70 Mile House resident Vic Popiel was a master "volunteer" in every sense of the word.
Vic has helped numerous groups and individuals since he moved to the community in December 1994 He just recently left for Winnipeg, Manitoba to be closer with family and friends – folks he had left behind when he decided to move to the Cariboo.
Twenty friends and neighbours gathered at 70 Mile Community Hall on Aug. 20 to bid farewell to a man they had worked with for many years.
For the most part, they were like-minded people who are all volunteers in their various communities and they all appreciated the many long hours Vic worked to make the South Cariboo a better place to live.
Three people who he bowled with and one from the South Cariboo Genealogy Group attended the farewell party.
A lot of people from the Seventy Mile Access Centre (SMAC) showed up.
SMAC volunteer Rose Raphael says Vic was on board from the beginning and lent his valuable accounting experience to SMAC.
He also did free income tax returns, sat on the Cariboo Family Enrichment Centre (CFEC) and many other boards, including the local community hall and fire department, she explains
Vic also volunteered at SMAC on Saturdays, sorted cans and bottles and picked up bags and bags of donations from the Cedar Crest Society of Community Living.
CFEC Society chair Rita Giesbrecht who attended the party says, "It was very evident at that event, just how much of a gap Vic is leaving when he goes. Good wishes to him and his family – the province of Manitoba are gaining a great new community member."
The CFEC and families in the South Cariboo have been so fortunate to benefit from Vic's long standing commitment to volunteerism and making a positive difference to people's lives, CFEC executive director Lisa De Paoli says, adding Vic was on the CFEC board for 17 years.
Vic's first foray into volunteerism in 70 Mile House was when he saw an old sign proclaiming an empty lot was the future home of the 70 Mile Fire Department.
Vic asked around about the plans for a fire hall and a while later someone told him there would be a meeting to see if there was any interest, and it grew from there. This meeting eventually led to the founding fire department that's there now.
He got involved in both the bingo and poker fundraisers for the fire department, and sat on the association board.
Having celebrated his 73rd birthday, Vic says he decided to wind down because he had been doing a lot of work.
Vic knew he would have to leave 70 Mile to slow down, and while he loved the community and the Cariboo, he wanted to move back home to spend time with his two children, his brother and his friends.
When he arrived, Vic says 70 Mile residents were pretty laid back, but now they're more interested and attentive to what's going on around them.
As for a final wish for 70 Mile House, he says: "I just hope there are enough people around to keep things going."