Leslie McKenzie is a busy woman: she co-owns a business, plays hockey, goes camping, has three kids under the age of ten, and serves as the Chief Financial Officer for the RM of Ritchot. She has also spent countless hours over the years volunteering with various organizations in St. Adolphe.
Now she is being honoured with an award for her longstanding dedication to helping her community.
On April 19, McKenzie will receive the Investors Group Financial Confidence Champion Award at the 35th annual Volunteer Awards, run by Volunteer Manitoba.
“Moving from the city to St. Adolphe 12 years ago, I quickly learned that most opportunities for my kids are run by volunteers,” she says. “So I started volunteering in different events and programs where I realized how much my kids and friends benefited from them and where I can offer my expertise.”
Over the past decade, McKenzie has taken on a wide range of volunteer roles, from coaching soccer and ringette to leading a Brownie group to participating in the St. Adolphe Parents Advisory Committee. These days, she uses her expertise as a Chartered Professional Accountant to help organizations with their finances.
“Currently, I am helping the local Girl Guides group with bookkeeping,” she says, “As well as the St. Adolphe Child Care Centre where I’ve spent countless hours working their books and continue to assist the director with financial support.”
McKenzie is particularly proud that the award she is receiving focuses on her finance skills. Drawing on volunteers’ specific education and professional experience is advantageous for the greater good, McKenzie adds.
“If you take a skillset you are good at, and you use it to help your community, great things can happen. By volunteering and lending a skill that you are good at, organizations can be more efficient,” says McKenzie. “I enjoy getting together with a group of volunteers and pooling our strengths to make our community a better community.”
Everyone has something contribute, she points out, adding that volunteering benefits both the community and the volunteer.
It’s a message she works hard to help her children understand.
“My kids see me volunteering and often come with me,” she says. “So they understand where we can all help, whether a little or a lot. I love that they take pride in me that I do all that I do for my community, and I hope that they volunteer in the future.”
The announcement that she was given this award came as a surprise to McKenzie, as her co-worker at the RM and fellow volunteer Lesley Gaudry nominated her in secret.
Although she is honoured at receiving the award, McKenzie is quick to share the credit with others.
“It is a great honour to be recognized, but I couldn’t have done it without the support and the work of other volunteers in my community.”
