Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association gets PM’s volunteer award

The Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association has received a PM’s volunteer award.

Nunavut was remembered when Prime Minister Stephen Harper honoured the recipients of the third Prime Minister’s Volunteer Awards March 18 at a special ceremony in Toronto.

That’s when the Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association received the regional award for B.C. and the North, which comes with a $5,000 grant, likely to assist the annual NACA arts festival.

The NACA award is a result of “our great partnerships across the territory and working with our members on opportunities and training in the communities,” NACA’s executive director Rowena House told Nunatsiaq News.

“None of this would be possible without support of the Government of Nunavut, and funding from Inuit organization and federal partners. The support the staff get from the board allows us to move things forward and to accomplish the goals that they have set for the organization.”

As part of its mandate, NACA supports and promotes the development and growth of Nunavut’s arts and crafts sector through communications, advocacy and marketing domestically and globally, its website notes.

The PM’s volunteer awards, created in January 2011, recognize the contributions of Canadian volunteers by honouring two national recipients — as well as 15 regional recipients, including individuals, businesses and not-for-profit organizations.

The awards also highlight best practices in community leadership and encourage partnerships across sectors.

The recipients were presented with medals, certificates and lapel pins during the ceremony.