Lions, SRCW and community gather to recognize volunteers

by Lucie Roy

The Volunteer Appreciation event, in partnership with the Lions Club of Morinville, Sturgeon Rural Crime Watch Association (SRCWA), Town of Morinville and Rendez-Vous Centre was held Tuesday night at the Rendez-Vous Centre with more than 70 in attendance.

The Lions Club of Morinville Citizen of the Year was presented to Midstream Support Society volunteer Elsie Stang.
Previous recipient Adam Roddis assisted with the presentation along with Lions Club of Morinville President Tina Gougeon.
Stang was recognized for her more than 20 years of volunteering at the Drop-In Centre & Thrift Store, now called the Midstream Support Society.
She has helped to obtain items for the Santa Auction, worked on the Christmas Feast for underprivileged families, provided information and resources for those in need and much more.
The Sturgeon Rural Crime Watch Association (SRCWA) Fred Scharmann Award was presented to Carol Okerman in honour of the work Ken (posthumous) and Carol have provided for decades to the organization.
On hand to present a Certificate were Sturgeon County Mayor Alanna Hnatiw, Councillor Kristin Toms and Councillor Dan Derouin, Sheila Scharmann and her son Eric.
Also presenting a certificate was Mayor Barry Turner on behalf of the SRCWA Morinville Zone 16.
SRCWA Acting President Viviane Pezer said the award, established in 2013, is given in memory of Mr. Fred Scharmann a great man, who volunteered in many areas in and around Morinville. One of the many areas Fred gave of his time was by pulling the SRCW float in many parades.
Pezer said Ken and Carol have been true advocates for SRCW.
Both have held Executive positions at the local level and both attended Zone 5 meetings and Provincial Crime watch symposiums.
Carol took on the role of Secretary as well as the Poster Contest and Ken got the float to various communities for the parades as well as Trade Shows and Sturgeon County events.
Pezer said Ken gave a lot of his time promoting SRCWA, attending various town hall meetings, meetings in the development of the county and worked hard to get more SRCWA signs posted to make them more visible.
He offered his yard to store the utility trailer he helped to procure for the Association and hauling it to different public functions with materials and information stored inside and visible crime watch decals on the outside.
Pezer said Ken also went on “ride alongs” with both RCMP and County law enforcers, learning about how Crime Watch members could help to be the eyes and ears for our communities.
The event included Greetings from Sturgeon County Mayor Hnatiw, Morinville Mayor Turner and from the Rendez Vous Centre and standing in as emcee was Stephen Dafoe.
The entertainment for the evening was stand-up comedian Raj Dhaliwal.
Door prizes were drawn at the end of the evening with a mystery box containing over ten sets of collectible salt and pepper shakers.


Citizen of the Year Award. Mayor Barry Turner, Adam Roddis, Elsie Stang and Lions Pres. Tina Gougeon.

Fred Scharmann Award- Councillors Dan Derouin and Kristin Toms, Mayor Barry Turner and Alanna Hnatiw, Sheila Scharmann and Carol Okerman.
SRCWA Acting President Viviane Pezer.
Eric Scharmann, Sheila Scharmann and Viviane Pezer.
Councillor Stephen Dafoe took on the duties of emcee just before the event when the booked emcee was unable to make it.
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