Issuu

T E N T H A N N UA L C O M M U N I T Y L E A D E R AWA R D S â€˘ J U N E 1 3 , 2 0 1 2

The annual Community Leader Awards recognize the selfless,

dedicated and courageous people who perform exceptional acts of service that make our community such a vibrant and beautiful place to live and work.

ARY S R AN N I V E

From school students to retirees the spirit of commitment to community is reflected in the following inspirational stories. Please join The Surrey-North Delta Leader in honouring these important and often unsung local heroes.

Celebrating the building blocks of our community. Proud to be in your community for more than 80 years.

2 Surrey/North Delta Leader Tuesday, June 19, 2012

TENTH ANNUAL 2012 COMMUNITY LEADER AWARDS

Congratulations

ARY AN N I V ERS

EDITOR

Paula Carlson

MASTER OF CEREMONIES

Bruce Hayne

ASSISTANT EDITOR

Sheila Reynolds

SPECIAL PRESENTATION SURREY MAYOR

Dianne Watts

PUBLISHER

to the 2012

Recipients! They don’t often receive recognition and don’t necessarily have a high profile in the community. But there are a large number of people in Surrey and North Delta who do a great deal of important work. They strive tirelessly – through countless volunteer hours, sometimes overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles – to better the community. And they don’t ask for anything in return. You’ll find them in our schools, on sports fields, in care centres, at the food bank and at various local events.

ANNUALLY HONOURING AND CELEBRATING THE LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITY WITH PRIDE.

They are truly community leaders. Many have their own families, careers and commitments, but still find the time to make a difference by sharing their empathy, enthusiasm and energy. The Community Leader Awards were established 10 years ago to recognize and honour the efforts essential to maintaining this vital and growing community. Each of the recipients’ stories is inspirational, and by highlighting them, we hope others will be moved to contribute in the community and share their own skills, compassion, knowledge and heart with those around them. Thanks to our sponsors, the Community Leader Awards get bigger and better every year.

Jim Mihaly

GUEST SPEAKER 2011 LEADER OF THE YEAR

GUEST SPEAKER

Laurel Middelaer

Bruce McAuliffe

L to R: Back Row: Kelly Gumas, Gavin Roache, Alan Champion, Alison Booth, Andrew McTaggart, Bruce Hayne, Bruce McAuliffe, Randy Blair. Middle Row: Jim Mihaly, Sheila Reynolds, Jill Wallace, Glory Wilkinson, Kassandra Mihaly, Ann Robinson. Front Row: Paula Carlson and Vicky Basran.

design and promotional concept since 2003 inception

GLORY WILKINSON Creative Services Manager Graphic Designer

T H E B U I L I N G B LO C K S O F O U R CO M M U N I T Y - I T ’ S A L L A B O U T CO M M I T M E N T

Tuesday, June 19, 2012 Surrey/North Delta Leader 3

TENTH ANNUAL 2012 COMMUNITY LEADER AWARDS

Committee Members

Congratulations to all Community Leader nominees. Thanks to everyone who supports Surrey Fire Fighter Charities. Community Focused—Community Driven

For info on volunteering at our thrift store call 604-599-9930

www.surreyﬁreﬁghters.com

Congratulations to the recipients of the 2012 Community Leader Awards! MAYOR DIANNE WATTS

TOM GILL COUNCILLOR

BRUCE HAYNE COUNCILLOR

LINDA HEPNER COUNCILLOR

MARVIN HUNT COUNCILLOR

L to R: Jane Adams, Doug Sabourin, Marilyn Herrmann, Kevin DeBoice, Melanie Houlden, David Woollven, Judy Krawchuk, Jim Mihaly. Missing: Lesley Ann Woodman, Jacqueline Hewitt, Lloyd Lees and Kim Angel.

Home is where the Heart is.

MARY MARTIN COUNCILLOR

BARINDER RASODE COUNCILLOR

BARBARA STEELE COUNCILLOR

JUDY VILLENEUVE COUNCILLOR

www.surrey.ca

Congratulations to the nominees and recipients of the 2012 Community Leader Awards!

ed white photographics

t 24 hour Skilled Nursing Care t Special Alzheimer’s Care Unit for residents who require a secure environment

Space available. Ask about our new rooms. Surrey Arts Centre .....proud host venue To schedule a personal visit, call 604.582.0808 ext.125 14568 104 A Avenue, Surrey

guildfordseniorsvillage.com

Host your event with style and imagination! For rental information visit our website. 604.501.5566 • 13750 - 88 Avenue www.surrey.ca/arts

4 Surrey/North Delta Leader Tuesday, June 19, 2012

above and Beyond. We congratulate those who make positive contributions to this community, making it a better place.

