2022 Award Winners:

Diamond Citizen of the Year: Dorothy Gareau

Congratulations to Dorothy Gareau, who was named the City of Warman’s “Diamond Citizen of the Year” for 2022 at the June 26 Regular Meeting of Council!

Dorothy was nominated for her extensive efforts as President of Warman Slo-Pitch, among other volunteer endeavours.

Dorothy has been a Warman resident since 2007 – she began volunteering here the very next year. Her first community involvement was on the Warman Slo-Pitch executive committee.

After four years running the league’s Promotions and a one-year break, Dorothy returned as the President of Warman Slo-Pitch – a role she has now held for a decade. During her time on the executive committee, the league has doubled from 16 teams to 32, with a waitlist of teams hoping to be a part of this tight-knit ball community.

“My goal has always been to grow the league more as a family or community so that everyone’s enjoying it on the same level,” she said. “Everyone gets along. I don’t know if anywhere else can say that all 32 teams in their league can get along.”

To keep a league that size running, Dorothy has also helped expand the executive from four people up to 13.

For the past decade, Dorothy and her executive have started planning each upcoming season in early February. After months of prep comes 14 weeks of regular season play starting in early May, a one-pitch (per at-bat) tournament, their year-end tournament and six weeks of Fall Ball under the lights wrapping up in October. Their 2023 season also now includes a tournament in conjunction with Warman Days in mid-July.

“I’ve always loved watching people have fun in something that I’ve organized. I enjoy playing slo-pitch, but it brings me just as much joy to watch others have fun playing.”

During the season Dorothy invests between 600-800 hours to ensure the league runs smoothly. As for the entire time commitment over the course of the year, she admits it’s an unknown she’d prefer to keep that way.

“I don’t want to calculate it – I don’t want to know,” she laughed. “It doesn’t matter to me how much time I have to dedicate – whatever it takes to do the job properly is what I’m willing to dedicate.”

Dorothy’s passion and dedication provide an annual opportunity for the league’s 400 participants to be physically active, see old friends, meet new ones and enjoy beautiful Saskatchewan summers.

“It’s a huge boost to my mental health to come out here, do something I love, see people I love, and have a good time,” she said. “It’s part of what I do to stay healthy for myself. Despite some of the hard work, it’s always rewarding in that way.”

But, when it comes to the deserving recognition as the City of Warman’s Diamond Citizen of the Year, her humility quickly takes over.

“I was incredibly surprised to be nominated, first of all. I don’t know if I’ve ever thought that the effort I put in means something to anybody. I’m incredibly honoured – I never would have imagined.”

Having been volunteering her entire adult life, Dorothy has also volunteered with the following, among others:

• Vice President of the Scared Scriptless Payers (2009-19)
• Canada Day Pancake Breakfast
• Hockey Draft
• Events at her church
• Softball coach

Dorothy, your efforts are a reason why many people love summers in Warman. Your humility and passion have touched the lives of hundreds of people and you have played a large part in bringing our community closer together.

Warman City Council would like to thank Dorothy for her efforts and sincerely congratulate her on receiving the 2022 Diamond Citizen of the Year!

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Group of the Year: The Ultimate Booster Club

Congratulations to The Ultimate Booster Club, the City of Warman’s “Group of the Year” recipient for 2022! Group members Janet Carter, Chelsea Baniulis, Nicole Drover and Lisa Tenetuik received the award at the June 12 Regular Meeting of Council.

The Ultimate Booster Club has been supporting members of Warman Ultimate Cheer (WUC) for 13 years. The volunteer group continues to invest a tremendous amount of time and effort year-round to ease the financial burden on members. This allows athletes to attend more competitions and represent WUC and the community with pride.

The club had an exceptional fundraising year; they raised nearly $93,000 in 2022.

This lofty fundraising amount meant countless hours, late nights, and several garages filled with products for fundraisers, whether it was chip sales, Hillberg & Berk draw tickets, Growing Smiles plant sales, meat drives, pizza sales, bottle drives and many more.

