BC Council for Families

2010 Distinguished Service to Families Award Winners Announced

Vancouver, BC, June 9, 2010 – Leadership. Vision.  Innovation.  Dedication. These are among the many outstanding qualities of Dana Brynelsen, former Provincial Advisor for the Infant Development Program of BC, and the F.O.R.C.E. Society for Kids’ Mental Health, both winners of the 23rd annual Distinguished Service to Families Awards.
 
The 2010 Distinguished Service to Families Awards will be presented by the BC Council for Families at its Annual General Meeting at the Canadian Centre for Peace in Vancouver on Friday June 18. Dana Brynelsen, and the F.O.R.C.E. Society for Kids’ Mental Health will both honoured by the Council for their leadership and their many accomplishments on behalf of the children and families of British Columbia.
 
“Family service is an area of work in which significant accomplishment all too often goes unrecognized and unrewarded,” said BC Council for Families Executive Director Glenn Hope. “The Distinguished Service to Families Awards highlight some of the truly inspiring work that is going on every day in communities all around BC.”

Each year, the Distinguished Service to Families Awards are presented to one individual and one organization who, through their professionalism, commitment to excellence, creativity and leadership have made a significant contribution towards the enhancement of family life in BC.
 
About the Winners
From 1975 until 2009, Dana Brynelsen was the Provincial Advisor for the Infant Development Programs of BC, which since its inception has served nearly 80,000 BC families who have infants with special needs.  Under her leadership, the Infant Development Program became a model and standard of care for vulnerable children and their families across Canada and internationally.  In addition, Dana has been tireless volunteer, serving on numerous of provincial and national committees and organizations focusing on early intervention and child and youth care. Throughout her career Dana has had a particular interest in family-centred care and supporting families in their efforts to raise their children.

This year the F.O.R.C.E. Society for Kids’ Mental health is celebrating its 10th anniversary as the leading child and youth mental health non-profit society in British Columbia, providing peer support, education, and advocacy for parents, families and caregivers who have children and youth with mental health challenges. For many families in British Columbia, the F.O.R.C.E. Society is the only place they receive the information and support they need to support their child or youth’s mental health.  

About the BC Council for Families
The BC Council for Families is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that is a leader in family life education, committed to strengthening families and family-serving professionals in BC. We provide research and resources on family issues, including our practical, affordably priced publications on diverse family topics. Our award-winning parenting programs include Nobody’s Perfect Parenting, MyTween and Me, and Parent-Child Mother Goose.

For more information please contact:
Marilee Peters  ::  604-678-8886 ext. 234 | marileep@bccf.ca