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Lifelong community booster, tireless volunteer passes away

A hard-working teacher, booster and community volunteer, April Sampson, passed away on March 12 at the age of 82 years.
April Sampson

A hard-working teacher, booster and community volunteer, April Sampson, passed away on March 12 at the age of 82 years.

She was heavily involved in many organizations and groups in the community, ranging from helping to establish the Weyburn Humane Society and a founding member of the Crocus 80 Theatre group, a supporter and worker at the Rotary Music Festival and a member of the Weyburn Rotary Club, a singer and pianist for the Octavius Singers, and was also a piano teacher and taught elementary school for 21 years.

She also helped to coordinate the Weyburn Fiddling Contest and acted as emcee for the event for a few years.

April was heavily involved with the Communithon when it began as the major fundraiser for the Weyburn United Way, recalled Nick Coroluick, who worked with her to get that event organized.

“She was the first entertainment chair of the Communithon,” said Coroluick. “At that time, we had a 36-hour event, and she filled up the entertainment time with local performers. She had tremendous dedication. I think she did that for two or three years, and she was chair for Communithon for a year and president of United Way for a little while.”

He also recalled helping to cohost the Access broadcast of the Chamber of Commerce’s parade for three years, which he remembered fondly as very fun.

“She had a pretty good sense of humour, and sometimes she was so focused on the job at hand that she might miss some things, which I got back at her later,” he said.

A few times she organized readings of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol on CBC Radio, and helped to organize local talent to help with that.

As a neighbour to Souris School, she was a supporter of the school and helped to organize events for the school’s 100th birthday.

Another good friend, Brenda King, noted that April coordinated Gospel sing-along evenings that were open to all denominations, and volunteered as a pianist or organist for church that needed one.

“She was a piano teacher who went beyond teaching just piano. She was a mentor, adult role model and friend to her students,” said King.

April was an honourary member of the Rotary Club, andbecame a full member in 2011. She was presented with two Paul Harris Awards in her time with the club, and “when her health allowed, she was always an enthusiastic helper with Rotary fundraisers and she loved to play the piano for us and lead us in singing,” said King, noting she often led the Rotary chorus as performers at Communithon, and was proud of the fact the Rotary Club was the only one to perform at every edition of Communithon since it began.

She won much recognition as a volunteer at the provincial and local levels, including as a recipient of the Golden Spike Award from the Chamber of Commerce in 2010.

“All of this just encapsulates what an amazing person she was. Add to this that she did everything so cheerfully because she believed in all these. She never did it for recognition or glory,” said King.

A funeral service for April Sampson was held at Grace United Church on Tuesday afternoon.