There are a large number of people in Surrey who do a great deal of important work. They strive tirelessly – through countless volunteer hours, sometimes overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles – to better the community.
And they don’t ask for anything in return.
You’ll find them in our schools, on sports fields, at the food bank and at various local events. They are truly community leaders. Many have their own families, careers and personal commitments but still find the time to make a difference by sharing their empathy, enthusiasm, energy and time.
.@JustinTrudeau sent in a special video to congratulate all the 2020 Community Leader Award finalists.
— Surrey Now-Leader (@SurreyNowLeader) November 24, 2020
We are announcing the recipients at 6 p.m. at https://t.co/JzuGMxkAOy. Watch the Prime Minister's message in the virtual awards in 30 minutes!#SurreyCLA2020 pic.twitter.com/3abUaXBU2e
The Community Leader Awards were established 18 years ago to recognize and honour the efforts essential to maintaining this vital and growing community.
Each recipient’s story is inspirational, and by highlighting them, we hope others will be moved to contribute in the community and share their own skills, compassion, knowledge and heart with those around them.
Thanks to our sponsors, the Community Leader Awards get bigger and better every year.
Here are the winners and honourable mentions in all nine categories, including their acceptance speeches:
Leader of the Year
Top Honour: Jane Adams – Jane Adams is a leader in every sense of the word. Adams, the President and CEO of Surrey Hospitals Foundation, has a passionate belief that Surrey deserves best-in-class health care which has fuelled her relentless pursuit of increased community and government investment in medical services. Her strong conviction that community must participate in health care has resulted in more than $150 million in investment in Surrey.
And last, but certainly not least, the Surrey Now-Leader's 2020 Leader of the Year is..... @JaneAdamsSHF!
— Surrey Now-Leader (@SurreyNowLeader) November 24, 2020
Congratulations to Jane, who is President and CEO of @SurreyHospFdn.#SurreyBC #SurreyCLA2020 Sponsor: @ComSavings pic.twitter.com/51UL6nj2Fr
Honourable Mention: Dr. Steve Whiteside – Dr. Steve Whiteside has been educating and helping people in Surrey for more than 25 years. He is the CEO of the John Volken Academy, a long-term addiction treatment centre in Surrey.
Congratulations to Dr. Steve Whiteside, who has been named the Honourable Mention in the 2020 Leader of the Year Award category!
— Surrey Now-Leader (@SurreyNowLeader) November 24, 2020
Steve is CEO of @VolkenAcademy here in Surrey.#SurreyBC #SurreyCLA2020 Sponsor: @ComSavings pic.twitter.com/W2e0WAW7Zk
Above & Beyond
Top Honour: Gurleen Brar – Gurleen Brar has been involved in the community for many years in a leadership capacity mentoring youth and teaching adults. Brar is the chairperson for Youth Transforming Society, a facilitator for an English Conversation program run by the City of Surrey and works as a registered nurse.
And this year's winner in the Above and Beyond category is....
— Surrey Now-Leader (@SurreyNowLeader) November 24, 2020
Gurleen Brar! Congratulations to Gurleen, chairperson of Youth Transforming Society.#SurreyBC #SurreyCLA2020 Sponsor: Ankur Kaushal Real Estate pic.twitter.com/p48Ok8tuTJ
Honourable Mention: Garrison Suke – Garrison Duke is the director of employment and language services at DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society in Surrey. As a senior leader, Duke is always going the extra mile to develop impactful community programs, look for new opportunities for DIVERSEcity to serve marginalized populations, while mentoring his team to do the same.
Congratulations to Garrison Duke of @DIVERSEcityBC!
— Surrey Now-Leader (@SurreyNowLeader) November 24, 2020
Garrison has been named this year's Honourable Mention in the Above and Beyond category.#SurreyBC #SurreyCLA2020 Sponsor: Ankur Kaushal Real Estate pic.twitter.com/THugoMWQ7U
Environmental Leader
Top Honour: Pablo Vimos – Pablo Vimos is a true environmental leader in the City of Surrey. In 2017, Vimos proposed Embark, a student-led non-profit that empowers student sustainability leadership and involved an indoor vegetable and herb garden at the Simon Fraser University’s (SFU) Surrey Campus. Vimos serves as the Embark Sustainability’s Garden Co-ordinator, and in 2019 expanded the indoor garden after its pilot phase was completed.
And the winner of this year's Environmental Leader of the Year Award is....
