Operation Trackshoes fosters comradery among the participants, who look forward every year to a weekend of races, games, social activities and giving representation to their home communities. Under their leadership, the festival has grown to become a highlight on the provincial calendar that welcomes some 500 competitors between the ages of six and 80. For more than 15 years he has helped co-ordinate the annual Math Challengers Contest held at Camosun College, opening the door for participating students aged 13 to 15 to discover the wonder and fun of mathematics.įor more than 45 years, Judith and co-recipient Nicholas have organized Operation Trackshoes, a volunteer-run sports festival geared towards British Columbians with developmental disabilities. He is part of an army of volunteers who band under the District of Saanich’s Pulling Together Volunteer Program to remove invasive plants and restore ecosystems, and for years he served on the Gordon Head Soccer Association board. Nicholas’ volunteerism extends to many arenas. She regularly travels with a team to Haiti to deliver supplies to the Hope Home for young people with disabilities. Her volunteer contributions reach beyond the national borders as she serves on the board for the Canadian Foundation for the Children of Haiti which provides funds, materials and expertise to two orphanages, a home for children with disabilities, three schools and a hospital in Port au Prince. She also founded the Handicapped Recreation Society, again with a goal of increasing access for persons with disabilities. Observing that there were limited opportunities for persons with disabilities to participate in events fueled Judith to launch a large, annual track and field event in Victoria where every competitor is matched with a counsellor for the entire duration of the event. The seeds of volunteerism began early with Judith when she assisted a Kiwanis-supported Oak Bay high school club that helped people with disabilities followed by work with the Easter Seal Camps. They have helped create joy and life enhancing experiences for people with disabilities and inspired hundreds of volunteers to work alongside them. Judith Armstrong and Nicholas Marsden, both Victoria residents, received the medal for their decades of dedication to British Columbians with developmental disabilities. In recognition of this, in 2017, his Canadian Tire store was presented the award for Outstanding Corporate Culture at the Prince George Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards. His quiet personal philanthropy extends to his belief in corporate philanthropy, and his company is his most visible way of giving back to the community through sponsorship of, and donations to, countless organizations and events.Īs an employer, he truly believes that good culture starts at the top. Alpay was a key supporter behind an event to recognize the local volunteers who helped during the crisis.Īs a corporate citizen, he sets an exceptional example of social responsibility for other organizations through his wide ranging support of youth, sport, arts, culture, healthcare and social causes. Last year's long and difficult fire season saw Prince George receive and host more than 10,000 evacuees from the Cariboo region. As a lifetime volunteer, he has a deep appreciation for community members who give back, and he frequently endeavors to recognize their efforts. In 2017, he was named a Citizen of the Year by the Prince George Community Foundation in recognition of how he goes above and beyond in volunteerism and philanthropy. Any young man enrolled in this new program will benefit from his deep compassion, kindness and wisdom. A new branch of the Boys Club Network is being proposed by the Aboriginal Education Department in our school district, and already Alpay is engaged and involved. He is known for his compassion and enormous heart, and one does not need to know him for long, before one realizes that Alpay is a man on a mission to make his world a better place.Īs a person, Alpay models good citizenship and humanity to everyone he meets, giving generously of his time to multiple volunteer boards and organizations in the city and beyond spending time with elders in care at Simon Fraser Lodge and supporting and mentoring youth within his company and the community. Today it is difficult to find a good cause in our city that he has not contributed to or quietly supported, and the line of people who have been touched by his philanthropy, generosity of spirit or personal kindness is lengthy. Selen Alpay moved to Prince George just over a decade ago.
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