Congratulations Val Bidaux: 2024 Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal Winner
Val Bidaux is one of the newest recipients of the Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal, and it is a well-earned recognition for this volunteering dynamo. For those new to town, you would have probably seen Val at one of our public functions at the Memorial Hall / Tea Room. If you see this woman and have any desire to get involved in the community or meet new people, she will find a place you can volunteer. A brief summary of some of Val's accomplishments: bridging international borders and getting the hockey team from Billings, Montana to come and join Sask Hockey (then known as the SHA - Saskatchewan Hockey Association ) creating lasting friendships with hockey families down South and bringing funds to town. She has raised over $78,000 for STARS air ambulance in 2016, she is on the Big Flat Folk Fest, Eastend Communities in Bloom, Eastend Memorial Hall Board, Friends of Pine Cree Board, Eastend Light Horse Committee, and the Eastend Cemetery Improvement League.
Val was one of the town members that spearheaded hosting a professional bull riding in our rink for 6 consecutive years. She volunteered to find tens of thousands of dollars worth of sponsorship to put this event on. In return, our rink complex made over $120,000 from these bull riding events.
She is a health care worker as well as being a member of the Wolf Willow Auxiliary. She goes above and beyond as a health care worker, volunteering a lot of her free time giving special theme dinner nights to residents, like Valentines and Mother's Day. Her most recent health care accomplishment is getting a digital x-ray machine approved for Eastend (ask her about it). She is a sitting councillor on Eastend's Town Council and the Deputy Mayor of Eastend. Well done, Val.