Outstanding Canadians on the Peninsula

White Rock Outstanding Canadians on the Peninsula Legacy Program is the primary program for recognizing the contributions of citizens in making White Rock a successful, vibrant and harmonious community. The Outstanding Canadian on the Peninsula represents the highest form of recognition the City can extend to it's residents. Contributions from the Award Recipients may be related to arts, culture, environment, business and commerce, humanities, recreation, community service, education, health or medical fields.

View the White Rock Outstanding Canadians on the Peninsula Legacy Program - Council Policy.

  1. 2022 Award Recipients
  1. Ramona Kaptyn
  2. Marie Sabine
  3. Upkar Singh Tatlay

Ramona Kaptyn

Ramona Kaptyn

2022 Outstanding Canadian on the Peninsula Award recipient, Ramona Kaptyn, has served the White Rock community as a volunteer and advocate for more than a decade. Ramona’s advocacy focus is on improving quality of life for seniors. She is President of Canadian Association of Retired Persons (CARP) White Rock/Surrey and is on the Steering Committee of the Semiahmoo Seniors Planning Table. Both organizations bring a variety of educational and social events to the community to prevent older adult isolation and inspire friendships. Ramona is also Chair of the Seniors Advisory Committee of Seniors on the Move which aims to activate better transportation options for older adults. She serves on a variety of other committees and recently completed seven years on the board of the South Surrey/White Rock Chamber of Commerce. 

A graduate of both Ryerson University (Journalism) and the University of Toronto (Education and Political Science), Ramona has worked as a reporter, travel writer, editor, teacher, hotel managing director, event planner and fundraiser in Canada, Australia, England and Spain. From 2002 to 2008, she worked in international development in Southeast Asian countries to contribute to a more equitable world. 

Ramona currently works from her home office as B.C. representative for Toronto's Sheraton Parkway Hotel. She landed in White Rock/South Surrey quite by accident in July 2009; she loves it here and feels “home at last”.

Past Recipients

  1. 2018 Award Recipients
  1. Cliff Annable
  2. Moti Bali
  3. Michael MacKay-Dunn
  4. Bill Wallace

Cliff Annable has been a self-employed businessman since 1971 and President of Commerce Pacific Holdings ltd. He has been married to his ‘Bestus' Friend, Maureen, since May 30th, 1970. Together, they have two grown children, Shawn & Janet. He has been an avid contributor to the City of White Rock and a resident for over 30 years. Cliff joined the Rotary Club of Semiahmoo in 1994 and was elected president of the club in 2009, furthermore he is the president of the Rotary field house society and was the Director of Semiahmoo Volunteer Community Policing Society from 1994-2010. 

Cliff has made several contributions to the Air cadet committee such as instructing Navigation and Meteorology with 746 Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron, being a past Chair Of 746 Royal Canadian Air Cadet Sponsoring Committee.

His passions don’t end there though, Cliff has made several accomplishments within the hockey community here in White Rock. He has coached numerous hockey teams, was the owner of the South Surrey Eagles Junior “A” Hockey team from 1993-2000 and became director of White Rock Minor Hockey Association in 1988.

It is clear Cliff cared deeply for his community and wanted to contribute to the success of White Rock. He was a recipient Of Numerous Community Achievement And Recognition Awards and was nominated For The White Rock/South Surrey Chamber Of Commerce “Businessman Of The Year” Award in 2001.

  1. 2015 Award Recipients
  1. Scott Harrold
  1. 2014 Award Recipients
  1. Marilena Flückiger

Marilena completed a degree in education at SFU and taught elementary school for seven years specializing in art education. She then attended Douglas College where she studied Interior Design before returning to SFU to complete a degree in General Studies with a Major in Psychology.

She served as Human Resources and Communications Manager at Fleetwood Sausage Ltd., the family business, before it was sold in 1992. In 1994, she and her husband, Peter, designed and built Blue Star Cold Storage, with locations in both Vancouver and Calgary. She presently works as a personal interior design shopper for clients both locally and in Arizona.

Marilena has been involved in many community projects and organizations. She was Director of the Swiss Canadian Chamber of Commerce and Director of the White Rock Tourism Board. Also, in recent years she was Chair of the White Rock Communities in Bloom Committee and Chair of the Public Arts Committee. She is presently serving as President of the white Rock Museum & Archives Society Board and is an advisor on the White Rock Public Art Task Force. She is also currently a Director on the Kwantlen Polytechnic University Foundation Board and serves on the East Beach Restoration Task Force for the City of White Rock. Having completed the Vandusen botanical Garden Master* Gardening Program in 1992 Marilena regularly volunteers as a Master Gardener.

In 2014 Marilena was named a White Rock Outstanding Canadian on the Peninsula for her service to the community.

She and her husband, Peter have lived in White Rock for over 30 years.

