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Dwight and Bonnie Olson named Tisdale’s Citizen of the Year

TISDALE — Two newly retired community volunteers and world travellers were selected as Tisdale’s citizen of the year.

TISDALE — Two newly retired community volunteers and world travellers were selected as Tisdale’s citizen of the year.

Dwight and Bonnie Olson were presented with the award at the Tisdale and District Chamber of Commerce Imprints of Success Awards Gala held April 30.

The two had just retired from working at the Beeland Co-op on March 1.

Bonnie believes the job helped open up doors for them to engage with the community.

“We tended to develop a relationship with our customers as we were working, and besides that we continue with our tours,” Bonnie said.

Every year the Olsons lead both a student tour and adult tour, taking community members somewhere in the world.

“That’s something we’re both very passionate about,” Bonnie said. “We enjoy doing and we enjoy providing that opportunity for people to travel and share in that passion that we so enjoy ourselves.”

The award was chosen based on an online public vote.

The two said they were surprised and honoured to receive the award. While they’re not sure why people voted for them, they have their suspicions.

“I think it’s our personalities, outgoingness and care for people, and interest in people,” Dwight said. “We enjoy engagement with people. We’re very outgoing, that’s the way we are. We brought up kids to be that way, and that sort of thing.

He believes they received the outgoing nature and involvement with the community from their own parents.

 “It’s our nature and the way we live to do things.”

In the last year Dwight was involved in volunteering with the Telus Cup Western Regionals.

“It was a very rewarding experience, great community to work with... great committee to work with. I enjoyed it,” Dwight said. “It was very demanding at times but very rewarding.”

He believes he enjoys volunteering at these events due to his previous job as director of recreation and parks for the Town of Tisdale. In this job he was tasked with planning of different events.

“That’s how it all evolved.”

In the past year Bonnie has been active with the Christ Lutheran Church.

Jeanette Lykken, president of the Tisdale and District Chamber of Commerce said she believes the community voted for the Olsons due to both their volunteering and their personalities.

“They’re wonderful people, they’re always out there in the community, willing to talk to everybody,” Lykken said. “And they’ve been on so many committees that they have been around pretty much everyone in Tisdale.”

At the gala, Raelene Franklin received Citizen’s Honour. The award is designed to recognize citizens and business leaders in the area who have positively impacted the community over an extended period of time.

Franklin, an active volunteer in the community, died in July of 2018.

“Raelene’s contributions were over a great many years,” Lykken said. “Her dedication through the Kinettes, the skate park, all of her school activities, just her community minded heart is the reason I think a lot of people voted for her.”

Other award recipients at the gala were:

  • Barron’s Funeral Chapel received Pioneer Business
  • The Sweet Cup Gourmet Cakes and Coffee received Business of the Year
  • Soil Tech Services Ltd. received Agricultural Business of the Year
  • Community Falkon Theatre received Group of the Year
  • Kalen Ukrainetz received Junior Citizen of the Year
  • Brittany Bohachewski received Customer’s Choice of the Year