Fifty-one nominees and 13 recipients were honoured at last night’s Women of Excellence Awards in Red Deer, a night to recognize women who’ve contributed toward making central Alberta a better place.

Former Red Deer city councillor Lynne Mulder was winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Mulder’s civic life has also included senior administrative positions in post-secondary education and the non-profit sector.

Since politics, she’s kept busy, serving on boards for Vantage Community Services, Central Alberta Legal Foundation, Volunteer Central and the Canadian Mental Health Association.

Mulder is also involved with the United Way, Canada Winter Games, hospice, and Urban Aboriginal Voices.

Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Lynne Mulder enters the ballroom at the Red Deer Sheraton Hotel along with the Women of Excellence nominees.

At 71 years old, she still feels the need to pitch in.

“I get a whole lot of satisfaction out of volunteering ... I was brought up by a father who always said to me, ‘If you’re able to give, then you must,’” she said.

“I’m in good health. There’s no reason for me to stop. I’m not going to sit in front of the T.V. and watch soap operas. I want to be out there and I want to make a difference.”

As a leader, Mulder said she’s had to make hard decisions. In the political arena, it’s the ones where the public interest and public opinion, are at odds.

She says that the right call, is the one made for the right reasons.

“You don’t make friends with everybody. You must do what’s best for the larger good. I’ve been in a lot of leadership positions in the college, as president, vice-president, where I’ve had to make those decisions. I’ve had to cancel programs at the college, which was very unpopular, I’ve had to let people go. And you do it for the greater good,” Mulder said.

“The same with council. I look now and I’m just Lynne-citizen right now, and I think, what would I have said or what would I have done in that situation. But I’m always very quick to say, having sat in that seat, it isn’t as easy as it looks. The public doesn’t always have access to all the information that council has in making decisions.”

The full list of awards recipients

Agriculture: Leona Staples                   

Arts & Culture: Louise Stuppard

Athletics, Recreation and Fitness: Brandi Heather

Business and the Professions: Barbara King               

Community Building: Christine Moore

Education and Training: Wanda Christensen

Entrepreneurship: Denise Gagne                   

Environment: Bridget Allen       

Health and Wellness: Maureen Gustafson

Human Services: Karen Simon

Young Woman of Excellence: Jaycee Bourke Ireland Murray

Lifetime Achievement Award: Lynne Mulder