Sharing Stories of Sponsorship

An idea that has blossomed into overwhelming community support: from the Executive Director of the local Chamber of Commerce, Denielle Isberg and Mackenzie Mayor Stephanie Killam launching a community challenge to the Mackenzie Times newspaper and CHMM 1035 radio station advertising this community initiative.

Funds are being collected at the local district office where staff are keeping track of anyone who donates $25 or more to ensure they receive a charitable tax receipt for their contribution. The community is working together to reach the $1,500 goal and is hoping to celebrate their bench sponsorship in October.

The district office is taking suggestions for the final wording on the bronze-casted plaque and local DJ, “JD Mackenzie,” will announce the winner on the radio.

Way to go Mackenzie!

Based in Castlegar, David started to discuss the idea with his colleagues across the province and after a few e-mails and phone calls Teck agreed to sponsor 11 benches in parks near the communities where they operate. “We wanted to support BC Parks’ 100th anniversary,” said David Goosen. “This sponsorship was a great opportunity to give back to the communities where we operate, and at the same time support an important part of our province’s unique natural heritage.”

Thanks to Teck, British Columbians can rest their weary feet on benches in 11 different provincial parks and enjoy one of the many inviting vistas that BC Parks’ has to offer.

They have decided to sponsor a park bench in Garibaldi Provincial Park to commemorate their family’s history.

Garibaldi Park, named after the towering 2,678 metre peak (Mount Garibaldi), was designated a provincial park in 1927. Although the Daltons’ ascent occurred three years before BC Parks was established and 20 years before the park was designated, this ascent marks a significant point in the history of Garibaldi Provincial Park – and the Dalton family.

The Dalton Family bench pays tribute to both W.T and A.T. Dalton and will be installed near the Elfin Lakes Shelter in the Diamond Head area of Garibaldi Provincial Park. We hope you have the chance to visit this bench and stare in awe at the majestic Mount Garibaldi that was climbed for the first time, 104 years ago.

Jim was an avid photographer from northern Vancouver Island who was always snapping photos of wildlife and loved visiting Elk Falls Provincial Park. Jim’s wife Linda was contacted by the Flickr group and was touched that the group wanted to commemorate her husband even though many of them had never met him in person.

In early July, Jim’s Flickr friends rallied together to raise money for the bench. Donations started to come in from 11 different states, two provinces and as far away as the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. In fact, the Flickr’ group raised the $1,500 required to sponsor a bench - as well as $335 extra! They decided to donate the extra money in Jim’s name to the Nature Conservancy of Canada.

Next time you are in Elk Falls Provincial Park... take a rest on Jim Dubois’ bench to pay tribute to the avid photographer who is greatly missed by his wife, Linda, and his Flickr friends from across the world.

Dale disliked funerals and at her request there was no service. Instead, she asked Norm to have her cremated when she died and to scatter her ashes at their home, a 5-acre parcel of park-like land in South Surrey. Dale loved her home and reminded Norm that her ashes were really just bone chips and after two or three grass cuttings the ashes would be reduced to bone meal, an excellent fertilizer which would enable her to keep the lawn green and growing.

Her wishes were honoured but Norm still felt something more was needed in her memory. That need was answered when he saw the ad in the summer issue of British Columbia Magazine for the BC Parks’ 100 for 100 Park Bench Challenge, so he chose to sponsor a bench in Dale’s memory in Peace Arch Provincial Park; the closest provincial park to their home.

Norm hopes that Dale’s family and friends will remember this remarkable woman who touched the lives of so many when they visit her bench in Peace Arch Provincial Park.

As the land was gifted in memory of Denis Pelletier’s late parents, BC Parks installed a "100 for 100" park bench on the newly acquired park land in their honour.

The property is within the Ponderosa Pine Biogeoclimatic Zone, which is one of four zones that are of provincial conservation concern. It is rare, being less than one percent of the provincial land base, and listed by B.C.’s Conservation Data Centre (CDC) as being of special concern due to high losses from residential and agricultural development.

Mr. Pelletier’s generous donation has left a legacy for British Columbians; we hope you have an opportunity to visit the Pelletier family bench and enjoy the view of this rare ecosystem and contribution to BC Parks.