The Williams family and its Coquitlam moving and storage employees last week won an accolade for its charity work.
During a ceremony in Toronto on April 30, company officials accepted the Myra Rosenfeld Volunteer Award from the ALS Society of Canada for its contribution to the organization.
Jim William, whose father George died of ALS in 1996, continued his dad's legacy with a golf tournament that fundraises for the society and, over the past eight years, has swung in more than $210,000.
As well, the family set up The George "Sonny" Williams Endowment Fund in 2003 to support caregivers and patient services for B.C. residents living with ALS.
"I cannot think of another organization where 100% of the employees volunteer to raise funds like Williams Moving & Storage does," said ALS' B.C. executive director Wendy Toyer, in a news release.
CRITTER CASH
A few students at Port Coquitlam's Hazel Trembath elementary were recognized last month by the school for their fundraising efforts to aid animals in need.
Parent Maureen Holms said her two daughters, Ashley and Kylee, aged eight and 10, and their friends, Nadine Dieter and Sonya Simra collected $813 for the BC SPCA and BC Wildlife Federation by making and selling beaded creatures and holding penny drives and bake sales.
Holms said they were inspired to help out after finding an injured baby bird on the school grounds. To see the school's recognition assembly, visit www.screencast.com/OqmQEaXrRJY.
PUBLIC SPEAKER
An 11-year-old Port Coquitlam boy recently won the regional Optimist oratorical contest. Sherwyn D'Souza spoke on the topic "If I were leader of the free world, the first issue I would address would be...."
D'Souza placed third in the Coquitlam Optimist Club's annual oratorical district finals behind Athira Salim, 14, of Coquitlam, and Jenny Tan, 18, of Coquitlam.
He competed as an alternate in the Fraser Valley zone contest when second-place finisher Tan couldn't attend. In the zone competition, he placed first over challengers from the western B.C. category, made up of Vancouver, North Shore and Vancouver Island.
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