It’s Volunteer Week, and the Town of High River has been recognizing local individuals who give their time to make a difference in the community every day.
One prominent volunteer in the community is John Nikulak, who has volunteered for over a decade at the High River General Hospital.
Nikulak has donated over 14,800 service hours to the hospital. In 2024 alone, he committed 1,600 volunteer hours, equivalent to a full-time working position.
“I enjoy people, and I just want to give back to the community,” Nikulak said. “I just enjoy it; I was raised that way.”
In 2006, after his mother passed away, Nikulak began a tradition of preparing a catered meal for hospital staff working on Mother’s Day.
The dinner was his way of showing gratitude for the care and compassion the nurses and staff showed, and he has continued the tradition ever since.
Nikulak’s time spent volunteering at the hospital includes running the annual Grilling for Good charity BBQ, spending time with patients who are alone, and greeting everyone coming into the lab.
“I’m a jack of all trades," Nikulak said. "I have a clipboard and when people come into the lab, I ask them if they have an appointment and if they don’t, then I give them a number."
Nikulak manages numerous fundraisers for the hospital, including bake sales, the Show & Shine, BBQS for events such as Music in the Park on Sundays, and at the Bomber Command Museum in Nanton.
Throughout the years, there are a few people who have stuck in Nikulak’s mind who he has supported at the hospital.
“There was a gentleman that I fed for nine months and three days,” he said. “There were a couple others who didn't have families, so I would sit with them.”
Nikulak volunteers all around High River and Okotoks, and most recently, he decorated seven trays of cookies for the Tim Hortons Smile Cookie Campaign.
Nikulak encourages anyone interested in volunteering to reach out to the High River General Hospital at 403-652-0113.