A community hero in Logan Lake
Because of the size of Logan Lake, it’s easier to recognize the heroic efforts of people who, for the most part, go about their volunteerism quietly and, usually, without any recognition or thanks.
There are many residents who rank in this hero category but today I’m going to highlight the contributions of Mike Maloney who has been a Logan Lake resident for 35 years. His wife, Gwenda, taught school here in the early days of the community while Mike worked at HVC and this couple’s caring for and about youth continues despite the fact their children have long grown up and moved away. In fact, Mike is a District Commissioner for Baden Powell Scouts (boys and girls) and recently attended a Scouting Conference in Prince George.
Both Mike and Gwenda are active participants in the life of Church on the Hill where Mike serves as both a projectionist and, perhaps more importantly, as a chief organizer, cook and bottle washer for the church’s Men’s Breakfast. In addition, either on his own time or as a W.H.Y. volunteer, Mike drives folks into Kamloops for appointments with specialists and doctors.
Sometime his interaction with youth is the result of his role as a volunteer with Citizens on Patrol which operates under the umbrella of our RCMP detachment. And, I strongly suspect that kids, when intercepted by Mike doing things they shouldn’t, experience much more shame than if they had been caught by parents/guardians. So what does that tell you about Mike as a person?
Currently, the community has 12 active volunteers working with the Citizens on Patrol(C.O.P.) and Speed Watch programs which is a dramatic reduction from the “good old days” when there were as many as 22 volunteers associated with the group. But Mike, who has only been with these programs for a year, is working hard to attract more members and to both raise money as well as in kind donations to enable the purchase of a vehicle which can be used by volunteers carrying out official duties with C.O.P. or Speed Watch.
Recently, at a Business Association meeting, Cpl. Thain and Mike made a joint presentation about the C.O.P. program and were able, through statistics, to demonstrate that the program has been able to significantly reduce incidents of crime.
And then, just last week, Radio NL reported that ICBC had recognized its volunteers and, specifically those in Logan Lake, “for helping to make roads safer in their community by reducing speed-related crashes, by helping to prevent auto crime and by helping to identify and recover stolen vehicles.”
This recognition clearly demonstrates the dedication and commitment of our C.O.P./Speed Watch volunteers.
If he’s not up and out in the community with C.O.P./Speed Watch early in the morning or late at night, Mike can be found participating in programs such as the recently concluded six-week course, Chronic Pain Self-Management, which he, along with Bill Dawes, facilitated.
Because of his volunteer efforts in so many areas and because this giving back happened as he was dealing with his own health challenges, Mike Maloney deserves the title of Community Hero!! Thanks and congratulations, Mike!
Know a community hero? Get in touch with me – bogden@telus.net and let’s share the good news.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Saturday, April 21 from 1 – 3 p.m. at the Library – another FREE program in the Speaker Series will feature Logan Lake photographer, and a member of the Kamloops Camera Club, Eric Ferguson, who will be discussing local photography and sharing his secrets about getting the perfect shot, no matter what kind of camera you have.
Thursday, April 26 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Library for another free program with Larry Maki of the TNRD who will once again be on hand to discuss computer issues in easily understood English and to answer any computer questions you may have. A NOT TO BE MISSED event – especially if you, like me, have few computer skills.
Logan Lake Lions 30th Anniversary Steak & Lobsterfest celebration is happening this year on May 26 at 5 p.m. at the Curling Club. Tickets available from any Lions member or by calling Mel at 250-5234-6889. More info next week. Need a laugh? Check out www.tinyurl.com/themarmotchannel to find out more about the Logan Lake April Fool’s joke.
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