聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Claudia Mullis of Kisbey was honoured on Saturday, Oct. 21, for her efforts in the Rebekah Assembly of Saskatchewan and being recently named President of the provincial body.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Mullis has been a member of the Rebekahs for 30 years and has enjoyed giving back to her community and province.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淰erna [Reed] asked me to join and at the time my sister-in-law 鈥� Kathy Nankivell 鈥� and I both decided we would,鈥� Mullis said. 鈥淪he was married and had young kids at the time, while I was single and had just moved back to the community to help with the family business. So, I was just back and decided to jump in.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e work together on different projects in the community and often will partner with the Fire Department and the Elks, as well as the Rec Centre. Many in our community wear many hats, so it makes it easy for us to all come together. We share common goals, which allow us all to bring as much as we can to our village. We can put on functions for our community and draw in others from the surrounding area as well.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 For Mullis, the decision to begin the process of becoming President of the Rebekahs was one made with a lot of thought.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t鈥檚聽 a process鈥� you begin as Warden which is like the second Vice President, then First Vice President, President, and then you stay on as Past President,鈥� Mullis stated. 鈥淪o, it鈥檚 a four year commitment.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 going to, but I had always kind of wanted to and didn鈥檛 know when the right time was. My kids are grown up now and I鈥檓 my own boss here [at Nankivell Trucking], so have the ability to say when I can or can鈥檛 go because of work. So, I just felt it was the right time and I had some gentle persuasion from ladies here who wanted to see me go through.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Deciding the time was right, she began the process, with a strong mandate, 鈥淭oday is a scary time for organizations right now. The volunteers aren鈥檛 coming out like they used to鈥� people don鈥檛 want to join anything and they don鈥檛 want the ceremony. Many people like what we do, but they don鈥檛 want to be a member. I wanted to help ensure we鈥檙e around to assist with projects.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 want us to keep it viable. To keep us in the public eye. I don鈥檛 want this organization to go away because we do good work.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Locally they have partnered with the Elks to create a scholarship for the Mentorship Program in Arcola School.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭he Elks and the Rebekahs combined $250 each to provide a $500 scholarship each year,鈥� Mullis explained. 鈥淭hey partner a senior student with an elementary student. Together they read, play games, and hang out. It gives the little guys someone to look up to. Some of them don鈥檛 have older siblings and it鈥檚 a good positive program in the school, which has created more of a connection between the high school and the elementary school.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 know when my daughter graduated they went down to visit their buddy鈥� and some even had them in their grad photos with them which made those young kids so excited. It鈥檚 really grown and the school has noticed a difference in the kids鈥� attitudes and school spirit. I think it helps ground the kids鈥� they have someone in their corner.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t鈥檚 wonderful to be able to sponsor something so positive and the scholarship recognizes a person that has put themselves out there for another.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Additionally the Rebekahs began to sponsor mitts in the elementary end of the school.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淎 woman, an old school teacher, used to knit the mitts, but she passed away, and we decided we should continue on her legacy. So, we buy mitts and donate them to the school, because kids are always losing mitts, but they know there鈥檚 a drawer full of them if they are in need.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t鈥檚 the little things.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 In addition to the little things, the Rebekahs are also supporters of visual eye research and as a service club have supported many eye clinics and hospitals over the years.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淥ne year we were in session and the head of our group received a call, we work directly with boards who buy equipment for hospitals, and the call was by chance that it happened then; but, one of their machines had just gone down that day or the day before and they needed help. It was expensive, but, we were able to give them the funds right away to get the process going in order to get it into the hospital.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲hen my kids were younger as well they needed to have their eyes checked and while we were waiting I pointed to the plaques on the walls recognizing the Rebekahs for their donations. While the lady was testing their eyes, the kids were talking about one of the new machines and asked, 鈥楧id the Rebekahs buy that too?鈥� She replied that they wouldn鈥檛 have it without the Rebekahs鈥︹��
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Overall Mullis is very proud of everything she has accomplished in her 30 years: 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a positive in my life. I鈥檝e learned a lot of life skills, like knowing how to run a meeting and make an agenda, which is a skill鈥� and it lets you stretch outside of your box; I was terrified of public speaking, but it鈥檚 a skill that I鈥檝e gained confidence in and sometimes I鈥檒l talk without having a speech written.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t鈥檚 an organization where if you fail, they lift you up and dust you off, and let you try again; I鈥檝e learned so many life skills that I use in and out of the Lodge.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The dinner held on Oct. 21, saw support of Mullis by her family including parents, children, and her brother, Kalvin Nankivell 鈥� Provincial President of the Elks Association; members of the Rebekahs and the Odd Fellows, many friends and extended family, as well as her officers for her session as President.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭hey really came from all over including Weyburn and Regina, some from Saskatoon, and one lady from Prince Albert came 鈥� she was on vacation on the coast and made sure she was able to stop here for this during her holiday plans,鈥� Mullis said appreciatively.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭here were 90 plus people out. And I鈥檓 not one that鈥檚 used to the spot light, so it was so nice to have everyone there. It was nice to have my sister-in-law, Kathy, emcee, and my brother bring greetings from the Elks. I was very happy to share that with everyone. It was very nice.鈥�
