The 45th annual Civic and Community Awards were handed out during a virtual ceremony on July 2.
Mayor and council select the recipient of one of the awards - the Anita Tozer Memorial Award.
Newly retired Executive Director of Kelowna's Gospel Mission Randy Benson says he was shocked and suprised to receive the honor.
"It's not just me," Benson says. "The work the Mission does is so important - and I think that is the honor."
The Anita Tozer Memorial Award is given to a group or individual that has had a positive impact on the quality of life in Kelowna.
Press release from the City of Kelowna on July 3, 2020:
The winners of the 45th annual Civic and Community Awards were announced last night during an online video presentation.
The awards ceremony was originally scheduled to be held on April 29, but the event was cancelled in light of distancing measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and the presentation shifted online to allow finalists and community members to watch the awards presentation virtually.
Congratulations to all finalists and recipients of the Civic & Community Awards who helped shine a positive light on our city in 2019.
The 45th annual Civic & Community Award winners are:
Bob Giordano Memorial – Coach/Sport Administrator of the Year
Darcy Rysz
Bryan Couling Memorial Award – Athletic Team of the Year
KSS Owls AAAA Girls Volleyball Team
Female Athlete of the Year
Madelyn Hettinga
Male Athlete of the Year
Trevor Brigden
Female Augie Ciancone Memorial Award – High School Female Athlete of the Year
Madelyn Hettinga
Male Augie Ciancone Memorial Award – High School Male Athlete of the Year
Roan McCarthy
Champion for the Environment
Operation Take Two
Teen Honour in the Arts
Sarah McIntyre
Honour in the Arts
Erin Scott
Young Citizen of the Year
Abby Kiehlbauch
Fred Macklin & Sarah Donalda-Treadgold Memorial Award - Citizen of the Year
Al Hildebrandt
Corporate Community of the Year Award
Avalon Event Rentals
Central Okanagan Foundation’s Volunteer Organization of the Year
Project Literacy
Anita Tozer Memorial Award – Bestowed by Kelowna City Council
Randy Benson
The Young Citizen of the Year finalists will receive funding towards their post-secondary education through the Payton and Dillon Budd Memorial Fund Youth Scholarship. The award recipient will receive $2,000; while each of the two remaining finalists will receive $1,000. The recipient of the Teen Honour in the Arts award will receive a $500 entrance scholarship to the University of British Columbia Okanagan, courtesy of the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies.