Willy DeVuyst has an interesting reason for being a volunteer.
“When you are getting to the age where you are not young anymore, what do you do? You don’t go out partying and that type of thing so you do something that is more productive,” said the Williams Lake Stampeders president and newly-elected Williams Lake Stampede Association director.
He also knows it is difficult to find volunteers, which is another reason he is dedicated, he said, adding he enjoys being around people and helping the community.
Born in New Westminster, he was adopted into a family with four daughters.
After he joined the family, his adoptive mom, Anna, had another two daughters.
When he was 10 years old, the family moved to Williams Lake because his father Bert transferred with the TD Bank.
Bert passed away at 61 years of age about 30 years ago and Anna lives in Calgary as does all of DeVuyst’s sisters.
DeVuyst attended Maranatha Christian School, quitting when he was in Grade 10.
“I went to work and started in the tire industry, staying there for 27 years,” he said.
One day while working he crushed two discs in his back and was not able to work for a period of time.
After going for rehab for six weeks he was told he could not go back to doing tires.
He then went to work for Cariboo GM for four years as the service advisor, followed by Integra Tire where he was tire sales assistant manager, then Lakecity Auto Mall and Ron Ridley Rentals, which he ran for 10 years.
“I got a phone call from Lake City Ford and was offered the service manager position and I took that on Oct. 14 nine years ago.”
Twenty-five years ago this Oct. 10, he married his wife Leah. They have two sons Riley, 24, and Eric, 20, who both work at FreshCo. Eric is in the meat department and Riley in general produce.
Leah grew up in Williams Lake and has worked at Lake City Ford for the last 15 years, where she is a detailer.
He said Leah is his right hand manager for all the volunteer work he does.
Six years ago they both started doing security at Williams Lake Stampeders hockey games.
A year later he took over as vice-president of the club.
Four years later when the president retired he moved up into the president position. He never played hockey himself, but as the president said it is his job to lead the organization.
“I’m not afraid to tackle anything,” he added. “I’m big time looking forward to the hockey season. We had our first game last Friday night and obviously came back with a win.”
On Saturday, Oct. 7 the team heads to Quesnel Saturday to play against the Roos.
“That will be a good game.”
The DeVuysts volunteered at the 2023 Williams Lake Stampede in the days leading up to the event and managed the seating in the rodeo for a couple of days.
“Then it was brought to me ‘do you want to be a director?’ and I said, ‘let’s talk,’ and here I am,” he said. “I have a great group of people to work with at the Stampede. Hockey we have a great group as well, but could always use more people. We manage with what we have and I think we do a great job of it.”
The DeVuysts have lived in Wildwood for 17 years and for nine years he was on the Wildwood Volunteer Fire Department. He was also an auxiliary RCMP officer from 2014 until six months ago. He and Leah have also done security at Arts on the Fly in Horsefly and at other events, such as at the beer garden at the Indoor Rodeo.
When not volunteering they enjoy fishing and camping in their travel trailer throughout the summer.
“The Cariboo has lots of great people and there is lots to do if you want to be out in nature,” he said.
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