Melfort’s Peggy George was shocked when she got a call from the Protocol Office of the Saskatchewan Legislature telling her that she would be a recipient of the 2020 Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal. George and nine others were presented the award by Lieutenant Governor Russ Mirasty at Government House on Thursday, Aug. 26.
“It was just out of the clear blue,” George said. “I got a phone call from the Regina Protocol Office of the Saskatchewan Legislature and I went ‘what?”
Like others, George said she volunteers to give back to the community. Awards don’t factor into it.
“The ones that genuinely volunteer, they want to make a difference,” she said. “That’s why they do it. They don’t do it for recognition absolutely.”
George said her volunteering has evolved over the years. Starting Melfort Communities in Bloom in 2004 was one of her earliest efforts. She never expected it to still be going strong 18 years later.
“You think, ‘it’s a great program let’s do it for a year or two,’” she said. “Then it just kept picking up steam.”
Melfort’s Communities in Bloom (CiB) was most recently a National Finalist in 2019. In 2020 the organization added a vintage truck from Dobson Welding, placing near the entrance to the Melfort Golf and Country Club as a way to greet people coming into Melfort on Highway 6.
“We used to do that just in the summertime and now we are active and busy and meeting all year long so it’s a pretty big program,” George said. “We are making it a big program, (and) we can see the difference it is making.”
George also helped get a gift store up and running when Parkland Place in Melfort opened. George, who has a background in retail, said the opportunity was a perfect fit.
“I had just closed my ladies wear store, so I didn’t really have an excuse to say no,” she said. “I love retail and I thought I didn’t know what I was doing or how I was going to do. I thought, ‘sure I will try to help you out and that was the start of my gift shop experience.’”
The gift shop opening led to George being on the North Central Health Foundation committee and being part of numerous fundraisers for healthcare in the community. Over the past 14 years, the Health Care Foundation has been successful in raising major funds to support the building of Parkland Place and the purchase of Digital Imaging Equipment at the Melfort Hospital. The Foundation has also provided our local healthcare facilities with equipment and a variety of essential items that could not be purchased by the health region.
“It’s just funny how you start out with a little interest here or there and then they start overlapping and opportunities arise out of each. They kind of snowball but I keep on going I mean if they are worthwhile to start they just keep growing,” she said.
George said she couldn’t do any of these things without all of the great people around her in both the community groups and her entire family.
“I have a lot of great people around me and a very supportive family that knows mom’s not available this day, she’s not available that day,” she explained. “They help out wherever they can too, so it’s not just me. It’s a whole lot of people. Everybody contributes and it’s pretty important to have that support.”
The recipients of the 2020 Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal were George, Lieutenant-Colonel (Ret’d) Robert Cade, CD (posthumous) of Regina, Anne Chase of Regina, Derek Harrison of Fort Qu’Appelle, Ken Hartz of Bradwell, Eileen Herman of Qu’Appelle, Frank McDougall of Saskatoon, Jean de Dieu Ndayahundwa of Regina, Leela Sharma of Saskatoon, Lorraine Silzer of Assiniboia and Richard Strayer of Saskatoon. Bernice Woolhouse of Assiniboia will have her medal presented at a later date.
“Volunteers improve the lives of others and strengthen our province,” Lieutenant Governor Russ Mirasty said in a release.
“I am grateful to each recipient for their inspiring community service.”
Volunteering is a great gift to the public according to George, who always encourages people to volunteer and get involved when they have the chance.
“It’s not only a privilege, but I think it’s our obligation to leave this world a better place than when we got here,” she explained. “We all have something to offer, be it talent or money. There is always some way you can be involved and it’s a lot more fun to be involved in the game of life than sitting on the sidelines thinking ‘well, why is that like that? Why isn’t this different? Why isn’t it better?’”
Since its establishment in 1995, the Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal has been awarded to extraordinary citizens across the province for their outstanding contributions to Saskatchewan. There have been 228 exemplary volunteers recognized in previous years.
Nominations are now open for the 2021 Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal. Individuals and organizations are encouraged to nominate current or former long-term residents of Saskatchewan who go above and beyond for their community through acts of volunteerism. Nominations will be received until October 18, 2021.
