UPDATED: Kudos

Steel foundation

Kwantlen Polytechnic University's trades and technology students are flexing their skills and techniques on a new structural steel teaching aid donated by a local group of companies from the Canadian Institute of Steel Construction (CISC).

The first phase of the project gave students from carpentry, welding, metal fabrication, CADD/drafting, millwright, and masonry a chance to assemble the new training aid.

Plans for the second phase of the project are being organized for classes later in August and September.

The steel erection was conducted by a number of Kwantlen students in small groups who worked over two days under the supervision of Gary Cameron, foreman at Solid Rock Steel Fabrication.

Midas touch

Langley-based Freybe Gourmet Foods Ltd. hauled in 15 gold medals and one bronze at this year's DLG (German Agricultural Society) Quality Competition in Germany.

To date, Freybe – a local producer of ham, sausages and specialty deli meats – has received 407 international gold medals and more than 600 international medals of all types for its selection of more than 160 delicacies.

Their gold medal products include Bavarian smokies, turkey and chicken sausage with sundried tomato, herb liver sausage, fine liver sausage, rosemary ham, black forest ham, ham sausage and Kaiser Jadgwurst.

One step closer

The University of the Fraser Valley has taken another step on its journey to official university status, as the University Amendment Act of 2008 has been made official.

As of Sept. 1, the school will be called the University of the Fraser Valley, designated as a special-purpose, teaching university serving Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Mission, Agassiz and Hope.

UFV will release its new visual identity on Tues., Sept. 2 (the first day of classes) and will hold a public celebration in Abbotsford on Fri., Sept. 5.

East Bound and Down

Rob Balan of Surrey and Canadian Freightways Ltd. was named Grand Champion at the BC Professional Truck Driving Championships last month. The event was held at the Tradex Centre in Abbotsford, and winners from each class will participate in the National Professional Truck Driving Championships in Ottawa in September.

Canadian Freightways also captured the Team Trophy. The Rookie of the Year award went to Brian Mereditch of Van Kam Freightways Ltd. another Surrey resident.

Other local winners included Surrey's Juilius Swecera (Reimer Express Lines Ltd.) in Step-Van, Hans Wettsteign (Canadian Freightways Ltd.) in Straight Truck and Rob Balan in Tandem-Tandem. Abbotsford's Dean Grant (Agrifoods International Cooperative Ltd.) won the Single-Tandem competition.

Me N my award

Langley's Me N Ed's Pizza was awarded as "Business of the Year" award at the city's Community Day.

According to a press release, the business was chosen partly because of its "striking curb appeal," and general manager Dan Prokosh said he was excited that his nine-month renovations and revamping of the restaurant had paid off so quickly.

Prokosh said the restaurant has worked hard to improve its dining experience as well as the aesthetic environment.

WWF eposts up

epost, Canada Post's online bill delivery service, has announced they will be working with WWF-Canada to raise money for The Good Life, an online community for Canadians who want to fight climate change and reduce their impact on the planet.

epost will be donating $1 for the first 150,000 new registrants to their service.

The fund raising campaign began on July 7 and will run to October 7.

To learn more about The Good Life, visit wwf.ca

To learn more about epost or to register, visit canadapost.ca/epost

Good credit

Surrey-based credit union Coast Capital Savings has won the Canadian Co-operative Association's (CCA) Innovations in Co-operative Governance Award.

The award recognized Coast Capital for its selection of "potential directors who possess the right blend of skills, knowledge, attitude, and commitment" by its Board Governance and Nominations committees.

Coast Capital is Canada's second largest credit union with 380,000 members and 51 branches in Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island.

Chilliwack's got skill

Sardis secondary student Curtis Benteau, from Chilliwack, won silver at the IT PC Network Support category at a recent Skills Canada competition.

Benteau was one of more than 500 students from across the country competing in 32 contest areas in trades and technology, and was one of 19 from B.C. to be awarded.

The 14th annual competition was held in Calgary, Alberta from May 25 to 28. Students competed in areas ranging from carpentry and cooking to computer animation.

Grants, ETC.

Three Surrey School District programs will benefit from more than $35,000 in grants received from the Vancouver Foundation.

The foundation has provided $25,000 over two years to the ETCETERA Preteen Youth Leadership Program at Hjorth Road and Holly elementary schools.

The program, run through a partnership with the City, offers recreation and leisure activities for kids between 10 and 13 years old that are designed assist young teens in using their abilities to contribute to the community.

