22 area residents receive CBT volunteer awards
By Contributor
Thanks to their commitments to volunteering, 22 Basin residents have received money to pursue post-secondary education or training through the 2010 College Community Service Awards (CCSA), funded by Columbia Basin Trust (CBT).
The $2,000 awards are available to Basin residents who have taken a hiatus of at least one year after completing high school and wish to continue their education. Unlike many awards, they are based on volunteer service, not academic achievement.
“CBT provides these awards to mature students in the Columbia Basin who have been volunteers in their community, helping them further their education while remaining in their region,” said Neil Muth, CBT President and CEO. “The awards have helped adults of all ages-from young parents to 60-year-olds-to pursue their dreams.”
The awards are offered to Basin residents attending Selkirk College, College of the Rockies, Revelstoke Centre of the Okanagan College and Valemount Campus of the College of New Caledonia.
Lindsay Jennings of Nelson is one of the recipients. The 19-year-old, who is studying engineering at Selkirk College, has several volunteering experiences under her belt, including being the youngest member of the North Shore Volunteer Fire Department.
This article is a press release from the Columbia Basin Trust.
“I feel honoured to have received the award and it will go a long way in helping me to achieve my dreams of becoming a civil engineer,” said Jennings. “I choose to volunteer because I want to make a difference in my community. While it can be difficult to juggle volunteering with the responsibilities of life, it makes me feel good to know I’m helping make my neighbourhood a safer place. It has also helped me mature, develop new skills, gain a sense of achievement, meet new people and boost my career opportunities.”
CBT proudly supports students in the Columbia Basin with two scholarship programs: the Youth Community Service Award and the College Community Service Award, both of which are based on volunteer community service rather than academic standing.
CBT delivers economic, social and environmental benefits to the residents of the Columbia Basin. To learn more about CBT programs and initiatives, visit www.cbt.org or call 1.800.505.8998.
