Deed before creed is an ethical philosophy that has guided Bragg Creek resident Karen Nordgaard for the past 53 years.
A community advocate and having founded five service organizations, Nordgaard has devoted herself to helping improve the lives of Albertans, and on Oct. 5, Macleod MP Ted Menzies honoured her with the Governor General’s Caring Canadian Award at a reception at her home.
Created in 1995, the Caring Canadian Award is the only award for volunteerism given by the Governor General of Canada to people who strengthen their communities by giving their time and dedicating their lives to helping others.
Menzies said he was proud of Nordgaard’s accomplishments as well as her modesty.
“It’s refreshing to meet people like Karen who are not ordinary, but think they are,” said Menzies. “She doesn’t blow her own horn and that’s what you love most about someone like her.”
Describing herself as a persistent and dedicated community activist, Nordgaard, 83, said some of her proudest achievements were founding three organizations dedicated to helping families in need across Alberta.
In 1977, Nordgaard founded the Inter Faith Youth Services Society, which provides social work services to families in Alberta. She served as the organization’s executive director until her retirement in 1995.
She also founded Discovery House in 1979, a society that serves battered spouses and their children.
Menzies said Nordgaard should be especially proud of founding the Calgary Inter Faith Food Bank in 1980, a charitable organization that feeds people in need, and was originally located in the basement of Calgary’s First Lutheran Church.
Last year, the food bank, now located in a 60,000-square-foot building, fed 136,153 Calgarians.
An avid fundraiser, Nordgaard attributed her honesty, integrity and ability to connect with influential people with her success in helping thousands of less fortunate families.
“I saw a need in the community and explained that need to people who were in a position to help,” she said.
Nordgaard worked 16 hour days on behalf of her causes, and said she sees herself as someone who does the right thing when needed.
“I seldom, if ever, give up,” said Nordgaard. “You may change course a little, but if there’s something that needs doing, you stay with it.”
According to Nordgaard, her collaborative leadership style enabled her to work effectively with others to achieve her goals.
“I was a leader, but I was not bossy,” she said. “You want to make people feel that they are part of the decision making process.”
Born in 1930, Nordgaard immigrated to Canada from Denmark at age 20, and said she had three goals when she moved here: learn to speak English, make money so she could pay taxes and to become a Canadian citizen.
Not willing to stop serving her community, even in retirement, Nordgaard has been a director on the Bragg Creek Seniors Housing Society Board since 2008 and worked successfully to establish a permanent medical clinic in Bragg Creek.
Bragg Creek resident Julie Handrahan said it was one of best experiences of her life working with Nordgaard to fundraise for that board, whose mission is to provide affordable and accessible homes for area seniors.
“Karen is always there to help people in need, and sees the inherent worth in every human being,” said Handrahan. “She has unbelievable compassion for people and their social status doesn’t matter to her.”
Handrahan said Nordgaard’s ability as a storyteller would command the respect of anyone, including world leaders.
“In her own subtle way she demands attention, and that’s why she has been so successful,” said Handrahan. “Even if she spoke with the Queen or the prime minster they would listen to her.
“She is the true definition of help thy neighbour,” Handrahan added. “I am a better person because I know Karen Nordgaard, and if we could all be like her the world would be a better place.”
Rocky View County Div. 1 Coun. Liz Breakey agreed Nordgaard deserves respect and public recognition.
“She is the most astonishing woman I have ever met in my life,” said Breakey.
