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THEBACHA/FORT SMITH
In a Canada Day tradition, Fort Smith used the annual celebrations to announce the Citizen of the Year and Elder of the Year in the community.

Leon Peterson: president of Fort Smith Seniors' Society named Elder of the Year. - NNSL file photo

The Citizen of the Year is Dixie Penner, while the Elder of the Year is Leon Peterson.

"It was a complete surprise," said Peterson of receiving the honour during the July 1 celebrations. "I wasn't expecting anything like that at all."

The 76-year-old, who was recognized for his contributions to the town over almost 50 years, said it is really an honour to be named Elder of the Year.

"You think back over your life and you do a lot of things, and you do them because you want to do them," he said. "And all at once here is somebody that recognizes that, and it's a very nice feeling."

Mayor Janie Hobart noted Peterson has been very active in many organizations over the years, pointing out he is a former town councillor, involved in the Fort Smith Curling Club and current president of the Fort Smith Seniors' Society.

The former businessman, who is originally from Alberta but has lived in Fort Smith since the early 1960s, was also once president of the chamber of commerce.

Penner was out of town on July 1 and unable to receive the Citizen of the Year honour in person.

"She's a great volunteer in our community, but most particularly for the animal shelter," Hobart said.

Penner, who has lived in Fort Smith since moving there from Whitehorse in 1984, was instrumental in obtaining an animal shelter for the community over a decade ago.

This is not the first recognition for Penner, who received the GNWT's Outstanding Volunteer Award in 2001.

At that time, she noted volunteers are important in small communities. "A community can't really survive without volunteers."

Community members submit nominations to the Town of Fort Smith for the Citizen of the Year and Elder of the Year.

"This year, we probably had more nominations for each of the awards than we probably had in the last four or five years put together," said Hobart, noting it was a very hard choice because all the people nominated were deserving.

"It's unfortunate that we only had one to give out for each category," she said, noting town council selects the winners.

There were seven nominees for Citizen of the Year and six for Elder of the Year.

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