Selen Alpay
On more than one occasion, people have – only half-jokingly – asked Selen Alpay to name the local charities and non-profit organizations he hasn’t supported or volunteer with because that would be a shorter list to remember.
When he was asked by the Citizen of the Year committee to actually make a list, he filled four pages and the start of a fifth.
His devotion to this community in time, money and support seems limitless.
Currently, he is a board member with the Elizabeth Fry Society, the Michael Pinball Clemons Foundation and he is the first vicepresident of the Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation.
He is a past board member of the Baldy Hughes Therapeutic Community and a former board member and chair of the Northern Supportive Recovery Centre.
He has contributed towards and helped raise funds for many of the city’s most impor- tant fundraisers – Evening of Pink, Taste of India, BBBS Bowl For Kids, the Prince George Firefighters campaign for Muscular Dystrophy, YMCA Healthy Kids Day, Ride For Dad, Red Cross’s Evening of Chocolate, the Heart and Stroke’s Big Bike ride, the Razzle Dazzle Do for Cystic Fibrosis, the Fan the Flame Dinner for Pacific Sport (now Engage Sport North), Spirit of the North’s Festival of Trees, the Commonwealth Cup, the SPCA’s Paws For A Cause, Relay For Life and Cops For Cancer.
During the last Prince George Cougars season, he made a personal donation of $25,000 to kickstart a Mega 50/50 jackpot during one home game. That night alone saw more than $60,000 raised for JumpStart which raises funds for kids whose families can’t afford to register in sports,
On the sports front, Selen supported the 2010 Olympic Torch Relay visit to Prince George, the 2015 Canada Winter Games bid, youth baseball, youth soccer, minor hockey, ringette, lacrosse, the World Baseball Chal- lenge and the Canadian Senior baseball Championship. He sponsors four free swims per year at the Prince George Aquatic Centers and a New Year’s Day free skate at the Coliseum.
Some of the other groups that have benefited from Selen’s generous sponsorship support include the Prince George Cougars, the Prince George Spruce Kings, Youth Around Prince George, the Prince George Shriners, the Salvation Army, St. Vincent De Paul, AimHi, RCMP Victim Services, the Canadian Mental Health Association, the Prince George Brain Injury Group, the Prince George Hospice House Society, the Spruce City Wildlife Association, Crimestoppers, Exploration Place and the Child Development Centre.
He’ll even dance for charity. He’s a two-time winner and current reigning champion of the Boogie With The Stars New Year’s Eve fundraiser for Spirit of the North because when it comes to moving his feet to get things done for Prince George, there are few who have the moves of Selen Alpay.