Two Rossland graduates have won Columbia Basin Trust Youth Community Service Awards.
Devin Knox and Kara Deane each received an award of $2000 for their work in the community.
Knox volunteers with the Rossland Youth Action Network and runs the Rossland Me to We group. She also volunteered through the Seven Summits Centre for Learning before graduating, spent last summer volunteering in India, and volunteers at the SPCA. She says she volunteers because it makes her feel good.
“Volunteering just makes anybody feel good and I enjoy volunteering with younger kids, just to see them grow, and kind of help them and be a little bit of a role model,” says Knox. “I volunteer a lot with Me to We and worldly causes because I just care about the world and I care about the environment a lot. I just enjoy it. I feel that it give me a sense of purpose a little bit.”
Deane did a lot of volunteering through JL Crowe Secondary School, where she graduated on Friday.
“I’m part of leadership and grad council. I also work for Relay for Life a lot,” she says. “I was part of Girl Guides growing so that gave me a lot of service opportunities as well.”
Deane was also a volunteering sailing instructor last summer. She says she volunteers because of her mom.
“My mom was really involved as a volunteer when I was younger, so it’s a bit of a tribute to her, to show what kind of an influence she had on me,” says Deane. “I also find that it’s just a great way to meet people and it helps me feel invested in my community.”
The money Knox and Deane received doesn’t necessarily need to be used toward post-secondary education. They can use it for whatever they like.
Knox says her award money will go toward her summer trip to Australia and southeast Asia.
“In Australia I am surfing and then when I go to southeast Asia, I’ll be volunteering at a charitable turtle conservation project and then I’ll be volunteering at a elephant conservation project,” says Knox.
Following her summer travels, Knox will move to the Lower Mainland to study as a nutritionist and yoga instructor.
Deane is putting her money toward her post-secondary education.
“I’m going into the University of British Columbia’s science program next year,” she says.
Both girls were grateful to have been selected as recipients of the Youth Community Service Awards.
“Thank you to CBT, and Seven Summits, and my family, my teachers and all of them, because without them I probably couldn’t have done it,” says Knox.
“I’m very, very honoured to be selected as the winner of this award,” said Deane.