SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Darren Benoit's work on the big event begins every April.

Benoit, vice president of the Yellowknife Rotary Club, has been planning the annual Canada Day parade for four years now. He said they kick off every year in April, setting up committees and laying the foundation for the big day on July 1.

For four years running, Darren Benoit, vice-president of the Yellowknife Rotary Club, has successfully organized the Canada Day parade. Kim Poulter, president of the Rotary Club, said they couldn't do it without him. - Andrew Livingstone/NNSL photo

"We have various committees - float, public relations, traffic control," Benoit said while working, just hours before the start of this year's parade. "We even have a committee for the volunteer barbecue after."

A passionate Canadian, Benoit said it's an honour to be able to help out in celebrating the nation's birthday each year.

Benoit said a lot of work goes into getting businesses, dignitaries and organizations involved in the nation's birthday. One of the main goals this year was to get more businesses and aboriginal groups involved.

"We pushed to get more interest from businesses," he said, pointing to the gigantic Tim Horton's coffee cup on a trailer parked at the Community Arena. "It's really amazing to see how many people are interested in the day."

It's impossible for Benoit to give an exact number of floats, even hours before the parade. He said groups and people sometimes just show up with their own floats, unexpected but surely welcomed.

"The day of is always the busiest day," he said. "A lot of work goes into bringing it all together on the actual day."

The biggest challenge for Benoit and his 40 to 50 volunteers is to find a convertible for the parade's biggest dignitary, NWT Commissioner Tony Whitford. But things always work out in the end, he said.

Benoit said his job gets easier and easier as the years go by. With a good core group of dedicated volunteers, his stress level stays at a minimum.

"We have a good group of Rotarians that come so it makes my job easy," he said. "It's a great day for us to give back to the community of Yellowknife."

Robert Hawkins, Yellowknife Centre MLA and parade grand marshal said all the success can be credited to Benoit - who in turn says all the credit goes to volunteers who make the parade a success every year.

"Without them it wouldn't happen," said Benoit.