Volunteers and Volunteering
Issue: 2018-09-12, PHOTO: Kylie Campbell
Igniting their passion to fight fire
Last year, when I arrived in the Yukon, I saw an article on the Ember Fire Academy, a Yukon Government Protective Service program. There were images of women breaking apart cars and fighting fires and I thought, Wow, what an incredible experience... more
Issue: 2018-09-05, PHOTO: Kylie Campbell
Yukon Ski Patrol
The Canadian Ski Patrol is a national organization is composed of more than 5,000 volunteers from coast to coast, in Canada, in 59 zones and nine divisions. The Yukon Ski Patrol is part of that non-profit organization providing a variety of... more
Issue: 2018-09-05, PHOTO: courtesy of the Yukon Hospital Foundation
Today’s the day the teddy bears have their clinic
The inaugural Teddy Bear Clinic in November 2017 was a hit with families and medical professionals alike as about 200 families came through the door to get checkups for their important stuffie friends. Those attendance numbers, and the... more
Issue: 2018-07-04, PHOTO: Doug Sack
George Arcand has been hitting home runs for over 30 years
On July 12, the annual Dustball tournament kicks off in Whitehorse, and executive director George Arcand will once again be on hand to organize and help make sure things go smoothly. For decades, Arcand has been an institution for softball in the... more
Issue: 2018-05-09, PHOTO: Kylie Campbell
Top 10 tips for your first summer in Whitehorse
Welcome. Here are some tips and tricks to starting out in Whitehorse as a Cheechako (which is the name for being new to the north of 60th parallel). 1. Long summer days and the outdoors Sunsets at midnight can make it difficult to know when to... more
Issue: 2018-05-09, PHOTO: Christian Kuntz Photography
A lifeline for Yukon artists
Yukon visual artist Claire Strauss’ life changed forever when her partner James Kirby was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer. Kirby dedicated his life to his craft and when news of his terminal illness came to light, the Yukon Artist... more
Issue: 2018-05-09, PHOTO: Danny Macdonald
Building character, helping youth
When Bailey Rumbolt first arrived at the Boys and Girls Club of Yukon (BGCY) in 2015, she would never have guessed that it would lead her to big changes in her life. A shy youth lacking confidence, Rumbolt’s first visits were limited to hanging... more
Issue: 2018-03-28, PHOTO: courtesy of Special Olympics Yukon
A different kind of volunteer
Tom Gibbs doesn’t get as many hugs as he used to. As the president of the board of Special Olympics Yukon these past five years, he isn’t working with the athletes as much and he isn’t able to give out as many of those encouraging hugs... more
Issue: 2018-02-07, PHOTO: Darrell Hookey
Sharing a love for film
There are meetings. There is paperwork. There are grants to apply for and cheques to sign. But, for Jessica Hall, being the president of the Yukon Film Society is all about… people. more
Issue: 2018-01-24, PHOTO: Darrell Hookey
A sense of community needs a voice
Sarah Crane will tell you that her Riverdale community is "a great place to live" with its close proximity to downtown and the diversity of its residents. And the trails. Indeed, walk along the shore of the Yukon River, paralleling Riverdale... more
Issue: 2018-01-24, PHOTO: Rick Massie
Celebrate our local hockey team’s good deeds
The local hockey team, led by coach Michael Nemeth, is a semi-finalist in the nationwide Chevrolet Good Deeds Cup Competition this year. They’ve qualified by volunteering and giving back to the community and have already won $2,000 for the... more
Issue: 2017-12-06, PHOTO: Darrell Hookey
Animals need the Humane Society; the Humane Society needs people
Everybody knows that the Humane Society of Yukon takes care of our beloved animals in distress at the society-run Mae Bachur Animal Shelter. But who takes care of the people who take care of the animals? Well, that would be Brent Slobodin, the... more
Issue: 2017-11-29, PHOTO: courtesy of SUP Yukon
Happy 20th anniversary to everyone's favourite river race
Sixteen teams competed in the inaugural Yukon River Quest (YRQ) 20 years ago – that’s a fraction of the numbers anticipated by race organizers in 2018. In the two decades since that first race, the YRQ’s reputation has grown to the point where the... more
Issue: 2017-11-29, PHOTO: Rhiannon Russell
A conversation with Bruno Bourdache
Rhiannon Russell: For those who might not know, tell me about the services Volunteer Bénévoles Yukon offers. Bruno Bourdache: We are a volunteer centre, so we help people find volunteer opportunities and we help NGOs find volunteers. With other... more
Issue: 2017-11-29, PHOTO: Sarah Lewis / courtesy of City of Whitehorse
Meet the City of Whitehorse Volunteer of the Year
Now that Jeff Marynowski is retired, he can finally get some work done. “It’s unbelievable, all the stuff, the things that had piled up over the years because I was so busy volunteering,” said the former head planner with Highways and Public... more
Issue: 2017-11-29, PHOTO: Aislinn Cornett
A beloved musical tradition
Bob Williams knows the residents and staff at Copper Ridge Place quite well. That’s because the longtime Yukoner, musician and volunteer has been playing music at the continuing care facility since it was built eight years ago. On Wednesdays at... more
Issue: 2017-11-29, PHOTO: Danny Macdonald
Don’t mourn the soup kitchen, ask what’s next?
The volunteers at the soup kitchen don’t want the spotlight. Approach a soup kitchen volunteer to discuss their contributions and they quickly promote others who have put in time and effort to provide weekend lunches at the CYO Hall in the the... more
Issue: 2017-10-25, PHOTO: Nita Daniels
He is a steward of the trails
To begin to understand Mark Daniels, you must first discard the stereotypes of a snowmobile owner. Yes, the president of the Klondike Snowmobile Association (KSA) owns snowmobiles – and ATVs and dirtbikes and quads and boats – but these are mostly... more
Issue: 2017-10-11, PHOTO: Ride For Dad - Matt Jacques Photography
Ride for Dad Rolls Into Town
Sixteen of the country’s top prostate researchers are meeting in Whitehorse this month and it’s partly because of Mike Thorpe. “Mike is very much responsible for this,” said Garry Janz, president of Ride for Dad – a non-profit organization that... more
Issue: 2017-09-27, PHOTO: Sue Starr
Helping to Warm Whitehorse Feet
For decades – well, for centuries - knitters have worked their craft to warm others. Whitehorse knitters are continuing that tradition this year, aiming to collectively craft 150 pairs of socks to contribute to the city’s Outreach Van... more