Bob Westrop to be nominated for Stars of Alberta Volunteer Award

Bob Westrop

TLCD - At their August 22 regular meeting council for the MD of Pincher Creek No. 9 decided to nominate Bob Westrop for a 2017 Stars of Alberta Volunteer Award. Councillor Fred Schoening's motion was to nominate Westrop "for his years of volunteerism throughout the community." The nomination was in response to a letter from Alberta Culture and Tourism Minister Ricardo Miranda soliciting nominations for "Albertans whose volunteer efforts have contributed to the well-being of their community are eligible to be nominated." Westrop is an ever-present force in the Pincher Creek community, acting as MC, auctioneer, and even preacher at many local events, including the annual Pincher Creek parade, the annual show at Heritage Acres, and Canada Day at Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village. In 2012 Westrop was a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. The deadline for nominations for the Stars of Alberta Volunteer Awards is September 15, 2017.

Six awards, two in each category of youth, adult, and senior, are presented annually on International Volunteer Day, December 5, at Government House in Edmonton. Albertans whose volunteer efforts have contributed to the well-being of their community are eligible to be nominated. - Alberta Culture and Tourism Minister Ricardo Miranda

Bob Westrop awarded Diamond Jubilee Medal

Mayor Ernie Olsen present Bob Westrop with Diamond Jubilee Medal

Toni Lucas - At the beginning of the regular meeting of Pincher Creek's Town Council on Monday evening September 10 a special ceremony took place.

Mayor Ernie Olsen read the following speech to local citizen Bob Westrop, who was in attendance:

"On behalf of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, I am pleased to award you the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal created to mark the 60th anniversary of Her Majesty's accession to the Throne. In granting you this honour, I thank you for your dedicated service to your peers, to your community and to Canada. The contribution you have made to our nation are most commendable and deserve our praise and admiration. I wish to convey to you the heartfelt congratulations of your fellow Canadians."

"I don't think there's a more deserving person in this community than yourself, Robert,"  Mayor Olsen said as he handed Westrop his Diamond Jubilee medal, plaque, and commemorative booklet.

"I appreciate this very much.  It's a great community to live in, I like it here,"  said Westrop, to the heartfelt applause of those assembled at the meeting, followed by individual congratulations from the council members.

"This is significant to me,"  Westrop said afterward, seeming to be truly touched that the Town Council nominated him.

"There's lots of people in this community that do a lot of work to organize things, then I get to present them.  I get to make it exciting, and fun, and important.  That is kind of what my role has been.  Someone else has done all the work of organizing it, then I get to show up and do the front man stuff.  It seems like someone else has done all the work," said Westrop about his many contributions.

"This is significant, an award like this.  I know I do a lot of things in this community, and the Pass, and Cowley, and Grad classes, and I have two things this month and two things next month to do, but they're fun to do.  That's where I get some of my great pleasures in life.  Being with people, getting to talk to people, and have fun with people.  that's what I like to do."

He looked at the awards in his hands and said, "I guess people do appreciate you for what you do."