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Top volunteer named Mother of the Year |
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Written by BERNICE TRICK
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Wednesday, 07 May 2008 |
Laura Sandberg, Mother of the Year, mans the desk for the North Central Municipal Association Conference. (Citizen photo by David Mah)
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The challenge is to catch Laura Sandberg at home rather than manning a registration desk, organizing recycling projects and events, baking cookies for blood donor clinics or doing tax returns for seniors and low-income people.
The senior citizen said she was "very honoured and humbled' to be selected the 2008 Mother of the Year by the Fraternal Order of Eagles .
"I was surprised. I don't quite think of myself as a mother these days. My kids are in their 50s, so my mothering days are pretty well over, but it was explained to me that this is more of a community service award," said Sandberg.
She will be the honoured guest during Saturday's annual Mother's Day banquet in the Eagles Hall on Dagg Road. She said she knows how it all works since she's attended the event a number of times.
Laura, with husband, Milo, came to Prince George in 1951, raised daughters Brenda and Gwen, and during their growing years, volunteered 10 years of service to the Girl Guides.
Retired since 1987 following a 30-year career with the Bank of Montreal, her volunteering contributions happen on a daily basis: recycling cans and glass from a strata building to raise funds for the Salvation Army; organizing Adopt-a-Block litter pickup days, completing about 36 tax returns free, and helping out at numerous projects and events by Heart and Stroke, Festival of Trees, CNIB, ALS, Canada Day food booth, Northern Medical Trust, White Cane Club, AimHi, Communities in Bloom and Adopt-a-Basket, Bibles for Mission thrift store, serving on public library and Huble Homestead boards and more, that would make the average senior tired to just think about.
Her boundless energy is used daily to do good for others, and when it comes to age, she says she's "old enough for the old-age pension and that's all that matters."
"I get up in the morning and go to the Elder Citizens' Recreation Centre for coffee before I start my day. I think every day is good and every day is different. Anyone who's had a serious bout of illness like myself appreciates every day," said Sandberg, who's a past recipient of College of Regents Degree from the Women of the Moose for which she did special projects as far away as Idaho, a 2000 United Nations award for volunteer services and the city's 2005 outstanding volunteer award of merit.
Banquet tickets for those wishing to attend are $8 at the Jerky Factory in Hart Centre Mall.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 07 May 2008 )
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