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Volunteer Citizen of the Year Louis Beaulieu won’t give up volunteering anytime soon

The winner describes the feeling of hearing his name called
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Louis Beaulieu, second from right, accepted his award on Wednesday. Ronan O’Doherty photo

Quesnel has its 2017 Volunteer Citizen of the Year: Louis Beaulieu.

Beaulieu says he was honoured to receive the award last Wednesday, and has no plans to change his volunteering ways.

“I’m going to continue to do the same. I have a few new things I want to do, but I’m not on them yet,” he explains.

Beaulieu has been volunteering full time for the past five years, after he retired from his private business, as a renovation contractor.

He and his wife moved to Quesnel in 2009 and when his wife passed away two years later, he found himself with too much time on his hands.

“I saw the ad in community calendar in the paper that the Hospital Auxiliary was looking for new members,” he told the Observer in a previous interview.

“I thought this was a good opportunity to get out of the house.”

Beaulieu says he’s most involved with the Lions Club, for which he has held several offices over the past four years, including his current positions, as director and vice-president of the Lions Club and director on the Lions Housing Committee. He has been named Lion of the Year.

“I am more involved in the Lions Club because they have many different activities and we have so many tasks. The Lions Club is different everyday. It’s challenging and interesting because it’s different things all the time,” he says.

He also volunteers with the Auxiliary to G.R. Baker Hospital, and is a director with the Baker Creek Enhancement Society.

In addition to all of that, Beaulieu leads study groups for Northstar Church and helps with the church’s building maintenance.

His nominator Paige Sadler says he always makes himself available to help.

“As long as I can help somebody, that’s what I’m looking for,” comments Beaulieu.

Beaulieu enjoyed the banquet on Wednesday, and seems pleased to have had so many friends out to support him.

“I was quite honoured for that and it was a great event. All those people backing me – it was good.”

Many of the friends Beaulieu has made in Quesnel he has gotten to know through his volunteer endeavours.

“I would encourage everybody to volunteer, especially people who are alone or depressed.

“They should engage themselves in volunteering because it’s the most rewarding thing you can do. If you want to get out of loneliness, it’s the thing to do,” he says.

His engraved Volunteer Award currently resides on his kitchen table until he decides where to display it, but Beaulieu says he’s already found a spot for the plaque he received.

“I put it up right away, I’m really proud of it,” he says.

Turn to page B11 for more.