With Skye the Labradoodle by her side, Trudie BonBernard received the British Columbia Medal of Good Citizenship for her exceptional contributions to the community, including her role in facilitating the St. John Ambulance therapy dog program at TRU.
A packed house gathered on BMO Student Street to witness the long-time community volunteer receive the award presented by Kamloops-South Thompson MLA Todd Stone on behalf of Premier Christy Clark. Bonbernard is the first person from Kamloops to receive the prestigious award.
“I met with Trudie about implementing a therapy dog program on campus three years ago,” said Chelsea Corsi, coordinator of TRU’s Wellness Centre. “Because of her tireless work, dedication and commitment, we were able to launch Therapy Dog Thursday. Three years later it’s the most successful initiative I’ve been part of at TRU and that is in large part thanks to Trudie.”
Her service to the community and countless hours of volunteering have helped promote and significantly expand the service provided by the St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program to residents facing a variety of challenges. Currently, 66 dog-therapy volunteers contribute more than 8,000 hours annually at more than 26 facilities in the Kamloops area, including weekly visits to TRU for the past three years.
“Working with the therapy dog program has given me the greatest satisfaction of any volunteer position I have held. The time I spend on organizing and administrating the program is very rewarding because I know how beneficial therapy dogs can be to so many people in our community,” said BonBernard. “The Kamloops therapy dog teams are brightening lives every day in a wide variety of facilities. It is exciting to look ahead to the future possibilities of how the therapy dog teams might contribute to making Kamloops a strong and healthy community.”
Launched in July 2015 by Premier Clark, the Medal of Good Citizenship recognizes individuals who, through exceptional long-term service, have made outstanding contributions to their communities without expectation of remuneration or reward. The medal reflects their generosity, service, acts of selflessness and contributions to community life.
More information
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