Dorothy Wikstrom (left) and her husband John (left) received the Jim Thompson Award for their years of volunteer work for the Special Olympics in January (Mat Barrett/northeastNOW Staff).

By Aaron Schulze

Remembering Dorothy

Melfort Curling Club remembers long-time Special Olympics Coach and Volunteer Dorothy Wikstrom

May 22, 2019 | 5:01 PM

The Curling Club, Special Olympics, and community in Melfort lost a beloved and valued citizen over the weekend.

Dorothy Wikstrom passed away May 18, 2019, according to an obituary posted by the Melfort Funeral Home.

Dorothy was a volunteer with Special Olympics since 1988 and coached the Melfort Special Olympics curling team to four Special Olympics Canada National Winter Games. Her husband John helped since 1994 and the couple was named receivers of the Jim Thompson Award in recognition of their volunteering in November. The Wikstrom’s couldn’t attend the national awards gala in Toronto, but were officially given the award at the Melfort Curling Club in January.

Brian Kjelshus, vice chair of the Melfort Curling Club Board, told northeastNOW Dorothy deserved recognition a long time ago.

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“The number of national games she was at, she promoted Melfort, Saskatchewan, and all the athletes that she took everywhere,” Kjelshus said. “Her heart goes into what she was doing. I don’t think she ever looked at it as a job. It was always volunteer work and it wouldn’t necessarily be a curling event, it could be some other sport with the Special Olympics.”

Kjelshus said what he’ll remember most about Dorothy is her complete dedication to the Special Olympics athletes and everyone she worked with at the group home.

“It was so important to her to treat everybody the same and try to take some of that stigma away,” he said. “If somebody is a special athlete or participant, they’re just one of the guys like everybody else. It’s hard to find people – it doesn’t matter if it’s in sports or that kind of thing – that has that undivided dedication to something.

“Some people, if they’ve done something good, they have their hand out and want to be congratulated or have some kind of award or recognition their way. I don’t think that was Dorothy’s philosophy, ever. It’s just try to make things as normal as you can for everybody.”

Dorothy told northeastNOW in January that she felt a sense of accomplishment working with the Special Olympics.

Along with her impact left on the Special Olympics community, Kjelshus said Dorothy made it fun to curl in Melfort again.

“The last couple of years we’ve had more curlers than we’ve had in the past,” he said. “When you have a good, solid foundation, it’s kind of easy to build on that.”

Dorothy was 78 years old.

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aaron.schulze@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @SchulzePANow