Two community workers who work without fanfare for the betterment of Langley have been named Langley’s Seniors of the Year.
Toots Tucker and David Esworthy will be introduced at the opening ceremonies of Seniors Week on Monday, June 4 at 11 a.m. The event is at the Langley Seniors Centre, 20605- 51B Ave.
Tucker said she was thrilled with the award, but would have been delighted simply to be nominated.
“I felt my head begin to swell just with the idea of being nominated,” she said. “I went into total shock. How lucky can I get. I’m so blessed.”
Nominated by Joanne Skeates, Tucker calls the army of volunteers with whom she works “such a wonderful family.”
And it is that family with whom she wants to share the accolade. “I feel deep inside that I should thank everyone for allowing me to volunteer,” she said.
In her supporting letter, Skeates said that since Tucker lost her husband several years ago “she has devoted her time and energy to making Langley a better place to live, through all of her volunteer activities.”
These include service to the Langley Heritage Society, Fort Langley Museum, Langley Garden Club, blood donor clinic, the Cancer Society, Operation Red Nose, Langley Field Naturalists, Salvation Army, Emergency Social Services, and Sharon United Church.
“Toots is a kind, caring and loving person,” Skeates wrote.
“She is a tremendous asset to our community and I can think of no one more deserving to be Senior of the Year than she.”
There was a similarly glowing recommendation for Esworthy from his nominator, Carla Robin.
“Dave is a tireless community volunteer, and his business expertise has been invaluable to Langley,” Robin wrote.
Langley would not be known as the Horse Capital of B.C. without his involvement, she said.
“Dave has experienced every role in the development of equestrian sport — rides, judge, steward, horse show organizer, horse show chairman and industry advisor,” Robin said.
Esworthy, who is to be inducted into the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame in September as a builder of equestrian sport, “has continually fostered a true sense of sportsmanship and constant improvement to the sport,” Robin said.
She said that Esworthy has created a legacy of knowledgeable, enthusiastic and accomplished athletes, officials and administrators.
His volunteer work is not limited to all things equine. Esworthy holds or has held positions with the Vancouver Board of Trade, World Trade Committee, B.C. Fire Chiefs Association, B.C. Transplant Society, Vancouver Hospital and Health Sciences Centre, and the Justice Institute of B.C. Foundation.
Esworthy joked that he is “not old enough” to receive the Senior of the Year crown.
“I don’t deserve it, that’s the thing,” he said.
“I didn’t even think that I would be thought of for the award. I think there are so many good, deserving people in the category, so it’s a real honour to be selected.”
His vast volunteering brings him an enormous sense of satisfaction, and this: “I like to get things done and if they don’t get done I tend to stick my nose into it.”
Esworthy and Tucker will also be honoured at the Seniors of the Year lunch at the Seniors Centre at 11:30 a.m. on June 6. Tickets are available from the centre at 604-530-3020 or from info@lsrs.ca.