(Province of B.C.)

By Jordan Davidson

good citizens

Qualicum Beach resident honoured with Medal of Good Citizenship

Aug 7, 2024 | 5:31 AM

QUALICUM BEACH — A number of Island residents are being honoured as some of the most dedicated community members in the province.

The provincial Medal of Good Citizenship is awarded to those who have contributed positively to their communities in an extraordinary way, with 18 medals handed out for 2024.

Included is Donna Furneaux, a resident of Qualicum Beach who overcame polio as a child and used that experience to help improve the lives of others.

Furneaux was instrumental in establishing a school for lab technicians in hospitals helping to secure critical supplies, and founded the Parksville and Qualicum Beach Post Polio Society, and contributing to the Qualicum Beach Honours Society.

She is credited with helping to revitalize the Coombs Fairground as a member of the Arrowsmith Agriculture Association, helping to replace old structures and build new facilities like livestock barns and a meeting hall.

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Furneaux’s influence helped give birth to the Taste of the District food fair and the Qualicum Beach Farmers Market, as her advocacy for hospice work and legacy of volunteerism continue to impact her community to this day.

The presentation ceremony for the medals will take place in August and Sept. across the province. (Province of B.C.)

Premier David Eby said these 18 people honoured this year have made a profound impact on their community and made a positive difference in the lives of many.

“By sharing their time, energy and talents, they are making B.C. a better place. Their selfless generosity is a model for us all and I thank them for it.”

Other winners from Vancouver Island include Dr. Helen Campbell and Bill Erving out of Saanich, for their commitment to youth development and agriculture from Thornhill Farm on the Saanich Peninsula.

Fellow Saanich residents Dale Douglas and Murray Stewart were also honoured for their work with children’s charities.

Nanaimo’s Craig Evans, known for his community work with recycling and community food gardens, was posthumously awarded a 2023 Medal of Good Citizenship, after passing away from a terminal illness in March 2023.

More information on each of the 2024 Medal of Good Citizenship recipients can be found here.

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jordan@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @JordanDHeyNow