Elliot Lake resident Heather Clouston is what some would call the back bone of volunteerism in the city, and Thursday evening she was honoured with the city’s Civic Award at the annual volunteer recognition banquet.
The banquet at Collins Hall was an opportunity for the city and residents to honour the countless volunteers in the community.
Mayor Dan Marchisella said Clouston has been involved as a volunteer in many causes and events. He recalls one time when the city hosted its annual winter fishing derby on Horne Lake. He said he saw Clouston out helping cut holes in the ice for derby participants and discovered her with only running shoes on even though the ice surface was covered in deep slush.
Clouston has been a volunteer on many boards and committees, including the annual drag races, palliative care, Club 90, the Wildcats, the fishing derby, Art on the Trail, annual beach party, and Winterfest, the city’s economic development coordinator Ashten Vlahovich noted in her nomination letter.
In her letter, Vlahovich said she has often seen Clouston working at events, bringing with her dedication and “fun to everything she does.”
In accepting the award, Clouston told those attending said she was “excited” and “humbled” about being named recipient of the civic award.
“A long time ago someone said to me, ‘Heather you really need to get out of your own way.’ They were absolutely right,” she said of her first experience with community volunteering. “I thought, ‘Maybe if you went and helped someone.’ That was 33 years ago and my life has never been the same.”
She sees her volunteer work as reaching out to a broad range of people in Elliot Lake.
“To be able to extend a hand to an individual in Elliot Lake, to the groups in Elliot Lake, to the whole community of Elliot Lake is a true, true privilege. I feel very much a part of the Elliot Lake. This my home,” she said.
“The secret of passion, truly, is purpose. I’m very grateful to be part of this community and I thank you,” she added, referring to her award.
Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing MP Carol Hughes said volunteers make up a large part of communities across the riding and in Elliot Lake.
She noted that Clouston’s volunteer work involved all segments of the community. Hughes presented Clouston with a certificate signifying her volunteer commitment.
A similar message was sent by Algoma-Manitoulin MPP Michael Mantha who was unable to attend the banquet.
City CEO Dan Gagnon and several councillors distributed pins to members of Elliot Lake’s volunteer committees recognizing their work.