Hannah Bathgate worked as an interventionist at Children North for 22 years. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

tri-community awards

Lac La Ronge’s Bathgate named Citizen of the Year during Tri-Community Awards Gala

Oct 16, 2023 | 4:00 PM

Hannah Bathgate is the recipient of the prestigious Citizen of the Year award handed out by the La Ronge and District Chamber of Commerce.

She received the award on Saturday at the annual Tri-Community Awards Gala at the Jonas Robertson Memorial Community Centre. She was nominated alongside Brandi Bell, Matthew Maurer, Christopher Merasty, Greg Lobb, Rhonda Vancoughnett, Genevieve Kustiak, Kevin Roberts, Kyle Sephton, Stephanie Young, and Jody Laliberte.

Bathgate explained she was surprised to win the award.

“I didn’t expect it. I don’t know. I just didn’t think I was going to win,” she said. “I was happy I got nominated and that was good enough for me. I was kind of surprised. It was nice.”

Bathgate is a member of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band and served as an interventionist at Children North for 22 years. She retired on Sept. 15, 2023.

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In her role as an interventionist, Bathgate travelled throughout the La Ronge area, as well as to communities such as Grandmother’s Bay, Pinehouse Lake and Stanley Mission. She worked with children who had learning disabilities, behavioural problems, and speech issues.

“A lot of it is with speech. They see the occupational health therapist and we follow what we need to do to help them out,” Bathgate noted.

“Slow learners and a lot of the speech is that they have a hard time learning speech, their language. They have a hard time with sounds and stuff like that, so we get the speech and language pathologist to work with the children.”

In retirement, Bathgate is looking forward to staying home and being able to complete unfinished business. She will also get to spend more time with her husband, and she hopes the two of them will be able to do some travelling.

Other winners at the Tri-Community Awards Gala were Karli Carr for Entrepreneur of the Year, Nikik Digital Solutions for Business of the Year (one to five employees), RONA for Business of the Year (six or more employees), CAMP Sask Arts for Non-Profit of the Year, La Ronge EMS for Employer of the Year, Jyl DeBruyne for Employee of the Year, and Gary and Carleen Grant for the Hugh Watt Legacy Award.

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com