Ceremony will kick off National Volunteer Week

In honour of volunteerism and its many forms, the South Okanagan Similkameen Volunteer Centre is hosting an awards ceremony to kick off National Volunteer Week. Awards will be presented at the Pillar Community Innovation Awards Gala Saturday at the Days Inn. Here is a list of nominees. Outstanding volunteer: Doug Cade, Christopher McGowan, Tim Tweed, Donna Van Egmond, Peggy Nicholson, Tracy Van Raes, Diane Fru, Benjamin Overland. Sylvia West, Margie Hibbard, June Revell-Quevillon, Delores Wiltse, Judy Jefferies, Kona Sankey, Neil Wyper, Denise Johnston, May Simpson, Rosanne Johnston, Adolf Steffen.

Volunteer Project: 2016 Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, Breakfast for Learning, Knitting Club for South Okanagan Women in Need, Meals on Wheels, Oktoberfest, Soup Sisters & Broth Brothers Penticton, YES Project.

Outstanding Community Group: Auxiliary to the Penticton Hospital, Penticton Legion Branch 40, Penticton United Church, JCI Penticton, Penticton Hospice Volunteer Group, Orchard House Monthly Band Jams & The Yard Katz Band, Peach City Radio Society. Penticton RCMP Community Policing Volunteers, Volunteer Gift Shop at The Penticton Regional Hospital.

Youth Volunteer: Husain Sattar, Victoria Richie, Kadence Standish, Austin Stephen.

Newcomer Volunteer: Tomoko Abe, Nawal Ismail, Nita Khanal, Yaxin Ma.

Business Gives Back: Carrie Few/Penticton Yoga Therapy, Felts Photo Service, Poplar Grove & Vanilla Pod, Valley First Credit Union.

Executive Director: Bob Handfield (South Okanagan Naturalists Club), Dale Belvedere (South Okanagan Rehabilitation Centre for Owls), Tanya Behardien (Penticton & District Community Resources Society), Brandy Maslowski (Penticton & Wine Country Chamber of Commerce), Matthew Baran (Ooknakane Friendship Centre).

Online: www.volunteercentre.info.