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Jean Vanier Press Release
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Scotiabank Press Release
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
December 30, 2008 |
Jean Vanier, Founder of L'Arche,
Receives the 2008 Nation Builder Award
Vancouver, British Columbia - Jean Vanier, founder of L’Arche, and son of the late Governor General, Georges P. Vanier, has been named Nation Builder of 2008 by The Globe and Mail.
A lecturer and prolific writer, Vanier is probably best known in Canada for his bestselling collection of essays, Becoming Human. He does not consider himself a philosopher, rather a man in search of meaning.
At the age of 13, during World War II, Vanier left Quebec City and his family to join Britain’s Royal Navy. Although he began his adult life believing it was his duty to participate in war, Jean Vanier has devoted most of his life to learning about and building peace—internal, personal peace; peace between individuals; and peace in communities.
Forty-four years ago, Vanier welcomed two developmentally disabled men from a local institution to his home named L’Arche (The Ark) in France. He had no idea that this very personal commitment would inspire a worldwide movement or that it would one day be recognized as an act of nation-building.
A social visionary, Vanier’s concept of a great society is one based on the acceptance, even the welcoming, of human weakness and vulnerability—our own, and that of others. The origin of this vision lies in the friendships he has cultivated in L'Arche, with men and women who live essentially by their hearts. One of the great spiritual leaders of our time, Jean Vanier lives in France, in the village of Trosly-Breuil, home to one of the 134 L'Arche communities around the world.
The Nation Builder Award is given annually by The Globe and Mail’s editorial team to an outstanding Canadian who unifies and inspires us and, in so doing, makes us a better people and this a better country.
Locally, L’Arche Greater Vancouver was recently recognized as the “Not-for-Profit Organization of the Year” by the City of Burnaby and the Burnaby Board of Trade for their outstanding contribution to the Burnaby community and its citizens. The L’Arche Greater Vancouver community was founded in 1974 and is comprised of six homes and two day programs. Jean Vanier has visited L’Arche Greater Vancouver on several occasions and where he is recognized as founder and friend.
L’Arche Greater Vancouver belongs to an International Federation working in 34 countries across the globe. There are 29 L’Arche communities in Canada, from Comox Valley to Cape Breton. L’Arche fosters a community environment where the gifts of people with developmental disabilities can be revealed through mutually transforming relationships.
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For more information contact:
Denise Haskett, Executive Director and Community Leader, L’Arche Greater Vancouver
604-778-990 ext. 2246 E-mail: dhaskett@larchevancouver.org
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
November 14, 2008 |
MEDIA RELEASE
L’Arche Named Not-for-Profit Organization of the Year
Denise Haskett, Trudi Shaw and Sue Allen of L’Arche Greater Vancouver receive the Not-for-Profit Organization Award from Dirk Odenwald of ABC Recycling, the sponsor of our award category.
L’Arche Greater Vancouver’s Denise Haskett addresses the crowd at the 9th Annual Burnaby Business Excellence Awards Gala.
Burnaby British Columbia. L’Arche Greater Vancouver has been named the “Not-for-Profit Organization of the Year” by the City of Burnaby and the Burnaby Board of Trade. The award, presented at the 9th Annual Burnaby Business Excellence Awards Gala on November 6, 2008, recognized the not-for-profit organization that has made an outstanding contribution to the Burnaby community and its citizens and in doing so has made Burnaby a better place to live, work and play.
In her acceptance speech Executive Director Denise Haskett acknowledged the importance of the award to everyone at L’Arche. “Through this award you haven’t just recognized an organization; you are recognizing those who often have great difficulty finding their place in society. You are telling them that they are welcome…that they have friends in this community. Society is richer when everyone, regardless of race, religion, culture, ability or disability, can find a place and reveal their gifts. L’Arche strives to be such a place, and the City of Burnaby is a place where we can share those gifts and they are welcomed. Together we are stronger.”
L’Arche is eager to see how this recognition will help them develop new relationships in the City of Burnaby. Other award categories were Community Spirit, Business Innovation, Entrepreneurial Spirit, Environmental Sustainability, Business Person of the Year, Small Business of the Year and Business of the Year. The Burnaby Board of Trade also inducted Electronic Arts its Business Hall of Fame.
L’Arche Greater Vancouver provides homes and day programs for adults who have developmental disabilities, the “core people” of their community. At L’Arche people with and without developmental disabilities share life in communities of faith and live together in family-like settings. Founded in 1974, L’Arche Greater Vancouver has grown to six homes and two day programs in Burnaby. They are part of the International Federation of L’Arche, an ecumenical and interreligious organization, with over 120 communities in 30 countries, including 26 communities in Canada.
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For more information contact
Sig Stark, Director of Fund Development 604-435-9544 ex. 35
sstark@larchevancouver.org
www.larchevancouver.org
Blenz Cares
We’re selling several different kinds of coffee (one is organic, fair trade and bird friendly) as well as an assortment of organic loose leaf teas. For every purchase made in support of L’Arche, Blenz Coffee gives all of the profit of the sale directly to us. We invite you to take this opportunity to enjoy quality coffee and tea while supporting our community!
Blenz coffee and/or loose leaf tea can be purchased online at www.BlenzCares.com (indicate L’Arche Greater Vancouver as your charity of choice) OR to place an order contact Christiane McInnes at 604.435.9544 x.33 or development_assistant@larchevancouver.org Fax. 604.435.9560.
Click here for more information…
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