'Every person has worth': Meet the 2020 Prince Albert Citizen of the Year

Hometown Hero: Margaret Ferguson Margaret Ferguson is being recognized for her work to help others. CTV Prince Albert's Lisa Risom has the story.

SASKATOON — Margaret Ferguson has been named the 2020 Prince Albert Citizen of the Year for her work to help others.

“It breaks my heart, every person has worth,” said Ferguson about the people she helps. She says she’s compelled by the poverty she sees in the community.

Ferguson, 79, makes quilts, mittens and undergarments for people experiencing homelessness and donates them to shelters such as the YWCA’s Our House.

She also makes soup, bread, jams and more that are distributed through the Prince Albert Grand Council’s Community Cares Kitchen.

“I know some of these people. I’ve worked with them and not one of them ever said I’m going to grow up and be homeless, I’m going to grow up and be in jail, I’m going to grow up an work the streets. No, none of them ever said that and then life happens,” said Ferguson.

Friends of Ferguson nominated her the Citizen of the Year awards sponsored by the Prince Albert chapter of the Kinsmen Club and Prince Albert Daily Herald newspaper. They also supported her recognition as this month's CTV Hometown Hero.

“I saw this little blurb in the newspaper (about the Citizen of the Year Award) and I said yes, that’s Margaret,” said Beryl Eros, one of the people who nominated Ferguson for the award. “Now she’s making panties, soups for the soup kitchen, muffins - it’s endless. I thought she was deserving of something of this sort.”

Eros says Ferguson is a good leader and organizer and often enlists other people to help with projects. Ferguson attributes her leadership skills to 60 years with the Girl Guides.

Ferguson has been making quilts for shelters and care homes since 2012. She’s organized a group of quilt makers who have produced nearly 700 quilts to give away. They’ve also donated several handcrafted quilts as raffle prizes to many local charities and organizations.

“My mom has been retired for about 20 years from a career in corrections but she hasn’t stopped working,” said her daughter, Corrine Ferguson.

Corrine and others have pitched in to help Margaret with several of her projects. She says her mom harvests berries, mushrooms and garden vegetables to make food to donate.

“I want people to feel good about themselves. I know when I do things like this I feel good and I would wish that feeling for other people,” said Margaret Ferguson.

Ferguson is known for her sewing skills and is one of the few people who can make tailor-fit bras and undergarments.

She owned a sewing store on Central Avenue in Prince Albert and operated a home based business called Bras, Bold and Beautiful.

Her latest project is to sew panties to donate to the YWCA. In the last year, to help others during the pandemic, she made masks and mittens to give away.