Nominations are now open for the Grande Prairie Volunteer Services Bureau’s Leaders of Tomorrow Awards.
For the first time, the awards, which will be presented to people aged 13-18, have been split into four categories, recognizing leadership, volunteering, advocacy and perseverance, with winners also collecting a $100 cash prize, with an additional $100 donation to a charity of their choice.
Sector Support Manager Chancie Cook says on top of putting the spotlight on those who have made a big impact in the past, they’re hoping it will also open the eyes of those who may want to do similar work in the future.
“When you start someone young, they tend to be volunteers for life, so we’re really big proponents of that and trying to get the youth involved wherever we can.”
“It can be difficult to encourage kids to volunteer, go out to those places and put themselves out there, but also we find there are kids who are super motivated to help in their community but they don’t know how,” she adds.
Cook says overall, Grande Prairie has a phenomenal track record when it comes to volunteerism, and she hopes that the trend can continue well into the future.
“People are always calling and finding out how they can help, what they can do, especially in times where people may be struggling to keep their activities or programs afloat, we always have volunteers ready and able to help out and I think that’s what Grande Prairie is all about.”
For more information on how to nominate someone you think is worthy of the award, you can head to the GPVSB’s website. The awards will be handed out as part of a special ceremony during Volunteer Week in the Spring.
