Award Year: 2010

Alan Boyd’s nominator calls him an unsung British Columbia hero. He never says ‘no’ to a community project. From the Lone Butte Historical Society, to restoring the Lone Butte water tower, now a tourism attraction, to building a community hall and to raising funds for the Green Lake fire hall, Alan has served his south Cariboo community with dedication. Alan shows his passion for good healthcare for the South Cariboo by not just talking about it but by being involved. He has served on the community, regional and provincial health boards and was instrumental in facilitating the construction of the South Cariboo Health Centre in 100 Mile House.  Alan Boyd is passionate about his community and its welfare.

Kayli Johnson is being honoured today for her exceptional leadership in the Faculty of Science at UBC. A fourth year honours student and Science Scholar, Kayli not only has served as a peer academic coach, tutor and mentor, she also has organized a number of events and conferences around the campus that promote science and research. Kayli is involved in creating a series of interactive videos to encourage elementary school children to have fun with science. Her nominator writes that Kayli has a unique ability to motivate and inspire other students to be the best they can be. It must be mentioned that Kayli has recently been selected BC’s Rhodes Scholar for 2010 and will attend Oxford University.

It would be no exaggeration to say that the Cranbrook Girls Bugle Band is probably Cranbrook’s best known ambassador. And it is Pat Ronalds who so capably and energetically directs this band of eleven to eighteen year old girls, carrying on a seventy year tradition. The effort that Pat gives to all aspects of the band including practices, raising funds for uniforms and tours and traveling to parades in Alberta, BC and the US is extraordinary. She is a mentor to the girls, helping them to be independent, to be leaders and to encourage them to deal head-on with challenges. Pat is a positive role model who inspires these young women to be their very best.

The arts and culture of mid Vancouver Island is greatly enriched because of Gary Brown’s leadership of the Bard to Broadway Theatre Society, a community-based semi-professional summer theatre company. Gary is called the living heart of the theatre that he co-founded ten years ago and which he continues to serve as artistic director. Gary’s contribution to his community can be measured by the theatre’s significance to the tourism and local economy and by the over 100,000 residents and visitors who have been entertained by its high quality productions. The Bard to Broadway Theatre is a resounding success thanks to Gary’s vision, passion and determination.

Simply stated, his nominator says of Dr. Bert Kelly – he is the voice and incarnation of healthcare reform in the north. Dr. Kelly believed that medical professionals trained in the north will practice in the north. Never afraid to voice his opinion, he mobilized community support and because of his persistence and determination, today there is a program training physicians at the University of Northern BC and a program in laboratory technology at the College of New Caledonia. He has been a proponent of the recently announced Cancer Care Centre in Prince George and his annual progress report on northern health care reform is always much anticipated and constructive. Dr. Kelly is truly a community hero.

Eileen Scott is Bamfield’s incredible mainstay. She has been involved in almost every project and organization in the community since her arrival in 1981. From chairing the Bamfield Community School Association and the Bamfield Community Hall Society to the countless hours she has devoted to the redevelopment of the Centennial Park and to its continuing improvement, functioning and upkeep, Eileen is treasured in her community. She arranges schedules, she helps manage the finances, she makes sure the tools are there, she organizes events, she rolls up her sleeves, she counsels, and at 87, she is still the first person to arrive and the last to leave. Her energy and enthusiasm are infectious.