Awards

A ticket bought in Vernon is one of 10 guaranteed match winners worth $100,000 from the Lotto 649 draw conducted Saturday, March 27. (Lotto BC photo)

$100K lottery ticket purchased in Vernon

Number is one of 10 guaranteed match winners for $100,000

A ticket bought in Vernon is one of 10 guaranteed match winners worth $100,000 from the Lotto 649 draw conducted Saturday, March 27. (Lotto BC photo)
Canada’s Vasek Pospisil celebrates a point against Italy’s Jannik Sinner, during the final match of the 2020 Sofia Open ATP 250 tennis tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-

Vernon’s Vasek Pospisil named B.C.’s Athlete of the Year

The tennis pro had quite the year on the ATP Tour

Canada’s Vasek Pospisil celebrates a point against Italy’s Jannik Sinner, during the final match of the 2020 Sofia Open ATP 250 tennis tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-
Missy MacKintosh, founder/CEO with MisMacK Clean Cosmetics, was named a top-five finalist on March 22, 2021 in three of six categories with the Small Business BC Awards. (White Willow Photography)

Salmon Arm entrepreneur adds more honours to her growing stack of awards

MisMacK Clean Cosmetics named a finalist in three categories in B.C.-wide competition

Missy MacKintosh, founder/CEO with MisMacK Clean Cosmetics, was named a top-five finalist on March 22, 2021 in three of six categories with the Small Business BC Awards. (White Willow Photography)
Jennifer Smith’s story and video on the Vernon Girls Trumpet Band alumni earned her one of two nominations in the annual B.C. Yukon Community Newspaper Association’s Ma Murray Awards. <ins>The Morning Star is a finalist in general excellence for its circulation category. Reporter Brendan Shykora and late managing editor Glenn Mitchell have also been recognized.</ins> (File photo)

Vernon newspaper among B.C.’s best

Former editor Glenn Mitchell to be honoured posthumously; two reporters and newspaper up for awards

Jennifer Smith’s story and video on the Vernon Girls Trumpet Band alumni earned her one of two nominations in the annual B.C. Yukon Community Newspaper Association’s Ma Murray Awards. <ins>The Morning Star is a finalist in general excellence for its circulation category. Reporter Brendan Shykora and late managing editor Glenn Mitchell have also been recognized.</ins> (File photo)
Former Vernon Morning Star editor Glenn Mitchell has been named the posthumous winner of the B.C. Yukon Community Newspaper Association’s Eric Dunning Integrity Award for dedication and service to the community news media industry. Mitchell died Dec. 17, 2020. (Morning Star - file photo)

Late Vernon Morning Star editor given provincial recognition

Glenn Mitchell named winner of B.C. Community Newspaper Association’s Eric Dunning Integrity Award

Former Vernon Morning Star editor Glenn Mitchell has been named the posthumous winner of the B.C. Yukon Community Newspaper Association’s Eric Dunning Integrity Award for dedication and service to the community news media industry. Mitchell died Dec. 17, 2020. (Morning Star - file photo)
Summit Tiny Homes, located in Vernon, has been named as a finalist for a provincial small business award. (Summit Tiny Homes)

Vernon company a People’s Choice favourite

Summit Tiny Homes among five finalists in People’s Choice category in Small Business BC awards

Summit Tiny Homes, located in Vernon, has been named as a finalist for a provincial small business award. (Summit Tiny Homes)
Lumby Para-Alpine skier Logan Leach (left, with guide Caele Kassa of Vernon) races to silver at the 2019 Canada Winter Games. Leach is a finalist for Sport BC’s Athlete with a Disability Award that will be presented virtually Thursday, March 25, at the 54th annual Sport BC Athlete of the Year Awards. (Facebook photo)

Lumby skier up for provincial honour

Visually impaired Logan Leach up for Athlete with a Disability at 54th annual Sport BC Athlete of the Year Awards to be presented Thursday

