‘Absolutely fabulous’ ambassadors
After a challenging season, the 2020-2021 West Kelowna Youth Ambassador Team has been named.
Election night is usually held in June; however, COVID-19 disrupted the program. This year’s team is made up of Taylor Robertson, ambassador; Alexandra Whitt, first vice ambassador; Daina Burnett, second vice ambassador; Kaila Flynn and Natalie Barrow as third vice ambassadors; Ethan Audette and Ethan Fraser as friendship ambassadors and Brooklyn Burnett and Lucy Stefan as mentor ambassadors.
In the judged events, Daina Burnett won the talent award, Lucy Stephan won both the runway show and speech awards and Taylor Robertson took the sponsor speech award.
“The kids were absolutely fabulous,” said Ricki Morin, who runs the West Kelowna Youth Ambassador program, adding even the judges had a tough time choosing the team.
In fact, this year the judges decided those candidates not elected would become mentor ambassadors who would help out with fundraising or volunteering.
While the youth ambassador program started in February, the many workshops which teach the candidates the skills to represent West Kelowna throughout B.C. had to stop because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
They moved a lot of the programs including the Toastmasters workshops online to Zoom.
The ambassadors also used the Lakeview
Heights Community Hall for workshops including etiquette and interview skill with COVID-19 protocols in place. Everyone wore their masks and maintained the two-metre distance.
With everyone pulling together, the only workshop that could not be completed this year was self-defence.
Due to a spike in COVID-19 cases in the Kelowna area in July, the candidates’ personal speech event at the Westbank Lions Community Hall was cancelled. Instead, Morin asked the candidates to record their speeches. The speeches were uploaded to the West Kelowna Youth Ambassador Facebook page where they garnered over 1,500 views.
The fashion show and talent show were combined at the Westbank Lions Hall with a limited audience. Just as the youth ambassador program looked different this year, so will the team’s reign, as COVID-19 has disrupted pageants and forced the cancellation of many community events.
Morin and her team are thinking outside the box for safe activities for the ambassadors. In October the team carved pumpkins and delivered them to the front doors of the Heritage Retirement Residence and the homeless shelter at the Westbank United Church. “So they have a bit of joy,” said Morin.
The ambassadors won’t be able to attend Remembrance Day ceremonies this year. Instead, they will paint poppies on rocks and leave them at the Westbank cenotaph, along with reciting In Flanders Field and observing a moment of silence.
The ambassadors will also record themselves reading children’s stories for the library to upload to its website for an online story time.
They have also contacted the food bank to help and talked to the Salvation Army about ringing bells for the Kettle Campaign.
Morin said they are trying to get together with other ambassador teams throughout B.C. while practicing social distancing and wearing masks.
The West Kelowna Youth Ambassador Program will recruit new candidates in the spring with the program running until September.
“This year made me determined, it made me think outside of the box, but I succeeded,” said Morin. Despite the pandemic, the program persevered and Morin said none of the candidates dropped out.