The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Kelly Carrington Staff Writer Cocktails, a five-course supper and great friends helped honour outstanding volunteers and businesses in the Flin Flon area. Community Futures Greenstone and the Flin Flon and District Chamber of Commerce held their annual Celebrating Communities Gala last Thursday to acknowledge nine volunteers, seven businesses, one project and one organization. Volunteers and business owners from Flin Flon, Creighton, Denare Beach and Snow Lake were recognized during the evening at the R.H. Channing Auditorium. Creighton's Justin Donaghy was presented with the first volunteer award of the night. A Grade 11 student at Creighton Community School, Donaghy challenged the school and his community to help him raise money for the Canadian Cancer Society. In one month the student was able to raise $2,372. As promised, the Student Leadership Council member shaved his head on stage during a school assembly. La Verne Hinzman accepted the second award of the night. An area resident for 25 years, Hinzman has been on Creighton Town Council for nine years. Hinzman has been a member of the Lions Club for 25 years and has held various positions with the organization. He received the Melvin Jones Fellow Award and is a Life Member in the Lions Foundation of Canada. A Rotary Club member as well, Hinzman has received the Paul Harris Fellow Award for outstanding volunteerism. Aside from the clubs, Hinzman has been active with the Lions Handivan; Creighton Bingo Palace; Creighton-Flin Flon Walking Path; Habitat for Humanity; Flin Flon and District Environment Council; and the Tri-Service Million Dollar Hole-In-One, to name a few. Ken Vincent of Creighton received the third award of the night. A former Flin Flonner, Vincent has lived in Creighton for 26 years. He and wife Shauna have raised two children. Vincent has worked for Hudbay for more than 34 years _ nine years in the smelter and 25 years as a locomotive engineer. He was a volunteer with the Hudbay Fire Department for five years as well as the Creighton Fire Department for 25 years. He spent three terms on the Flin Flon Library Committee and put in many hours volunteering at Bingos for Recreation. Denare Beach resident Linda Hettrick was honoured for her long list of volunteerism _ including time with the Manitoba Council of Scouts Canada; Denare Beach Ladies Club; Manitoba Lutheran Women's Syndical Board; the Alpha start-up committee; and the Flin Flon General Hospital, where she has assisted in pediatrics and playing board games with the children. Robert Stoupe, introduced as a true Snow Laker, has lived in the North the majority of his life. Having worked in Flin Flon and Thompson for a few years, Stoupe has remained in Snow Lake. His passion for hockey and sports had him join one of the first groups to participate in Snow Lake Snow Drifters. He is the president and treasurer of the club. Stoupe has spent many hours grooming and dragging the trails that connect Snow Lake to Flin Flon, The Pas and Thompson. David Fitzsimons, known as the 'nice Scottish lad' of the night, was presented with an award for his efforts in the Flin Flon area. He arrived in Flin Flon in 1975 to work for Hudbay and soon met his wife, Betty, and had two children. Fitzsimons has been active with the Flin Flon Arts Council, Big Brothers, Flin Flon Station Museum, the Flinty Project and the RNWMP Museum in Creighton. He is often called upon to solve computer problems as well as to put his crafty woodworking hands to use. Henry (Hank) Kosar has helped with many organizations and events in the area, including the Richard Beasley Memorial Fishing Derby. Both of his children were active in the Phantom Lake Soccer Club, where Kosar volunteered for eight years. He has also been an avid volunteer with the Flin Flon Bombers. Over the last 10 years he has done everything from selling raffle tickets to serving as president, a post he still holds. Richard Kozar of Flin Flon is married with four children but still finds plenty of time to volunteer. He joined the Knights of Columbus shortly after moving to Flin Flon in 1988 and has held every position possible with the group. Kozar was named Knight of the Year twice. He is active with St. Ann's Parish, the Rotary Club, the Fireworks Committee, Flin Flon Trout Festival, Flinty's Birthday Bash and the Flin Flon Anime Club. Flin Flon's Sheena Reed received recognition for her work with children and various local groups. Reed can often be found instructing Flinty's Gymnasts, and has been for 24 years. See 'Big...' on pg. 5 Continued from pg. 3 Reed has been a Big Sister; course facilitator to train gymnastics coaches; softball coach; coach at three Manitoba Winter Games; and a board member with the Women's Resource Centre. Reed was presented with the Investors Group Community Sport Administrator Award from Sport Manitoba as well as the Manitoba Gymnastics Association Special Achievement Award in 2008. She has received the Women of Honour Community Legacy Award and has been awarded an honourary lifetime membership from the Flin Flon Friendship Centre. Businesses The gala acknowledged seven businesses in the area: Alpine Convenience Store, Di's Confectionary, Indian Heart Creations, KFC, Reliance Services, Star Auto Body Shop and Grenier Builders. The Flinty Project was named as this year's Ambassador Award recipient. Flinty, along with the project's Dave Price, accepted the award. The project includes Flinty's Boardwalk, long recognized as a community asset and tourist attraction. The gala also recognized the Knights of Columbus. They have been a part of the community for over 75 years. The Knights are a brotherhood of Catholic men who work together for their church and community. They offer a bicycle safety course, host bingos, assist with the annual parish fall supper and bazaar, and can be found at the annual Flinty's Birthday Bash and Trout Festival, among other events.
