Medal of Good Citizenship: F-H

Chad Farquharson & Wayne McGill 

Chad Farquharson and Wayne McGill were honoured with the medal for being unrelenting advocates for B.C. families who have children with medical needs, and have provided hundreds of families with healthy snacks while they care for their hospitalized children.

Their life-changing journey began when their newly adopted son Grayson was diagnosed with an extremely rare metabolic disorder. After spending time in the intensive care unit and on the ward, Chad and Wayne became passionate advocates, doing countless hours of public speaking and engagements in support of B.C. Children’s Hospital, The Rare Disease Foundation, and Canadian PKU and Allied Disorders.

But their commitment to others doesn’t stop there. Having spent time in ICU with Grayson, they know that eating properly, or at all, takes a backseat when your child is critically ill and needs you. So, they started a program called “From Our Family to Yours” and for more than a year, twice per week, they have been dropping off food baskets of healthy snacks to the B.C. Children’s Hospital ICU and the BC Women’s Hospital NICU for families to help themselves to while they are caring for their child.

They provide much of the funds themselves but have also reached out to others through a GoFundMe page to allow other families and individuals to help support the food basket program.

• Year Awarded: 2017
• City: Surrey
• Region: Mainland/Southwest

Edwin Findlater

Edwin Findlater was honoured with the medal for his dedication to the needs of veterans, persons facing special hardships, and the elderly.

Since taking up residence in the Southern Okanagan Valley over 32 years ago, Edwin has served his community and the province in numerous voluntary and leadership positions, including president of the Penticton Red Cross, chair of the Okanagan Falls Legacy Fund, president of Branch 227 Canadian Legion for six years, chairman of the South Okanagan/Similkameen Legion Zone, chairman of the BC Yukon Legion Command for 15 years, chairman of Okanagan Falls Helping Hands, chairman and board trustee of Okanagan Falls United Church, past superintendent of St. John’s Ambulance, director for BC Summer Games in Penticton, and the security chief for BC Winter and Summer Games.

In addition, he has been a member of the RCMP Auxiliary for over 10 years, volunteer for Iron Man Canada for 23+ years, coach for Special Olympics, founder of Citizens on Patrol in Okanagan Falls and Penticton, an Air Cadet instructor, volunteer with Okanagan Falls Visitors Centre, and an organizer for Okanagan Falls Community Policing.

Among his many other contributions, Edwin was also instrumental in establishing the South Skaha Housing Society with the goal of developing affordable housing for seniors living in Okanagan Falls, and because of his vision and leadership, the project is becoming a real possibility.

Arising from his 35 years of service in the Canadian Armed Forces, and subsequently with the Royal Canadian Legion, Edwin has received the Minister of Veteran’s Affairs Commendation and the Governor General’s Caring Canadian Award.

• Year Awarded: 2017
• City: Okanagan Falls
• Region: Thompson/Okanagan

Stephanie Fischer

Stephanie Fischer has been integral in establishing Nelson and area as a cultural hub in British Columbia and was the project manager and visionary behind Nelson’s newest cultural cornerstone, Touchstones Nelson Museum of Art and History.

Stephanie was an early champion and founding director of the City of Nelson’s Cultural Development Committee, which has helped develop long term cultural plans and policies for the city. She has been a steadfast volunteer on numerous boards and steering committees including: the Columbia Basin Trust, Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance, Nelson and Area Economic Development Partnership, Selkirk College, Oxygen Art Centre, Nelson Artwalk and the Social Planning Action Network. 

For Stephanie, the value of culture and its contribution to the vibrancy and strength of a community is fundamental. Her enthusiasm has inspired countless individuals to become active in the arts alongside her. Her contributions have created a culture of accessibility within the arts in the region while encouraging and celebrating excellence. 

A student of architecture in Germany, Stephanie completed an internship in the former East German city of Dessau and is credited as key in the planning of a new culture centre for Dessau, that went on to win the Alfred-Toepfer Foundation Award for innovation and initiative of cultural development. 

