For the past several years, Ruth Wright has gone above and beyond when it comes to volunteering in the Chestermere community. Ruth works as a Family Support Practitioner with Accredited Supports to the Community (ASC) and offers supports to families with a child with a disability in this area, with Triple P Parenting program and also a group respite program called FUNTIMES. The agency also offers the Healthy Families program in Chestermere. It was through the ASC that Ruth was recently awarded the Garry Vooys Community Volunteer Award.
The Garry Vooys Community Volunteer Award was established in honour of the outstanding community service by Garry Vooys, President of Accredited Supports to the Community. In addition to all that Garry does for ASC, he also contributes to his community in many other ways such as the Museum Society, Lifeline and others. His shining example paved the way for others to be recognized for the volunteer efforts. The intent of this award is to annually honour an employee who is also actively involved as a volunteer in their community – and Ruth definitely fits that criteria.
Ruth, along with husband of almost 29 years, John Wright and their three children (Amy, Matt, and Stephanie), began calling Chestermere home in August of 1999. Ruth kept her main focus on staying home and raising their children until 2009 when she then jumped into the work force and began her legacy of volunteering. Starting in 2007 when she started with the Chestermere Public Library (where she still continues to volunteer), her list of ways she gives back to the community is both impressive and remarkable. Along with the Chestermere Public Library, Ruth gives of her time with the Sharon Luthern Church, Chestermere Public Library Foundation, Wheatland Business Women, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Catholic Women’s League, Chestermere Catholic Mom’s group, and the Chestermere Women’s Conference. Most of these have overlapped over the past years and Ruth has served in leadership roles.
Ruth didn’t stop there – along with raising a family and doing years of volunteering, she also became an entrepreneur and started her company, ‘Send Out Cards’ (www.touchaHumanHeart.com).
Wright was very modest about her accomplishment, which speaks to her generous character. But when asked why she volunteers, she answered with “Why do I volunteer? 3 Reasons: Main motivation is my faith in my LORD Jesus, who taught us not to be just hearers of the Word, but doers also. So you will find me doing in lots of areas. I think it also goes back to my days in Guiding when I was a girl. I learned that to be a good citizen means you need to leave a place better than you found it. Also in my upbringing, I was raised to do something about a situation rather than complain about it. If you don’t like it the way it is find a way to make it better. When we moved to Chestermere and discovered there was no public Library I started to find out what one needed to do about getting started here. Before Chestermere Middle School was built I talked to someone from Rockyview School division about the possibility of having a joint Library such as the public/school combined one that I had used in Oyen’s High School. When I was told that wasn’t possible, I looked for another way and began talking with the people form Marigold Library Systems. I took their information and began asking at the town level and on and on it went. I guess “can’t” isn’t in my vocabulary.”
