Tanya immigrated from the Ukraine in 1996 to Vancouver’s West End. She began volunteering at Gordon Neighbourhood House to learn more about Canadian life. Gordon Neighbourhood House has learned so much more from Tanya. Through hard work and a strong sense of responsibility, she took an “occasional clothing sale in the lobby” and turned it into the Attic Thrift store, a neighbourhood hub where everyone is welcome. It’s a wildly successful enterprise thanks to Tanya and a valuable source of funding for the organizations’ programs. We thank Tanya for her outstanding community contribution.
Award Year: 2015
Dr. Tom Routledge
We are very pleased to honour forensic odontologist, Dr. Tom Routledge, who has created an innovative provincial database for the identification of human remains. What he has done, as a volunteer, while at the same time running a full time dental practice, is design, develop, implement and maintain the Province’s dental database for the Identification and Disaster Response Unit of the BC Coroner’s Service. The work of Dr. Routledge and his team on the development of this database was a first in Canada and offers critical closure and comfort to countless BC families and law enforcement.
James Walkus
Arc'teryx
Arc’teryx, a technical high-performance outerwear and equipment company located in North Vancouver, has been creating innovative design in its production for more than 25 years. The Arc’teryx advantage is achieved by merging its unrivaled designs with the best quality, highest performing materials and assembling them in the most innovative and durable manner for the intended use. Today, Arc’teryx is an internationally recognized brand known for its timeless quality and intuitive design.
BC Achievement Community Award 2015
Per Gjerde
Per Gjerde has made lasting contributions to his community, particularily the Scandinavian Community Centre in Burnaby, an organization that promotes the culture, heritage and sports of Scandinavia. Per helped to establish the centre by bringing five countries together to fund a single Scandinavian building. He does any job no matter how difficult, tedious or messy. He is elected to everything. From chairing the board to maintenance, carpentry and the annual MidSummer Festival, mowing the grass and cooking the salmon, Per is the glue that holds the centre together for its over three thousand members.
Christopher Seguin
Christopher Seguin is a community leader in Kamloops who volunteers generously and inspires others to do the same. Vice President of Advancement for Thompson Rivers University, Christopher and his team have seen fundraising increase substantially for research, capital projects and student assistance. He is an active Rotarian where among his initiatives was the introduction of community dinners for low income families. He resurrected the Kamloops Marathon, founded an annual Music in the Round evening and is a director and instructor with the Bladerunner leadership Program for at risk youth.
K & L Contracting
K & L Contracting offers a variety of products and services including aggregate removal, road construction, structural projects, land clearing and reclamation, vegetation management and environmental compensation services. As for equipment, K & L has an extensive inventory dominated by Cat machines.
Joe David
A Nuu-chah-nulth artist, born on Meares Island, Joe David is among the most respected master artists of the Northwest Coast. After studying art at various institutions, Joe began to focus intensively on Northwest Coast art and, eventually, on the Nuu-chah-nulth style. Drawn by the spiritual essence within his culture, which directed his path in art-making, Joe deftly applies his creative skills to multiple mediums including wood, bronze, paper and metals. Today, Joe’s work is represented in museums and private collections, locally, nationally and internationally – he continues to lecture on Northwest Coast art and enthusiastically participate in contemporary ceremonies.
