Julie Bruhn and Vanessa Perry were named volunteers of the year by the Vergas Community Club (VCC) at its annual volunteer appreciation event held at Loonie’s Pub Thursday, March 12.

Plant stakes, with their name, will be placed in the Loons Nest garden downtown. The plant stakes match the hands on the park’s volunteer statue that was created by Patrick Shannon.

Descriptions of the many reasons Bruhn and Perry were chosen for the volunteer award were given at the meeting and are shared below:

Julie Bruhn

Julie Bruhn has been a VCC member for more years than we can count. She has held many volunteer positions, chairing events and just showing up.

She is the type of volunteer that you can always “just call” and if she is around that day/weekend, she will help out.

She has chaired Maple Fest with Janelle Lotzer for the past number of years. She created Kids Art Camp, and continues to lead that popular event each year, coming up with new ideas and fun.

She is on the Arts Committee, a sub group of the VCC, and has helped with organizing events for them. Most notably, she has organized the implementation of the upcoming May Story Book Trail unveiling, working with the author and publishing company to make this a great family event.

Bruhn organized and worked the winter planters throughout the community for many years.

She attends meetings and is now on different committees to help promote and bring people to Vergas. There is not an event held in Vergas, that she does not have a part of.

All that being said, the volunteer moniker continues to follow her as she is presently Mayor of the City of Vergas. Following in the footsteps of her Dad, Gordon Dahlgren, Bruhn is well deserving of this honor.

Vanessa Perry

Vanessa Perry also had numerous nominations, and it is quite notable, as her volunteer years started when she was a very young member of the VCC. As one person wrote: She has been a part of the growth of the events that the VCC holds. Her planning and donations are incredible for our community. She completely supports the mission of “being the best community to visit, work and do business!”

She has been a board member for over 10 years, holding positions of treasurer, VP and board director. She is a great mentor to others,looking to organize and chair events.

The input from Perry at meetings is invaluable. She has a unique sense of how a small town can thrive, and that is by promoting others as well as her own business. She cares about Vergas as a whole, and has been proven a true leader in many aspects.

Her marketing ideas are usually spot on, and she knows how to connect with people to get things promoted and accomplished.

The generosity of Perry and her business, Billy’s Corner Bar, has made our community events stronger and more successful.