Page 10 - Brandon Sun - Community Leader Awards

B10 ■ COMMUNITY LEADER AWARDS 2019 THE BRANDON SUN ■ THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 26 2019

»EMERGENCY SERVICES,

SPONSORED BY THE BRANDON SUN
Life saver

touched

‘countless’ 2019

lives in area

BY DIANE NELSON High praise indeed. But the obvi-
ous admiration his colleagues have
“We would like to nominate Mr. for Duthie doesn’t just apply to his
Jim Duthie, paramedic with Prairie work in EMS and firefighting. He has
Mountain Health in Rivers, and cap- also hailed for his contributions to
tain with Rivers/Daly Fire Depart- the community through activities
ment.” such as refereeing hockey games
So began the nomination letter in the winter and coaching soccer
for the Emergency Service Com- in the summer. He’s coached youth
munity Leader Award, penned by and high school soccer and contin-
David Creighton, Duthie’s colleague ues to coach the ladies senior team
in both Emergency Services and the in Rivers, women who became so
Fire Department. enamoured with soccer in their high
And while people in leadership school years that they just kept play-
roles don’t often get credit for what ing.
they do, Duthie’s co-workers, which “And (he) still finds time to main-
include Creighton, Randy King, Rob- tain the soccer and rugby fields
bie Brown, and Richard Brown, have largely on his own!” Creighton wrote.
so much respect for him that they “He does all of this for the commu-
took the time to put his name for- nity, without asking for anything
ward for this award. in return! Jim is a highly respected
Born in the Rivers area, Duthie has member of the community and we
spent his entire life in that commu- are fortunate to have him!”
nity. He started his EMS career as a Duthie was amazed to hear he’d
basic first aid provider and worked been nominated for a Community
hard over the years to achieve the Leader award when he was contact-
designation of Intermediate Care ed by The Sun for comment.
Paramedic (ICP). “I’m surprised,” he said quietly.
“During Jim’s EMS career over “It’s pretty flattering.”
the past 26 years, he has touched Duthie’s journey toward excelling
countless numbers of lives in SW in his field came about due to anoth-
Manitoba,” Creighton wrote. “In er selfless act. After volunteering for
their time of need, when a patient the fire department for 25 years, he
sees Jim walking in their door, they was approached to help with EMS.
are immediately reassured that they “I thought, ‘I probably can’t do
are going to receive the best of care! that,’” he said. “But they needed
Regardless of the situation, Jim has drivers. And it ended up I enjoyed it,
a calming, professional demeanour and I enjoy helping people, so I took
about him that immediately puts more training and more training,
not only the patient at ease but also and then here we are.”
those that are working alongside He started as a full-time para-
him. medic in 2001 and has never looked
“Jim has also trained and tested back. And while his colleagues think
numerous paramedics over the he’s pretty special, it’s a sentiment
years and continues to teach CPR/ Duthie returns to them in spades. Jim Duthie of the Rivers EMS Station. (Matt Goerzen/The Brandon Sun)
First Aid in the community. It is the “Having the crew and the team —
same with his 25-plus years with everybody’s always very supportive always had good family support with, “I thought you were the lead- support of his colleagues but, as he
Rivers/Daly Fire Department. Jim to everyone else,” he said. “What through the years — a good back- er?,” Duthie replied, “I am in fire. But expressed earlier, in helping others.
has mentored many new firefighters we’ve seen and what we’ve experi- bone, I guess. And good leadership you can’t do it all yourself.” “Being able to try to make a dif-
and continues to be a leader both on enced — you have good support. helps.” Ultimately, Duthie finds the re- ference,” he said. “That’s the biggest
a fire scene and in training.” And family support is big. We’ve When this reporter countered ward for his work not only in the thing for me.”
Newton a dedicated leader

