Kristen Sept coaches  Special Olympics athletes in this supplied photo. Sept is a recipient of the 2023 Community Spirit Award in the Community Inclusion category. (Photo Courtesy Kristen Sept)

By Chris Brown

Community Spirit Award Winner Kristen Sept does it for the Special Olympics athletes

Sep 8, 2023 | 2:07 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Kristen Sept is one of 13 Medicine Hatters named this week as recipients of the City of Medicine Hat’s 2023 Community Spirit Awards.

Sept began volunteering with Special Olympics Medicine Hat 17 years ago, needing some volunteer for high school.

It turned into so much more. What keeps her coming back almost two decades later?

“100 per cent the athletes, she says. “The athletes, you could be having a rough day before going to the sport and you show up there and the pure joy that they exude in their sport and having fun with their peers, it just raises your spirits.”

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Sept is currently the board chair, coaches five-pin bowling and helps with other sports locally. She also has roles with Special Olympics Team Alberta.

She’s being honoured with the Award of Service in the Community Inclusion category, nominated by one of her athletes’ support workers.

“Honestly it’s humbling because I’ve got such a great team behind me. Nobody could do this alone and it’s the team of volunteers that work with me both locally and provincially that make Special Olympics what it is,” she says.

Sept says she’s worked hard to create sporting opportunities within Medicine Hat, trying to get as many athletes involved as possible.

“It’s a great outlet for them both socially and competitively and Special Olympics has so many incredible opportunities for them for advancement both at a local level, provincial level, national and potentially worlds,” she says.

The City of Medicine Hat’s Community Spirit Awards were first awarded in 1979. Since 2013 they’ve been handed out every second year.

This year, six Awards of Service were handed out and two in the Awards of Excellence category.

The awards will be presented in a ceremony October 18th at the Esplanade.

Awards of Service:

Arts/Culture: Robert Pape

Civic Pride: Willy and Cindy Taillon

Community Inclusion: Kristen Sept

Compassion: Kym Porter, George Kovalev

Sports/Recreation: James and Coreen Sheardown

Volunteerism: Brenda Taylor, Kendra Albrecht, Terry Noble

Awards of Excellence:

Heart of Medicine Hat: Donna Serr

Change Maker: Karen Saffran