Strathmore’s small town hero

Times Reporter

 

The UFA has been a part of rural communities for more than 100 years and they know how important volunteers, and people who really support their community, are. That’s why this year they started the ‘Small Town Heroes Contest.’ 

“We wanted to start the contest to celebrate individuals and groups who make a difference in their town. Make it a better and richer place to live essentially,” said Natalie Dawes, manager of corporate communications for the UFA.  

There were more than 170 nominees from all across Alberta, with over 300,000 votes cast to pick winners.  

Jerry Bizot, better known as Santa, had no idea he had been nominated for the award until his son-in-law presented it to him one day. 

“I was kind of surprised. I mean, I came home and he handed me this award and I was like ‘what’s this?’ and he said, ‘well I put your name in for it’,” said Bizot. 

Bizot was a member of the Strathmore Fire Department for 40 years. During his last 10 years in the department, Jerry took on the role of Santa Claus. 

It started out as a joke, said Bizot. He used to be with Scouts Canada and would dress up as Bucky the Beaver. One Christmas Eve, he and his son decided to walk around knocking on windows, just playing around.

His son put on the Bucky outfit and he put on a Santa suit and they went around town, and from that day forth he was Santa. He used to start it off Christmas Eve. All of the family would go for dinner and then he would change clothes and head out to the different houses. 

“People would leave their presents outside and we would put them in the bag and bring them in, that’s how it started more than anything else,” said Bizot. 

Bizot plays the role of Santa year round, and even gave up wearing the fake beard, opting instead to grow out his own. He has been Santa for over 25 years, and so a few generations of kids have grown up telling him their wish list at Christmas. 

“They still all call me Santa Claus. Some of the kids would come up and be like, ‘I used to sit on your knee’ and I say, yeah I know,” said Bizot. 

People often ask him how much he charges and he always tells them it’s whatever they want and can afford to pay. 

“It doesn’t make any difference, to me it’s the enjoyment on the kids faces. That’s Christmas.”

That is just one of the many reasons he was nominated as the ‘Small Town Hero.’