B.C.'s new Lieutenant-Governor, Judith Guichon, was the guest of honour at the 11th annual Fraser Valley Cultural Diversity Awards on Friday night at the Ramada Plaza and Conference Centre.
The awards honour Fraser Valley organizations, initiatives and businesses that recognize the diversity of the community.
Master of ceremonies was Mark Forsythe, who anchors CBC Radio's daily current affairs program B.C. Almanac.
The event was organized by Abbotsford Community Services in partnership with the Fraser Valley Regional Library, and Mission, Langley and Chilliwack Community Services.
Check back at abbynews.com later tonight for the list of the award recipients.
AWARD RECIPIENTS:
Inclusive Environment – L.I.N.C. (Long-term Inmates Now in the Community) Society in Mission
Established in 1992 as a peer support group by Glen Flett, a lifer on parole, L.I.N.C. became a non-profit society in September 1998 and a registered charity in November 1999. Committed to preserving community safety, L.I.N.C. performs a valuable service throughout British Columbia by assisting its members in finding ways to break the cycle of incarceration and create meaningful lives.
Marketing – Fraser Valley Child Development Centre
The Fraser Valley Child Development Centre (FVCDC) has been providing services to children with developmental needs and/or disabilities and their families since 1982. FVCDC annually serves 2,300 children, youth and their families from diverse backgrounds, and services are provided that are sensitive to different cultures, income, languages, family beliefs and dynamics. FVCDC has undertaken several initiatives with community partners to reach more children and their families from diverse backgrounds.
Outreach – PriceSmart Foods Clearbrook
PriceSmart Foods Clearbrook is a retail supermarket that caters to Abbotsford’s multicultural community and always gives customer first service. Its diverse team is actively involved in various multicultural community events. PriceSmart gives back to many groups in the local community through donations and fundraisers.
Reflective Workforce– University of the Fraser Valley
UFV employs nearly 2,000 part-time staff and faculty. It offers two master’s degrees, 15 bachelor’s degrees, and 100 diploma and certificate programs. UFV has campuses in Abbotsford, Chilliwack, and Mission, as well as Chandigarh, India. UFV serves 16,000 students annually. It is a leader in the social, cultural, economic, and environmentally responsible development in the Fraser Valley.
Innovative Initiative – Man Turned to Stone: T’xwelátse, Fraser Valley
The Reach Gallery Museum Abbotsford and Stó:lō Nation/SRRMC collaborated with local artists David Campion and Sandra Shields and members of the T’xwelátse Family and Stó:lō community members to create Man Turned to Stone: T’xwelátse – an interactive exhibition, website and book. The core members of the team – Herb Joe, Scott Marsden, Campion and Shields, David Schaepe and Sonny McHalsie – represent a cross-section of personal and institutional cultural diversity in the Fraser Valley.
Champion of Diversity – Francis Xavier Edwards of Mission
Francis Xavier Edwards has been a world traveler, immigrant, exile, and an observer of the world and its peoples for nearly six decades. As a musician and singer, he has lived and travelled in more than 25 countries, speaks three languages and has dabbled in several others. He brings his love for the world, its peoples and diversity to the Fraser Valley each year as the artistic director for the Mission Folk Music Festival.