncertainty.

And while CBM is an enormous undertaking, it is just one recipient of Sairose’s generosity of spirit. Organizations such as Calgary’s Youth Central have benefited from Sairose’s fundraising and strategic planning skills where she served as member of the non-profit’s board. In 2021, Sairose joined the team at Jewish Family Services Calgary to lead an initiative aimed at addressing the basic needs of clients facing financial challenges, housing and mental health concerns. In recognition of her contributions, in 2022 Jewish Family Services presented Sairose with the Bernard Laven Award for Program Development.

And since 2000, Sairose has served the Calgary Ismaili Council, assisting vulnerable adults in navigating and accessing services. Along with helping newcomers connect with employment programming, Sairose helps ensure individuals can access housing and food security programs.

Ensuring the safety and security of her fellow Calgarians, in 2020 Sairose volunteered to serve with the Calgary Emergency Management Agency and, having successfully completed training in psychological first aid, was called upon to help those dealing with the trauma of natural disasters including the Northeast Calgary Hailstorm in 2020. In 2023, Sairose was on hand to help evacuees of the wildfires in the Northwest Territories and again stepped up to assist those evacuated from Jasper during the wildfires of 2024.

The list of volunteer activities is long and varied, but hardly overwhelming for one as dedicated as Sairose Kassam, a truly deserving 2025 Alberta Volunteer Star.

Aline Nzeyimana

Nominated by: Sadhana Pudasaini

As the founder and its most committed volunteer, Aline Nzeyimana is the wind beneath Wings of Hope for Africa, taking the Calgary non-profit to new heights of community service.

Aline has dedicated herself to identifying those in need and finding ways to help. Her efforts have directly addressed some of the most pressing challenges faced by low-income families, including hunger, isolation and barriers to employment. And having experienced the challenges confronting a newcomer to Canada, Aline has worked tirelessly to build the charitable organization from the ground up, looking for opportunities to collaborate with other community-based organizations and agencies to bring services to those most in need. Through teamwork, Aline brings together diverse volunteers and partners to create lasting change, uplift others and help to build stronger, more connected communities across Calgary.

Recognizing the unique needs of her clients, Aline has used her experience and knowledge to create a food bank that offers culturally appropriate foods to those of African descent. Along with grocery hampers, Aline provides gift cards to augment the program. Newcomer families, particularly French-speaking Black immigrants who often face language and cultural barriers when settling in Alberta, find understanding and compassion as Aline and Wings of Hope for Africa help them connect with community resources, employment networks and culturally sensitive support systems. Newcomers feel seen, supported and capable of thriving in their new community with Aline helping to pave the way to a successful future.

Recognizing youth as the next generation of community leaders, Aline has placed an emphasis on youth development and mentorship, leading workshops to empower young people with job readiness skills and leadership training. Through these programs, youth build self-confidence in an environment that fosters a sense of belonging among participants, many of whom are navigating difficult social or economic conditions.
From providing students with access to the tools needed to further their education to assisting job seekers in their efforts to find employment, Aline and Wings of Hope for Africa are there to help. It is through countless hours of committed volunteerism that Aline Nzeyimana has taken flight to realize her mission of supporting newcomers to the province, inspiring collective action and creating a lasting legacy of the power of compassion and willingness of those who step up in service.

The sky’s the limit as Wings of Hope for Africa continues in full flight toward achieving its mission. An appropriate destination for its leader and 2025 Alberta Volunteer Star, Aline Nzeyimana.

(Sharon) Grace Couturier

Nominated by: Catherine Pooley

• 25 years...
• Over 18,000 hours contributed…
• Hundreds of victims comforted and as many anxious witnesses reassured…

Just numbers really. Until you learn the story of the remarkable volunteer behind those numbers.

Every Tuesday for more than 2 decades, Grace Couturier has arrived at the Lethbridge Police Service (LPS) detachment, ready to serve. In her role as Crisis Support Worker with the LPS Victim and Witness Services Unit (VWSU), over 12-hour shifts, she gently holds the hands of those traumatized by horrific crime.She helps victims of domestic violence find their way to emergency shelters and comforts and supports families who’ve just learned of the loss of their loved ones. During those 12 hour shifts she provides crisis support, information on court processes and community resources and ensures that those served by the VWSU continue to receive exemplary support.

