Norma Frick was called the "superwoman of volunteers" by a friend who nominated her for the service organization volunteer award, and it seems fitting.
Between shifts at the KGH gift shop, the KGH Hospital Auxillary —where she's been both a president and vice president — Central Okanagan Hospice Association, Hospice House and even as the secretary at her church, you'd think that she'd be in an exhausted heap. But that's far from the case.
Each moment where she's helping family members of the community's sick and dying find their way to a loved one, watering plants, whipping something up in the kitchen for a bake sale or selling raffle tickets, galvanizes her resolve to keep going.
"When I moved to Kelowna, there were limited areas where I could find work in my field, as a library technician," she says.
"I was a library technician. So I started volunteering and I've met so many wonderful people and it gave me purpose. I really enjoy doing the behind-the-scenes stuff that helps make other people's jobs easier. "
At hospice house, she sees the immediate benefit of that work.
"You do see sadness there, but it always surprises me how upbeat people are. I remember one woman was leaving and his family came out later and said 'she's at peace. She's not suffering.
"I felt like I was being comforted. It always surprised me how upbeat it is there."
Norma is a truly extraordinary volunteer in all capacities and very much deserving of community recognition.