The dictionary defines a volunteer as "a person who voluntarily offers himself or herself for a service or undertaking. A person who performs a service willingly and without pay". Next to this definition, you will find a picture of Betty-June Gair, according to Lu Verticchio, in his support letter for B.J.'s nomination for 2013 Citizen of the Year.
Moms are masters of time, effort and patience, whether it's children, flowers or an entire community. No one understands that better than B.J.
Fortunately for Prince George, B.J.'s real family has been sharing her since 1968. That year, she became the secretary for the Major Men's Fastball League. Her passion for sports in Prince George covers all sports and major events. B.J. has been a key player in the success of the Prince George Golf and Curling Club (first female president in club history), the World Baseball Challenge, the Scott Tournament of Hearts (both in 1983 and 2000), the Baseball Canada senior men's championship, the Royal Bank Cup, the 2015 Canada Winter Games bid, the National Mixed Curling championship, the B.C. Summer Games and the B.C. Seniors Games (both in 2002 and 2008).
B.J. has devoted countless hours of time and enthusiasm to Communities In Bloom, UNBC, School District #57, the Festival of Trees, the St. George's Ukrainian Catholic Ladies League, the B.C. Northern Exhibition and its predecessor the PGX, the UNBC Medical Student Bursary Fund, fundraising for the Rotary Soccer Fields, the Prince George Garden contest and the pediatric floor at the University Hospital of Northern B.C. She has served on various city communities, including leisure services, tourism, the heritage commission and the committee that helped select the site for the Aquatic Centre.
Since 1995, B.J. has been working on improving the landscape of Prince George through the floral baskets along Highway 97 between the Hart and Simon Fraser Bridge, finding sponsors for all of the baskets. She shared in a business excellence award in 2005 for her efforts with the Adopt-A-Basket program. She continues planting petunias in community flower beds and supporting other beautification work across the city.
B.J. is a recipient of the Volunteer Award of Merit from the City of Prince George, the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal and, to no surprise to her family and friends, was the 2009 Mother of the Year.
A mom for her family and a mom for Prince George, Betty-June Gair is an outstanding nominee for the 2013 Citizen of the Year.
