Retired employee more than a clerical worker

A familiar face is missing these days at the Alberta Children’s Services office in Slave Lake.

Sophia Cardinal, a popular receptionist at the facility for the past 28 years, retired earlier this year.

Cardinal, however, did much more than clerical work at the office.
The 60-year-old, a member of the Bigstone Cree Nation, often put clients at ease as it was welcoming for them to first see and speak to a fellow Aboriginal in the office.

The fact that Cardinal also speaks Cree was a huge plus. Since many clients only spoke Cree, Cardinal was not only able to welcome them in their language, but she was also able to serve as an interpreter for clients when they were speaking to social workers.

“I’m a people person,” she said.

Cardinal was originally hoping to maintain her job for a couple more years.

“It would have been great to stay there for 30 years,” she said.
But she had a knee operation back in 2009 and she said her knee is still a concern and slowing her down.

“I have to think of my health,” she said. “I did a lot of walking at work and I was really feeling tired at the end of the day. I thought my health is still kind of good and that I should retire now.”

What is Cardinal most proud of from her career?

“That I did help and I did get to meet a lot of people,” she said.
Since her retirement, Cardinal has been frequently told how much she is missed at the office.

“People in town tell me all the time that they miss me and they wish that I came back,” she said. “And people in the office are telling me that they miss me.”

But even these kind-hearted messages are not enough for Cardinal to return to work.

“(I’m not going back) because I’ve been there too long,” she said.
One of the highlights of Cardinal’s career came in 2006 when she was presented with an Esquao Award.

These provincial awards are presented annually and were created by the Institute for the Advancement of Aboriginal Women.

Recipients, who are all Aboriginal women, are honoured for their outstanding work and for helping women of all ages.

Cardinal said she surprised even herself at the awards reception, which was held in Edmonton. She only found out the day before that she was required to make a speech.

“This was quite a big deal for me,” she said. “I had to speak in front of a big crowd. There were about 500 people there. I did it without getting shy. And I spoke in both English and Cree.”

Cardinal has also won numerous volunteer awards for work in her community. She’s helped out at the local friendship centre, ski club, women’s shelter and also at various Elder and youth gatherings.

Cardinal also saw her share of change during her years at work.
“With the government always changing, the programs were also changing,” she said.

One constant all those years, however, was Cardinal’s welcoming face.