Quesnel’s Volunteer Citizen of the Year for 2017 is Louis Beaulieu.
Louis was honoured last night at the 38th annual awards dinner that was held in the Billy Bakrer Casino Showroom.
City Councillor Ron Paull, the Chair of the Volunteer Citizen of the Year Committee, says Louis’s volunteer journey began with the Hospital Auxiliary and grew from there…
“He’s also been involved with the Lions Club and he served, in fact, on the Lions Club Housing Committee, he is a Director on the Baker Creek Enhancement Society, he’s an active member with the Northstar Church.”
Wally Doern, Ron Campbell and Debbie Knabke were also nominated.
Paull says there were also two lifetime achievement awards handed out as well, including one for Jeff Dinsdale….
“He has quite a background in community service and volunteering in health and wellness and he was involved with the Cerebral Palsy Association, he has served on the Quesnel Canadian Mental Health Association and a lot of people know Jeff through his association with the Paddle Wheelers, the Blackwater Paddlers and of course the Goldrush Trail Sled Dog Association and Mail Run.”
Paull says the other lifetime award went to the late Tom Moffat…
“His grandson Ian Hart was in attendance to receive that award. Obviously it’s know by many that Tom Moffat served in World War Two working on a bomber. In fact, in 2014, Tom was a guest of the Netherland Government at the 70th anniversary of “Operation Market Garden”, at which Tom’s crew dropped food for the hungry.”
Paull notes that the Lifetime Achievement awards are nominated by the past Volunteer Citizens of the Year.