By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

2018 Red Deer Citizen and Young Citizen of the Year honoured

May 23, 2018 | 8:00 PM

Red Deer’s 2018 Citizen of the Year and Young Citizen of the Year were honoured at a gala Wednesday night hosted by the Rotary Clubs of Red Deer.

Humble and not sure whether he actually deserves the honour, Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre Board Chair Terry Loewen can now be called Citizen of the Year.

Loewen insisted there are so many volunteers working behind the scenes, some of whom are involved with too many organizations to count.

“I used to get mad because I thought government should be more involved in a lot of things, and in some cases they should be,” he admits. “But I also realise that having them out of the picture means the community has to come together and do things together. That brings camaraderie, a great community spirit and actually makes you who you are as a community.”

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Among other things, Loewen has also been involved with the Central Middle School Benevolence Fund, Big Brothers Big Sisters and Camp Alexo.

His young counterpart is 19-year-old Giancarlo Estoesta, a Notre Dame High School grad and first-year Red Deer College Pre-professional Medicine student.

Estoesta confesses that he actually declined the nomination when he first found out someone was putting his name forward, but only because he wasn’t convinced that his work in the community merited such recognition.

“It was pleasantly surprising to know I was selected,” he said. “I think volunteering gives you this unique opportunity to be connected to the people in your community. It allows you to expand your world-view and learn different things you wouldn’t learn in a classroom.”

Estoesta has volunteered in the ER at Red Deer Regional Hospital for the past two years, has tutored high school students and is now tutoring adults through the public library’s Adult Literacy program, and has helped conduct numerous friendship meals for the homeless at his church.

He came to Canada from the Phillipines just seven years ago.

Guest speaker for Wednesday night’s event was Beckie Scott, three-time Canadian Olympian, Olympic gold medallist, and Canada’s most decorated cross-country skier.

Earlier in the day, the Canmore resident and Vermilion native spoke about how one volunteer shaped her life prior to hitting the world stage.

“My first coach was a volunteer from the age of 13-18. He was one of the most influential people in my life, and he actually came to my first Olympics in Nagano and cheered me on,” she said. “Through his support, guidance and enthusiasm for sport, I learned a tremendous amount and decided through that experience to try and take it to the next level. I would say my life was profoundly impacted by a volunteer.”

Scott retired in 2006 and is now the President and CEO of the non-profit organization ‘Spirit North,’ which works to improve lives of Indigenous youth through sport and play. She is also a member of the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame, among others, and currently serves as Chair of the World Anti-Doping Agency’s Athlete Commission.