Guy Epkens-Schaffer is this year’s recipient of the 2022 Bill Konkin Citizen of the Year. He was given this award because of many reasons, some include that he is a key volunteer for several community groups. He helped the Lakes District Festival of the Performing Arts helping plan and execute honours night, setting up the venue, and driving adjudicators.
He is a longtime member of Ride Burns, holding several positions on the board and helping organize events such as the Big Pig, Babes in Balance, and bike camps. Also he has volunteered for the Omineca Ski Club grooming trails, setting up races and being the master of ceremonies at many events. He is a talented musician and donates his time performing in several events across the community.
Because of Covid the last two year’s awards have not been given out but were announced on April 19 along with the 2022 recipient.
The 2021 recipient of the Bill Konkin Citizen of the Year is Lynn Synotte. She has been an incredible asset to the community, giving countless hours volunteering for many organizations. She was one of the first woman to join the Burns Lake Rotary Club and was the club’s first woman president and has also received the Paul Harris Award. She is the driving force behind Lakes Outdoors Recreational Society and has been for the past 15 years. She has for some years sat as a director for the Burns Lake & District Chamber of Commerce, a board member for Lakes District Family Enhancement Society, planning committee member for Regional District of Bulkley Nechako and was the main organizer for the dog park.
Angelika Posselt is the 2020 recipient of the Bill Konkin Citizen of the Year. She has been an active member in the Burns Lake Rotary Club volunteering countless hours in the tennis courts, baseball fields and rotary auction.
Besides being active in the community on a regular basis, she also went above and beyond when the fire at Babine Forest Products occurred, making herself available to be there to support workers and their families.
In the 2018 wild fires she helped organize to get supplies to the Southside and also helped people in other communities that experienced destruction by wild fires or after natural disasters.
She is part of the Burns Lake Community Choir and attends many events with the choir and helps entertain at many events. She also became the manager of the Burns Lake Timbermen hockey team helping run the organization and finding billet homes for many of the players.
Congratulations to all three recipients.
