Congratulations Bonnie Leadbeater, Donald Brown & Daphne Good

Yesterday I had the honour of attending the 11th annual British Columbia Community Achievement Awards Ceremony where 32 inspiring British Columbians were honoured for their dedicated community service and contributions.

Of the 32 honourees, three were from Victoria. Below I have copied their citations with links to the original source attached to their names.

Congratulations to all Community Achievement Award winners and special thanks to Bonnie Leadbeater, Donald Brown and Daphne Good for enriching our community with your contributions and commitment.

“Dr. Bonnie Ledbeater, Professor of Psychology at the University of Victoria, is being honoured today for her work on anti-bullying programs for primary and middle school children. She is well known for her part in enhancing W.I.T.S., a program that means: WALK AWAY; IGNORE, TALK IT OUT AND SEEK HELP. Launched in Victoria, WITS is now in 170 schools around the Province and 500 schools across Canada. The program trains students, law enforcement, teachers, parents and families to be responsive to children’s requests for help. Bonnie and her team have also made inroads into the challenges of cyber bullying. Bonnie’s evidence-based research and dedicated leadership make our communities stronger and healthier.”

“Daphne Goode exemplifies community spirit through her professional career in media, community broadcasting and communications and through her countless volunteer initiatives. She is full of energy for Victoria and its residents and it shows: she has impacted a wide variety of fields: arts and culture, environment, healthcare, business, philanthropy, education, women’s issues, seniors and youth. For twenty years, Daphne has worked with Shaw Communications where as Program Director and as Community Relations and Access Coordinator, she has interacted with many community organizations. Her volunteer years have been tallied – 150! Daphne constantly contributes to the public good.”

Donald Brown “has had a long and distinguished career with the RCMP in Quesnel, Vanderhoof, Nanaimo, Richmond, Burnaby and Sooke. He has been a lifelong community leader wherever he has served. In sports and recreation, from youth to seniors, he has volunteered as a coach or referee…for soccer, curling, baseball, and track and field. For 45 years, he has been associated with the sport of lacrosse. On the civic side, Don has been a school trustee and a parks and recreation commissioner. He continues his service to the community as the Manager of the Capital Regional District Bylaws and Animal Care Services. Don is recognized today for his community service across the Province and over his lifetime.”