50th annual Civic & Community Awards finalists revealed
News Release
The top three finalists for each of the 50th annual Civic & Community Award categories were announced today, highlighting outstanding achievements made by Kelowna’s volunteers, artists, coaches, athletes, businesses, and non-profit organizations in 2024.
“For 50 years, these awards have helped us celebrate the residents, organizations and businesses who’ve helped make Kelowna the great place it is to live,” says Chris Babcock, Event Development Manager. “We congratulate this year’s finalists, and we invite our community to celebrate these incredible citizens and milestone year of the Civic & Community Awards at our upcoming anniversary Gala.”
This year’s Civic & Community Awards Gala will be held May 8 at the Delta Grand. In addition to celebrating this year’s finalists and winners, the evening will honour the awards’ 50-year history in our community. Gala tickets are available for purchase online at theatre.kelowna.ca .
50th Annual Civic & Community Award finalists:
Honour in the Arts
supported by artsco
- Erikka Moojelsky
- Bonnie Gratz
- Tyson Cook/Freida Whales
Teen Honour in the Arts
sponsored by UBC Okanagan
- Freeze The Fall
- Almendra Osorio
- Nicholas Covaser
Bob Giordano Memorial Award – Coach/Sport Administrator of the Year
- Bill Franzman
- Kristin Smart
- Travis Miller
Bryan Couling Memorial Award – Athletic Team of the Year
sponsored by Coast Capital
- UBCO Men’s Golf Team
- Okanagan FC U15 Boys Team
- OKM Sr. Girls Volleyball Team
Female Athlete of the Year
sponsored by the Payton and Dillon Budd Memorial Fund
- Kylie Olivia Taylor
- Elizabeth Henne
- Mackenzie Adams
Male Athlete of the Year
sponsored by the Payton and Dillon Budd Memorial Fund
- Brent Fikowski
- Jerome Blake
- Elelyon Noa
Augie Ciancone Memorial Award – Young Female Athlete of the Year
presented by the Okanagan Central Schools Athletic Association
- Maya Andruchow
- Rhiannon Spinks
- Ashlyn Swan
Augie Ciancone Memorial Award – Young Male Athlete of the Year
presented by the Okanagan Central Schools Athletic Association
- Davin Hamm
- Dominic Sodaro
- Eliott Vander Horst
Champion for the Environment
sponsored by Peter’s Your Independent Grocer
- Beverly Kalmakoff
- EcoCooks
- Kane Blake
Corporate Community of the Year Award
sponsored by KCR
- RBC Wealth Management, Dominion Securities
- Doane Grant Thornton
- Valley First, a Division of First West Credit Union
Central Okanagan Foundation – Volunteer Organization of the Year
sponsored by Central Okanagan Foundation
- Inspired Word Café
- Special Olympics Kelowna
- Cool Arts Society
Young Citizen of the Year
sponsored by Crowe Mackay
- Delaney Neukomm
- Kevin Kim
- Ainsley Wood
Fred Macklin & Sarah Donalda-Treadgold Memorial Award - Citizen of the Year
sponsored by Fortis BC
- Clayton Gall
- Rhonda Hymers
- Jamie Carpenter
All Young Citizen of the Year finalists will receive funding towards their post-secondary education through the Payton and Dillon Budd Memorial Fund Youth Scholarship. The award winner will receive $2,000; while each of the two remaining finalists will receive $1,000.
The recipient of the Teen Honour in the Arts award will receive a $500 entrance scholarship to UBC Okanagan, sponsored by the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies.
In addition, the recipient for the Central Okanagan Foundation’s Volunteer Organization of the Year will receive a $3,000 donation from the Central Okanagan Foundation.
For more information about the Civic & Community Awards and to read our finalists bios, visit kelowna.ca/civicawards .
