聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 A 90-year-old woman credited with a long list of volunteer work and who also has a passion for gardening was selected as the recipient of the 2014 Garden of Saskatchewan Citizenship plaque.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Helen Panchuk was presented with the plaque by her friend Irene Dumont during a private luncheon last week.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Panchuk, (nee Sakal) who was nominated for the award by Dumont and 鈥渁ll members of the Kamsack Horticultural Society,鈥� celebrated her 90th birthday on November 11.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淎nyone who knows Helen knows that she鈥檚 a real go-getter,鈥� the nomination paper says. 鈥淗er petite stature does not slow down seven days a week, 365 days a year.
鈥淔resh air and good old down home farm living have made her the feisty lady she is to this day,鈥� it says. 鈥淗er talents in the areas of gardening, sewing quilts and cooking and her devotion to her faith have spilled into the many volunteer hours she has graciously donated to the community.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Panchuk served four years as a 4-H junior sewing leader and five years as a Pathfinder leader. She was a camp advisor with the Girl Guides, served three years on the Eaglestone Lodge auxiliary and over 20 years on the Kamsack Hospital auxiliary with many of those years serving as its secretary. She spent about 15 years on the nursing home auxiliary and was a member of the Kamsack Housing Authority for 21 years.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淥ne of Helen鈥檚 passions is her flowers. She has won many ribbons and awards for her beautiful displays, which are the result of hard work and a love of nature. She has been part of the Kamsack and District Horticultural Society for over 25 years and has been a member of the Norquay Horticultural Society for 10 years.鈥�
In addition to growing her own flowers and vegetables to exhibit in shows, Panchuk was trained as a horticulture judge and as such has judged many shows in other communities. She was a member of the Association of Agricultural Societies and Exhibitions.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 A member of the Heart and Home Quilting Guild in Kamsack, she has made and donated many quilts for various community groups, and has served for four years with the United Church worship committee.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淎lways active and on the move, Helen walked to Veregin from Kamsack to raise funds for the nursing home. With the Girl Guides, she planted spruce trees on each side of the highway by the former toll booth area at Madge Lake. She was also one of the individuals who helped establish the Trackside Garden in Kamsack.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭his dynamite lady exemplifies what a volunteer is,鈥� the nomination says. 鈥淗er heart and soul are devoted to the community and the organizations that are near and dear to her heart and her family.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 It has been said that Panchuk 鈥渄rives her minivan like a woman on a mission and one had better hang on for dear life because she has places to go and people to see.
鈥淲ho else can curl her hair in the dark and come out looking like a million dollars?
鈥淗er love of nature and her skill working with her hands make Helen a memorable lady and a wise mentor to many others鈥� and she has many plans for the upcoming decade.鈥�
Helen and her husband Mike have four children: Diane (Vidomski), Lonnie, Gary and Marjorie.
