2019 Volunteer Recognition Awards

Over 200 people gathered at Giggle Dam Dinner Theatre on April 11, 2019 to celebrate Port Coquitlam’s volunteers, laugh and mingle at the City’s annual volunteer awards night.

Seven awards were handed out at the Port Coquitlam Volunteer Recognition Awards & Tribute evening, which featured entertainment from the Giggle Dam Dinner Theatre. The evening began with our keynote speaker Marco Pasqua, an engaging inspirational speaker, entrepreneur and accessibility consultant.

A total of 28 people were nominated this year in the seven award categories, and all were invited to Thursday’s celebration along with other community volunteers. Fortis BC sponsored the event for the 21st year. This year’s theme was Volunteers are the Heart of PoCo.

2019 Award Recipients

Awards were presented in the following categories. Photos from the event are posted below.

Lifetime Volunteer– Honours individuals who have dedicated many years to improving the community of Port Coquitlam through their volunteer efforts.

Award Recipient – Linda Kozina

Linda is a long-time resident of Port Coquitlam. Her career was in the customer service area and her involvement in volunteerism is a very long to list but here’s a few highlights:

• She started the Hospice process in the Tri-Cities and was the Hospice Manager with Crossroads Inlet Centre Hospice
• She was the Past president of the Tri-Cities Soroptimists
• Director with Port Coquitlam Community Foundation
• Helped with the school district’s CABE program and Wesbuild’s LIFT Program
• Through her role as a Director with the Port Coquitlam Community Foundation, she is responsible for helping youth secure grants and scholarships that help them move into a variety of education programs
• Most of the youth that she works with are ‘at risk’ and have minimal or zero family support
• She sets herself up as their uber grandmother – encouraging dozens and dozens of young people to new paths in their lives.

Her nominator wrote that she is joyful, energetic, smart, determined and above all 100% dedicated to the lives of these youths at risk. They love her and they know who she is in their lives.

Arts, Heritage and Cultural Awareness– Preserves and celebrates Port Coquitlam’s past and shares our community heritage with others; promotes the arts and cultural development of our community.

Nominees– Linda Dore, Christine Malone, and Aynsley Wong Meldrum

Award Recipient– Christine Malone

Caring and Safety– Enhances and promotes the community through caring actions and outstanding acts of humanitarianism; contributes towards making Port Coquitlam a safer place for residents of all ages.

Nominees–Susan Barnes, Teresa Dempsey, George Dixon, Bob Lee, Raymond Melville, Gregory Ould, Maria Shylov, and
Alex Turner

Award Recipient – Marija Shylov

Environmental Protection and Enhancement – Demonstrates an outstanding commitment to the promotion and preservation of Port Coquitlam’s natural environment for present and future generations.

Nominees–David Belgrove, Sperril Chambers, and Teri Madaisky

Award Recipient – Teri Madaisky

Sports and Recreation –Enhances the quality of physical activity in Port Coquitlam; contributes to the management and/or operations of a sports or recreation activity; demonstrates outstanding dedication to Port Coquitlam’s sports and recreation community.

Nominees –Dan Boerma, Dianne McPhee, Kerry Pearson, and Hannah Price

Award Recipient – Dianne McPhee

Youth Programs – An individual who supports Port Coquitlam’s youth through the development, provision and/or participation in youth programs and activities (excluding amateur athletics).

Nominees–Corrie Archer, Linda Kozina, Dona Lawson, and Jake Rogalski 

Award Recipient  – Dona Lawson

U21(Youth Under 21)– Reserved for the recognition of a Port Coquitlam youth, under the age of 21, who has demonstrated a commitment to our community and has made extraordinary volunteer contributions in any of the categories above.

Nominees –Keelan Hamel, Dmitry Kostyukov, Kiarra Murray, Emma Ould, Benjamin Ould, and Ashton Ramsey

Award Recipient – Kiarra Murray

Check out our previous winners here.

Nomination Criteria

• Nominees can be any age and do not have to be a Port Coquitlam resident.
• Self-nominations are permitted.
• Past Port Coquitlam Volunteer Recognition Award recipients are not eligible for nomination except for the Lifetime Volunteer category, but past nominees can be nominated for any category. (Click to view previous recipients.)
• Nominations must be for an individual (couples or group nominations are not eligible). Each individual nomination must stand on its own merit.
• Nominees must meet at least one of the following criteria:
• Their unpaid volunteer contributions provide extraordinary help or care to families or groups in Port Coquitlam.
• They continually commit their time, talent and energy, without pay, to improve the quality of life in Port Coquitlam.
• They have been voluntarily involved in a program or project that has had a lasting benefit for Port Coquitlam and its residents.

Why Nominate?

• Although volunteers work selflessly, it’s encouraging to be recognized for your hard work and sacrifice.
• All eligible nominees receive special treatment. All nominees receive a commemorative pin, certificate, and two tickets to a special tribute evening in April with fun, food and entertainment. All recipients also receive a personalized award and are added to the Volunteer Honour Roll at City Hall.

What are the nomination categories?

Thank You to Our Sponsor

Did you know?

In October 2015, FortisBC launched the Rental Apartment Efficiency Program for owners and managers of rental apartment buildings that are nine units and larger. The no-cost services that are provided through the program include:

• A water-efficient shower head and a kitchen and bathroom faucet aerator directly installed in each unit
• A building energy assessment to identify energy-efficiency improvements and upgrades
• Ongoing professional assistance from a rental apartment energy management expert to guide owners/managers through the process of making a wide range of energy upgrades.