special features - 2016 local hero awards

LOCAL HERO

AWARDS 2016 Celebrating

and Recognizing Amazing Individualsof the Comox Valley.

hero.comoxvalleyrecord.com

PHOTOS BY McKINNON PHOTOGRAPHY

2 | Tuesday, May 31, 2016 | Comox Valley Record LOCAL HEROES 2016

Proud to represent a community full of heroes

Member of Parliament // North Island—Powell River1-800-667-8404 // [email protected]

RachelBlaney.ca

Member of Parliament // Courtenay—Alberni1-844-620-9924 // [email protected]

GordJohns.ca

Celebrating Heroes

The word “hero” has many connotations.

There are those who wear uniforms, such as � re� ghters, policemen, and � rst responders, all working to make our lives safer every day.

For doctors and nurses, saving lives is part of their regular routine - it comes with their career choice.

There are those who go to war for our country, helping to shape the landscape of our nation.

And there are also heroes within every

community, who work behind the scenes every day to ensure their home is as good as it can be.

In the Comox Valley, we are blessed with many different kinds of heroes - from those who accept heroic acts as part of their job description, to those showing great instances of bravery and courage, and those who spend their entire lives making life better for others: all Local Heroes.

This year, the Comox Valley Record, under

the guidance of our publisher, Chrissie Bowker, introduced the Local Heroes Awards as an opportunity to recognize those in the community who go the extra mile to make our home such a special place to live.

The response received from the community was overwhelming, and every nominee was worthy of recognition. The following pages are dedicated to the winners of the inaugural Comox Valley Local Heroes.

Clockwise: Our Military Wives Choir singing O’Canada, Andy Everson with the Kumugwe dancers performed a welcome dance, emcee Don McRae, Comox Valley MLA, Kelly Rusk of Comox Fire Dept., Ocean Varney of Yana and Sue Finneron, Finneron Hyundai. Guest speakers Gord Johns, Courtenay - Alberni MP and John Bowman, President of North Island College spoke about community and collaboration.

DON MCRAE, MLAComox Valley

Congratulations to all of our Community Heroes

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The Record’s inaugural awards creates a platform for those powerful people stories that make our community strong. Terry Farrell

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LOCAL HEROES 2016

World champion carver Lynn Branson donated some works of art that were awarded to the winners at The Record’s � rst-ever Local Hero Awards.

The Comox Valley resident is a multi-award winner at the annual World Wildfowl Carving Competition in Maryland.

By winning a gold medal in 2010, she became the � rst woman to win a title at the event. It also earned her the honour of judging in the interpretive division at the competition, which honours carvers in more than 40 categories.

Branson has been described as an interpretive sculptor of wood who develops forms and shapes that portray living

creatures.Call it a love affair with wood.“For me, it is about the

wood. It’s about nature, but it’s about honoring the wood,” said Branson, whose partner, Greg Pedersen, is also a wood carver. “Every piece is different. Each person has a different way of interpreting a subject. There’s a certain format you follow as an artist, but for me it’s somewhere between abstract and contemporary. One person can look at something and see something entirely different. I look at wood and I guess I’m fortunate that I see things in wood that I’m able to bring out.”

Branson has always loved the outdoors and nature, which inspires her work.

“The older you get the more I think you become more aware.”

What made her want to become involved in the Local Hero Awards?

“I don’t think there’s anything more important in life than people that do something for somebody else,” Branson said. “I think those people who go beyond are the best.”

Proud to represent a community full of heroes

Member of Parliament // North Island—Powell River1-800-667-8404 // [email protected]

RachelBlaney.ca

Member of Parliament // Courtenay—Alberni1-844-620-9924 // [email protected]

GordJohns.ca

Lynn Branson, three time world champion carver lends talents to Local Hero Awards Scott Stan� eld

This year’s Local Hero Award plaques are placed in wooden cases handcrafted by Cascadian Woodtech Co-Founders, Cyrill Werlen and Reto Schnyder.

“It’s part of our business philosophy to give back to the community,” Werlen said. Part of Werlen’s enthusiasm for the project is being part of a program that recognizes community spirit. “We appreciate all of the work these nominees dedicate to the Valley,” Werlen added.

It’s the � rst creative, small-scale undertaking

that Werlen and Schnyder have been involved in since Cascadian Woodtech’s inception nearly four years ago. The boxes take roughly two-days to design and are constructed from locally-sourced maple from the Valley. “For an award like this, we see value in using only locally-sourced materials,” Werlen said. Each case will be stain-free, and sealed with a natural oil-based wax to leave the wood in as natural a state as possible.

Werlen and Schnyder take part in all stages of development, such as design, manufacturing and

installation for large-scale projects. Recent events include stage set up for Ted Talks in Vancouver, and an installation in Toronto for a running event hosted by Nike. Currently, the duo have partnered with Courtenay’s Mountainaire Avian Rescue Society (MARS), and are in the planning stage of creating a new hospital and � ight pen for eagles and other wildlife to take shelter in.

Cascadian Woodtech collaborate Danielle Cunningham

Local “Oscar” handcrafted for Local Hero Awards

“The older you get the more I think you become more aware.”

What made her want to become involved in the Local Hero

“I don’t think there’s anything more important in life than people that do something for somebody else,” Branson said. “I think those people who go beyond are


Passing along his passion for sports to young athletes makes Peter Parke a great choice for top coach in the Comox Valley.

When he’s not working full-time at his Tsolum Mo-bile Veterinary Health prac-tice in Merville, Parke is coaching young athletes in basketball, rugby, lacrosse and other sports at both the local and provincial level.