Of note is Stephanie’s involvement in projects around reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples through partnerships and cultural programming. Her goal is to provide opportunities for our community to learn and appreciate Indigenous culture through artistic expression. For example, an Indigenous dance event offered a learning opportunity for the greater community to build relationships with Indigenous Peoples in the region. 

As executive director of the Capitol Theatre, Stephanie helped raise over a quarter -million dollars to renew the systems and equipment. The 30-year-old institution is now thriving, with increased patron and season package memberships, a steady increase in audience attendance of a broad spectrum of live theatre events, and the provision of space to serve as a performing arts resource and referral facility for the community. 

In recognition of her contributions, Fischer received a special citation from the City of Nelson, and the Community Futures and CIEL Community Innovation Entrepreneur Award. She also received the BC Touring Council award for Presenter of the Year in 2019.

• Year Awarded: 2018
• City: Nelson
• Region: Kootenay

Fran Fowler

Fran Fowler has dedicated many years of volunteer service in her community in a variety of areas including: health care governance, multiple all-age sports activities, the arts, and programs specifically for youth and seniors. 

Her service to community and countless hours of volunteering include significant involvement with the Haida Gwaii Arts Council, Balance Rock Community Justice Program, an RCMP restorative youth justice program, Queen Charlotte Seniors Club, Queen Charlotte Community Club, Literacy Haida Gwaii, Willows Golf Club, and the Queen Charlotte Hospital Day Organizing Committee.

Since moving to Haida Gwaii in the 1960s Fran has thrown her passion and energy into supporting a myriad of community activities from literary and musical events, outdoor hiking, golf, geocaching, and food foraging. Her inspired leadership and can-do approach to helping community organizations has strengthened the social fabric of the islands.

Concerned that the islands’ historical past is being lost, Fran has fostered a project, Saving and Sharing Our Stories, aimed at collecting and preserving for the future, the stories of Queen Charlotte on the seniors’ website. Another project, Aging on the Islands, is focused on collecting stories to advocate for improved services for seniors on the Islands.

Among her many other contributions, Fran has also been an instrumental force in a group of citizens calling themselves Operation Refugee Haida Gwaii who have sponsored a family of eight Syrian refugees and continue to support them as they settle into their new life in British Columbia.

• Year Awarded: 2018
• City: Queen Charlotte
• Region: Northern BC

Joyce Fraser 

Joyce Fraser is a visionary leader who has worked within the communities of Princeton, Coalmont, Tulameen and Heldley to enhance services for seniors and people with disabilities.

Beginning in 1972 she spearheaded the formation of the Princeton and District Community Services Society (PDCSS) and has now led the not-for-profit agency for 32 years, developing more services and programs to support the vulnerable along the way. 

Today the society operates low-cost housing for seniors and families with children, and seniors assisted living. Its New Beginnings Day Program for adults and youth with intellectual disabilities offers respite services, self help skills, residential services and employment development. Joyce has also found innovative ways to ensure that the community has trained employees to support the needs of PDCSS clients.

With Joyce as its administrator, the PDCSS converted the former Mine Rescue building into a drop-in centre and workshop. Over time the site became the Mini-Chef Restaurant where people with disabilities get job skills training. A popular enterprise, with many repeat customers, it provides the society with a reliable source of income to meet its goals.

To create housing for persons with disabilities, Joyce led an initiative to purchase and renovate a three-storey apartment building and an additional six units were constructed in a partnership with BC Housing. Another partnership with BC Housing, the Interior Health Authority and the Town for Princeton resulted in the development of Vermilion Court in 1997 with 18 housing units for seniors and vulnerable adults - the first assisted living facility in the Province.

Recognizing that PDCSS clients need trained support, Joyce organized a community-based social services certificate to be instructed locally. She also worked with Okanagan College to bring a care aid course to Princeton, enabling many local residents to be trained locally and ultimately helping seniors remain at home as long and as safely as possible. 

