Spirit of Revelstoke awards celebrate strong volunteer community

Nominations are now open for the Spirit of Revelstoke awards, Community Futures Revelstoke’s annual celebration of the volunteer work throughout town.

“We want to publicly recognize those key volunteers in our organizations in front of the volunteer community and highlight their great work,” Kevin Dorrius, Community Futures Revelstoke general manager said.

Community Futures has been organizing the Spirit of Revelstoke awards for nearly two decades now, motivated by the amount of non-profit organizations and volunteers in Revelstoke.

“We were looking at volunteerism and just how important volunteerism is to the community and different organizations,” Dorrius said, explaining the Spirit of Revelstoke award felt like a way to highlight that importance while promoting volunteer opportunities.

“You need to recognize those who are going above and beyond and doing a great job for the community.”

Nominees can be any age as long as they have made significant volunteer contributions such as snow removal throughout winter, regular volunteering with a community organization or having a major role in a specific project that benefits Revelstoke at large.

Revelstoke volunteer fair

Partnered with the Spirit of Revelstoke awards is the Revelstoke volunteer fair, a staple event during Welcome Week festivities. The fair hosts non-profits and other ways to volunteer in Revelstoke for newcomers to explore. That same volunteer drive in town is often found in those just arriving as well.

“A lot of times, our seasonal visitors, and even those that are moving here for a longer stay, they all want to become a part of the community,” Dorrius said, adding that volunteerism runs deep throughout Canada.

You don’t have to be a Revelstoke newcomer to find something at the volunteer fair, with Dorrius inviting anyone to come down and see what’s available.

“What I just love is walking around and seeing the sheer number of organizations and all the good that they do. I find it so inspiring to see,” he said.
Nominations for the Spirit of Revelstoke awards can be submitted online and are open until Friday, Nov. 7. Winners will be announced Wednesday, Nov. 12 on the Community Futures website and social media channels. Certificates will be presented Tuesday, Nov. 25 at 6 p.m. at the Volunteer Fair, hosted at the Revelstoke Community Centre.