Lumby Para-Alpine skier Logan Leach (left, with guide Caele Kassa of Vernon) races to silver at the 2019 Canada Winter Games. Leach is a finalist for Sport BC’s Athlete with a Disability Award that will be presented virtually Thursday, March 25, at the 54th annual Sport BC Athlete of the Year Awards. (Facebook photo)
Community foundations from the North, Central and South Okanagan have teamed up with Canadian Mental Health Associaton and horse-assisted therapists across the valley to offer the Front Line Hero Appreciation Initiative as a way for the community to say thank you to frontline workers, by offering them a way to care for themselves. (Photo supplied)

Horse therapy offered to Okanagan frontline workers

Community foundations team up with mental health and horse-assisted therapists to offer program

Community foundations from the North, Central and South Okanagan have teamed up with Canadian Mental Health Associaton and horse-assisted therapists across the valley to offer the Front Line Hero Appreciation Initiative as a way for the community to say thank you to frontline workers, by offering them a way to care for themselves. (Photo supplied)
Joan Albert, JCI Vernon's Citizen of the Year for 2020, was presented with the award at Polson Park Saturday, March 13, 2021. (Brendan Shykora - Morning Star)

Joan Albert named JCI Vernon’s Citizen of 2020

Organizers said choosing a winner was more difficult than ever in a year like no other

Joan Albert, JCI Vernon's Citizen of the Year for 2020, was presented with the award at Polson Park Saturday, March 13, 2021. (Brendan Shykora - Morning Star)
Vernon Paralympian Sonja Gaudet (right) has been named winner of a humanitarian award presented by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the World Sikh Organization of Canada. (File photo)

Vernon wheelchair curler named humanitarian

Sonja Gaudet wins award from World Sikh Organization of Canada and Latter-day Saints

Vernon Paralympian Sonja Gaudet (right) has been named winner of a humanitarian award presented by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the World Sikh Organization of Canada. (File photo)
If you want to watch the virtual induction ceremony for Vernon’s Barb and Denis Murdoch into the Builder category of the Volleyball B.C. Hall of Fame on Wednesday, March 3, for free, you have until 12 p.m. of induction day to register. (Murdoch family photo)

Vernon volleyball couple’s Hall of Fame induction set for March 3

Barb and Denis Murdoch will be inducted into the Volleyball B.C. Hall of Fame’s Builder category

If you want to watch the virtual induction ceremony for Vernon’s Barb and Denis Murdoch into the Builder category of the Volleyball B.C. Hall of Fame on Wednesday, March 3, for free, you have until 12 p.m. of induction day to register. (Murdoch family photo)
Mitchal Derksen, middle, owner of NUMU Technologies, talks data with his team at Triumph Coffee in downtown Vernon. Derksen and his busisness. an alum of the Community Futures North Okanagan’s Enterprize Challenge, is a finalist for Small Business BC award. (Photo submitted)

Vernon companies up for provincial honours

FILL and Numu Technologies are among finalists for Small Business BC awards

Mitchal Derksen, middle, owner of NUMU Technologies, talks data with his team at Triumph Coffee in downtown Vernon. Derksen and his busisness. an alum of the Community Futures North Okanagan’s Enterprize Challenge, is a finalist for Small Business BC award. (Photo submitted)
Former Vernon Winter Carnival chairperson Deb White (left) thought she was being arrested for not wearing a Carnival pin. Instead, her succeessor as chair, Erik Olesen, right, bestowed upon White the Order of jopo, Carnival’s highest honour. (Wayne Emde photo)

Order of jopo awarded to former Vernon Winter Carnival chairperson

Deb White has been a volunteer and/or board member with Vernon Winter Carnival for 15 years

