The lady known for bringing an Evening of Pink to Prince George was the toast of the town Friday night at the Civic Centre.

Monica Peacock is this year's choice as the Citizen of the Year.

The award was presented to Peacock on Friday night during a ceremony at the Coast Inn of the North put on by the Prince George Community Foundation.

For seven years, Peacock has organized the Evening of Pink, which has raised $130,000 for the Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation to provide medical equipment for University Hospital of Northern B.C. This year's Evening of Pink focused on educating young women about the importance of early detection of breast cancer.

Peacock is now involved in organizing the 19th annual Festival of Trees, an annual fundraiser for the Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation, set for Nov. 24 to Dec. 2 at the Civic Centre. She's a driving force behind the event, helping decorate trees and organizing the Jingle Bell dance.

Hospital fundraising goes back at least 11 years for Peacock, and she's had sick kids at heart all that time while raising money for the UHNBC pediatrics ward with the North Country Dancers, which also provides an annual bursary. In addition to her full-time duties at The Inn Flower Place at the Coast Inn of the North, she donates flowers for the Roses For The Relay, the provincial Liberal association, and the Celebrate Spring fashion show. She also contributes an average of $250 per month in silent auction items for the Prince George Community Foundation.

Peacock's benevolence also extends to the Baldy Hughes Addiction Treatment Centre, a provincial facility near West Lake, and she gathers items and donations to fill 75 Christmas stockings for the men being treated at the centre.

Peacock has lived in Prince George since 1995, and in that time has hosted five Japanese students through the Cultural Homestay International program

Other nominees for Citizen of the Year were seniors advocates Bob D'Auray and Kathy Nadalin, as well as Ron and Dee Neukomm, for their volunteer work with Special Olympics and Rotary.

Nominations for the award are based on submissions from the public. This is the 16th year the Prince George Community Foundation has picked a Citizen of the Year. Since it was incorporated in 1995, the foundation has handed out close to $1 million in grants to support community activities and organizations that promote arts and culture, education, environment, health, social services, and sports and recreation.