Joyce also germinated transportation services for those who are vulnerable first by using her family vehicle to transport residents to medical appointments and to the grocery store. When demand exceeded her capabilities, she spearheaded a drive to raise money for a wheel-chair accessible van that operates as a partnership between the Village of Princeton, BC Transit, the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen and the PDCSS.

Joyce has been recognized with a British Columbia Community Achievement Award and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal.

• Year Awarded: 2018
• City: Princeton
• Region: 
  Thompson/Okanagan

Donna Furneaux  

Donna Furneaux’s life showcases resilience, community spirit, and tireless dedication to helping others. Overcoming childhood polio and its lasting effects, Donna became a beacon of hope and action in her community.

Donna spearheaded the establishment of a school for lab technicians at a hospital, rallying support from locals, travelers, and embassy staff to secure essential supplies. Her initiative quickly turned the school into a thriving hub for training, benefiting numerous students.

Donna has immersed herself in community service, co-founding the Parksville and Qualicum Beach Post Polio Society and contributing to the Qualicum Beach Honours Society. Despite facing ongoing treatments for polio-related issues and surviving a deadly cancer, Donna continued to lead by example.

Donna’s impact extended to the Arrowsmith Agriculture Association, where she played a key role in revitalizing the Coombs Fairgrounds. Through her leadership, old structures were replaced, and new facilities like livestock barns and a meeting hall were built, enhancing community cohesion and agricultural education.

Donna’s influence also birthed the Taste of the District food fair and the Qualicum Beach Farmers’ Market, promoting local agriculture and fostering community engagement.

Donna’s commitment to service remains unwavering. Her advocacy for hospice care led to the establishment of a hospice house, providing vital support and palliative care for those in need. Her legacy of volunteerism and community building continues to inspire, demonstrating the profound impact one person can make through dedication and compassion.

• Year Awarded: 2024
• City:  Qualicum Beach
• Region:  Vancouver Island/Coast

Joann Gabriel

Joann Gabriel, a retired public-school teacher, was honoured with the medal for volunteer service spanning 56 years to the community of Princeton.

Her service to community and countless hours of volunteering include serving on the board of the Princeton and District Community Services (PDCSS), a non-profit organization, to meet the needs of the elderly and mentally challenged. Joining in 1979, Joann has been treasurer for eleven years and chair for 24 years, under the administration of three executive directors. She is committed to the work the society does under its twelve programs, which include home care, meals-on-wheels, transportation, housing for the elderly and developmentally disabled, an adult day center, and an activity center with employment opportunities for mentally challenged in the community.

Among her many other contributions, Joann was also instrumental in developing the programs run by the Princeton and District Community Services, demonstrating a passion for making sure that those less fortunate in her community are visible and function in a way that incorporates them into their community as productive members.

Besides PDCSS, Joann has also volunteered and served the executives of the Princeton Curling Club, Royal Purple, Kinettes, Princeton Library, Kokanee Summer Swim Club, Princeton Recreation Commission, Vermilion Forks Field Naturalist Club, Princeton Arts Council and St. Paul’s United Church Board and Women's Group over the past 56 years.

• Year Awarded: 2017
• City: Princeton
• Region: Thompson/Okanagan

Gambier Grocery Group

Gambier Island in Howe Sound has a small full-time population. The community has no on-island services such as stores, gas stations, medical clinics or schools and relies on a 40-person water taxi, the Stormaway, for access to all essentials including groceries.

In mid March 2020, as BC Ferries closed routes to essential service only, it became apparent that ongoing water taxi trips would pose a health hazard to passengers and crew.  Leanne Bruce, a long-term resident of the island, organized and executed a complex venture to deliver groceries twice a week from stores in nearby Gibsons.

Islanders ordered online and Leanne coordinated delivery services with return water taxi runs so Grocery Group volunteers could get to Gibsons to load the orders onboard the Stormaway. Upon returning to Gambier, the Grocery Group would quickly unload the water taxi. Boxes were taken up a ramp from the float to a shed on the pier. The orders were sorted and distributed, or, in many cases, delivered to homes across the southwest peninsula.

