Outstanding Volunteer of the Year

Doug Pickard has been the support group facilitator for Parksville/Qualicum Beach since at least 2013. Doug has an exercise gym in Parksville called Run Fluid. He became involved with the Parkinson’s support group there when one of the members started attending his exercise programs. He took part in Parkinson Wellness training that Parkinson Society BC offered with Dr. Becky Farley, one of the first programs to demand more of people with Parkinson’s, encouraging them to move more and with bigger movements. Soon, Doug was off to Indianapolis where he became a trainer in Rock Steady Boxing, adding this program to his exercise repertoire to assist people with Parkinson’s.

He has been very involved in assisting PSBC with fundraising, leading Parkinson SuperWalk in Parksville, and personally raising funds through a challenging paddle around the Island on his paddle board. Many of the Parkinson’s community now know Doug because of yet another program, drumming, that he initiated during COVID. Now called DOPABEATS, Doug researched the effects on Parkinson’s and found that it was helpful to increase symptom control.

He has been a great assist to other facilitators throughout the years, always willing to share and look at implementing new ideas.

With Distinction

Sandra Alexander is an exceptional volunteer who has been an integral part of Parkinson SuperWalk in Vancouver for over a decade. As our lead at registration, she has been instrumental in ensuring the success of the event by supervising other registration volunteers and ensuring a smooth day for all participants and donors. Her upbeat and friendly attitude has made her a pleasure to work with, and her ongoing feedback related to Parkinson SuperWalk has been an essential part of our efforts to improve the event for the future.

In addition to her volunteer work with Parkinson SuperWalk, Sandra is also a dedicated caregiver/carepartner for a person living with Parkinson’s disease. Her firsthand experience with the disease has given her a unique perspective and a deep understanding of the challenges that many individuals and families face. Sandra has also volunteered at some of our education events as a registration volunteer, demonstrating her commitment to making a positive impact in the Parkinson’s community.

With Distinction

Wendy Murray was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2016. She prioritizes exercise in her day-to-day life to take care of her physical and mental health. Parkinson’s disease has only strengthened her “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” mindset and approach to life. Living in Maple Bay on Vancouver Island, she has now retired from working in Public Service and is a mother of two daughters, and has recently become a grandmother. She loves biking, hiking, and long beach walks. 

Wendy began volunteering for Parkinson SuperWalk in 2017 and has ever since. When we asked Wendy why she volunteers with the Society she said, “Definitely the people! Everyone is so positive and encouraging.” With SuperWalk, she is also very passionate about connecting with others in the Parkinson’s community and spreading awareness of Parkinson’s within the Cowichan Valley.

Her love of exercising has inspired her to set incredible goals for her daily movement as well as goals for raising awareness of Parkinson’s. For Parkinson SuperWalk’s 30th anniversary and for her 60th birthday, she challenged herself to bike 30km every day. Also, in honour of SuperWalk in 2021, she challenged herself to walk 21,000 steps a day, and hopes to achieve 22,000 steps a day for SuperWalk 2022. Wendy is a huge role model for resiliency and drive while having Parkinson’s disease. She hopes to continue to encourage others to never give up! 

With Distinction

Joanne Williamson is always seeking valuable Parkinson’s information to bring back to her support group, from gathering PSBC resources to finding guest speakers. Joanne keeps up with current events, such as government funding for people with disabilities, or new PSBC resources, like the ParkiTracker, to showcase to her support group. Attentively listening to her group needs, Joanne will use a ‘go-getter’ attitude to find out more information about a relevant Parkinson’s subject. The South Delta PD community is lucky to have such a strong resource. 

Warren Bourgeois

Diane Daignault

Lois Franklin

Debbie Hartley

Liz Holroyd

Julie Lloyd

Pat Mauch

Gail Soliski

Lynne Toews

David Walker