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Cochrane Activettes president discusses female leadership on eve of International Women's Day

“I’m part of a group of 46 women and we are very much a team in what we do,” Gilbertson said. “We take on a lot of tasks and we get the job done. But most importantly, we collaborate with others.”
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Marcia Gilbertson, pictured middle right, with fellow Activettes outside of the foodbank.

With 18 years volunteering experience with the Cochrane Activettes club, Marcia Gilbertson knows what it takes to keep a crucial organization running smoothly.

As the current president for the Activettes, Gilbertson said the service club is responsible for Cochrane’s food bank, Clothesline, and several activities run by the club. Gilbertson added she has her hand in a majority of the operations.

Although her career was in sales and business development, through her time working with independent businesses in smaller towns and cities, Gilbertson got a feel for how they got involved with community. As a parent, she would also actively volunteer in the numerous activities her kids were involved in.

“So, after the kids were done high school and they moved on, I moved on to the Activettes,” Gilbertson explained. “The Activettes were very familiar to me because I lived in Cochrane for some time, and I just knew who the Activettes were.”

Looking back, Gilbertson said one of her early sources of inspirations was her parents. After watching her father get involved with several service clubs, she said it felt almost mandatory for business people to support their community at the time.

“The biggest inspiration now though, were my friends, the people that I volunteered with,” Gilbertson said. “We have just always been that kind of community.”

For Gilbertson, she believes that International Day, which falls on March 8, is an important date for women in both Cochrane and Canada.

“It’s always nice to be recognized for something, but I think women in Cochrane and Canada have lots of opportunity,” Gilbertson said. “Sometimes we might even take it for granted, but we do know it is not worldwide and we need to stay on top of it.”

Despite being the club’s president, Gilbertson said there is no singular leader at the Activettes, as they are instead a group of leaders.

“I’m part of a group of 46 women and we are very much a team in what we do,” Gilbertson said. “We take on a lot of tasks and we get the job done. But most importantly, we collaborate with others.”

Although they were able to operate though the COVID-19 pandemic, Gilbertson said the last year has shown there is still need for their work in Cochrane in the post-pandemic era as well.

“The need for food hampers in Cochrane has grown,” Gilbertson confirmed. “So, we are responding to that.”

In her own experience, Gilbertson believes all girls and young women should get involved with a team however they can.

“We really have a nice mix of younger women, and it’s nice to collaborate with them, get their ideas, and skill sets that make it really fun, as well to work together,” Gilbertson said.

The Activettes president added the club will continue to respond to Cochrane’s continued growth by assisting low--income families and operating the Clothesline. She invites anyone interested to join the club or volunteer.

“The Cochrane Activettes are celebrating our 45th year in Cochrane this year,” Gilbertson said. “The group has been doing this for many years and we’ve grown from a group that met around a table to what you are seeing here today.”


Daniel Gonzalez

About the Author: Daniel Gonzalez

Daniel Gonzalez joined the Cochrane Eagle in 2022. He is a graduate of the Mount Royal University Journalism program. He has worked for the Kids Cancer Care Foundation of Alberta and as a reporter in rural Alberta for the ECA Review.
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