Ken Pendergast
"Call Ken."
When those two words are heard in the local volunteer community, they mean Ken Pendergast. And when someone calls Ken for help, Ken says yes.
Before he retired, Ken sat on the Forest Expo's board of directors from 1991-2003. He also volunteered at the Scott Tournament of Hearts and with the BC Summer Games committee.
When Ken retired, he really got busy. When Les Waldie called Ken to help the 2015 Prince George Bid Committee for the Canada Winter Games, Ken said yes to being the facilities director.
When Ken was called to help out at 2008 BC Seniors Games, he took charge of making sure all the equipment was in the right place at the right time for each event.
When he was asked to step in as president of the Nechako Rotary Club last year, he said yes. Through Rotary, Ken has devoted many hours to the World Baseball Challenge's Kids Camp. Ken got his hands dirty making the Rotary Gazebo at UNBC and the Cottonwood Island trails.
When he hasn't been fundraising for the Railway and Forestry Museum, he's been working hard maintaining the grounds. Under his leadership, Rotary built the mini rail station at the museum.
He arranges and participates in Rotary's mock job interviews for Grade 11 students at Kelly Road each year. In 2010, his club name him Rotarian of the Year and he became a six-time Paul Harris Fellow.
Finally, Ken makes our roads safer. Since 1997, Ken has been the face of Operation Red Nose taking various leadership positions chair, vice chair, director of sponsorships and volunteer coordinator, but always working year round to prepare to get people home safely during the holiday season.
Rotary International presented Ken with a Significant Achievement Award for his Operation Red Nose work this year.
In his spare time, Ken is a leader with Scouts Canada, sits as vice chair of the Prince George Branch of the BC Government Retired Employees Association and is active with the Council of Seniors and the Caledonia Ski Club.
Call Ken but let's not ask him to do anything. Let's call Ken Pendergast a fantastic nominee for 2011 Citizen of the Year.
Published by The Prince George Citizen October 3rd, 2011
