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NorthernersVolunteers18TuesdayApril232012VolunteeringfromnorthtosouthforthenextgenerationSocialworkerndsfulllmentinpaddingschedulewithunpaiddeedsByRENEFRANCOEURNonaGermanisnotonetositaround.Imwhatyoudcallase-rialvolunteerGerman53saidwithalaugh.IfmydayjobendedIdstillbebusy.ItmaybealotofcrazinessbutIloveit.Itsmycupoftea.GermanasocialworkerbytradewhorunstheNorthernStudentEducationInitiativeNSEIoutoftheBenCalfRobeSocietyinEdmontonwasbornandraisedinYel-lowknifeandhasbeenvol-unteeringforaslongasshecanremember.MyparentswerebothbigvolunteersinYellowknife.Theywereofthemindsetyougivebacktotheplaceyouliveinshesaid.MyfatherFredGermanwasactuallyaserialvolunteeraskanyonewhoknewhim.Hehelpedbuildchurcheshehelpedroundupothervolun-teers.Hedidalotofgood.GrowingupIrememberthekidsinmyneighbourhoodringingthedoorbellandask-ingforMr.Germantocomeoutandplaybecausehewassoinvolved.Germansrstvolunteer-inggigwaswithGirlGuideswhenshewasjustonthebrinkofadolescence.ThiswasbackwhennotverymuchofYellowknifewaspavedsowedcleanupallthetrails.Thatstartedit.Ivebeenalifetimevolunteereversince.TheNSEIprogramwhichassistsAboriginalandotherstudentsfromtheNWTandNunavutinpursuingpost-secondaryeducationandthesubsequenttransitionfromaNorthernlifestyletoasouthernurbancommu-nityhasmadevolunteeringthatmuchmoreofafocusinGermanslife.Mycareerhasbecomealifestyle.ItrytomakemyvolunteerworkassistwiththeworkIdowiththeyoungpeopleshesaid.Thatsmywayofcontributingtothenextgenerationbecausetheyretheonesthatmatter.Theyrelearningfromusrightnowandtheyllbetakingcareofusinthefuture.OneofGermansvolunteercommitmentsisservingontheUniversityofAlbertasanimalcareandusecom-mitteeforaboutvetosixhoursamonth.Volunteeringatthiscom-mitteehasledtosuchgreatnetworkingthatsomeoftheseresearchersonthecommitteenowgivemystudentgroupscomingfromtheNorthamoreindepthschooltour.Thishasbeenabsolutelyfantasticandimpactingforthosekids.GermanalsocurrentlysitsontheAboriginalliaisoncom-mitteefortheEdmontonpoliceandtheAboriginalAdvisoryCouncilforHomewardTrustEdmontonanot-for-profitorganizationstrivingtoendhomelessness.Mydaycanstartat600a.m.andendatmidnight.ItakestudentscallsatanytimeGermansaid.Tomeweallhavesomethingtogiveandifyoureacapablehumanonthisplanetyoushouldbevolunteering.Germanmaynolongerlivefull-timeintheNWTbutthathasntstoppedherfromcontinuingtovolunteerintheNorthaswell.LastTuesdayshewasbackinherhometowntovolunteerfortheTerritorialSkillsCom-petitionwherehighschoolandpost-secondarystudentsfacedoffinaseriesoftradeandtechnicalskillevents.Iarrivedadayearlyhelpedthemsetup-allthatgruntworkyouknow.ThenIhadaboothduringthecompeti-tionforstudentstolearnmoreaboutmyprogramandthere-sourcesandservicesavailabletothemsotheyknowthattheycanpursuehighereducationnomatterwhatGermansaid.Indstudentshaveahardtimebelievinginthemselvesandittakestheextratimetheextraworktoencouragethemtostartbelieving.GermanwasalsoinInuvikearlierintheyeartovolunteerwiththeNWT-NorthRegionalSkillsCompetition.Volunteeringwithstudentsisneverawasteshesaid.Youalwayslearnfromthemtooastheyrelearningfromyou.Apr.21-27isNationalVol-unteerWeek.PhotocourtesyofNonaGermanTomeweallhavesomethingtogiveandifyoureacapablehumanonthisplanetyoushouldbevolunteering.NonaGermanHayRiverhockeyherorewardedforgivingbackByKRISTENCAMPBELLHayRivermaynothavewonthegrandprizebutthehardworkofoneavidvolun-teerearnedthetownasecondplacenishinthisyearsKraftHockeyGoesOncontest.JeffAshbyamanknownforhisdedicationtovolunteerismwasawarded20000forHayRiversminorhockeyassocia-tionafterthetownralliedfortwodaysofintensevoting.Formanyinthecommunitythecompetitionwasntjustaboutgettingthemoneyforminorhockeybutgivingamantheappreciationhedeserves.AshbywasawardedthesecondplaceprizeforWest-ernCanadabeatforrstbySaskatchewansGrantBerger.Hesaidthesecondplacen-ishwasunbelievableandheisstillbuzzingwithexcitement.Iwasexcitedhesaid.Reallyexcited.Thenightithappenedtherewasabunchofusatthearena.Hesaidhedidntknowwhetherheshouldlaughorcry.Ashbysavidvolunteerismbuddedafterattendingawom-ensleaguegameapproximatelyeightyearsago.FromtherehestartedregularlyvisitingthearenaandassistingthePeeweeandBantamleagueswiththeirequipmentscorekeepingandcleanup.AshbyalsolendsahelpinghandattheNWTTrackandFieldChampionshipsRelayforLifeandotherlarge-scalecommunityevents.LynneButhhasknownAshbysincehersonstartedplayinghockeysevenyearsago.SheputAshbysnameforwardforthecompetitionbecauseshefeltitwasawaytorecog-nizehisunlimiteddedicationtoHayRiver.InominatedJeffasawaytopubliclythankhimforallthethingshedoesnotonlyforminorhockeyandallicesportsinourcommunitybutfortheentiretownshesaid.Whatanaccomplishmentitwaswhenwefoundouthemadethetop25nomineesacrosstheentirecountrythatwasoutofover1000entries.ButhwasinEdmontonwhenthenalresultsincludingAsh-byssecondplacenishwereannouncedliveonTSNduringtheMontrealversusPhiladelphiaNHLgameonApr.3.ManyofthosewhowereinHayRivercongregatedatthearenawiththestaroftheeveninghimselftocheerhimonandseethere-sults.Ashbysaccomplishmentwasalsomentionedattheminorhockeyassociationsannualban-quetonApril16.Itishardtoimaginethescopeofwhatwewereabletoaccomplishhere.Wemanagedtogetmorevotesthan15othercommunitiesincludingplacesaslargeasWinnipegEdmon-tonandCalgaryButhsaid.ThemoneywillbeusedtorenovateHayRiversarenabutthatisntthemostvaluablegainfromthecompetitioninButhsopinion.Thebiggestandmostim-portantthingthathascomefromallofthisthoughisthatJeffnowknowsjusthowmuchhemeanstousallandweweregivensuchagreatopportunitytoshowhiminaverypublicwayshesaid.NorthernersVolunteersJeffAshbyPhotoLynneButhNonaGermanhelpsUniversityofAlbertastudentMar-shallJohnsonwithaquickcourseworkquestion.