MANITOULIN—It is a generally accepted fact that retired teacher Judy Olacke is a pretty special person, in fact most would say she’s great, but now she has the fridge to prove it.
Back in May the beer company Molson Canadian announced it would celebrate Canada during it’s 150th anniversary through a national campaign called ‘A Taste Of Who We Are.’ That campaign was aimed at rewarding and inspiring the very best of the Canadian character.
Molson Canadian called on Canadians to nominate people whose real life stories demonstrate the best of Canadian character. Out of those thousands of entries, Molson Canadian selected 150 of the best stories and rewarded each of those nominees with a personalized version of the iconic Molson Canadian Red Beer Fridge. Ms. Olacke was one of the nominees and her Canadian Red Beer Fridge arrived this past week.
Nominees were judged on five quintessentially Canadian criteria: connection, breaking down borders and bringing people together; class, holding ourselves to the highest of standards in everything we do; celebration, living with joie de vivre and celebrating the best in life; commitment, the determination to go to extra lengths. Even when it seems impossible; and contribution: leaving things better than when we found them.
Ms. Olacke demonstrated those values with alacrity.
Her considerable teaching career was focussed on special needs teens and adults and she is renown on Manitoulin and across the province as a tireless volunteer with the Manitoulin Special Olympics snowshoe athletes. As a coach she has encouraged her charges on the team to great heights, bringing home numerous gold, silver and bronze medals as they represented Manitoulin Island, Ontario and Canada at regional, .provincial, national and world games.
Ms. Olacke’s efforts on behalf of her athletes are not limited simply to coaching and athletic tournaments. She was instrumental in designing and building walking, snowshoe and cross country ski trails in her home community of Mindemoya.
When the snow is off the ground, Ms. Olacke can be found creating, weeding, planting and harvesting in the Manitoulin Community Living gardens.
As her husband Mark Olacke’s nomination declares, “she is amazing.”
“I am very honoured to receive this recognition,” said Ms. Olacke following news that she was selected as one of the 150 Great Canadians. “My volunteer work with Manitoulin Special Olympics and Community Living Manitoulin has always been a fun and inspiring time.”
So about that fridge, is it full?
“Yes,” laughs Ms. Olacke, “but not with beer.”
