Ask Jordi Mikeli-Jones about the city naming her Volunteer of the Year and her focus quickly turns to the plans for Kona’s Coalition.

It was just three years ago when Mikeli-Jones started the organization focused on animal welfare.

Since that time, the group has helped countless pet owners pay vet bills they might not otherwise afford.

It has also helped provide vaccination clinics for animals.

As well, it started up the Safe Haven foster program. Volunteers take in pets of those leaving a home where there is domestic abuse until the owner is able to take them back.

As Mayor Dan Curtis said in an interview Monday, Mikeli-Jones has helped a lot of people and their animals.

The extensive work she has done – including fundraising and recruiting numerous other volunteers for the organization – made her noteworthy of being considered for Volunteer of the Year, Curtis said.

She does that while balancing family life with her husband and their three-year-old daughter and operating her own business – Triple J’s Music, Tattoos and Piercings on Elliott Street.

“We have a whole new generation of volunteers coming forward,” Curtis said.

Mikeli-Jones said Monday afternoon she was honoured to receive the award, especially alongside so many other worthy “incredible” people who were up for the nomination.

She hopes the award will help propel the organization to the next level of advocacy and education as it also continues with its more established programs.

She wants to see the humane treatment of animals become part of the political discussion as well as education programming developed for youth with the possibility of Kona’s making visits to Yukon schools to talk about animal welfare with students.

She’s already started her efforts to enhance youth education through an ambassador program encouraging youth to perform acts of kindness for animals and send in their stories, educate others on issues about animals or fundraise for animals in need.

Those who get their entries in by June 11 (to Triple J’s, by faxing 456-7558 or emailing konascoalition@gmail.com) will receive stickers and a keychain with a number of other prize packs that will be awarded.

The bigger prizes include T-shirts as well as Canada Games Centre and Yukon Wildlife Preserve passes.

“It’s a preliminary step,” she said of the ambassador program on the education front.

Attending the annual conference of the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies this week in Toronto, Mikeli-Jones said she is anxious to start working on a range of ideas coming out of the conference.

The group continues to work on education, advocacy and its standard programming, and fundraising to do all that is also a focus.

Mikeli-Jones hopes to set up a monthly donor program and continue hosting a number of events that provide funding for the organization. It has found itself paying anywhere from $6,000 to $10,000 a month in vet bills.

In 2016, fundraisers are set to include a calendar project, the Kona’s Summer Classic Golf Tournament, a dog jog in September, its third annual Halloween event and a gala New Year’s Eve party.

The New Year’s Eve celebration is an entirely new event Kona’s taking on.

At $100 per ticket, Mikeli-Jones said, it will be a “totally decadent” black-tie affair, “something Whitehorse, the Yukon has never seen.”

Between 260 and 300 will be on sale for the evening celebration, which will feature performances by a seven-piece swing band, a DJ and others.

There will also be a photo booth, silent auction, snacks and a bar available.

With the event still months away, Mikeli-Jones said, there are already some big plans for the decor at the New Year’s Eve bash.

She’s expecting some people’s jaws will drop when they walk into the space at the Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre.

After years of hosting many parties that have raised money for the organization, Mikeli-Jones said she’s looking forward to hosting a major gala event.

“We’ve certainly demonstrated we can throw a party,” she said.

Past event fundraisers include the former Sunstroke Music Festival and a fashion show.

After 10 years of hosting the music festival, Mikeli-Jones said she was ready to try her hand at other events.

While family issues had forced the cancellation of the last fashion show, she said she hopes to resurrect it one day, though with all the other events planned, that might be some time from now.