Selection Committee
Citizen of the Year
Out of all the wonderful Bowen individuals who have been granted the annual Citizen of the Year award, two couples have previously won: Ross and Lois Meyers-Carter in 2007, and Don and Dianne Marshall in 2013. Among the flurry of submissions this year, another pair have shone through: David and Shirley Wrinch. The couple, who have spent countless hours donating their time and costumes to previous Bowfest parades, will now get to join the floats themselves.
David and Shirley have volunteered on an ongoing basis at a variety of organizations on the Island. David has provided technical support for seasonal exhibits at the Museum, including the yearly Teddy Bear Christmas exhibit. He has volunteered for numerous Bowen festivals, Tourism Bowen, and with the Royal Canadian Legion.
From Friday Night Dinners to Community Lunches, David and Shirley have both devoted numerous volunteer hours to the Legion, where David served as president for the 2013-2014 term. As Chair of the Eagle Cliff Water System Local Advisory Committee and president of the recycling depot, David has strove to maintain the community’s sustainable connection to the island and its resources.
Many visitors who stopped by the vintage photo booth during Steamship Days at the Bowen Island Museum and Archives can boast that they wore a variety of Shirley’s fine creations. Calling her on short notice, Museum staff had to plead that “we may prove to be worse than actors” when it comes to schedule changes and costume requests. While recently working on the new documentary for our exhibit, we arrived at her home hoping for four dresses and a few shirts: we came out with 12.
To any occasion, Shirley arrives full of enthusiasm, warmth, and a hint of theatricality. Well known for her costuming talents and the ability to transform simple bedsheets into a fabulous gown, Shirley is not sparing when it comes to loaning out her creations. Tir-na-nOg Theatre School, Theatre on the Isle and Green Man Festival would not have the same magic without her vast collection of pleated, beaded, hemmed and pressed costumes.
that she has provided through the years. Running a hand down the lines of colourful outfits hung in her walk-in wardrobe transports you from era to era. Shirley’s fairy-tale world of attire is matched by her love for this community; she also volunteers at the famous Knick Knack Nook and the Friday Lunch Program at BICS.
David and Shirley are a wonderful team who continuously bring light to the community through their services, commitments, and overall love for the Island.
The Citizen of the Year award is a merely a way for the community to formally recognize the countless – and ongoing – hours that both of them have contributed to local projects, organizations, and to the arts and cultural community on Bowen.
The independent selection committee for the Citizen of Year award would also like to acknowledge all the other nominees for their outstanding contributions to our community. In particular, Peter King, who has almost single-handily transformed transportation on this island for commuters that goes well beyond what would be expected of a local business to improve the lives our citizens.
Submitted by The Citizen of the Year Selection Committee and the Bowen Island Museum & Archives