These funds go directly to the kids themselves for expenses and registration, allowing participants to have the most access and greatest opportunity to succeed.

“We appreciate what we do to help our children and others, and make it a little easier for them. We have a little bit of fun along the way,” said Janet Carter.”

“Who wouldn’t fundraise for the kids when it goes directly to their Cheer account,” added Lisa Tenetuik. “It’s super helpful with the affordability.”

The Ultimate Booster Club also continues its scholarship program for members in post-secondary education. WUC members have benefitted from this for over a decade.

“Their work has allowed many kids in our community to have the opportunity to reap the benefits that team sports offer,” said Mayor Gary Philipchuk. “It’s this type of dedication and volunteerism that brings a community closer together.”

From the Council, staff and residents of the City of Warman: Thank you for your contributions Janet, Chelsea, Nicole and Lisa!

Our final Volunteer Appreciation Award will be unveiled at the June 26 Regular Meeting of Council – stay tuned!

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Future Leader Award: Haeden Bugler

Congratulations to Haeden Bugler, the City of Warman’s “Future Leader Award” recipient for 2022! She received the award at the May 23 Regular Meeting of Council with very proud family members in attendance.

Haeden has been an outstanding student, volunteer and role model for youth at Warman High School and in the community. She invested a lot of time to a variety of groups and initiatives in 2022.

She is a member of the Warman High School SRC, attending two meetings per week. She has helped plan school events, school Olympics, pep rallies and dress up days.

Haeden also takes part in the Best Buddies program at WHS. Best Buddies builds friendships between students with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities, offering social mentoring while improving the quality of life and level of inclusion for a population that is often isolated and excluded.

She is a part of the new Jack Chapter at WHS; Jack Chapters are groups of young people in schools and community settings who work year-round to identify and break down barriers for positive mental health and make change in their communities.

Haeden also had a helping hand in the Cheer Classic. Her volleyball team helped set up the practice mats and hung the clothing racks. And she has already added to her efforts in 2023, volunteering for a Special Olympics competition in Saskatoon back in February.

“This diverse list of volunteerism shows Haeden’s passion for bettering the community and proves how deserving of a recipient she is for this award,” said Mayor Gary Philipchuk. “This passion will carry her far in life, improving the lives of those around her wherever life takes her.”

As Haeden wraps up her grade 12 school year, she is planning to attend the University of Saskatchewan in the fall.

From the Council, staff and residents of the City of Warman: Thank you for the time and effort you have dedicated to the community and WHS, Haeden! We wish you nothing but the best in all that you do after graduation.

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Legendary Group Award: Warman "Forever... in motion"

Congratulations to Warman Forever…in motion, the City of Warman’s “Legendary Group Award” recipient for 2022! Group leaders Dianne Erfle, Bev Ferner and Jenny Berg received the award at the May 8 Regular Meeting of Council.

Warman’s branch of the Saskatchewan Health Authority’s popular Forever… in motion program has been part of our community since 2014. Dianne helped spearhead it that year; Bev joined in 2015 and Jenny in 2019. They currently hold classes four times per week in a multi-purpose room at the Warman Home Centre Communiplex. The Forever… in motion program improves and maintains the health of older adults (55+) in the community through physical activity and education. They focus on exercises that help with strength, endurance, balance and flexibility.

"We all had our own reasons for joining Forever…in motion, but it didn’t take long for each of us to realize that this wasn’t just another exercise class for seniors,” they said. “We are ever so thankful for the gratification and appreciation participants show us; not only in their kind words, but in their actions, positive attitudes and increased confidence and ability. It humbles and motivates us.”

Warman Forever… in motion’s popularity has skyrocketed thanks to the passion, experience and joy that Dianne, Bev and Jenny bring to classes. Their fourth class was added this spring and they’ve doubled the number of trained and certified volunteer leaders to six. The investment of their time and effort into this program has allowed older adults in Warman and surrounding area to become more active, physically fit and mentally alert. As a bonus, they’ve also been able to socialize and make new friends.

