PORT COQUITLAM, BC – APRIL 23, 2026… A total of 225 people gathered at the Port Coquitlam Community Centre on Thursday, April 23 to celebrate and honour the City’s dedicated volunteers at the 27th annual Volunteer Awards.
This year’s celebration recognized the individuals who help make Port Coquitlam a stronger, more connected and caring community through their generosity, leadership and service. The event featured community recognition, entertainment and the presentation of awards across four categories, with Tim James as emcee and live entertainment by magician Wes Barker.
“Volunteers are at the heart of Port Coquitlam, and this event is an opportunity to recognize the people who give their time, energy and talents to make our community stronger,” said Mayor Brad West. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients and nominees, and thank you to all of the volunteers who continue to make a meaningful difference in our city.”
A total of 55 individuals were nominated across four award categories. All nominees, along with other community volunteers, were invited to the celebration. FortisBC sponsored the event for the 27th consecutive year.
2026 Award Recipients
Awards were presented in the following categories. Photos from the event will be posted at portcoquitlam.ca/volunteerawards.
Lifetime Volunteer Award
Honours individuals who have dedicated many years to improving the community of Port Coquitlam through their volunteer efforts.
Recipients: Mary Ness and Linda Dore
Mary Ness
Mary Ness has volunteered with the Canadian Red Cross Health Equipment Loan Program in Port Coquitlam since 2012, providing reliable and compassionate support to residents borrowing and returning essential health equipment. She volunteers two full days each week, helps manage donation intake, supports inventory cycles and contributes hundreds of volunteer hours each year. In 2023, she received the King Charles III Coronation Medal in recognition of her volunteer service.
Linda Dore
Linda Dore has volunteered in Port Coquitlam for nearly four decades, supporting a wide range of community initiatives including community policing, emergency preparedness, Block Watch, youth sports, schools and streamkeeping. She is a founding member of the Hyde Creek Watershed Society and has played a significant role in watershed stewardship, salmon enhancement, environmental education and community safety. Her long-standing service has helped strengthen both the natural environment and the social fabric of Port Coquitlam
Volunteer of the Year Award
Honours individuals who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to the community.
Categories:
Arts, Heritage & Cultural Awareness – Honours those who help preserve and celebrate Port Coquitlam’s past, and promote the arts and cultural development.
Caring and Safety – Honours those who enrich our community through their caring and humanitarian actions, and work to make Port Coquitlam a safer place.
Environmental Protection and Enhancement – Honours volunteers committed to promoting and preserving Port Coquitlam’s natural environment.
Youth Programs – Recognizes those who support youth through the development, provision or participation in youth programs and activities.
Nominees: Ann Pratt, Aynsley Wong, Bill Arnett, Bob Smith, Cecilia Li, Craig Neill, Cynthia Byrne, Denis Sleightholme, Denise Nelson, Donna Nikl, Farhat Shah, Hazel Bien, Ian Blankenberg, Jackie Moore, Jacqueline Goring, Jeannine Grenier, Jess West, John Saremba, Kathy Costello, Kathy Simmonds, Liane Scott, Linda Dore, Loretta Teasell, Manny Bairos, Marta Nerdahl, Mary Ness, Maureen Mosher, Meaghan Walker, Mehdi Hosseini, Michele Malmberg, Mike Burpee, Minh Tang, Mithila Karnik-Adarkar, Pegah Ahmadi, Ryan Uliana, Sharon Wilson, Sunaina Sharma, Susan Paul, Sylvia Swan and Terry Villeneuve.
Recipient: Mithila Karnik-Adarkar
Mithila Karnik-Adarkar is the founder and president of the South Asian Collective Society and a dedicated community leader whose work has helped build more inclusive, multicultural spaces in Port Coquitlam. Her volunteer efforts include organizing the city’s largest Diwali celebration, Port Coquitlam’s first Holi celebration and the city’s first International Day of Dance. She also serves on the City’s Community Mosaic Roundtable and supports programs and initiatives for newcomers, seniors, women and diverse communities.
Volunteer of the Year Award – Sports and Recreation
Honours individuals who contribute to sports, fitness and recreation programs, including coaching, event support and accessibility in sports.
Nominees: Barbara Beck, Ken Lee, Mike Parsons, Nicholas Disiewich and Rob Clayton.
Recipient: Ken Lee
Ken Lee is a certified badminton coach and official with Badminton BC whose volunteer leadership has made a lasting impact on students and families across the Tri-Cities. Through his coaching, students have achieved major milestones in badminton and robotics, including first-place finishes and historic firsts for their schools. He also supports Port Coquitlam community events through traffic control work, including the Spirit Triathlon.
Future Leader – Youth Volunteer of the Year Award – U25
Recognizes a Port Coquitlam youth, under the age of 25, who has demonstrated a commitment to the community and made extraordinary volunteer contributions.
Nominees: Adrian Ho, Aum, Ayaana Adarkar, Christy Zhou, Dain Song, Faiz Shah, Gaganpreet Heer, Lin Kang, Maddy McLeans, Ryden Wu and Veera Dhanoya.
Recipient: Christy Zhou
Christy Zhou is a thoughtful and cooperative young leader who has demonstrated a strong commitment to community connection and inclusion. As a member of the PoCo Youth Leadership Group, she contributes to weekly meetings and helps deliver youth-led outreach and community events. Her volunteer involvement also includes City events, the Coquitlam Public Library Teen Advisory Group, school clubs and youth programming that help strengthen connections across the community.
Each recipient received an etched glass award and their name will be added to the Volunteer Honour Roll at City Hall. More details can be found at portcoquitlam.ca/volunteerawards.
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