For the Townsman
Long-time Cranbrook resident Gord Johnston has been awarded the 2014 Sustainable Community Builder Award.
Johnston has a long history as a community leader and volunteer, most recently as the project leader for the Habitat for Humanity Cranbrook project. He also spent 25 years as an integral part of the Cranbrook Boys and Girls Club before retiring in 2014.
“I truly believe that to keep a community healthy, growing and prospering we can’t overlook a single citizen,” Johnston said. “Sustainability means having everyone engaged in a way that supports our collective community and enables each person living within it to prosper.
“The Habitat for Humanity build embraced this concept from the beginning. It was a huge undertaking and the volunteer support and commitment was like nothing I had ever seen. It was a wonderful community effort that inspired and united.”
City of Cranbrook Mayor Lee Pratt presented Johnston with the Sustainable Community Builder award on behalf of City of Cranbrook council. The annual award is given to an individual, group, club, agency or society that has contributed to the social, arts/cultural, economic and/or environmental sustainability of Cranbrook. It includes $500 to be donated to a registered charity of Johnston’s choice. He chose to donate the funds to Habitat for Humanity Southeast B.C. to go towards a second house build in Cranbrook.
“Gord has been and I’m sure will continue to be a very active citizen in Cranbrook,” said Mayor Pratt. “His dedication and commitment to this community is recognized by many. On behalf of Council and the City, I want to congratulate Gord. He is very deserving of this award.”
The $500 in funding for the Sustainable Community Builder Award comes from the legacy fund left to the Cranbrook and District Community Foundation (CDCF) by the Knights of Pythias, Crescent Lodge #33 of Cranbrook.
The CDCF announced more than $35,000 will be received in 2015 by non-profit organizations serving the local community.
“The CDCF has given over $368,000 to the community since it was established in 2004,” said Riley Wilcox, executive director of the CDCF. “Endowment funds are held in perpetuity, which means the CDCF’s ability to support local non-profits is not only secure and permanent, but will grow stronger every year.
“We congratulate Gord, and thank him for the energy, time and talent he has given to our community throughout the years. We’d also like to acknowledge the incredible work of our grant recipients and local non-profits, and are proud to support them in their efforts to make Cranbrook a vibrant, sustainable, healthy, inclusive, and innovative place to live and grow.”
