Nola Sanderson is a community volunteer in town of Maple Creek, Saskatchewan. Nola is a volunteer with Maple Creek Communities in Bloom and the newly formed Swimming Pool Committee.
“Being immersed in volunteering in communities has made it become a way of life for me,” says Nola. Her proudest accomplishments as a volunteer have been helping with building of the Maple Creek Arena in 2004-2005 and her time volunteering with Communities in Bloom.
Nola was the Chair of the building committee for the Maple Creek Arena, and participated in fundraising activities. It was a project that brought together not only the skating community, but also people from the town and rural areas. There was a job for everyone and there was never a shortage of volunteers.
In 2017, Nola helped Maple Creek receive 5-Blooms win the community’s population category in the Communities in Bloom National Competition. The volunteer committee began only seven years prior with the goal of improving the appearance of the town. They worked their way through the Provincial levels of judging and went on to the National level in record time.
Along the way, the committee saw improvements to Maple Creek through beautification, land reclamation, Municipal bylaw innovations and volunteer retention. Visitors to the town have increased and their comments are very positive. They have also attracted new business and residents to town, which is so positive for the business community and the overall vitality of Maple Creek.
For people considering volunteering, Nola has this piece of advice, “Do what you can, no matter how small and lead by example. My grandmother would be proud to know that I learned these at her side and have continued through my life.”
