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IQALUIT
When Emily Ridlington was asked to say a few words about why her friend Janet Brewster deserved a City of Iqaluit Volunteer Award, she readily agreed.

Little did she know that after praising Brewster's contributions at the Oct. 6 awards ceremony at the Discovery Lodge, she was in for a surprise.

"They started rhyming off all the things for the person receiving the Sports & Recreation Award," before she realized that person was her, Ridlington said. She is an active volunteer who coaches kids' soccer, acts as a board member for the burgeoning kayak club, and manages volunteers for the Alianait and Toonik Tyme festivals.

"I moved to Iqaluit two years ago and volunteering in the community not only gives you a better understanding of the community and who lives here," she said, "but it also brings perspective to how something so minor you do can make a big impact on people's lives."

Brewster, who received the award for Arts & Culture, serves on the board for Alianait, volunteers with Nunavut Youth LEAP Iqaluit and the men's shelter, and presided over the Toonik Tyme festival in a year when the volunteer board experienced a high turnover.

"Receiving the Arts & Culture Award is one of the highlights of my year," Brewster said, "but is not as important as the great experiences that I have had volunteering alongside the many dedicated, community-minded people in Iqaluit."

Members of the justice committee at the Makkuttukkuvik Youth Centre were honoured for their initiatives to decide consequences for breaking rules at the centre, and encouraging young people to be "respectful of the place and each other," said Amy Elgersma, director of the recreation for the City of Iqaluit.

The Nunavut Food Bank received the Service Organization Award "for going above and beyond this year, especially when there was a fire at a complex that left people homeless," Elgersma said. "They stepped up to the plate and provided food, gift baskets and all without being asked."

One of the food bank's directors, Jen Hayward, also a volunteer with the Rotary Club, the Start Right, Stay Right hockey program, and the chair of the REACH committee that is fundraising for the city's new recreation facility, was honoured with the Community Development Award.

Doug Cox received the Service Club Member Award for his work helping to run the soup kitchen.

"In Iqaluit, we don't always have the resources for a number of things," Elgersma said. "A lot of programs and services that make Iqaluit a great place to live might not be offered without these volunteers."

For those in Iqaluit interested in volunteering, Elgersma recommends perusing the city's recreation guide on the city's website, or contacting the recreation department to learn of current opportunities.

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