Spirit of Our Community!

Park Board Volunteers Recognized

April 24, 2003 (No. 19) - Thirty two Vancouver Park Board volunteers were honoured and celebrated at the 2003 Volunteer Awards Banquet. The 21st annual event, recognizing the vital role volunteers play in the Park Board system, was held in the Performance Hall at the Roundhouse Community Centre. This year's theme, Spirit of our Community, reflected the dedication of thousands of parks and recreation volunteers in Vancouver's diverse and multicultural communities.

Nominations for Volunteer of the Year were put forward from all the Community Centre Associations plus the ParkPartners project, VanDusen Gardens, Everett Crowley Park Committee, the Stanley Park Ecology Society, Golf Operations, Vancouver Aquatic Centre, Stanley Park Skate Patrol and the Vancouver Field Sports Association. Nominees were recognized for their spirit, knowledge and countless hours of service on a wide range of projects and programs - serving on fund raising and development committees, teaching skills to children, saving wildlife and rivers, developing sports teams and arts events, providing financial and business advice, organizing clean ups, putting in place community safety initiatives, acting as youth chaperones and mentors, and much more.

Park Board Commissioners were on hand to give out the awards. Each nominee received a special certificate and watch designed with the Park Board logo. In a welcome switch of roles, Park Board staff served volunteers and guests their dinners, prepared by the staff and students of the culinary arts program at Templeton Secondary School.

Heather Deal, Park Board Chair, said, "Volunteers are an integral part of our organization and we are very appreciative of the hard work and dedication they bring to their work…they have made a definite difference to our community and we are all grateful for their commitment."

For more information contact Joyce Courtney, Manager of Communications at 604-257-8699.

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