ARTHUR – Lifelong Arthur resident Jenny Bodz is this year’s Arthur Chamber of Commerce citizen of the year award winner.
Unbeknownst to her, until after she won the award, Bodz was nominated four times by members of the community.
“For continual, outstanding, undaunted voluntary services to the well-being of our community,” one nomination comment stated.
Another said, “Jenny Bodz pours her heart and soul into Arthur.”
“It was a shock to me,” Bodz said of winning the award.
Bodz grew up and attended school in Arthur. She began volunteering at a young age, influenced by her grandmother Theresa Saunders, who volunteered in Arthur.
“Just watching how my grandmother did things in the community was something that kind of stuck with me,” she said.
“Without volunteers, you can’t really build the community,” Bodz added.
Volunteering for her is a “labour of love” – something done by people who “want to be here and want things to happen.”
Along with being an active mother to three young children, Bodz is also a co-owner of Arthur Registered Massage Therapy and still manages to find time to give to several Arthur organizations with her husband Kyle stepping in to help at home when she’s off to meetings.
An avid volunteer with the Arthur Agricultural Society, Arthur Curling Club, Arthur Minor Hockey and Arthur Minor Baseball, Bodz said she’s “always advocating for the community and for our youth and just trying to make Arthur a better place and welcoming place as well.”
Bodz started with the agricultural society on the board of the Arthur Fall Fair as a fair ambassador before running the ambassador program and later becoming president and now secretary.
At both minor sports organizations, she helped organize COVID-19 protocols to get programs running again and she coaches juniors at the curling club.
“It’s the enjoyment of seeing things happen for my children and for the children of the community, along with adults in the community as well,” she said of her reasons for donating her time to a community she loves.
“I always want to make sure everything is better and bigger for everyone.”
As this year’s award recipient, Bodz now has her name engraved on a plaque and a donation was made toward the Arthur Food Bank – a good fit given Bodz began her time volunteering there with her grandmother.
“It’s quite an honour to be listed on the plaque with the ones that currently are still with us volunteering and some that aren’t anymore because there’s some names that have passed on,” Bodz said.
