Pemberton’s Marnie Simon will be honoured in a ceremony in Victoria next month after she was named a recipient of a B.C. Community Achievement Award.
The province announced the award winners on Monday (Feb. 18) and Simon was one of 35 individuals selected for the honour. She is the only winner from the Sea to Sky corridor.
“This was a big surprise — I didn’t even know I’d had my name put forward. It’s a real honour,” Simon said Wednesday (Feb. 20).
The awards are meant to recognize British Columbians making significant contributions to their community through volunteerism or efforts in their professional work.
“Communities are built by people who step up to the plate and contribute,” said Premier Christy Clark in Monday’s announcement. “On behalf of all British Columbians, I would like to thank and congratulate the outstanding individuals named today for their contributions. British Columbia’s biggest strength is people like them.”
Simon has spent many years working to bring better health care services to the region and continues to do so today. She is the current chair of the Sea to Sky Corridor Health Care Tri-Board and a former chair of the Whistler Health Care Foundation. In a recent initiative, she has been working to provide transportation to medical appointments for corridor seniors in particular.
“I really enjoy seeing the community grow and being a part of it keeps me engaged and involved,” said Simon. “My major interest is still around health care because I was a nurse and nurse educator. I’m always trying to make things better for health care, and I think we’ve been fairly successful in the corridor with the community foundations pulling together.”
However, her contributions to the community go well beyond health care — she is also the chair of the Pemberton Library board, sits on the village’s Cultural Roundtable and Pemberton Valley Seniors’ Society board and is a member of the local Rotary Club.
“I like to be busy,” chuckled Simon, who was named Citizen of the Year by the Pemberton Chamber of Commerce last year.
“(It’s nice) to be acknowledged like this. I wasn’t seeking it, but when it happens, it’s very rewarding.”
Simon will officially receive the award on March 14, as well as a specially-designed medal marking the honour.
