Vanderham a hero for the young

INNISFAIL – For Bernie Vanderham and many of the other community award winners for 2017 it is simply all about the kids.

Vanderham, the long-time head coach of the Eaglet hockey program, is a hero to the community's tiniest but most enthusiastic shinny lovers. He puts their interests first each and every day he mentors them.

"I came in there and once you see the little faces and how hard they try, I was hooked right away," said Vanderham.

His dedication to Innisfail's young, which also extends to his tireless volunteer work for the Innisfail Skating Club and at the Innisfail Ski Hill, earned him the community's Citizen of the Year Award. It was officially handed to him at the annual Community & Business Awards Gala on Oct. 13 at the Innisfail Royal Canadian Legion.

"This is pretty special. This is something I thought I would never have achieved. It shows consistency in life. This is way, way more than I would have ever, ever thought of. It is amazing," said Vanderham.

In the meantime, the best of the Innisfail and their commitment to the young also shined with other community awards.

"To do this for the kids is what it is all about," said Murray Reay, who has served as a coach on multiple local hockey and baseball teams for several years, and was chosen the winner of the Community Builder Award.

And then there was the Innisfail Indians U-12 girls' softball team – chosen as the Sports Team of the Year for their perseverance towards winning provincial gold in 2017.

"I was just overwhelmed with the way the girls played, listened and all the effort that was put into this," said Kory Krenn, the Indians' head coach. "The girls battled hard and came out with a win."

Individually, Jayda Thompson, the 16-year-old star goaltender for the Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs, a midget elite team in the Alberta Female Hockey League, claimed the Female Athlete of the Year Award,

"I feel honoured and proud for this," said Thompson. "I am hoping within the next two years I can go to college and continue playing."

Anthony Chatwood, 14, won Male Athlete of the Year honours for his success in baseball, hockey, swimming, and golfing at the Innisfail Golf Club.

And it wasn't just all about how the young played. It was also about coaching.

Cole Douglas, a former lacrosse player, won the Coach Recognition Award after accepting a last minute request from the Innisfail Minor Lacrosse Association to lead the Bantam 2 team into Zone championships and on to the provincials,

"I just wanted to give that year as fine as they wanted it to be, and the next thing is that it turned out to winning more and more games," he said.

Outside of sports there was Dakota Neely Elliott, a snow angel volunteer with the town's Neighbours Helping Neighbours Program, and this year's winner of the Leader of Tomorrow Award.

He said he was inspired to make a difference to the community through his dedication as a member of the Red Deer Royal Canadian 1390 Army Cadet Corps.

"Part of the cadets is getting involved in the community and making sure you are actively becoming a better citizen," he said.

And there was room on the podium for the grown ups as well.

Iris White, who has served for many years as the president of the Innisfail Arts Council, was this year's winner of the Community Arts & Culture Award, which she said will help raise the profile of her group and its mandate, especially for the annual art show.

Then there was Lyndi Malyon, a trainer at Snap Fitness and winner of the Mayor's Fitness Award, who moved the audience with her own story of how trials and triumphant perseverance allowed her to share and instil her passion to the community for better fitness and health.

"I can't thank everybody enough for supporting me and helping me with my journey," she said, hoping the award will bring awareness to people of the opportunities available for lifestyle changes to become healthier and happier.