Quesnel Volunteer Citizen of the Year named

Courtesy of the City of Quesnel:

Liz Miller, who has spent more than a decade contributing to the enrichment and growth of hundreds of Quesnel's young women, is the 2011 Volunteer Citizen of the Year.

Miller, who spearheads the Miss Quesnel Self Development Program, was named the winner of the 32nd annual award at a banquet Tuesday evening to celebrate Quesnel's outstanding spirit of volunteerism. Miller plays an integral role in the program, which exists to help young women develop self-esteem and leadership skills. She attends dozens of community events each year with the candidates, and promotes education, community volunteerism and personal skills development in the program's participants.

Sheri Coles and Helen Boudreau, the other nominees for 2011, were also thanked and congratulated for all they do in the community by the roughly 100 people in attendance. In addition, life-long community resident and former City Councillor Peter Couldwell received the Lifetime Achievement Award. He was noted as being a humanitarian with passion and enthusiasm who has spent thousands of hours volunteering his time as an auctioneer to raise funds for a wide variety of causes around Quesnel.

"Every year we celebrate volunteers in Quesnel, and we always have an impressive line-up. Liz's commitment is vital to the Miss Quesnel program and is an enormous benefit. And having worked for so many years with Peter, I am pleased to see him receive further recognition of all the good work he does," said Quesnel Mayor Mary Sjostrom. "On behalf of City Council, it makes me very proud to congratulate all our nominees. We appreciate the effort you commit to making Quesnel such an outstanding community."

"Volunteerism is a key piece of any vibrant community, and Quesnel is blessed with an abundance of committed volunteers," added Quesnel Volunteer Citizen of the Year Committee Chair and City Councillor John Brisco. "By celebrating our volunteers, we inspire new ones to take on a cause and further enrich our society. I offer my thanks to this year's award recipients, the nominees, nominators, our sponsors and the committee."

In addition to the celebration, the table's centerpieces, created by Blumko Flower Art, were auctioned off, raising $395 for the Seniors Advocacy Service.

The Quesnel Volunteer Citizen of the Year program is a joint venture of the City of Quesnel and the Quesnel Cariboo Observer. A committee of past citizens of the year judges the nomination packages and hosts the event.