— Surrey Now-Leader (@SurreyNowLeader) November 24, 2020
Pablo Vimos of @sfusurrey's Embark Sustainability Garden!#SurreyBC #SurreyCLA2020 Sponsor: Balsar Community Foundation pic.twitter.com/x77pAoU08G
Honourable Mention: Steve Webster – Steve Webster is described as a kind, considerate, intelligent, passionate, hard-working but extremely humble community leader. Webster has been organizing, tending, taking care and building The Plot Community Sharing Garden since its inception in or around spring of 2015.
Next up is the Environmental Leader of the Year Award!
— Surrey Now-Leader (@SurreyNowLeader) November 24, 2020
Congratulations to this year's honourable mention, Steve Webster!#SurreyBC #SurreyCLA2020 Sponsor: Balsar Community Foundation pic.twitter.com/FpOtcxcpoA
Emergency Services
Top Honour: Wendy Mehat – From engaging with vulnerable residents to working on prevention and inspiring youth, Inspector Wendy Mehat has shown incredible leadership and commitment to public safety and the people of Surrey. Mehat began her career with the RCMP as a constable in Whalley more than 20 years ago. As Surrey RCMP’s Community Safety and Support Officer for the last three years, she was also Surrey RCMP detachment’s first visible minority female commissioned officer.
And the winner of this year's Emergency Services Award is....
— Surrey Now-Leader (@SurreyNowLeader) November 24, 2020
Inspector Wendy Mehat, formerly of @SurreyRCMP!#SurreyBC #SurreyCLA2020 Sponsor: @SFFCharitable pic.twitter.com/rwKMQ3rEWf
Honourable Mention: Brock Dorward – Former Surrey Fire Services batallion chief Brock Dorward may have retired from his post, but since then he’s only increased his commitment to the community in which he both lives and served as a first responder. Brock has personally donated well over $100,000 and his philanthropic nature has been contagious with many others following his lead.
Our first award of the evening is the Emergency Services Award.
— Surrey Now-Leader (@SurreyNowLeader) November 24, 2020
Congratulations to our Honourable Mention this year, Brock Dorward!#SurreyBC #SurreyCLA2020 Sponsor: @SFFCharitable pic.twitter.com/BDUkrqnPIn
Community Builder
Top Honour: Jane Adams – Jane Adams’ avid curiosity and engaged leadership style have allowed her to forge successful, often unconventional partnerships with governments, community groups and private sector to the benefit of Surrey’s medical sector. Through her work as President and CEO of Surrey Hospitals Foundation, Adams builds bridges within the community with her remarkable team. In addition to working tirelessly to help secure health infrastructure of this rapidly growing city, Adams has worked with industry to bring the best technology to Surrey.
And this year's Community Builder of the Year Award winner is....
— Surrey Now-Leader (@SurreyNowLeader) November 24, 2020
Jane Adams of @SurreyHospFdn. Congratulations @JaneAdamsSHF!#SurreyBC #SurreyCLA2020 Sponsor: @SFU @sfusurrey pic.twitter.com/zX94HvHfPi
Honourable Mention: Dennis Peterson – Longtime Surrey resident Dennis Peterson is described as an unsung hero for his work creating a music community through his open mic events, that are sadly on hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Peterson volunteers his time to this effort in which he strives to find venues that youth and teens can attend to help them hone their craft.
Congratulations to Dennis Peterson for receiving Honourable Mention in this year's Community Builder Award category. #SurreyBC #SurreyCLA2020 Sponsor: @SFU @sfusurrey pic.twitter.com/rqQZ56kMds
— Surrey Now-Leader (@SurreyNowLeader) November 24, 2020
Teacher
Top Honour: Kristin Dorey – Kristin Dorey is described as an inspiring teacher to her students at Guildford Park Secondary. Passionate about poverty reduction and making the lives of some of the more vulnerable families better, Dorey has organized the school’s Christmas hamper program for a number of years, spending hours co-ordinating the food items, gifts and the delivery of each one.
And the winner of this year's Teacher of the Year Award is...
— Surrey Now-Leader (@SurreyNowLeader) November 24, 2020
Kristin Dorey of Guildford Park Secondary! (@Surrey_Schools) Congratulations!#SurreyBC #SurreyCLA2020 Sponsor: Garry Thind of Personal Real Estate Corporation (@gpthind) pic.twitter.com/6nQ9KC0gQB
Honourable Mention: Cynthia Adams – Cynthia Adams’ colleagues at Guildford Park Secondary School say the school community is fortunate to have her and her exceptional team as counsellors. Adams’ colleagues say she goes above and beyond to ensure that students receive the support that they need and to advocate for their often complex and serious needs.
