PRESS RELEASE - Character In Action Awards 2025
The Character Abbotsford Council presented three Abbotsford citizens with ‘Character In Action’ Awards on Thursday, May 8th, 2025. Adult recipients were Megan Capp and Mike & Anna-Marie Bakker. The youth award was presented to Hersimer Dhaliwal.
Character Abbotsford believes that these unsung heroes of good character in action are representative of the tens of thousands of individuals who do so much to make Abbotsford a wonderful place to live, work, and serve.
Mayor Ross Siemens, a member of the Character Council, shared personal inspirational stories highlighting each recipient and thanking them and all in attendance for their character-rich contributions to Abbotsford. He said: “Good character isn’t something we do, but rather, how we do everything”.
Shairose Jinnah, a Director at Archway Community Services and a founding member of the Character Council described Megan Capp as “an extraordinary individual who is a change maker in Abbotsford through her dedication to service.” Capp has spearheaded the successful implementation of Hearthstone supportive living apartment building and is the Executive Director of Cedar Outreach Society. According to the nominator, Abbotsford Police Department’s Kevin Murray, “Megan’s work with both Archway and Cedar has positively impacted countless lives.”
Sheri Yakashiro, a partner at RDM Lawyers and a member of the Character Council spoke to the “love and compassion for others” and the resulting “hundreds if not thousands of at-risk folks” who have been positively impacted by the work of Mike and Anna-Marie Bakker in the community. According to one nominator, “They do not expect anything back. They truly love and respect every single person, regardless of their position or walk in life. All people are treated with dignity and respect. They are a truly amazing couple!”
Erick Peterson, Abbotsford’s Fire Chief and Character Council member presented the youth award to Hersimer Dhaliwal. Chief Peterson shared the following description of Dhaliwal from one of her nominators: “Hersimer is known throughout our school and community as a bright, friendly face and a helping hand. She spreads positivity and kindness wherever she goes. She goes above and beyond no matter what she is doing whether that be a science project, community event, or simply a friendship.” Another nominator spoke to Dhaliwal’s many involvements including High School Leadership, Student Voice, Student Council, City Youth Council, and “countless other initiatives”. She has been involved in raising thousands of dollars for various organizations in Abbotsford and has invested over 1000 volunteer hours of service in her senior year.
Each recipient was presented with a Character Abbotsford pin and a $500 gift card.
The work of Character Abbotsford is sponsored by the Abbotsford School District, MEI Schools, Prospera Credit Union, and the University of the Fraser Valley.
For more information on Character Abbotsford, visit CharacterAbbotsford.com or follow @characterabby on X, Facebook, and Instagram