The Ponoka Stampede has named their 2025 Errol McMillan Volunteer of the Year Award recipients: Charlie and Bernie Walcheske.
Charlie and Bernie Walcheske exemplify the ideal volunteers, and their decades of service reflect their deep-rooted love for the Stampede and the town of Ponoka.
For more than 45 years, Charlie and Bernie have been integral to the volunteer community at the Ponoka Stampede.
As lifelong residents and business owners, they raised their three children in Ponoka and take great joy in hosting their eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Charlie recalls his first memory of the Stampede as a five-year-old who got lost at the event.
He began volunteering by serving beer at the downtown beer gardens and wife Bernie soon joined him, and their journey as dedicated volunteers took off, leading them to the current grandstand, where they’ve been fixtures at Gates 5 and 6 for the past 12 years.
Charlie says, “There are two times of the year I look forward to: Christmas and the Ponoka Stampede, our fellow grandstand volunteers are like extended family.”
Bernie adds, “We’ve seen families and kids grow up coming back here year after year. We cherish the familiar faces and the stories of who got married or had a baby. It feels like family, and I can’t imagine not being here each year.”
Despite facing personal challenges and suggestions to slow down, Charlie and Bernie remain steadfast, never missing a shift or an opportunity to return to Gates 5 and 6 for all Ponoka Stampede events.
**With information from the Ponoka Stampede
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