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GOLDEN BOY
A Dr. Charles Best secondary grad scored the gold medal last month at the annual Canadian National Skills Canada competition. Anthony De Vita won the hardware in Saskatoon in the HVAC (Heating, Venting and Air Conditioning) category. Earlier this year, De Vita clinched the top award at the B.C. contest in Abbotsford. He started his apprentice program in grades 11 and 12 at Best, which has a partnership with BCIT, and continued his training with JARTS Refrigeration under coach and mentor Matt Buss. Currently, De Vita works with CT Control Temp in Burnaby.
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FOR THE KIDS
A number of Tri-City residents were recognized at a gala last month for their outstanding work with young children. At the Westwood Plateau Golf and Country Club in Coquitlam, the Tri-Cities Early Childhood Development Committee handed accolades to: London Drugs photo lab (business champion); Barb Mancell (leadership); Cindy O’Neill (champion of kids with special needs); Share’s Mountain View Family Resource Program (champion group); and Susan Donald (individual champion).
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HIGHEST AWARD
Former BC attorney general and retired judge Wally Oppal is the newest honorary fellow for Douglas College, which has a campus in Coquitlam. “I am honoured and humbled by the fact that Douglas College would select me for this special distinction,” Oppal said in a news release. Currently, Oppal is the chancellor of Thompson Rivers University and practices law in Vancouver. College president Kathy Denton said Oppal is receiving the award for dedicating his life to improving public safety and promoting justice “particularly for some of the most vulnerable people in our society. He is a tremendous example for our students especially those studying criminology, legal studies and other programs that consider social justice issues.” The award was present Wednesday during the summer graduation ceremonies.
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NEW PREZ
The president of a fire suppression engineering firm in Port Moody has blazed to the top of a certifying body for technology professionals. Last month, the Applied Science Technologists & Technicians of BC appointed Keith Trulson as ASTTBC’s president. Trulson has operated Tru-Line Technologies since 1992.
HERE COMES $
Del Holbrook, president of the Port Moody Arts Centre Society, joined Port Moody-Coquitlam BC Liberal MLA Linda Reimer, PMACS past president Ann Kitching and Kelly Doyle, PMACS fund development co-ordinator, to celebrate a $25,000 donation last month. The grant came in from the provincial government’s Creative Spaces program to support the St. Johns Street hub expansion. Meanwhile, pledges, bake sales and other fundraisers at Burnaby’s Bayshore Home Health resulted in a $950 contribution to Crossroads Hospice Society. The cash was brought in through the Hike for Hospice walk last month. To date, it has raised more than $9,000 in support Crossroads.
