Dave Blommaert is no stranger to awards, having received several from the Yorkton Lions group over his 30-years as a volunteer with them. To go with his awards from the Lions, Dave recently received a Frontline Workers honor which he earned for putting in tireless hours at his retail job over the course of the pandemic.
Blommaert is considered a "go to person" among his colleagues and friends in the city, noted the nomination papers for the latest award. Along with the Yorkton Lions, he's also volunteered with several minor sports organizations, The Heart and Stroke Association, The Cancer Society, and United Way.
When asked about receiving the award from the city, Blommaert's response was humble.
"There are a lot of people out there who have done and continue to do more than I have. I feel pretty lucky to have been given this award,” he said.
Blommaert had been in Saskatoon when he received a call informing him that he would be this year’s recipient.
"I was definitely surprised,” he said, adding he has never went out of his way to earn award nominations.
"I'm not one to go out and look for mileage on these things, I just do what I do,” said Blommaert.
It's easy to see why Blommaert was nominated and subsequently chosen for the award when he reflects on his upbringing.
"We were brought up to help our neighbors, and help our family...I still feel that way,” he said. “If someone is down, and needs a hand, you help them out."
Between the countless hours of volunteering, Blommaert still maintains his job at Canadian Tire, having worked at the business for close to 40-years.
"It's just about time to pull back,” he said. “My wife said I should only work two days a week, but I didn't think that made much sense, so I said I'll work three."
With his newly acquired spare time, Blommaert has directed his attention to volunteering with other organizations while still maintaining his position with The Lions. Now, he also sits on the board for the Good Spirit Housing Authority, an organization whose goal is to provide safe and affordable housing to members of the vulnerable population. The GSHA has over six-hundred housing units under their supervision between Yorkton, Melville, and Canora.
"We do what we can,” he said.