“Warman is known for having a full slate of programming for younger adults and especially kids in the community. But, as the community continues to grow, so have the offerings for older adults and seniors,” said Mayor Gary Philipchuk. “Warman Forever… in motion has improved the quality of life for a countless number of 55+ residents; it’s a big part of why they feel Warman is a great place to call home.”

From the Council, staff and residents of the City of Warman: Thank you for your contributions Dianne, Bev and Jenny!

Residents wanting to know more information on how to register can check out the latest Recreation & Community Services Leisure Guide or call the department at (306) 933-2210 and ask about Forever… in motion.

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Volunteer of the Year: Darlene Hartshorn

Congratulations to Darlene Hartshorn, the City of Warman’s “Volunteer of the Year” for 2022! She received the award at the April 24 Regular Meeting of Council.

As is the case with each previous recipient of this award, Darlene is the epitome of what it means to be dedicated and community-minded. Darlene spent the previous calendar year volunteering her time to help coordinate fundraisers, donation drives, and an ongoing project that have seen an outpouring of support from Warman and area. Each initiative brought local businesses and residents together, strengthening the community’s support of those in need in Warman.

In April, she had a hand in raising the funds needed to fill Easter hampers for four seniors and two families in Warman.

Over the summer, Darlene collected clothing and school supply donations from Warman residents. Once collected, and after hours of organizing and sorting by clothing type and size, Darlene held a back-to-school clothing and school supply event in her driveway. This coordinated effort ensured all families had access to free essential items ahead of the 2022-23 school year.

More hampers were assembled in October for Thanksgiving as well. The combined generosity and efforts of Darlene, local businesses and the community brought a special Thanksgiving to eight seniors and two families.

The most intensive, ongoing volunteer initiative of all has been the creation of Hand Up Cupboard on October 11. Darlene has opened the shop in her home to resemble a grocery store, where those in need can come find food, hygiene products and even pet products. Though Hand Up Cupboard has weekly hours, if someone needs alternative arrangements, Darlene will pack them a bag and ensure it’s received. From October-December 2022, 188 people used the service, with another 409 already benefiting from the service in 2023. This initiative truly is a testament to the giving nature of Warman and surrounding area. Whether it’s fundraisers through schools, farmers donating fresh produce and eggs, community donations and more, the unity through Hand Up Cupboard has been inspiring.

“I do what I do because I love doing it. I have the passion, the drive,” Darlene said. “That’s what this is about; helping people. Especially when you see little kids and they get excited because they get (items) that people take for granted. That’s what it does for me every day that I open.”

Though she doesn’t volunteer for the accolades or recognition, the work she does behind the scenes still deserves to have the spotlight shone on it. Warman is a better place because of the efforts of Darlene. 

From the Council, staff and residents of the City of Warman: Thank you, Darlene.

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2021 Award Winners:

Diamond Citizen of the Year: Darwin Davis

The City of Warman and Warman City Council are excited to announce the recipient of the Diamond Citizen of the Year is Darwin Davis!

Darwin was nominated for his OK Tire Bus service and the charitable impact he’s made in Warman as a result.

With the popularity of the bus service, there’s a high probability that every Warman resident has either used it, or knows someone who has, since Darwin generously brought the buses to the city.

Darwin’s selfless service started out as one 21-passenger bus that he loaned to minor sports teams in exchange for merely a tagged post on social media and as long as the user refilled the tank. Just over half a year after getting that first bus, the bookings filled so quickly he bought another smaller bus to add variety. But, it didn’t take long for him to need another 21-passenger bus to meet the demand and bring his fleet to three prior to the start of 2021.

Darwin elevated this already-selfless service to benefit the community even more last year.