The program has three components aimed at developing leadership and social skills among Grade 8 and 9 students, including those who face in-school suspensions.

Lucky number seven

Langley-based Envision Financial's shared marketing team took home an unprecedented seven Achievement in Marketing Excellence (AIME) awards at this year's Marketing Association for Credit Unions (MACU) conference.

The team's work for First Calgary Savings received five awards while the work for Envision Financial netted two awards, including an AIME in the Coordinated Campaigns category.

Envision's RRSP campaign exceeded its deposited growth goals and posted very strong double-digit growth results.

Helping hand

Gord and Barb Schilling, owners of the Murrayville MarketPlace IGA, have been named employers of the year by Kwantlen University College as part of the Access Programs for People with Disabilities initiative.

Over the years the couple have offered work experience positions to students from Kwantlen and other organizations.

Better together

Envision Financial and Alberta-based credit union First Calgary Savings shared seven Achievement in Marketing Excellence (AIME) awards at the Marketing Association for Credit Unions conference June 5 in Whistler.

The team received five awards in recognition of its work for First Calgary Savings, including top honours in the Annual Reports and TV categories.

The partnership’s work for Langley-based Envision Financial netted two awards, including one in the Co-ordinated Campaigns category for its 2008 RRSP campaign.

The AIME awards showcase achievements in credit union marketing, advertising and communications.

Coast gets due, too

Coast Capital Savings has won two awards from the Marketing Association for Credit Unions for its “Free Stuff” vending machine promotion and its Chinese and South Asian television advertising campaigns.

The Free Stuff publicity stunt – in which a vending machine full of free items was placed on the streets of Vancouver, with members of the public invited to hit a button for a freebie – garnered an Achievement in Marketing Excellence Award.

The Surrey-based credit union’s Chinese and Punjabi television commercials earned an Achievement in Marketing award.

Easter at Safeway

Canada Safeway has raised over $740,000 to support Easter Seals.

In B.C., the company raised more than $300,000 during an in-store, month-long campaign to support the organization’s camps across Canada. The funds were raised through Safeway customer donations.

Easter Seals provides recreational experiences, Kids Camp training, education and support services for individuals with developmental disabilities, physical and mental disabilities, and other special needs.

The new funding will help Easter Seals establish camp programs and replace equipment, in addition to upgrading infrastructure at its camps in Squamish, Winfield and Shawnigan Lake.

Hospital help

RBC Financial Group’s Surrey and White Rock branches have raised $300,000 for Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation’s Emergency Centre Campaign.

The money comes from ongoing employee fundraising activities. RBC reached its goal a year ahead of schedule following the RBC Dominion Securities Invitational Golf Classic in Surrey June 17.

Surrey Memorial Hospital’s E.R. is currently the busiest in B.C. It was originally designed to handle up to 44,000 visits a year but has in recent years been seeing close to 70,000.

RBC has also committed an additional $150,000 to the Emergency Centre Campaign through its RBC Foundation.

Young leader

David Lanphear of Envision Financial in Abbotsford has won the 2008 National Young Leaders Award, presented by the Credit Union Central of Canada.

Lanphear – Envision’s assistant vice-president of investment services – received the award, along with a $10,000 scholarship, at the recent Canadian Conference of Credit Union Executives in Ottawa. The award recognizes the business skill and contributions of young leaders in Canada’s credit union system.

Lanphear, a 10-year Envision employee, was selected from a group of five nationwide finalists.

Back to nature

HSBC Bank Canada presented the Nature Trust of British Columbia with a donation of $100,000 at a community clean-up day on June 7 in support of the HSBC Conservation Youth Crew program.

The Conservation Youth Crew is operating across the province in Nanaimo, Surrey, Oliver, Cranbrook, Williams Lake and Prince George.

The Nature Trust has invested more than $63 million to secure over 61,000 hectares of critical habitat throughout B.C.

They care

The Product Care Association has won the Surrey Board of Trade’s 2008 Environment and Business Achievement Award. Surrey-based Product Care is a not-for-profit industry-sponsored association that manages the collection and management of paint, flammable liquids, pesticides and gasoline – diverting such hazardous waste from landfills.

Dick Glassford, chair of the Product Care board – and vice-president of General Paint, a member of the association – accepted the award during the board of trade’s environment and economy luncheon June 4.