Two Burnaby groups are being acknowledged by Coast Capital Savings with sizeable grants for their work with youth in the city.
The Burnaby MoreSports Society and the Neil Squire Society each received grants worth $7,500 as part of credit union’s $550,000 investment in 53 Metro Vancouver youth-focused not-for-profit organizations. The overall investment is expected to help more than 44,000 youth in Lower Mainland communities.
The grants will be invested in MoreSports’s YELL program – which stands for Youth Engage Learn Lead – and the Neil Squire Society’s Youth Employ-Ability program.
Grant recipients are determined by Coast Capital’s Young Leader’s Community Councils, regional teams of eight young volunteers who review and deliberate all grant proposals.
“We are very excited by the YLCCs and the important work they are doing, which brings pride to our organization and our community,” stated Faye Wightman of the Coast Capital board of directors. “I want to acknowledge each of the councils in helping Coast Capital realize its community promise of helping build a richer future for youth.”
Appia awards $3,000 in prizes to BCIT students
Five interior design students scored big with one of Burnaby’s most prominent developers.
Appia Development – the company behind SOLO District in North Burnaby – gave away $3,000 in prizes to a handful of post-secondary students from BCIT for their entries into a design contest related to the four-phase development.
In the summer, Appia asked students of the interior design program to create plans for a two-bedroom/two-bathroom unit for the SOLO District. They were challenged to use local materials with three demographics in mind: two BCIT roommates, a go-getting couple in their mid to late 20s, and a young family with one or two kids.
Eighteen students submitted concepts, which were put on display at SOLO’s sales centre for one month. Visitors voted on which designs they liked the most.
Katelyn Gall, Irene Lun and Cindy Wang each received prizes of $500 in the People’s Choice category, while Gall and Wang also won additional prizes worth $500 in the Faculty Favourites category. Jillian Beaudoin and Jessica Myroon were also recognized for their designs, with both receiving $250.
Small business owner in top 10
One lucky Burnaby business is one step closer to the Small Business B.C. Awards.
Out of 17 Burnaby businesses, Chez Christophe Chocolaterie Patisserie – owned by Christophe Bonzon – is the sole entrant to make it into the top 10 for the Best Immigrant Entrepreneur Award.
The awards ceremony, heading into its 12th year, recognizes the contributions of more than 400,000 small business owners and entrepreneurs throughout B.C. The Best Immigrant Entrepreneur Award is meant to honour an outstanding new Canadian who has started a successful business in the province.
To narrow down the nominees, a panel of five judges will review the applications of the top 10 semifinalists before ultimately cutting the competition in half. The top five will be invited to give a Dragon’s Den-style pitch on why they should be named the best in B.C., with the winner being honoured at the Small Business B.C. Awards ceremony in Vancouver on Feb. 26.
