A Pitt Meadows teen killed in a car crash last October will be honoured by Miss World Canada.
The pageant and Variety Club of B.C. will hand out the Beckie Dyer Community Spirit Award for the first time this year to a contestant who emulates the late 19-year-old.
“A large portion of what makes a good Miss World candidate is their community service,” said Andrew Forshner, a special events coordinator with the Variety Club of B.C., a charity for which Dyer clocked countless hours as a volunteer.
“Beckie was one of the top young volunteers. We feel that we need to have Beckie be a symbol for our girls.”
The Miss World Canada pageant celebrates “Beauty with a Purpose” with delegates fundraising for Variety – The Children’s Charity as part of the competition.
Dyer and her boyfriend, Johnny De Oliveira, 21, were killed on Oct. 19 when a Toyota Paseo, heading east on Lougheed, skidded sideways over a concrete median near Harris Road.
The Toyota flipped over and slammed into the roof of the Suzuki Swift that Dyer and De Oliveira were travelling in.
Investigators allege the woman in the Toyota was driving aggressively when she crashed. She has yet to be charged.
As a teen, Beckie spent hours of her free time helping charities such as Variety, the Ridge Meadows Hospital Foundation, Pitt Meadows Day and the Network for Animals.
She won the 2009 Lynn Papp Award for her volunteer work in the city and vied three times for the title of Miss Teen B.C.
Debbie Dyer said her daughter loved participating in the Miss Teen pageant because its mission was “Beauty with A Purpose.”
“Beckie was able to do amazing things within the community and has touched the lives of so many because of the growth, guidance and self confidence the pageant instilled in her,” added Debbie Dyer.
“I am deeply honoured that the Miss World Canada is promoting an award in her name.”
The award will be based on online voting, the contestant’s fundraising abilities, scrapbooking and their volunteer work in the community.
It will be given out on May 19.