Each year we recognize the contributions of some wonderful volunteers. Leslie Evans, Executive Director of the Federation of Calgary Communities, presented these Community Hero Awards at our Annual General Meeting on November 19.
Rick Williams
Rick Williams has filled several board positions over the years since he and his wife Marilyn moved to Cliff Bungalow – Mission Community in 2005. At the 2005 AGM, he asked why we did not have a Heritage Director. From that time, we have had a Heritage Director position. Since then, he has been a Director at Large, President, Planning and Development Director, and more recently Secretary. He has also been an active part of the Planning and Development Committee. Rick continues to have a major interest in Heritage, and he is part of Calgary Heritage Initiative. We thank Rick for his contributions to this community and wish to recognize him as a Community Hero.
Lucy Arellano
Lucy Arellano has also held several board positions since she joined the board in 2019. First, she was a Director at Large. Then in 2021 she took over the Treasurer position. From 2022 to 2024 she was also concurrently Social Director leading Spring Flings, a fun fundraiser. Another example of one of the fun events she organized was pre-Halloween events. During all this she opened a business in our community that led to flu shot clinics at our community centre. As you can see, she is very busy with all this activity. That is why she is stepping down from the board. We will miss her and we wish to recognize her as a Community Hero.
Natasha Kuzmak
Natasha Kuzmak started gardening in the Cliff Bungalow Community Garden in 2019. She helped with the expansion of the garden in 2021. She was the Garden Coordinator from 2022 to 2024. Our community is the only one with two community gardens under the umbrella of a community association. Volunteers like Natasha are critical for a community garden to be successful. We wish to recognize Natasha as a Community Hero.
Curtis Keding
Curtis Keding has lived in Cliff Bungalow-Mission for 18 years and worked for 20 years as a Registered Nurse at the Rockyview Hospital’s emergency department until his recent retirement.
Curtis has been involved with the Mission Community Garden for about as long as he has lived here in the neighbourhood. He is an avid gardener but says that it has been the connection with the friends he has made through the garden that has been the most rewarding aspect of his volunteer experience. Curtis has collaborated with Georgina Jameson and Ian Miller – a recipient of the Community Hero Award last year – with general garden maintenance as well as contributing many of the plants that people see in the beautiful planting beds surrounding the community garden.
Curtis dove into volunteering almost immediately after moving to our community and has spent almost two decades maintaining Calgary’s best community garden and beautifying William Aberhart Park for the enjoyment all who either use the park or simply pass by.
For the untold number of hours he has dedicated to the benefit and improvement of our neighbourhood, we are pleased to recognize Curtis Keding as a Cliff Bungalow-Mission Community Hero.
Kris Morin
Kris Morin suggested we adopt a new online membership system, one that would issue an electronic receipt/membership and keep a membership list. Because we are a volunteer organization, we had trouble responding in a timely manner using the old online system that did not do these things. Kris did the research and provided three options to the board. One option was Communal, a local organization which we approved to adopt. Kris volunteered taking on implementing this option. It took a little longer to do this but Kris persevered and got the new system up and running. We thank Kris and wish to recognize him as a Community Hero.
The Warby Family
This is the first time we have recognized a family as a community hero. They are Frank, Rosie, and their daughter Tilly.
After the 2013 flood, Rosie and Frank helped to clean houses and did other things to help those impacted by the flood.
They started attending potlucks in 2014. Their daughter Tilly was born February 4, 2016. So, Rosie was pregnant when attending potlucks prior. Tilly started to attend potlucks three months after birth. She now helps set up at our potlucks.
They have participated in Mission Possible events, Spring Flings, and Community Cleanups.
Frank has also volunteered at our casinos.
The family will be moving to Tasmania, Australia in January. We will miss them but before they go, we want to recognize them as Community Heroes.
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