VICTORIA - Thirty-two British Columbians were honoured on Apr. 29 at the eleventh annual British Columbia Community Achievement Awards’ ceremony held at Government House in Victoria.
Honourable Judith Guichon, OBC, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia and Honourable Coralee Oakes, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development presented each recipient with a BC Community Achievement Award medallion and certificate. Keith Mitchell, QC represented the British Columbia Achievement Foundation.
Loon Lake’s Ethel Smith was at the ceremony to receive her award.
“Ethel’s Smith’s award is a tangible thank you from the people of Loon Lake, a small Cariboo community,” it was read as she was introduced. “For 38 years, Ethel Smith voluntarily operated a first aid post at Loon Lake. She aided hundreds and hundreds of people, permanent and summer residents, tourists and guests. Whether it was an embedded fish hook, or a suspected heart attack, or care when someone was discharged from hospital, Ethel treated them all. It was comforting to know, given that Loon Lake is located about an hour’s drive from the nearest emergency room in Ashcroft, that Ethel was there with her first aid kit and training if any medical or first aid situation arose. For her generous devotion to the well-being and health of her community, we honour Ethel today.”
“It is a privilege to acknowledge the efforts of these individuals who work for the betterment of our communities and our entire province,” said Minister Oakes. “Today’s recipients, whose ages range from 18 to 102, are examples of the best of British Columbians.”
“Today’s honourees give the most valuable of life’s commodities, time and energy,” said Mitchell. “They do whatever needs to get done – from sitting on boards and committees to far exceeding their job descriptions to sharing their talents of organizing, fundraising, innovating and mentoring.
The recipients of this year’s awards are:
Selen Alpay of Prince George, Cathy Ashurst of Burns Lake, Amrik Singh Aulakh of Surrey, Donald Brown of Victoria, Helen Clifton of Hartley Bay, Lynnette Cobb of Williams Lake, John D’Eathe of West Vancouver, Allan De Genova of Vancouver, Judy Dix of Prince George, Wayne Duzita of Richmond, Michael Feller of Richmond, Keith Gibson of Tofino, Afraj Gill of Surrey, Daphne Goode of Victoria, Deanna Hamilton of Kelowna, Jill Hayward of Louis Creek, Carol Hunt of North Cowichan, Valerie Ingram of Southbank, Bonnie Leadbeater of Victoria, Bessie Lee of Vancouver, Morgan Leung of Delta, Larry Leung of Burnaby and Jason Min of Delta, Tom Lymbery of Gray Creek, Michael McCoy of Richmond, James McEwen of Vancouver, Ethel Smith of Loon Lake, Marilin States of Creston, Fred Titcomb of West Vancouver, Germain Vigneault of Port Clements, Pat Wahlstrom of Quesnel, and Miriam Yu of Vancouver.
An independent advisory council selects the recipients of the British Columbia Community Achievement Awards from nominations received in the Fall, 2013. The council members are Mayor Stephanie Killam of the District of Mackenzie, Mayor Mary Sjostrom of the City of Quesnel, and past recipients, Maggie Ip of Vancouver, Alan Markwart of Victoria and Don Shumka of Vancouver.
The British Columbia Achievement Foundation is an independent foundation established and endowed by the province of B.C. to celebrate excellence in the arts, humanities, enterprise and community service. The awards were launched in 2003.