Community Service Award Presentation to Brenda Skayman

To Whom it May Concern.

I would like to nominate Brenda Skayman for the Union Of taxation Employees Community Service Award for her great contributions to her neighborhood and the Wellington Park Community League.

The community is celebrating their 50th anniversary in 2008 having enjoyed a very successful and thriving history thanks to the many volunteers, like Brenda that keep it strong.

Brenda has played a very integral part of this success since having moved to this neighborhood with her husband and two children back in the 1990’s. Brenda was always very involved with the School Board, baseball teams, soccer teams, the Scouts, community bingos, the social committee, an active community board member and volunteer at numerous community functions. Always there to lend a helping hand.

Her latest and most challenging endeavor was that of building a brand new playground. Although the playground had been updated a few years back, it did not meet safety requirements and/or handicap accessibility. It serves a community, a public school of approximately 200 students and a Catholic school of over 700 students. Brenda began this project back in 2004 by approaching the community and both the schools to get a commitment and the go ahead from all parties. She attended meeting after meeting, researched and applied for government grants, met with the City of Edmonton, the parks designer, the playground suppliers, attended workshops and spoke to communities that had built new playgrounds. She began by getting herself as possibly informed as she could be - and then rallied together a group of volunteers to help make this happen.

She spearheaded  many fundraising activities. Approached the Area 1 Bingo and made arrangements to receive $50 for every bingo worker. Many of these $50 dollar parcels being raised by herself working a bingo shift for 5 hours.

Mundare Sausage was organized twice, a craft sale at the community hall, family movie basket draws, a candle fundraiser for christmas, a new year’s eve dinner and dance, and a Beach Party Dance and Silent Auction. She was a leader and role model in each of these projects to raise money. Cooking, cleaning, drumming up sponsors, making lists upon lists, keeping everybody organized and on track, getting free donations, constantly thinking and putting the project first. A multitude of ways to make money, letters to possible donors, there was no one that she wouldn’t ask!!

Numerous progress reports and meetings were presented by Brenda to the schools and the board members updating the progress.

She is extremely well organized, dedicated, hard working and tenacious, but always professional.

She has great new fresh ideas and the motivation and determination to put these ideas into reality. She follows through, gets the job done, knows when to delegate, and always works her hardest.

Brenda is a true leader. Honest, genuine and straight forward. The future and best interests of the community as her top priority. No hidden agenda, no ulterior motifs. She loves to volunteer, she loves to help out. She loves this community and the families, friendships and generations that it stands for.

Finally, after very much hard work, the playground was built in September of this year. 3 days of building, painting, cooking, organizing volunteers, cleaning and running to home depot for supplies. Brenda was there every step of the way.

I am proud to  nominate her for this award, she is a true humanitarian and is truly deserving. She deserves a medal, really for her unfaltering dedication and countless hours of work. 

Sincerely, Lori Hall