agement and is the contact
person for the Office of the
Fire Commissioner. She’s a
Senior Support Advocate, and
volunteers as a Handi-van
driver, volunteers for Meals
on Wheels, and assists seniors
daily with grocery shopping
and mail delivery. Addition-
2019 ally, she accompanies seniors
to doctor’s appointments and
city hospital destinations and
BY DIANE NELSON offers companionship, per-
haps one of the most impor-
Linda Newton was born and tant things of all.
raised and has lived 98 per “I like to keep busy,” New-
cent of her life in Shoal Lake. ton said with a laugh when
And it’s probably safe to say contacted by phone. “Basical-
the town wouldn’t be the same ly, I have a terrible time saying
without her. ‘no’ — it’s my biggest flaw.
Her nominator, Cory “I like helping people — I
Luhowy, said Newton became like to see that things keep
involved in the community moving in a small commu-
at a young age, and hasn’t nity.”
stopped since. While she takes on a lot
“Her dedication and passion herself, as evidenced by the
to help others began to de- activities noted above, she’s
velop through Girl Guides and learned the most important
as a Sunday School teacher,” lesson is teamwork.
Luhowy wrote in her nomina- “I am a leader and I do del-
tion form. “Linda entered the egate,” she said. “You can get
field of nursing that saw many a lot done if you have lots of
changes through her 43-plus help. I’ve always had the com-
years in this profession. This munity behind me when I’m
career has revealed many ave- doing these jobs. I certainly
nues of patient care for Linda. don’t do it single-handed.”
Her passion for helping people Emergency Services Award finalist Linda Newton. (Drew May/The Brandon Sun) When she heard she’d been
led to a lifetime of mentorship nominated for a Community
and education.” women to join her in this re- And even after retiring from someone’s hand as they took According to Luhowy, she was Leader Award, Newton, like
Newton shared her knowl- warding profession.” nursing, she couldn’t bear the their last breath, she knew instrumental in the develop- most nominees, was pleased,
edge and skills with local Newton dedicated many thought of sitting idle when she had made a difference in ment of the newly formed but modest as well. “Actually,
health care providers, includ- hours to training and mentor- so many people needed as- someone’s life.” Lakeside Golf Club Camp- I was quite thrilled with it, and
ing those who perform First ing ambulance personnel in sistance. So, she joined the Newton’s dedication is not ground and adjoining play very humbled by it,” she said.
Aid and CPR. She spent more the region, and received the home-care team as a travelling limited to the medical field. structure. “It’s nice to know you’re ap-
than 32 years teaching First Exemplary Service Medal for nurse because she still had She can frequently be seen at As if all that weren’t enough, preciated.
Responders and 10 years in- her efforts. more to give. Shoal Lake sporting venues Newton is an executive mem- “But that’s not why I do this.
structing Emergency Medical She took 10 years off from Even now, she volunteers guiding sports enthusiasts, ber of the Manitoba Clydes- I was born and raised here —
Technician students. nursing to work as a First Re- with the local Palliative Care particularly those in curling dale Club, has earned her Gold my mom was quite involved
“During her role as station sponder and Emergency Med- group, assisting patients and and golf. She’s an executive Cord in Girl Guides and has here and she kind of built the
supervisor for EMS, she would ical Technician, but after a family at the end of life. member of the Curling Club, spent a lifetime involved in the staircase that I climbed. She
go above and beyond the call decade, she felt the job would “She’s a hands-on nurse and teaches the rules of the Anglican Church, where she’s was into community service
of duty,” Luhowy said. “Linda be better done by someone with a passion to help the game and techniques to any- currently a churchwarden. and instilled that in all of her
was one of the first women to younger. So she went back sick and injured,” Luhowy one who is interested in learn- Newton is also currently children. But I’m basically the
join the volunteer ambulance to nursing — helping people said. “Whether it was bathing ing. She also participates in the chairperson of Westman only one who stayed around
and she encouraged other seems to be in her blood. a newborn baby or holding Ladies and Senior League play. Critical Incident Stress Man- here.”