The founder of a local charity was recognized this week for all of his charitable work.

Stephen McPhee, the founder of Stephen's Backpack Society, received the 2017 Calgary Stampede Western Legacy award in the youth category yesterday (November 15).

The organization's Executive Director, and also Stephen's mom, Nancy McPhee explained that they received a call a few months ago saying that Stephen's name was being put forward for the award.

"They really felt that Stephen had just done such amazing things in his ten years of running his charity, that they really wanted to put his name forward. It was just such an honour, because when you see some of the other people and the wonderful things that they do, it was just really humbling."

Shortly after that, the family found out that Stephen was a finalist for the award. Along with the other nominees, Stephen was given a custom Stetson. Then at a reception at the BMO Centre last night, McPhee was honoured with the award, receiving a silver belt buckle inscribed with his name.

The award was given to McPhee for his advocacy on behalf of homeless and vulnerable youth, for the creation of his charity, and for being a role model and voice for those less fortunate.

The family and organization were ecstatic about the award, but Stephen mostly sees the recognition as another way to continue raising awareness of the problem of homelessness in Airdrie and Calgary. To illustrate, Nancy recounted how Stephen recorded a short video for the award ceremony. During the interview, Stephen was asked to describe the most joyous day he could imagine.

"His immediate response, he didn't even have to think about it, he said, 'To walk down the streets of Airdrie and Calgary knowing that every person, every child, has their own bed and their own home. That would be my idea of the most joyous day I could imagine."

Nancy explained the honour is especially appreciated this year, as Stephen's father Jim McPhee passed away earlier in 2017.

"It was humbling. It's been a really rough year losing Stephen's dad, and it just kind of inspired us. It was kind of like, yup, we can push forward, we can get through this and we can keep doing what was so important to Stephen's dad as well."

 

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