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Vol. 10, No. 30, Tuesday, May 26, 2015
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MUNDARE COMMUNITIES IN BLOOM COMMITTEE
Teacher Nellie Sobkow with her Grade 4 class from Mundare School and members of the Communities In Bloom (CIB) committee planting vegetables in the downtown planter beds for the Communities In Bloom (CIB) committee on May 21.
Mundare Fire Chief and Deputy Chief receive exemplary service medals Michelle Pinon Editor It’s those 2 a.m. phone calls, the early morning and late evening training sessions, and bailing out of family functions that are all part of being a firefighter; but Mundare Fire Chief Glenda Dales and Deputy Chief Charlie Gargus aren’t your average firefighters. The volunteer duo have been going above and beyond the call of duty for people in their community for more than 30 years, and both were bestowed with Exemplary Service Medals by the Office of the Fire Commissioner during a special ceremony on Sunday, May 24 in Red Deer. Missing dinner can be a regular occurrence, and Dales remembers the time they were called out on Thanksgiving. “My Thanksgiving dinner once fed the crew!” laughs Dales. Around 80 per cent of Alberta’s fire
departments are manned and operated by volunteer firefighters. “If we don’t have people like our firefighters, where will we be?” asks Dales in the third person. Both she and Gargus said they joined the fire department because they wanted to help out the community. The same reason they volunteered back then is the same reason they volunteer now. “We get so many thank you cards,” adds Dales. “People are so appreciative.” What is most personally gratifying for Dales, she says, “Is seeing the person’s face when they realize they haven’t lost their house or when we’re on a medical assist that their spouse or child is going to be okay. It’s really worth it.” What a lot of people don’t realize is that being a firefighter is more than just firefighting, explains Dales, as they volunteer their time to teach fire prevention in schools, fire safety to seniors, fundraising for firefighting equip-
ment, and providing a variety of services to the community. For example, they will be controlling traffic during the upcoming Telus Motorcycle Ride For Dad fundraiser on Saturday, June 13 as well as the special service at the grotto on June 28. Dales jokes that she didn’t join the department for the money, a small honorarium is paid to all volunteers, which is a small token compared to the invaluable service and SUBMITTED PHOTO sacrifice they make for Mundare Fire Chief Glenda Dales and Deputy Fire Mundare and area resi- Chief Charlie Gargus received their 30 year dents they protect. Exemplary Service Medals on May 24 in Red Deer. “I’m proud to be part of such a great group of people,” added faced many challenges and reaped Gargus, who was pleased to receive the many rewards by volunteering with medal along with his long-time col- the fire department; and both they, and league. Both Dales and Gargus have the community are far richer for it.