The Prince George Community Foundation celebrates the people who make a difference

Ann Halikowski, Lorraine Hilland and Karen Underhill - Hidden Heroes

Since 1983, Ann Halikowski, Lorraine Hilland, and Karen Underhill have been dedicated and committed to working towards the prevention of violence against women, men, and children, so that everyone can feel safe and secure in their home and community.

These three women co-founded the Prince George Sexual Assault Centre in 1984, today known as the Surpassing Our Survival Society, an organization dedicated to providing counselling and support services in a safe and supportive environment for individuals, families and groups. The SOS Society also works hard on preventing sexual violence though advocacy and public education.

In the first year of this organization, these three women provided financial support to be able to have a meeting place, an answering service and on-call services 24/7.

Over the years since their initial work together, they continued to volunteer in many Prince George organizations related to their initial vision and goal.

Ann works at the Phoenix Transition Society as a “Phoenix Grandmother,” mentoring and teaching.

She is known for her volunteer work with the Gathering of the Grandmothers, the Prince George Counsel of Seniors, the B.C. Schizophrenia Society, the ACE Activity Centre, and the Prince George Mental Health and Addictions Advisory Committee.

Lorraine works at the Council of Seniors Office.

She has dedicated many years to working as a volunteer with women, children, youth and men to have their voices be heard in organizations like the Phoenix Transition Society, as a board member with the BC Society of Transition Houses, and as a foster mother.

She is also a past recipient of Prince George’s Mother of the Year Award.

Karen is the Executive Director of the Phoenix Transition Society, working with women and children who have a crisis in their lives, a continuation of the dedication to the vision she had that led to the creation of the SOS Society.

She is a board member of the BC Society of Transition Houses and is a Rainbows facilitator, dedicated to providing support for children experiencing grief and loss. Earlier this year, she was the recipient of the Unsung Heroes Award for the Non-Profit Sector.

Ann, Lorraine, and Karen are being honoured together as 2016 Citizens of the Year in Prince George for their leadership and commitment in establishing an organization focussed on making home and community a safe place for women, children and men and for their years of volunteer activity with other organizations that support these goals.