P.G. Community Foundation celebrates city’s best

The Prince George Community Foundation is once again pleased to be hosting the Citizens of the Year event. This is the 20th annual event and marks the 17th year that The Prince George Community Foundation has acted as host.

The Community Foundation has grown from a grassroots organization of volunteers with a zero asset base and no revenue to an organization with over $10 million in endowed assets.

It is through the generosity of donors in Prince George and the surrounding area that have allowed us to build up that asset base.

The reason that the asset base is so important to a community foundation is it is the income that is earned on those funds that is distributed and granted to local charitable organizations to support the projects that they have undertaken in our community.

The principal remains intact forever. By having those funds invested in perpetuity allows for income to be distributed every year supporting the great local charitable organizations that do so much work in Prince George.

It is that spirit of “giving something back” that originally attracted the Prince George Community Foundation to take on the Citizen of the Year event.

This event provides an opportunity to highlight and celebrate local individuals who have gone over and above in “giving back” to their community through their volunteerism and their philanthropy.

All of this year’s honourees are individu- als who have selflessly contributed their time, skill, knowledge and finances to local causes and local charities. Their efforts and the efforts of others like them are truly what make Prince George a great place to live.

The 2017 Citizens of the Year recipients join the ranks of past recipients Bob Harkins, Gord Molendyk, Horst Sander, Murry Krause, John Flatt, Tom Griffith, Anne Martin, Shirley Gratton, Bill Lynch, Baljit Sethi, Dick Voneugen, Michael Kerr, Ray Gerow, Sharon Hurd, Darrel Hubbell, Monica Peacock, Andy Beesley, Roy Spooner, Dr. William Osei, Judy and Bill Russell, Anthony Everett, Ann Halikowski, Lorraine Hilland, Karen Underhill, Cindy Smith, Nowell Senior and Trelle Morrow.

The 2017 Citizens of the Year Gala will be held at the Coast Inn of the North on Thursday, October 12. We would be very pleased to have you attend the Gala and provide your support to the Community Foundation and more importantly this year’s Citizens of the Year honourees.

Tickets can be purchased for $70. at the front desk of the Coast Inn of the North or online at www.pgcf.telus.net.

— Teresa Saunders, President Prince George Community Foundation