Tara Kearsey
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Apr 19/00) - Dedicating herself to the community is a way of life for Cappy Elkin. That's one of the reasons why she was chosen to receive one of the Organizational Outstanding Volunteer of the Year Awards.

Cappy Elkin: "You just do things when they need doing."

"I've been in Yellowknife for a long time and when you're in a community like Yellowknife, it gives you so much that you have to give back," said Elkin.

"I've always been involved in something because that's the way a community like this works."

Most recently, Elkin has been spending most of her time volunteering with the Stanton Regional Hospital Foundation. She started out as a campaign chairperson for the foundation, but has since become one of its ongoing directors.

Elkin first got involved with the foundation when a dear friend of hers was repeatedly sent down south to be hospitalized for heart complications. She saw how difficult the travelling became for her friend and how much she missed her home, so she decided to do something.

"I wanted to get some of those services here and we did. We now have a CAT scan and we have a number of other pieces of equipment so that we don't have to send as many people out," she said.

But this caring individual has been dedicating her time to helping other Yellowknife residents since the 1970s, 37 years to be exact.

She was instrumental in starting up the Polar Bear Swim Club back in the '70s and spent eight years coaching the swim team. She has worked with several senior citizens organizations and donated her time to the Yellowknife Junior Curling Club, the Girl Guides of Canada, and several organizations within the United Church.

"You just do things when they need doing ... this town is made up of many, many people who do volunteer work -- that's how this town exists.

"What did I do, I don't know. I'm just like everybody else in this town, so many people in this town. When there's something that needs doing they do it," she said.

Elkin said she is very pleased and honoured to have received such a prestigious award, but believes that others have done just as much or more than she has.

"I'm a little bit humble maybe, but I feel I'm one of a good bunch of people that do this."

Both Elkin and Meryl Falconer will receive their awards sometime this week.