Phil Duffy
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (July 16/01) - Considering how demanding the job of Mayor of Yellowknife can be, most people would probably be amused to know that his worship's wife Carol is the one the mayor truly finds difficult to keep up with.

Carol blows out the candles on her 50th birthday cake. - photo courtesy of Carol Van Tighem

After a hard day of city politics for Gord and an equally frenzied day of city and charity work for Carol, guess what the Van Tighems do to unwind?

It's not uncommon for the couple to head to the sand pits and relax by blasting a few clay pigeons to dust.

Carol Van Tighem is a fireball of energy who, like her husband, is a master at managing her time.

"We met at the University of Manitoba and were married 31 years ago," said Gord.

Carol is a Pisces and when asked what his zodiacal sign was, Gord replied, "Libra. I provide the balance."

The Van Tighems have one daughter and two sons. Colleen teaches school in Yellowknife, Graham is a biologist in Whitehorse, and Stephen lives in Saskatoon, where he oversees the Forestry Education Program for Saskatchewan schools.

"Unlike most families where the children eventually leave the parents, when Gord and I moved here, we left the children," laughed Carol.

Carol's hearty laugh is one of her trademarks -- once you've heard it, you will remember the laugh and the person associated with it.

One of Carol's many positions is Shotgun Director for the NWT Federation of Shooting Sports.

"I also pretty much run the trap shooting section of the Yellowknife Shooting Club," said Carol. "Since Gord and I are avid trap shooters, it seemed like the natural thing to do."

Carol has been the coordinator for Raven Mad Daze for the last two years and she sits on the board of directors for the Yellowknife Curling club, where she organized the last women's bonspiel.

She canvasses for the Heart and Stroke Foundation and has been an Area Captain for the Lung Association. She has also sat on the Board of Directors for the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre.

"Right now I am working as an administrative assistant for the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce," said Carol.

Since the Van Tighems moved to Yellowknife from Winnipeg eight years ago, Carol has worked at many different jobs. She helped to run an apartment block, sold jewelry, air-photo cataloguing, catering and worked in a convenience store.

Gord has been Mayor for the past eight months and as you may already have guessed, Carol played a major role throughout the successful campaign.

She has many other talents as well.

"I am a very experienced seamstress, I have grown many varieties of flowers and shrubs, and I have a Grade eight piano certificate," said Carol.

Amazingly, the woman also finds time for other hobbies.

"I love to cook and especially love to try new dishes. I have prepared every dish from pike to bison. I am also a world-class shopper and lifelong grapevine member," she explained with much enthusiasm.

What was her most memorable excursion since Gord became Mayor?

"To be able to visit the HMCS Yellowknife while it was in Skagway, Alaska," she said without a moment's hesitation. "I got to see the ship and meet the Captain and crew of the vessel named after our city. I also visited the HMCS Whitehorse and the HMCS Edmonton."

Basically, the woman couldn't sit still if she tried. She's the type of person who is happiest when she is doing something constructive and she is nearly always happy.