Leanne volunteered to coordinate this service along with her husband Bobby to support the Gambier Island community. Despite the stress of losing their own livelihood as entertainers to the pandemic, Leanne and Bobby got this critical service running smoothly and kept it going free of charge until July 2021.

The Gambier Grocery Group relied on several volunteers, including Terry Hall and Joley Switzer who volunteered for almost every run. Rain or shine, high tide or low, heat dome or southeaster – these dedicated people spent several hours a week hauling grocery orders on and off the Stormaway and up the gangway.

Leanne and the other volunteers kept the local community safe and protected the Stormaway crew from getting sick by offering this service and following through with the details. The Gambier Grocery Group has been a lifeline for this island.

• Year Awarded: 2021
• City: Gambier Island
• Region:  Mainland/Southwest

Abbe Gates

Abbe Gates was honoured with the medal for spearheading initiatives aimed at improving life experiences and inclusion for children, teens and young adults with developmental and physical disabilities. Through her fundraising efforts and ability to bring a community together, Abbe founded a soccer sporting team and has created social experiences that have empowered people with special needs all over the Lower Mainland and nearby communities.

Her service to community and countless hours of volunteering have been focused on gathering the support, monies and resources required for hundreds of players with a variety of developmental and other disabilities, aged four years and up, to play soccer. Nine years later, the Blazin’ Soccer Dogs and Pups, along with the Rain City Wolves, have provided enriching, inclusive and confidence-boosting experiences for participants.

Abbe has also served on the Down Syndrome Research Foundation board and was an effective fundraiser for the organization. More recently, she is an active volunteer helping to promote autism awareness and the creation of the Pacific Autism Family Centre.

Among her many other contributions, Abbe annually mounts The Night to Remember Gala, which provides an annual dance and red-carpet experience to more than 150 young people, aged 15 to 35 years, with development disabilities. As well, she helped establish a social group for teens through the Vancouver Parks board, called Friday Friends. She is now collectively working on establishing the same kind of program for all these young people who are now adults.

• Year Awarded: 2016
• City: Vancouver
• Region: Mainland/Southwest

Lorna Gibbs

Lorna Gibbs is a dedicated community volunteer and vocal advocate for improving the programs, services and facilities of Vancouver South. She has participated in numerous community development issues, committees and agencies, focusing especially on seniors’ needs.

In addition to her service on a range of boards and committees, Lorna is a founding member and president of the Southeast Vancouver Seniors’ Centre Society. In this capacity she is a leading voice to reach out and capture the needs of thousands of seniors through her advocacy for a new senior’s recreation centre in Southeast Vancouver. Through her work on a variety of seniors’ programs, services and issues, Lorna has changed the lives of many seniors and has inspired many more to contribute to their community. In 2014, Lorna was rewarded for her efforts to bring all three levels of government together when funding was secured to build a Seniors’ Activity Centre in South Vancouver.

A resident of Vancouver for more than 30 years, Lorna has also brought seniors from diverse ethnic backgrounds together to gather stories, including translation and editing, which has resulted in two published books: Stories of Southeast Vancouver, and Meals and Memories, an illustrated cookbook. This work brought happiness and greater understanding and friendship to the hundreds of seniors who were involved.

Other volunteer services given by Lorna include:

• Board director of Champlain Heights Community Association and the Killarney Community Centre Association
• Chair and president of Southvan Neighbourhood House
• Member of the Citizen Advisory Committee – Victoria Fraserview Killarney, East Fraserlands Committee, and the Everett Crowley Parks Committee

• Year Awarded: 2017
• City: Vancouver
• Region: Mainland/Southwest

Lori Girard

At the beginning of the pandemic, Lori Girard began the Riverside Response Innitiative. She created and empowered a team of volunteers from Riverside Church (where she is a volunteer pastor) and the local community to pick up and receive donations of food. They also received monetary donations and purchased groceries. Riverside Response created packages of groceries that those in need could pick up for themselves and their families. Deliveries of groceries were also made available. 

