Mission was declared a five-bloom community at the 10th annual Provincial Communities in Bloom (C in B) Awards ceremony earlier this month in Kamloops.
The district also received the Community Showcase Award for the work done at Spirit Square at the waterfront during B.C. Days, and local C in B Society president Bert Pulles was named Community Champion, the top award for a volunteer.
"I was flabbergasted with the Community Champion Award," said Pulles, who attended the provincial awards Oct. 4-5 with the local society's vice-president Clair Ryles. "I never expected it."
The recipient is selected by the provincial board of directors and this is only the second year the award has been given out. In addition to the certificate, Pulles also brought home a checker board and with the names of the two top volunteers engraved on the game pieces. He hopes to have the award displayed at the Leisure Centre before it has to be returned and given out to the winner next year.
In addition for his work in Mission, Pulles has also made himself available to serve on the B.C. board of directors for C in B, and will be mentoring volunteers in Maple Ridge to get that community involved in the organization again.
Pulles joined C in B in 2006 when then-mayor James Atebe talked about volunteering in the community.
"He motivated me," said Pulles. "I knew nothing about Communities in Bloom at the time."
And once he started, he couldn't stop. "I enjoyed it so much."
Atebe will be the keynote speaker at the Mission C in B annual meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. at the Leisure Centre.
Anyone interested in learning more about the group, or volunteering, is invited to attend. The Leisure Centre is located at 7650 Grand St.