To Tyler Castle, every day is a day to do good for those around him. He is a connector, a man on the move, and a visionary for solving problems, especially for local non-profits.

His connections, and more specifically, the vast network of non-profits that he serves with, serves on the board for, or helps in other ways, are truly remarkable. His personal non-profit, Castle Farms Vancouver, helps charities in day-to-day operations and fundraising.

For one example, he has established a relationship with Ridgefield Costco to arrange the food, plants, and other supplies that are headed from the shelf to the dumpster (items that are perfectly good still, but old enough to not able to be sold) to instead be diverted to charities such as Compassion 360 to distribute to those in need, including other non-profits. That alone is a gold mine, but it only scratches the surface.

Tyler volunteers across many organizations county-wide, an average of 20 hours per week. His late wife Susie was the driver for many of their charitable activities, and Tyler continues them with gusto, five years after her passing. “She had a beautiful smile,” Tyler says of Susie. “A lot of what I do is because I am looking for opportunities to create smiles and happiness. I want people to ‘smile like Susie.’”

Speaking of his visionary nature, he offers that he prefers collaboration over competition in the large nonprofit landscape.  “I believe there is a type of group or organization out there that interests everyone.  With my extensive network I enjoy helping people find just what they need.” Even if it means losing some of his volunteers for a certain project, because they’ve found something they are even more passionate about. To Tyler, it’s a win-win, because he believes that organizations should share resources to help all rise together.

When you volunteer as much as Tyler does, you get to know other super-volunteers in the area. So, on Saturday, March 15th, as he was leading his regular monthly trail maintenance team at Whipple Creek Regional Park, he knew what was coming when he saw the Citizen of the Year Committee approaching. “Many of the people who have held this title in the past are friends,” offers Tyler. “I’ve worked with a lot of them. For those of us who find great fulfillment in giving, these crowds run together. People with giving hearts are my kind of people.”

The title of “Citizen of the Year” is well deserved for Tyler. Rather than bask in the spotlight, however, he’d rather get back to work. And connect with any interested people looking to volunteer with just the right organization. If you’re considering a volunteer opportunity, or know of a need in the community, email Tyler at wfivancouver@gmail.com.

**Optional sidebar, if room:**

Here is a partial list of the Battle Ground area organizations Tyler has helped with over the years:

North Clark County Community Food Bank

Lewis River Mobile Food Bank

X Change Recovery

Camp Hope

Grace Therapeutic

Rocksolid Community Teen Center

Battle Ground Foursquare Church

Royal Ridges

Battle Ground Senior Citizens

Battle Ground Lake State Park

Battle Ground Prevention Alliance

Battle Ground Young Life

Lovenow Crossroads Church

Harvest Days Float Committee

Clark County Saddle Club

Rodeo Bible Camp