Through Riverside Response, some volunteers were able to run errands for those who couldn't drive or were self-isolating. They also made connections with people who were out of town and were able to check on family members for them. More than $95,000 worth of food has been given to those in need to date.

A few months later, Lori could see many people were negatively affected by the pandemic, both emotionally and mentally. She created Hope Calls, a telephone service many people have used when they need someone to talk with.  They have been offered hope, compassion, prayer and external resources where necessary.

Lori then found out about another community need leading to the Welcome Home Initiative. Many families transitioning from shelters or community programs and moving into their new homes have no furniture, linens, dishes, or sense of community belonging. Lori has made many contacts with individuals and businesses in the Tri-Cities to collect items, clean and restore them, and move them into the home for the family.  The goal for each family is to surprise them with a beautiful ‘REVEAL’ when possible.  There is partnership with a volunteer designer to create a gorgeous, proud home environment for families. Beas Kloset now partner with the Welcome Home Initiative to provide household items that family’s needs.  Social workers have noted the uniqueness of this program and all three of these outreach projects created by Lori are still ongoing today.

• Year Awarded: 2021
• City: Pitt Meadows
• Region:  Mainland/Southwest

Ronald Greene

For five decades, Ron Greene has demonstrated the ideals of good citizenship through the generous sharing of his time as a volunteer and leader of various organizations. These include coaching youth volleyball, leading local and provincial historical societies, contributing administrative and research expertise to the field of numismatics (the study and collection of coins and paper currency), and supporting community heritage activities.

Ron’s involvement with volleyball began in the late 1960s as a coach at Victoria’s YWCA. His girls teams competed successfully provincially and nationally. He has also assisted the coaches of the men's volleyball teams at UVIC and Camosun College. He contributed to the administration of the British Columbia Volleyball Association (BCVA), occasionally serving as President. For many years, he volunteered as a referee and trained over 500 new referees. In 1987, Ron was awarded an Honorary Life Membership in the BCVA.

Ron has also been inducted into the BC Volleyball Hall of Fame in the Co-Builder category.

A great interest of Ron’s is the study of BC's historical coins and paper currency. He has been a member of the Royal Canadian Numismatic Association (RCNA) since 1956. Providing a British Columbia perspective, he has organized conferences, edited books, established special interest groups, and served as an executive. In 1986, Ron received the highest award in Canadian Numismatics, the J. Douglas Ferguson Medal; in 2015, he was deemed a RCNA Fellow.

Ron’s interests in supporting the history of Victoria and British Columbia are outstanding. For example, in 2012 and 2013, he organized symposia on the 150th anniversary of the incorporation of the City of Victoria and the 170th anniversary of the founding of the HBC’s Fort Victoria. This involved countless hours of recruiting volunteers and speakers, organizing field trips, and hosting visitors. He has served the Victoria Historical Society and the British Columbia Historical Foundation as either their President or Treasurer.

An accomplished researcher, in 2015 he published the award winning book, Carlo Gentile, Gold Rush Photographer, 1863-1866. Ron is fully aware that archives and museums need support, whether through volunteer or financial aid. At the Provincial Archives, he helped create the Friends of British Columbia Archives, for which he has raised money in support of research collections, organized lectures, and arranged and led special events of the Archives. 

The Greene family’s business, Capital Iron, is located on Victoria’s historic waterfront. Ron restored the company’s buildings, earning Capital Iron a Heritage Canada Regional Award in 1982. Subsequently, through talks and freely-given advice, he has inspired others to conserve Victoria’s built heritage by sitting on the City of Victoria’s Heritage Advisory Committee and later serving as a Board Member of the Victoria Civic Heritage Trust, acting as Chair for two years.

