In recognition of it’s contribution to the community, the Central Station Volunteer Team in Winkler has been awarded the Association of Manitoba Municipalities Community Leadership Award through Volunteer Manitoba. The annual awards are usually given to individuals.

Julie Nikel, Volunteer Coordinator at Central Station says in their case, a group nomination made sense.

“What [the awards] stand for is honoring individuals and groups who donate their time to advocate community driven, innovative and sustainable solutions to their municipality's most pressing challenges. That's kind of what their category was and we felt that that was exactly what our volunteers would qualify for.”

Nikel feels Central Station has a great team made up of some sixty volunteers.

“Working together with our volunteers and staff is like working with family and friends. We have a very positive work environment and it's a lot of fun. We also have challenges, but it's great to work through these challenges together and support one another.”

For her personally, Nikel says the best part about Central Station is the volunteers.

“Their love and their care for people and their willingness to do whatever is needed to help run Central station is so inspiring and so encouraging. I personally have been blessed with friendships and relationships with with the volunteers and that's just incredible! We share our lives, we share our stories.”

Nikel says all programming at Central Station is geared to fulfill it’s mission to be a safe welcoming place of belonging, hope and support where individuals and families can thrive.

”What really drives us is when we see people have hope; when people gain new skills and can get a job or they are healthy enough that they don't need certain services anymore or when we see that people are connecting with one another and there's new friendships or relationships that are being built. Those are the kinds of things that are really encouraging and motivating.”

In her conversations with the volunteers at Central Station, Nikel says they've indicated that a big part of their decision work at the community centre is the sense of reward that comes from making a difference in another person's life.

A delegation from Volunteer Manitoba will be in Winkler this week to present the award at a ceremony.