'If you need something done, ask a busy person,' the old saying goes. Well, someone needs to accept Castlegar's 2012 Citizen of the Year award and the recipient, Jacquie Hamilton may have had to bump an appointment or two to make the event which was held on May 30 at St. Rita's Chruch.
Jacquie, along with a host of other deserving nominees was under consideration for the annual award arranged by the Castlegar Knights of Columbus club. As it happened it was her name that made the top of the list.Jacquie had known about the nomination for a couple of weeks. She told the Castlegar News on May 25 she was not totally comfortable with the limelight but consented to let her name stand because she's aware of the honour that goes with the nomination, and appreciates it.
Many others will see the announcement as a timely acknowledgement of the effective effort Jacquie has put in on behalf of so many over the years. Many artistic endeavours have had a boost thanks to Hamilton's influence.
A member of the Selkirk Weavers and Spinners Guild, Jacquie is a fibre artist with a lifelong interest all art forms. The role she chooses is one played behind the scenes.
"To stand up and be publicly recognized is hard work for me," she stated. "But it's an honour you just can't refuse."
Gaps in Jacquie's date book are rare as hen's teeth, and she likes it that way.
"Jacquie has made a tremendous contribution to arts and cultural activities in Castlegar," outlines Elizabeth Fleet who was instrumental in Hamilton's nomination.
"She was the co-founder of Castlegar's Art Walk, which she still coordinates, and she is either treasurer or chair of several other arts-oriented committees and groups in Castlegar and the West Kootenay region.
"My first-hand experience of Jacquie's expertise was when I chaired the Castlegar-Embetsu Educational Exchange Committee in its early years. She has been treasurer for the committee since its inception in 1997, and she is also active in the Certified Management Accountants' West Kootenay Chapter."
Fleet summed up the points behind Hamilton's nomination for Castlegar's Citizen of the Year for 2012. "She is a person who works solidly and dependably in the background, and gets things done. Those of us who have been aware of her work were very anxious for her contribution as a volunteer to be recognized. I did coordinate her nomination, but there were many letters of support from the different groups with which Jacquie is involved."
There were 14 nominees this year, many of whom had multiple nominators. Knights of Columbus spokesperson Bob Saari, in revealing the identity of this year's recipient, said, "Castlegar and area are indeed blessed with so many outstanding community-minded citizens. Their many efforts and accomplishments make all of us who live in this splendid part of Canada proud.
"It is amazing to me all the good works our many nominees have completed within our community, and the selection of only one is always difficult. This year, again, many worthy nominations have been submitted. The selection committee has determined that one stood out above all others this year. The committee agreed that this candidate best met the criteria established for the title Citizen of the Year.We are proud to pay tribute to this year's honouree, Jacquie Hamilton."
Hamilton, as mentioned, is honoured by the whole sequence of events. She's very pleased to be able to help wherever she can, pleased to put her financial knowledge to work in helping various organizations stay afloat.
In once again downplaying her contribution to the community, Castlegar's Citizen of the Year for 2012 steered credit to others including Audrey Polovnikoff of the Castlegar Recreation Commission and Krista Patterson of the Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance.
"I chair some meetings and that's the easy part," she concluded. "Everyone else has the ideas. I act as a facilitator."