Nancy Hanson named one of the Top 7 Over 70
By Diana Walker
David Andrews, Chair of the Top 7 Over 70 Committee for Southeast Alberta, announced the seven recipients at a luncheon held at Connaught Golf Club in Medicine Hat on September 5.
“I have been very fortunate to chair a very effective volunteer committee dedicated to the production of the Top 7 Over 70 program for Southeast Alberta,” said Andrews. He acknowledged his executive committee: Niki Gray, Frances Barnes, Myrna Stark, Jim MacArthur, Todd O’Reilly and Peter Donnelly.
Nancy Hanson at work assembling one of her Gift Booklets. Photo by Lawrence Hanson
Group photo was submitted
He also acknowledged the Board of Directors from the Community Foundation of Medicine Hat and Southeastern Alberta and the generous sponsors who believe in the Foundation’s work and the Top 7 Over 70 initiative. He thanked the dedicated volunteers who have poured their time and energy into this initiative.
Jim Grey, renowned Albertan, oil patch pioneer and engaged philanthropist, who founded The Top 7 Over 70 initiative in 2017, shared a few words with the group.
“It is Jim’s vision to someday have a national Top 70 Over 70 program,” added Andrews. Jim will attend the Gala event in October so don’t miss the opportunity to meet this great Albertan.
“Our Community Foundation is proud to follow in the footsteps of Calgary’s Top 7 Over 70 initiative celebrating individuals who continue to inspire us beyond the age of 70,” continued Andrews. “By highlighting the remarkable achievements of older adults, initiatives like Top 7 Over 70 emphasize the importance of recognizing and celebrating them. These efforts not only promote active participation and continued learning but also reinforce our society’s vitality and resilience across various fields including philanthropy, agriculture, arts and culture, health and recreation, science and more.”
MLA’s, Justin Wright, brought greetings from the Government of Alberta. Andrews added that Premier Danielle Smith will attend the Gala event in October.
Andrews shared a bit of history, “The Community Foundation of Southeastern Alberta was founded 30 years ago by rancher/philanthropist John Ignatius. Incidentally, John was 76 years of age at the time.”
When the concept of Top 7 Over 70 came to the Community Foundation, the board of directors seized the opportunity to initiate a Top 7 Over 70 Program for Southeast Alberta.
“The Community Foundation proudly acknowledges and celebrates the vital role that older adults play in shaping our communities,” said Andrews. “Built on the core pillars of We Grow, We Give, We Inspire, the Foundation’s Top 7 Over 70 initiative embodies the We Inspire pillar by honouring extraordinary achievements after the age of 70 and serving as a beacon of inspiration for future generations. This initiative demonstrates that age is no barrier to innovation, creativity or making a meaningful impact on society.”
Board member, Jim MacArthur, the Endowment Development Committee Chair and the Top 7 Over 70 committee member responsible for producing the October 10th Gala, spoke adding, “Thanks to our sponsors, your commitment and generosity have not only made this celebration possible but have also highlighted the importance of honouring and cherishing our seniors.
“Your support speaks volumes about your dedication to enriching our community and acknowledging the remarkable journey of our seniors.
And finally, the announcements.
Andrews spoke about each of the seven winners. The only nominee from this area, Nancy Hanson, was among the winners.
“I sure have been looking forward to meeting Nancy!” said Andrews. “For me; she most exemplifies what the Top 7 Over 70 award is about. After a lifetime in agriculture working on the farm, she has become a self-taught photographer of some renown. She is a naturalist who used her knowledge to inspire her photography. She is also a publisher of wonderful gift booklets that combine photographs with meaningful poetry. She has given away hundreds of these coil-bound books to friends and strangers alike. At the age of 72, Nancy added writing to her many accomplishments and her stories based on the Red Deer River area are evolving from short stories to Books. Her newest venture will be to produce some of her stories in her voice for distribution. This caused a whole new learning experience around mastering the technology for these products.”
One of the most daunting tasks with the Top 7 Over 70 initiative has been the nomination process. Past Board Chair, Community Foundation ambassador and Top 7 Over 70 committee member, Frances Barnes said, “I wanted to thank you all for the great work that you did spreading the word, nominating inspiring people, and helping me with this enormous task! It was hard to choose the following 7 as everyone nominated was inspiring and making a difference.”
The following are the other recipients in no particular order:
Martha Gue for her Adopt a Pond project
Jacob Eckert for his Memoir
Bill Yuill for the Margaret Yuill Cancer Center
Blair Reid for the Indoor Dunmore Community Ranch Arena
Deborah Forbes for her publication Liberal Education in the Age of Automation and her exhibit entitled Sea Jellies: Next Generation
Wilma Hunter for Dress a Girl project
To attend the gala on Thursday, October 10th please use the following link to purchase tickets. We are anticipating a sell out so don't wait! https://cfsea.ca/top-7-70/