  1. 2013 Award Recipients
  1. Barbara Cooper
  2. Judy Jordison
  3. Jack McLachlan

Barbara Cooper was born and raised in Vancouver. She trained to be a primary school teacher in the mid 1960s at UBC where she studied Music Appreciation, Art History and specialized in Library Science.

After teaching Grade 2 in the Okanagan for a year, Barbara accepted a teacher-librarian position in Surrey in 1970, and moved to White Rock seven years later. She continued working in libraries at both the elementary and secondary level throughout her career (including local schools, H.T. Thrift and Earl Marriott) as well as serving the district as the Library and Learning Resources Helping Teacher. Over the span of her working life she served on many committees, helped to organize numerous events and conferences and was on the editorial board of the BCTLA's professional publication, The Bookmark. Barbara pursued her M.Ed degree at SFU, graduating in 1991 with first class honours. While at SFU she also coordinated the Summer Institute on Global Education.

Barbara finished her teaching career at Fleetwood Park Secondary. Working with the art teacher there, she helped to develop a week-long school-wide event which saw First Nations arts and culture integrated into such diverse curriculum areas as chemistry and computer studies. For this and other similar initiatives throughout her teaching career, she was honoured with the Prime Minister's Award for Teaching Excellence.

Following retirement in 2002, Barbara found time to travel and took up photography with a passion. She is a member of the board of directors of Semiahmoo Arts, spearheading various initiatives and eventually occupying the president's chair for three of her six years on the executive. She also served on arts-related civic committees in both White Rock (Cultural Committee one year as chair; Conversation on the Arts; Cultural Mapping; Uptown Design Charette; Art Economic Task Force), and in Surrey (South Surrey Arts Space; Cultural Development Advisory Committee; Surrey Cultural Granting Task Force).

In 2013, Barbara was named a White Rock Outstanding Canadian on the Peninsula for her innovative leadership and significant contributions in promoting arts and culture. She is grateful for the opportunity to meet and work with artists and others who share her passion for the arts, and to serve the community at large.

Barbara lives in White Rock with her supportive husband, Jack. They have nine terrific grandchildren. She now owns a mug that says: Stop me before I volunteer.

  1. 2012 Award Recipients
  1. Pat Patton
  2. Pat Petrala
  3. Polly Tays

Pat Patron was born in England and lived in Australia and Ireland before coming to Canada with her husband in 1970 and starting a family. She has been a White Rock resident for almost thirty years.

Pat began volunteering for Meals on Wheels as a driver in 1985 and eventually became president of the organization. She volunteers many hours organizing other volunteers and meals. She takes special interest in all her clients, visiting them when they're sick, or in hospital and attending funerals if, unfortunately, they pass away. She is eternally cheerful, patient, happy and smiling and has a nice clear voice that the elderly can hear. For special occasions and holidays she always makes sure there are special treats and theme napkins to make things cheery. Her cheerful and dedicated leadership of Meals on Wheels for almost three decades has brought good health and cheer to many of our valued citizens and enables them to remain in their homes in health and dignity.

  1. 2011 Award Recipients
  1. Elizabeth Keeling
  2. Ellen Kennett
  3. Linda Klitch
  4. Joe O'Malley
  5. Terry Parr

Elizabeth was born in Ladner, BC, in 1907, to an American mother and an English father. She and her younger brother, Temple, were orphaned at a young age, and brought up by an aunt and uncle in New Westminster.

After extensive study at the Toronto Conservatory of Music, she settled in White Rock in 1950, building a house at the corner of Fir and Columbia that soon became a centre of artistic and cultural activity. In her capacity as assistant to the librarian, Elizabeth introduced the weekly story hour for children at the White Rock library in 1951.

For the next half century, Elizabeth was involved in, and often initiated, the establishment of every club of this nature in the community. They included the White Rock Choral Society, White Rock Overture Concert Society, Peace Arch Weavers Guild later Peace Arch Weavers and Spinners), White Rock Historical Society, the Elizabeth Foundation (now the Peninsula Arts Foundation), and the White Rock Museum & Archives Society.

To celebrate thirty years as a White Rock resident, Elizabeth hired a contingent of the Vancouver Symphony orchestra to perform in White Rock for the enjoyment of many fellow residents and friends.

In addition to opening her home for events, Elizabeth provided generous financial support to any cause that caught her interest.

In 1993, she inspired and financed the publication of "The History of the Arts in White Rock', and later she provided funding for research for Lorraine Ellenwood's history of White Rock, 'Years of Promise.

When Elizabeth died in 2003, she bequeathed a significant endowment to the White Rock Museum & Archives. She must be considered one of White Rock's truest friends.

