Long-time volunteer honoured as Citizen of the Year

Jan 29, 2020 | 3:54 AM

Resi Nagler didn’t see it coming.

The long-time volunteer was presented with the Vernon Good Citizen of the Year 2019 Award by members of the Junior Chamber International (JCI) Vernon along with friends and colleagues Wednesday morning.

Nagler was manning the reception desk for the Vernon Jubilee Hospital Foundation when the award committee came into the office and presented her with the honour which recognizes community contributions.

Resi Nagler presented with Good Citizen of Year Award, with her nominator, Ute Cummings, providing comments.

Nagler, who’s full first name is Theresia, also volunteers with Nexus, St. James Catholic Church, and the Vernon Winter Carnival.

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“This [recognition] keeps me going because I know I’m appreciated and I love to do it. I really, really love to do it,” said Nagler, a retired bank employee who moved from Vancouver to Vernon with her husband in 1996. Her late husband passed away in 2002.

“In the office, I am told I am really a big help, so it’s good for me. I couldn’t do that at home,” Nagler told Vernon Matters.

“Resi is nice enough to come in and see us once a week when we have our staff meetings — at a minimum once a week — and sometimes when we have other projects, she is always in there helping us out. So on behalf of the foundation, thank you so much,” Kate McBrearty, VJH Foundation executive director, said.

Resi’s nominator, Ute Cummings said: “She is an amazing woman, who brightens everyone’s day that she sees. She is an inspirational light for many much younger than herself, always has a smile on her face and lends a hand whenever and where ever she can. She is very actively involved in many different volunteer and social opportunities in the area and very committed to her religion and the St. James Church.”

JCI Vernon had six nominees this year.

The others are: Helen Sidney, for her tireless efforts in keeping Bella Vista Road clean; Phil Culbert, for his dedication to curling and stick curling; Aaron Nasipayko, for his environmental clean-up initiatives; and Richard Rolke, for his mental health advocacy.

Nicola Dent, Amanda Wilms and Ashley Morgan, co-chairs of the 2019 JCI Vernon Good Citizen Award said, “When we read through all the nominations for the good citizen of the year Resi’s nomination stood out and was very diverse in all her volunteering activities and the different groups she volunteers with, she has so much energy and is still wanting to give back.”

Nagler will be escorted by JCI members in the Winter Carnival parade Feb. 8 and will be officially presented with the award at the Winter Breakout event on Feb. 12.

She also receives $500 from Kidston and Company to donate to the charity of her choice.

by Pete McIntyre

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