Shandi Thachuk of Calgary Friendship Centre receives leader of tomorrow award

Tuesday, October 31st, 2017 4:19pm
Shandi Thachuk (left) at the Aboriginal Friendship Centre of Calgary with co-worker and nominator, Helen Hamlin
“She has a very gentle, yet a very firm nature in the way that she looks after life.” — Elder Darryl Brass

Alberta Recreation and Parks Association president, Susan Laurin (left)
with Shandi Thachuk and Lieutenant Governor Lois Mitchell (right).

On Oct. 28, the Community Leader of Tomorrow Award was presented to Shandi Thachuk, program coordinator for the Aboriginal Friendship Centre of Calgary for her tireless efforts to provide cultural roots to the urban Indigenous populations of Calgary and surrounding area.

She has demonstrated the qualities expected to make her an outstanding future community leader and has received this Lieutenant Governor’s Leadership for Active Communities Award, which honours the legacy of Norman Kwong’s patronage of the Alberta Active Communities initiative.

“She’s helped to develop so many programs. I think there were two programs when she started here and I think we’re now up to 13 programs, said Darryl Brass, a community Elder. “She has a very gentle, yet a very firm nature in the way that she looks after life.”

Even at her young age, Thachuk is a role model for her coworkers, and respects the role of Elders, striving to make their teachings accessible to those who seek them, reads a press statement.

“I’m always humbled to be recognized for the work that I do,” said Thachuk. “It’s never an expectation of mine to be recognized. I don’t do anything with that goal in mind. My goal is just to always do better for myself and do better for my people.”