Salt Spring Island’s Richard Murakami was among forty-seven British Columbians representing 32 communities throughout the province who were honoured at the seventh annual BC Community Achievement Awards ceremony held at Government House in Victoria on April 28, 2010.
Lieutenant Governor Steven Point and Premier Gordon Campbell presented each recipient with a medallion on behalf of the BC Achievement Foundation.
“These forty-seven individuals exemplify the characteristics and accomplishments of British Columbians who have helped shape our province,” said Premier Campbell. “They are citizens from all over the province whose contributions, leadership and inspiration have helped make British Columbia one of the best places to live in the world.”
“They are dedicated individuals who share the most valuable of today’s commodities; time and compassion. What they all have in common is a passion for the people and places where they live and a strong commitment to making a difference,” said Keith Mitchell, chair of the British Columbia Achievement Foundation.
Richard Murakami Salt Spring Island
Richard quietly and unassumingly gives and gives to his community. He contributes with small gestures and large, from kind acts of generosity at his auto repair business to donations to sports teams, school projects, the Japanese Gardens, and Lady Minto Hospital Foundation. Today, we honour Richard for his most significant contribution…his donation of land, valued at 1.2 million dollars, for a social housing project to ensure that young families and those that want to stay on the Island have a place to live. He does all of this against the backdrop of growing up in family that was interned during the war and struggled to rebuild their lives. Richard is a caring, supportive, generous and much-loved member of the Salt Spring Island community.
On hand to support Richard at the ceremony at Government house were the two nominators, Gail Sibley of SSI and Judy Hanazawa, along with Ron Nishimura, his sisters, Rose and Mary, brother-in-law Tosh, his nephew Landon Kitagawa and niece Karen Bennett.