He was an accomplished athlete in his own right, par-ticularly in high competitive levels of rugby and lacrosse.

COACH OF THE YEAR: PETER PARKESponsored by Comox Valley McDonald’s

McDonald’s is Committed to Supporting Atom House League Hockey Across Canada

McDonald’s® Canada is proud to continue its support of minor hockey in Canadian communities. atoMc® Hockey builds on McDonald’s Canada’s 25-year relationship with Hockey Canada with the goal of providing support to Atom house league teams across the country. atoMc® Hockey is the only Hockey Canada-endorsed minor hockey sponsorship initiative in Canada.

atoMc® Hockey goes above and beyond a traditional sponsorship by providing participating teams a full set of primary game jerseys and socks. The jerseys feature the Hockey Canada logo - the very same logo worn by Canada’s men’s and women’s national teams.

Comox Valley Minor Hockey Association is supported by local McDonald’s owner/operators Stuart and Jess Aldred.

Proud Supporter of the

Local HeroCOACH AWARD

Thank you to all of the coaches who are exemplary in developing skills and

confidence in our local athletes.

COMOX VALLEY

www.HockeyCanada.ca/en-ca/Hockey-Programs/Players/atoMc

LOCAL HEROES 2016 Tuesday, May 31, 2016 | Comox Valley Record | 5

Passing along his passion for sports to young athletes makes Peter Parke a great choice for top coach in the Comox Valley.

When he’s not working full-time at his Tsolum Mo-bile Veterinary Health prac-tice in Merville, Parke is coaching young athletes in basketball, rugby, lacrosse and other sports at both the local and provincial level.

He was an accomplished athlete in his own right, par-ticularly in high competitive levels of rugby and lacrosse.

“What I enjoy most about coaching is giving back to kids and seeing them im-prove,” said Parke. “To teach them how to compete and maybe getting them to think about going to the next level after high school.”

Parke moved to the Co-mox Valley in 2003 to pur-chase a veterinary practice, and in 2013 founded the Comox Valley Athletic Asso-ciation (with the support of fellow sports enthusiasts and business leaders) to help assist athletes who

faced �nancial challenges in pursuing their sport.

The CVAA helps subsidize travel, training and equip-

ment and has a 24-pas-senger bus that is used to transport teams to tourna-ments, athletic training and other events.

Although he has no chil-dren of his own, Parke has coached thousands of Comox Valley athletes, in-cluding standouts such as Thyssen deGoede (Canada 7s and 15s rugby), Adam Backular-Evans, Alec Mo-lander and Tanner Jones (la-crosse scholarships to top U.S. universities) and Max Maund (soccer stalwart for

St. Francis Xavier University, Halifax).

If all that work and volun-teering makes it seem as if Parke is on the go 24/7, he happily agrees. “It seems like that sometimes,” he says.

“I’m all about the next play. How to quickly switch or maintain focus about the next play. Or the next play might be what you’re going to do once you get out of high school. ‘Next play’ pret-ty much summarizes every-thing we’re about.”

COACH OF THE YEAR: PETER PARKESponsored by Comox Valley McDonald’s

››The Parke File

Age: 52

Workplace: Tsolumn Mobile Veterinary Health

Lives in: Courtenay

Family: Single

photo by McKinnon Photography


www.CrownIsle.com | 250-703-5000 | Toll Free: 1-888-338-8439

including the

EDUCATOR AWARD NOMINEESGreg Kochanuk Charlotte Hood-Tanner Maureen WagnerNicole Kerkho�Kara DawsonPatrisha Reader

Crown Isle congratulatesOUR LOCAL HEROES

including the

EDUCATOR AWARD NOMINEESGreg Kochanuk Charlotte Hood-Tanner Maureen WagnerNicole Kerkho�Kara DawsonPatrisha Reader

thank youEducation and learning provides

benefits to both the individual and the larger community, and we salute

our educators guiding the way for the Comox Valley’s future leaders.

Being named the Comox Valley’s top educator was a pleasant surprise for Mau-reen Wagner. But it is not the only honour she has re-ceived recently.

On May 12 she was in Ot-tawa to accept a Prime Min-ister’s Award for Excellence in Early Childhood Educa-tion.

Wagner was one of � ve recipients from across Can-ada to be presented with a Certi� cate of Excellence by PM Justin Trudeau. Wagner teaches at Brooklyn Elemen-


Being named the Comox Valley’s top educator was a pleasant surprise for Mau-reen Wagner. But it is not the only honour she has re-ceived recently.

On May 12 she was in Ot-tawa to accept a Prime Min-ister’s Award for Excellence in Early Childhood Educa-tion.

Wagner was one of �ve recipients from across Can-ada to be presented with a Certi�cate of Excellence by PM Justin Trudeau. Wagner teaches at Brooklyn Elemen-

tary and has been with the StrongStart BC pro-gram for nine years.

StrongStart allows fam-ilies with young children (under �ve years) to par-ticipate in play-based ear-ly learning activities – in-cluding stories, music and art. At no cost to families, the drop-in program helps prepare children for suc-cess in Kindergarten.

“I have a strong belief in family and community. A big part of my job is help-ing those families feel like

they have a place to be-long,” she says, adding her family was the inspi-ration for her 34-year ca-reer in education.

“I come from a very large family and my par-ents fostered a lot of children. We just had children around us all the time, and I knew I wanted to be in education some-how.”

Wagner was born in Ontario and moved to the Valley 10 years ago, after spending 14 years

in the Okanagan. “I �nd the Comox Valley so friendly. I walk a lot, and it’s nice (that) people look you in the eye when you’re walking down the street.”

