The Rotary Club of Ashcroft- Cache Creek held their first banquet after putting the public event on hold for two years, citizens across the Gold Country region were honoured for their work in the community for the 2019, and 2021 year with first responders and frontline workers being collectively recognized for the 2020 year. 

Pat Moyer has been a long-time volunteer in Cache Creek and was nominated by Wendy Comber. “I'd like to thank everybody not just one person thank you very much Wendy for the lovely flowers I worked with when he had worked for free so I worked with Canyon I've worked with a number of people it received awards tonight and it is community against everybody everybody should get one” 

Esther Lang was born and raised in the community of Ashcroft and spends much of her time helping out in the community, she was awarded Citizen of the year for 2019. Esther Lang was also recently awarded BC’s medal of good citizenship for her outstanding contributions to the well-being of communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. “I would really encourage the younger people to find something, a niche even the young adults to find something and to reach out even if you haven't volunteered, it would be really nice to add you to our list of community volunteers.” 

So what does it take to be a citizen of the year in the community? We asked the 2021 winners of Ashcroft, Al and Marike Stoff who donate a lot of funding back into the community, and Mariki who runs yoga classes for the community, what the secret is to being a good citizen. “It’s something that I've never thought about, you just do things that need to be done and I don't know, you just don't think about it .If you get asked to do something and if you're able to you just do it.  “Yeah, the best, you don’t necessarily have to be asked, you just do it. Added her Husband, Al Stott of Ashcroft. 

Paulet Rice of Spences Bridge was the winner of the 2021 citizen of the year. She was nominated by two people, who both noted that she cares deeply about people and the Spences Bridge community. Jacob and Michaela Aie are the youth recipients for the 2021 youth recipients — Jacob volunteers with the Ashcroft Fire Department and had been involved in local theatre productions, and Michaela raised money for those affected by the Lytton fire though her lemon stand. The ceremony was held on Thursday, June 2 at the Ashcroft HUB, where community members dined and celebrated a tough couple of years and acknowledged those outstanding community members for their work “I feel that it flowed because people are in sync with what's going on.” said Theresa Takacs the Club President of Ashcroft-Cache Creek Rotary. “and I really feel good that people have come from Spence’s bridge, and Cache Creek Ashcroft”