The City of Kimberley has awarded this year’s Jack Ratcliffe Commitment to Community Award to a resident with more than four decades of service – and counting – under his belt.
John Boucher’s diverse experiences began in the 1970s, when he volunteered with the Kimberley Rotary Club, coached Kimberley Minor Baseball and served as director for both the local Hospital Society and Golf Club.
From 2000 to 2010, Boucher served as the sport chair for the Kimberley–Cranbrook BC Winter Games and as director of volunteers for the Bootleg Sled Dog Races while also serving as director of the Kimberley Health Centre.
But the 80-year-old’s service journey hasn’t stopped there.
Since 2021, Boucher volunteered with the Canadian Orienteering Championships, served as director with the Canadian Mental Health Association branch in Kootenay, and worked as a Crisis Line Responder for CMHA Interior Health until December 2024.
“Quietly, consistently, and with unwavering humility, John has shaped Kimberley into a more caring and connected community,” wrote the City. “His lifelong volunteerism, leadership, and compassion embody the very spirit of the Jack Ratcliffe Commitment to Community Award, making him an exceptionally deserving honouree.”
Boucher has chosen to award his $500 non-profit donation to the Kimberley-Cranbrook Hospice Society as part of the honour.
His next endeavour is to take on the role of host coordinator for the upcoming 100th-anniversary Tattoo of the Kimberley Pipe Band in 2027.
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