The people and organizations that make Cordova Bay special earned a place in the spotlight Tuesday night.
The Cordova Bay Community Leadership Awards were handed out at a special ceremony at the Beach House Restaurant. Richard McMorran was named Volunteer of the Year; Sheila Wells the Employee of the Year; Brian Royer-Collard the Coach/Mentor of the Year; and the Cordova Bay 55+ Association picked up the Community Group Award.
“I think it’s a great community initiative, recognizing volunteers and mentors in our community. It brings it to the attention of the residents of the community who may not realize the people and organizations in the community who contribute so much.” said Larry Gontovnick, president of the Cordova Bay Association for Community Affairs.
“We commend the Saanich News for initiating this, and we were happy to contribute in terms of spreading the word.”
The leadership awards are the result of a partnership between the Saanich News, Cordova Bay Association for Community Affairs, Tru Value Foods, the Beach House Restaurant and other area businesses.
The awards provided a great opportunity for Tru Value Foods to show support for the community that welcomed the store four years ago.
“We thought it would be a good idea to bring everybody together and support the idea of recognizing certain individuals that stand out,” said Tru Value Foods part owner and general manager Phil Greenhalgh.
“It’s a way for the business community and all the residents of Cordova Bay to just get together and recognize one another for what a great place Cordova Bay is.”
Gontovnick hopes this year’s awards serves as a foundation for years to come and encourages members of the Cordova Bay community to take part in the nominations next year.
“Because there are a lot of other volunteers in our community that we need to recognize.”