Local Retired Teachers Association honours its past president
The Medicine Hat and District Retired Teachers Association was pleased to surprise one of their own with the 2024 Volunteer of the Year Award.
The nominee in question, Mel Deydey, had served previously as the president of the local Alberta Retired Teacher’s Association branch for six years, including over some of the most difficult years during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“He has been an active member of this branch,” said Delle Lovig, a MHADTRA member and the person who nominated Deydey. “He’s always been active, both during and after his 34-year career in education.”
These days, said Lovig, Deydey writes the association’s newsletter, as well as serves as a member at large for ARTA’s communications committee.
“He’s also a member of the horticultural society, and very active within his church,” said Lovig. Deydey himself continued to add that he spent seven years as a member of his parish council.
“I’m also currently a substitute teacher with the Medicine Hat Catholic board,” said Deydey. “I’ve been everything from a teacher to a principal. I love going back there because I enjoy working with kids. I think once you’re a teacher once, you really are a teacher for life.”
Deydey was not expecting to receive the award, he said, when it was granted to him at the Feb. 14 meeting.
“I was surprised to be recognized. I didn’t not expect it. It was very humbling. And it was an honour to be recognized for what I do. So you know, but I don’t do it for the recognition. I do it because I want to help others,” said Deydey. “They told me that I was being recognized not only for my efforts, with the retired teachers, but within the community and with the horticultural association, and it truly is an honour.”
The association has roughly 90 members, and some of that connection, said Lovig, is owed to Deydey and his work to keep them all together during the years where they weren’t allowed to meet, and even now, through his efforts with the newsletter.
“He kept us healthy through everything while the world was fighting an unhealthy situation, and it was wonderful,” said Lovig. “It couldn’t have been easy, but he’s always been such a great help to everyone.”