Sonya Jahn was ‘overwhelmed’ after being recognized as the 2024 Prince Albert Citizen of the Year on Saturday.
Jahn was the guest of honour at the formal Citizen of the Year Banquet at the Coronet Hotel. The evening was filled with speeches recognizing Jahn for helping settle Ukrainian newcomers and serving as a Volunteer Coordinator with the Saskatchewan Health Authority and before that the Health Region and Health District.
“I was like,’ oh my gosh.’ I couldn’t believe it. I was overwhelmed,” Jahn said after the evening concluded.
“It was just amazing.”
Jahn said she was grateful to see so many different areas of her life mentioned. She was especially happy to be recognized for her career working with volunteers.
“I was seconded to work for the Red Cross when all the fires came and the all the transitions with the health authority, from the health district to the health region to the Saskatchewan Health Authority, so lots of changes through my career,” she said.
Since learning that she would receive the award, Jahn has said on numerous occasions that she was humbled. That trend continued during and after the ceremony.
“I’m incredibly humbled and kind of overwhelmed,” she said. “I didn’t expect to receive such an award. I really didn’t, and so I am incredibly grateful, (and) thankful. I’m very humbled, especially when I see past recipients who have received the Citizen of the Year.”
The evening saw a crowd of over 200 people in the ballroom at the Coronet showing their appreciation for Jahn, which was also overwhelming.
“That’s awesome. It was wonderful (and) very, very nice,” she said.
Jahn explained that helping Ukrainian newcomers flee after the war began in 2022 was just a natural fit for her. She has helped to settle more than 100 families in Prince Albert in that time.
“I think that it was a no brainer to be helping the Ukrainian newcomers,” she said. “I knew that I had to do something. I just didn’t know what, and so these beautiful families are now calling Prince Albert their home. If I could help to make their life a little bit brighter, a little bit lighter, a little happier, I wanted to be able to do that.”
The relationships she developed with the newcomers is also special.
“They are a part of my family,” Jahn said.
“I get to see many of them but not all of them,” she added.
During her speech, Jahn asked the many Ukrainian newcomers in attendance to stand up and be recognized.
“It’s lovely,” she said of all of the newcomers in attendance on Saturday.
The giving spirit of Prince Albert has also shone through as the newcomers arrived. Along with the dessert catered by the Coronet, each table received a sampling of Ukrainian Honey Cake (Medivynik) prepared by one of the Ukrainian newcomers.
“I would just like to thank the entire community for all of the wonderful donations and support for our community or for our Ukrainian newcomer families,” she said. “It takes a whole community to make such a huge endeavour happen successfully.”
The emcee for the evening was former Citizen of the Year Mitch Holash. At the head table were Kinsmen President Wes Moore, Daily Herald Publisher Donna Pfeil, Mayor Bill Powalinsky and his wife Charlotte Powalinsky, Holash, Jahn and her husband Gordon.
(L to R) Sonya Jahn and Prince Albert Kinsmen Club President Wes Moore. Moore presented Jahn with the Citizen of the Year plaque at the Prince Albert Citizen of the Year Banquet at the Coronet Hotel on Saturday.
(L to R) Sonya Jahn and Prince Albert Daily Herald publisher Donna Pfeil. Pfeil presnented Jahn with a laminated book of Daily Herald clippings since 2018 at the Prince Albert Citizen of the Year Banquet at the Coronet Hotel on Saturday.
The head table was piped in by Dave Monette to get the evening under way.
The evening opened with the singing of O Canada and the Ukrainian National Anthem performed by the Veselka Choir.
Before the speeches, there was a special performance by the Veselka Choir featuring Jahn.
Nominator Diane May, former Citizen of the Year Marj Bodnarchuk, friend and former Ukrainian newcomer Nadia Balytska and recent Ukrainian newcomer Olena Shplychak, all spoke during the ceremony.
Balytska shared the story of how she met Jahn while shopping for shoes and was speaking Ukrainian and since then they have become fast friends. Shpylchak thanked Jahn on behalf of all of the recent newcomers.
Holash also read a letter from Premier Scott Moe.
Jahn was introduced by her husband Gordon. Gordon saluted his wife for her work but noted that because Sonya knew so many people, shopping could become an all day affair.
Powalinsky presented Jahn with recognition from the City along with a City of Prince Albert Award of Merit.
Moore presented Jahn with the Citizen of the Year plaque. Daily Herald Publisher Donna Pfeil presented Jahn with a laminated book of each time Jahn appeared in the Daily Herald since 2018, with the front page being the Daily Herald when she was named Citizen of the Year earlier this year.
Jahn was nominated for the award by Diane May and former Citizen of the Year Malcolm Jenkins. Jenkins was in the United Kingdom and had Holash read a letter on his behalf. May read her speech in person.
“He admires you, he stands by all you do ‘You’re the best after the Brentford Bees, Malcolm Jenkins sends his love,” Holash said.
May told the story of how Jahn’s grandfather was a prisoner of war during World War I and his mother dying during the 1919 pandemic. Jahn’s mother left Ukraine for Canada with her family at the age of 3.
May also touched on Jahn’s volunteer service, noting that while Jahn was in charge of volunteer recruitment she also looked for volunteers for other organizations.
“One such example is when forest fires forced many northerners to flee for their lives, Sonya was instrumental in recruiting volunteers for the Red Cross when the evacuees came to Prince Albert,” May said.
May added that Jahn’s connection to her Ukrainian heritage and love of the country made her the perfect person to help Ukrainian newcomers settle in Prince Albert after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
“Since then approximately 135 families of Ukrainians have moved to Prince Albert and these families have been helped immeasurably by Sonya and her many volunteers,” May explained.
The relationship with Jahn dates back many years.
“I have known Sonya for a long time, back to when she was Sonya Semenchuk in my class at Carlton Comprehensive High School,” May said. “As teachers, it is always our goal to have our students become educated, happy, well-adjusted, kind and contributing members of society. It makes me smile to see former students who achieve this and Sonya has done this in spades.”
She concluded by recognizing Jahn’s as a worthy award winner.
“You are an inspiration to us in Prince Albert and for that matter the world,” May said. “You shine a light in what is often a very dark world. You, a very humble person, are definitely worthy of the honour of 2024 Prince Albert Citizen of the Year.”
Pfeil, Powalinsky, Moore, and Prince Albert Northcote MLA Alana Ross each gave speeches recognizing all that Jahn has done as a volunteer.
Also on hand were former Citizen of the Year honourees Kris Eggum, Jim Scarrow, Fred Matheson on behalf of Jack Matheson, Frank Moore, Sheila Holash on behalf of Mitch Holash, Lyle Karasiuk, Harris May, Barry Brezden and Bodnarchuk, among others.
Jahn also left a gift for each person in attendance with a package of symbolic candy in a package coloured in the flag of the Ukraine with a sunflower.
To conclude the evening May played “You Light Up My Life” by Debby Boone, which was played on a portable stereo.
The Citizen of the Year Award has been handed out every year since 1958. Winners are chosen by a committee that includes members of the Prince Albert Kinsmen Club and Prince Albert Daily Herald.
Recent Citizen of the Year winners:
2023 – Barry Brezden
2022 – Marj Bodnarchuk
2021 – Marie Mathers
2020 – Margaret Ferguson
2019 – Janet Carriere
2018 – Felix Casavant and Derek Smith
2017 – Ron and Shelley Horn
2016 – Sheryl Kimbley
2015 – Duane Hayunga
