HUMBOLDT — Humboldt’s Terry Saretsky has been awarded the Saskatchewan Association of Rehabilitation Centre’s (SARC) Good Neighbour Award.
The province-wide award recognizes a person born with a developmental disability who makes a difference in their community through exemplary volunteer efforts.
“Terry loves this community. He's loved this community for years – right from the time he was born,” said Beverly Trach, co-ordinator with Futuristic Industries and group homes, where Terry lives and works. Regardless of whether he was recognized by SARC, “He’s the winner of the Good Neighbour award for us. We knew it,” she said.
Saretsky, 59, is happy to wear many hats. He said he frequently volunteers his time for Humboldt’s Meals on Wheels, the Humboldt and District Museum and Gallery, Misty Gardens Greenhouse and services at St. Augustine Catholic Church.
At Futuristic Industry’s recycling centre, Saretsky often works the industrial paper shredder until his scrap pile is six or seven feet high.
“The shredder is on the left, and on the right there can be a mountain of shredded paper. Somewhere in behind all of that is Terry. He's well hidden,” laughed Trach.
Saretsky has been with Futuristic since around 2003 – a few years before his father died in 2006.
“That sense of helping out whoever needed help, he got that from his parents,” Trach said.
Terry’s father, Anthony Saretsky, was a teacher and principal at Humboldt Collegiate Institute. His mother, Carmel, was very involved with St. Anthony’s Church, Trach said.
“Terry went along with them for everything. He was involved in everything they did,” she said. “So he was known in the community as a young child.”
Today, Terry wears his father's gold band on his ring finger. He’ll be travelling to Saskatoon on Oct. 30 to attend SARC’s award banquet.
