Times contributor honoured

By Brady Grove, Times Reporter

Local author and Strathmore Times contributor John Godsman received his certificate of nomination for the 2017 Minister’s Seniors Service Award at Strathmore town council Oct. 4.
The award recognizes the work of people who have improved the lives of seniors and helped build support services and communities through volunteering.
“These volunteers and our government share a common goal – to make life better for seniors who built our province,” said Alberta Minister of Seniors and Housing Lori Sigurdson.
Eighty-four nominations were received across three categories including the individual category that Godsman is participating in.
Godsman was nominated because of his work profiling seniors in Strathmore and Wheatland County for the Strathmore Times which were later turned into two books: Remembering Our Roots Volume One and Volume Two.
“It was a surprise to be nominated,” said Godsman. “Anywhere I can get in front of somebody and talk to them and say ‘would you like to be in my article (book)’ is a bonus to me.”
Godsman is expecting to complete his third volume on Nov. 23, which will contain 51 articles about seniors which have previously been published in the Strathmore Times.
He worked with the Strathmore Family and Community Support Service’s (FCSS) Kare program which helps drive seniors around the community because he wanted to help people.
Godsman will be volunteering for the fourth straight year at Access Control at the World Speed Skating event in Calgary, which comes with an eight- to 10-hour shift, in December 2017.
“John Godsman is what we want our citizens to be,” said Mayor Michael Ell. “Caring for others, active and supportive in the community and its groups.”
Winners of the award will be announced later this year.