SHE'S A CHAMP
Coquitlam’s Savéa Amato a left-hand amputee, was at The War Amps 2018 BC Child Amputee seminar in Victoria, an event that brought together B.C. child amputees while also marking the 100th year of The War Amps.
HOSPICE HOOPS
Students at Coquitlam’s Panorama Heights elementary reached $1,575 last month in their 21st annual Hoops for Hope basketball play day, which fundraises for the Crossroads Hospice memory albums and its ArtCare program.
GREAT KNIGHTS
Members of Coquitlam’s Our Lady of Fatima Parish of the Knights of Columbus served up a breakfast last month at the Catholic Charities Men’s Hostel in Vancouver. Their outreach is every second month.
WOOF, MEOW
Red Dog Blue Kat marked the opening last month of their new manufacturing facility in Port Coquitlam, making raw foods for pets. Pictured are Julie Anne Lee, CEO Inna Shekhtman, Dr. Karen Becker and Rodney Habib.
MENTALHEALTH AID
Staff from Pacific Blue Cross, Royal Columbian Hospital and its foundation thanked the benefits provider for its $100,000 donation to help build a new mental health and substance use wellness centre.
SMILES ALL AROUND
Coquitlam’s Susanne Feenstra was recognized last month at the College of Dental Surgeons of BC’s gala. The accolade recognizes her contributions, having served on its advisory committee since 2008.
LUCKY LOTTO
Coquitlam residents Leo and Laurie Pederson are $500,000 richer after winning $25,000 a year for life as part of the Daily Grand lottery. The couple matched five out of five numbers, and chose the lump sum payment of $500,000.
30 YEARS
Port Moody-Coquitlam MP Fin Donnelly presented a certificate of congratulations last Saturday to Carole Webber, owner of Reflections Books, to mark her Coquitlam store’s 30th year.
PROVINCIAL HONOUR
A retired Coquitlam high school principal is on the list for this year’s BC Community Achievement Awards. Mary O’Neill is one of 25 British Columbians to receive the honour by Premier John Horgan and Scott McIntyre, chairperson of the B.C. Achievement Foundation. O’Neill, who is president of the Talitha Koum Society, an organization that empowers women with addictions by providing shelter and life skills, is scheduled to be presented with her certificate and a medallion designed by B.C. artist Robert Davidson, at Government House in Victoria on April 25.
POCO BOWL
PoCo Bowl owner Brian Madaski was the guest speaker at the Port Coquitlam Heritage Society’s talk on March 22. The non-profit group is currently hosting an exhibit titled PoCo Stories: Sports. Madaski spoke about the 68-year history of the McAllister Avenue business and shared tales of working there as a teenage pin boy; his family has owned the bowling alley since 1958. He is pictured with Fred Sabatine (at right) who bowled with the mixed merchant league (photo courtesy of Bryan Ness).
PHYSICS VICTORY
The physics Olympics team at Coquitlam’s Gleneagle secondary school found success at last month’s 40th annual UBC Physics Olympics Competition. The group took a first place medal for their performance in the ballistics launching event. Also competing were students from Heritage Woods and Port Moody secondaries.
TRAIL CLEAN-UP
Volunteers with the Lower Mainland Green Team were busy at work along Port Moody’s Shoreline Trail Park last month to tackle a large site filled with Himalayan Blackberry, English Ivy and other invasive plant species. The activity was in partnership with the city of Port Moody.
APRIL FOOLS!
Staff at Port Coquitlam city hall played a prank on social media on the morning of April 1, showing a photo of the Veterans’ Park — in front of city hall — torn up with mole holes. “Speculation is that the time capsule buried for the city’s 2013 centennial birthday has leaked some type of hormone monster,” their caption read.
BOOK STAND
A new little library is now in place at Port Coquitlam’s Wellington Park thanks to the Tri-Cities Literacy Committee. Borrowers are asked to take a book from the box at 3655 Wellington St., and leave a printed publication for the next user.
BYE FISH
Volunteers with the Mossom Creek Hatchery in Port Moody released 20,000 pink fry into Schoolhouse Creek last month — right where SkyTrain comes out from the Evergreen Extension tunnel. Meanwhile, the Noons Creek Hatchery, also in PoMo, will release 40,000 juvenile salmon into Noons Creek during the 26th annual Port Moody Ecological Society Fingerling Festival on May 5, from 11 a.m to 3 p.m. Visit noonscreek.org.
N.E. IPA
Coquitlam’s only microbrewer poured in another accolade last month for its Northeast IPA. Mariner Brewing took Best in Show at the third annual Cypress Mountain BrewSKI Beer Fest. Last fall, the company also clinched the third place People’s Choice prize for its Northeast IPA among 100 beers from 40 breweries at the 2017 BC Hop Festival in Abbotsford.
$10K FOR COTS
One of B.C.’s oldest charities gave $10,000 to the Coquitlam-based Children of the Street Society last month. The cash from the Loyal Protestant Association will help the organization with its prevention workshops, which give young people information and practical tools to learn how to keep safe from all forms of sexual exploitation.
Please email Spotlight press releases and photos to jcleugh@tricitynews.com