Giving back is part of our core values and we work hard to do what is right for our communities.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012 Surrey/North Delta Leader 5

TENTH ANNUAL 2012 COMMUNITY LEADER AWARDS

ABOVE AND BEYOND

TOP HONOUR

ER nurse is packed with compassion

hroughout the year, Tracie Jones keeps a running Christmas list for the homeless. The emergency room nurse at Surrey Memorial Hospital coordinates Operation Backpack – an annual campaign that sees hundreds of backpacks filled with warm clothing, food and toiletries handed out to Surrey’s homeless each December. “It’s a passion of mine. I love it – taking care of the marginalized population,” says Jones. In the summer months, she collects silent auction items for pub night fundraisers she organizes, which benefit Operation Backpack. Once the first frost blankets the Lower Mainland, Jones’ five-year-old son Gavin starts hounding his mom about the backpack project. And that’s when the scarves, toques and mitts start piling up in the garage and living room of

SPONSORED BY

McDONALD’S RESTAURANTS “I have a personal pride in Surrey and what Surrey stands for. It’s a family community. Everywhere you turn it’s families.

Tracie Jones

I’m all about the partnerships,” says Byrom. For the non-profit organizations, it’s competitive. The donor dollars are shrinking.” The Surrey Rent Bank – offering microloans to lowincome families facing imminent eviction – is a successful program today because of an integral role that Byrom played during its inception. In 2008, while a Trinity Western MBA student, Bryom offered to write a marketing plan for the future Surrey Rent Bank. – Wendy Hummel “I was able to dig a little 2003 CLA deeper than an academic winner, research project,” says Byrom. Community Four years later, 300 Surrey Supporter residents – including more than 90 children – have secured an eviction reprieve with help from TH the rent bank. Byrom has also spearheaded a robust volunteer program at Envision Financial. Employees ARY AN N I V ERS are eligible for three paid days usan Byrom is one of Surrey’s most off per year to volunteer at a community-minded individuals. charit-able organization of their Envision Financial’s manager of choice. corporate citizenship tirelessly “Our philosophy is if we want Community searches for opportunities to bridge strength in the community, we Leader the gap between the for-profit and need to get involved,” Byrom Awards 2012 not-for-profit sectors. says.

HONOURABLE MENTION

Susan Byrom Creating corporate caring

their house. “My Christmas season is crazy,” laughs Jones. A couple of days before Christmas, it’s time to mobilize the troops: a small group of Surrey emergency workers, including nurses, paramedics, firefighters and police officers. They muster outside the doors of The Front Room homeless shelter in Whalley where they distribute on average 250 backpacks, along with hot chocolate and a warm meal. “I see my regulars every year,” says Jones. “It’s a really cool way for me to check in on people.” This year the Operation Backpack team plans to reach out to inner-city students. “We do see some kids up at The Front Room. For me, being a parent, that’s not okay,” Jones says.

As a Community Safety Officer for downtown Surrey, Waltman goes above and beyond the call of duty. Following up with businesses after a break-and-enter was the bread and butter of this assignment that he started in 2008. These days, the burglaries have tapered off, freeing up Waltman to become more engaged in the community. “It’s about changing peoples’ perspectives and talking up Whalley,” says Waltman. “There’s a brand new library and a brand new city hall coming in.” He sits on the board of the Surrey Christmas Bureau, lends a helping hand at the Surrey Food Bank, and is on the community engagement committee for the first Surrey International World Music Marathon, to name just three of his volunteer efforts. urrey RCMP Special Const. Josh Waltman is also an active Waltman walks the streets of member of the North Surrey Whalley – where everyone knows his Lions’ Club, and was instrumental in getting a full RCMP red name. His presence in the community is so serge donated to the museum great that residents and business owners at Whalley branch of The Royal Canadian Legion. think he has two identical brothers.

HONOURABLE MENTION

Josh Waltman Walking the Whalley beat

T H E B U I L I N G B LO C K S O F O U R CO M M U N I T Y - I T ’ S A L L A B O U T CO M M I T M E N T

6 Surrey/North Delta Leader Tuesday, June 19, 2012

TENTH ANNUAL 2012 COMMUNITY LEADER AWARDS

Today’s kids need us Kids need friends, teachers, counsellors and coaches that believe in them so they can grow up and transform our world. At the YMCA, we believe it’s up to all of us to positively impact today’s youth and we support organizations and individuals who are helping young people reach their full potential. After all, our kids are counting on us. To find out more about YMCA programs for children and families, visit: Tong Louie Family YMCA 14988 57 Avenue, Surrey T: 604-575-9622 E: tonglouie@vanymca.org

Tong Louie Family YMCA tonglouieymca.ca

Tuesday, June 19, 2012 Surrey/North Delta Leader 7

TENTH ANNUAL 2012 COMMUNITY LEADER AWARDS

COACH

TOP HONOUR

John Sowerby Courtside counsellor aims for success

urrey’s John Sowerby has helped dozens of teenage girls reach new heights – both on and off the basketball court – during the last 20 years. The longtime local high school basketball coach, who currently teaches at Panorama Ridge Secondary, grooms his players for success starting in Grade 8. It’s part of his five-year game plan to build a winning roster by senior year. The school’s trophy case reflects Sowerby’s tenacity and dedication to the sport: His teams have amassed first-places finishes from Surrey and Fraser Valley championships. A basketball devotee since before he can remember, Sowerby has crisscrossed the country to shoot hoops. In the late ‘80s he played for Acadia University – after stints on the men’s basketball roster at Langara and Douglas colleges – and stayed on as assistant coach for one year at the Nova Scotia university.