Congratulations to this year's Honourable Mention in the Teacher of the Year category, Cynthia Adams of Guildford Park Secondary (@Surrey_Schools)#SurreyBC #SurreyCLA2020 Sponsor: Garry Thind of Personal Real Estate Corporation (@gpthind) pic.twitter.com/barBp3TDqq
— Surrey Now-Leader (@SurreyNowLeader) November 24, 2020
Volunteer
Top Honour: George Garrett – Legendary CKNW reporter and longtime Surrey resident George Garrett is being recognized for his work in helping to found the Volunteer Cancer Drivers Society based in this city. Garrett’s commitment has helped make possible the essential free travel to care for hundreds of cancer patients since the society’s inception in 2016 - an organization he helped found.
And the winner of this year's Volunteer of the Year Award is...
— Surrey Now-Leader (@SurreyNowLeader) November 24, 2020
Legendary @CKNW reporter George Garrett, who is being honoured for his work with @VCDSociety! Congratulations George!#SurreyBC #SurreyCLA2020 Sponsor: Surrey Hearing pic.twitter.com/TjacToagvt
Honourable Mention: Gurleen Brar – Gurleen Brar is chairperson of the Youth Transforming Society where she leads a team of 20 youth that typically organize 10 annual events including a free volunteer fair called ‘Volunteering and Beyond.’ This year, she played a pivotal role in transitioning large scale events to an online platform and ensured that the organization could host some in-person events safely amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Congratulations to this year's Honourable Mention in the Volunteer of the Year category, Gurleen Brar of Youth Transforming Society.#SurreyBC #SurreyCLA2020 Sponsor: Surrey Hearing pic.twitter.com/7dyYSndSlT
— Surrey Now-Leader (@SurreyNowLeader) November 24, 2020
Youth Volunteer
Top Honour: Rabiah Dhaliwal – An activist, community leader and UBC student, Rabiah Dhaliwal is the founder and director of the Voices For Hope Foundation. It is a non-profit organization which aims to challenge the stigma surrounding mental health through an intersectional framework by spear-heading educational initiatives such as workshops and campaigns, social justice think-pieces, as well as policy and advocacy work.
And this year's Youth Volunteer of the Year Award winner is....
— Surrey Now-Leader (@SurreyNowLeader) November 24, 2020
Rabiah Dhaliwal! Congratulations!
Rabiah is the founder and director of the Voices for Hope Foundation.#SurreyBC #SurreyCLA2020 Sponsor: Maduke Bulat Orthodontists pic.twitter.com/yJDhZm2M3u
Honourable Mention: Jasmine Ram – Jasmine Ram is a first year SFU student who has, for the past five years, been an ambassador for B.C. Children’s Hospital. She is the chair of the foundations youth committee and has been a host for the annual telethon on Shaw TV and Global TV.
Congratulations to Jasmine Ram, this year's Honourable Mention in the Youth Volunteer of the Year category!
— Surrey Now-Leader (@SurreyNowLeader) November 24, 2020
Jasmine is an @SFU student who is chair of @BCCHF's youth committee.#SurreyBC #SurreyCLA2020 Sponsor: Maduke Bulat Orthodontists pic.twitter.com/fJe8mE3BBV
Coach
Top Honour: Parvinder Bains – Creating opportunities for vulnerable students to play sports is a key driver for longtime Tamanawis Secondary coach Parvinder Bains. Bains is the long-time athletic director, Grade 8 boys head coach and senior boys assistant coach at Tamanawis Secondary. He’s often the first to arrive and last to leave on game days.
And the winner of this year's Coach of the Year Award is....
— Surrey Now-Leader (@SurreyNowLeader) November 24, 2020
Parvinder Bains with Tamanawis Secondary! (@Surrey_Schools)
Congratulations Parv!#SurreyBC #SurreyCLA2020 Sponsor: @IHOP Surrey North Delta pic.twitter.com/E3Jwy8yBPY
Honourable Mention: Manmeet Sahota – Manmeet Sahota says finding ways to empower his students is what drives him to go above and beyond in his efforts as a high school coach. Sahota is a highly respected educator and soccer coach at Surrey’s LA Matheson Secondary.
Congratulations to this year's Honourable Mention in the Coach of the Year category, Manmeet Sahota with LA Matheson Secondary (@Surrey_Schools)#SurreyBC #SurreyCLA2020 Sponsor: @IHOP Surrey North Delta pic.twitter.com/GI7rjuazR8
— Surrey Now-Leader (@SurreyNowLeader) November 24, 2020
Click here for a special section that showcases all of the 2020 Community Leader Award recipients.
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