Drumheller Councillor Tom Zariski has spent over 30 years volunteering to give back to senior citizens in the community and, on Tuesday, October 4, he was recognized for his years of continued volunteerism at the 2022 Minister’s Seniors Services Awards.
At the awards ceremony, Mr. Zariski was presented with the Alice Modin Award, which is given in honour of Alice Modin who campaigned Strathcona County in 1986 to start a seniors day and paved the way for the province-wide Seniors’ Week now celebrated. The Alice Modin Award is given to individuals or couples who are 65 years or older with 20 or more years of volunteerism in their community, and who actively promotes volunteerism or whose volunteer efforts have had an impact provincially.
“He has promoted seniors and housing over the years, which has been why the Drumheller & District Seniors Foundation (DDSF) has been so successful in moving forward to meet the needs of seniors in the community,” says DDSF Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Glenda Youngberg.
This is not the first time Mr. Zariski’s volunteer efforts for seniors have been recognized, though this is the first time he has been awarded individually.
In 2003, Drumheller Composite High School was given the Minister’s Seniors Services Award for a nonprofit organization for hosting the annual Seniors Christmas Dinner, which was began by Mr. Zariski, who was principal of the high school at the time.
Mr. Zariski has continued to serve seniors in the Drumheller community since then.
Over his approximate 10 years on Town council, Mr. Zariski has been part of the Drumheller & District Seniors Foundation. He has played an integral role in helping to secure funding to renovate and update Sunshine and Hillview Lodge.
This has also included securing funds to build a new supportive living unit wing, which will give seniors with more complex needs the opportunity to stay in the community.
He says he was humbled and privileged to be nominated and receive the award.
“For me, it’s all about payback-seniors have created this country, have created this province, have created our community-and the incredibly high standard of life we have, and the quality of life, that’s all because of these people who have worked so hard,” Mr. Zariski says about his reasons behind volunteering for seniors.