Longtime community champion named Carleton Place Citizen of the Year
CARLETON PLACE — Carleton Place has crowned a new champion of community spirit, naming longtime volunteer Julie Sadler as its 51st Citizen of the Year, a fitting honour for someone whose life has been defined by service.
The surprise announcement was made by last year’s recipient, Peter Schaffer, during the town’s annual volunteer appreciation night on Dec. 13. For Sadler, the recognition came completely out of the blue.
“I had absolutely no idea my name was in the running,” she said. “I’ve always attended with the board from the Carleton Place and Beckwith Historical Society. I thought it was just going to be a nice dinner and evening out with friends.”
That humility, paired with decades of service, is what earned Sadler the honour. Described by fellow volunteers and town officials as thoughtful, dependable and genuinely driven to help others, she has been a steady presence in Carleton Place’s volunteer community since the early 1970s.
“When my name was called, I was numb,” she recalled. “I had a few seconds’ lead time though. Mayor Toby Randell started naming particulars from the 1970s, and as I looked around the room, I realized no one else there was even in Carleton Place in the 1970s. That’s when the tears started.”
Sadler was the first dental hygienist in Carleton Place during that decade and remains active in the field today, working as a dental lab assistant. Volunteering, however, quickly became a second vocation.
“Julie has been volunteering in and around our community for nearly 50 years through a wide variety of charities and not-for-profits,” said Mayor Toby Randell. “Her body of volunteer work personifies the true meaning of the word. She gives of her time selflessly, and it was no surprise to me or anyone that she was nominated.”
Sadler’s commitment to service has deep roots. Raised in a military family, she grew up around the world and learned early the importance of helping others. As a teenager living in England, she volunteered at a seniors home, feeding residents after school, an experience she says shaped her life.
Over the decades, Sadler has devoted countless hours to community causes. She volunteered for 12 years with the local Canadian Cancer Society chapter, fundraising throughout the area. During Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope in 1980, her family hosted members of Fox’s team while they passed through Carleton Place.
“My grandparents had a backyard pool and invited Terry and his team for a swim,” she recalled. “Terry was too exhausted, but his team accepted.”
Since 2007, Sadler has volunteered annually with the Salvation Army Christmas Kettle Campaign. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she also served as a shopper and driver for residents through a Carebridge grocery support program run out of the local Independent Grocer.
“I feel so proud and honoured now,” she said quietly. “My parents would have been so proud too.”
Preserving local history has also been a focus of Sadler’s volunteer life. After years of involvement with the Carleton Place and Beckwith Historical Society, she now serves on its board of directors as treasurer, a role she has held for nearly five years.
While she has not always lived in Carleton Place, her roots run deep. Her family settled in the community more than 200 years ago.
Sadler is also a 35-year member of the Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire, an organization once led by her great-grandmother. Today, she serves as both president and treasurer, determined to keep the century-old chapter alive despite declining membership.
“When I moved back here, we had 48 members,” she said. “Now we’re down to 14, and five of those are in their 90s. I don’t want it to fold. I want it to keep going.”
Her dedication has not gone unnoticed.
“She is a very fitting recipient,” Randell added. “Her actions demonstrate the best of our community and are an example for us all to follow.”
When she is not volunteering, Sadler enjoys travelling and spending time with her two West Highland white terriers, Bentley and Molly.
The Carleton Place Citizen of the Year award was established in 1974 by then-mayor Eldon Henderson. It recognizes individuals who generously donate their time and talents to the community.
For Sadler, volunteering is simply a way of life.
“I volunteer because I’ve had such a wonderful life,” she said. “I’m healthy, I’m comfortable, and I can help others. It brings me great joy, and I never say no.”
Still active and still connected in a rapidly growing town, Sadler says she looks forward to serving as an ambassador for Carleton Place in her new role.
“I know this year will fly by,” she said with a smile. “As long as I’m healthy, I’ll keep going.”
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