By Don Urquhart, Times Chronicle
Oliver held its 20th Annual Spirit of Oliver Awards recently, paying tribute to the many volunteers who help make Oliver a unique and thriving community.
Nearly 120 volunteers and guests attended the lunch and awards ceremony held at the Oliver Community Centre.
Oliver Mayor Martin Johansen noted the “remarkable dedication and selflessness” of the legion of volunteers who work in all sorts of capacities and across a large variety of organizations.
“Volunteers, such as yourselves, are the backbone of our community. Your tireless efforts, your willingness to share your knowledge, expertise, and experiences enriches the lives of those around you on a daily basis.
“Your commitment and passion help to cultivate a sense of community and each one of you is embodying the spirit of service that defines the Oliver community,” Johansen said.
When it was announced by an emotional Mayor Martin Johansen that Rick Knodel – who passed away in early January this year – would be the posthumous recipient of the Community Roots Award, the room rose to give a standing ovation in his honour. Rick’s wife Carol and daughter Siiri were on hand to accept the award.
The award winners were chosen from 13 nominations from 11 different people/organizations by the Spirit of Oliver Selection Committee consisting of five members.
The winner of each of these categories will receive an award plaque, and their name and photo will be added to the plaques on display in Town Hall.
The winners in the five 20th Annual Spirit of Oliver Awards categories are:
- Community Roots – Rick Knodel (nominated by Darren Halsted)
- Outstanding Individual Adult or Couple – Linda Schaffrick (nominated by Dennis Frewin)
- Group – Knights of Columbus (nominated by Linda Nunes)
- Youth – Chloe Luypen (nominated by Lori Martine)
- Community Builder – Pat Buckland (nominated by Aimee Grice)
(left-right) Mayor Martin Johansen, Outstanding Individual Adult or Couple – Linda Schaffrick, and Councillor Terry Schafer.
(left-right) Mayor Martin Johansen, Group – Knights of Columbus, and Councillor Terry Schafer.
(left-right) Mayor Martin Johansen, Youth – Chloe Luypen, and Councillor David Mattes.
(left-right) Mayor Martin Johansen, Community Builder – Pat Buckland, and Councillor Aimee Grice.
(left-right) Mayor Martin Johansen, Carol and Siiri Knodel accepting the Community Roots award posthumously awarded to husband and father, Rick Knodel.
The Community Roots award honouring Rick Knodel’s outstanding contributions to the community.
Nomination statements
Community Builder – Pat Buckland
Statement from Nominator Aimee Grice:
Linda is a proud native of Oliver. She is the mother of 2 children and has worked for 40 years at the credit union and the hospital.
Linda has been a long time volunteer in our community and her efforts include:
- Being a lifetime member of the South Okanagan Health Care Auxiliary volunteering as President and Secretary starting in 1971
- Leading Canadian Girls in Training, Brownies, Guides and Cubs for 10 years • 20 years with St. Johns Ambulance and teaching First Aid
- 11 years as the Executive of Minor Hockey and Figure Skating
- Member of the Lions Club since 1981 and still an active member
- 5 years teaching Sunday school
- Presently serving with the Lions Club in the concession at the Oliver arena
At the Thrift Store Linda is willing and conscientious about her endeavors. Her activities seem to be youth oriented and through her life has contributed in many facets of the community making Oliver a better place.
I’d personally like to point out Linda won a Spirit of Oliver Award in 2007, and nearly 20 years later she is still being nominated and giving her time so generously.
Group – Knights of Columbus
Statement from Nominator Linda Nunes:
For the past 54 years, the Knights of Columbus have quietly been behind one of Oliver’s most heartfelt holiday traditions — the annual Christmas Food Hamper program. Their mission is simple: to make sure no one goes without during the holidays. It all started back in 1971 with just 10 hampers and a small team. These days, the need is much greater, and the operation has grown into a full-blown community effort. Last Christmas (2024), the Knights prepared 250 hampers for families and singles in need.
The Knights themselves are a small group — about 30 Catholic men — dedicated to serving the community. They don’t seek attention, but their consistent work speaks volumes. When it comes to the Christmas hamper project, about 10 of them, along with a few of their wives, take the lead. Watch them in action and you’ll see a well-organized team that runs like clockwork.
What started as a grassroots effort has now become a coordinated partnership involving the Oliver Food Bank, Interior Mental Health, and Oliver Missions. It takes hundreds of hours to pull it all off each year, and the Knights of Columbus are the first to admit they couldn’t do it without a long list of supporters. Local businesses like Buy-Low Foods, No Frills, Dollarama, Sunrise Packing House, and the Times Chronicle all chip in, along with groups like Lakeside Resort, Youth With A Mission, Oliver Alliance Church, and students from Oliver and Tuc-el-Nuit Elementary Schools and SOSS — not to mention countless individuals in the community who lend a hand.
