He乌鸦传媒檚 a quiet man by nature, but just about the kindest and happiest one you乌鸦传媒檒l ever meet.

You乌鸦传媒檒l find Miles St. Amand Monday through Friday at Best Buy Propane on Cariboo Hwy, where he乌鸦传媒檚 been working since Oct. 1, 1991, he said 乌鸦传媒� the only thing he had written down on a piece of paper when meeting with the Tribune.

In 1991, the gas station was called Del乌鸦传媒檚 Propane and was located down by CN Rail. It乌鸦传媒檚 now located next to Tim Hortons and is owned by Cariboo Propane (owned by Scott Nelson and his son, Lucas).

Thirty-two years later, St. Amand is still the friendly face at the gas station and is described by his co-workers Spencer Stratton and Atticus Gorisek as a staple to the business.

乌鸦传媒淲ithout Miles here, it wouldn乌鸦传媒檛 be the same. He乌鸦传媒檚 the piece of the puzzle we couldn乌鸦传媒檛 lose,乌鸦传媒� said Gorisek.

乌鸦传媒淗e乌鸦传媒檚 amazing. There乌鸦传媒檚 never a dull or boring day with Miles,乌鸦传媒� said Stratton.

St. Amand was born in Quesnel on June 12, 1964, to Denis and Edna. The third of four children (two sisters and a brother), his family moved to Williams Lake in 1972 after his Dad, who worked in the forestry industry, was transferred here.

He graduated in 1985 from Columneetza Secondary School and then worked for a printing business for a year before working for Intercity Gas.

乌鸦传媒淸Gas] was 18.9 cents a litre. I wish it were that now,乌鸦传媒� he chuckled.

Four years later, he left and joined what乌鸦传媒檚 now Best Buy Propane.

What keeps him at the same job 32 years later?

乌鸦传媒淲ho am I going to meet today?乌鸦传媒� he replied, noting he乌鸦传媒檚 met customers as far as Italy and Australia and, of course, lots of locals.

乌鸦传媒淚 may not know all of their names, but we talk like old friends,乌鸦传媒� he said with a smile. 乌鸦传媒淚 really enjoy the customers. You meet all kinds of people.乌鸦传媒�

Along with a good pay cheque, he said, the owners sometimes get lunch for the employees.

乌鸦传媒淲e all get along, too,乌鸦传媒� he said of them and his co-workers.

A notable moment for him was last year when Scott and Lucas took him and a few others down to Vancouver to see a Canucks game, celebrating St. Amand乌鸦传媒檚 31st year with the company. The Canucks lost, but he didn乌鸦传媒檛 care; it was fun a trip and he met Curtis Lazar (a former Canucks player who is now with the New Jersey Devils).

St. Amand lives with his parents, whom he helps care for, though they乌鸦传媒檙e still in good health, he said. Some evenings he乌鸦传媒檒l watch hockey or football on TV, but on Tuesdays and Thursdays, he has other plans.

On Tuesday nights he drums with his rock band, Bootleg. The seven-member band, which also consists of his brother and sister-in-law, played for the Stampede one year, and has also played for the Curling Club, at the arena and for some house parties.

St. Amand recalled riding bikes with his brother when he was in Grade 6 and coming across the neighbours who were playing music in their chicken coop. The drummer wasn乌鸦传媒檛 there, so he was encouraged to sit behind the drum set and play.

乌鸦传媒淲ithin an hour I could do a standard rock beat, and I was hooked.乌鸦传媒�

His parents later purchased St. Amand a drum set, which he乌鸦传媒檇 plug his headphones into his record player and play along with.

乌鸦传媒淚 must乌鸦传媒檝e driven mom and dad crazy,乌鸦传媒� he said, for his parents could only hear the drums he was banging on, not the music he was listening to.

His parents still own his childhood home in Chimney Valley, which his sister now lives in. He and his parents moved out of the house and into town in 2021. As for the drums, they now meet at his brother乌鸦传媒檚 house to play.

On Thursday nights he bowls with a bowling league, something he乌鸦传媒檚 done since working at Del乌鸦传媒檚 Propane. Two co-workers (who have since moved away) said they should start a bowling league, and that乌鸦传媒檚 precisely what they did.

St. Amand乌鸦传媒檚 loyalty stands the test of time, and when asked what keeps him smiling, he smiled and said: 乌鸦传媒淭he community here is home for me. Not only are they my customers, but they乌鸦传媒檙e my friends. I don乌鸦传媒檛 think there乌鸦传媒檚 anyone I don乌鸦传媒檛 get along with. I just smile and be the best I can.乌鸦传媒�

READ MORE:

READ MORE:

Don乌鸦传媒檛 miss out on reading the latest local, provincial and national news offered at the Williams Lake Tribune. Sign up for our free newsletter