Stan Berry of Beaverlodge was given the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers in honour of his volunteer work with Scouts Canada, the Beaverlodge Fire Department and others.

Beaverlodge Mayor Gary Rycroft presented Berry with the medal during the ninth annual Beaverlodge and Area Volunteer Awards of Recognition Dinner at the town’s Neighbourhood Resource Centre on April 11.

“I feel humbled but also very honoured,” Berry said. “I believe very strongly in giving back to the community in whatever way you can. And I’m not a big person for sports so I give back in other ways.”

The Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers is an official Canadian honour that recognizes volunteers who have made significant contributions to their community in Canada or abroad.

Owner of Berry Patch Fire and Safety Training Ltd, Berry has been a scout leader since 1972 and a volunteer firefighter since about 1970. He now serves as a training officer for the Beaverlodge Fire Department.

“One of the most fun things that I do is every year, myself and my family, we volunteer at Animethon in Edmonton in August and we provide first-aid coverage of Animethon on a regular basis and it’s a blast,” Berry said. “But then again, so is working with the kids at scouts. It’s fun, it’s a challenge and if there’s a challenge involved, that’s great.”

He has also been a disaster management volunteer with the Red Cross for twenty years, serves as board chair for South Peace Rural Community Learning, has volunteered with the Legion and is involved with his church.

Berry encouraged others to volunteer for their community.

“One of the problems that we’re encountering currently with youth organizations and organizations in general is a lack of willingness of people to volunteer, particularly if it’s something that’s relatively low profile,” Berry said.

“There’s no glory in what I do, all right, but it’s necessary stuff and as such I don’t mind doing it,” he added. “If you’re volunteering for the purposes of glory, don’t volunteer. If you’re volunteering to give back to your community, that’s what it’s all about.”