While Wagner appreciates being acknowledged by her peers, she has no trouble pinpointing the real highlight of her teaching. “It’s dai-ly when families come and show up at the door of the classroom and they look for me. And when they see me how their faces light up - that’s the best feeling ever.”

EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR: MAUREEN WAGNERSponsored by Crown Isle Resort

››The Wagner File

Age: 54

Workplace: Brooklyn Elementary and StrongStart BC

Family: Husband Raymond and three grown and married daughters Jocelyn, Samantha and Meghan



The unthinkable might have happened had Andrew Payne not been in the right place at the right time.

Last August, the Courtenay man jumped into the rapids at Nymph Falls and saved two young girls who had slipped into a dangerous part of the river known as the grotto, where water funnels in from the top and stirs inside like a washing machine. Payne was with friends, Cole Howey and Steve Tobacca, but had sep-arated. Tobacca was with his daughter Austyn, 11, and her

COURAGE & BRAVERY: ANDREW PAYNESponsored by Comox Valley Dodge

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In late 2011, Comox Valley Dodge added Michael (Mike) Marchi as our Dealer Principal. Mike has a passion for people. His greatest joy in life is help-ing those in need. Mike and the team at Comox Val-ley Dodge support the community by giving mon-ey to YANA (You Are Not Alone), Tour de Rock, the hospital foundation, donating vehicles to the ambulance and � re departments and hosting an annual North Island Open Golf Tournament.

Mike and the staff at Comox Valley Dodge are one big family. They hold weekly BBQs every Friday, give rides to customers without vehicles, bring donuts to those who look hungry, and do every-thing they can to create an amazing customer service experience.

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AWARDS


The unthinkable might have happened had Andrew Payne not been in the right place at the right time.

Last August, the Courtenay man jumped into the rapids at Nymph Falls and saved two young girls who had slipped into a dangerous part of the river known as the grotto, where water funnels in from the top and stirs inside like a washing machine. Payne was with friends, Cole Howey and Steve Tobacca, but had sep-arated. Tobacca was with his daughter Austyn, 11, and her

friend Jayden, seven. They were walking across the river when one of the girls slipped. Both were sucked into the grotto. “They had been un-derwater (chest level) about �ve minutes,” said Payne, a retired member of the mili-tary who did tours of duty in Afghanistan and Dubai. He dove underneath the current and came up underneath the rocks. When he reached an air pocket, the girls were hold-ing each other and scream-ing, huddled in a spot the size of a car tire. “That’s the

only thing that saved them,” Payne said. “All around them, it’s just undertow with water shooting in.” He managed

to reach the girls on his second attempt. The back of Jayden’s head was split open. As she bear hugged Payne, he went underneath the water, and back up and under the falls, grabbed a rock and walked part way across the rapids while hold-ing her. Then he jumped out of the waterfalls, where Howey and others could grab them. Payne jumped in a sec-ond time and rescued Austyn using the same procedure.

By risking his own skin, Payne has won a Local Hero

award in the courage and bravery division.

He was also awarded a silver medal of bravery from the B.C./Yukon branch of the Lifesaving Society.

Payne was to receive a sec-ond silver medal of bravery from the Royal Canadian Hu-mane Association at a May 31 ceremony at the RCMP headquarters in Vancouver.

“I’m super grateful,” Payne said. “I’m just glad I was able to help. Just having them healthy and injury-free — that’s all you can ask for.”

COURAGE & BRAVERY: ANDREW PAYNESponsored by Comox Valley Dodge

››The Payne File

Age: 33

Workplace: Retired member of the military

Lives in: Courtenay

Family: Single



For Trish McPhail, going Above & Beyond means do-ing what needs to be done.

As PAC treasurer at Que-neesh Elementary School (where her three children attend), this year she saw a need to improve the Break-fast and Lunch Club program, and ful�lled the need.

“We have quite a few high-needs, at-risk children at-tending the school. Rather than complain about the food they were giving them I just stepped in and changed it.

“We started serving health-ier choices - mainly whole

ABOVE & BEYOND: TRISH McPHAILSponsored by First Credit Union & Insurance

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For Trish McPhail, going Above & Beyond means do-ing what needs to be done.

As PAC treasurer at Que-neesh Elementary School (where her three children attend), this year she saw a need to improve the Break-fast and Lunch Club program, and ful�lled the need.

“We have quite a few high-needs, at-risk children at-tending the school. Rather than complain about the food they were giving them I just stepped in and changed it.

“We started serving health-ier choices - mainly whole

fruits and vegetables - what they were lacking from home.” McPhail said the change went over huge with the kids and added, “The support staff that works with them said the children were happier…and of course not getting a big sugar crash. They saw an improvement in be-haviour, and that was excit-ing.”

McPhail, who was born in Nanaimo and moved to the Comox Valley with her family in 1986, is a mem-ber of the Kumugwe Cultur-

al Society and was one of the Kumugwe danc-ers who recently enter-tained and educated all the Grade 4 classes in School District 71 at the Komox Big House.

The next day she was part of a confer-ence call (along with other PACs she has networked with) to B.C. Minister of Education Mike Bernier to dis-cuss “how to get for-ward momentum going on how we can help our failing education fund-

ing system.”Weekends are also busy

for McPhail as for the past four years she has coached her children’s house league teams in the Comox Valley United Soccer Club.

But there is time to relax. “I like yoga, and our family’s just getting back into the cycling scene. And there’s always time to go to the beach,” she said.

Anything else? “My plate’s pretty full,” she laughed. “But you do it for the kids. As soon as you see them light up, then it’s worth it.”

