CELEBRATING SENIORS!
On Sunday, Sept. 29th, SSM (Saskatchewan Seniors Mechanism) hosted the 10th annual Celebrating Seniors provincial senior volunteer awards. The awards were presented at a banquet held at the Conexus Arts Centre in Regina.
These awards celebrate the contributions seniors make to our society and provide an opportunity for Saskatchewan to be made aware of the contributions of older adults in all aspects of the life and work of our province. Award categories include Centenarian, Community Leadership-rural, Community Leadership-urban, Education, Fitness, Heritage and Culture, Intergenerational, Lifetime Achievement, Arts and Entertainment, Advocacy, Teamwork, and Seniorfriendly Business.
The evening began with a reception during which each of the nominees received a corsage, a certificate and a gift bag of goodies donated for the occasion. They also had their photo taken with the Lieutenant Governor, the Honourable Russ Mirasty, who presented them with a pin.
After the reception the emcee for the evening, CTV’S Angel Blair, welcomed everyone to the event and kept everything flowing smoothly. Elder Lorna Standingready gave a blessing for the event. Greetings were presented by our Honourary Patron the Honourable Russ Mirasty, Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan; the Honourable Warren Kaeding, Minister for Seniors, on behalf of the provincial government; and Mr. Randy Dove, president of SSM. Presentations highlighting the volunteer contributions of each nominee were shown throughout the evening. A big thanks to Access Communications!
Our platinum sponsor for the event was CAA Saskatchewan. Following an excellent buffet supper Pat Friesen, vice-chair of the CAA Saskatchewan Board of Directors, introduced our guest speaker Connie Kaldor. Connie’s words and music were received with enthusiasm and a standing ovation!
The final highlight of the evening was the presentation of the awards. Awards were presented by SSM President Randy Dove and the Honourable Russ Mirasty, with selected awards presented by the Platinum and Gold Sponsors – the Teamwork Award by Pat Friesen on behalf of Platinum Sponsor CAA Saskatchewan, the Centenarian award by Jennifer Er Riha on behalf of Gold Sponsor All Seniors Care Living Centres, and the Community Leadership-rural award by Carol Sagan on behalf of Gold Sponsor Sasktel Pioneers Chapter 59.
The Celebrating Seniors Awards take place annually. Anyone can nominate someone for an award. The nominees must be 55 years of age or older, be a resident of Saskatchewan, and have made a significant volunteer contribution to their community. Contact SSM at 306-359-9956 for more information or for a nomination package.