Volunteering:
Over the years I have volunteered for many friend’s, neighbors and various organizations.
While living in Williams Lake some of the organizations I volunteered for were Scouts Canada, Salvation Army, Boys and Girls Club of Canada, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Williams Lake Cycling Club, and the company social club. In 2003 I received the Rotary Club of Williams Lake “Citizen of the Year” award for all the volunteer work I was doing for the community and nominated again in 2004.
In the Upper Bridge River Valley I have helped many friends and neighbors with various projects and issues with the different skills I have developed over the years. A few were concrete, masonry, and tiling projects. I have also helped people trouble shoot technical issues-repairs and computer related issues and training. While doing this I always tried to help them learn these skills also.
I was the President of the Gun Lake Fire Prevention Society for two years and through a Strategic Plan helped the society in securing insurance coverage, WorkSafeBC coverage and most importantly a Sub License Agreement with the SLRD, as they have the tenure for the Crown Land that the facility is on.
I have been a supporter of the Bridge River Valley Community Association (BRVCA) in many ways. I initiated and chaired the Valley Wide Training Committee for many years. I initiated and chaired the Trails Committee for many years. I have volunteered at the Gold Bridge Community Resource Building, Haylmore Heritage Site, the Gold Bridge Cemetery, Bralorne Church, Bralorne Hall, forestry initiatives, black and grizzly bear initiatives, and helped the BRVCA and other committees with strategic planning and policy-program development. I have also helped with a number of BRVCA events such as Winterfest, Canada Day and Kids Summer camps.
I have also volunteered for the Gun Lake Ratepayers Association and Minto Communications.
I have and will try again to volunteer at the Gold Bridge Community School with outdoor recreational activities and making it a learning experience for the students.
I also initiated and co-chaired the Lillooet Region Transportation Advisory Committee (LRTAC) a few years back and will look at revitalizing it maybe in another format, as road safety is a critical part for all that use our roads. I have now reinvigorated the MLA, MoTI, and Local Government Road Safety Working Group that meets 3 times a year.
Over the many years and different organizations that I helped, funding of course was a big part of making things happen. I have with other members of the organizations worked at and received funding for projects from various means and we also held many fundraisers to achieve the goals for the programs. Of course barbecuing whole pigs is one of my favorite fundraisers and in Williams Lake and here in the valley have done well over 100 of these. The money that was raised has gone to good causes in the communities. People that I have helped over the years in many different ways wanted to pay me but I asked them to donate to some of the organizations I have mentioned above and they did so.