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Emotional start for cancer ride Cops for Cancer make Chilliwack stop The Canadian Cancer Society’s 2015 Cops for Cancer Tour de Valley got off to an emotional start Thursday morning at Abbotsford senior secondary school. With hundreds of students and law enforcement officers looking on, fiveyear-old Greta Loewen distributed handmade ribbons to the riders, as they prepared to embark on their 850-kilometre nine-day journey to raise awareness and money for pediatric cancer research and Camp Goodtimes. The riders will journey from Abbotsford to Boston Bar to Tsawwassen, stopping at businesses and dozens of schools along the way. They pulled into downtown Chilliwack just after noon on Thursday, stopping for a quick lunch before heading out again along Yale Road. Before leaving Abbotsford, Loewen was joined by other childhood cancer survivors. But the absence of one young man long-affiliated with the Tour de Valley was also felt deeply. Earlier this year, Brandon Radnai, Continued: COPS/ p9
Riders taking part in the annual Cops for Cancer Tour de Valley cycle through downtown Chilliwack Thursday on the first day of their journey to raise money for the Canadian Cancer Society. The riders will journey from Abbotsford to Boston Bar to Tsawwassen, stopping at businesses and dozens of schools along the way.
Chilliwack mourns passing of long time school trustee Jessica Peters The Progress Long time Chilliwack school trustee Martha Wiens has passed away. Wiens had been a trustee for more than two decades, and was a frequent visitor to the schools where she acted as a liaison for the board. She was first elected in the Nov. 17, 1990 election, narrowly beating future Mayor Sharon Gaetz. The election results were close
enough for a recount, but Wiens won by a mere 12 votes. In that same election, John Les had b e e n voted in as mayor, and Clint Hames as councillor. Prior to her work as a trustee, Wiens had been the returning officer for the Chilliwack-Kent electoral district, and held an
accounting career. In her most recent term as trustee, Wiens was liaison at McCammon, F.G. Leary, Bernard, and East Chilliwack elementary schools. She sat on the budget and audit committees. The school board released a statement on Thursday morning. “It is with sadness that we share the news that one of our long serving trustees, Martha Wiens, passed away peacefully
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Byelection likely The loss of school board trustee Martha Wiens will likely trigger the need for a byelection. With so much time left in this term, the board is mandated to fill the now-vacant position. Section 36 of the school act spells out the process for filling board vacancies, and orders boards to appoint a chief election officer within 30 days, or to notify the municipal council to do the same. The election day must be set for no later than 80 days after the appointment of that officer. If no byelection is held, the minister of
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last evening, surrounded by family. Martha was a dedicated and valued member of our Board of Education, who tirelessly gave of herself and her time, commitment and energy, in support of students in the district. We will miss Martha. Our thoughts and sympathies are with Martha’s family and friends and we join them in mourning.” There will be a service to honour Wiens, with details to come in the near future.
ADDITIONAL
education can appoint a trustee. The last school trustee byelection was held in Chilliwack in 2013, when trustee Louise Piper resigned following an extended medical leave. At that time, the byelection was estimated to cost the school board about $50,000. Dan Coulter earned his place on the board, although voter turnout was dismal. Six candidates threw their hat in the ring, but only 2.3 per cent of eligible voters showed up at the polls. Chilliwack school board has not yet announced a time line for a byelection.
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