It was an honour that surprised him.
Joe Dutchak has been named the 2012 Citizen of the Year.
"It totally caught me off-guard," said Dutchak. "It was a really pleasant surprise."
Dutchak was born in Humboldt, but didn't live in the city until 1973 after he graduated from high school.
His volunteer efforts span his entire adult life, starting with joining the Humboldt Fire Department in 1976.
"I started because of the big school fire," said Dutchak. "The St. Augustine School fire was in progress and I was going off to work at a farmer's place. I stopped by there and there were more hoses and nozzles than there were guys to do it, so I asked if I could help. I volunteered to help them and spent a few hours there with them. They came with an application for me later on and asked me to join."
He has served as secretary-treasurer, deputy chief, training officer and is now the captain of the Humboldt Fire Department. He remains a very active member of the department, even after 35 years. He helps with the training of younger members on the fire department, because he beleives, "I've got to teach you because we've got to play to win."
A few years after joining the fire department, Dutchak became a CPR instructor in 1979.
"I was one of the first instructors in the province and my classes were taught to nurses, doctors, ambulance staff, firefighters," said Dutchak.
After teaching the ambulance workers, he was then approached to be a volunteer EMT.
"I did (that) for about a year and then we had a bad crash and I had a guy go into shock on me, didn't recognize that he had a ruptured spleen and said if I'm going to do this, I'm going to do it right and have my EMT (training) or I'm not going to do it anymore, so they sent me to do my EMT class," said Dutchak.
Not only is he both a volunteer firefighter and EMT, he also helped teach baby-sitting courses through the Humboldt Kinettes, teaching fire safety and first aid.
He never expected to receive all the specialized training in that field.
"It was like a snowball that was getting bigger and bigger," laughed Dutchak.
Dutchak is also the local Justice of the Peace (JP), which is an appointment he received in 1993.
"The JP title is not something you can apply for," he explained. "My name came as a suggestion from the RCMP."
As a JP, Dutchak makes sure there is fair play between the RCMP and the people being arrested or accused of a crime. He is also required to swear affidavits for the court.
"We are kind of a hidden thing in the judicial system," Dutchak said. "It is also nice to be known as someone in the community who can recognize fair play."
Dutchak explained JPs do not have the power to perform marriages, but after being asked if he could marry couples a number of times, he decided to apply for a marriage commissioner appointment as well.
He also finds time to teach signed English, which he decided to do because he has a few deaf friends.
"It's a neat language, it's an interesting language to learn," he said of sign language. "When you are starting off a class like that and you are showing them what to look forward to in the (future) classes, it becomes fun to teach."
When he is not volunteering, Dutchak can be found at Humboldt Auto Body, a business he owned for 28 years and not only owns the shop, but also runs the CAA tow truck.
"It is a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week job," he said.
He explained that running the tow truck is commitment he took on to help others.
"If you took off an evening and a little kid is locked in a car, it is just as much an emergency as anything," he explained.
Dutchak is always there to help anyone in need.
"I feel in the realms of the work that I do and the jobs that I have, usually come in when people are at their worst. I get involved when they are in need, I guess - when they need a boost or there is a fire," said Dutchak.
Although Dutchak is always busy with both volunteering and working, he doesn't regret putting his whole heart into his work.
"I have never been a guy to just turn my head at it," he explained. "I just go in and attack things front row centre."
He enjoys all the activities he is involved in and wouldn't change a thing.
"I've never been bored for a day in my life, or a minute in my life," he laughed. "There is always something going on."
He believes all his involvement in the community wouldn't be possible without the support of his family, especially his wife Carrie, who he supports in her volunteer work at the SPCA.
"I like to support her in her efforts because obviously I can't do all this (stuff) by myself," said Dutchak. "I need somebody to look after me."
Although he has been named Citizen of the Year, Dutchak believes he is not the only one who deserves recognition. He believes that everyone who goes above and beyond their duties deserves to be recognized for their efforts in the community and he is simply doing what he feels is right.