SPONSORED BY

TONG LOUIE FAMILY YMCA

“I just have a philosophy if you can change one person’s life for the better, in particular a child’s, then your life in this world has been a success. That’s what I try to do, one person at a time.” – Diane Bellesen 2006 CLA winner, Community Supporter

A AN N I V ERS

Community Leader Awards 2012

Fast learner helps others play ball

Not even the intensity of collegiate basketball could prepare Sowerby for his transition to overseeing high school basketball players. “Coaching girls is a different animal. It was one the hardest things I’ve ever done,” Sowerby attests. It has also been one of the most rewarding experiences for him. Sowerby has a mantra for his young women: “Family comes first, then school, then basketball.” He often wears the hat of courtside counsellor. “You try to give them the best advice you can,” says Sowerby. The same goes when he’s coaching his two daughters, Rachel, 7, and Madison, 9, who play on softball and ringette teams in Surrey. “I’ve always got a smile on my face,” says Sowerby.

HONOURABLE MENTION

en years ago, Tracey Oye showed up at a Fleetwood Fastpitch executive meeting as an observer and walked out as vice-president of the organization. “I asked, ‘What happens if the association doesn’t have a president?’,” recalls Oye. Two months later she got her answer. The newly minted president of Fleetwood Fastpitch soon became well-acquainted with phone trees, scheduling conflicts, and youth softball enthusiasts. This year Oye is coaching two teams: Fleetwood 95 Force and Junior Ladies B. She has worked with the latter team since they were squirts. She has also introduced countless underprivileged elementary school students to softball through a program called Learn to Play. Some of the memories she cherishes the most however occur after the dust has settled on the season. For example, “when the players ask you to come to their high school graduation,” says Oye. “It’s lifelong friendship on and off the field.”

Tracey Oye

T H E B U I L I N G B LO C K S O F O U R CO M M U N I T Y - I T ’ S A L L A B O U T CO M M I T M E N T

8 Surrey/North Delta Leader Tuesday, June 19, 2012

TENTH ANNUAL 2012 COMMUNITY LEADER AWARDS

BUILDER

Tuesday, June 19, 2012 Surrey/North Delta Leader 9

TENTH ANNUAL 2012 COMMUNITY LEADER AWARDS

COMMUNITY BUILDER

TOP HONOUR

John Volken Using his talents to better others

ower Mainland residents likely remember United Furniture Warehouse for its catchy jingle in the ’90s. These days, retired founder John Volken has been working silently behind the scenes, lending a helping hand to the disenfranchised in Surrey – and in Africa. Volken understands adversity. He brings his own quintessential ragsto-riches story to the table. Living in communist East Germany after the Second World War, Volken’s widowed mother could not afford to provide for three children. So Volken spent time in an orphanage. Yet he remained optimistic that something greater was in store for him outside those walls. “There was always something driving me,” says Volken. When he was 18 years old he immigrated to Canada with the clothes on his back. The first night he slept at the train station in Toronto. He later took a job working for free as a farmhand in exchange for accommodation. Volken lived in various cities across Canada before settling in Vancouver in 1969 and starting a family.

SPONSORED BY

FRASER DOWNS RACETRACK & CASINO

A strong voice for Surrey schools “You do the best you can to use your talents for the betterment of all people.” – John Volken 2012 CLA winner, Community Builder

A AN N I V ERS

Community Leader Awards 2012

In the 1980s, he opened a furniture store that was an overnight success, quickly catapulting Volken to millionaire status. United Furniture Warehouse – with more than 250 North American locations – was generating $200 million in annual sales when Volken sold the retail chain in 2004. “After I won the Entrepreneur of the Year and I have the money and recognition, now what?” says Volken. “I am not money motivated, that’s not me. I’d rather do something productive.” He started the John Volken Foundation, which funds the Welcome Home Addiction Recovery Academy in Newton. The intensive two- to five-year program helps people struggling with substance abuse to turn their lives around. Meanwhile, Volken’s other charitable endeavour – Lift The Children – supports 91 orphanages in Uganda and Kenya. “You do the best you can to use your talents for the betterment of all people,” says Volken.

HONOURABLE MENTION

hen Surrey mom Linda Stromberg found out her daughter’s school day would be extended to accommodate more students at an already overcrowded Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary, she said enough is enough. “We have all seen portables, now this is ridiculous,” Stromberg recalls saying. “This is a crisis situation.” Days after the extended schedule decision was handed down in the spring of 2011, Stromberg sprang into action. She sent letters to Surrey’s most influential voices and well-known education advocates. One week later, on March 16, the Ad Hoc Committee for Capital Funding of Surrey Schools was formed, with Stromberg at the helm. “We need to give focus and let the powers that be know that we are united in Surrey and concerned over the lack of funding for schools,” says Stromberg. The committee – which includes representatives from many sectors of the community including business leaders and politicians, as well as teachers and concerned parents – has spent the past year lobbying the provincial government for a level playing field for Surrey students. “I’ve always believed we have a strong education system in Canada,” says Stromberg. “I think that all children deserve that.”

