Fort McMurray, AB – Four community members were honoured at the annual Council Excellence Awards on Monday night, recognizing their outstanding contributions to the Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo region.

Mohamed Tarrabin, a household name in Fort McMurray, was named Citizen of the Year for his extensive community involvement and acts of kindness. A senior manager at Prestige Jewellers, Tarrabin is well known for his support of local businesses, non-profits, and residents.

The Everyday Hero Award went to Nadeem Aslam, whose quick thinking saved 25 lives in June 2024 when a Fort McMurray Minor Baseball team’s bus was struck by lightning while returning from Slave Lake. Aslam managed to drive the bus to a safe stop, preventing injuries to those on board.

Stacie Atkinson was recognized with the Indigenous Advocate Award for her volunteer work and commitment to Indigenous communities, particularly through the Conklin Resource Development Advisory Committee and Métis Local 193.

The Youth Citizen Award was presented to Lalithya Raavi, founder of Eyes4All, a non-profit focused on vision health, and co-founder of W.Women in Tech, which promotes leadership in STEM fields. Raavi also holds an outstanding academic record while still finding time to volunteer throughout the community.

“It’s clear to me that the greatest resource in this region has always been our people,” said Mayor Sandy Bowman. “We congratulate the winners and all those that were nominated during what was a record year for community participation.”

The Council Excellence Awards are presented annually, with nominations set to reopen in fall 2025.