Announcing 2024 Friends of the Family Awards and New Annual Report
Lethbridge Family Services is pleased to announce the release of our 2024 annual report! It's full of positive success stories from each of our programs. You can peruse it now by visiting our publications page or by picking up a physical copy at our main office: 1107 2A Avenue North in Lethbridge.
Additionally, we are proud to announce the recipients of this year’s Friend of the Family Awards. Our Friend of the Family Awards have been recognized since 1988 and to date, there have been 121 total recipients. This community award is presented annually to both an individual and business or group nominee. The awards recognize those who have shown “excellence in service to a family life cause or issue, excellence in direct service to a family or families, or exemplary action on behalf of an individual or distressed family.”
Please join Lethbridge Family Services in honouring and celebrating our 2024 recipients:
Individual Award Winner: John Carstairs
Individual Award Winner: John Carstairs
In 2021, John Carstairs turned down an offer of contract policy work with LFS and instead offered up his services as a volunteer. Since that time, John has provided LFS with invaluable service as a member of the policy development team. With John’s guidance, LFS has overhauled the policy writing structure: clear, concise, gender-neutral language, aligned with best practice, legislation, and accreditation standards. Over the past three years, the policy team has revised more than 60 policies and created a new employee handbook. This is a tremendous amount of work; regular meetings with the committee, hours of research, and countless edits. John’s knowledge, experience, and dedication have made the goal of a complete policy manual revision possible.
Most people would find policy work tedious, but John’s passion for language and easy-going nature make him the perfect policy writing companion for LFS. Policy writing is serious business—but John brings joy and levity to every meeting.
In addition to the work John has done on the policy committee, he also regularly provides business and policy writing workshops throughout LFS. He has recently taken on a project with the LFS Home Services training team to streamline and standardize training documents.
Over the past three years, John has become a valuable member of the LFS team. John shares his laughter and wisdom with everyone he meets and makes a day of policy writing a truly wonderful experience. We thank John for his service and dedication, and we hope he continues his work with LFS.
Business or Group Award Winner: Fire Safety Services LTD.
Business or Group Award Winner: Fire Safety Services LTD.
What sets Fire Safety Services apart is their genuine empathy and compassion, which permeates every aspect of their philanthropic endeavours.
Ken and Jody Gentek, owners, firmly believe in the transformative power of hope, and their actions speak volumes about their commitment to making a positive difference in the lives of others. Moreover, their leadership has inspired their team members and community to join them in their mission, creating a ripple effect of kindness and generosity that continues to uplift and empower those in need. In four years of creating a matching gift program for Angel Tree, they have raised over $110,000 for children’s gift bundles.
Fire Safety Services continually shows that by operating with strong values and acting with purpose, they continue to evolve their own story, striving to uphold a lasting legacy to strengthen our community every day.
In recognizing Fire Safety Services, we celebrate not only their remarkable fundraising achievements over four years with Angel Tree but also the profound impact they have had on the lives of countless children and families in our community. Their selfless dedication to spreading hope and joy is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of community solidarity.
Aside from giving time, a matching fund program, and hundreds of gift-in-kind gifts for Lethbridge Family Services, they support a number of other community organizations, including American Legion Baseball, the Lethbridge Hurricanes, University of Lethbridge Athletics, and Lethbridge Polytechnic Athletics.
Collaborative businesses like Fire Safety Services are integral to partnerships that help our community become more connected and inclusive, ultimately leading to greater interaction between residents and greater community cohesion.
The Friend of the Family Awards were presented to the award winners by Councillor Belinda Crowson, following the Lethbridge Family Services annual general meeting on September 19, 2024.
Lethbridge Family Services provides highly-accredited health and social services to over 9,000 individuals and families in more than 30 communities in southwestern Alberta, through the professional services of more than 380 staff, and the support of over 550 committed volunteers. LFS's vision is a connected and inclusive community where people thrive.
Media Contact:
Michelle Gallucci
Director, Advancement & Communications
Lethbridge Family Services
mgallucci@lsfamily.ca
403-915-8028
