Former New West councillor receives community award

A former New West city councillor who suffered a stroke last year was presented on Saturday with an award acknowledging her long-standing service.

New Westminster-Burnaby MP Peter Julian and Burnaby-Edmonds MLA Raj Chouhan presented Lorrie Williams with the George Doering Community Service Award. The award is presented to those who make extraordinary contributions to their community.

Councillor Williams made the appearance at a BBQ Julian co-hosted with Chouhan. Chouhan also serves as the Speaker at the BC Legislature.

Williams made the appearance after suffering a stroke about a year ago. The news was shared by then-Coun. Chuck Puchmayr during a city council meeting last August. According to a public post on her Facebook page by a family member, as of March, Williams was still partially paralyzed on her left side, and attending rehabilitation to improve her condition.

This isn’t the first award for Williams: she’s received a spate of accolades for her community service. She was New West’s citizen of the year in 2019, and also received a Meritorious Service Decoration for civil service from The Governor General of Canada. While Williams has given her time to a number of causes, like the Royal Columbian Hospital auxiliary thrift shop, and Aunt Leah’s place, she’s also known for establishing the Canadian Harambee Education Society in 1985.

Williams spent 16 years on city council.

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