Even though he and his staff spent hundreds of hours of maintenance on the buses in 2021 alone, instead of receiving payment for these bookings, Darwin began loaning them out under a third condition – that the user donates to KidSport Warman.

Combined, the three buses were used over 100 times in 2021 alone, ranging from weddings to minor sports, from ski and fishing trips to transporting seniors, and everything in between.

Darwin was able to raise approximately $16,000 for Warman KidSport through all these bookings. His pace for 2022 is similar, if not better.

This is not an easy, cost-effective service Darwin has generously provided without hesitation for the community. To him, the goal is not to make money, but to raise it.

His humility and generosity have touched the lives of everyone from youth to seniors in Warman. And, his donations to KidSport have helped make sports more accessible to all youth in the community.

Darwin has played a large part in bringing the tight-knit community of Warman even closer together.

So again, the City would like to congratulate Darwin Davis on being named the 2021 Diamond Citizen of the Year!

Volunteer of the Year: Rob Obrigewitch

The City of Warman and Warman City Council are excited to announce the recipient of the Volunteer of the Year is Rob Obrigewitch! 

Just like all past winners of this award, Rob is the definition of what it means to be dedicated and community-minded.

Rob’s 2021 saw him gravitate towards the volunteer tasks that are often tougher, less glamourous and less sought-after to ensure they run smoothly.

The most strenuous task was Rob’s role as scheduler for Warman Minor Hockey Association. This accounted for approximately 400 hours as he adjusted schedules for all 49 minor hockey teams. The scheduler also needs to allow adequate ice time left over for other programs to schedule their own seasons. Outside of that, Rob’s scheduling experience was used to helps plan camps, 3-on-3, and to serve as a liaison for WMHA as they work with Warman Osler Skating Club and Warman Ringette Association to determine if ice allocations need adjusting from year to year. This was Rob’s fourth season as WMHA’s scheduler.

Within WMHA, Rob was also on the coaching staff of two teams, score clock/scorekeeping at AAA Wildcats games, and organized an offseason skating program in August.

Rob also was an umpire for the year-end Slo-Pitch tournament, working over 10 games in a weekend.

And, Rob’s volunteerism extended into Warman Ultimate Cheerleading events as well – he drove the pickup shuttle, among other tasks.

Rob has invested – and continue to invest – a massive amount of time and effort into Warman. This has been incredibly generous and selfless. The community is grateful for his efforts.

Though he doesn’t volunteer for the accolades or recognition, the work he does behind the scenes still deserves to have the spotlight shone on it.

So again, the City would like to congratulate Rob Obrigewitch on being named the 2021 Volunteer of the Year.

Group of the Year: Diamond BMX Club

The City of Warman and Warman City Council are excited to announce the recipient of the Group of the Year is Diamond BMX Club!

After an impressive first two years as a club – and despite facing many COVID-related challenges for their volunteer board – adaptation and determination brought many big moments for Diamond BMX in 2021.

Their membership soared from approximately 35 members in 2020 to over 110 in 2021. Last year was also the first season Diamond BMX fielded a high-performance team. This team represented their club and our city very well in many events, including some against inter-provincial competition.

Within their weekly events around the province, Diamond BMX hosted several very notable ones here in Warman – home to a world class facility that is the best BMX track in the province. Their volunteer group hosted a very well-run Saskatchewan Cup Grands and Championships – an equivalent to provincials. They also hosted the first-annual “Flash Classic” in memory of the late Jamie “the Flash” Holtorf, who was a notable name within the Saskatchewan BMX community. For these two events especially, the amount of behind-the-scenes efforts and attention to detail with event planning really shone through. These two events, along with a day of coaching from Olympian Tory Nyhaug, were also highlighted provincially on TV, which helped showcase the club’s passion and our community in a very positive light.

Out of the spotlight, even more track upgrades were made by their volunteer members during 2021. They received and re-finished bleachers, and secured sponsorship for sod and grass to be planted around the track. These will be welcome additions to the race day atmosphere in the years to come.

