Skip to content

Blake named male citizen of the year

Owen Blake was honored as the Male Citizen of the Year as the Stettler Regional Board of Trade hosted its annual Citizens of the Year and Business Awards Night on Oct. 22 at Stettler Community Hall.
24841stettlermaleJ28
A true volunteer - Owen Blake with the three ladies who nominated him as the Male Citizen of the Year (l-r) Cindy MacDonell

Owen Blake was honored as the Male Citizen of the Year as the Stettler Regional Board of Trade hosted its annual Citizens of the Year and Business Awards Night on Oct. 22 at Stettler Community Hall.

“I thank my wife Pam, who along with my mother and father, taught me how to volunteer and to help others,” said Blake,

“It was 38 years ago that as newlyweds we moved to Stettler to start our life together – it was a good move,”

“Stettler has been very good to us and I hope I contributed a little something back to this community.”

Blake was lauded for serving the community in a tribute prepared and read by Joan Baltimore, Cindy MacDonell of Stettler and District Handibus Society and Kathy Tuck of Stettler Health Services Foundation.

“Owen has always gone above and beyond what most people would do to help family, friends, church members or even the occasional stranger, young or old with a multitude of this they may have needed help with,” the ladies said in their tribute.

“Owen is one who will never back away from a challenge or turn away anyone in need. He is and has always been a person who has put himself second.”

Blake has served as a member and volunteered in a variety of organizations that include Kinsmen, Stettler Health Services Foundation, Stettler Legion, Stettler United Church, Stettler and District Handibus Society, Citizens on Patrol, Stettler and District Food Bank, Stettler Housing Authority, Stettler Ringette Club, Stettler Homecoming 1980 and 2005, Bar Harbour Camp and Wilderness Village Camp council, a timekeeper for Stettler Lightning hockey games, and served as Santa Claus for many years and much more.

Praised for his talent in talent for troubleshooting, Blake is given credit for his patience to look through a problem to see if there is anything else happening, before going ahead with replacing or fixing it.

A lifetime member of the Legion, Blake is known to have held all offices and positions.

“He has always done the bottle returns, he was the night “on call” person ever since their alarm system was installed, and he was part of the planning for veterans’ funerals. He has been a key part in organizing several Remembrance Day ceremonies and was president when Stettler hosted the Legion national curling championship.”

Elaine Hennel said that it was more than 25 years ago when Owen responded to an appeal to help the Choir with the Christmas Cantata, and he has been a member of the choir ever since.

When asked in a 1998 application to the health foundation why he volunteers, he is said to have simply stated – “It is a small way to give back to a community that has been good to me and my family for 27 years.”