INNISFAIL – Nominations closed on Feb. 28 for Innisfail’s 2022 Community Awards.
Earlier in February the Town of Innisfail issued a media release seeking the public’s input into honouring the citizens or groups who made the most positive impact on the community in a wide range of areas.
In the past, before the COVID-19 pandemic struck and forced the first set of cancellations of public events in early 2020, the winners of the Community Awards, along with those for the annual Business Awards, were publicly announced at a single gala event at the Innisfail Royal Canadian Legion Branch #104.
Instead, both sets of awards were either cancelled or handed out at town council.
In the fall of 2022, the presentation of the Business Awards was handed out separately at an Innisfail & District Chamber of Commerce sponsored event at the Legion.
Kane Williams, the Town of Innisfail's recreation program coordinator, said a presentation for the 2022 Community Awards will be part of the town's Volunteer Week celebration on Friday, April 21 in the Community Room at the Innisfail Library/Learning Centre.
This year’s nomination call for the 2022 Community Awards is slightly different from 2021.
Last year’s March 28 presentation had five awards, including Leaders of Tomorrow, Community Arts and Culture Award, Athlete of the Year, Team of the Year and Citizen of the Year.
The 2021 winners included former town councillor Heather Taylor as Citizen of the Year, the Innisfail Dolphins Swim Club for Team of the Year, Dale Dunham for the Arts & Culture Award, Athena Pare for the Leaders of Tomorrow Award and Mabel Weddell claiming Athlete of the Year.
The 2022 Community Awards has six winners.
There is one new award, along with the same five as last year, with a few having slight name changes.
The new one is called Mentor Award and will be handed out to either a coach, mentor or teacher who has demonstrated exemplary and consistent commitment to community members, and shown a willingness to invest time, skills, knowledge and expertise in others.
As well, the guidelines for the new award call for nominees to positively represent the community and set an example for town values of “belonging, integrity, and spirit.”
The five other awards are Athlete of the Year, Leaders of Tomorrow, Arts & Culture Award, Citizen of the Year, and Team, Group or Club Award.
To be considered for any one of the 2022 Community Awards, a nominee must meet the specified criteria and can not be a past winner.
For more information on this year’s Community Awards go to https://innisfail.ca/community-awards/ or call the town office at 403-227-3376.