  1. 2008 Award Recipients
  1. Chip Barret
  2. Margaret Cuthbert
  3. Caroline Foster
  4. Elizabeth Hollick
  5. Tom Kirstein
  6. Lesley Maudsley
  7. Mary Mikelson
  8. David Riley
  9. Dr. Roy Strang
  10. David Webb
  11. Edith and Alan Webster
  12. Patricia Zondag

Chip Barrett was born and grew up in Toronto. After graduating from Upper Canada College in 1964, he attended Ryerson Institute of Technology and UBC, graduating with degrees in English, Fine Arts and Architecture. In 1967 he was drafted by the Toronto Argonauts. He played in the CFL until 1972 when he resigned to focus on his education and begin a career in architecture.

As an architect his projects included many seniors and social housing developments, condominium apartments and townhouses, industrial buildings as well as the Phoenix Centre 64 Bed Residential Treatment Centre in Surrey, the Riverside Business Centre in Richmond and the Alpine Meadows Resort Lodge Church and Stables in Clearwater B. C. He is a Member of the Architectural Institute of B.C., of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada and of the Alberta Association of Architects. For his work he has received the City of White Rock Commercial Design Award, the City of New Westminster Institutional Builders' Award and the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver Industrial Building Award.

Chip co-founded the Canadian Open Sandcastle competition that attracted over a million people to White Rock between 1979 and 1987. His community mindedness has led him to be involved in wide variety of events and organizations, including Director of the BC Summer Games, Trustee of the Peace Arch Hospital, coach of little league baseball and minor hockey, Advisor to the Boards of the White Rock Summer Theatre and the White Rock Players Club, Board Member of the Peace Arch Community Services Foundation, and Chairman of the Community Christmas Day Dinner.

Chip is an Honorary Life Member of the Architectural Institute of British Columbia and was awarded the Order of White Rock in 2008. He and his wife Cindy have two adult children and live in South Surrey.

  1. 2006 Award Recipients
  1. Edith "Granny" Vidal
  2. George and Dr. Beth Scott
  3. Margaret and Dick Lower
  4. Roy Jelly
  5. Scott Wheeler

A true pioneer of White Rock, Edith "Granny" Vidal spent summers camping on the shores of Semiahmoo Bay as early as 1903. She left England for Canada in the 1890's settling in New Westminster with her husband Adam Rolph. Mr. Rolph perished in the Valencia disaster of 1906 leaving Edith with five children. She remarried in 1907 to James Henty Vidal and moved to White Rock, traveling from New Westminster by ox cart along the Semiahmoo trail.

In 1919 she opened the Auditorium dance hall and theatre on Marine Drive at Vidal Street, the first building in White Rock specifically designed for dancing, sporting and entertainment. There was such excitement on opening night that the train coming from Blaine was over an hour late packed with eager patrons.

One of her many projects included working to improve sidewalk construction to make the streets safer for seniors and children. She was a keen supporter of the local Boy Scouts and was active in many community organizations such as the horticultural club, the lawn bowling club, the Legion Auxiliary and the tennis club. 

Undoubtedly her most lasting contribution to the community was as one of the original organizers of the White Rock Amateur Swimming Association. From its inception in 1919 to her death in 1964 she remained passionately involved in WRASA. As a mother of eight children, WRASA's motto "Teach a Child to Swim and Save a Life" must have had special meaning. Over the decades, Granny was universally acknowledged as the matriarch of the swim club and perhaps even of White Rock itself.

  1. 2005 Award Recipients
  1. George Bryant
  2. Lorraine Ellenwood
  3. Michael Lane
  4. Bill and Mary Macgregor
  5. Don Munro
  6. Mary Sanford

George grew up in Devonshire England, and in his youth worked as a gardener on a large estate. The meticulous and caring nature of the work seems to have destined George for a life of nurturing and kindness.

After serving in the Second World War he came to Canada, settling in White Rock in 1959. He joined the local legion and the Sea Festival Society, and in 1963 he was hired as the City's first gardener. His effect on the look and the feel of the community was immediate and long lasting. In his seventeen-year career as White Rock's Parks Foreman he created MacCaud Park, landscaped areas of the city, such as Five Corners, Maple Street and Columbia Avenue, as well as lining many of White Rock's Streets with trees.

When George wasn't gardening, he was looking for a way to lend a hand in the community. During his working life and into his retirement he was an avid volunteer. Arranging the children's parade for 15 years, initiating the construction of the Cenotaph in 1967, playing a convincing Santa Claus for 37 years, founding the White Rock Coordinating society (which became Peace Arch Community Services), and founding the annual Christmas Day dinner for those who would otherwise spend Christmas alone, are just a few of the many ways George contributed to our community.

In 1980 he was the first recipient of the Semiahmoo Lions Club Citizen of the Year Award. In 1984 the Federal Ministry of Health and Welfare chose him for their 'Lifestyle Award', describing him as having "improved the quality of life within the community". George died on January 23rd, 2000, at the age of 86.

Awards Ceremony

Recipients of the Outstanding Canadians on the Peninsula award are recognized annually during the City’s Canada Day by the Bay celebrations and during a Regular Meeting.