SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Ruby Trudel from Food Rescue and Yellowknife's Victim Services volunteers have received NWT Outstanding Volunteer Awards this year from the territorial government.

Kirstin Prescott, left and Kelley Weatherby, two of the volunteers recognized with the Outstanding Group award for their work with Yellowknife Victim Services, sit at the Roman Empire building on Wednesday. - Adrian Lysenko/NNSL photo

Trudel was given the Outstanding Elder award for her work with Yellowknife Food Rescue, a volunteer program which collects food that would normally go to waste and donates it to organizations around Yellowknife.

Trudel said she was very surprised and can't take all the credit for the award. She accepted the award on behalf of the dozen other volunteers who are a part of Food Rescue.

"No organization is run by one person," said Trudel, who will attend the award ceremony in Hay River today with her husband Laurin, who co-founded the program.

"My husband has been beside me from Day 1 and does a majority of the lifting."

Victim Services volunteers from Yellowknife received the Outstanding Group award.

"Really what they do is phenomenal," said Liisa Prosyk, Victim Services co-ordinator.

"Every volunteer works a full-time job. If they get a call at two in the morning and it's -40 they'll kick themselves out of bed and go to the crisis."

The 11 volunteers provide assistance and support for victims of crime and tragedy.

"Our Victim Services is truly volunteer-driven," said Prosyk.

She said she couldn't think of any other volunteer work that is as demanding as Victim Services.

"I feel honoured to accept this on behalf on such a worthy organization but it isn't the reason I do this," said Kelley Weatherby, a Victim Services volunteer. "It is something that I do because it's such a needed service in the community."

Kirstin Prescott, another volunteer, began her work with Victim Services six years ago when she moved up from Saskatchewan.

"I was pretty new in town, saw an ad and thought it would be interesting," said Prescott who works at Sir John Franklin High School in the outreach program with teens who have had their high school education disrupted.

"It does cross over and helps me be a better teacher."

Prescott will attend the award ceremony in Hay River with Weatherby.

Dayle Handy, another volunteer who has been with Victim Services for five years, said the majority of the work the volunteers do is helping women overcome challenges by making productive and positive changes in their lives.

"That to me is my biggest motivator," she said.

Marie Speakman, a Victim Services worker, commended the hard work of the volunteers.

"I don't know what we could have done without them," said Speakman. "They're the backbones of the program."

The Outstanding Youth award went to Bryan Nitsiza of Whati, and the Outstanding Individual award was given to Cheryl Hval of Fort Smith.