Nominees have been announced for the 2016 Moose Jaw Citizen & Group of the Year awards. 

The annual event, sponsored by Golden West Radio/Discover Moose Jaw and the Moose Jaw & District Chamber of Commerce, honours those who have made significant contributions to the community in the previous year. 

Nominations closed December 31, with finalists for each category released Wednesday afternoon. 

2016 CITIZEN OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Carol Acton:

-Driving force and Leader for Hunger in Moose Jaw, started in 1999 as pre-k teacher and became executive director in 2005

-Leads a volunteer staff throughout 5 programs, most notably the Lunch Program making the lunches and feeding 350 school age kids

- Good box program helping struggling families

-Head Start Program ran daily for the preschool 3and 4 year old children

-They Administer the Yara Community Gardens 

 

Isabelle Hanson Kenowekesequape:

- First nation woman in our community and established WACA(Women’s Aboriginal Community Assoc)

-Tirelessly works on bridging the gap between First Nations and non – natives

-2-3 hours daily on volunteer work

-introduced the first round dance in Moose Jaw

-Spends time with Students at Sask Polytechnic engaging them on First Nations ceremonies and history   

 

Jacki L’ Heureux:

-Been very active member in the community

-Volunteered with Sidewalk Days since 2012, taking over as chair in 2014 and the number from 105 vendors to 175and attendance from 10,000 to over 20,000

-over 800 hours of volunteer work with Sidewalk Days alone

-Mentor for Jr. Achievement Group overseeing the Vanier Craft Trade and Bake Sale since 2013

-Volunteered for Scotties tournament of Hearts and Motif

-Spends countless hours organizing fundraisers for local families and fellow citizens who have fallen ill

-A very positive leader and accomplishes many projects for the betterment of our city

 

James Murdock:

- Chair of the Moose Jaw Health Foundation (2013 – Current) has been instrumental in heading up the Capital Equipment Campaign for the Moose Jaw Regional Hospital. He has worked tirelessly and given much of his free time of up to1000’s hrs in the organization and fundraising of the campaign, where he and his team raised $10M

-In 500 days for the health region providing needed equipment to the health services that are essential requirements

-Board Member of the Moose Jaw Health Foundation (20092013), and Providence Place Foundation Inc. (2012 - Current) Realizing Long term care monies needed is another passion of his
-Coach – Moose Jaw Minor Sports teams (2007 - Current)

-Various roles in the Moose Jaw Lions Club including President, Treasurer, Director and member, (1994 - 2012)
-Architect and organizer of the annual ‘A Night With The Riders’ charity event, $72,000 was raised during 2009-2012 for the Lions Foundation of Canada to purchase 7 guide dogs for residents of Saskatchewan, this led him to doing guide dog presentations throughout our community

 

Paul Busse:

- Local Firefighter

-actively involved in many charities / fundraisers throughout the city and always first to volunteer when the firefighters are involved,

In 2016 alone he volunteered for Moose jaw Health Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, Humane Society, cook off for the Burn unit, Salvation Army

-organized annual Halloween party raising over $17,000for Breast Cancer Research   

 

Phil Adkins:

-invaluable volunteer for Wakamow Valley Authority

-volunteered his time and expertise on the TransCanada trial suspension bridge of over 500 hours

-Primary Advisor on the Riverbank Stabilization demonstration project

-Treasurer 15 Wing Fellowship and assists in producing the annual Highway to Heroes Concerts and Car Show raising funds to assist veterans, military families and youth programs

-Vice/Acting Chair of Hillcrest Apostolic Church and dons the Santa Claus suit for the annual Babies Best Start FHHR program

Ruth and Ed Koop:

-put in hundreds of hours of volunteer work contributing to the success of Moose Jaw’s only professional theatre

-in the past 10 years they have enhanced the culture of arts and education in Moose Jaw, developing youth by providing them with positive role models and the opportunity to be mentored by professional actors and musicians

-their dedication has evolved RuBarb Theater Production into being nationally recognized award winners

 

2016 GROUP OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Citizens All Association

C.A.S.T (Citizens Advocating Sensible Taxation)

Graduate Dancers of Dance Images by BJ

Hunger in Moose Jaw

I Will Help- Moose Jaw – Facebook group

Moose Jaw Sidewalk Days Festival Committee

RuBarb Productions

Salvation Army Warehouse Sorting Employees

Saskatchewan Festival of Words

Wakamow Valley Authority

The awards luncheon will take place January 12 at the Heritage Inn, and will also include Heritage Advisory Awards and the State of the City address from mayor Fraser Tolmie. Tickets for the luncheon are available at the Chamber of Commerce office, 88 Saskatchewan St. E.