ESTEVAN — An Estevan woman has been saluted for her commitment to the Estevan and District Music Festival.
Nicole Smigiel, a long-time teacher in the community, was presented with a volunteer award during the Saskatchewan Music Festival Association’s recent convention.
In her bio, Smigiel wrote that volunteering when she was young was described as “helping out”. When she started her teaching career, volunteering became part of the job.
“I first learned about the Estevan and District Music Festival when I started teaching at Westview School in Estevan. I decided to help a fellow colleague with the running of a speech arts club or what is now called spoken word,” Smigiel wrote in her bio.
“I believed it supported the learning and expression of the English language, and specifically poetry. What a joy to work with the kids in this club and see, week after week, them creating an amazing and expressive story out of a poem and only using their voice."
She recalled she was then approached to help out at the committee level and automatically said yes. Smigiel was already assisting at the school part; she just extended that further to helping out at the actual festival.
“I have really enjoyed my time with the people on the committee and observing classroom teachers, music teachers, children and youths grow year after year in the presentation of their love of the arts, be it spoken word, vocal, musical theatre, band, instrumental, strings guitar and/or piano,” she said.
Smigiel strongly encourages people in communities to help out with their local music festival, as she describes it as an entertaining and joyful experience.
“Volunteering on committees like music festivals enhances lives and creates lighter work for everyone involved. Join one today,” she wrote.
In an email to SaskToday, Estevan and District Music Festival president Alisha Mann said each year, the festival committee is given the opportunity to recognize a dedicated volunteer. Mann noted Smigiel is stepping away from her duties this year.
“We thought this was a perfect time to recognize the contributions she has made over the years. Her attention to detail and willingness to help, along with her positive and encouraging personality, will be missed,” Mann wrote.
