Olga Halina Chorny: My Life of Volunteering in Edmonton

Olga Halina Chorny has contributed to the arts and culture of Edmonton through a lifetime of volunteering.

During World War II, I was a teacher. Before being assigned to a one-room country school which accommodated grades one to nine, my teaching experience was at Garneau School in Edmonton. Both while working and after retirement, I have contributed to the arts and culture of Edmonton through volunteering.


I am the author and co-publisher of the book, "Edmonton - A City in Transition" which is registered with the National Library in Ottawa. It has been recommended by Alberta Learning and was distributed to schools in Edmonton and beyond - including a school in New York which requested information on our city. Over the years, I have contributed to other pictorial and historical anthologies as well as articles to the Edmonton Journal. I am a member of the Writers' Guild of Alberta.


My involvements have included being President of the Royal Canadian Legion, Norwood Branch #178, Ladies' Auxiliary which supports charities, sponsors student scholarships and mainly help Veterans of the Military and their families. I have been presented with the Norwood Legion Auxiliary Life Membership.


I was the archivist for the Society for the Preservation of Architectural Resources in Edmonton (SPARE) for six years. This included conducting tours, writing reports, and photographing historical buildings.


The Edmonton Ladies Pharmaceutical Auxiliary, of which I have served as President, has supported charities for almost fifty years. It also sponsors a scholarship for Undergraduate Pharmacy students and was involved in funding the Edmonton section of the Trans Canada Trail which was officially dedicated in the year 2000. My name is engraved on a panel at the Trail Pavilion along with the names of others who contributed their time and efforts toward making the longest trail in the world a reality.


I have been a tour guide at Edmonton City Hall for eleven years and have also hosted various special events. Grade six teachers book tours for their students which enables them to learn about our democratic system of civic government and the history and architecture of City Hall. Not only do they have the opportunity to visit the Council Chamber, but the students get to choose a "Mayor" and "Counselors" from among themselves and hold a mock counsel session.


For five years, I have also been a tour guide at the Winspear Concert Centre for Music. Many local people and tourists have come to admire this "world-class" concert hall with its unique architecture, prestigious organ, and amazing acoustics. On my tours, I explain how the structure of the building and the acoustics contribute to the quality of sound. I also try to encourage interest, understanding, and appreciation of music. I often pause to realize what a dull world this would be if there was no music.


The University Hospital Foundation's annual Festival of Trees was started seventeen years ago. The funds raised at the festival are used to purchase advanced medical equipment for the University Hospital. Last year, I was given a pin for ten years of service as a volunteer.


Some other memorable events for which I had the pleasure of volunteering were the Commonwealth Games in 1978, the dedication of our new City Hall in 1992, Universiade and the official opening of The Edmonton Space and Science Centre in 1983. The Fire-fighters' World Championships, the World Figure Skating Championships, the inaugural visit of her Excellency Adrienne Clarkson - the Governor General of Canada in 1999, Tribute to Wayne Gretzky, the World Championships in Athletics in 2001, and many more.


Some awards I have received have been The Great Alberta Award in 1996 which was sponsored by AGT and the Alberta Treasury Branch. It acknowledged people who had contributed time, talent, and energy in making Alberta a better place to live and call home. The Pride of Edmonton Achievement Award was presented to me by the Edmonton Klondike Days Association in 1994 for my contribution to Edmonton culture and for volunteer efforts. I have also received numerous expressions of appreciation from the City of Edmonton by the Mayor and volunteer co-coordinators.


I look forward to the future with energy and enthusiasm as Edmonton celebrates its' Centennial. My favourite quotation has always been, "Tis the mind that makes the body strong" by Robert Louis Stevenson..