Terry Loewen was named Citizen of the Year by the Rotary Clubs of Red Deer at last night's gala.

Loewen's history of community service includes gathering volunteers to renovate Camp Alexo. More recently, the Red Deer resident and homebuilder was instrumental in forming the Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre, which will serve vulnerable children.

He said it started when a friend's daughter ended her life.

"We knew we had to do something with mental health and through my friendship with Sheldon Kennedy, found out what he was doing with the Child Advocacy Centre in Calgary. Decided that was probably the best place to start. A big coalition of us got that started and turned into a board, we got that going in December of last year," Loewen said. "We're getting them the help so that they can carry on with their life and hopefully live a happy, functional life. Without the help, they're going to be in trouble their entire life and we need to do something about it."

Loewen said he's motivated to volunteer by his desire to build community.

"If you don't have community, you don't have anything. I think it's important people step up," he said.

Meanwhile, Red Deer's Youth Citizen of the Year was Giancarlo Estoesta, a 19-year-old Notre Dame graduate and first-year RDC student studying Pre-Professional Medicine.

Estoesta is prolific volunteer, at the hospital, the library and the church -- but he downplayed his service.

"I declined the nomination at first. I thought, I don't do much to the community. I just volunteer every now and then," Estoesta said. "It was just pleasantly surprising."

However, he says volunteering has definitely been worthwhile for him personally.

"I saw myself grow this more independent, more resilient (person). Probably someone who has more wisdom of the world around me and that's really helped me transition into adulthood and college," he said.