Linda Stromberg

T H E B U I L I N G B LO C K S O F O U R CO M M U N I T Y - I T ’ S A L L A B O U T CO M M I T M E N T

10 Surrey/North Delta Leader Tuesday, June 19, 2012

TENTH ANNUAL 2012 COMMUNITY LEADER AWARDS

ABOVE & BEYOND

COACH

2012 AWARD

RECIPIENT

SPONSORED BY

abc RESTAURANTS

Tracey and Wayne Briggs

“I feel responsible to contribute back to the community because each person is either part of the problem or part of the solution.” – Nasima Nastoh 2009 CLA winner, Courage

A AN N I V ERS

Cassidy Briggs

Community Leader Awards 2012

assidy Briggs’ spirit lives on through the artistic creativity of children at Surrey Memorial and B.C. Children’s hospitals. Sadly, the curly-haired, pintsized philanthropist knew all too well what it was like to be cooped up in the hospital for weeks on end. Diagnosed with liver cancer shortly before her eighth birthday in 2008, Cassidy never let her illness stifle her artistic inclination. After her last day of third grade, she was admitted to hospital for long-term treatment. Cassidy took stock of the arts and crafts supplies on the oncology ward and decided they weren’t up to snuff. “The nurses printed off colouring sheets and scrounged together some markers and crayons; black was her favourite colour, but it was all dried up,” says Cassidy’s mom Tracey. She recalls one November day in the hospital when Cassidy asked her family to colour Christmas pictures. Her two older brothers drew

Rolling on a different set of wheels

decade ago, North Delta’s Chris Somerville was on the brink of becoming a professional skateboarder. But one cool summer evening, a fateful decision snuffed out that dream. After a party, Somerville accepted a ride home from an underage driver. At one point there was a routine traffic stop that gave way to a police chase – and then a crash. Somerville woke up in Vancouver General Hospital, unable to feel his legs – the result of a severed spinal cord. He was paralyzed. Learning to navigate through life with a different set of wheels wasn’t easy at first for Somerville. He says it was hard to find work because of his disability.

But being independent and living on his own helped motivate Somerville to press on. Last year he enrolled in the Surrey-based Self-Employment and Entrepreneur Society (SEEDS) program. By August he had his own business: Street Dreamz, a skateboard shop on Scott Road in North Delta, decked out with a graffiti feature wall. “I think it’s a bright, positive place to go,” says Somerville. He is an ambassador speaker for the Rick Hansen Foundation – and just last month cycled side-byside with the foundation’s namesake in the Rick Hansen 25th Anniversary Relay.

vibrant flamingos. “It brought Cassidy comfort knowing we were all right there doing a craft together,” says Tracey. Before she passed away in January 2010, Cassidy had a vision: to raise funds and collect art supplies for pediatric cancer patients at B.C. Children’s Hospital. Today her family honours her legacy through the Cassidy Briggs Foundation. For two weeks every year, beginning on Valentine’s Day, donations are collected for Cassidy’s Craft Campaign. And the response from the community has been overwhelming. “Oh gosh. Put it this way, we are closing in our carport and it’s going to be massive storage room for arts supplies,” says Tracey. Those supplies are slated for B.C. Children’s and Surrey Memorial’s pediatric oncology ward, with plans to expand the program to Victoria and Kelowna hospitals in the future.

HONOURABLE MENTION

Chris Somerville

T H E B U I L I N G B LO C K S O F O U R CO M M U N I T Y - I T ’ S A L L A B O U T CO M M I T M E N T

14 Surrey/North Delta Leader Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Looking forward to a Stronger Future!

We are driven ... to help customers achieve their goals We are learners ... who thrive in a challenging and fast paced environment We are leaders ... who perform with heart We are proud ... supporters of the community leader awards

7599 King George Blvd.

7878 - 120 Street

13665 - 102 Avenue

NEWTON 604-572-3739

SCOTT RD 604-591-3914

WHALLEY 604-583-8473

Tuesday, June 19, 2012 Surrey/North Delta Leader 15

TENTH ANNUAL 2012 COMMUNITY LEADER AWARDS

MENTOR

TOP HONOUR

Ed Griffin Late-blooming scribe helps others find their voice

“G

uys in prison love poetry,” says perennial humanist and arts advocate Ed Griffin. Every week Griffin journeys to Abbotsford’s Matsqui medium-security prison to teach creative writing to its inmates – a course he lobbied for and eventually started in 1993. Griffin says the arts have a great rehabilitative effect, and he is constantly impressed by the acumen of his students – convicted murderers included. “I think it’s because of the strong feelings that prisoners have,” says Griffin. It’s hard to fathom the author of five published books and founder of the Surrey International Writers’ Conference didn’t become a serious scribe until he was 50 years old. Griffin, a one-time Roman Catholic priest, was ousted from his parish in Cleveland, Ohio in the 1960s for