For over five decades, Ron Greene has made outstanding contributions to various organizations. His selfless volunteer work and many leadership positions have supported thousands of young volleyball players and hundreds of historical enthusiasts, enabling them to participate in well-run and highly-appreciated community activities. Not least, Ron is widely respected by his peers. This is demonstrated by the citations and awards bestowed upon him that honour both his volunteerism and leadership.    

• Year Awarded: 2018
• City: Victoria
• Region: Vancouver Island/Coast

Amber Gregory

Amber Gregory worked to assist many not-for-profits that were unequipped through their infrastructure to serve or distribute food. She negotiated a partnership with a major restaurant chain where food could be purchased and served to the community. She organized volunteers who provided food to those who could not attend the more traditional food banks, including seniors, those with disabilities and those grappling with the loss of their livelihood.

Concurrently she created, “Porch side visits” with more than 100 nursing students who were at risk of losing their graduation criteria because there were no practicums available.  The students gave back 5,000 hours in porch side visits, attending and supporting individuals who were grappling with deteriorating mental health. Materials and resources were made available by another team of practicum students. Amber used these resources to help prepare training on compassion fatigue for frontline health care workers.

Amber knew the more traditional approaches to engage youth in mental health services were not going to be effective during COVID-19.  She connected a group of innovative basketball coaches that engaged more than 300 youth over a six-month period enabling them to provide the tools the youth needed.

Amber brought networks together so actions could be taken, not just discussed. She never took no for an answer and broke many barriers, but she knew that in this unprecedented time, there needed to be an unprecedented response.

• Year Awarded: 2021
• City: Coquitlam
• Region:  Mainland/Southwest

Matthew Heneghan

Matthew Heneghan’s remarkable contributions to his community and country embody the essence of good citizenship. A veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces and a former paramedic, Matthew has faced significant personal challenges, including exposure to traumatic events that led to his diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder.

He served our country with distinction. He was a pallbearer for a fallen comrade killed by a suicide bomber and was selected as a member of the honour guard for another fallen soldier.

After the loss of his mother and sister to suicide, Matthew turned his grief into action. He wrote a poignant memoir, A Medic’s Mind, which tells the story of his journey through addiction, recovery, sobriety, confronting his traumatic past and the challenges of mental health. He frequently mails his books along with gift cards to first responders and those who may benefit from his experiences. 

Matthew has been a vocal advocate for mental health awareness. He volunteers with the Memory Project, a speaker’s bureau that arranges for veterans and Canadian Forces members to share their stories of military service at schools and community events across the country. Through his speaking engagements, books and podcasts, he works to destigmatize mental health and encourage open conversations.

Matthew’s dedication to mental health advocacy and community service has earned him admiration and respect from his community in Falkland and beyond.

• Year Awarded: 2024
• City: Falkland
• Region: Thompson/ Okanagan

Dr. Bonnie Henry, O.B.C.

"Be kind, be calm and be safe." Dr. Bonnie Henry has used this phrase to guide British Columbians through the COVID-19 pandemic in her role as Provincial Health Officer.

She has been a beacon of light throughout this pandemic. With her gentle spirit and strength, she has encouraged the people of B.C. to stay strong, and has been provider of hope.

Dr. Henry has extensive experience in public health including responding to other significant health challenges such as the SARS outbreak in Toronto, the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic, the Ebola crisis in Uganda and polio eradication in Pakistan. She is recognized nationally and internationally for her extensive knowledge and experience in public health.

She has performed her duties tirelessly throughout this pandemic and has brought the community together in the fight against the COVID-19 virus standing firm at her post, encouraging patience, and educating the public in a clear and calm manner.

She has remained positive in the face of adversity and has continued to put her community first, through aiding and educating British Columbians. Not only has her expertise been demonstrated over the course of the pandemic, but her kindness, optimism and professionalism have been far reaching.

Dr. Bonnie Henry has played an integral role in guiding the residents of B.C. through this difficult time.

