Elsie Yanik Award

(Application due by December 31st each year)
​Elsie Yanik Biography
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Alberta Mackenzie Provincial Council, the Elsie Yanik Award was initiated (in 1997) to commemorate the leadership and ministry/service of Elsie Yanik to the Catholic community in the Diocese of Mackenzie-Fort Smith. The recipient of this award should reflect the “spirit of Elsie Yanik”, a giving woman with a quiet spirit who used her gifts and talents to empower others around her. Her dedication to the wellbeing of her community was rooted in its people and continues to inspire others. Candidates for this award should reflect that spirit of faith and service. 

Who was Elsie Yanik - Brief
Detailed Biography:
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elsieyanikbiography2017__1_.pdf
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Guidelines
  1. This award shall be presented annually, if applicable, at the discretion of members of the Alberta Mackenzie Provincial Council Awards Committee, which consists of the President, President-Elect, Spiritual Development Chairperson, and Spiritual Advisor. 
  2. The recipient shall be a CWL member living in Alberta Mackenzie. 
  3. This honorary award shall consist of an individual plaque presented to the recipient; and a permanent plaque, which is inscribed with the names of all recipients. The permanent plaque shall be kept with the recipient’s council for display purposes until the following provincial convention. 
  4. Nomination of a member must be submitted by a Parish or Diocesan Council. 
  5. Deadline for submissions shall be December 31 of each year. 
  6. The Committee shall notify the recipient by February 15. 
  7. The recipient shall have her transportation, registration, room, and meals paid to attend the annual provincial convention to receive the award. 
  8. Each nomination form of a member who is not chosen will be held for three consecutive years and in those three years their name will come forward for consideration.  It will not be necessary to resubmit their form again. 
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Criteria for Eligibility
The nominee must: 
  1. Be a League member in good standing (has paid her membership fee in the current year);
  2. Portray a leadership role;
  3. Have demonstrated a commitment to ministry/service in an area or areas of need in a parish or community. 

Previous Award Winners

2024 - Coby Veeken, OLPH, Sherwood Park, AB - Coby's Story
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​2023 - Bonnie Sturm, St. Ambrose, Coaldale AB -Bonnie's Story

Father Walter Krewski Awards

(Application due by end of February each year)
Picture
Fr. Walter Krewski, a provincial Spiritual Advisor, passed away on November 3, 2008.
Most New Members Application Form*
​*To be completed by each Parish Council President.

New Members Award Form :
​2025_walter_krewski_new_members_award_form_fillable.pdf


Greatest Increase in Total Members & Greatest Percentage Increase Application Form*
*To be completed by Diocesan Treasurer or Diocesan Organization Chairperson 

​Father Walter Krewski Award Information:

Each year, beginning in the year of 2007, the Father Walter Krewski Award will be given to three councils in the Alberta Mackenzie area for increases in membership during the previous year. It will be presented each year at the Provincial convention.
  1. The first award will go to the council that has the greatest number of new members in the previous year. (Please note: ‘New Members’ are only those who have never held a C.W.L. membership before). Information is to be submitted by each Parish Council President.
  2. The second award will go to the council that has the greatest increase in membership in the previous year. This second award will benefit those councils that not only strive for new members, but also have all members renew each year. Information is to be submitted by each Diocesan Treasurer. ​
  3. The third award will go to the council that has the greatest percentage increase in membership in the previous year. The third award will benefit small councils who do not have a large membership, but also do not have a large parish population from which to recruit members.​ 
​The purpose of these awards is to encourage all councils to promote the ‘League’ in their parishes and to recruit new members.

All Parish C.W.L. Councils in Alberta Mackenzie are eligible for these awards. However, the council must have been active in the year prior to the award year (e.g. the awards given at the 2016 Convention will be for the year 2015, therefore the recipient councils must have been active in 2014).

​From the information provided by you, the Provincial Council will ascertain who will receive each award and will notify these councils by April 15th. The receiving councils will be awarded a certificate of appreciation. A religious picture or statue for each category will be held by the receiving councils until February 28th of the following year at which time it must be returned to the Provincial President-elect.

Previous Award Winners

​Provincial Convention 2025 (for the 2024 year)
​Greatest increase of new members: St. Thomas More, Edmonton (43 new members)
Greatest increase in membership:  St. Thomas More, Edmonton 
Greatest percentage increase in membership: St. Michael's, Pincher Creek (45.7%)

Provincial Convention 2024 (for the 2023 year)
​Greatest number of new members St. Peter's, Calgary
Greatest increase in membership:  St. Peter's, Calgary
Greatest percentage increase in membership: St. Mary's Cathedral, Calgary 

​ Provincial Convention 2023 (for the 2022 year)
​Greatest number of new members:  St. Thomas More, Edmonton - 20 new members
Greatest increase in membership: St. John the Evangelist, Edmonton - 23 members
Greatest percentage increase in membership: St. Stephen, Lacombe - 133%​
Provincial Convention 2022 (for the 2021 year)
​Greatest number of new members: St. Thomas More, Edmonton and Our Lady of the Assumption, Edmonton (6 each) Greatest increase in membership:  St. Clare’s, Redwater (44 %) 
Greatest percentage increase in membership: Ascension, High Level/St. Clare’s, Red Water (650%)