聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 The technician working at the Kamsack Veterinary Clinic has been named the Saskatchewan Veterinary Medical Association鈥檚 (SVMA) technician of the year.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Cynthia Koreluik, who has worked at the Kamsack clinic with Dr. Ellen Amundsen-Case since 1996, received the award during the SVMA鈥檚 convention at the Delta Hotel in Regina on September 8.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淐indy is one of those rare and valuable individuals who knows what you need before you need it and has it handy and ready to go,鈥� Amundsen-Case said as she introduced Koreluik to the convention. 鈥淪he knows all of the clients by name and all of their pets as well.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淪he is always cheerful and friendly,鈥� Amundsen-Case said. 鈥淪he never watches the clock and never hesitates to stay after hours when required.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淪he has bottle-fed and fostered many orphans of various species for the local rescue societies, has come in every weekend, without pay, for more than a year now to give insulin to a senior diabetic cat whose owner has been admitted to the person care home.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淪he is not only proficient, but she is empathetic and caring as well. She is efficient and able to juggle a myriad of tasks and responsibilities. She is registered nurse, laboratory technician, office manager, receptionist, bookkeeper, secretary, purchasing agent and housekeeping staff.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淐indy is an asset to the community, which reflects positively on the veterinary profession, she volunteers wherever help is needed in the community and has a special relationship with the animals and their people.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚n my opinion Cindy Koreluik is an outstanding veterinary technician.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Quite simply, there is probably no one in the veterinary technology field in Saskatchewan who is more devoted or committed to the wellbeing of animals as is Koreluik, said the nomination that had been submitted by Amundsen-Case.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淐indy is a veterinary technologist/receptionist in a one-veterinary practice which is a small animal hospital and a large animal ambulatory facility and she assists on surgeries and undertakes regular laboratory duties including working with Abaxis equipment,鈥� the nomination said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 A graduate of the Kamsack Collegiate Institute in 1982, she attended Red River Community College in Winnipeg and then graduated from a two-year course as an animal health technologist. For the next four years, she worked at the University of Manitoba, both at its Winnipeg campus and at the Health Science Centre in Winnipeg at the university鈥檚 animal research centre with research animals.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Koreluik then moved over to the Dakota Veterinary Clinic in Winnipeg where she worked for three years.
While working in Winnipeg, she was among the first group of technologists to start the Manitoba Animal Health Technologists Association and served as its treasurer for one term.
In 1996, Koreluik moved back to Kamsack where she began as a veterinary technologist at the Kamsack clinic and in 2014, she received her 25-year pin from the Saskatchewan Association of Veterinary Technologists and has kept up with her annual continuing education requirements.
Among Koreluik鈥檚 non-work interests is her involvement with the Kamsack and District Indoor Rodeo Association, a group she helped start 18 years ago and for which she has served as secretary since the beginning. As a member of the rodeo committee, she helped stage the annual rodeo, which was sanctioned by the Canadian Cowboys Association and the Manitoba Rodeo Cowboys Association. It was usually held the last weekend in September and Koreluik organized the kitchen and volunteers as well as helped with obtaining the sponsors. She has also helped with the association鈥檚 various fundraising activities, which recently included a Lasso the Two weekly lottery.
An avid gardener, Koreluik has served as the president of the Kamsack and District Horticulture Society for about 15 years. She was elected president of the Saskatchewan Horticulture Association in 2014, but has been a member of the provincial board since 2011. As president of the Saskatchewan association, she oversees the group鈥檚 annual provincial show and convention and is involved with organizing its annual bus tour and a workshop each spring. As president of the Kamsack society, she conducts the monthly meetings, oversees the organizing of the annual show and represents the community at the provincial convention.
For about 20 years, Koreluik has been a member of the Yorkton Geneological Society and has served as its president and currently is its treasurer. As a member she attends monthly meetings, discusses genealogical matters with other members and attends at least two major functions each year: the Museum Day at the Western Development Museum in Yorkton in February, and the museum鈥檚 annual Threshermen鈥檚 Festival in the autumn.
Koreluik has always had pets, most often rescue animals, and currently she and her partner Edward Leis, who live on an acreage two miles south of Runnymede, look after the needs of three dogs, three cats and one horse.
In addition to working on her own large vegetable and flower gardens, after her day is done at the vet clinic, Koreluik finds time to work at Grandma B鈥檚 Greenhouse, a commercial enterprise that starts bedding plants for area gardeners.
During her time in Kamsack, Koreluik has volunteered with the local 4-H club and was the club鈥檚 small pets specialist. She has also received her Level 1 certification in international wildlife rehabilitation after having taken a course offered through the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation.
An avid reader, she has six levels of American Sign Language to her credit, the nomination said. She loves movies, some television series and is a great Blue Jays鈥� fan.
Koreluik received her award from Sue Gauthier, the planner of the convention.
