They were announced as winners in January, but just received their awards last weekend. Humboldt and District's Citizen of the Year, Gwen Saret, and Junior Citizen of the Year, Adam Duke, were presented with their awards at a ceremony that was part of the Humboldt and District Chamber of Commerce's Mark of Excellence Awards on March 22. Though the awards are sponsored by the Humboldt Journal and JCI Humboldt, they didn't do the presenting this year. That was left to those closer to Duke and Saret. Dave Rowe, a teacher at HCI, was the one to present Duke, his former student, with his plaque. Rowe remembered Duke constantly shooting hoops at school. At the time, he noted, he was impressed by his devotion to sport. But what is more impressive about Adam Duke, he noted, is his long history of involvement in the community for someone only 25 years of age. He was a Beaver, and a Cub Scout, sat on school SRCs, coaches, officiated, and later became involved with the Humboldt Food Bank, Humboldt and District SPCA, Special Olympics, and is now seeking a seat on the University of Saskatchewan Student Council. Duke is, Rowe said, deserving of accolades. He has devoted himself and toiled for worthy causes, and "his qualities of kindness, devotion and sacrifice I believe will make him a fine teacher."Upon accepting his award, Duke thanked everyone in the room, especially the business community. Whether it's been an event he organized or supported, a lot of the weight has always been on the community leaders and businesses, he noted. "It's difficult to choose what to support," he said. "I'm grateful for everything you've done."There's a lot going on in Humboldt, he continued. "It's truly great," Duke said, but he keeps hearing people talk about visions of Humboldt becoming like Saskatoon. "Do not be that," he insisted. "Humboldt is better than Saskatoon. Be Humboldt. This is the community I want to come back to. This is the community that is going to truly bring people back.... it's the greatest community in this province. I'm so very grateful for this honour."Presenting Gwen Saret's award was her daughter, Lynne Brecht of Humboldt. "This is a very special night for my family," she said. Saret admitted to being an emotional person in her interview with the Journal in January. "We're an emotional family," Brecht corrected. "My dad said the Kilchers have their bladders behind their eyes," she added, to which the crowd roared.Saret is the daughter of Art and Emily Kilcher - a park in Humboldt is named after the pair.For years, Brecht felt her mother was deserving of this award, she said, and this year, she felt it was time everyone else knew what she has done for the community. When she told her mother she wanted to nominate her for the award, Saret told her, "I'd never win that," Brecht said. But between Brecht and friend Maureen Doetzel, they put the nomination in.Then she won. Seeing her mother's accomplishments all listed on a paper surprised even the family, who knew how active she was, Brecht indicated.Saret served the Catholic Women's League, volunteered at her church, was on the board of the Humboldt Jaycettes, Minor Hockey and Humboldt Broncos. She billeted Broncos, opened her home up to youth awaiting trial, helped organize the 1987 Centennial Cup, was on the board of the Sports Hall of Fame, was a Crisis Care volunteer at the hospital and taught DWI classes for over 20 years. She was on the Waldsea Lake Regional Park Board, was on town council for three terms, and knocked on every door in Humboldt to convince residents to vote to bring river water to town. Now, she still volunteers - at immunization clinics, funerals, the Good Neighbour Store, and the Humboldt Housing Authority, to name a few. What's listed here are only a few of the things Saret has done to make the community a better place, Brecht said. It does not include the personal things she has done to help family, friends and other people in need. "She's an awesome wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt and friend. I know Art and Emily Kilcher are watching with pride as well," Brecht noted with a wealth of emotion. "Obviously, her community is very important to her. Her time is given freely and with enthusiasm."Saret received a standing ovation from the crowd as she made her way to the podium."This is overwhelming, you guys," Saret told the crowd. "I just didn't think it was possible, I guess."Saret thanked "all the people I've been blessed to work with as volunteers. I have so much fun," she said. "They're just crazy out there... The Humboldt Housing Authority board, I have a blast with them.... And the 140 volunteers at the Good Neighbour Store... I have so much fun working with them."Her husband Bernie told her to say that she wouldn't have been able to do all this without him at home, looking after that side of things. "If you know Bernie, that's (crap)," she laughed. "I did both ends."Her husband did support her, she added. He'd say, "If you're crazy enough to do this, okay," she laughed. The other nominees up for Citizen of the Year were all really special, she said. "The only thing I have that they didn't was 25 or 30 years. And Adam," she noted, "by the time he's 73... imagine what he'll have done."That her family came from far away to see her accept this award, she concluded, "is more overwhelming than anything."
