Osoyoos artist Sharon Leonard won the Arts and Culture Engagement Award at the Osoyoos and District Arts Council’s first awards ceremony. (Vanessa Broadbent / Osoyoos Times)

By Vanessa Broadbent

Osoyoos Times

A new initiative from the Osoyoos and District Arts Council (ODAC) is recognizing locals for their contributions to Osoyoos’ arts community.

On Sept. 4 ODAC hosted its inaugural awards ceremony and dinner at McKia’s restaurant following its AGM.

About 50 people gathered to celebrate award winners nominated by the community.

Long-time ODAC member and community volunteer Sue Whittaker won the ODAC member leadership award.

She said the award was unexpected but welcome, and praised ODAC for starting the initiative.

“I think it informs the community and it’s always good to get together and have food and drink, talk with your neighbours and people you work with,” she said. “It’s another way of bringing everyone together and not just working all the time, but pat ourselves on the back and say ‘we’ve done it.’”

Sandy Albo also won an ODAC member leadership award. The arts and culture engagement award went to Sharon Leonard and Jojo’s Café, and Sannah Fletcher/Osoyoos Loop won the Osoyoos and Area Showcase Award.

• Read more: Music in the Park ends best-attended season to date

Recipients were nominated by the community and selected by a three-person awards committee.

ODAC also granted honorary membership to local painter and potter Jean Burt and arts advocate Ruth Schiller.

The idea for the awards ceremony – the first of its kind in Osoyoos – came out of a retreat ODAC members participated in last winter to refocus the council’s direction.

“We were addressing all the concerns that were raised and we felt that this awards dinner was the first genuine community outreach effort that would indicate that we are putting our money where our mouth is,” outgoing ODAC secretary Kate Hobin said.

ODAC also has a new mission statement, bylaws and goals. Its new slogan is “Celebrating arts and culture – enriching community.”

“We want to live by that slogan because it is important to the council,” Hobin said. “I think this awards ceremony was a really significant first step to show that we mean that and that’s what this council is.”

Jojo’s Cafe won the Arts and Culture Engagement Award at the Osoyoos and District Arts Council’s first awards ceremony. (Vanessa Broadbent / Osoyoos Times)

Ruth Shiller was given an honorary ODAC membership at the Osoyoos and District Arts Council’s first awards ceremony. (Vanessa Broadbent / Osoyoos Times)