National Volunteer Week, held from April 27 to May 3, recognized the countless individuals across Canada who dedicate their time and energy to helping others. Cochrane is no exception—home to many residents who work tirelessly to make the town a better place.
To honour these contributions, the Town of Cochrane hosted a ‘Volunteer Appreciation Night’ at the RancheHouse on April 30.
Volunteers from across the municipality were invited to the Chinook Dining Hall for an evening of food, fun and heartfelt recognition.
“When you volunteer, you’re not just helping with logistics or offering opinions,” said Mayor Jeff Genung. “You are contributing your experience, your values and perspectives to some of the most important conversations we have about Cochrane’s future—and that matters.”
It was the first time the Town formally hosted an appreciation event to this extent specifically for its volunteers.
“We switched it up this time because we felt there was a real opportunity to celebrate our volunteers in a way that felt a little more special,” said Michelle Delorme, director of parks and active living. “There’s a huge number of hours they put in giving back to the community, and it felt like the right time to do something meaningful for them.”
Roughly 50 guests attended the evening celebration, all of whom had contributed to various aspects of the Town’s work.
“We had Council Task Force members, Library Board volunteers, and individuals involved with Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) initiatives like Jacket Racket and other programs,” said Delorme.
A highlight of the evening was a keynote speech by local endurance athlete and author Martin Parnell, who spoke on the importance of goal setting, and tied the concept back to the spirit of volunteerism.
“Why do we set goals?” said Parnell. “We do it for personal and professional growth. It’s critical that when we set these goals, we align them with our core values. Volunteerism—it’s close to your heart and it’s aligned with your core values.”
A new addition to the celebration this year was the recognition of recent Order of Cochrane nominees and recipients, including renowned local artists Don and Shirley Begg, who received their award during the April 28 regular council meeting.
“We felt this was a great platform to recognize the Order of Cochrane nominees and winners, as each of them gives back to the community in some capacity—some of them specifically through volunteerism,” said Delorme.
Overall, the night was considered a joyful and meaningful celebration—one the Town hopes to continue in the years to come.
