VICTORIA, British Columbia, April 26, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Twenty-one British Columbians were honoured today at the fourteenth annual British Columbia Community Achievement Awards’ presentation ceremony held at Government House in Victoria.
The Honourable Judith Guichon, OBC, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia along with BC Achievement Foundation Board members, Robert Louie, OC and Christopher Gaze, OBC presented each recipient with a BC Community Achievement Award certificate, medallion and citation. Scott McIntyre, CM, Foundation Chair, hosted the presentation ceremony.
“British Columbia is built on the strength of its communities, and that strength is rooted in the spirit, ideas and passion of the people recognized today,” said McIntyre. “Their stories highlight the remarkable diversity of our province and the potential of each and every individual to truly make a difference.”
The BC Achievement Foundation introduced the inaugural Mitchell Award at the 2017 ceremony, which will be given annually to one of the BC Community Achievement Award recipients. Named in honour of Keith Mitchell, QC, past Chair of the Foundation and its guiding light for over 13 years, the award recognizes leadership that empowers others to engage. The 2017 Mitchell Award was presented to George Laverock.
A list of the recipients follows and a brief summary of their achievements can be found on the foundation’s website at: www.bcachievement.com.
The recipients honoured at the 2017 ceremony are:
Garry F. Benson, Q.C., Kelowna
Roger Bird, Nanaimo
Melanie Cadden, Nanaimo
Daphne Cole, Vancouver
Ravneet Dhaliwal, Surrey (2016)
Dorothy Durham, Jaffray
Sardul S. Gill, Victoria
Joanne Greenwood, Coquitlam
Gerry Juzenas, Burnaby
George Laverock, Vancouver
Krista Levar, Prince George
Tony Moore, Terrace
Dalvir Nahal, Vernon
Dr. Ralph Nilson, Nanaimo
Walter Paetkau, Abbotsford
Fred Robbins, Alkali Lake
Birgit Sharman, Tumbler Ridge
Barbara Stewart, Vancouver
Carol Todd, Port Coquitlam
Lin Wei (Henry) Tung, Sardis
Master Lian Tzi, Vancouver
An independent committee selects the recipients of the British Columbia Community Achievement Awards. The 2017 selection committee members are Mayor Jack Froese of the Township of Langley, Mayor Carol Leclerc of the City of Terrace and past recipients, Sue Bauman of Vancouver, Raghwa Gopal of Kelowna and David Young 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. Launched in 2003, the awards were the first initiative of the foundation, followed by the BC Creative Achievement Award for Applied Art and Design, the BC National Award for Canadian Non-Fiction, the BC Creative Achievement Award for First Nations Art, and the BC Aboriginal Business Awards.