Saskatchewan has it all - pristine lakes, arid sand dunes, and rolling plains. Now Andrew Hiltz is going to tell everybody about it. Hiltz, who calls Coronach home, has been selected as the 2017 Saskatchewanderer.
“The Saskatchewanderer program is a government program to showcase living, working and playing in the province,” said Hiltz, who took up his job duties on January 12. For the next 12 months, he will be visiting various corners of the province to profile stories on agriculture, business, tourism and the people. Hiltz will first be targeting his attention to Saskatchewan residents but he hopes to “attract everybody.” He’ll be documenting these travels on social media, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and a website with a blog, videos and photography.
“This program is now in its seventh year,” said Ken Cheveldayoff, Minister responsible for Parks, Culture and Sport. “All of our past Wanderers have brought something special to the program and encouraged growth on a social media following. Andrew will be no exception. I look forward to following Andrew this year and discovering all there is to see and do in Saskatchewan.”
The program started back in 2011 as a summer program but has grown into a full year term. “There’s been five previous wanderers before me,” Hiltz added. The program has the support of four ministries: Tourism Saskatchewan and the Ministries of Agriculture, Economy, and Parks, Culture and Sport along with CAA Saskatchewan as the official sponsor. This year celebrates 100 years of service and Hiltz will take part in many events. With Direct West as the official search partner, he will be using mysask411.com, the Mysask411 Mobile App and the SaskTel Phonebook to find local information and businesses.
Hiltz would appear to be the perfect person for this role. He has traveled extensively throughout Europe, Australia and North and South America over the past seven years, while documenting his travels with videos and photography and journals. Now he can use these skills to document his home province. His marketing background will also help to show off Saskatchewan at its best.
Being the Saskatchewanderer has been a goal of his for a long time. Hiltz said that his friends and family have been encouraging him to apply for the job. He also takes pride in the experience he gained from working with local businesses, such as Richardson Pioneer, which equipped him with a better understanding of Saskatchewan agriculture as well as SaskPower where he learned about the operations of a coal-fired power station.
While some say Saskatchewan people might be rather self-conscious about their province and its beauty and opportunities, Hiltz’s message is how constantly blown away he is by the kindness, generosity, and acceptance by people across the province. As for any stereotype of Saskatchewan as boring and flat, Hiltz, who grew up in the southwest, counters this. “I grew up near the Big Muddy and the hiking through there is as beautiful as any other part of the world.” He is also enthusiastic to discover other parts of the province. “I’m so excited to see the northern part of the province. It puts the ideas of Saskatchewan upside down.”
So far, Hiltz has been on the other side of the camera doing interviews and promoting the program, but he will soon be off to do his first stories. “It won’t be hard to find people in communities that are doing good things and helping each other out with open arms.”
As someone who is from Coronach and played hockey in Mossbank and other towns in the area, Hiltz has a message for southwest Saskatchewan. “I thank everyone so much. The support has been tremendous. And I couldn’t be more proud to call Coronach and area my home.”
Hiltz can be followed on social media on Facebook at www.facebook.com/skwanderer, on Twitter @SkWanderer or Instagram @saskatchewanderer. He is also posting regular blogs on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/skwandererofficial and the official Saskatchewanderer website at www.saskatchewanderer.ca.
