Sooke resident Kiana Swift has received the B.C. Fairs Volunteer Youth of the Year Award for her work with the Sooke Fall Fair.
Swift, a Mount Douglas Secondary School student, received the award at B.C. Fairs recent annual general meeting.
The B.C. Fairs’ award recognizes young people deeply engaged as volunteers in local fairs.
Swift, 16, has volunteered with the Sooke Fall Fair for three years.
“I was surprised by the award. All the woman I work with wrote letters in supporting me, that was really endearing,” Swift said.
The Sooke Fall Fair is not the only organization that Swift uses her talent. At school, she plays most sports, volunteers with the Leadership group and helps with several festivals throughout the region.
“I like keeping busy,” Swift said. “I enjoy all the people I get to meet, learned a lot and experienced many new experiences.”
Sooke Fall Fair president Ellen Lewers, who nominated Swift for the award, calls her an “amazing girl,” adding she’ll take on anything she’s asked to do without complaint.
“She’s really enthusiastic, infused with energy. It’s just a blessing to have her here,” Lewers said.
The Volunteer Youth of the Year Award was one of three awards won by the Sooke Fall Fair this year. The other awards were for community engagement and organization accomplishment.
For Lewers, the awards demonstrate the fall fair is going in the right direction.
“It shows if you focus and involve other people and get other people engaged in what you’re doing then it works. The more people you involve, the more people are excited about it.”
The Sooke Fall Fair is held every September.