ABOVE & BEYOND: TRISH McPHAILSponsored by First Credit Union & Insurance

››The McPhail File

Age: 41

Workplace: Part-time at Tria Fine Catering & Gourmet Eats, and Lush Valley Food Action Society

Family: Husband James 44, children A.J. 9, Oliver 7, Serina Joy 4



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Ryan Thorburn’s career has taken him across the world to Tokyo and south to Haiti and Mexico.

The Comox Valley para-medic and G.P. Vanier grad has participated in countless activities to put the Valley on the world stage, but he has also contributed to strength-ening resources at home as well.

Because of this and more, Thorburn is receiving the top honour Local Hero award for Emergency Services.

“I have always had a way of just doing things that would not be possible without the


Ryan Thorburn’s career has taken him across the world to Tokyo and south to Haiti and Mexico.

The Comox Valley para-medic and G.P. Vanier grad has participated in countless activities to put the Valley on the world stage, but he has also contributed to strength-ening resources at home as well.

Because of this and more, Thorburn is receiving the top honour Local Hero award for Emergency Services.

“I have always had a way of just doing things that would not be possible without the

support of my family. I don’t go out to be a hero, I go to help somebody accomplish something that they just needed a hand with,” he said.

Thorburn moved to the Comox Valley in 1985, and while �nishing school and starting a construction business, he became a volunteer �re�ghter for the City of Courtenay in 1989 and joined the BC Ambu-lance service in a part-time capacity in 2004.

He credited his position as a volunteer �re�ght-er as his introduction to

emergency services.“The camaraderie there

was invaluable.”

In 2007, he assisted in the creation of the Comox Valley Volunteer Bike Squad - a unit

that provides free medical coverage to events such as Nautical Days, the Can-ada Day parade and the Terry Fox Run.

In 2010, Thorburn vol-unteered with the Cana-dian Medical Assistance Teams, working in Haiti following their catastroph-ic 7.0 magnitude earth-quake.

In March 2011, following the devastating 9.0-mag-nitude earthquake (and ensuing tsunami) in Sen-

dai, Japan, Thorburn was a member of CMAT’s rapid di-saster assessment team, to assess the need for medical services.

In December 2015, he drove a donated ambulance full of wheelchairs, walkers, crutches and canes to El Tui-to, Mexico - a village about an hour south of Puerto Val-larta - with the goal of help-ing residents with safe and comfortable medical trans-port.

Last year, Thorburn was recognized as one of the ‘Cit-izens of the Century’ by the City of Courtenay.

EMERGENCY SERVICES: RYAN THORBURNSponsored by Vancouver Island Insurance Centres

››The Thorburn File

Age: 47

Workplace: Various locations around the world

Lives in: Comox Valley

Family: Wife, Janice; 23-year-old daughter, 19-year-old son.



“It’s not so much an individual award as it is a symbol of what we are trying to do with youth.”

PETER PARKE

“It was a surprise. It didn’t feel like I was doing anything out of the ordinary at the time. I just have a lot of free time and I try to keep out of trouble..”

RYAN THORBURN

“This is quite an honour, just to be nominated. And to win, it’s hard to put into words. I am really bubbling over. I love what I do, and I am glad it shows.”

MAUREEN WAGNER

“There were so many good nominees. But there are so many unsung heroes at the hospital. It’s amazing what they do every day. For me, it doesn’t even feel like volunteering. It’s amazing the feeling I get when I see the old people smile. It’s like visiting 60 grandparents every Wednesday.”

ETHAN ASHLEY-CHEETHAM

“Very surprised, but really, we are just one board and there have been so many volunteers in the past 28 years that came before us that allowed our kids to feel the magic of theatre and what it does for kids. So it’s our privilege to be part of the board”

KARAE WHITERAINBOW YOUTH THEATRE

McDonald’s owner/operator Stuart Aldred (r) presents Peter Parke with the 2016 Local Hero - Coach of the Year award.

Tony Hayes of Insurance Centres (r) presents Ryan Thorburn with the 2016 Local Hero - Emergency Services award.

Jim Gardiner of Crown Isle (l) presents Maureen Wagner with the 2016 Local Hero - Educator award.

Sue Finneron of Finneron Hyundai (sponsor) presents Ethan Ashley-Cheetham with the 2016 Local Hero - Youth Volunteer award.

Frank Van Gisbergen from the Comox Valley Airport presents Rainbow Youth Theatre board members Karae White, Teresa Coates and Lisa Grant and with the 2016 Local Hero - Arts Advocate award.


“This is quite an honour. There are so many amazing people in this community, so to be recognized in this sea of goodness is a good thing.”

TRISH McPHAIL

“It’s such a great honour. But the organizations I volunteer with - the Comox Valley Daycare Society; the Rotary Club of Cumberland Centennial and the Cumberland Community School Society, they are the real heroes in all of this.”

CHRISTOPHER BECIR

“It’s an absolute privilege to be nominated for an award like this. I never expected anything like this. I’m just thankful I could help and hopefully someone would be there to help me if I was ever in a similar situation.”

ANDREW PAYNE

“We are going in the right direction, we are being able to connect the youth with those unseen and allow them to understand that they can make change, and that’s important to me. I am so grateful.”

CHANTAL STEFAN

“I’m very surprised. There were some very strong nominees.”

BOB SCALES

Craig Keeping of First Credit Union & Insurance (r) presents Trish McPhail with the 2016 Local Hero - Above and Beyond award.

Mike Marchi of Comox Valley Dodge (r) presents Andrew Payne with the 2016 Local Hero - Courage and Bravery award.

Roger McKinnon from the The Old House Hotel and Spa (sponsor) presents Chantal Stefan with the 2016 Local Hero - Hero of the Year award.

