Jane Kaczmer recognized by province

Cochrane's Jane Kaczmer has been recognized by the Alberta government's Northern Lights  Volunteer Recognition Program for her dedicated support of artists and art organizations.

Jane says she is both surprised and humbled by the nomination that was submitted without her knowledge by the Cochrane Music Society.

She's not one to bang her own drum, and it was only by accident Cochrane Now stumbled upon the recognition. At that point, she had only told one of her brothers.

She believes volunteering in the community to be a reward in itself.

"It's very fulfilling to do volunteer work, it really is," says Jane. "You don't do it for notoriety, you do it because it's fulfilling to help organizations. It's just a good thing to do, and I highly recommend it to everyone."

Cochrane Culture Days continued through the pandemic with precautions in place to ensure the community could continue to enjoy live music.

Among other things, Jane has been a driving force behind the Cochrane Music Society for over 20 years and is one of the founders and president of the Cochrane Integrated Arts Society (CIAS).

She has coordinated Culture Days on behalf of the arts society for the last four years.

For 16 years she has organized the annual West Valley Winds Workshop for concert bands, attracting musicians from across Alberta and BC anxious to learn from top-flight guest directors. After being sidelined by the pandemic, it is set to return as the Mike Sakatch Concert Band Workshop next year.

By word and deed, Jane is passionately committed to bringing Cochrane and the Stoney Nakoda First Nation closer together by helping where possible to create relationship-building opportunities.

Assisting with the raising of the tipi at the 2022 Culture Days. (file photo)

This spring, she played a large role in encouraging a historical collaboration between the Cochrane Music Society and Indigenous drummers and singers Gina Onespot and Kyle Snow.

Jane is also a regular volunteer at the Iyahrhe Nakoda Food Bank

The Alberta government established the Northern Lights Volunteer Recognition Program to honour everyday people who are helping to make life better in communities across the province.

She has been profiled on the Alberta government website and received a letter of recognition from Tanya Fir, minister of Arts, Culture and Status of Women.