Longtime 108 Mile Ranch resident and chronic volunteer Lucille Armstrong has been named the 2024 South Cariboo Citizen of the Year.
During the Canada Day celebration at the 108 Heritage Site on Thursday, July 1, Armstrong was awarded the title by Donna Barnett and Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Lorne Doerkson. Fittingly, Armstrong had been in the middle of volunteering for the event and told the crowd she was deeply thankful for the recognition.
"I was totally shocked when I was nominated. I don't know who did that, but thank you," Armstrong said. "I'm even more proud to be part of this community and all these people who are up here all deserve it.
Sharing the stage with Armstrong were five of the six other nominees, including Danielle Colbourne, Bev Fry, Marty Mahovlich, Bruce Andersen and Bernice Williams. Marty's wife Jane, who was nominated alongside him, was unable to attend. Barnett said that Citizen of the Year has been running since 1986 and each year, past Citizens of the Year come together to vote for their preferred candidate. This year there were 18 judges.
Armstrong has been living in the 108 Mile Ranch, on and off, since 2000, noting that Barnett was her realtor when she bought her house. A former central teller for RBC, Armstrong said she got into volunteering as a way to get to know the community.
"Everybody is just amazing and welcoming (in the South Cariboo). It takes a little while at first when you first move here, but do a little volunteering and you meet the entire community," Armstrong said. "I see people now I volunteered with way back in 2000, and I still get hugs. It's a good community."
Over the years, Armstrong has volunteered for several different community events and groups as needed, including for the 108 Heritage Site and the 108 Mile Community Centre. Along with her friend Lori Fleming, she started organizing regular ladies' luncheons, which have since evolved into fundraisers for the 108 Outdoor Recreation Committee. Armstrong said the Girls Just Want to Have Fun fundraiser in March was a success and she is helping organize another in October.
The 108 Outdoor Recreation Committee is Armstrong's current pet project, which is dedicated to building a year-round recreation facility on the 108 Community Centre's grounds. She noted she's also recently begun volunteering in the kitchen at Royal Canadian Legion Branch 260 in 100 Mile House, which she said she loves.
"I work in the community and do jobs I really want to do, which makes me feel like kind of a bit of a fraud because it's things I really like," Armstrong said. "I'm all about how the end result is. I just want to put my whole heart into it to know it's going to be the most successful it can be. That's my whole motivation."
Being named the 2024 Citizen of the Year is an honour, Armstrong said, adding that she is still in awe that somebody thought to put her name forward in the first place. Overall, however, Armstrong told the simplymastery she was ecstatic to receive the award. She encourages the community to get out and get involved as she and the other nominees have.
"Get out and volunteer because it's so rewarding," Armstrong said.