Kevin Kelly of Sunwest RV (sponsor) presents Bob Scales with the 2016 Local Hero - Service Organization Volunteer award.

John Bowman of North Island College presents Dr. Christopher Becir with the 2016 Local Hero - Community Builder award.

video-online

Shane Philip from Island Soul Films created a short film of the inaugural Local Hero Awards. Go to:hero.comoxvalleyrecord.com

photos by McKinnon Photography

16 | Tuesday, May 31, 2016 | Comox Valley Record LOCAL HEROES 2016Ph

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Congratulations to our Local Heroes.Your community spirit makes the Comox Valley

a wonderful place to call home.

We are proud to sponsor the category of Arts Advocate.


In a community as artisti-cally vibrant as the Comox Valley, coming up with one speci�c Local Hero in the Arts Advocate category was a chore.

One entry stood out, how-ever, and winning the inaugu-ral Local Hero: Arts Advocate is the Rainbow Youth The-atre.

The purpose of the Rain-bow Youth Theatre is to en-able children and youth to gain con�dence, artistic skill, and friendships through the-atre.

“We are really focused on life skills,” said RYT presi-dent Karae White. “Our motto is ‘building character on and off the stage, since 1988.’

“When our kids get involved in a production, whether they are aged six or 16, they have to do their part, in a timely fashion, and they have to do it well. So there are life skills regarding working with other people, meeting deadlines, being creative, and the key skill is that they all learn to follow direction.”

The Rainbow Youth Theatre

is also a champion of inclu-sivity; if a child wants to be a part of the organization, that is the only pre-requi-site. Physical and mental challenges are simply chal-lenges, not barriers.

White said watching the growth of the children in the program is among the most satisfying aspects of the RYT.

One sign of a solid youth organization is the reten-tion of parent volunteers after their children have outgrown the program, and

the Rainbow Youth Theatre boasts many such volun-teers.

“On the present board, there are only three mem-bers who have kids in the program. The rest of them, their kids are all grown and gone,” said White. “So they are the type of people who continue to pay it back.

She said it’s the close-ness of the organization that brings volunteers back.

“It’s a huge sense of com-munity; we are like a big fam-ily.”

ARTS ADVOCATE: RAINBOW YOUTH THEATRESponsored by COMOX VALLEY AIRPORT YQQ

››The Rainbow File

Age: 28

Alumni: hundreds

Quote: “I remember one year, instead of 24 kids we had 48, so Kymme Patrick literally wrote another play, so that every kid could have a part.”


The name Bob Scales has become synonymous with vol-unteerism in the comox Valley.

Bob spends so much time volunteering, it’s a wonder his wife (Shelley) ever sees him.

Simply being an active mem-ber for a single service organi-zation for 45 years would be enough to warrant nomination for the Service Organization Volunteer.

But Bob’s commitment to the community goes far be-yond his involvement with Li-ons International, which dates back to 1970.

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The name Bob Scales has become synonymous with vol-unteerism in the comox Valley.

Bob spends so much time volunteering, it’s a wonder his wife (Shelley) ever sees him.

Simply being an active mem-ber for a single service organi-zation for 45 years would be enough to warrant nomination for the Service Organization Volunteer.

But Bob’s commitment to the community goes far be-yond his involvement with Li-ons International, which dates back to 1970.

“That’s where it really start-ed,” he said. “I was in Sechelt at the time. I’d been involved

with things a little bit up to that point, but that’s where things really started to take off.”

He’s rarely had chance to catch his breath ever since.

He has served in nearly ev-ery capacity within the Lions Clubs, including District Gov-ernor, in 1983-1984, when he was in Prince George.

Currently Bob and Shelley are both members of the Co-mox Valley Lions Club, where Bob took over as president three years ago. He has also served in numerous capaci-ties with the Monarch Lions Club.

But that’s just a sampling

of Bob’s community service efforts.

He has been involved with Scouts Canada, helped start up CrimeStoppers in Dawson Creek, and served on numer-ous colleges in his various

communities.He has been an active

member of the Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce for the past eight years, serving that organization in many capaci-ties, including chair.

He is the immediate past chair for the Glacier View Lodge, which he has served as a board member for nine years - the maximum allow-able term. He has also just completed his ninth year on the board at St. Joseph’s Hos-pital.

“You are allowed a maximum of three, three-year terms and nine years is enough. Time for something different.”

That doesn’t mean more time on the golf course, how-ever. He’s moved on to other social causes, such as his in-volvement with the Courtenay Low Income Housing Society, and d’Esterre Senior Citizens Housing Society. He serves as a director with both those societies - both Lions Club ini-tiatives.

Where does he �nd the time to do it all?

“You just make the time,” said the retired banker. “You do what you have to do, and you get things done. Time management is something I learned in 42 years as a bank-er, and it just carries on.”

