Tara Kearsey
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Apr 17/00) - "I do not feel that my involvement has been broad-ranged, actually I consider it narrow."

That's a particularly modest reaction from Grace Mitts of Hay River.

She is the recipient of the very first Good Neighbour Award presented to an individual in the Northwest Territories. Mitts received the award during last week's National Volunteer Week celebrations.

Also recognized were Meryl Falconer and Cappy Elkin, both of Yellowknife, who each nabbed the Organizational Volunteer Award.

Elkin has served the community of Yellowknife for many years. Among her contributions, she is active with the Stanton Regional Hospital Foundation, the Yellowknife Senior's Society and the junior curling program. She also started the Polar Bear swim club in the 1970s and the NWT Autism Society in 1996, in which she remains acting president.

Falconer, a survivor of breast cancer, has spent numerous years attempting to raise awareness of the devastating illness. She assisted in establishing the NWT Breast Health/Breast Cancer Action Group and helps organize the annual Run for the Cure fund-raising event.

Mitts, like Elkin and Falconer, perfectly fits the bill for this year's theme for Volunteer Week, Volunteering: a time-honoured tradition, as she has selflessly dedicated almost 50 years to the well-being of those around her.

From her homeland, British Columbia's Okanagan Valley, Mitts headed to the Eastern Arctic in the early 1950s to engage in mission work with the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. And, as many do, she fell head over heels in love with the beauty and wonder of Canada's North.

Moving on to Hay River in the fall of 1951, Mitts continued her mission work and began volunteering at CKHR, the Hay River army signal station. There, she produced a daily half-hour program called Chapel Hour.

She has spent countless hours as a choir director and organist for the Hay River Pentecostal Church, working with and learning the language of the native population of Hay River, and was involved with several NWT Centennial celebrations.

Most recently, she spends her time working at the Hay River soup kitchen, offering a hymn service for residents of the Woodland Manor extended care facility, and playing the organ at community funerals.

"I think we all tend to go towards what we love doing or find fulfilment in. With the mission or the church work, it's just a part of my desire to be of service to God and to my fellow human beings within the community," says Mitts.

She does consider the award as a very prestigious honour, but is modest as to whether she is worthy.

"I don't feel as though I'm necessarily the one to be honoured because I'm sure that there are others that have done so very much more.

"Whatever I have done has been spread out over such a long period of time that it doesn't amount to a very great amount as far as I'm concerned. Whether I deserve it or not, I think that's for others to decide."

Besides the three recipients of the NWT Outstanding Volunteer Service Awards, other valuable volunteers were also recognized.

Honourable mention was awarded to Cliff Kimble and his family of Enterprise in the Good Neighbour category. They were nominated for their dedication to the Gateway Jamboree, maintaining recreational facilities and organizing other community events.

Clara Kelly of Fort Good Hope also received an honourable mention in the Organizational Volunteer Service category for her work with that community's carnival, cultural and traditional events, the Alcohol Advisory Committee and for her well-known attributes as a positive role model for the young people of her community.

Other nominees in the Organizational Volunteer Category and the activities for which they were nominated were:

-Cheryl Hval of Fort Smith - Girl Guides, gymnastics and junior curling coach;

- Betty Hardisty of Fort Simpson - Beavertail Jamboree, minor hockey, various fund-raising efforts;

- Doreen Nitsiza of Wha Ti - volleyball coach, Canada Day, winter carnival, talent show and fund-raising efforts;

- Sandy Nikiforuk of Inuvik - Legion Auxiliary, Preschool Committee, Lottery Committee and Girl Guides;

- Ann Peters of Yellowknife - Old Stope Association, Guild of Crafts and Folk on the Rocks;

- Laurie Stewart of Aklavik - Christmas, kids' carnival, fund-raising efforts;

- Yvonne Carpenter of Inuvik - speedskating, Christmas hamper drive, Aboriginal Sport Circle;

- Deni Gaccione of Norman Wells - NWT Recreation and Parks Association, Trans-Canada Trail, minor and senior hockey league and fund-raising efforts;

- Sereta Shae of Fort Good Hope - Woodblock Music Festival, Rampart Rendezvous;

- Kathy Yurris of Yellowknife - Girl Guides of Canada NWT/Nunavut Commissioner; and,

- Bobbie Hamilton of Hay River - hockey tournament and other community events.

All nominees are commended for their hard work and dedication to the well-being of those in their communities.