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His Worship, Mayor Derek Corrigan
and Councillor N. Volkow, Chair of the Social Planning Committee, presented
the 2015 Local Hero awards to the following citizens in recognition of their outstanding
contributions to the community’s well-being:
George Doering
For nearly two decades,
George has been a community advocate and volunteer. George was an active
member of the New Vista Society Executive Board for 18 years, working to
ensure that the Society's housing was progressive and enriched the lives of
its residents. He also organizes and teaches workshops on seniors' health and
well-being through the Council of Senior Citizens Organizations of BC. For
the past decade, George has also volunteered for the Office of Raj Chouhan at
many community events, providing information and assistance to community
members. As George's nominators write: "George has been a tireless
advocate and volunteer all his life. He has been an instrumental member of
the Burnaby-Edmonds community."
Janice Froese
For over two decades,
Janice has been engaged in community development and education activities
with several organizations in Burnaby. As a member of the Rotary Club of
Burnaby Deer Lake, Janice has been actively involved in youth capacity
building through her work with the Interact Clubs at Burnaby South and
Burnaby Central Secondary Schools, the Rotary Youth Exchange, and the Burnaby
Rotaract Club, assisting youth with planning and implementing community
projects. She also coordinates the Burnaby Boots for Kids program, which
distributes new boots to children to ensure that those in need are prepared
for the cold winter months. Through the Burnaby Neighbourhood House, Janice
also volunteers as a literacy tutor and sits on the Neighbourhood Small
Grants committee, a program that seeks to connect and engage residents within
their community. As Janice's nominators describe: "Her work has
quietly gone unrecognized until now [...]. She is a caring individual with a
passion for making a difference in her city and in the world."
Aliya Jiwa
Aliya has been an active
volunteer for over five years with the Burnaby Art Gallery where she inspires
young artists and assists instructors in producing quality art instruction.
Aliya helps with material preparation, program set up and cleanup, and
provides individual assistance to students during workshops. Aliya's
enthusiasm for community engagement is shown in her work with the
organization Apathy is Boring, where she is part of a volunteer street team
that visits music festivals and community events to encourage youth to vote
and get involved in their community, including registering people to vote. As
Aliya's nominators write: "Always a friendly face [...], she has
shown herself to be dependable in all types of situations and often spots
needs or problems before they arise. She has been a thoughtful and energetic
addition to the team."
Maureen Kirk
Maureen has been
dedicated to enhancing the lives of seniors in Burnaby for over 18 years
through her volunteerism with Citizen Support Services. Since 1997, Maureen
has been a dedicated volunteer visitor for several local seniors, building
meaningful friendships with each of her clients. She also became involved as
a volunteer driver for the South Lunch Program and the Gadabouts Bus Outings
Program, as well as being a weekly shopping buddy. As Maureen's nominators write:
"Maureen is a generous and kind hearted person who takes great
pleasure in assisting others. She is an invaluable member of our team whose
mission is to support Burnaby citizens in health and independent living."
Lindy McQueen
Lindy is a tireless
volunteer who has dedicated her time and energy to several organizations in
the community in which she grew up. Lindy's volunteerism spans a breadth of
activities, from welcoming new congregation members at the Gordon
Presbyterian Church, to organizing community events, to delivering education
and awareness about public safety and local foods. Most recently, Lindy
founded the Edmonds People in Residence Association, which provides
opportunities for neighbours to get to know each other and work together on a
variety of community projects. As Lindy's nominators write: "Lindy is
interested in people; in her neighbours, in helping people be part of their
own community and enjoying the best of Burnaby."
Heather Podrow
Heather has been a
dedicated volunteer for 13 years, working with palliative care patients and
their families, as well as being a docent at the Burnaby Art Gallery. In
addition to supporting palliative care patients at the George Derby Centre,
Heather also focused on connecting with residents and veterans who had few or
no family visits. As a docent, Heather has delivered quality school
programming, as well as assisting with exhibition openings. As Heather's
nominators write: "She has a calm and kind presence which many [...]
are drawn to. She is a compassionate person to the 'nth' degree [...]. There
seems to be no one person that she wouldn't hesitate to move towards helping."
Claire Stegen
Claire has been an active
volunteer in Burnaby throughout her adult life. Since 2004, she has
volunteered countless hours with the Deer Lake United Church doing a variety
of activities, including organizing the preparation of lunches for people who
are homeless, organizing children's camps, and fundraising to provide food
and programming at the Burnaby Youth Hub. As Claire's nominators write: "Claire
is truly one who constantly is working for others in her kind, gentle way.
She is a role model for everyone involved in the community, always working to
make our community a better place."
Tony Wong
For over a decade, Tony
has been a vital part of the Alpha and Sperling Parent Advisory Committees,
filling various roles during this time. At Alpha, he took over the role of
Treasurer and spearheaded numerous fundraising efforts for the school, while
assisting with each year's Dry Grad Committee and judging Science Fair
exhibitions. Tony has also served as the Chair of the District 1 Community
Policing Advisory Committee for over seven years. He volunteers at the community
policing office and community events to raise awareness about public safety
and crime prevention. He also served on the Mayor's Task Force on Graffiti.
As Tony's nominators describe: "His gentle, approachable demeanor
makes him an amazing addition to our PAC and Alpha community. Both in and
beyond the school environment, in a very quiet and understated way, Tony has
made, and continues to make, many valuable contributions to community
well-being in Burnaby."
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