Youth – Chloe Luypen
Statement from Nominator Lori Martine:
Chloe Luypen is a young woman with a compassionate and generous heart. She has been involved with the Oliver Ambassador Program for the past year as a candidate and as a volunteer. She volunteered at many local events, arriving early and leaving last, despite her work and family commitments. She always came prepared to roll up her sleeves and do whatever was required of her.
Chloe always has a smile on her face and makes connections with all ages easily. She enjoyed face painting and doing crafts with children, as well as serving tea and helping with senior’s activities. Chloe is a creative problem solver and was a valuable team member. She went beyond her duties to help others to be prepared and support the program and her community.
Chloe was always available to volunteer for local non-profit groups, Oliver District and Recreation and Town of Oliver events and has developed a rapport with the adults in these groups. Throughout her candidacy time, Chloe promoted our community by networking with other youth and sharing the virtues of our town with all those she met.
Chloe earned the highest honor for community spirit and volunteerism during the 2024 Candidacy Program.
As a high school student, Chloe is facing the usual stresses of coursework in her Grade 12 year, but she has managed to keep her focus on academics while still participating in many school volunteer opportunities.
Chloe has very strong family values. Despite her busy schedule, she always makes time for her family and friends. She is a very positive person and deserves to be recognized for her Spirit of Oliver!
Outstanding Individual Adult or Couple – Linda Schaffrick
Statement from Nominator Dennis Frewin:
Pat exemplifies the essence of this award through her tireless dedication to volunteering, fostering community engagement, and creating a lasting impact that enhances the quality of life for individuals in Oliver.
For over 15 years, Pat has volunteered with Oliver District and Recreation, dedicating countless hours to supporting annual community events. In 2024 alone, she volunteered at the Oliver 10K Race, the Easter Egg Hunt, the Rock & Roll Picnic/Roots & Fruits Expo, and Breakfast with Santa. She is always willing to roll up her sleeves or don a costume to bring joy to the community, and her calm and kind nature makes her an invaluable asset to any special event team.
Additionally, she helps promote programs and events by sharing success stories and ideas, inspiring Recreation staff to dream big and continuously improve offerings.
Pat’s contributions extend to Venables Theatre, where she was one of the first community members to step up as a volunteer in 2016. Over the past eight years, she has greeted patrons with a warm smile and a welcoming presence, ensuring everyone feels comfortable at performances. She has also dedicated significant time to promoting events by putting up posters throughout the community. Her efforts embody the spirit of an ambassador, always showcasing Oliver’s vibrant arts and culture scene.
Pat has also been a dedicated literacy champion at Oliver Elementary School since 1995. For nearly three decades, she has read with students three mornings a week, bringing her own stickers and bookmarks to encourage young readers. She also helped secure a grant for the “Come Read With Me,” literacy program which provides books for families.
Pat further supports early childhood literacy by collecting leftover books from Santa’s Workshop sales and coordinating their donation to Desert Sun’s under-six program. Her presence is cherished at the school, where students eagerly await their reading time with “Miss Pat.”
Pat Buckland’s selfless dedication to Oliver is undeniable. Whether she is supporting local events, welcoming theatre patrons, or fostering a love of reading in young learners, she consistently demonstrates an unwavering commitment to the community. Her impact is deeply felt, and her legacy of kindness, generosity, and leadership will continue to shape Oliver for years to come.
Community Roots – Rick Knodel
Statement from Nominator Darren Halsted (read by Mayor Martin Johansen):
It is with a heavy heart that I announce that this year’s Community Roots Winner is Rick Knodel.
Rick passed on January 7th, 2025, whilst still in-post as the Director for Rural Area C, of the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen, a position he was elected to in 2018.
Rick approached Darren to ask that the Oliver District and Heritage Society assume the management of the site of the former mining township of Fairview, when the incumbent society, the Fairview Historic Townsite Society was seeking to disband.
Rick encouraged not only ODHS’s participation in what became their most substantial conservation project ever but also championed the grant of discretionary financial support for this conservation project, making it feasible for ODHS to engage in a project which would ordinarily have been outside the society’s standard repertoire of projects.
Rick advocated for ODHS’s involvement in a project he initiated to preserve the memory and history of the Oliver Irrigation Canal (“Ditch”) and to educate local people and visitors alike through the creation of a drone-based video highlighting this history which gave rise to the development of Oliver itself, and of the agricultural industry on which its growing population would depend.
Rick overlooked an opportunity to positively and in generous good humour advocate for and advance the interests of Oliver and the South Okanagan, with his unerring focus on ensuring that the rich history of the region is treasured and conserved in perpetuity, for the benefit of the Oliver community of tomorrow, and those people who visit his beautiful Town.
Rick was a genuinely caring person, and his use of humour helped make difficult conversations better. As for myself, I considered Rick a great friend and I’m going to miss him dearly. I’ll miss our discussions where we talked at length about local issues and what we could do to make life better for everyone.
I would now like to call Rick’s family on stage to receive his award.
