A lifetime of giving back
Local volunteer among Honour 150
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This article was published 02/12/2021 (1374 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Volunteering is often a selfless act. But it doesn’t mean it isn’t nice to be recognized.
On Nov. 28, family, friends, and neighbours surprised Robert Fabbri, a longtime Bronx Park Community Centre volunteer, with a celebration in light of his receiving an Honour 150 medal from the province.
“It was quite the event,” said Fabbri, whose wife Donna organized the surprise celebration. “I was absolutely stunned.”
Fabbri, who will celebrate his birthday this week, got an inkling that something was up on Sunday morning, as he was preparing to go make ice at Bronx Park.
“She said, ‘Do you have something more suitable to wear?’” Fabbri said. “Now my head is spinning. I’m thinking, I have a birthday coming up nine days … I thought she was being sneaky, planning a surprise birthday or something.”
It wasn’t until he walked into the gym that bears his name at Bronx Park, recognizing the countless hours he’s put into helping run the club, that Fabbri understood the gravity of the situation.
“It was just overwhelming,” he admitted. “There’s no question you feel honoured. It shows other people not only recognize what you’re doing, but appreciate it. It’s unexpected, but very much appreciated.”
In 2020, the provincial government announced the winners of the Honour 150 awards, recognizing exceptional volunteers throughout the province “who give back to the community and enrich the places in which we live, work, play and come together in unity.”
But, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the gala event that had been planned was unable to take place. Instead, individual events, such as the one that took place at Bronx Park on Nov. 28, have been organized by those who nominated or are close to the recipients. Fabbri, whose volunteer work over the years also includes work with the Winnipeg Foundation and S.P.I.K.E. Inc., was nominated by his sister, Gayle Boychuk.
“The reason this is such a great province, a part of it, is because we’re very fortunate that we have good, caring, sharing people,” Fabbri said. “Part of that is such a strong commitment to volunteerism in this province.”
A longtime Bronx Park resident, Fabbri first got involved with the nearby community centre when his son started playing mini-soccer and under-six hockey. His daughter also played community centre sports as a youth.
“When you’re involved like that, you realize if there’s not volunteerism, these programs aren’t going to last,” Fabbri said.
From volunteer soccer coach to hockey convener to vice-president of the club, Fabbri has acted as director of buildings and grounds at Bronx Park since 1992, a time that has seen many changes to the facility, not least of which was the creation of Clara Hughes Recreation Park at 281 Henderson Hwy., which was created to fill the void left when Kelvin Community Centre in Elmwood closed. As part of its agreement with the City of Winnipeg following Bronx Park’s major renovation in 2009, the club was tasked with maintaining the Clara Hughes site.
And while it’s a lot of work, Fabbri has been happy to keep doing it.
“I’ve always said with Bronx Park, if there’s others who want to come in and do this stuff, I’ll certainly take a step back, and help train and assist,” he said. “But at this point, I have support of family and good health that I can do it. That motivates me.”
Sheldon Birnie
Community Journalist
Sheldon Birnie is a reporter/photographer for the Free Press Community Review. The author of Missing Like Teeth: An Oral History of Winnipeg Underground Rock (1990-2001), his writing has appeared in journals and online platforms across Canada, the U.S. and the U.K. A husband and father of two young children, Sheldon enjoys playing guitar and rec hockey when he can find the time. Email him at sheldon.birnie@freepress.mb.ca Call him at 204-697-7112
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Sheldon Birnie
Community Journalist
Sheldon Birnie is a reporter/photographer for the Free Press Community Review. The author of Missing Like Teeth: An Oral History of Winnipeg Underground Rock (1990-2001), his writing has appeared in journals and online platforms across Canada, the U.S. and the U.K. A husband and father of two young children, Sheldon enjoys playing guitar and rec hockey when he can find the time. Email him at sheldon.birnie@freepress.mb.ca Call him at 204-697-7112
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
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