Cara Brady
For The Morning Star
The award was a wonderful surprise and the recognition is nice, but for Hazel Turchinetz, volunteering has always been about the animals.
“There are so many people doing good work looking after animals in different organizations and they all deserve awards,” she said.
Turchinetz was the recipient of one of 52 Valley First Celebrate Canada 150 awards presented to outstanding volunteers around the province, one each week in 2017. Each recipient was able to give the $1,500 award to the charity of their choice.
The Okanagan Humane Society helps protect and provide medical treatment for animals and find them forever homes and increases community awareness about the need for spaying and neutering, with a focus on cats, to prevent overpopulation.
Tuchinetz has been a member of the society for 10 years as a director and hands-on by fostering cats waiting for homes.
Denise Chatenay, also a Okanagan Humane Society volunteer, nominated Turchinetz for the award.
“Hazel works tirelessly and always, always willingly and selflessly to help any injured or abandoned pet in need. She is known to answer calls that come at any time of day or night. That is dedication, devotion and passion, above and beyond,” she wrote in the nomination.
She added that she has known Turchinetz to bring along tiny kittens who must be bottle fed often when she is out for dinner with friends and that she is as caring and concerned about human friends as animals.
Lorna North wrote in her support of the nomination, “What I really want to get across is her compassion. People bring cats to her constantly. Unwanted cats, abandoned kittens, the sick, the injured, the abused, the starving and the unloved.”
Turchinetz grew up on a farm on Saskatchewan where the family always had cats and dogs.
“I loved them but sometimes it was sad because I would want to help them and there was nothing I could do. I think maybe that’s why I decided to become a nurse,” she said.
Her nursing career took her to emergency room work and to Yukon, where she was the only medical help in a remote fly-in community.
She loves all animals but is drawn to cats.
“They are so intelligent and very sensitive and they each have definite personalties. Kittens are cute and will adjust to any good home. With an adult cat, you know their personality. It is all a lot of work but I don’t mind the work. It is all worthwhile when I can match a cat to the owners and their home and know they are all going to be happy together.”
Dawn Vipond, Bosley’s manager, wrote in her letter of support, “She even built an outdoor enclosure for feral cats so they can feel comfortable and safe (feral cats can become stressed when indoors).”
Annette Farkar, office manager for Vernon Veterinary Clinic, which helps the Okanagan Humane Society with medical care, wrote on behalf of the staff, “…one person, one particular person, can make a difference in addressing the overpopulation of unwanted cats.”
Louvain Schon, president of the Okanagan Humane Society, said, “Hazel in unique. She is the closest person to a saint I have ever known.”
@VernonNews
newstips@vernonmorningstar.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.