Discover & Learn

While I love volunteering for my community, one of the most loved ones, is for The Northern Lights Health Foundation. Health care is the most important priority. Northern Lights Health Foundation helps makes that a reality by working with the community to fund health care priorities in Fort McMurray. It was a lot of adrenaline, outrageous costumes and unbeatable community spirit last Saturday, September 20th, 2025, all in support of advancing local health care. Once again the tiny but mighty community of Fort McMurray, came together in full force to support local health care, raising an impressive $60,000 towards enhancing medical services across the region. Teams of four raced hospital beds carrying a 150 lbs " Bedbug" Sandbag across 50 meter sprints, for the Golden Bedpan Trophy ,Team Spirit and Top Fund raiser title. This is my second year volunteering for this cause. My job was to carry those beds back to their starting position. We ran short of volunteers. My friends from Fort McMurray Bengali Association, a Multi Cultural community, came running, helping me to push the beds back to their start line! While the champions, SMS Heavy Haulers took away the Golden Bed Pan , I know we won hearts for pulling together! Heartiest congratulations to a "Fort McMurray Tough" community!

Twenty years ago, I walked in to Keyano College to write my first ever professional exam. Proctors were so kind that I forgot all about exam fear. My experience of that ONE Day, at the College made me fall in love with the institution. Over the years, I have gone back to the college to write more exams, some time to chair a committee, for volunteering and so much more. I could not stay away when Keyano College celebrated its 60th Anniversary, last Saturday, September 6th, 2025. I was appalled to see, the whole community pour in to celebrate with me. Some were students 50 years ago, some of them are parents of students at the College now, some are students themselves, some were like me, whose life long dream came true with that one examination. Thank you Keyano College, for being such an integral part of my community and my life!

Today, as TEAM RBC, we walked along the Parson's Creek Park in Fort McMurray, raising fund and awareness for mental health, participating in RBC RACE FOR THE KIDS. The Race, started small in 2009. With last year's race, now it has surpassed $100 million raised in support of mental health services at the Alberta Children's Hospital and in our community. It was wonderful to have community members such as Vaughn Jessome from the Office of our Provincial Energy Ministry and Joe McNeil, Member of the Board of Governors at Keyano College, join us for the walk. I can say, my passion for volunteering in Fort McMurray, was inspired by these two gentlemen who have been serving our community, with so much compassion and through volunteering, for over 40 years.