THUNDER BAY -- A Thunder Bay man says he was "dumbfounded" to learn he had been chosen National Volunteer of the Year by Ducks Unlimited Canada.
John Stewart won the award over nine other candidates from across the country. He had recently received the organization's Ontario Volunteer of the Year award.
Ducks Unlimited supports the conservation, restoration and management of wetlands and grasslands for the benefit of waterfowl and wildlife.
Stewart has volunteered with the organization for the past nine years.
"I just couldn't believe it," Stewart said on hearing of the award. He plans to celebrate the honour by attending the 2018 Ducks Unlimited Ontario convention in Niagara Falls this spring, with his family.
Rob Watson, a spokesperson for the organization, said "John's passion, care-for-the-cause and his lifetime of giving back make him a shining example of how every one of us should strive to live our lives. He's a great conservationist and volunteer."
Besides fundraising for Ducks Unlimited, Stewart does hands-on work such as making hundreds of nest boxes. He has also hand-crafted eight cedar-strip canoes and two kayaks for Ducks Unlimited raffles.
