Skip to content

Trobert taken aback by award

It ought not have surprised anyone else in the room Saturday at the Beefeater Plaza when Lynn Trobert was given the Clint Prette Memorial Award for her contributions over the years to the Estevan Motor Speedway, but it really touched Trobert to the p

It ought not have surprised anyone else in the room Saturday at the Beefeater Plaza when Lynn Trobert was given the Clint Prette Memorial Award for her contributions over the years to the Estevan Motor Speedway, but it really touched Trobert to the point of breaking into tears.

She was given the award by EMS board member Gregg Mann and moments later as members of the media approached her to speak was still needing to work the door and organize a few other details with the banquet. A volunteer's work is never done.

How it started is how a lot of commitments like this start: a need for a specific person for a specific organization.

“I got a phone call about 16 years ago because they needed some help at the track,” she said. “I went out. The first time I parked cars because it was huge then.”

After doing that for a few months, she worked at the ticket gate and did that for a year and a half. From there, she took on whatever role they asked her to.

“I ended up working at the money end of that for them,” she said, alluding to her times as the treasurer of the EMS.

Trobert was later president for a couple of years. She's been on and off the board for a few years and now just continued to volunteer because, in her words, 'I just love it.”

Some people in some communities toot their own horns about their volunteer and community work but Trobert isn't one of those people. Some are happy to work in a prominent role but somehow trying to maintain a level of anonymity for the good of the community.

Over the years of volunteering and working for the EMS, she is quick to deflect any personal credit towards those she works with.

“I look around this room and there are so many people in this room that are deserving of this award,” said Trobert, saying she can't do what she does without help. “I've named some of them... they all deserve an award.”

But since one can't give an entire volunteer table an award, Trobert had to accept it, even though she started shaking as she got it and listed off the people who helped her.

“It's an honour. It really and truly is,” she said. “It sounds corny but really it's not. People in this room are considered family. I can call so many of them on a moment's notice and they'll be there to help me and  that's what I appreciate. We have such a close knit group.”

Trobert was also part of the United Way's successful 2017 campaign that saw them hit more than their target and has been involved for over two decades.

People often don't quite realize the strength of the volunteer corps that we have here in Estevan and how many of them are irreplaceable. Many board members on many different boards will burn out if they were to try to accomplish half of what people like Trobert are constantly doing. 

It's always a good thing to realize what we have when it comes to the people that make the community tick. The people who give freely of their time and don't act like the world owes them a favour.

Having only talked to her a couple of times, I can tell that people like Trobert are true treasures int eh community.