Five Islanders received Medals of Good Citizenship today during a ceremony at the B.C. LegislatureB次元官网网址檚 Hall of Honour.
Tourism Arts and Culture Minister Lisa Beare presented the awards, which honour citizens who B次元官网网址渢hrough exceptional long-term service, have made outstanding contributions to their communities without expectation of remuneration or award.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淭oday is an opportunity to celebrate seven British Columbians who have shown exemplary service to the province and their communities,B次元官网网址� Beare told Black Press. B次元官网网址淲hat a great opportunity to recognize them individually.B次元官网网址�
The first award went to Alberta B次元官网网址淲adzeedB次元官网网址� Billy, from Quathisaski Cove. Billy is an elder of Laich-Kwil-Tach First Nation and We Wai Kai First Nation and a mentor, role model and inspiration to many. Her activism goes back to the 1980s when she asked the United Church to apologize for its role in the residential school system. The apology that followed her request set the stage for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
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Billy also travelled across Canada to co-facilitate Building Bridges Through Understanding the Village B次元官网网址� an experimental workshop that teaches connection and encourages healing and reconciliation.
Ronald Greene of Oak Bay received a medal for five decades of good citizenship B次元官网网址� volunteering and leading various organizations. Green was a volleyball instructor at the YWCA in the late 1960s and contributed to the administration of the BC Volleyball Association. GreenB次元官网网址檚 family business, Capitol Iron, preserved the historic building on the waterfront and led Greene to serve on the Victoria Civic Heritage Trust.
Michael Langridge of Victoria was awarded the medal for his community involvement as a navy cadet and his activism surrounding Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after his brother, a member of Canadian Forces, took his own life.
Langridge also represented Canada and B.C. at the Special Olympics in 2017, bringing home two gold medals.
Brandon Laur accepted the medal on behalf his family, including Darren and Beth Laur B次元官网网址� known together as B次元官网网址淭he White Hatters.B次元官网网址� The Laur family has visited more than 350 schools throughout B.C. and Canada sharing a message of social safety and digital literacy.
To date, the family has been directly involved in 183 successful interventions with teens who connected with them about cyber-bullying or harassment and were in the process of self-harm or suicide.
Last but not least, Kris Patterson of Port Alberni was awarded the medal for his volunteer work with multiple organizations and his contributions to literacy programs and local history in the Port Alberni community.
After the tragic loss of a child, Patterson wrote a book about grief and loss, which was welcomed by the Compassionate Friends Society and accepted to the BC ChildrenB次元官网网址檚 Hospital library.
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nina.grossman@blackpress.ca
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