March 28, 2016
2015 Manitoba Aboriginal Volunteer Awards
The Manitoba Aboriginal Sports & Recreation Council (MASRC) recognizes excellence by Aboriginal Volunteers for their personal commitment to development and dedication to sport.
Each year, up to one Aboriginal male and one Aboriginal female volunteer will be selected to receive the Manitoba Aboriginal Volunteer Award. They will be selected from nominations detailing: the activity the volunteer undertook, their impact on an individual person or group receiving help, perseverance in facing challenges or obstacles, and a summary indicating why they should receive the award.
This year the award will go to individuals who have volunteered in their communities for many years and were extremely busy in 2015.
The Manitoba Aboriginal Sports & Recreation Council is pleased to announce the recipients of the
2015 MANITOBA ABORIGINAL VOLUNTEER of the YEAR AWARDS:
Aboriginal Volunteer Award – Female
Chelsea McKay Cross Lake First Nation
Chelsea, a Brandon University (BU) student, who hails from Cross Lake, is a girl you want to cheer for! She is planning to be a Phys Ed teacher, and is also a part of the BU Women’s Soccer Team. Chelsea is a role model and proud member of the Pimicikamak Cree Nation. Each summer she returns to her community to help volunteer and fundraise for the youth. She helps run soccer academies alongside her soccer team in communities around Brandon. Chelsea volunteered for the CIS Volleyball Nationals (at BU) and has plans to continue running soccer academies in her community every year. The sharing of her experience and knowledge to the youth in Brandon and at home, presents Chelsea as a Role Model with a strong work ethic and don’t give up attitude.
Aboriginal Volunteer Award - Male
Maurice Meeches Long Plain First Nation
Maurice, a volunteer with the Dakota Ojibway Police Service (DOPS), is passionate on ensuring the youth of Long Plain First Nation are taken care of both physically, mentally and culturally. He plans and provides traditional cultural activities and ongoing sport programming such as Volleyball, Basketball, gym nights and the DOPS afterschool program. In the summer he is a volunteer soccer coach and does activities such as fishing with underrepresented youth. At special events such as Louis Riel Day, Winterfest, Long Plain’s Annual Powwow and at Canada Day, he helps out any way he can. Maurice is a Role Model that wants to teach the youth not only culturally, but also though sport and recreation, the importance of keeping active and taking care of their own well-being.