The third annual Tim Jones Community Achievement Award was awarded to Shaun Hollingsworth at the opening night of the 19th annual Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival Feb. 12 at Centennial Theatre.
The award is co-presented by VIMFF and North Shore Rescue and is intended to recognize the exceptional contribution or achievement of an individual or a couple in any aspect of the local community.
"For decades Shaun Hollingsworth has volunteered his time towards environmental stewardship and conservation initiatives on the North Shore. As current president of the Seymour Salmonid Society, Shaun's outstanding work ethic and care for the community has led the Seymour Hatchery's efforts towards ensuring safe and sustainable fish passage on the Seymour River. These efforts are especially critical given the 2014 rockslide on the Seymour River, which partially blocked the river and has threatened passage for all fish species," according to nominators Brian Smith and Jeremy Appleton of the Seymour Salmonid Society.
Hollingsworth holds a large number of additional past and current volunteer roles ranging from Canadian co-chairman of the Skagit Environmental Endowment Commission to coach with the North Shore Girls Soccer Association.
"As a relentless supporter of community efforts on the North Shore, Shaun Hollingsworth embodies a work ethic and camaraderie reminiscent of Tim Jones. He constantly encourages community members, North Shore politicians, government agencies, and non-profit organizations to work together in achieving common stewardship goals," wrote Smith and Appleton.
Hollingsworth was chosen from a group of nominees that included Randy Scott, Andrew Wilson, Ean Jackson and Sibylle Tinsel, Rich Wheater, Kevin Vallely, Sara Manlove and Katelynn Potter, Corey Longeway, Greigh Gjerdalen and Enzo Federico.
MEC Adventure Grant
The winners of the MEC Adventure Grant were awarded Friday night at the VIMFF MEC Canadian Adventure Night at the Rio Theatre in Vancouver. According to the VIMFF website, the festival partnered with the retailer for the new grant program to enable local explorers and adventurers to undertake their dream expeditions. The initiative awards funds to local individuals or teams to support Canadian adventures at home or around the world. Recipients are asked to share their resulting story at a future edition of the festival.
This year's winners include: Vancouver-based photographer, filmmaker and paraglider Benjamin Jordan, who, in XBC, hopes to complete the first self-supported crossing of the province (west to east) by paraglider.
Vancouver-born and Squamish-based Evan Guilbault, a Coast Mountains explorer, ultra runner, peak bagger and rock climber, who hopes to repeat John Baldwin and Clarke's Great Skyline Traverses and pioneer new skyline traverses throughout the Coast Range. Powell River's Jeremy Williams and partner Stuart Kohut, who grew up in the Cariboo Chilcotin. Calling their adventure In the Shadow of the Mountains, they plan to complete a self-propelled bush-crash adventure from the Pacific Ocean (Bute Inlet), through the Coast Mountains some 130 kilometres inland to The Chilcotin Plateau.
- compiled by Erin McPhee
