Genny Duffenais puts her heart and soul into every volunteer hour she punches because she wants to make a difference in her community.
If she was wondering if she was making a difference, Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador has taken notice of her work as president of the Stephenville Minor Hockey Association.
Duffenais got the nod as the winner of the 2018 Brian Wakelin Executive of the Year Award at the Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador annual general meeting and awards banquet Saturday night at the Albatross Hotel in Gander.
Duffenais attended the awards ceremony and was caught off guard when her name was announced. She said she was shocked and happy all rolled into one, but very proud to have her contribution to the association over the past two years recognized in such a meaningful way.
She takes pride in knowing that she puts 150 per cent into everything she volunteers for because she wants to be able to feel good about doing her best.
“I don’t really see the point in doing a job half assed,” Duffenais said Monday afternoon.
Duffenais was contemplating giving up her executive position at the association’s annual general meeting a couple of weeks ago, but she was asked by many parents through telephone calls and emails to consider staying on for another term so she had a change of heart.
Her son Russell graduated from the Stephenville minor hockey program this year so she didn’t see herself being engaged as an executive member, but she will be at the helm for the next two years after it was decided the term for president would be two years instead of a president only in command for one season.
She thought about the negative stuff she had to deal with during her term and thought maybe it was time to give it up, but one of the coaches in the system quickly made her realize that it’s only a small number of people who will gripe and complain so think about all the people who are happy with the direction the program has taken under her leadership.
Two years ago, Duffenais took over a struggling minor hockey system that only had $1,500 in its bank account, but today it’s in sound financial shape and that’s the one thing that makes her feel really good about the hard work she put in with the other executive members to turn the association around.
“It was struggling financially and it’s not any more,” she said. “I run a tight ship and I like to keep costs as low as we can.”
