Grande Prairie Crime Prevention paid tribute last night to the organizations and people in our community who are taking an active role in making it a better place.
Program Manager Karen Gariepy says their award winners this year are being recognized for all manner of good deeds.
“It’s everything from putting in numerous volunteer hours, to being an auxiliary officer, to an organization that does therapy with horses. It’s just a wide variety of people and organizations in our community that do amazing tasks and amazing work that contributes to reducing crime.”
Doug Edey was one of those who received an award.
Gariepy says Doug is the perfect example of someone doing their part to make the community a safer and friendlier place to live.
“One of our root causes of crime in Grande Prairie is lack of community connected-ness. Doug definitely makes every effort to stay connected to the community and he’s always contributing positive actions in our city.”
2015 Crime Prevention Award Winners:
The Grande Prairie Public School District for their work on the Violence Threat Risk Assessment protocol, which helps local school districts to identify threat making behaviors and high risk activities amongst youth, and then to provide the proper supports to help those youth.
The Peace Area Riding for the Disabled Society for their Youth Leadership Program, which helps youth develop positive live and relationship skills through learning more about horsemanship, and by extension, themselves.
The North Country Community Church & Westpointe Community Church for their Faith in Action initiative, through which they have worked on the beautification of the Hillside neighborhood.
Delaine Lambert-English and Jackie Benning are responsible for the creation of the #hugasister campaign, with the goal of raising awareness, offering support, and create change when it comes to the number missing and murdered aboriginal women in Canada.
Peace Officer Gord McMahon has been with Enforcement Services for 27 years, and has worked extensively on committees such as Safe Routes to School, Injury Prevention, Crime Prevention, Community Enhancement Advisory, and Best Bar None.
Judy Moynihan has been working as a yoga instructor at the Tabano Centre since 2010, which has been transformative for some of the students she has worked with in the past few years.
Daniel Mills is a local teacher who is responsible for the creation of N00b-con back in 2006, which is aimed at students who might normally feel ostracized by their peers and are looking for a safe space to be themselves and enjoy their hobbies with other like minded students.
Casey McGillivray has taken the initiative to remove graffiti from various neighborhoods around the city in his own time.
Terry Tissington is a former RCMP Auxiliary member who has contributed more than 5000 volunteer hours in the community, from the Volunteer Fire Department to the Police Auxiliary program.
Photo via the Grande Prairie Public School District Facebook page.Â
Left to Right:Â
City Councilor Kevin McLean; Grande Prairie Public School District Assistant Superintendent of Student Services James Robinson; Grande Prairie Public School District Superintendent of Schools Carol Ann MacDonald and City of Grande Prairie Crime Prevention Department Manager Karen Gariepy.