Staff in the Community

Mr. Wallace Olsen receives memorial brick from Edmonton Young Offender Centre staff.

Besides all the work Justice and Solicitor General staff do on the job, they are also very active in the community.

Staff and offenders at the Edmonton Young Offender Centre recently showed their appreciation for a WW II veteran. Through personal contributions they raised enough money to purchase a memorial brick bearing the name of Mr. Wallace Olsen. The brick will join thousands of others at the new Juno Beach Centre in France recognizing Canada’s contribution during WWII. The decision to “adopt” the veteran was announced during the Remembrance Day program at the young offender centre last November. On March 14 Mr. Olsen was presented with a replica of the brick at a brief ceremony. Mr. Olsen, who lives in the Mewburn Veterans Centre in Edmonton, served as a tank gunner in northwest Europe between 1939 to 1945, and was one of over a million Canadians who fought in WWII.

Wetaskiwin’s Chief Crown prosecutor, Barry Hill, was awarded the Commemorative Medal in Honour of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee on November 15, 2002. The medals were granted to Canadians who have made a significant contribution to their fellow citizens, their community or to Canada. Hill is a long-time volunteer with the Royal Canadian Legion, and was awarded a Life Membership for his dedication to the purposes and objects of the Legion, and his work in schools to promote the meaning of Remembrance Day. He spent the last six years working with former broadcaster Austin Willis to interview local veterans on their experiences, capturing the interviews on video. They continue to work with other Legion branches to create similar projects.

Interviewing for a new job is a stressful event, but it becomes even more so if you can’t afford anything suitable to wear. In order to help women in this difficult position, Karmen Cochrane of Edmonton’s Family Law Information Centre founded the Edmonton Wardrobe for Women in Need Association in 2001. The association runs a distribution centre, Suit Yourself, that provides local women in need with interview-appropriate clothing free of charge. Several courthouse employees have also got involved by either volunteering at Suit Yourself or donating new or gently used clothing and accessories.Volunteers and donations to Suit Yourself are welcome. For information on volunteer opportunities, call 488-9930.

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