Well-known community activist Dave Stack was named the Most Outstanding Citizen of the Year at the Arthur and District Chamber of Commerce’s annual general meeting on Nov. 8.
Outgoing chamber president Mary Schmidt said Stack “deserved” the recognition for his outstanding volunteer work in the community.
It is the first time the chamber has recognized a citizen, having previously hosted business awards annually.
“I’m not surprised he received it,” Schmidt said. “Whatever is going on, he’s either supporting it or he’s organized it.”
Stack is a member of several organizations and received five nominations in the citizen of the year competition.
Some of his volunteer work includes serving as a member of the Arthur Historical Society, as well as the local mural committee, trails committee and betterment committee.
A lifelong village resident, Stack was a teacher at the former Arthur District High School in Arthur and later at Wellington Heights Secondary School in Mount Forest before retiring in 2006.
“He’s retired, but he has absolutely no time,” Schmidt said of his volunteer activity. “It’s a wonderful thing to see somebody who really deserves it, get it.”
Stack said he was shocked by the nomination and the award.
“It was a complete surprise,” he said. “We’re doing what we can in a small community.”
The decision by the chamber not to limit its award to businesses was made earlier this year.
“We decided we have a number of amazing people in our community that volunteer,” Schmidt said of the award.
The membership also elected Corey Bilton as the new president.
Schmidt said the chamber has had a busy year with the purchase of new Christmas lighting for the downtown business core and supporting the new mural painted on the north side of the Sussman’s building, a tribute to “Canada’s Most Patriotic Village.”
The mural was officially unveiled in Arthur on Nov. 10.
