OLDS — Four people were named citizens of the year and one nominee who passed away was also honoured during the Town of Olds' volunteer appreciation night, held April 25 at the Olds College Alumni Centre.
Joy Cavin and Lisa Nicholson were co-winners of the Citizen of the Year award. Joanne Sell was named Senior Citizen of the Year and Jack Weisbrodt was chosen Youth Citizen of the Year.
Tribute was also paid to Bill Clancy, a senior citizen nominee who passed away.
Joy Cavin
Cavin’s volunteerism was described as “empowering and epic.”
The list of her involvement in the community is long.
She helps out with Canada Day and Olds Fashioned Christmas celebrations, including serving as Mrs. Claus.
Cavin sat on the parent council at Holy Trinity Catholic School for 10 years and spent the last five years as its chair.
She worked hard to improve the school environment. That included getting the school playground built and obtaining funding for sports equipment and other school improvements.
Cavin is also a board member of Hope 4 Mountain View Kids.
She has been a volunteer with the Olds Christmas Angels and on the board for three years. She launched a new website and intake form for it to make it easier for those in need to navigate.
She helped raise $20,000 to support families in need (90 families in 2023).
Cavin was an enthusiastic volunteer for the air cadet program, serving as an officer for 16 years and a volunteer with the local squadron for 12 of those years.
After she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), Cavin became heavily involved with several non-profits that support advocacy and research on that disease.
She participated in and promoted initiatives such as the MS Bike Tour, MS Walk in Red Deer and Burgers to Beat MS in partnership with the Olds A&W restaurant.
“When she commits to you or your organization, her commitment does not waver and she continues to show up day after day, year after year,” MC Cory Noel said.
Lisa Nicholson
Nicolson is a founder of Hope 4 Mountain View Kids.
That 12-year-old organization helps families in Mountain View County and communities within the county's geographical borders cope with medical and related expenses for children needing medical care.
Examples include parking, meals, fuel, utilities, groceries, accommodation, and sibling care.
So far, Hope 4 MVC Kids has helped 175 local children, 65 of whom live in Olds.
“Lisa has dedicated so much of her time assisting families navigate a complex medical and health-care system, providing guidance and emotional support along the way,” Noel said.
“The impact of the organization is significant, with the most recent financial year seeing 47 applications fulfilled, totalling $94,478.26 in support.”
From 2017-2022, Nicholson served as the central Alberta representative for the Provincial Parent Advisory Committee which provides support for families who have children with disabilities.
“Lisa is a true embodiment of community spirit and volunteerism, demonstrated through unwavering commitment to making the lives of others better,” Noel said.
“She is always ready and willing to help, demonstrating a remarkable ability to put others first and a desire to make the community of Olds and area a better place for all of its residents.”
Joanne Sell
Sell participates in home visits and provides communion and food for people in the hospital and who are homebound.
Every month, she helps provide meals for people at Red Deer Safe Harbour -- everything from chilli, pizza, and snack bags for 70-plus people. She also assists with meal prep at Clint's Kitchen, the soup kitchen in Olds.
Sell makes blankets with her husband Jack out of old blue jeans to donate to the women's shelter, the Mustard Seed and the Ukrainian Centre.
As the head of the Catholic Women's League, she also takes part in the annual food drive for the food bank in Olds and has introduced her grandchildren to volunteerism as they assist with the pick-up of packages and bags.
She also assists with highway clean-up and helps her sister Cindy with three-week youth paint programs.
In addition, Sell volunteers with the Holy Trinity garden project, including planting trees. Her daughter teaches at that school.
“She is also an awesome grandma, always there to support her children and grandchildren with all of the sports, activities and helping out wherever needed,” Noel said.
“She is a remarkable human and so deserving of this recognition.”
Jack Weisbrodt
The Youth Citizen of the Year, nicknamed Jungle Jack, is really into football.
He earned the prestigious "Rudy Award," presented for exemplifying the true spirit of football and was named captain of the École Olds High School Spartans football team.
He loves the sport so much that he became an assistant coach for the Olds Bulldogs, a minor football team in town.
He also volunteered to help out in a learn-to-play football camp through the Youth Empowerment Services(YES) program.
Weisbrodt’s volunteerism extends beyond football.
Through the YES Program, he taught kids about survival and bushcraft and he dressed as the Grinch for the younger kids for "Grinchmas."
He also participated in the Mountain View Community Centre Shine Bright campaign.
Weisbrodt is also a member of the École Olds High School leadership committee.
He was awarded the 2024 Gordon Mitchell Spirit award, which goes to a student who is consistently kind, empathetic and helpful to other students.
“It is extremely encouraging to see the amazing work of all of our youth nominees,” Noel said.
Bill Clancy
The late Bill Clancy’s nomination spurred volunteer appreciation night organizers to honour volunteers who have passed before being recognized for all they’ve done in the community.
Noel described Clancy as “a fixture in our community and an active and selfless member of the Olds Elks for close to 60 years.”
“Bill assisted with fundraising for a variety of causes and always willing to lend a hand,” he added.
Clancy was an active member and volunteer for the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #105 in Olds.
He served as a volunteer firefighter for three decades and volunteered for Olds Search and Rescue as well.
That’s not all.
Clancy spent countless hours working for and managing Citizens on Patrol.
Clancy was “a beloved father, grandfather, great grandfather and friend to all he met,” Noel said.
“Olds is a better and safer place to live, because of the work Bill Clancy did. He added value through everything and everyone he connected with and was always, without fail, exactly where he was needed.”
Clancy was represented by his children Val Reid, Ken Clancy, Pat Spielman and his grandson Nathan Spielman. Val Reid accepted the award on his behalf.
