Featured Volunteers

The key to our success rests in people like you, who embody the spirit of greatness by saying, "Yes I can, and so can YOU!"

Thanks for your inspiring dedication and tremendous example to our community.

Martha Fretts

Martha started volunteering for the 2010 Arctic Winter Games in November 2009 and has already worked many different venues. She has represented the Games at the Farmers Market, AMA, Costco, GPRC, Montrose Cultural Centre, Soccer Pitch Finals and a Storm game. With her Super Star Service training, Martha will run four of the volunteer training sessions. She is a familiar face at the Games office and the Games store.

Grande Prairie, Alberta is a community Martha is proud to be a part of and she feels the pride of being a Canadian will be demonstrated with the success the Games. “I feel we can showcase Grande Prairie, Alberta and Canada as being the best place in the world to live,” said Martha.

The international connection of the 2010 Arctic Winter Games and giving back to the community is what initially got Martha involved with this event. The “importance of volunteering and supporting” and meeting so many of the dedicated people who have been working on this project for the past three years is very rewarding.

Martha is looking forward to meeting people from all the participating countries including Canada. “Just being a part of this, in my small way, will be an adventure that I never expected to have.”

Martha has been a volunteer for many years and is the mother of two girls – one of which is a volunteer at the Olympics in Vancouver. She has been active with many Boards in this community and a member of A.C.T. Woman’s Club. Many of the major events which have come to Grande Prairie have seen Martha participate as a volunteer. “I am proud to say my involvement has encouraged my children and grandchildren to also become involved.”

Ira Redwood

With family roots going back three generations in the Grande Prairie area, Ira Redwood sees the 2010 Arctic Winter Games as a way to keep active and involved in the community.
“Community work is very much in my blood,” says Redwood, who has volunteered with the Kinsmen Club of Canada, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Scouts Canada, the Salmon River Watershed Roundtable, and other Naturalist groups, ranging from grunt work, to public speaker, to president.   

 “Being active in one's community is a critical part of anyone's well-being, in my mind.  Knowing that you've done a good job, without any other incentive than to do good, is vastly rewarding. “  
Redwood, born in the year Grande Prairie became incorporated as a city, found out about the Arctic Winter Games via a television broadcast – on someone else’s set! With his curiosity piqued, he did some research on the Games.

“These Games are unique to the Northern Hemisphere, and for the most part, provide opportunities to First Nation and other remote northern communities that would not be available otherwise. It also seems to me the Arctic athletes are just as passionate about the individual sports they're competing in as any Olympic athlete,” explains Redwood, an experienced  snowshoer, and downhill and cross-country skier.

“I've learned more about dog-sledding (or mushing). Grande Prairie is a great place to be holding these games, since it already has much of the infrastructure needed for such an event. “
 Redwood, who works as a civil lab technologist at the Grande Prairie office of Genivar, feels the most rewarding part of the volunteer experience is meeting a number of wonderful, positive, cooperative people - some of whom are his old school-mates!

“The best thing about the Games, though, is to be just out there, helping the athletes and spectators have the time of their lives.”   

William Vavrek

Elsie Gordey

Elsie Gordey was the 113^th volunteer to sign up for the 2010 Arctic Winter Games in Grande Prairie. She volunteered for the Grand Opening of the Games Office and Store, and even staffed our first ever promotional booth at Prairie Mall.

She states the difference that make the Arctic Winter Games is the culture and sports events, (arctic/dene) and the youth orientation.

Elsie has volunteered for many sets of games, both summer and winter. She finds the chance to meet new people and make a difference very fulfilling, as well as being enjoyable.

The mixture of cultural and sporting events, and the focus on youth, is what make the Arctic Winter Games so unique to Elsie. She says the most challenging part of her involvement so far has been trying to be available as much as possible, due to many volunteer commitments throughout the community.

Elsie is very excited for the Games to begin so she can meet people from difference cultures and places. She can’t wait to take in the Arctic and Dene Sports. The greatest benefit to volunteering for Elsie is the enjoyment she gets from helping where she can.