SPONSORED BY

CANADIAN TIRE

Student’s legacy of success adds up “If you see other people struggling, if they’re open to it, you can offer your experience, or your wisdom.” – Penny Priddy 2011 CLA winner, Mentor

A AN N I V ERS

Community Leader Awards 2012

vneet Bains’ intelligence has not only earned him some impressive scholarship numbers, it’s helped him motivate less mathematically inclined students. The 20-year-old graduated from Panorama Ridge Secondary School a couple of years ago with an armload of scholarships totalling more than $100,000. But you can’t put a price on the legacy he left behind: A math mentorship program that in its first year alone reached 200 students and raised some of their grades by 60 per cent. Math4me differs from conventional tutoring in that it incorporates a social

aspect through public speaking and debates. “We want students to be confident and motivated,” says Bains. “Their grades become more sustainable. Students then want to be successful in life.” In the past 20 months, Bains, a full-time UBC Sauder School of Business student, has grown Math4Me into a successful enterprise and expanded into Vancouver. Last year he was recognized nationally with a Top 20 Under 20 youth award from Youth in Motion. For Bains, the greatest reward is the opportunity to create social change.

participating in a civil rights march in Selma, Alabama. “The church did not live up to its own commandments,” he recalls. However, helping those in need would remain Griffin’s vocation. Decades later, his family settled in Cloverdale, Griffin cultivated a successful greenhouse business He started writing to keep his mind sharp. “And wow, I loved it. I really loved it,” says Griffin. He continues to share his enthusiasm for writing with the greater Surrey community, coaxing creativity from lifelong learners, including new immigrants, through the Fraser Valley Writers’ School. Griffin is also a published poet, playwright, short story writer, newspaper columnist and the current Surrey Arts Council writer in residence.

HONOURABLE MENTION

Inveet Bains

T H E B U I L I N G B LO C K S O F O U R CO M M U N I T Y - I T ’ S A L L A B O U T CO M M I T M E N T

16 Surrey/North Delta Leader Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Tuesday, June 19, 2012 Surrey/North Delta Leader 17

TENTH ANNUAL 2012 COMMUNITY LEADER AWARDS

SERVICE ORGANIZATION VOLUNTEER

TOP HONOUR

Serving seniors since 1967

ed Rieder is a man of many trades who volunteers his time for seniors’ housing projects in Surrey. The current Kinsmen Place Lodge board director wore the hats of groundskeeper, handyman, medical advisor and fundraiser for Kinsmen Clubs for over 45 years. “I did everything,” says Rieder. “When residents trashed the place I would refurbish it. My family would go over and cut the grass. We treated it [the building, Bentley Lodge] as if we owned it.” And who knew that some seniors could be such troublemakers? “Listen, I’ve had everything: drinking and smoking; the RCMP called; hoarders; a woman who had her three big boys move in,” Rieder reveals. The retired trophy store

Offering comfort at the end

SPONSORED BY

CENTRAL CITY SHOPPING CENTRE TH

A AN N I V ERS

Ted Rieder

Community Leader Awards 2012

“I can’t put my finger on it. I’m just a guy who likes to help.” – Bob McAuley 2007 CLA winner, Emergency Services

owner has collected his fair share of accolades over the years. After joining the nowdisbanded Whalley Kinsmen Club in 1967, Rieder served on both local and district levels, and was awarded a Life Membership to the Kinsmen Organization of Canada. He is also part of a team that was honoured with the Kinsmen Club’s most prestigious award, “Best Service Project,” for their work in building the original Kinsmen Place Lodge. These days, 70-year-old Rieder is a fixture at the new Kinsmen Place Lodge at 96 Avenue and 137A St., and he says he won’t be hanging up his tool belt anytime soon. “Serving the Community’s Greatest Need” is the Kinsmen Club’s motto and Rieder certainly embodies that mandate.

HONOURABLE MENTION

etired Riverview Hospital nurse Marcella (who asked that her last name not be published) continues to be true to her lifelong vocation – lending her compassion to the Surrey Hospice Society for the past 17 years. “Basically I still wanted to feel useful,” she explains. Years ago, Marcella attended a conference on hospice care and said to herself, “This is the place I need to be when I retire.” She reveres the hospice as holy ground where myriad religious beliefs and cultural backgrounds coexist harmoniously. Marcella dispenses comfort to those who are facing the end of their lives and are anxious about the unknown. She recalls sitting with a dying man who was gasping for air and clamouring for more oxygen. “He was just afraid, so I sat with him,” says Marcella. Half an hour later the man passed away. Supporting the families of hospice patients is equally important, Marcella says. She nurtures them by serving a special tea once a week at Surrey Hospice Society.