SERVICE ORGANIZATION VOLUNTEER: BOB SCALESSponsored by Sunwest RV Centre

››The Scales File

Age: 68

Workplace: Retired

Lives in: Comox

Family: Wife, Shelley; son, Robert

photo byMcKinnon Photography


… an Environmental Steward

When you partner with NIC on environmental research, you fuel economic prosperity, encourage

environmental sustainability and prepare students for employment. NIC student, Jamie Lund’s

hands-on research into the distribution of eelgrass beds near the Royston Wrecks involved Project

Watershed and a group of K’omoks First Nations students committed to restoring the estuary and

e�ecting positive change. Learn more. www.nic.bc.ca/CARTI

“NIC students are bringing science to life - mapping eelgrass, improving estuaries and creating positive

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… an EmployerWhen you hire a co-op student, you provide

learning opportunities beyond the bounds of the classroom. NIC student Sheldon Falk’s co-op

experience at the Immigrant Welcome Centre included research and development work that the

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… an InnovatorWhen you collaborate with NIC to develop innovative solutions to industry challenges, you support advances in education technology while revolutionizing the way you do business. NIC students created a one-of-a-kind bottling process that could revolutionize the way sparkling wine is manufactured, all because a local winery owner approached them for help �nding a motionless solution to his super-�ne sparkling wine bubbles. Learn more. www.nic.bc.ca/CARTI“NIC students have helped me develop my idea– we’ve gone through the learning curve together.”John Grayson Hornby Island Estate Winery and Farm

… a PhilanthropistWhether you donate a one-time gift today or leave a legacy in your will, your gift helps ensure that NIC continues to provide students with experiences that launch a lifetime of success. With your help, we can remove �nancial barriers for students, enhance learning resources and ensure exceptional facilities in our NIC communities. Donate now. www.nic.bc.ca/foundation“There is no way I would have been able to achieve what I have achieved without the community backing and supporting me. My dream is now to give back to my community what they have given me.” Tera Cooper NIC Social Services Diploma Graduate

Those who know him, de-scribe Dr. Christopher Becir as having a warm and genu-ine demeanour, and note it’s seldom to �nd a dentist who makes you look forward to appointments.

Along with stories of his generosity and kindness, Becir, a Vancouver Island na-tive, works with the Comox Bay Care Society to care for individuals who would other-wise have barriers to dental treatment.

He additionally provides work for many other in need regardless of their �nancial situation, particularly single

COMMUNITY BUILDER: DR. CHRISTOPHER BECIRSponsored by North Island College


Those who know him, de-scribe Dr. Christopher Becir as having a warm and genu-ine demeanour, and note it’s seldom to �nd a dentist who makes you look forward to appointments.

Along with stories of his generosity and kindness, Becir, a Vancouver Island na-tive, works with the Comox Bay Care Society to care for individuals who would other-wise have barriers to dental treatment.

He additionally provides work for many other in need regardless of their �nancial situation, particularly single

mothers and children.He transitioned into the

role working with “a wide variety of people who might be struggling with sub-stance abuse or a physical disability which prevents them from seeing a den-tist,” from Dr. Bill Arm-strong, who worked at the Cumberland Dental Centre.

He has been known to drop everything to help those in pain, even if they are not regular patients, in-cluding on Christmas Eve and during Thanksgiving dinner.

It’s no wonder he is re-

ceiving the top honour in the Community Builder category

for the inaugural Local He-roes Awards.

“I was really shocked and honoured when I found out. I really appreciate (the nomination) because I don’t think what I do is anything beyond and about what a dentist should do,” he said.

Becir noted some of his greatest satisfaction comes from watching someone smile, particular-ly if they have had trouble accessing dental care.

“I worked with one wom-an who all she wanted, was to smile for photos in her

son’s upcoming wedding. Something like a smile is so important; it’s one of the big-gest compliments I can re-ceive. It’s really nice to see.”

Becir and his practice - Cumberland Dental Centre - was the primary sponsor for the Cumberland Community School Society’s main fund-raiser, Santa’s Breakfast.

His love for his communi-ty also extends to his active membership with the Rotary Club of Cumberland Centen-nial.

“It’s a great organization that give back to the commu-nity so much,” he added.

COMMUNITY BUILDER: DR. CHRISTOPHER BECIRSponsored by North Island College

››The Becir File

Age: 31

Workplace: Cumberland Dental Centre

Lives in: Comox Valley

Family: Wife, Kelsey; son Alexander, 7 months.



Ethan Ashley-Cheetham started volunteering at The Views when he �nished Grade 8 at Isfeld Secondary. Three years and 150 volun-teer hours later, he continues to spend an hour-and-a-half each week at the seniors’ care facility at St. Joseph’s Hospital.

“I’d like to go into health care when I’m older, so I was seeing if the hospital was the right environment for me,” said Ethan, the top youth vol-unteer recipient at the Local

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Ethan Ashley-Cheetham started volunteering at The Views when he �nished Grade 8 at Isfeld Secondary. Three years and 150 volun-teer hours later, he continues to spend an hour-and-a-half each week at the seniors’ care facility at St. Joseph’s Hospital.

“I’d like to go into health care when I’m older, so I was seeing if the hospital was the right environment for me,” said Ethan, the top youth vol-unteer recipient at the Local

Hero Awards. “I really liked it there. I keep going back be-cause all the residents, they know my name now. I can relate and connect with all of them. It feels like some thing’s missing if I miss a week.”

The 17-year-old had tried volunteering at his mother’s preschool, which he liked, but didn’t turn out to be his age group of choice.

“They (seniors) have funny stories, it’s really good. It’s like having 60 grandparents

that I see every Wednesday.” Ethan has two sets of

grandparents in England. He

recently attended a ceremo-ny where one of his grand-father’s received a service award for raising money for injured soldiers.

Besides The Views, Ethan volunteers nine hours a week with the Sharks swim club, coaching beginners (5-10 years) and advanced swimmers (12-14 years).

Before he turned to coach-ing, Ethan had competed at the BC Summer Games. But when volunteering at the preschool, a Sharks coach

suggested he give coaching a try.

“That’s kind of taken my fo-cus. Coaching at the younger age group and the older age group — it’s a good way to watch the kids come up. I’ve had kids that I taught, and now they’ve moved into the competitive side, and I’m watching them win and put all those skills to use.”

Ethan hopes to graduate high school in January, and take college courses before attending university.

