Shawnigan Lake School congratulates The Mill Bay and District Conservation Society on receiving the BC Hydro Community Champion Award for their commitment to improving and enhancing the salmon stock in the Shawnigan Lake watershed.

For the past four years, BC Hydro has sponsored the Community Champion program which encourages grade 4 to 12 classes around British Columbia to nominate environmental organizations that are making a difference in their local community. The Mill Bay and District Conservation Society won the award this year for their ongoing volunteer efforts in sustaining the salmon run in Shawnigan Creek and support the Shawnigan Lake School Hatchery program. As part of the award, BC Hydro Community Relations Manager Ted Olynyk presented the Society with a donation of $1,500, for their conservation efforts.

The Society's nomination came from Shawnigan Lake School, which has been working together with volunteers from the conservation group for approximately 10 years. Grade 12 student Lisa U. submitted the official nomination letter based on her firsthand experience working with the Society, "From a personal standpoint, our school is very lucky to have a close relationship with these volunteers for they provide the broodstock for our Hatchery program. We are thrilled to work hand in hand with the Mill Bay and District Conservation Society, and always enjoy helping this team whenever the use of young legs are needed. The continuous dedication shown by the Society volunteers is truly inspirational".

The Mill Bay and District Conservation Society plays a vital role in the Shawnigan community. The dedicated volunteers put tremendous amounts of effort into ensuring that the Shawnigan Creek salmon run is a success each year by helping returning salmon navigate seven impassible waterfalls through the Shawnigan watershed. The volunteers do this by constructing traps for the returning Coho and running a shuttle system to transport them 30 meters up to road level where they are transported to the watershed to reach their spawning grounds. The Mill Bay and District Conservation Society has been active for 31 years and is comprised of volunteers ranging in age from early teens through to the seventies.

The BC Hydro Community Champion program is an opportunity for young residents to engage with their local community groups to learn how to make an environmental difference. It works in concert with other Power Smart youth initiatives and the conservation ethic already introduced by BC Hydro.