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La Ronge’s Colleen Clark wins citizenship award

Mar 19, 2018 | 12:00 PM

Loving, caring and compassionate.

Those were the words Northern Animal Rescue (NAR) co-chair Genevieve Candelora used to describe fellow board member and long-time La Ronge resident Colleen Clark, who was named as the first-ever Tri-Community Citizen of the Year. Chandelora said Clark, who received the honour at the Tri-Community Awards and Recognition Gala over the weekend, has been among the most dedicated members of the board since helping to found the group in 2009.

“She’s tasked with a job with the animals that can be really thankless at times,” Candelora said. “I felt she was receiving the acknowledgement and appreciation she really deserved and earned.”

Clark has taken on many roles with NAR over the years, Candelora said. Clark is often the go-to person for medical concerns and fosters many animals at her own home. With NAR accessing the Town of La Ronge’s kennel, Chandelora said Clark spends her days checking up on the animals there and providing them with whatever they need. Clark also played an important role during the 2015 wildfire and evacuation of the tri-communities, Candelora added. Clark stayed behind to care for the pets that residents couldn’t take with them, and was a crucial part of the reunification process when families returned.

“She was the person here making sure animals were fed, watered and cared for,” Candelora said.

After moving to La Ronge with her late husband Andy in 1984, Clark spent many of her years employed as a nurse at the health centre before retiring from the profession about five years ago. Clark said the Citizen of the Year award was the first time she ever received such an accolade.

“It’s quite an honour for sure,” Clark said, shortly after receiving the award. “I do it for the love of animals and for the wellness of the community. It’s really a full-time-plus job, and there is a great need.”

 

derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno