Valerie Murray receives 2020 BC Achievement Community Award

Valerie Murray of Victoria has been awarded a BC Achievement Community Award for 2020. A long-time resident of Oak Bay, Valerie recently moved to our neighbouring community of Fairfield. Valerie is one of 25 remarkable individuals from around the province who were recently selected by an independent jury to receive a 17^th annual Community Award.

The BC Achievement Foundation established in 2003, carries out a mission to “honour excellence and inspire achievement throughout BC”. Outstanding members of the community are recognized for their exceptional contributions that build community spirit and inspire present and future generations to step up and do the same. The recipients of the 2020 Community Award will be recognized in a formal presentation ceremony in Victoria, in the presence of the Honourable Janet Austin, OBC, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia. Each recipient will receive a certificate and a medallion designed by BC artist Robert Davidson, OC, OBC. Due to COVID-19, the ceremony planned for the end of April has been postponed to a future date to be announced.

Born and raised in Victoria, BC, Valerie has been a dedicated volunteer and supporter of many organizations involving the arts, music and gardening for 3 decades. She has passionately advocated for the inclusion of music in the lives of children. Valerie served on the University of Victoria Finnerty Gardens Advisory Board for 15 years and on the Victoria Conservatory of Music Board. Valerie is also a former member of Oak Bay’s Heritage Commission. For over 10 years, Valerie has served as Head Gardener for Friends of Government House Garden Society. At Government House, Valerie has led teams of volunteers of all ages, who provide her with inspiration and she says “if not for the commitment of our volunteers, the beautiful gardens as we have known them for the last 25 years, would not exist”. She is quick to praise the many volunteers who do so much in our community.

Valerie is one of the founding members of the Breakfast2Music (B2M) program. Breakfast2Music is a registered not-for-profit society that raises funds to provide nutritious breakfasts and support music programs in schools across Greater Victoria. After learning that one in six students go to school hungry, Valerie knew it was a critical issue to address. “Kids need to get their day off to a good start. Hungry kids can’t focus or learn. Hungry kids are more likely to have behavioural problems. Breakfast programs encourage kids to come to school and as well as providing nutrition offer important social contact when they eat together ”. Of the funds raised by B2M, ideally 75% goes towards funding breakfast programs and 25% goes towards music programs (such as support with musical instruments and University of Victoria music student tutors to support individual students).

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought much more awareness to the issue of food security in Victoria and the importance of programs like B2M. Although lunch programs are funded provincially in many of our schools, the breakfast programs are not, depending instead on a patchwork of efforts, involving various fundraising organizations and local service groups. It is Valerie’s hope that stable funding will be found to level the playing field and ensure that all students are able to start the day with a full tummy. “First we eat, then we learn, and then we thrive”.

We are so fortunate to have someone as talented and generous as Valerie in our community. She has given so much of her talent and passion to the benefit of so many – students, volunteers and all of us who enjoy the beauty of the gardens where she lends her expertise as a master gardener. Thank you, Valerie for your exceptional contributions to your community and congratulations on the well-deserved honour you have received as a recipient of the 2020 BC Achievement Community Award.