Ashcroft RCMP recognize local youth for outstanding volunteerism and community engagement

Ashcroft

2023-12-28 11:15 PST

Ashcroft RCMP are recognizing a local-area youth for her outstanding volunteerism and community engagement.

British Columbia in RCMP parlance is known as 'E Division' and, in October 2021, E Division Youth and Community Services held a competition to design challenge coins for each of the four districts served by the RCMP within BC. Ashcroft is within 'Southeast District'. Only fifty of each challenge coin were created and are now being awarded in recognition of youth that have demonstrated outstanding community spirit, engagement, and volunteerism.

Monique Kopanyas, 17 years-old, is a resident of Ashcroft, and has stepped up time and again to support others in her community.

She recently volunteered as the choreographer for the Winding Rivers Arts and Performance Society's pantomime production. In this role, she put in a lot of time and effort to liaise with the production team, ensuring her choreography was in-line with the overall artistic vision. She also took on a role in the play herself. Monique, even at 17 years of age, demonstrates a maturity that is beyond her years, and she developed easily into her leadership role. Monique has a kind and calm temperament, which further enabled her to develop an excellent working relationship with the cast of actors that ranged in age from 11 to 82.

On top of this, Monique mentors youth through local dance classes, volunteers with her high school grad class committee, and is a leader in the local Sea Cadet troop. At the 2023 Remembrance Day parade in Ashcroft, Monique acted as troop commander and led the Sea Cadets in the parade. When not marching with her troop, Petty Officer Second Class Monique Kopanyas teaches the junior cadets the Sea Cadet syllabus and has been described by the troop leader, Captain Nicole HARE, as, …the backbone of the cadet program and the leader of the corps.

Monique is an intelligent, exceptional, and community-minded young person in Ashcroft and is very deserving of recognition for her efforts.

Released by

Cst. Richard Wright

Email: richard.wright@rcmp-grc.gc.ca

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