Some of you may know that Joe and Alida Walsh will soon be leaving the North for Saskatchewan. They arrived in YK on New Year’s Eve 1975, and both have been fixtures of our community for 45 years. Alida and Joe have raised 3 children here in YK, living in the same house all 45 years! Alida worked for 20 years at Peterson Stang Malakoe law firm and contributed to our community in many ways: – She was a founding member of Fédération Franco-Ténoise, and its First President in 1978. – She served on the board of the YWCA for 2 years as well. Joe worked at Giant Mine until he retired in 1991. He has been a participant and volunteer extraordinaire in many aspects of YK: – As a ball player and coach. – As a hockey player, coach and organizer. Joe was President of NWT Hockey for 5 years. YK Minor Hockey annually awards the Joe Walsh Award – as the award description says “presented to the individual who has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to the development of hockey in Yellowknife and who, like Joe Walsh did it “for the love of the game””. In 2004 Joe was recognized as an RBC Local Hockey Leader by Hockey Canada. He was in the Hockey Hall of Fame for that year, along with the other 2004 Local Hockey Leaders. – He was a valued Sport North board member and executive member for many years, especially as President of Sport North for 5 years. – For the YK Ski Club as an Elks Club volunteer and treasurer. – As an AWG volunteer, committee chair, and notably as General Manager for the 1998 Games held here in YK. – For the YK Seniors Society: – Chef for the Canada Day Breakfast on more than one occasion – board member for the Society – volunteered for whatever activity a volunteer was needed for – “maintenance guy” for the Executive Director of the YK Senior Society at the Baker Centre – built garden boxes, lawn swings in the garden, the greenhouse, fixed all manner of things for the Society – Joe is a woodcrafter. He has made many crosses for plots at the cemetery and worked on other projects as well. – As a member of Yellowknife Elks Lodge #314 for 30 years: – championed the building of the Yellowknife Ski Club and Elks Youth Centre – a driving force behind the annual Elks Fish Fry for seniors – As a valued volunteer for the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. To honour these 2 Yellowknifers who will be leaving us June 18th, please join us in a drive-by farewell Thursday, June 10th. Meet up at the YK Arena parking lot at 6:45 pm and we will be off from there at 7pm. If you can, post a farewell sign in your vehicle. And, if you have any pictures or stories or memories about Alida or Joe to share, please add them to this page. (No doubt some of what they have done for YK is not mentioned here. Help us out with that!) Thank you! Joe and Alida for all you have done for our community. You will be very much missed! Best wishes for the future from your Yellowknife friends and neighbours.
