Having been heavily involved with volunteer work in the Drumheller community for nearly her entire life, Becky Kowalchuk, is the true definition of a team player.
    Kowalchuk is a lady who wears many hats. She works full-time at the Royal Tyrrell Museum, frequently devotes her time volunteering for various organizations throughout the community, and still manages to be a mother of three, all the while with a smile on her face.
    “I really believe in order to make this the great community it is, we all have to chip in and share in the workload to make it a great place to live,” said Kowalchuk. “What we give to our community, we get back.”
    Her involvement with Drumheller minor hockey, the 4-H club, the Olympic torch relay and the Dinosaur half marathon is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the long list of volunteer work that she’s been involved with over the years.
    “It’s always nice to be in touch with the community and what’s happening,” she said.
    “People are always looking for extra help, in order for these events to take place and grow.”
    Despite her extensive involvement with the community, 50 year old Kowalchuk still finds the time to engage in a healthy and active lifestyle.
    Last year she ran five 10 km marathons in places like Medicine Hat, Red Deer, Edmonton, Calgary and the Dinosaur 10 km in Drumheller.
    “That was something off my bucket list that I was pretty excited to achieve,” said Kowalchuk.
    Most recently, she was nominated for the UFA Small town hero award as a result of all of her hard work and interest in the community.
    Although she unfortunately didn’t win the award, Kowalchuk was grateful to receive recognition for her efforts.
    “I was very honoured.” she said. “It was really nice, because it’s an effort from so many that makes the events happen.”
    Kowalchuk has served as a wonderful role model for her family, instilling in them the same winning attitude that she portrays on a day-to-day basis.
    Her children are following in her footsteps as they have continued to stay actively involved within their communities, even after leaving the valley.
    Kowalchuk is dead-set on her volunteer work for the Drumheller community and affirms it is something that she will continue to dedicate her time to for years to come.
    “I do truly enjoy it, its something I really get a lot out of personally,” she said.
    “I’m not ready to sit back in my rocking chair just yet.”

    For so many families, the years fly by quickly. For Maria Hirsch she is finding that volunteerism is helping her spend a little more time with her kids.
    Hirsch has worked at Hi-Way 9 Express for a number of years, a company that has a culture of volunteerism.
    “I just started a few years ago,” said Hirsch. “It’s all because of Heather (Colberg). Working there she would ask us to help with the food drives.”
    Colberg was also volunteering as a volleyball coach, and motivated Hirsch to also try that out.
    “I didn’t even know the teams were looking for coaches, and Heather was coaching. When her daughter moved up, she moved up and they needed someone for the younger players, and that is when I stepped in.”
    She has been coaching St. Anthony’s volleyball girls teams for a few years now as her daughter Stephanie and Samantha play, and has helped with basketball. She is coach of the areas’ U17 club volleyball team, with players from DVSS, St. Anthony’s and Delia School.  Provincials are coming this weekend.
    “Having  14 and 16 year old daughters, we don’t have a lot of bonding time at this age, they don’t want a lot to do with their parents that much,” she chuckles. “Plus it keeps kids busy and physically active, and not getting in trouble.”
    With so many groups and charities out there competing for support, she likes to help out in her home community.
    “To me, we have to look after our own first. We have to do what we can to help out,” she said.
    Last year she began to help out the DinoFest as it was including a Farmer’s Market as part of the events. This was right up her alley, as she has been active with the Drumheller Farmer’s Market for a few years. This year she is organizing all the vendors for DinoFest.
    She finds value in volunteering for and with young people. She makes sure to bring her kids long when there are volunteer opportunities. She feels this builds them up and also gives them something to put on a resume as they enter the world of work and post secondary education.
    “Children are our futures, if we don’t help them compete, socialize and learn, and teach them to volunteer, our futures are not going to be as bright. They are going to be looking after us and they are going to need volunteers.”