Nominations are closing soon to recognize residents of Maple Ridge who are making a meaningful impact in the community.
The Teesha Sharma Memorial Award is a part of the upcoming Citizen of the Year Awards and is given to someone between the ages of 20 and 40 years whose volunteerism is helping to shape the future of the community.
This distinguished award will be presented at the awards ceremony in April, along with the Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Youth Category for those aged 18 or younger.
Teesha Sharma was a community advocate who dedicated her life to youth mental health. She was awarded a Youth Under 40 Award in 2018 for championing youth in the community. In 2020, the Maple Ridge Community Foundation renamed the Citizen of the Year: Under 40 Award to the Teesha Memorial Award, following her passing in February 2019 at the age of 27.
"Despite facing personal challenges, Teesha remained a beacon of hope, laughter, and inspiration. Her legacy of compassion and resilience continues to shine through the award," said the foundation.
Nominations for the award close on Friday, Feb. 28, and the award will be presented at the celebration event on Saturday, April 12, at Meadow Gardens Golf Club.
The Citizen of the Year Awards is an opportunity to come together and celebrate the individuals who make a difference in the community.
Both Lifetime Achievement and the Youth awards will each be awarded to a Maple Ridge resident who has been a consistent volunteer locally, nationally, and internationally in the fields of arts, culture, athletics, social service groups, service clubs, or other groups that help to enrich the quality of life in Maple Ridge or boost's the city's reputation.
The evening will feature a delicious dinner, auctions for great prizes, and live entertainment, all while honouring the nominees and presenting awards across three categories.
The Maple Ridge Community Foundation is a public foundation established by, and for, the people of Maple Ridge to provide ways to connect donors with causes that matter in their own community, and by facilitating individual, corporate and foundation philanthropy.
To submit a nomination or to purchase tickets for the Citizen of the Year gala go to: https://mrcf.ca/coy/.
