INNISFAIL - When Danny Rieberger was a child he helped his father John in the garage construct banquet tables for the local legion.
That chore, as well as many others, were the seeds that would start the 59-year-old citizen's lifelong commitment and willingness to lend a hand to the local legion. Helping his father - a Second World War army veteran who later served in the air force, as well as a former legion president and life member - the experience proved to be the foundation for a volunteer-in-training, as one friend put it.
However, his long journey of selfless giving was not exclusive to the legion, where he has been on the executive since 1997, as well as the chairman of the CF-104 Starfighter monument, past Air Cadet reviewing officer and committed work bee member. His commitment to volunteering also benefited the Innisfail Minor Hockey Association, Innisfail Ringette, Optimist Club of Innisfail, and Innisfail District Community Bus Society. Since 2012, Rieberger has also been co-organizer of the annual Boob Tour, a fundraiser for the Alberta Cancer Foundation.
And for the past six years he has honourably served the entire community as a town councillor.
This lifelong commitment to the community and its citizens has earned him the Citizen of the Year Award at this year's Community & Business Awards Gala on Oct. 18, an annual event held at the Innisfail Royal Canadian Legion and hosted by the Town of Innisfail and the Innisfail & District Chamber of Commerce. Along with four business awards, another eight was handed out for outstanding community achievement.
"It is an honour to get this award. I have always enjoyed volunteering. I am so happy for this," said Rieberger, whose Citizen of the Year Award on Oct. 18 was presented by council colleague Gavin Bates.
While his ongoing volunteer work with the legion remains important, Rieberger's commitment to the Boob Tour is also special as there is a personal factor that drives him to contribute.
"It's very dear to my heart as we've been touched with a lot of cancer in our family, as well as our friends and extended family," he said. "It's a very good cause, to the Alberta Cancer Foundation for the Red Deer Cancer Centre. We figure it's a great way to raise money that is going to stay local, and help local people."
The first award handed out on Oct. 18 was also its most recent. The Primerica Random Acts of Kindness Award was created two years ago by Larrie Davis to honour his late wife Judy who passed away last year.
The 2019 award winner was Rita Kemp, whose family was this year's recipient of Central Alberta's prestigious Golden Furrow Award as the Pioneer Farm Family of the Year.
"I knew them (Kemp family) when I was a kid," said Davis, who fondly recalled Kemp's kindness during his late wife's illness. "I saw her all over the hospital popping into people she knew, just bringing them a ray of sunshine into their day."
A surprised Kemp said she had no idea that there was any reason for her to be at the gala, except that her daughter had purchased tickets.
"Your life is for the people around you. You give a hand up and you get a hand up. The more you give the more you get," said Kemp humbly after receiving the award.
The evening featured several awards for athletic achievements. Twelve-year-old archery champion Arianna Anderson is the year's Female Athlete of the Year, while 15-year-old hockey star Cole Fox claimed the Male Athlete of the Year Award.
"It feels really awesome and cool to be part of this," said Anderson, who holds four provincial archery records and is aiming to compete in the next Alberta Winter Games.
Fox was unable to attend the gala as he was playing in a Lethbridge hockey tournament but his mother Kari accepted the award on his behalf.
"He just loves hockey. To win an award in recognition of his accomplishments, as well as other sports accomplishments, is an honour for him," said Kari.
It was also a big evening for baseball. The provincial champion Innisfail U13 AA Hawks baseball team earned this year's Sports Team of the Year, while head coach Curt Flewelling won the Coach Recognition Award.
"It starts with a special group of kids and a special group of parents. The kids themselves always had a tremendous amount of baseball ability but they also had a passion for the game, and work ethic that they always wanted to get better," said Flewelling, whose team were silver medalists at the western Canadian championships. "That allowed them to have a lot of success this year, and they had a lot of support from their parents, and other coaches as well. In the end they were rewarded for that and that was great to see because they deserved it."
Another athlete claimed this year's Leader of Tomorrow Award. Josh Gette is an amazing leader and role model to the 90 swimmers that he coaches with the Innisfail Dolphins swim team, said presenter Coun. Jean Barclay to the gala audience.
Barclay added Gette, who was unable to attend the gala, is "looked up to" for his positive influence, amazing work ethic and contribution to the youth in community.
"Josh’s commitment and passion will no doubt play a huge part in young athletes becoming future leaders and exemplary members of the community," said Barclay.
The local arts community did not leave the gala without a deserved recognition. Innisfail Town Theatre (ITT), which has just celebrated 40 gloriously successful years in the community, is this year's recipient of the Community Arts & Culture Award.
"It's absolutely superb that we would receive this this year because we have been going for 40 years and have always been well supported by the community. We just love doing it," said ITT member Dona Edgar, who accepted the award with president Patrick Gleason. "There are so many good actors and actresses that perhaps if they didn't live in Innisfail they could have gone further to other places, but they like to stay here."