While Grace has seen a lot of changes over her quarter century of service, seeing the arrivals and departures of 9 different police chiefs, she has remained the same steadfast, compassionate cornerstone of the VWSU she has always been, impacting countless lives along the way. But her contributions go beyond the invaluable front-line support she diligently delivers.

Each year in January, Grace offers her support to the unit’s annual volunteer recruit training session, helping to orient new members, build their confidence and ensure they are ready to face what they might encounter on scene. Grace not only shares the ins and outs of the unit’s processes and protocols but imparts on new teammates how to lead with compassion. Those same recruits soon come to understand and appreciate Grace’s role within the unit. She is the team’s elder and knowledge keeper and is regularly called upon as a source of such experience.

Leading not with words, but through action, demonstrating humility and unwavering service, Grace is the often the first person to offer support to others whether it be an LPS officer, a VWSU teammate or a member of the community. Her response to those in need seems to come instinctively and after 25 years of dedicated service it’s no surprise that for Grace, reaching out a hand to help those in need is just second nature.

Like silver, the symbol of 25 years of dedicated volunteerism with the LPS VWSU, Grace Couturier shines as a 2025 Volunteer Star.

Patricia (Patty) Sproule

Nominated by: Terry Gill

The passion of youth and the wisdom of experience.

It is a potent combination that has fueled positive change and is helping to forge future leaders. In Chestermere, it is veteran volunteer Patty Sproule’s dedication to helping young people that brings it all together.

For over 45 years, Patty has supported youth and community development both professionally and as a dedicated volunteer. With seemingly boundless energy, enthusiasm and creativity, she has helped young people find their voice and given them a safe space to discover their own place in the community.

Since 2013, Patty has served as an advisor to the Board of Directors of the Synergy Youth and Community Development Society, leading the development of numerous grassroots programs that have helped to shape the fabric of Chestermere and Southeast Rocky View County. Patty was instrumental in launching the Christmas with Dignity (now Gifts of Kindness) program, the Chestermere Community Health Centre, the Chestermere Emergency Management Agency and the Restorative Justice Program. In 2023, Patty stepped up to serve as member of the Rocky View Schools Indigenous Advisory Circle, another example of her dedication to efforts that have increased access to essential services, created safer and more inclusive environments and strengthened social connections across diverse populations.

While Patty’s efforts have had an immense impact on the community of Chestermere as a whole, it is her work with youth that Patty holds closest to her heart. Always looking for opportunities to create inclusive, empowering spaces that foster leadership, connection and belonging, Patty’s passion is particularly evident in her work with high-risk and 2SLGBTQQIA+ youth, where she has advocated tirelessly to ensure all young people feel seen, supported and valued.

Patty’s work has empowered youth to speak up for their needs and ideas. When the community’s young people identified the need for a mountain bike park, with Patty’s support, 3 Chestermere youth stepped up before Town Council to make their pitch for the land to develop the recreational facility. With Patty as their mentor and biggest booster, Council signed on unanimously, and today youth from across Rocky View County and Calgary are bombing the berms at one of the best mountain bike parks in Western Canada.

Patty’s unwavering belief in the potential of youth is perhaps best displayed in her confidence in them becoming the community’s future leaders. Patty has helped youth in organizing municipal, provincial and federal All Candidates Forums, offering them their first experiences in civic engagement and inspiring them to step up as leaders themselves. Years later, the youth Patty once mentored continue to seek her guidance and counsel, the trust they have in her rivaled only by the faith she has in them.

From promoting continual learning through the South-Central Adult Learning Society Board to championing youth sports as the Chair of the Chestermere Boxing Club to helping strengthen the local non-profit sector through her work with the Chestermere and Area Non-Profit Collective, Patty Sproule has made her mark on the well-being of those within her community. And for the youth of Chestermere – the uncut diamonds of potential – Patty has helped them to shine as brightly as she herself shines as a 2025 Alberta Volunteer Star.

Sameer (Sam) Singh

Nominated by: Samuel Juru

It was once said that equality is like the air – we all have it or none of us have it. Edmonton’s Sameer Singh has dedicated himself to the mission of ensuring that we all breathe freely.

In 2017, Sameer stepped up to volunteer with the Confederacy of Treaty Six Nations as International Coordinator of the World Indigenous Nations Games, bringing together athletes from around the globe, including a team of newly arrived Syrian refugees, to participate in the Edmonton games. The experience had a lasting impact on Sameer. As part of the team at Edmonton Shift Lab exploring the relationship between racism and poverty, Sameer was part of the collective looking at ways to help reduce racism through community action. Sameer’s contribution was integral to a number of the lab’s efforts as a co-creator of a number of anti-racism initiatives including the Active Bystander Brochure, the Diversity Certified curriculum and the Exploring Wâhkôhtowin boardgame project in collaboration with the Indigenous Knowledge & Wisdom Centre (IKWC).

