Faces of Community
Two members of the BRCA Board of Directors were recently honoured as the 2020 “Faces of Community” by the Federation of Calgary Communities.
Faces of Community tells the story of just some of the 20,000+ community volunteers in Calgary who donate their time to help improve neighbourhood life in Calgary. Nominated by their peers, the annual Faces of Community come from community organizations across the city. The Federation selected 12 volunteers for the honour in 2020; included in this prestigious group are Deb Lee and Susan Mulholland.
Deb Lee
Full of ideas, Deb is a vital member of the Bridgeland-Riverside Community Association team. Showing leadership when needed and well connected with residents, Deb works endlessly to represent the voiceless and disconnected. Her strong work ethic and positive attitude are an inspiration to many in her community.
“She advocates for those often forgotten and works diligently to engage and find new innovative ways to bring them on board,” said her nominator.
Working closely with the seniors in the community, Deb works hard to ensure they are included and provides several initiatives to keep them connected. She often takes the lead but also takes a step back as a “worker bee”, when needed, to support others in her team. Always willing to lend a hand, she is often seen at community events taking care of the little details that would otherwise be forgotten.
Deb is proud to have initiated the weekly Bridgeland Walks a few years ago. She has advocated for positive development of the community and is very forward thinking. Her advocacy on Heritage and Parks led to noticeable improvements and has allowed our community to be a model for other communities.
Deb loves Bridgeland-Riverside; she spends time sharing her learnings about the community’s past with others through stories, pictures and reminiscing. While holding close the history here, she encourages positive development of the community for the future through progressive thinking and hard work.
“Volunteering with my organization has really given me a sense of purpose and meaning in my retirement. It’s been important to feel that I belong here,” said Deb.
Susan Mulholland
A true leader in her community, Susan is a volunteer who connects neighbours and builds community through her hard work.
Susan has been able to spread her creativity, passion and dedication for her community for several years and continues to spearhead numerous community building and public realm improvements in the area.
Her efforts have created a more vibrant and engaged community and have directly impacted several residents who have seen the positive change Susan has brought. Her most recent project, Back to the Bow, a mural showcasing the history of the Bow River alongside the fence at McDougall Park, created connections and engaged community all year long.
“I believe she embodies the true spirit of what community associations can and should be and I am very lucky to have had the opportunity to work with her,” said her nominator.
Susan manages the BRCA secretary role and position as a Beautification Committee member. She applies the lens of her professional background as an occupational therapist when considering the needs of residents and how the community association can better engage and support those populations that might not be represented by the Board of Directors. Along with other involved volunteers, she has planned and executed free and accessible community gathering events.
“I started volunteering with my organization because I am really interested in my community,” said Susan. “My community is vibrant, diverse and it feels like a village.”