Marcella

T H E B U I L I N G B LO C K S O F O U R CO M M U N I T Y - I T ’ S A L L A B O U T CO M M I T M E N T

18 Surrey/North Delta Leader Tuesday, June 19, 2012

TENTH ANNUAL 2012 COMMUNITY LEADER AWARDS

SERVICE ORGANIZATION VOLUNTEER

ARY AN N I V ERS

2012 AWARD

SPONSORED BY CENTRAL CITY SHOPPING CENTRE

RECIPIENT

CHILD CARE OPTIONS RESOURCE & REFERRAL Free Child Care Information And Referrals Services For Parents & Child Care Providers

childcareoptions.ca Child Care

Resource & Referral

604-572-8032

Serving Delta, Surrey and White Rock

L to R: Vivian Li - Central City, Marcella, and Ted Rieder.

T H E B U I L I N G B LO C K S O F O U R CO M M U N I T Y - I T ’ S A L L A B O U T CO M M I T M E N T

leader (‘li:der) n. e

Are you prepared for a long retirement? Learn how you can

1. One who motivates and inspires. 2. A person who helps others realize their potential. 3. One who is selﬂess. 4. Someone who makes a difference. To the Leaders in Education and all of the nominees and recipients of the 10th Annual Community Leader Awards, the Surrey Board of Education congratulates you and thanks you for your service to our community.

guarantee your retirement income

June 27, 2012 6:30pm - 8:00pm (Registration 6:00pm) Northview Golf & Country Club 6857 168th Street, Surrey P R E S E N T E D

T O

Y O U

B Y:

RSVP 604.581.9121 or rsvp@mwfs.ca Seats are limited – RSVP today!

Thank You

for Investing in our Community CLAYTON PriceSmart foods 18710 Fraser Hwy., Surrey 604-574-1202 Lisa McCreadie

CLOVERDALE CROSSING PriceSmart foods 17745 64 Ave., Cloverdale 604-575-7164 Ray Heroux

KING GEORGE PriceSmart foods 10312 King George Blvd. Surrey 604-930-8773 Rebecca Hawk

MANAGER

Tuesday, June 19, 2012 Surrey/North Delta Leader 19

TENTH ANNUAL 2012 COMMUNITY LEADER AWARDS

ARY AN N I V ERS

MENTOR

VOLUNTEER

2012 AWARD

RECIPIENT

SPONSORED BY

SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY SURREY

Taking tough love to school “I came from a business background, but I realized there’s more to life than making money.” – Jim King 2004 CLA winner, Community Mentor

A AN N I V ERS

Community Leader Awards 2012

ometimes, only after they graduate high school do students have the perspective to appreciate a tough-as-nails teacher. “Apparently I have a look,” jokes veteran Seaquam Secondary teacher Dhana Matthews. A higher education advocate, Matthews was instrumental in bringing the International Baccalaureate program to Seaquam last year. Cramming provincial graduation requirements together with first-year university instruction is a tall order – and there is no room for coddling. “The bottom line is I expect students to behave

with a certain level of maturity,” says Matthews. Graduates of Seaquam’s Advanced Placement program, which Matthews also teaches, have gone on to attend prestigious universities, including Princeton and Stanford. One former student had this to say about her beloved teacher: “Ms. Matthews has impacted my life and is an inspiring mentor who I look up to in my daily life, and who teaches me that life is never shy of providing you with challenges, things are not always handed to you on a silver platter – and you always have to work for what you want.”

charitable endeavours is the school’s partnership with the Surrey Food Bank. Last fall, Dhillon organized 12 separate volunteer excursions to the food bank’s 7,000-square-foot warehouse in Whalley, where students, staff and parents helped sort donated food items. The students also saw firsthand what it’s like to be homeless, as they handed out food hampers to community members in need. “You see this dawning on their face. When they come back, it’s the most humbling experience for them,” Dhillon says. Her altruism for the community stems from her family’s values, she says. “To me I feel like compassion – that’s what our world needs more of. I hope it becomes infectious.”

HONOURABLE MENTION

Dhana Matthews

T H E B U I L I N G B LO C K S O F O U R CO M M U N I T Y - I T ’ S A L L A B O U T CO M M I T M E N T

22 Surrey/North Delta Leader Tuesday, June 19, 2012

TENTH ANNUAL 2012 COMMUNITY LEADER AWARDS

TEACHER

2012 AWARD

RECIPIENT

ARY AN N I V ERS

SPONSORED BY

FRASER HEALTH

“You can do amazing things as an individual, you can do far more than almost anybody thinks... if you are willing to stand up and get involved, it’s quite miraculous what you can accomplish.” – Bob Campbell 2005 CLA winner, Community Mentor

A AN N I V ERS

Nalin Dhillon

Community Leader Awards 2012

An education advocate

volunteerism. He also manages to work part-time as a clerk in the Cloverdale branch of Surrey Libraries. And the graduating senior leaves behind a legacy of selfless contributions at Clayton Heights Secondary. He took the lead on major fundraising events and social awareness projects. Volunteering for Project Equal – the school’s social change club – became a passion of his. Dhillon organized a 36-hour famine that 80 students participated in, which raised money for school projects in Sierra Leone. “Awareness is huge,” Dhillon says. “You need to know about these issues that reach further than your own house.” This fall, he plans to attend the University of Victoria where he will study geography – and be actively involved on campus and in the community.