The game was designed as a means to address anti-Indigenous racism in Alberta by presenting Western Canadian history from the perspective of relationships or wâhkôhtowin. With the work of Shift Lab having concluded, Sameer stepped up to volunteer with the IKWC and continue development of Exploring Wâhkôhtowin. Along with the hands-on development, Sameer has put in numerous hours contacting school boards, attending teachers conventions, engaging academics, presenting at game exhibitions and design conferences and alerting museums and municipal and provincial governments to raise their awareness of the potential of this educational initiative. Sameer has also recognized the potential of Exploring Wâhkôhtowin as a tool to combat anti-Indigenous racism beyond Canada’s borders and he has successfully applied to the United Nations’ Intercultural Innovation Hub to promote Exploring Wâhkôhtowin internationally.

As dedicated as Sameer has been to the development and sharing of Exploring Wâhkôhtowin, it is far from being his only contribution to building a more just and inclusive community. For 5 years, Sameer served as board member of Edmonton’s Anti Racism Advisory Committee, working to advance anti-racism at the municipal level. He collaborated with the Canadian Mental Health Centre’s Edmonton branch to create a more inclusive distress line to better serve Alberta’s increasingly diverse mental health needs.

Sameer has also lent his support to the Africa Centre, sharing his skills and providing strategic guidance on the centre’s business development, community outreach, governmental relations and land use planning. His advice has helped position the Africa Centre as a leading multicultural agency serving the community not just in Edmonton, but across the province and beyond. Sameer also played a lead role brokering relationships and being a community connector in the development of the African Multicultural Community Centre.

Martin Luther King Jr. once said that he refused to accept the view that “…mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism…that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become reality”.

Sameer Singh is fighting back the starless midnight as a bright and shining 2025 Alberta Volunteer Star.

Tracy F. Barry

Nominated by: Judith Pila

Just as a gardener carefully tills the soil and sows the seeds in hope of a bountiful harvest, Tracy Barry has committed her time and talents to growing new opportunities and a more equal society for women.

For almost a decade, Tracy has nurtured the non-profit she founded in 2016. Gradual Rising of Women Foundation or GROW was established as an act of service and a response to the pressing needs of women, especially those within the Black, Indigenous, immigrant and gender-diverse communities. Women who have often been left behind in both society and the economy.

Not content to simply oversee the work of team members at the foundation, Tracy has continued to work on the frontlines, giving up weekends and evenings to personally facilitate hundreds of workshops and peer support sessions. These sessions feature program curriculum she has designed herself. From leadership labs and employment workshops to storytelling intensives that help build a sense of belonging and spark community dialogue, Tracy has worked to empower and support women and create more inclusive communities for all.

Although Tracy has contributed thousands of hours to build GROW into the inclusive physical hub she had envisioned it to be, she is quick to point out that the challenge of shifting ages-old mindsets requires a collaborative effort. Tracy has reached out to forge lasting partnerships and collaborations with others to ensure women have access to the knowledge, insights and resources needed. Tracy has used her organizational expertise to leverage donated spaces and create the community partnerships that have been the cornerstone of GROW’s approach.

Tracy seems able to tap into a boundless reservoir of energy and enthusiasm, her days filled by hours mentoring young women speakers, facilitating strategic dialogues and organizing grassroots outreach events. Her efforts have inspired others to step up as volunteers to help advance the progress of women in all facets of society. And when they do, Tracy is the first to step up to train and co-ordinate volunteer teams ready to continue the work of GROW.

Through Tracy’s efforts, more than 2,500 women have gained access to employment and leadership programming. Her volunteer-led equity training helped 60 employers adopt inclusive workplace practices. It also opened doors for 40 employees, many of whom secured their first job through GROW’s social enterprise café.

Tracy is not just changing attitudes and leading the way to more equitable systems, but touching lives, creating caring communities and building strong foundations for women and their daughters.

Like the delicate green shoots that struggle to make their way into the light of a sunny day, as a 2025 Alberta Volunteer Star, Tracy Barry is lighting the way forward into a better future for the women of today and tomorrow.