• Year Awarded: 2021
• City: Victoria
• Region: Vancouver Island/Coast

Dr. Kendall Ho

Dr. Kendall Ho is an emergency physician at Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH), and a digital emergency medicine researcher. He is also an accomplished and decorated health professional and UBC professor in the Faculty of Medicine.

Dr. Ho has made outstanding contributions in two specific areas relevant to COVID-19.

COVID-19 challenged our health system as a new and poorly understood disease, creating anxiety for the general public and challenges in disease management for the health system. In March 2020, telephone calls to 8-1-1, a B.C. service for the public to get health information and advice, experienced a seven fold increase. Dr. Ho set up a new virtual physician service to complement the 8-1-1 line, answering callers’ concerns with medical expertise using videoconferencing. This diverted three out of four callers safely away from visiting emergency departments. As of January 2022  the physician team under Dr. Ho’s leadership has provided advice to more than 65,000 callers.

Rapid communication with the public to disseminate accurate health information about COVID-19 is vital for individuals to stay well and control community spread.  VCH invited him to volunteer as a medical spokesperson on COVID-19 using his command of Chinese languages to provide information and advice to Chinese communities. Through his dedicated service during the pandemic, many Chinese community members experiencing language barriers have benefited.

These services are above and beyond Dr. Ho’s usual work and help B.C. to meet the needs of citizens for COVID-19 information and service gaps. Dr. Ho has provided timely, relevant, and impactful contributions to help address the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Year Awarded: 2021
• City: Vancouver
• Region:  Mainland/Southwest

Dave Holmberg

Dave Holmberg received the medal for his ongoing volunteer and philanthropic contributions to the city. Dave has been actively involved in dozens of community projects and services including the building of the 10 km Discovery Trail in Abbotsford. He has worked tirelessly for countless fundraising drives, many of which have resulted in bursaries and major equipment and building projects for organizations such as the Salvation Army, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of the Fraser Valley, Ledgeview Golf and Country Club and the 4-H Club.

Dave’s efforts have resulted in the building of the first free-standing hospice facility in Abbotsford on the Campus of Care. He and his wife, Lee, spearheaded the fundraising activities and contributed significantly through their personal donations after they tragically lost a son to illness in 2011.

Holmberg House, named in memory of Dave Holmberg Jr. is a gift to the city of Abbotsford and was built by the donations and gifts-in-kind from many generous volunteers, staff, civic and provincial governments and community members – but it would not have been possible without Holmberg.  

• Year Awarded: 2016
• City: Abbotsford
• Region: Mainland/Southwest

Christopher Horner

Christopher Horner (gudangaay k’uuk ahl iiwaans) is the Elders Center Coordinator with Old Massett Village Council and provides supports for elders including adults with ability challenges. He has incorporated the food bank into the program that services all of Old Massett, Masset, New Town, Port Clements, and Tow Hill Rd Community. As pantry coordinator under ‘Local Food 2 School’, Christopher teaches life skills and incorporates client participation in support of the program. In his work he is also involved with The Warrior Program (funded through Gwaii Trust and Old Massett Village Council) where he facilitates mental health wellness programming for young and adult men.

Christopher has led the greenhouse and community gardens programs teaching children all aspects of greenhouse operations from planting to harvesting. Through knowledge sharing and intergenerational participation, children learn about building community food stocks and how to grow, harvest and preserve food. They gain skills in canning, jarring, dehydrating, smoking and vacuum sealing. This program was responsible for providing 259 raised garden beds at homes in Old Massett, Masset and New Town and if requested, seeds, education and support with germination, planting and harvesting was provided.

Since the onset of the pandemic Christopher has overseen these programs every week and has chosen to continue working in the evenings and weekends consistently. He always finds time to particpate in evening community meetings, grant proposal writing or whatever is asked of him. 

Chris’ work has made a positive impact on the residents in this community.