HONOURABLE MENTION

aurie Larsen has lobbied on behalf of Surrey City Workers CUPE 402 and fostered an active Women’s Committee as the union’s president for the past 12 years. When she noticed there were no other female members on the union executive other than the secretary, Larsen brought in skills programs as a starting off point for those in pursuit of a higher education. The two-term Surrey school trustee is also a tireless advocate for childrens’ education. She served as chair of the Enver Creek Secondary Parents’ Advisory Council for four years. “I was one of the students who never had money for books,” says Larsen, reflecting on her childhood. “As a school trustee, I’m trying to make sure things are equal; that everyone has the same type of opportunity.” The longtime Surrey resident’s reach in the community is immeasurable. In addition to her vast union contributions, organizations she has played an active role in include the Surrey Homelessness and Housing Society, Surrey Social Futures, the SurreyFleetwood Rotary Club and the Surrey Food Bank.

Laurie Larsen

T H E B U I L I N G B LO C K S O F O U R CO M M U N I T Y - I T ’ S A L L A B O U T CO M M I T M E N T

26 Surrey/North Delta Leader Tuesday, June 19, 2012

TENTH ANNUAL 2012 COMMUNITY LEADER AWARDS

Congratulations! Proud member of our community for 46 years. Our sincere thanks and gratitude to this year’s community leaders. Your contributions to our community serve as an inspiration to us all. Guildford Town Centre is proud to be part of such a caring community.

(604) 585-1565 · GuildfordTownCentre.com

Tuesday, June 19, 2012 Surrey/North Delta Leader 27

TENTH ANNUAL 2012 COMMUNITY LEADER AWARDS

YOUTH VOLUNTEER

TOP HONOUR

A life in balance

nisha Virk injects youthful enthusiasm into Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation’s fundraising campaigns. Considered a key player in the development of the Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation (SMHF) youth volunteer program, Virk carries the title of chief youth ambassador. “I think you have to make volunteering seem like it’s fun,” figures Virk. “At the foundation they make you want to come more often by making it such a friendly environment.” Last year, Virk and her team organized the Youth for SMH Family 5K run, which raised $2,000 for the hospital’s pediatric oncology department. “I think everyone is unaware of the hospital’s needs,” says Virk. “Right now, SMH is doing its expansion of the critical care tower.” While attending Elgin Park Secondary, Virk volunteered

SPONSORED BY

GUILDFORD TOWN CENTRE

“We are Canadians... Because of the privileges we enjoy, I believe it is our foremost responsibility to work and strive together in order to achieve a just and fair global community.” – Afraj Gill 2010 CLA winner, Youth Volunteer

A AN N I V ERS

Anisha Virk

Community Leader Awards 2012

‘I want our innovators to stay here’

assandra Linklater has been promoting the economic potential of Surrey’s youth since she was a teenager. Already well-versed in global economics, at 17 years old a bright-eyed Linklater set off on her first trade mission to Malaysia and Singapore with a national youth ambassador program called Global Vision. Since then she has met with many world leaders at various economic summits, including the G20 Young Entrepreneur Summit in Nice, France last fall. “The biggest thing I’ve learned is the world is really small; it’s a global village and we are all seeking out the same things,” says Linklater.

Closer to home, Linklater spearheaded Surrey’s Top 25 under 25 Awards and coorganized the Surrey Board of Trade’s inaugural Tour of Industry. “There are young people out here moving and shaking,” declares Linklater. “I don’t want us to lose our top talent to Vancouver or Toronto. I want our innovators to stay here.” The Kwantlen Polytechnic University political science major is also the cohead facilitator for youth adventures and leadership for Rotary District 5050, and the founder of an online publication, University Confidential, which aims to help students take control of their education.

as a peer tutor in the school’s learning centre five days a week. She helped change the life course of one troubled student who had all of the counsellors convinced he would drop out of school before Grade 9. “He was not motivated,” recalls Virk. “I really, really pushed him and befriended him. He’s still in school, doing fine.” The first-year Kwantlen Polytechnic University student inherited her passion for charitable volunteering from her dad – a one-time SMHF board director. “I think he set such a good example for me helping in the community,” says Virk. Virk is also a champion karate enthusiast who has competed on a national circuit since she was eight years old. “I think it’s taught me a good sense of balance,” she says.

HONOURABLE MENTION

Kassandra Linklater

T H E B U I L I N G B LO C K S O F O U R CO M M U N I T Y - I T ’ S A L L A B O U T CO M M I T M E N T

28 Surrey/North Delta Leader Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Acorn Oak Tree

Good leadership comes from the ability to see potential. As the sponsor of this year’s Leader of the Year award, we would like to thank all the 2012 nominees for their vision and hard work. Your efforts are helping to unlock the potential that lies within our community. You have made Surrey and North Delta a richer place to live. We are proud to be your neighbour.

