Carol and Terry Maxwell: A team

The Volunteer Appreciation dinner during which Bow Island’s Volunteer of the Year came and went Saturday night and Laurie Haynes had no idea that she took home the award until someone congratulated her for the honour the next day at work.

Laurie couldn’t be at the event - she was busy accompanying her daughter to one of her many basketball games. Being a mom is just one of the facets in Laurie’s very busy life.
“It is hard to keep track of all her volunteer activities,” Darla Stensrud, the town’s facility coordinator said during the presentation at the dinner.
Laurie has volunteered with Fire and Ambulance for 15 years, the Joy of Giving for six years, co-chaired the Hospital W.O.R.K.S. organization for four years, coached hockey for a few years when her daughter was younger, taught CPR/AED, volunteered with the Children’s Festival doing first aid and similarly volunteered at Farm Safety events, helped coach t-ball one year, volunteered with the Summer Games when they were in town, volunteered with Safe Grad and worked with Victim’s Assistance.
Laurie has been a very active volunteer for many years including in Burdett. In fact, she was honoured with a Volunteer of the Year award when she lived there as well.
“I was on the rec board in Burdett and involved with their 90th anniversary,” she remembered.
Laurie said she enjoys the time she spends volunteering adding it is much better than just sitting around at home.
She said, “I enjoy helping people in the community. I think it’s passed down in the genes because my dad volunteers for everything to and he says I’m just like him,” she said. “I always liked to help people out.”
Getting the Volunteer of the Year award this year was a real surprise for her.
“I was really shocked and surprised to get the award. There are lots of people in the community that donate many volunteer hours. It’s all of us together that make a community thrive,” she said.

Haynes: Making a community thrive

This year two parties were recognized at the Bow Island annual volunteer supper, each receiving the honour of being the town’s Volunteer of the Year.
Terry and Carol Maxwell received one award. The couple has been volunteering around town for a very long time and have been involved in numerous organizations. Terry Maxwell, who was a member of Cubs and Scouts as a youth feels the encouragement he got as a young man helped him become the volunteer he is today.
“I went through Cubs and Scouts and I belonged to the United Children youth group. The people that ran these - most of them - were man and wife teams, and they were such wonderful leaders that I was inspired. I started as an assistant Scout Master then I went away into the Navy for three years,” he said.
He added one of his first volunteering experiences was very memorable. While in the Navy, volunteers were recruited to work at Vancouver’s PNE.
“I went and did that. I got to stay down at Kitsilano Beach. It was such a wonderful experience. We would work about an hour and a half every night then have full access to the PNE,” he said.
“So he started off on the right foot,” Carol added.
After moving to Bow Island in ‘68 Terry served in several volunteer positions. He was on the planning commission for two years, the library board for three years, is going into his 26th year as a member of the Legion (and he is helping with he current renovation), has helped with the Children’s Festival for 21 years, helped with various chamber activities for about 10 years and coached men’s slo pitch for two years.
It is no wonder the Maxwell’s shared an award since much of what they do, they do as a couple.
Carol has volunteered on the Friends of the Library board and the Children’s Festival, spent 10 with the chamber, volunteered 25 years with the Legion and was a part of the organizing committee for the Pivot Country Fair for many years. Because the timing of that festival interfered with other commitments, she eventually had to give it up.
Carol added that she often acts as treasurer for the volunteer organizations she aids, and in some she has held that position for many years.
However, she wasn’t involved with volunteering in  her youth. She said she grew up on a farm and, unless you count the myriad of chores she helped with there, did not have the chance to volunteer as a young person. Then, after moving to Bow Island the Conquergoods and the Hylands encouraged her to join in and volunteer. Then Inez Kozinski asked her to help out with the Children’s Festival, saying they needed her on the committee. Carol agreed and never looked back.
In fact she said she believes volunteering is an integral part of improving the quality of living in a small community.
“I thoroughly believe our community needs to remain active, and with volunteers there can be activities in our community,” she said.
In fact, the Children’s Festival was in danger of not running this year because many of the people who volunteered to run in for the last 20 or so years stepped down to do other projects. Carol was one of the people who stepped into the void to ensure the event continues. She said that another lady who stepped up remembers going to the festival herself, and she wants to make sure her children and grandchildren have similar opportunities.
“And I think that carries on through all volunteer work,” she said.
Because they sat on so many committees, the Maxwells had a bit of an idea they had been chosen for the award when they received a letter and tickets to attend the annual dinner in the mail, however they were surprised and honoured to be named the Volunteer of the Year.
“We want to thank the community very much for giving us this recognition - and tell them we are not going to stop,” Carol said.
She added that volunteering has enriched her and her husband’s life, and she wanted to thank their children for being understanding while mom and dad were out putting in volunteer hours as they grew up.
“It’s a real sense of accomplishment. You learn a lot and meet so many new people and form new friendships,” she said.
“It makes you feel good,” Terry added.