The City would like to thank Diamond BMX President, Niall Schofield, and members of the club for the tireless efforts that have brought a new, high-level sport to our community. The club’s efforts to host amazing events and show tremendous sportsmanship while competing don’t go unnoticed. We’re grateful to have a volunteer-run group like theirs in Warman.

Diamond BMX is in store for an even bigger 2022, as they continue preparing to host a stop on the Canada Cup circuit in August. The City looks forward to welcoming this national event to our community.

Legendary Group Award: Warman Minor Hockey Association

The City of Warman and Warman City Council are excited to announce the recipient of the Legendary Group Award is Warman Minor Hockey Association!

Where there’s a legendary group, there’s usually a lengthy, rich history behind it. WMHA was established in the 1966-67 season. In their inaugural season, they had just over 50 members and a small executive of two to three volunteers. In the early days, players and volunteers had to scrape and clean the ice between periods at Diamond Arena. If a flood was needed, out came the barrel and rug.

In the 90s, WMHA grew to over 150 members. The executive rose to eight members with two division administrators per age group.

Similar to the city as a whole, WMHA was poised to skyrocket in population. From 2005-15, WMHA membership more than doubled from approximately 200 players to 450. Thankfully, The Legends Centre was built and aided in the growth.

Then, from 2016 until today, another 250 players joined WMHA – 696 players and 49 teams in total. They also now have 17 executive members and two paid positions. As well, there are approximately 400 volunteer managers, coaches, trainers, helpers, treasurers, planners, etc. that volunteer between dozens and hundreds of hours each season to ensure players can keep playing.

WMHA is one of the most prominent and brightest member clubs within Hockey Saskatchewan. They are also one of the amazing pillars of sport in our community. We are proud and grateful of how their members and executive represent our city.

We are thankful for the efforts they have invested to ensure WMHA continues to be a fantastic program for youth in our community. It’s important our youth have many options to reap the rewards that team sports and group activities in general have to offer.

Future Leader Award Winner: Brigette Montgrand

The City of Warman and Warman City Council are excited to announce that the recipient of this year’s Future Leader Award is Brigette Montgrand!

Brigette has been an exemplary student, volunteer and role model for youth in the community.

In 2021, Brigette gave a helping hand in making sure many events and programs were a success:

• She is a member of the Warman High School SRC; she has helped plan the 2022 graduation ceremony, collected donations and many other tasks.
• She was an important part of the Summer Fun Program through the Warman Recreation & Community Services Department.
• She helped run activities at The Legends Centre during our Canada Day celebration.
• She worked at children’s birthday parties at The Legends Centre.
• She was a game-day volunteer selling tickets at AAA Wildcats games.
• As a senior member in dance, she has helped give tips and mentor younger members so they succeed and gain confidence.
• And she helped behind the scenes with set and costume design for Warman High School’s musical.

To have such a lengthy list of community involvement in a difficult year for activities shows Brigette’s passion for the community.

Brigette is about to graduate from Warman High School. Following in the theme of being a Future Leader, Brigette is set to attend the University of British Columbia starting in the fall. There, she will work to get a bachelor’s degree out of the Sauder School of Business, before transitioning into the Peter A. Allard School of Law with aspirations of becoming a criminal defense lawyer.

Brigette, we are thankful for the efforts you have invested into the community.

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City of Warman 2020 Volunteer Appreciation Awards & Winners

DIAMOND CITIZEN AWARD: Congratulations to the City of Warman 2020 Diamond Citizen of the Year, Barrie Redford! 

Barrie founded the Warman Community band in 2000. He has applied his musical and teaching experience to countless hours of instruction, sourcing music and practice space, conducting rehearsals, organizing community concerts, and sharing his love of music with others. As a conductor, his bandmates describe him as a great musician, and a patient, creative educator. The Warman Community Band (celebrating its 20-year anniversary this year) thoroughly appreciates Barrie’s leadership.

