Being an Outstanding Citizen  is a prestigious honour and its recipient is indeed a contributor to the community in which the award is won and the winner resides. Leone Johannson is a volunteer extraordinaire and is named the Taber and District Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Citizen for 2012 for years of volunteer service.
For years, Johannson has volunteered for various groups and organizations in Taber including the Taber Food Bank, Safe Haven Women’s Shelter and the Taber Special Needs Society in numerous aspects and roles. According to the volunteer vet, generally wherever somebody needs some help Johannson is usually there and has been since a child.
“Ever since I was very young I kind of got into volunteering. I was very young when the war was over and it was ‘Milk for Britain’. It was children gathering pennies, nickels and dimes or whatever it was to send to Britain to help with the war effort and the school did that. I think that’s where I first started to be interested in helping others. I think volunteering is helping others or helping where you’re needed,” said Johannson.
Since 1984, Johannson has lived in Taber but the first-time award winner for volunteering was born in Manitoba. “You don’t expect these things. You just do it because you want to do it. It’s just part of who you are, I guess,” said Johannson, in regards to years of volunteer service and the recent recognition by the Chamber of Commerce. “I think I’m happiest when I’m helping somebody that needs help,” she added.
According to Johannson, she also belongs to the Taber Community Action Prevention Society (TCAPS), a wonderful organization that encompasses many of the groups in Taber including organizations that raise awareness about drug abuse and the aforementioned women’s shelter. Johannson noted winning the Outstanding Citizen award for her volunteer efforts feels good to be recognized by the community but stressed she didn’t volunteer over the years to win an award.
“I’ve always been interested in Taber Special Needs,” said Johannson, an organization she has been involved with for 25 years and was a school teacher and raised a family in Taber, as well.
On an end note, Johannson offered a little bit of advice for those that would like to perhaps share a bit of time helping others in the community.
“I think you have to want to do it. You should never volunteer because you think it’s something you should do. I think you really have to have a feeling for it and I’ve never ever had a problem getting people to help me volunteer. My philosophy is, you don’t say ‘Have you got a little bit of time?’, you just say ‘I’m going to do something on Tuesday and I need some help, are you available?’, that sort of thing. I’ve always found that works best,” said Johannson.