The Parkland Chamber of Commerce hosted their Chamber Awards on Wednesday, which saw several Parkland businesses honoured for positive contributions to their communities.
There are 2 awards specifically for community appreciation: the Eric Irwin Community Appreciation Award for individuals, and one for groups. This year's winner of the individual award was Lindsay Dingwall. Having volunteered and worked with several community organizations like the Dauphin & District Community Foundation and the Dauphin Friendship Centre, she says the award makes her feel like just one piece in a puzzle.
"It's humbling, I don't know what else to say other than that, because I know and see all the other people around me who constantly give, so I truly mean it when I am this one person in a community of volunteers...it's a community in itself, you meet really great people who are all working towards the same goals of just building a better community," said Dingwall.
Another member of the community of volunteers is Steven Roznowsky, Treasurer for the Dauphin RIDE Program. The volunteer group won this year's Eric Irwin Community Appreciation Award for groups, and Roznowsky said that over the years, the RIDE Program's journey has definitely made a difference, but they'll never say no to more volunteers.
"They journey's been pretty smooth. We all want people to be safe, that's why we don't charge for the rides home, and the community itself really appreciated us doing that...volunteers are the lifeblood of our program, and if we didn't have volunteers we don't have a program. It's like Brandon had a RIDE Program, or the Red Nose Program, got shut down because no volunteers came forward," said Roznowsky.
If a community is only as good as the people that live there, then with organizations like the RIDE Program and volunteers like Lindsay Dingwall, the Parkland is one of the best communities out there.
