There are at least seven local heroes in the city and Burnaby council wants to recognize them.
At Monday night’s meeting, council approved seven out of the 12 nominations for “individuals who make outstanding contributions to community well-being in Burnaby,” according to a staff report.
This is the 17th year the city has recognized a total of 225 people with the Local Heroes awards.
This year’s recipients are:
- Verna Adamson: She has given many hours over 15 years volunteering and overseeing the Scouts Canada network in Burnaby. Adamson is also a past volunteer president of the Burnaby Rhododendron and Garden Society.
- Georgette Leduc: For 15 years, she has been active volunteering with four local senior care homes and coordinating mass for Catholic residents there.
- Gulshan Megji: An active volunteer with the Burnaby Art Gallery and Citizen Support Services for the past 19 years, Megji has assisted with opening exhibits and special events. The local hero has also helped seniors with shopping and personal errands.
- Velma Pallen: A Burnaby Lougheed Lions Club, Burnaby North Lions Club and a Fellburn Care Centre volunteer for the past 20 years, Pallen has hosted community pancake breakfasts, organized a collection of used hearing aids and eyeglasses for donation overseas and refurbished used children’s bicycles for donation.
- Larry Smith: For the past six years, Smith has volunteered many hours with the Burnaby Hospice Society and Progressive Housing Society. He volunteers four days a week at the Hospice Thrift Store helping customers and sorting donated items. He also helps with fundraising activities and plans events for the supported housing programs for the housing society.
- Ken Tunnicliffe: The Burnaby Association for Community Inclusion has had a volunteer in Tunnicliffe for the past 15 years as a fund development advisor, and the Sharing Our Futures Foundation has had a director. He has also served as an active volunteer with the South Burnaby United Church for more than 20 years.
- Melanie Walkus: For the past seven years, she’s played a role in the Twelfth Avenue Elementary School community with her extensive and varied volunterring. Her time has been spent administering for the home reading club, organizing fundraisers for the parent advisory committee and organizing the school’s Christmas hamper program, as well as preparing breakfast for hungry students at school. She was also involved with the Burnaby school district’s committee that helped establish the aboriginal enhancement agreement
Council invited the seven heroes to its Nov. 4 meeting where they will be presented certificates of recognition for their various efforts.
