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Many making a difference

Mayor Kerry Cook on the TRU convocation, RCMP, United Steelworkers, the Children's Festival, and the Lakers Car Club Show and Shine.

The Thompson Rivers University convocation Friday night was an emotional event for me.

We welcomed a special guest, Paul St. Pierre, as he received an honorary degree. Many people from the Kamloops campus came to see this great man honoured.

Williams Lake appreciates the commitment from Kamloops to our TRU Williams Lake. Valedictorian Shawna Sellars, one of my students, is an amazing woman and a real inspiration to me. She has overcome tremendous hardships and has made a real difference to her family and her community. The day before, I attended a reception to meet the production team from HGTV and the History Channel to do pre-production work on a TV program being produced about Pioneer Log Homes. It’s great to have a positive story about the heart of a local Cariboo family and company. We’re looking for the green light for this show to go forward!

I also attended the presentation of his parchment to Inspector Warren Brown. Commissions in the RCMP come from the Privy Council Office in Ottawa, and are formalized in a parchment signed by the governor general. Inspector Brown is doing an incredible job for our community, and his dedication to reducing crime and increasing safety has been evident since he arrived in Williams Lake. I also recognized the commitment of his members and Community Policing volunteers, who give so much to keep our community safe.

On Saturday, I attended the United Steelworkers Local 1-425 annual general meeting. I was honoured to be asked to speak, and I told the members that labour is the backbone of our community. At the city, we rely on our union staff every day to provide services to residents.

On Sunday, I attended the Children’s Festival and the Lakers Car Club Show and Shine with my grandson, and we both loved it all. It was a beautiful day, and we spent hours at the festival and the show, and my grandson helped me pick out the Mayor’s Choice car. Many thanks to the organizers of these events. They made for a fabulous day!

Kerry Cook is the mayor of Williams Lake.