Credit Union names Volunteer of Year
The Évangéline-Central Credit Union recently recognized Marilla Millar of Ellerslie, awarding her the 2017 Volunteer of the Year Award for her devotion to the many young lives she has touched over her 40 years as a foster parent. The award was presented at Évangéline-Central Credit Union’s sixth annual meeting held recently in Ellerslie with 63 member-owners in attendance.
During the presentation, Millar was described as someone who “always loved looking after babies.”
The mother of six joined the provincial foster parent program in 1974, when “she and her husband Peter received their first young charge, a newborn baby girl. Since then she has opened her heart and home to about 140 babies, mostly infants or preschoolers,” noted the award citation.
The credit union award is just one of many accolades bestowed upon Millar. In 2002, she was awarded Queen’s Jubilee Medal and an honorary degree from UPEI in 2009.
In 2014, she was the recipient of a national and provincial Senior Volunteer Award. For the national Salute to Senior Service award, she was selected from nearly 90 national nominees. As both the provincial and national winner, she earned $5,500 for local charities of her choice and she split the money between the Children’s Wish Foundation, oncology department at Prince County Hospital and the Tyne Valley Fire Department.
Millar is credited with starting the Tyne Valley Caring Cupboard depot in her basement, accepting donations from the community to provide food to residents in need.
“Even when she sold her home and her Caring Cupboard had to close, she would often collect food to take to the Bloomfield location,” continued the citation.
Millar volunteered with the Bideford-Conway United Church and the UCW Women’s Institute. She was the first president of the Tyne Valley Community School and volunteered there for 30 years.
She continues to volunteer at the Stewart Memorial Home by chaperoning outings and organizes activities and games for residents. She also likes to bake and donates her goodies to the local winter carnivals.