'Part of your DNA': Small town upbringing inspired 2022 Citizen of the Year's volunteerism

CTV Regina’s 2022 Citizen of the Year credits her small town upbringing for her start in volunteerism.

CTV Regina’s 2022 Citizen of the Year credits her small town upbringing for her start in volunteerism.

Aura Lee MacPherson, who was named Citizen of the Year on Dec. 31, grew up in Balcarres, Sask.

“Volunteerism in rural Saskatchewan is just part of your DNA. You just learn that,” she said in an interview on Thursday.

“We all started volunteering at a very young age, so it wasn’t a big leap to get engaged.”

MacPherson is a graduate of the University of Saskatchewan with a bachelor of science in nursing.

She has 15 years of experience in the nursing field and cofounded MacPherson Engineering with her husband 26 years ago.

MacPherson stepped up her volunteerism in June 2014, after an unprecedented rainfall in Regina led to the city discharging raw sewage into the Qu’Appelle River system.