If we want to know who forms the back bone of our communities, we need only go to the Citizen of the Year banquets.
Year after year, people, who are the glue for so many projects and so many committees, are nominated to be considered as a Citizen of the Year.
Who would be better suited to consider and select the Citizen of the Year than former Citizens of the Year, led by Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA and former 100 Mile House mayor Donna Barnett.
Most often the nominees come from different walks of life – whether it’s professional, business, political or a member of the general public.
Such was the case with the lineup of the 2012 Citizen of the Year nominees.
They included Len Doucette, Tom Bachynski, Garry and Elsie Babcock, Tom and Maryann Rutledge, Sean Watson, Dave Dickie, Jeanette McCrae, Margo Wagner, Ruth Benson, and Ruth Peterson.
The Babcocks and Rutledges were selected for their ongoing and outstanding work with the 100 Mile & District Historical Society.
Together they have pushed and pulled the development 108 Mile Heritage Site, and found the funding to operate and maintain the site.
They also have a dream for a museum in 100 Mile House and, hopefully, that dream will be realized.
However, Mrs. Barnett probably said it the best when she noted everyone standing on the stage at the community hall on Saturday night deserved the award.
She is absolutely correct.
Look at the people on that list and think about what they willingly give to our communities – from youth to seniors and everyone in between.
All of them give from their hearts whether it’s donations for every fundraising event in town or bringing a smile to faces of those in their golden years.
They all share one very important desire – they all want to make their communities a better place to live, work, raise a family and grow old in.
The great thing about these precious souls is they are willing to get involved, roll up their sleeves, put their shoulders to the wheel and work as hard as they can to make their dreams a reality.
When we walk down the sidewalk in the coming months and we see one of the people who were nominated as a candidate for the Citizen of the Year, we should stop and congratulate them.
We should all be thanking them for making our communities what they are today and what they are going to be tomorrow.