Surrey, %urnaby, New Westminster, 3ort &oTuitlam, 9ancouver, 9ictoria comsavings.com &all 0 2000

Tuesday, June 19, 2012 Surrey/North Delta Leader 29

TENTH ANNUAL 2012 COMMUNITY LEADER AWARDS

LEADER OF THE YEAR

For the love of peat

SPONSORED BY

COMMUNITY SAVINGS

Eliza Olson “ A team doesn’t work unless it helps its weakest member and that’s an important lesson.” – Michael Soy 2008 CLA winner, Leader of the Year

A AN N I V ERS

Community Leader Awards 2012

liza Olson’s has raised her 73-year-old voice for environmental conservation, effectively creating a metaphorical moat around Delta’s once-vulnerable Burns Bog. In the late 1980’s, Olson learned about the vital role the largest domed peat bog on the West Coast of North America – it measures 40 square kilometres – plays in the local ecosystem. Burns Bog is aptly called the “lungs of the Lower Mainland” because it emits oxygen. This wetland is also home to rare plant, insect and animal species. The bog’s pungent, earthy smell evokes scenes of regeneration for Olson, who regularly frequents the area. “You see the ponds and pond lilies,” she says. “You walk on the bog and start bouncing on it. There are stunted trees that are 75 to 80 years old.” One day in 1987, she was outraged by the news that a portion of Burns Bog was due to be developed. So she got a slate of environmentalists together and they ran for municipal office in Delta that year, using Burns Bog conservation as their platform. They lost the election but got the attention of successful council candidates. “Voters thought I was being a sensationalist or a Chicken Little,” says Olson. “Sometimes a ‘no’ is a ‘yes’ to something else.” The group persevered, “did an awful lot of talking to neighbours,” and worked with Seaquam Secondary students to stop development plans by Western Delta Lands Inc., which owned a significant portion of the bog at that time. In June of 1988, Delta council voted down the developer’s application. Olson breathed a sigh of relief – and then started the Burns Bog Conservation Society (BBCS) as a forum for local residents, the scientific community, students, and basically anyone who was committed to preserving the bog. Olga Schwartzkopf, a Vancouverbased paralegal with an agricultural science degree, sits on the BBCS advisory board. She met Olson in the 1990s. They had adjoining booths at the PNE – Schwartzkopf was representing the B.C. Environmental Network, while Olson talked up the bog to fairgoers. Naturally, Schwartzkopf joined Olson’s camp as well, and the two became friends. She reveals that being a champion for the environment has been a tough slog for Olson. “She’s had to deal with people who have wanted to take over the organi-

zation in an aggressive manner,” says Schwartzkopf. “But she also does not cringe. She’s not reluctant to criticize what she might see as a decision that is counter to the interest of the bog.” Before 2004, less than two per cent of the bog was protected as the Delta Nature Reserve, leaving thousands of acres vulnerable to development. Olson relentlessly lobbied politicians and waded through mounds of bureaucratic red tape until the ink was signed on the Burns Bog Ecological Conservancy Area covenant in March 2004. Four levels of government agreed to purchase 5,050 acres of Burns Bog. Today, the Delta wetland still faces perennial threats. Olson and BBCS recently filed a lawsuit against the federal government for allowing the South Fraser Perimeter Road to be built adjacent to the conservation area. “We have some real concerns about that,” says Olson. At the same time, she is also monitoring a rezoning application currently before Delta council. MK Delta Lands Group Inc. wants to change the designation of 89 acres on the outskirts of Burns Bog from resource study area to mixed land use, which would allow for commercial and residential development. Olson always has the bog on the brain, and Schwartzkopf can vouch for the endless amount of volunteer hours Olson has devoted to this important environmental cause. “First of all, she has put Delta on the map,” says Schwartzkopf. “And she’s connected traditional organizations – Rotary, chambers of commerce – with conservation. I don’t see that connection in other communities.” A retired school teacher, Olson aims to educate every student in Surrey and Delta about Burns Bog. She has developed the BBCS’s educational program to include resource materials and workshops. Last year, 2,300 students visited Burns Bog, with one child reporting to Olson that it was better than Disneyland. The BBCS boasts a strong membership and is backed by 5,000 donors. Olson has received armloads of environmental awards for her efforts, including the Queen’s Jubilee Medal, the Canadian Geographic Silver Award for Conservation, and a Human Rights Award for Environmental Leadership. And ultimately, Burns Bog has been preserved for future generations. “Oh yes, I’m quite confident of that,” says Olson. “It won’t really be because of me, but because of all the people who supported what I do.”

T H E B U I L I N G B LO C K S O F O U R CO M M U N I T Y - I T ’ S A L L A B O U T CO M M I T M E N T

30 Surrey/North Delta Leader Tuesday, June 19, 2012

TENTH ANNUAL 2012 COMMUNITY LEADER AWARDS

LEADER of the YEAR

2012 AWARD

RECIPIENT