I have been a member of the Board of Directors of Volunteer Lethbridge for just over a year. My wife Gayle and I moved to Lethbridge after my graduation from the University of Alberta Law School in 1980, and have lived here ever since, raising all of our seven children here. We now are blessed to include 28 grandchildren in the family, the most recent being born March 1st, 2024.
I am now semi-retired from my law practise and have served on various boards and with other community organizations, including a number of years as a member of the Provincial Board of Directors of the Duke of Edinburgh award, which is a youth challenge program sponsored by members of the Royal Family, involving outdoor adventures, and community service.
In addition, I have served in various capacities as a leader and area trainer for Scouts Canada, and I received my 35 year service pin. My wife Gayle and I recently returned from a three-year volunteer service mission for our church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, during which time we were stationed in Eastern Canada, and were responsible for approximately 200 young adults ages 18-25 who were serving volunteer missions, including a significant component of community service. As such, we were involved in connecting them with various community organizations all over the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and PEI.
My wife Gayle and I are also presently serving as the Communication Directors for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for the Southern Alberta Region, and we are responsible for the JustServe plaltform, which is a free application sponsored by the Church, devoted to generating more community volunteers to support non profit organizations, and which works together with Volunteer Lethbridge in various initiatives in the region.
I feel that my main strength I can bring to the Board is an appreciation and understanding of the importance of community based, charitable and non profit organizations such as Volunteer Lethbridge ,in order to assist the most vulnerable sectors of our population. I have seen first hand the power and positive influence of doing volunteer work, especially in the lives of young people, and I feel I can help Volunteer Lethbridge achieve its objectives through my life’s experiences and genuine concern for others.