Elsie and her husband are retired; they have 5 children and 4 grandchildren. She loves looking after her flower beds in the summer and decorating their home for each season. Elsie enjoys making the crafts that she displays around her home, and baking sweet treats for the Games Crew! 

Monty Haughian & Shane Bird, Director & Assistant Director of Sport Facilities

Monty & Shane take care of the planning, procurement & preparedness of ALL Arctic Winter Games Sports Facilities. Their job is a big one, but they are also the first to volunteer at special events, and offer help wherever it's needed.

Both of these volunteers are available and accessible. They go beyond their specific duties and are always happy to assist other divisions and individuals.

Their commitment to the Games, and spirit of giving is exemplary!

Dave Hurta, Director of Medical Services

Dave has been an integral part of the Arctic Winter Games coming to Grande Prairie. He was a member of the Bid Committee and is currently the Chair of Medical Committee of the Care and Comfort Division. He will be overseeing doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, massage therapists and first aiders who will be providing medical attention, physiotherapy, massages etc. to the athletes while they are participating in the Arctic Winter Games.

Dave has participated as a Mission Staff member for previous Arctic Winter Games and Canada Games. He is also on the board of the Northwest Alberta Sport Development Centre. Dave is extremely organized, intelligent and more than willing to offer assistance to others. With Dave the work always gets done, he is very dependable.

Doug Harper, Assistant Director of Sport Technical

Doug has been a tireless volunteer for a number of years, and has been involved with the 2010 Games since the beginning. He attended the very first organizational meeting where he offered his expertise immediately. And after years of involvement with the Arctic Winter Games in other communities, he was a member of the bid committee that helped bring the 2010 Games to Grande Prairie.

Doug served on Mission Staff for the 2000 Games in Whitehorse, and the 2004 Games in Wood Buffalo. He has worked for many years with the sport of Alpine Skiing while also teaching Speak Out for Hockey Alberta and Coach Certification Courses for N.C.C.P.

Through his involvement with Grande Prairie's Alberta Summer Games held in 2000, Doug saw first-hand what tremendous hosts our community can be! He has been invaluable to not only to the Sport Technical Division but also to the Management Committee as a whole.

April Weavell, Assistant Director of Marketing / PR

Since becoming a volunteer with the 2010 Arctic Winter Games shortly after Grande Prairie won the bid in 2007, April says she is inspired over and over again by stories of those who have been involved in past Arctic Winter Games – of the lifelong friends they have made, the unforgettable opportunities they had experiencing and sharing in the cultures of their northern friends, and the inspirational stories of achievements and accomplishments.

As Media Chair and Assistant Director of Marketing and Public Relations, April said she became part of the Arctic Winter Games team because she saw knew that hosting these unique Games was a tremendous opportunity for our community. Raising her family in Grande Prairie, April said it made sense to get involved in an event that would not only showcase our region, but would showcase the talents and athletic and artistic achievements of young people.

The excitement is building, and already April is fielding calls from international media curious to learn what our north western Alberta region will have to offer the world in March of 2010. She says she is proud to be part of such a dynamic, committed Arctic Winter Games team that is growing and becoming more energized each day. April is looking forward to the upcoming year and the chance to help create unforgettable memories and experiences.

Michelle Dupont, Chair of Advertising / Publications / Website

Michelle has been a proud volunteer of the Arctic Winter Games since shortly after they were first awarded to our community in 2007.

As chair of advertising, publications and website, she was part of the Grande Prairie contingent that traveled to the 2008 Games in Yellowknife. Michelle first moved to Grande Prairie eight years ago for a job in broadcasting, she dusted off her radio-news experience for the trip North as she gathered information and interviews to send back to the media in Grande Prairie.

For her it was the sharing of communities that set these Games apart from similar Games events; the opportunity for developing athletes, performers, coaches and volunteers to strengthen their skills, see new places and share the sports and culture of their community with others from North of the 55th parallel.

Michelle has since volunteered her skills in advertising, media, and promotions as part of the marketing and public relations division of the Games, and most recently joined the 2010 Staff. The experience has already been great fun and wonderfully rewarding she says, giving her the opportunity to work with talented, inspiring people to bring this high profile international event to Grande Prairie.