The Similkameen News Leader
Sports Page - April 07, 2009
THOMSON RECEIVES AWARD
On Tuesday, March 24th, ProMOTION Plus honoured Sherri Thomson and Amber Zirnhelt, this year's Bobbie Steen Award of Excellence recipients at the annual ceremony, held in conjunction with Sport BC President's Awards at the River Rock Casino in Richmond, BC.
Congratulations to everyone who was nominated for the phenomenal work that you do for women and girls in sport. The Career Achievement Award recognizes outstanding role models who have, over the course of their career championed women in sport and physical activity.
2009 CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: SHERRI THOMSON
Sherri was drawn to the grace and power of horses early in her life. Over the course of her extensive career as an athlete, coach and trainer, Sherri has become a magnet for young female riders and loves to share her knowledge and passion for the sport of Reining with these young competitors. Sherri's phenomenal work ethic makes her an amazing role model who has had a profound impact on the lives of her young protégés. This is evidenced by the love and dedication of her students to Reining, and by the fact that they spend most of their free time working with Sherri and the horses. The Development Award of $1,500 is given to an individual or organization for a new or existing program or for professional development which champions women in sport and physical activity.
2009 DEVELOPMENT AWARD: AMBER ZIRNHELT
Amber has been running Girl Power programs for adolescent females since 2002. She has delivered Girl Power workshops in Vancouver and Williams Lake, BC as well as in Edinburgh, Scotland where she studied community planning and recreational management in 2005. The development award will support Amber's goal to create a culturally relevant model of her program for aboriginal women in BC. Once the pilot program is complete, Amber will work with and train young women from the Tseshaht First Nation as Girl Power facilitators. With Amber's support, these women will then be able to deliver the program in their own community.
Congratulations Sherri and Amber!
The Bobbie Steen Awards of Excellence are presented annually by the following partners: BC Games Society, BC Sport and Recreation Branch, Sport BC and ProMOTION Plus. The Bobbie Steen Awards of Excellence were created to recognize outstanding individuals or organizations who demonstrate exemplary leadership in sport and recreation, promoting access and opportunity for girls and women in the province of British Columbia. The next nomination deadline will be February 2010.
The nomination for Thomson appears on Page 12.
