Hay River to recognize ‘amazing, incredible people’ at awards gala

The Town of Hay River is preparing for a gala that will recognize residents that have made a positive impact in the community.

The town’s inaugural community spirit awards will be a celebration of local volunteers and organizations with dinner, a silent auction and live music from Welders Daughter. Eleven awards, including for citizen of the year, will be handed out at the event at the Royal Canadian Legion on February 3.

“It’s just giving us an opportunity to really showcase what all the incredible businesses, non-profit organizations, individuals do for this community,” Jill Morse, Hay River’s tourism coordinator, said.

“We have amazing, incredible people that just go above and beyond every day in this community.”

Morse said the gala’s theme will be butterflies. The town will unveil a large set of butterfly wings at the event.

“I’m making it like a butterfly conservatory,” Morse said of the gala. “The butterfly wings represent hope and inspiration to spread our wings and grow as a community.”

Following the event, Morse said the wings will be mounted to a building in town so that people can take photos with them.

‘The community is very resilient’

“We see community members and businesses stepping up every day,” said Terry Rowe, president of the Hay River Chamber of Commerce. “Something like this sheds a bit more light on what’s being done and who’s doing it, and just gives us an opportunity to hats off to those individuals.”

Rowe said it’s more important than ever to recognize people in Hay River who are working for their community.

Years ago, the chamber of commerce would give two awards to exceptional residents at their annual gala, Rowe said, but that tradition was disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Residents of the town have since faced multiple evacuations in recent years due to floods and wildfires, with some losing their homes.

“It’s been a hard couple of years with some pretty big events,” Rowe said. “The community is very resilient the past few years.”

Glenn Smith, Hay River’s senior administrative officer, said hundreds of people voted to select the award winners from more than 60 residents and businesses. He said community volunteers are vital to the town’s sustainability.

“Our purpose is to recognize those people because they are so valued in our community,” he said of the gala.

‘Without our community, we’re nobody’

Tom Lakusta is among the residents who were nominated for the community spirit awards. He got involved with the Hay River Museum Society 10 years ago and has volunteered for other organizations in town including the heritage society, rotary club, and minor hockey.

Growing up, Lakusta said he watched his father volunteer and as an adult, he wanted to follow his father’s example.

“It’s just something that I enjoy doing. You get to meet new people, wonderful people, and it’s just a really good way to support the community that you live in and that you love,” Lakusta said. “It makes a stronger community, it makes for stronger community members, greater resilience of the community.”

He said that’s especially true in northern communities like Hay River, where residents rely on one another during hard times.

“Resilience doesn’t happen overnight,” Lakusta said. “It happens because the people are already involved in things and there’s already a strong volunteer cadre in the community so people feel that support.”

Another nominee, Sandra Lester, agrees.

Lester lost her home in a wildfire that affected Hay River and nearby communities in August. She said she’s thankful she didn’t also lose her community.

“I lost my home, every member of my family lost their home,” she said. “But, I was just so thrilled that we didn’t lose the community … because without our community, we’re nobody.”

Lester is an active volunteer with the Hay River Seniors Society. She said volunteering is an important part of her life.

“It fills a void,” she said. “Lots of good things have happened in this community because of volunteers, and I just wanted to be part of that.”

Lester said she is proud that a young woman who fundraised to help seniors buy food for their pets was nominated for the youth volunteer award.

“If they learn to do that at a young age, I think that we’ve got a pretty good future for this community,” she said.

The Soaring Eagle Friendship Centre has been nominated for four awards, which executive director Joanna Ahenakew said is an honour.

Ahenakew began volunteering 15 years ago. She said that set her on a path that allowed her to make a meaningful difference in her community. Today, she said she works side-by-side with volunteers who help make the friendship centre’s services and programs possible.

“There’s accomplishment at the end of the day. You get to know the people at a different level then you would, I think, working for something else,” Ahenakew said. “I have a huge sense of belonging. The people I work with and around and for, that’s family.”

Ahenakew said she has spoken with youth about the benefits of getting involved in their community.

“We’re all family in one way or another. We’re all friends or we’re all connected, and that’s what’s kept me here,” Ahenakew said. “For the future, I hope that the North continues to provide that for each other.”

Tickets for the gala are selling for $60 at the town office, Ring’s pharmacy, La Dee Dah Boutique, Aurora Ford, and the town’s visitor information centre.

Once the gala ends, residents who want to attend the musical portion can buy tickets at the door for $20.