Every year, Brainerd Community Action along with the Brainerd Jaycees team up to select an individual in the community who has volunteered services that are above and beyond normal employment. On Friday, the 2019 Distinguished Service Citizen of the Year award was announced in a complete surprise.

Glen Gustafson thought he was having a normal sports boosters breakfast meeting at Front Street Café in Brainerd, until he was presented with the Citizen of the Year award. Gustafson is the treasurer for the local soup kitchen, volunteers at the Lakes Area Food Shelf, helps out with Meals on Wheels, and much more.

For Gustafson, winning the award was an honor, but also a complete surprise.

“My reaction was, I’m a very shy person and I was very hesitant to get all this attention,” said Gustafson. “I’m blessed to be a citizen of the Brainerd Lakes Area; I mean, it’s just a great area to live in and I’ve been blessed and I just want to give back a little bit, so I’ve tried to be in a lot of organizations and give back to show my appreciation.”

As a gift to Gustafson, Brainerd Community Action will make a donation to the Sharing Bread Soup Kitchen in Brainerd.

By — Chaz Mootz