Rosalie Gelderman is a recipient of a 2023 Minister’s Seniors Service Award. The awards were announced in mid-April of this year. She is one of three recipients of an Individual Award. 

Here is the official communication from the Government of Alberta about Rosalie and why she was chosen as a recipient. 

Rosalie Gelderman, a devoted advocate for seniors, has dedicated over four decades to seniors’ well-being in Alberta and beyond. Her extensive contributions include over a decade of impactful work with the Edmonton Seniors Coordinating Council, where she played a pivotal role in shaping projects such as the seniors home supports program, diversity resources for seniors centres, and outreach service models, leveraging her insights, extensive connections, and wisdom. With 26 years at Operation Friendship Seniors Society and subsequent roles as the Aging in Place Project Coordinator in Edmonton, Rosalie has been a catalyst for innovative strategies, ensuring housing and support for marginalized seniors. Her extensive volunteerism, spanning 28 years, includes chairing the Keiskamma Canada Foundation, which supports South African seniors, and serving on many non-profit and city boards. She is known for fostering community understanding, safety, and compassionate responses in all her roles. Rosalie is a positive role model and is described by her colleagues as a one-woman harm reduction program, embodying quiet determination in her decades-long commitment to improving the lives of seniors. Rosalie’s exceptional service, wealth of knowledge, and unwavering dedication to serving Alberta seniors across multiple sectors stands as a testament to over four decades of quiet activism, leaving an indelible mark on the lives of those she has touched.

Rosalie said that she is honoured to receive the award and also to meet the Lieutenant Governor. In her acceptance speech, Rosalie said that, “it was in the inner city where I found a home and spent most of my working life – supporting and advocating for seniors on the margins, often struggling with mental illness and addictions. I learned that respect goes farther than the best laid plans to fix them.”

Rosalie's speech concluded with some words of wisdom: “We say it takes a village to raise a child. It also takes a village to age. May we all live well in community, giving and receiving a helping hand.”

Rosalie lives in McCauley, where she has volunteered with numerous community organizations, including the McCauley Community League and Inn Roads Housing Co-op. She is also Boyle McCauley News’ bookkeeper as well as a block carrier and proofreader. 

Congratulations Rosalie!