A Royal City resident is among the 71 "extraordinary nominees" for the YWCA Metro Vancouver's 29th annual Women of Distinction Awards.
Rachel Tutte is one of 10 nominees in the nonprofit and public service category. She's a social justice activist who acts on her belief that we can contribute to a better world.
"She demonstrates her passion for public health care and social equality through her work as a public sector physiotherapist, co-chair of the B.C.
Health Coalition and board member and key organizer of the annual World Peace Forum TeachIn," said a press release from the YWCA Women of Distinction Awards.
"Rachel is a dedicated volunteer, mentor and educator who speaks out in support of access to quality health care for everyone so that all people in Canada have the opportunity to reach their full health potential. Rachel's community involvement stretches wide; she is an active union member, labour council delegate and children's sport coach."
The YWCA Women of Distinction Awards honours women whose outstanding activities and achievements contributions to the well-being and future of the community.
Nominees are selected in a variety of categories, including: arts, culture and design; business and the professionals; community building; education, training and development; entrepreneurship; health, wellness and active living; non-profit and public services; science, research and innovation; environmental sustainability; young women of distinction and innovative workplace.
"I have chosen to support safe and affordable housing because I am very concerned about the extreme levels of inequality and the high cost of housing in Metro Vancouver, both of which disproportionately affect disadvantaged and vulnerable families," Tutte said in a Women of Distinction statement.
"Access to decent housing and to social and economic equality are critical for good health, something I believe we all deserve."
The award recipients will be announced on May 24 at an awards dinner at the Westin Bayshore in Vancouver.
OFF TO VICTORIA
Coun. Chuck Puchmayr was one of more than 30 visitors to the B.C. legislature on Tuesday.
The visitors, who came from different B.C. communities, were introduced by their respective MLAs.
All members of the delegations are either organ donors or organ recipients.
"It's a powerful event to show the power of organ donation," said Puchmayr, who underwent a lifesaving liver transplant in January 2009. "It is a completely non-partisan event."
Kootenay West MLA Katrine Conroy gave a two-minute statement about the importance of organ donation. Her husband has been the recipient of organ transplants, and she donated a kidney in a "domino" transplant that involved several people in Canada and helped her husband receive a kidney.
Puchmayr served as New Westminster's MLA in Victoria from 2005 to 2009, choosing not to seek re-election so he could focus on his health.
After his April 24 visit to the legislature, he stayed a couple of extra days in Victoria, as he had a meeting scheduled with Lt. Gov. Steven Point to share some of the research he's done in the past on Chief Ahan.
Puchmayr had been researching the Apologies Act for the Chilcotin War when Tsilhqot'in chiefs visited the B.C. Legislature.
The visit, which occurred while he was serving as MLA, prompted Puchmayr and university student Laya Eguehi (who was doing a practicum in his MLA's office) to begin researching the location of Ahan's burial site, which is believed to be in New Westminster.
Ahan was one of the six Tsilhqotin chiefs who were hanged in 1864.
While the others were hanged in Quesnel, Ahan was brought to New Westminster and hanged in July 1865.
