The Ruby Lake Lagoon Nature Reserve Society is pleased to announce that The Honourable Judith Guichon, OBC, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, has accepted the Lagoon Society’s invitation to become an Honorary Patron.

Patronage, in the sense of support and encouragement of worthy endeavours, is one of many functions of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor and derives from the concept of the Crown as the source of the highest honours and awards granted in our society.

“We are very grateful and overjoyed that the Honourable Judith Guichon, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, has agreed to be an Honorary Patron of the Lagoon Society in support and recognition of our long standing and continued impact on the Sunshine Coast,” said Dr. Michael Jackson, a founder and volunteer president of the Lagoon Society.

“After Her Honour visited the Sunshine Coast in July, we had the privilege of meeting her at Government House in Victoria to talk about the Lagoon Society’s many successful projects in the local community of Pender Harbour and throughout the Sunshine Coast,” said Jackson.  “In particular she was delighted to hear about our flagship Nature School Program which has now been running for ten years and also about our Biodiversity Summit in 2012 which led to the creation of the Sunshine Coast Biodiversity Strategy.”

Organizations that are granted patronage by the Lieutenant Governor are chosen based on the followi ng criteria:

  • the organization must have aims and objectives which are aligned with the institutional or personal themes of the Lieutenant Governor;
  • must be well established with a proven track record;
  • be provincial or regional in scope;
  • must have active programs that are a direct benefit to the community at large and these programs should be implemented on an annual basis;
  • be non-political; and
  • be financially responsible.

The Ruby Lake Lagoon Nature Reserve Society works diligently to preserve and enhance the natural habitats and wildlife of the beautiful Sunshine Coast, to facilitate local environmental education and to assist in monitoring the ecological health of the region. You can find out more about the Society on their newly redesigned website, www.lagoonsociety.com.