YOUTH VOLUNTEER: ETHAN ASHLEY-CHEETHAMSponsored by Finneron Hyundai

››The Ashley-Cheetham File

Age: 17

School: Grade 11, Mark Isfeld Secondary

Lives in: Merville



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Priya Dawadi has found herself surrounded by kindness in the Comox Valley since her arrival from South Africa six years ago; it’s a sentiment that the 17 year-old has since returned to the community during three years of volunteer work at St. Joseph’s Hospital in both residential and acute care.

Peers and mentors at the hospital describe Dawa-di as being reliable, eager and organized – traits that earned her a supervisor position at the hospi-tal in 2015, where she oversaw the efforts of four other candy stripers. “It has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life… many patients are an integral part of this community,” said Dawa-di. Her volunteer experience has provided her with a sharper sense of compassion and an appreciation for those nurses and doctors who work in such a highly emotional environment.

Dawadi is in her �nal year at Highland Second-ary, favouring subjects based in History and English which explores past and present conditions of hu-man experience. “I am also a huge fan of reading, so naturally I am drawn to these subjects,” she said.

Dawadi has been accepted at the University of Toronto next fall where she will study Economics and International Relations. She looks forward to the opportunities that will be available in the city and at the institution: “I cannot wait to challenge myself academically and become an adult in such an amazing city.”

Priya DawadiAt �fteen, Kaleb Andrew is an advocate for solving

the social issues facing today’s Aboriginal people. An-drew celebrates his Aboriginal roots and spends time volunteering at the local Wachiay Friendship Center. Andrew sees value in building connections with oth-ers and contributing to his local community. “It is very rewarding… a lot can be learned and felt from it,” he said.

An impactful experience for Andrew was on a school �eld trip to Downtown East Vancouver. During his vis-it, Andrew spent time helping the homeless and felt surprised by the number of Indigenous people he met on the street. He has since felt compelled to draw further attention to the issue of Aboriginal homeless-ness and inspire others to visit and make a differ-ence.

Academically, Andrew is most interested in Human-ities and Science, and he delights in the richness of discovery; “It’s fascinating to study our history.” He looks forward to the new learning opportunities and friendships that await him in his senior years of sec-ondary studies.

Andrew’s secret to balancing academic, social and volunteer commitments? Rest and self-care; Andrew ensures that he is well-rested to set himself up for a successful week. This summer, he plans on spending time with friends and family while continuing his ser-vices at the Friendship Center.

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Rory Gentles is a young person who is passion-ate about spreading kindness and helping others. In the fourth grade at Courtenay Elementary, much of Gentles’ efforts are placed in her position in the school’s Kindness Club, which she joined this year. “I thought they needed more kind people and that’s why I joined,” Gentles said. When she joined, there were only two others involved in the club, and now there are eight. Gentles started recruiting other schoolmates from grades four, �ve and six to join, encouraging them to make a positive impact in the school; “Give it your all and be as kind as you can be,” she advises new members.

Members of the club spread kind messages at stu-dent assemblies using videos ranging in subject from sportsmanship, to playground etiquette and expecta-tions in gym class. When asked if she’s had to me-diate disagreements, Gentles replied, “many times.” Donna May, her grade four teacher agrees, and com-mends her for having “such a caring heart.”

Gentles is growing her hair for a third time to do-nate to a Vancouver-based organization that creates wigs for the Children’s Hospital. At her last birthday celebration, Gentles raised funds for You Are Not Alone (YANA) in support of local families. She also vol-unteers at the Filberg Heritage Lodge and Park, and plans to offer volunteer support to the community this summer. Gentles is looking forward to grade �ve and another year of participation in the Kindness Club.

Six years ago, Jade Hansen felt inspired to help the less fortunate. Following a family trip to Vancou-ver, Hansen noticed “many homeless people who looked cold,” which formed an idea of starting a cloth-ing drive. “I wanted to help,” she said, in the second grade at the time.

In the �rst year of Hansen’s local drive, she col-lected 700 pounds of items including toques, coats, scarves, gloves and sweaters to be distributed from the local Salvation Army. “It was just my Nana and I who started the drive,” she said.

Now, Hansen’s idea has grown into an annual tra-dition that promotes community involvement in the Valley. She challenges minor hockey teams, dance studios and schools to participate and �ll their bags. In 2014, Hansen collected 2,500 pounds of clothing, then raised the bar in 2015 to 2,700.

Hansen also established a partnership with Cum-berland Regional Laundry staff who launder items pri-or to distribution. Hansen is in the eighth grade was recently awarded the Chamber of Commerce Youth Citizen Award.

As the event grows, so do the demands of planning for the event. “We would start planning for next year as soon as the current one �nished,” she explained. “Now, we start planning even sooner.” To those con-sidering starting their own charity or volunteering their time, Hansen says, “Don’t be afraid. There’s no age restriction and anyone at any age can help out.”

“There are so many opportunities to help others, on local and global scales,” said Kalyssa Heinrich as words of encouragement to those considering volun-teer work. Heinrich has created these opportunities for herself while inspiring others to do the same during her term as this year’s co-president of the Mark R. Isfeld Interact Club.

Over spring break, Heinrich travelled to Nicaragua with classmates from her Spanish course as part of a cooperative humanitarian trip. Prior to her departure, Heinrich helped organize a schoolwide bottle drive, successfully raising $3,500 for a Nicaraguan family in need of a new home. In June, 2015, Heinrich and her team began a six-month project to restore a Hondu-ras school roof. Students held fundraising campaigns and exceeded their target by raising $13,000. In April, Heinrich and her mentors visited the site to see the results of these distant fundraising efforts for them-selves – “It is so much more powerful being able to see the faces of the kids whose lives we’ve changed,” said Heinrich.

