Toni Siegle is the 37th winner of Clyde’s annual Volunteer of the Year Award.
Siegle accepted the recognition April 27 as the Clyde and District Ag Society held the latest edition of the Ag 500, which brought about 150 residents from the village and surrounding area together at the Clyde Community Hall for dinner, drinks and a dance to celebrate those who strive to make the village a better place to live.
“It’s really kind of everybody. I find that the people in the Clyde area, especially the people that attend this event, they’re all volunteers and everybody puts forward a huge amount of work to keep the community going and contribute to having things available for the kids and the community and for them to recognize my work is lovely, but it’s all done because it’s just fun,” said Siegle after the award was presented.
The packed hall heard from last year’s winners as well, as Bryan and Shauna Nyal introduced Siegle.
Shauna thanked all the volunteers in the room.
“There are so many people in this community who help out. Communities need volunteers, so I just wanted to thank everyone for a great job,” she said, before going through the laundry list of Siegle’s volunteer work over the years.
From the Mother Goose program to school council and the enhancement society, there is nearly no project or service group Siegle hasn’t been involved with.
“This person has selflessly given their time to community projects without a second thought ... She was a pivotal voice and active member of the planning team for the new school and the playground. This person volunteers for field trip, bake sales and casinos. I don’t think there’s a club they haven’t volunteered and worked a casino for,” Shauna said.
She added that Siegle is also on the CATS board and has been very involved with the Rotary Club and often homes an exchange student. She has also worked numerous shifts at every Rotary play and flipped numerous pancakes at the annual fly-in breakfast.
“Her biggest volunteer venture to date, I’m sure is to help save the Tawatinaw Ski Hill. I’m sure it has been a huge venture for her. From talks with the county, to organizing clean-ups, to ordering ski equipment, fundraising and hiring staff, the time she has spent at the ski hill has been amazing. She’s always there and has a smile on her face and always has time for a chat,” said Shauna.
Siegel agreed her work at the ski hill is especially significant to her.
“The ski hill has been particularly close to my heart because of the fact that there was a possibility it could close down and my husband’s family has a huge history at the ski hill, we’ve been taking our girls there since our oldest was 22 months old, a lot of our favourite family memories were at that place so if it had disappeared I really don’t know what I would have done this winter,” said Siegle.
