Becci Dewinetz is taking the helm of the Hyack Festival Association for its golden anniversary year.
The New West resident has been installed as the association’s 2021 president for its 50th anniversary year, a year in which it had intended to present celebrations and fun activities for families, including the Hyack Parade, Uptown Street Festival, Tropical Tiki Night, trivia nights and more.
“Despite these dark times in our world, I promise to do my absolute best to bring as much joy and fun to our city as we possibly can in these difficult times,” she said in a news release. “We will re-imagines and pivot wherever possible to keep our spirits bright.”
Dewinetz’s term as Hyack’s president comes 40 years after she served as Miss New Westminster 1981, which gave her the opportunity to travel throughout British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest to bring greetings from New Westminster and promote the city.
“I was so excited to carry on this responsibility and do the same travel and bring fresh new greetings from our city four decades later as president,” she said. “But … maybe next year.”
Each year, the Hyack Festival Association’s new president selects a theme for their year. Dewinetz has selected a theme of Decades of Dedication, which will honour “all those hard-working Hyack Festival people” who preceded her, including past presidents, past and present board members, Hyack Festival Association members and volunteers.
In other Hyack news, the association recently announced it had created a new executive assistant position for the organization and had named Grace Wardle, Miss New Westminster and Miss Friendship 2012, to the role. As executive assistant, Wardle will handle incoming/outgoing communication, office management, event preparation, grant proposals and cultivating community partnerships.
Born and raised in New Westminster, Wardle returned to B.C. after completing her bachelor of arts in communication studies at Columbia College of Missouri.
