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PEOPLE 'N' PLACES: Raging Granny finds peace

Fran Thoburn earns national award for peace activism

The world’s longest-serving Raging Granny has been awarded a prize for peace activism.

It was 27 years ago that Fran Thoburn helped found the Raging Grannies, a group of older women who use song and satire to achieve a better world for their grandchildren. The Grannies are now active across North America.

At 82, Thoburn is the only original member still involved. The mother of four lives in James Bay with her two poodles and has recently been campaigning to get dogs allowed on buses.

The Voice of Women organization, headquartered in Toronto, has awarded her the Muriel Duckworth Award for Peace Activism.

“While this award is a great honour for me, it actually is a strong recognition of the daring and sometimes scary work that the Victoria Raging Grannies have done since our beginnings in 1987,” Thoburn said.

“I am thanking those who have stuck with our group singing off key as we see heartbreaking governmental decisions that endanger the future of the world’s grandchildren. Honours like this remind us that we are not alone.”

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LIFETIME HONOUR … Two Greater Victoria bean counters have been honoured with the Certified General Accountants Association of B.C. Life Membership Award.

The life membership is awarded to certified general accountants in recognition of the member’s exemplary service to CGA-BC.

Cindy Choi has been in public practice for more than 15 years. She is actively involved in the community and served on the board of Junior Achievement. She is also a board member of Camosun College.

Ida Chong, currently running in the Victoria mayoralty race, represented Oak Bay-Gordon Head as MLA for 17 years. During her time in politics, Chong held various cabinet positions.

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GORD’S IN CHARGE … The Victoria Hospitals Foundation has a new board chair.

Gord Macatee takes over from Alan Lowe.

Other appointments to the board this year include: Cathy Whitehead McIntyre, vice-chair; John Madden, secretary; and Angus Izard, treasurer.

Continuing to serve as directors are Rick Anthony, Manjit Bains, Bruce Dyck and Joe Murphy.

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Do you have an item for People ’n Places? Contact Kevin Laird by email at editor@vicnews.com or phone 250-480-3265.