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Chester Hiebert: It’s all about community

For Chester Hiebert, It’s all about the volunteers being the backbone of any community.
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Chester Hiebert continues to teach

Barbara Latkowski

Caledonia Courier

For Chester Hiebert, It’s all about the volunteers being the backbone of any community.

And in Fort St. James, its people like Hiebert who continue to lend a hand when they can and support the many services and ideas that make this community what it is today.

Besides his full-time positon as an on-line teacher with EBUS, volunteering continues to keep Hiebert busy.

Hiebert acts as the vice-president of the Fort St. James Senior Association.

“This community has such strength in their seniors. They have such important histories to share, so many great ideas and in turn we now have so many great services to offer,” Hiebert said.

“The social gatherings at the daily lunches at the senior’s centre are such a great opportunity for seniors to exchange stories and ideas. It gives them a voice.”

Hiebert also acts as director for the Fort St. James T.V. and Radio Society.

“This service is so valued and priceless to the community,” Hiebert says.

The society provides an eclectic selection of T.V. channels providing a wide cross-section of programming that supports the community.

“It’s a multi-million dollar operation but here in Fort St James, it costs us about $80,000 per year,” Hiebert said. “Nowhere else can you get 31 channels for $45 a year per household.”

For Hiebert, it’s all about the community and after beginning to volunteer for the society 35 years ago, this still remains his mandate today.

“I remember hearing that if you want to try something new, try it in Fort St, James first. Once they get behind the idea, they make it work,” Hiebert said.

“And it’s so true. There is such strong community support here.”

Hiebert works with the Primary Care Society. He has also served on the Regional District Advisory Council and Community Futures which looks at the economic development of the   community.

But for Hiebert, teaching has always been and still is a passion that continues to drive him today.

“It didn’t see myself doing this years ago,” he said. “I spent 27 years in construction before this.”

Hiebert grew up Morden, in south central Manitoba. He was the second youngest of 11 children.

“Both of my parents came from families of 12. They were old fashioned Mennonites but my family had such colourful character,” Hiebert said.

“I was quite a brat when I was younger. My family nurtured me and kept me in-line. I was a handful.”

Having been in construction for a number of years and having gone through a divorce and gaining full custody of his son, Hiebert realised that he wanted change.

At 41 years of age, Hiebert decided to go back to school as a mature student and attended university in Lethbridge, Alberta.

“I had to learn how to study. All I knew was carpentry and mechanics. I wasn’t clever, but I worked hard. I developed a strategy and it worked.”

Hiebert graduated with a business education degree.

Before graduating, Hiebert would spend his summers working in Fort St. James

“My brother John was here,” Hiebert said. “He’s the reason why we ended up moving here.”

“My son loved it because of the wilderness and wildlife.”

Once deciding to move to Fort St. James permanently after graduating from university, Hiebert was offered a job as a shop teacher at Fort St. James Secondary High School.

“I certainly had enough training and being in construction for 27 years, it all worked out,” Hiebert said.

“I love teaching. It’s being able to work with so many personalities and developing that student/teacher relationship. My students learned that they would have a lot of liberty with kindness and respect. Everyone has a good side and this is the foundation of all of my relationships.”

Hiebert taught at the high school for 13 years.

Today, the 67-year-old still keeps busy teaching on-line courses at EBUS. He has been happily married to his wife Gail for 19 years and the couple have two children.

Even after developed multiple sclerosis years ago, Hiebert is showing no signs of slowing down.

“With MS, it’s important to stay active mentally,” Hiebert says. “It’s like that old saying, use it, or lose it.”

“I have to keep challenging myself. It’s so important to stay sharp. It’s that personal growth that’s so important to me. The ability to grow personally and then from there, being able to develop meaningful relationships.”