• Year Awarded: 2021
• City: Masset
• Region: Northern BC

David Horton

David Horton is one of the directors of the Ness Lake Bible Camp and was immediately put out of work when COVID-19 hit. Rather than sit idly by, he began putting together free events that would be permitted by Northern Health for the entire community.

He started by purchasing and borrowing the equipment needed to put on FM transmitted drive-in movies playing his first free showing on the side of the local Canadian Tire for 200 vehicles. Seeing that his community was hungry for safe ways to gather he started regular movie nights, drive-in trivia and kids drive-in trivia nights. He then offered his technical services to any person or group that needed help to make their events happen. This led to weddings, funerals, church services, bridal showers, birthday parties, graduation ceremonies, annual general meetings and more.

Dave also created three free city wide events (Candy Cruise, The Family Day Adventure Cruise and The Most EGGcellent Cruise) that ranged from a Halloween drive-thru to massive scavenger hunts. These  events combined, engaged hundreds of volunteers, raised over $10,000 for charities, created $75,000 of economic impact, safely entertained over 9,000 participants and gave opportunity for dozens of companies and non-profits to give back to the community safely.

David has to support six children of which four are adopted and one having severe disabilities, so the financial impact has been hard on them. He did not allow his own financial struggles to stop him from spending most of his free time doing events throughout the pandemic.

With the help of a local city councillor and friend, David hosted the first approved outdoor community concert called Rooftop Rock which had over 7,000 attend. In total he hosted 65 free activities and events that were all vetted and approved by Northern Health.

When you consider that in northern B.C. there are not as many opportunities to be around people as there are in the south, we are most fortunate that this gentle and humble man almost single handedly kept the community from feeling much of the isolation and impact that COVID-19 brought with it.

• Year Awarded: 2021
• City: Prince George
• Region: Cariboo

Patricia Housty

A pillar for the community, Patricia Housty was honoured with the medal for being a generous volunteer, role model and community caretaker within the Heiltsuk First Nation and all of Bella Bella. Patricia has offered many quiet acts of kindness ensuring impoverished families have food and is a powerful mentor and champion for the community’s youth.

After the loss of the community’s grocery store in a fire, Patricia took the lead in having an interim location set up at the United Church building. Thanks to her quick thinking and resourcefulness, the store was back up and running in two days and the residents of Bella Bella were able to shop for food and supplies.

Her service to community and countless hours of volunteering include mentoring youth; serving as a Heiltsuk Tribal Councillor; fundraising for the local basketball team, now the pride of the Heiltsuk First Nation; and facilitating food service for important community gatherings including weddings, funerals and potlatches. Patricia was the first Indigenous person to receive the honour.

• Year Awarded: 2016
• City: Bella Bella
• Region: Northern BC

Song Hu

Song Hu has daily updated the Chinese community about COVID-19 since March 2020.

When B.C. declared a public health emergency due to COVID-19 the province entered a social lockdown – workplaces, schools, theatres, recreation centres, restaurants were all closed. Any social gathering was banned.

As a realtor in Victoria for many years, Song is deeply-rooted in the community and well-connected with many members of the Chinese community. He immediately identified a great need for comprehensive and ongoing updates on COVID-19 in Chinese. Without delay Song posted the latest statistics and news about COVID-19 on his personal website (http://www.victoriasummer.ca) and more widely shared these updates with the Chinese community through the WeChat social media platform.

Song’s computer skills enable him to compile the data into tables that clearly show the number of new cases in different regions in B.C., with a separate table dedicated to Vancouver Island where he lives. His expertise in biochemistry helps him to answer people’s questions about vaccines, treatments, symptoms and variants of COVID-19 virus. More importantly, Song provides timely information on travel rules, latest research on COVID-19 vaccines, and other critical news such as requirements for international travelers, how to get a vaccine passport, quarantine and information for international students.

Song has quietly and dependably updated COVID-19 information, reaching thousands of people who have greatly benefited the Chinese community.

• Year Awarded: 2021
• City: Saanich
• Region: Vancouver Island/Coast