Athabasca’s Madena Reimer is still having a hard time believing that she’s won the “Most Loving Albertan” contest.
“Everything was so surreal. It was like I was in a dream and yesterday driving home, I said to my husband, ‘Did this all happen? Did this really happen? Did I win the trip? I mean, did this contest happen?’ It’s just a lot to sink in. It’s amazing. It’s unbelievable,” said Reimer.
The Road to Hope transportation coordinator made it to the top 10 nominees last week and, to her, even that was unbelievable.
“I’ve had a couple days and it still hasn’t really sunk in yet. Just everything. The whole nomination, the trip, it’s taken a while to sink in,” she said,
“I’m actually speechless and I don’t get speechless very often. I’m very overwhelmed, with joy, with gratitude, with everybody who got me that far.”
Reimer, along with the other nine nominees, travelled to Settler on Friday to watch the winner be pulled out of a hat. She stated that when her name was pulled out of a hat, she couldn’t stop crying.
“There’s so many great things that I’ve had in my life and so many blessings and that day, that minute, that moment, it took my breath away and I was so, so overwhelmed and overwhelmed with gratitude, the tears, I still haven’t stopped crying when I think about it,” she said.
The contest was created by Settler’s Cory and Eva Borek after they had won a trip to Hawaii when they bought a new car.
“(Reading the stories) feels way better then I imagine a trip to Hawaii ever could. There’s so many amazing people and so many amazing things. It’s just so inspiring and it’s really become about so much more than a trip,” said Cory in a previous interview.
Although Reimer is happy she won – and is very excited to go to Hawaii for the first time – she still can’t help but feel a little bad that not everyone could win.
“I wish everybody could have gone. All 10 nominees, all 1,500, there’s so many people. I almost felt a little bit bad at that moment when I won and I knew the other nominees didn’t win. I was looking at their faces and I was sad for them. But, I knew somebody had to win,” said Reimer.
That being said, she’s quick to point out that, although winning the contest was nice, that’s not why she helps people.
“‘Life isn’t about wealth. It helps, yeah, to have money and it’s not about fancy trips, but they’re good, too. It’s about sharing what’s in our hearts and sharing it with the world and to me no trip, no amount of money, you can’t put a price tag on how that makes you feel,” she added.
It’s a feeling that she believes makes everything else worthwhile.
“One day when I die, all I want for people to really say is that I have lived and loved and I have given everything to my life and to helping the lives of others, that I put my whole heart into being and giving. Your legacy of love will be etched in the hearts of those you touch,” she said.
“You will live forever not in the stone monument engraved at the cemetery with your name on it, but in the acts of kindness engraved with your love. I encourage everyone today, where ever you go, leave a heart print. Live an inspired life and make difference, even if only for one person”
