The Citizen of the Year and Most Courteous Employee of the Year award winners were named on Saturday at the Drumheller Rotary’s annual Celebration of Excellence banquet at Rosedale Hall.
Bev Wilson, who has been volunteering for 48 years with a number of community groups, including the Drumheller Health Centre and Sunshine Lodge, said she was honoured to be awarded.
“I’m very humbled to have even been nominated,” Wilson, 71, said. She began her volunteer career with hockey and 4-H because of her children and hasn’t quit since. She said she even volunteers when she and her husband vacation south in the winter.
“It validates that maybe it was all worthwhile. I’ll still be volunteering.”
The reason Wilson does it?
“It’s fun, and I’ve always found you get more out of it than you put in.”
Kathy Dudley was nominated as the Most Courteous Employee of the Year by a coworker for her work at the Drumheller Health Centre.
“It’s a great honour,” said Kathy Dudley. “It was a big surprise. It’s quite overwhelming and I really thank the Drumheller Rotary Club and I congratulate my fellow nominees.
“It’ll probably make me work a little harder,” she laughs. “I have to live up to all it entails. It’s truly a pleasure to work here, I’m in love with the people and in love with my job.”
Rotary president Debi Kennedy said about 100 people attended the annual Celebration of Excellence.
“It was a very emotional time, especially for Bev Wilson. She was absolutely flabbergasted she was nominated, let alone win. It was nice to see it moved her that much,” said Kennedy. “The other nominees were very gracious. It was quite a night.”
