Province honouring volunteers

The provincial government has opened nominations for its 2024 Stars of Alberta volunteer awards which recognize those people who making lasting impacts on their communities.

The awards have three categories: youth up to 24 years of age, adult and senior.

Two awards will be given in each category.

There is also a “Breaking Barriers” category which recognize exceptional volunteers working to create diverse and inclusive communities. Three awards will be presented in this category to people who are working to end racism, advocating for 2SLGBTQQIA+ inclusion and fighting gender discrimination in their communities.

“Whether delivering crucial supplies to those in need or organizing summer camps for children, Alberta’s volunteers make an extraordinary difference in all of our lives. I encourage all Albertans to join us in honouring remarkable volunteers by nominating them for a Stars of Alberta Volunteer Award this year. Together, let’s celebrate their invaluable contributions to our province,” says Tanya Fir, Minister of Arts, Culture and Status of Women in a release.

The award winners will be celebrated on or near International Volunteer Day on Dec. 5.

Nominations can be submitted online with the deadline June 30. Nomination packages can be found at https://www.alberta.ca/stars-of-albertavolunteer-awards

Alberta has almost 26,000 non-profit organizations, says the province and, each year, residents provide more than 227-million volunteer hours to support the non-profit and voluntary sector at a value of $5.6 billion.