Former Vernon Winter Carnival chairperson Deb White (left) thought she was being arrested for not wearing a Carnival pin. Instead, her succeessor as chair, Erik Olesen, right, bestowed upon White the Order of jopo, Carnival’s highest honour. (Wayne Emde photo)
Best Health Magazine named Turning Points Collaborative Society manager of education and community programs Alison Houewling as one of Canada’s Health Heroes in its Dec. 3, 2020, article ‘Meet Best Health’s 2020 Women of the Year.’ for her work with the Cammy LaFleur clinic. (Best Health Magazine)

National magazine dubs Vernonite a health hero

Best Health Magazine spotlights work of Alison Houewling, Cammy LaFleur clinic

Best Health Magazine named Turning Points Collaborative Society manager of education and community programs Alison Houewling as one of Canada’s Health Heroes in its Dec. 3, 2020, article ‘Meet Best Health’s 2020 Women of the Year.’ for her work with the Cammy LaFleur clinic. (Best Health Magazine)
Former Vernon resident Jenny Story, now of Vancouver, was named Self-Advocate of the Year for 2020 at the recent virtual B.C. Autism Awards 2020. Story, a Clarence Fulton Secondary 2011 grad and Vancouver Film School alumnus, is a 2D and 3D animator and best-selling author. (B.C.Autism Awards)

Former Vernon autistic author-animator wins provincial honour

Jenny Story, 2011 Fulton grad, named Self-Advocate of the Year by Autism B.C. for 2020

Former Vernon resident Jenny Story, now of Vancouver, was named Self-Advocate of the Year for 2020 at the recent virtual B.C. Autism Awards 2020. Story, a Clarence Fulton Secondary 2011 grad and Vancouver Film School alumnus, is a 2D and 3D animator and best-selling author. (B.C.Autism Awards)
Carol Armstrong, centre, was chosen as the JCI Vernon 2018 Good Citizen of the Year. Nominations are now being accepted by JCI for the city’s 2020 Good Citizen. (Morning Star file photo)

Nominate a Good Vernon Citizen

Deadline to nominate a deserving person for JCI Vernon’s Good Citizen of the Year consideration is Jan. 8

Carol Armstrong, centre, was chosen as the JCI Vernon 2018 Good Citizen of the Year. Nominations are now being accepted by JCI for the city’s 2020 Good Citizen. (Morning Star file photo)
The Med Restaurant was named the 2020 Business of the Year at the Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards Friday, Oct. 23, 2020. (Contributed)

Greater Vernon businesses honoured for excellence

Greater Vernon Chambers of Commerce has announced its 2020 Business Excellence Award winners

The Med Restaurant was named the 2020 Business of the Year at the Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards Friday, Oct. 23, 2020. (Contributed)
Coldstream’s Pete Wise of Vernon Search and Rescue became the first-ever recipient of a B.C. search and rescue 55-year volunteer service pin. Wise has devoted 57 years to search and rescue. (Facebook photo)

Vernon Search and Rescue’s ‘Wise’ man honoured for service

Pete Wise becomes first ever to receive 55-year volunteer service pin

Coldstream’s Pete Wise of Vernon Search and Rescue became the first-ever recipient of a B.C. search and rescue 55-year volunteer service pin. Wise has devoted 57 years to search and rescue. (Facebook photo)
Mark Feldinger. (Submitted)

Revelstokian honoured by forest industry with lifetime award

Mark Feldinger recently received a FPAC Lifetime Achievement Award

Mark Feldinger. (Submitted)
Vernon-based Rotech Motor Ltd. director Robert Seaton (centre) is joined by his colleagues as they celebrate, in a socially-distanced manner, being named ROTAX Engine’s Distributor of the Year. (Photo submitted)

Vernon company scores global award

Rotech Motor Ltd. named ROTAX Engines Distributor of the Year, beating out European powers

Vernon-based Rotech Motor Ltd. director Robert Seaton (centre) is joined by his colleagues as they celebrate, in a socially-distanced manner, being named ROTAX Engine’s Distributor of the Year. (Photo submitted)