LEGENDARY GROUP AWARD: Congratulations to Warman Community Association, the City of Warman’s 2020 Legendary Group of the Year!

The Warman Community Association is a non-profit, volunteer-run group that puts on events to raise funds and lends a volunteer hand when needed. They have been serving Warman in numerous ways since 1956. Recipients of contributions from Warman Community association include Warman High School scholarships, buddy benches for Warman Elementary School, Prairie Oasis gazebo, Brian King Centre, Warman Fire Rescue, Warman Food Bank, and the Legends Centre.

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR: The City of Warman 2020 Volunteer of the Year is Cam Kayter!

For Cam, volunteering is a way for him to share his passion for encouraging youth to excel in both sports and in life. Cam leads coach and player development with the Warman Minor Hockey Association. In 2019, he coached the Warman Wildcats Peewee AA hockey team, leading them to win the Centre Four Hockey League and the Northern Provincial finals, culminating with the Saskatchewan Hockey Association Peewee AA championship. These young athletes have benefitted from Cam’s leadership, learning the importance of teamwork, responsibility, goal setting, accountability, and how to overcome challenges. These are life lessons that are very important for kids to learn, so thank you Cam for your hard work and dedication to sports and recreation in the City of Warman.

The 2020 Volunteer of the Year award is sponsored by aodbt Architecture and Interior Design.

GROUP OF THE YEAR: The Warman History Committee is the 2020 Group of the Year! 

The Warman History Committee prominently represents our city’s past with its maintenance of historical displays at the Legends Centre and has made significant contributions to the arts and culture scene, especially with the undertaking of the research, story collection, and photo sourcing for a local history book project. It is a massive project and the volunteers of the committee have done a great job getting it off the ground.

FUTURE LEADER AWARD: The 2020 City of Warman Future Leader is Adam Fenner! 

Adam is a friend of Warman Fire Rescue – always helping with breakfasts, barbeques, and open houses – and recently completed his first responder training. When he’s not at the fire hall, Adam is at the rink either playing hockey or reffing! He is not a stranger to being recognized for his community involvement: when Adam was in grade 9 he earned a citizenship award for his volunteering. Adam is a flight leader with his air cadets’ squadron, winning a sportsmanship award in 2019, and now teaches new cadets wilderness survival skills.

LEGACY RECOGNITION: It is with great honor that the City of Warman remembers an individual of our community who spent valuable hours volunteering throughout her lifetime. We are pleased to present a Legacy Recognition of Catharine Braun as part of the 2020 volunteer appreciation awards. A plaque commemorating Catharine’s memory will be installed on a city bench as an everlasting tribute.

Catharine was a lovely person who gave hours of her time to many different causes and groups in the community. For years, Catharine operated a daycare, creating a fun, nurturing place for children to play and learn. This connection with families resulted in a flood of graduation and wedding invites through the years!

Catharine enjoyed working at the Warman Thrift Store and with various church activities. She was a gentle and kind woman who loved to visit with everyone. Along with her husband, she meticulously cared for the Warman Cemetery for decades. Catharine Braun left the City of Warman a better place.

VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER OF THE YEAR: The City of Warman is pleased to announce the 2020 Volunteer Firefighter of the Year is Brian Revet!

Brian joined Warman Fire Rescue in 1989 and is a fully certified firefighter and first responder. He’s been an integral part of the firefighting team, whether it’s through his repainting of old fire trucks to make them look new again, or teaching first aid to high school students and kids in the babysitting course.

In 1996 Brian became one of the first Automated External Defibrillator (AED) instructors in the province. He created the first-ever first responder group in Saskatchewan, and today there are over 100 others. Brian has competed and earned medals in many first responder competitions across the province. He is a regular volunteer at Red Cross blood drives in the City of Warman, as well as with Remembrance Day ceremonies, pancake breakfasts, and BBQs!