Growing up west of Okotoks and learning how neighbours look out for each other helped a long-time Foothills area resident earn one of Canada’s highest honours.
“I think it was just the way we were raised,” said 73-year-old Larry Macdonald, who was raised and still lives on a farm just west of Okotoks. “Our parents always helped – if someone got sick in the community we all chipped in and helped – just helping out neighbours.”
Macdonald was one of 61 Canadians named to the Order of Canada by Governor General Julie Payette on Dec. 30. The honour was in recognition of his philanthropy and business acumen in the oil industry.
“I was blown away,” Macdonald said. “We (he and wife Gloria) volunteered a lot and sort of kept our heads down, we didn’t want a lot of recognition, so this was a little bit out of the blue.
“Especially with this year, it’s been a tough year for everybody.
“It’s a year we all want to forget about, but this coming on Dec. 30, it makes the end of the year pretty good for me.”
Macdonald has expanded his friends and neighbours – his volunteer work has helped people around the globe through his efforts with the United Way for close to about 40 years.
“We were in India and we were touring a leper colony – I didn’t even realize leper colonies still existed,” Macdonald said. “It was quite a moving time for me.
“There was one lady that had to have her eyelid re-attached and we (United Way) helped with that.
“Living in Okotoks, living in Calgary, things are pretty good here, other places in the world things are tougher.”
At present, Macdonald is assisting with a United Way project in Ghana to improve literacy skills for children.
“We are trying to teach rural kids how to read,” Macdonald said. “Once kids learn how to read, they get a real hunger, they want to do math and other things.”
Macdonald started with the United Way in 1988 when he was asked to work the phones to raise funds and awareness.
“I kind of moved up the ranks and in 1993 I chaired the campaign and in 1999 I was chairman of the board of United Way in Calgary," he said. “The United Way helps people help themselves… rather than a handout it is a hand up.”
Macdonald is currently a chair of a United Way affiliate which is helping in the Caribbean. And things haven’t changed that much since he started back in 1988.
“This year, I made some phone calls to help the United Way,” Macdonald said. “I keep my hand in, it keeps me grounded.”
Macdonald also went up the ranks after graduating from the University of Alberta with a geology degree.
His final job was president of Anderson Exploration. He presently sits on the board of Vermilion Energy, a position he’s had for close to 20 years.
Macdonald’s success in the oilpatch resulted in his being asked to sit on the board at SAIT. He was chair of the SAIT board for several years.
“SAIT is a great institution especially for young men and women who are starting out,” he said. “My dad (Allan) went to SAIT, my mother (Edna) went to SAIT and took a teaching course, my father-in-law went there too, it runs in the family a bit.
“I always enjoyed going to SAIT and working with the students there. It’s a little bit more hands on than university. SAIT fills a real niche in our society, especially for the technical end.
“It’s an important school for southern Alberta.”
During a renovation at SAIT while he was on the board, Macdonald worked the phones again to raise funds for the project.
“We got some people who had graduated from SAIT and become quite successful to provide seed money and they gave us millions of dollars,” Macdonald said. “It changed the face of the campus.”
When Heritage Hall’s renovation was completed it received a new name.
“They named the hall Macdonald Hall after my family,” Macdonald said.
The name Macdonald is also well-known in the Okotoks area.
Macdonald was a long-time soccer coach in the community and his wife, Gloria Macdonald, taught for several years at Foothills Composite High School. Gloria and Larry both volunteered with the Winter Olympics in Calgary in 1988.
He would have loved to have his wife of 52 years be a co-recipient of the Order of Canada.
“She is so involved with all this too,” Macdonald said.
All three of their children, Greg, Danielle and Erin are graduates of the Comp.
As for the ceremony for his receiving the award from Governor General Julie Payette that is on COVID hold.
“There will be something, maybe next year with the Governor General and they will present the award,” Macdonald said. “Hopefully, the whole family can go too.”
