CPS-ECP AGM Awards Highlights
Nov 10, 2022
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AWARD
Agathe Gaulin, Gabriola Squadron, Vancouver Island North District.
Agathe has used her remarkable talents planning, organizing, and delivering boating courses, seminars, and workshops. She gets other Bridge members to volunteer as “specific subject” instructors in all boating courses. Her volunteering goes way beyond the Educational Officer’s role in that she focuses also on increasing the Squadron’s visibility in the Community. Agathe is our Squadron’s best ambassador, speaking glowingly of the advantages of CPS-ECP membership during every class session.
THE OFFICERS OF THE YEAR AWARD
Quebec: Claude Chartier, Escadrille Nautique Lanaudiere, Cartier District
Claude’s availability to his clientele has meant that, despite the minimal Executive Committee of barely 4 members, he has been able to take care of educational requests from people in other sectors who have not found the help they needed elsewhere. Thus, not only did he assist organizations within the region, he even assisted requests from Francophones who came from New Brunswick. While not the marketing officer, Claude has taken the means at his disposal to promote boating safety and CPS-ECP, including promotional banners and the distribution of the Nautiguide, which contains the Transport Canada Safe Boating Guide, to various locations.
Ontario: Andy Meyers, Penetanguishene Squadron, Georgian-Trent District
Andy is an ardent CPS-ECP volunteer, who continues to be a key CPS-ECP member through his enthusiasm, wisdom and encouragement to the Squadron and District Executives as they strive to recover from the pandemic interruption to the usual operations, and to embrace the evolution of new training techniques to encourage the boating public to be safe boaters through CPS-ECP education opportunities. Andy encourages members to consider new approaches to maintain the viability of local Squadrons.
Western: Jenn Doerksen, Port Moody Squadron, Pacific Mainland District
Jenn has created many YouTube videos to promote safe boating, education and membership. She created a Navionics: Tips and Tricks Seminar and Chartplotter video that National has requested to use in a link in Online Boating 2 and 3 Combined and Electronic Navigation. Some of her other YouTube videos include: Get your PCOC, PMPSS Testimonials, CPS Membership Benefits, Santa’s Christmas Ships, Remembrance Day 2021. Her goal is to devote more time to creating more promotional and educational videos in this coming year to be shown on social media, such as Facebook, YouTube, etc.
G. WILLIAM BOWMAN INSTRUCTOR OF THE YEAR AWARD
Anthony (Tony) Read, North Shore Squadron, Pacific Mainland District
In the spring of 2022, Tony and a team of proctors and instructors set up the first full simulcast course. It was a B2/B3 class with 22 in class (the classroom limit) and 21 on Zoom for a total of 43 students. It was a smash hit for both the in-class and at home students as well as for the proctors and instructors. The in-class students liked the flexibility of being able to join when out of town by zoom. And the zoom students liked the visual aspect of being part of a live in-person class. At the end of the course, volunteers came forward to join the squadron executive committee!
Dennis Mansour, Halifax Squadron, Atlantic District
Dennis is a qualified RI having taken Instructor Refresher courses and was an enthusiastic participant the Toolkit Session in Halifax in 2019. He is always available to tutor, meeting students at the local library when they need added instruction; and he keeps in touch with his grads. An avid sailor, Dennis is on the windswept waters of St. Margaret’s Bay practically every day of the boating season. His frequent need for a replacement CPS-ECP flag attests both to the nature of the elements in the Bay and his pride in belonging to the organization.
