Skip to content

Cinnamon Bun Lady receives Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal

Every year the province of Saskatchewan awards a select few residents the Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal. This medal is given to recognize exceptional volunteerism by individuals who give back to their community.
GN201310304059986AR.jpg
Arcola resident, Phyllis Cameron, lovingly known as "The Cinnamon Bun Lady" has received a provincial volunteer medal recognizing her great contributions to the community.

Every year the province of Saskatchewan awards a select few residents the Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal. This medal is given to recognize exceptional volunteerism by individuals who give back to their community.

"It is a true honour to present the Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal to such deserving individuals," Lieutenant Governor Vaughn Solomon Schofield said. "The recipients have made extraordinary contributions to our province, and represent the heart and soul of Saskatchewan."

This year, an Arcola resident, Phyllis Cameron, "The Cinnamon Bun Lady," is being honoured.

Cameron had recently begun keeping books at the Seniors Drop in Centre when she came across a letter asking for nominations for the award. Cameron thought that the community of Arcola should participate in some way and began asking others who in town would be a good nominee. A friend of Cameron's, Marjorie Askin, asked to see the nomination form to see if she could think of anyone to nominate.

Indeed Askin knew the perfect person to nominate. Unbeknownst to Cameron, Askin had already decided to nominate her friend for the medal. This was a surprise to Cameron as she has exclaimed multiple times since discovering she was chosen for the award that she doesn't do anything big for the community.

In speaking with Cameron it becomes clear she volunteers and participates in the community because that is what should be done. She likes being involved. Cameron doesn't do it for acknowledgement or praise, though this medal is a large statement about the impact she has made on many people's lives in a positive way.

Cameron even humbly explained, "I will accept it [the award] on behalf of the people in the community because it takes everybody to make a small community run."

This fondness for community and love of her neighbours emanates from Cameron who is very welcoming and friendly.

Thinking about what she does in the community Cameron simply smiles and says, "I don't do anything big. I just do little things. I'm the Cinnamon Bun Lady, help with the books at the Jubilee Drop-in, and I do some volunteer driving. You see just little things; things I thought would hardly be talked about at all."

Cameron is now 82-years-old and still volunteers much of her time to the community. She has a long history of community involvement throughout her years as a teacher, farmer's wife, and now a retired grandmother.

Cameron loves to make cinnamon buns and enjoys sharing this throughout Arcola and surrounding communities making them for the Moose Mountain Lodge Care Home, church services at St. Andrews United Church, Coteau Place Care Home, and the Arcola School. Not only does she make cinnamon buns for all of these functions, she will also donate them to be sold at fundraisers with full proceeds being kept by the fundraising organization.

Cameron also takes time to teach grades four, five, and six at the Arcola School how to make cinnamon buns, which she enjoys immensely. Watching a young person learn a new skill is always satisfying especially when the youth become so excited over the fact that they will be learning how to make cinnamon buns.

One evening every month Cameron prepares dinner for the residents of the Golden West Senior apartments. This is greatly appreciated by residents who enjoy the meals immensely.

The Cinnamon Bun Lady has much experience in cooking these large dinners as she prepared meals at Camp Wabimasquah, located at White Bear Lake, for a decade.

All of those who were councillors or campers were appreciated by Cameron and she still has notes written to her exclaiming how they will miss her and others thanking her for being so wonderful to them.

Cameron is a volunteer driver. She enjoys taking time to drive others to doctor appointments, for groceries, and for hair appointments. She's driven people in Arcola, Carlyle, as well as Kisbey, while even making trips to Regina.

She volunteers her time to the United Church, Prairie Place Hall, the museum, and the Seniors Drop-in Centre. She also takes care of the bookings for the Optimist Hall opening doors for the renters and locking them up again after the event.

Her influence in the community has even led to a young girl naming a 4-H heifer and steer after Cameron. The heifer's registered name is Phyllis, but according to Cameron the little girl never calls the heifer this. Instead the young girl chooses to call the heifer Cinnamon, while her steer is called Buns. This was very touching to the Cinnamon Bun Lady who shook her head in awe as she repeated the story.

Multiple letters were submitted with Cameron's nomination, which included one written by Marjorie Askin.

"She is a happy volunteer, loves to help people and always takes the time, no matter how busy she is or what is going on in her life, to stop and say hello and ask how your day is going, and most likely give you a hug when needed," Askin writes.

"She is a great neighbour, great friend, good Grandma, and an extremely generous person, a woman of inspiration, loves her church and attends regularly."

Copies of all the letters sent in with the nomination form were copied and given to Cameron, who was amazed at all of the kind words said about her.

"I saw these letters and I knew I had won, I didn't even need the medal," Cameron explains as she looked through the nomination letters.

Cameron is in very good company with regards to the volunteer medal as she points out she will be joining two retired military personnel and a doctor, which makes her smile grow larger because of her humble roots as a teacher.

She is also very glad to see that the award truly is one for those across Saskatchewan and is not heavily favoured by city dwellers. People from Moose Jaw, Regina, Saskatoon, Gravelbourg, La Ronge, and Saltcoats will all be attending the medal presentation on April 23rd at Government House in Regina. Saskatchewan Lt. Gov. Solomon Schofield will present the medals to the recipients. The medal recipients will also attend the Legislature where the recipients will be introduced by their MLA's.

Cameron has never been inside these buildings and is extremely excited about the opportunity. Always living up to the loving nickname, the Cinnamon Bun Lady, Cameron has said she is a little bit worried about being late for the festivities on April 23rd because she will be bringing fresh baked cinnamon buns for the day.

Able to bring five people to lunch with her she will be taking her daughter, Carrie, and her late husband's cousins who reside near Regina, as well as Bud and Marjorie Askin the couple who made the nomination happen.

"It just seems like a dream," Cameron says.

Though she is amazed at the fact she is being awarded a volunteer medal and is very happy to have simply been nominated she will not let it go to her head.

"About 15 or 16 years ago there was a blurb in the paper, I still have it, that if there were a Citizen of the Year that I should be it," Cameron explained.

Yet, every time she remembers this article she also remembers a neighbour who has since passed that always spoke her mind. The neighbour said that there were many people in the community that deserved the title just as much if not more. The neighbour wasn't being rude, she just always spoke her mind and had stated that there were others in the community worthy of the title.

"I remember that and it brings me right back to earth, it humbles me," Cameron said.

Despite her humble approach to life, Cameron is understandably ecstatic to have been chosen as someone worthy of a medal for her volunteerism, which is rightfully so. In fact, her humble attitude is very endearing and is likely part of the reason she has made such an impact in the community. She volunteers and offers her time without hesitation because she likes to be involved.