Heinrich has also attended Vancouver’s annual We Day event and has volunteered for organizations in-cluding End Polio Now, Everybody Deserves a Smile, and the local food bank.

Heinrich is keen on writing and exploring new lan-guages and cultures. “I like being able to share my passion with others and the more languages I know, the more people I can affect.”

Rory Gentles Jade Hansen Kalyssa Henrich


Chantal Stefan did not create the EDAS project for the accolades. She did it be-cause she cares. It’s what makes her such a special person.

For her work with the Ev-erybody Deserves a Smile project, Chantal has been named the Hero Of the Year.

“I am so surprised by this. This is so kind of whoever nominated me. Awesome”

Twelve years ago, Chantal and three friends came up with an idea, while living in Edmonton.

The four of them baked up


Chantal Stefan did not create the EDAS project for the accolades. She did it be-cause she cares. It’s what makes her such a special person.

For her work with the Ev-erybody Deserves a Smile project, Chantal has been named the Hero Of the Year.

“I am so surprised by this. This is so kind of whoever nominated me. Awesome”

Twelve years ago, Chantal and three friends came up with an idea, while living in Edmonton.

The four of them baked up

some sugar cookies, wrote notes on little pieces of construction paper, added a pair of socks and put all the contents into little Christ-mas bags.

They made 88 bags, went down the back alleys of downtown Edmonton, right before Christmas, and hung the bags where people would see them and pick them up.

Chantal moved to the Co-mox Valley a couple of years later, and introduced the Ev-erybody Deserves a Smile program to the school dis-

trict.She got children involved

in a stuf�ng care packs, making cookies, painting

bags and making cards.The project became much

more than a project. Its les-son in human compassion has piqued the interest of the local school district to such a degree that philan-thropy has become part of the curriculum in many local schools.

“I never imagined it would blossom into this,” said Chantal. “I think 12 years ago when we �rst thought of the project it was very much ‘in the moment.’ Every year I am so captivated with what these kids do… it always

opens up a new door, every year.

“It has [grown] in such a magical way we could have never expected this. But the kids really take it to heart. and when you involve chil-dren, anything is possible, because they are so pure.

“To see a child understand that they have the power to make change in their local community, or someone else’s life, and then see it in the hands-on form, in the classroom… I don’t know that anything gets any better than that.”

HERO OF THE YEAR: CHANTAL STEFANSponsored by Old House Hotel & Spa

››The Stefan File

Age: 41

Workplace: Ecole Puntledge Park/District of�ce

Lives in: Cumberland

Family: About 400 children in SD 71


St. Joseph’s General Hospital is honoured to be a sponsor of the

Celebrate Local Hero Awards

Congratulations to this year’s award winners and nominees

Local Hero Awards is about celebrating & recognizing amazing individuals for their outstanding service and

support of our community. These are individuals of diverse interests and backgrounds who give back to the

Comox Valley community in a wide variety of ways.

St. Joseph’s General Hospital is privileged to help in recognizing our Local Heroes, who have contributed

significantly to our community.

Congratulations to all of our Local Heroes. You make all of us proud.

Ronald & Tricia St Pierre, and there entire team from Locals Restaurant.

Clockwise from top left: Trisha and Chef Ronald St. Pierre of Locals Restaurant served up stunningly delicious appetizers for almost 300 guests. Dyan Spink and new Royston Roasting Co. owner served hot coffee and refreshing tea from Hornby Island Tea.Sponsor,Craig Keeping, First Credit Union & Insurance presented the Above & Beyond award to Trish McPhail, and her lovely children.


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Clockwise from top left: Nominee, Hans Peter Meyer, Nominee, Kalyssa Henrich, a youth Kumugwe dancer, Melinda Knox, K’ómox Economic Development and a peek from behind the scenes of our audience.

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Clockwise from top left: Sponsor, Sue Finneron handing out the Honourable Mention certi�cates to the youth �nalists, Dr. Christopher Becir (and son Alexander) and Top Honour for Courage & Bravery Andrew Payne.

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COMMUNITY PARTNERS

COMOX VALLEY FIRE CHIEFS

ASSOCIATION

Tom Demeo, School District No. 71 • Paul Berry, Comox Valley Ground Search and Rescue• Chrissie Bowker, Comox Valley Record • Tom Dunne, Colonel, 19 Wing Comox, Royal Canadian Airforce James Rossell, 19 Wing Comox, Royal Canadian Airforce • Susan Granberg, Comox Valley Record, Glen Greenhill, B.C. Emergency Health Services • Jeff Hampton, Comox Valley Food Bank • Dianne Hawkins, Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce • Brent Hobden, Salvation Army • Sonya Jenssen, Comox Valley Arts Council • Jane Murphy, St. Joseph’s General Hospital • Gord Schreiner, Comox Valley Fire Chief Association • Joanne Schroeder, Child Development Association • Tim Walton, Comox Valley RCMP • Tyler Voigt, Volunteer Comox Valley

Clockwise from top left: Community partner, Paul Berry, Top Honour of Emergency Services: Ryan Thorburn with Community Partner Glen Greenhill, Publisher Chrissie Bowker with RCMP and Community Partner, Jane Murphy, St. Joseph’s Hospital.

A special thank you to Chief Gord Schreiner and the Comox Fire Department as host venue and all of your support was incredible.


COMOX VALLEY

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

A C o m o x V a l l e y R e c o r d I n i t i a t i v e

LOCAL HEROAWARDS 2016

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special features - 2016 local hero awards

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