We are pleased to introduce your Provincial Commissioner Team for BC Girl Guides, an enthusiastic group of Guiders responsible for ensuring the success and growth of Girl Guides in our province and leading the BC Council team.
Colleen McKenna, Provincial Commissioner - Victoria, BC
Colleen McKenna has been a member of Girl Guides of Canada since she joined as an Ember in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Colleen has been a member in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario. She has been a Unit Guider with all the branches and is currently a Guider in Southern Vancouver Island (SVI) Area with the 3rd Raven Sparks. Colleen is known by most SVI members as either Sunshine or Sunshine Owl. Colleen’s highlights as a girl and adult member include receiving her Canada Cord from the Alberta Lieutenant Governor and her Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award from Prince Philip, attending a Guiding Mosaic national camp, attending multiple SOAR camps, leading a BC provincially-sponsored trip to India, and being a part of the teams running several special events - like Guides Exploring Science and Technology, Pathfinder Summit, and Ranger Revolution - for BC's youth members. Colleen is busy outside of Guiding working as a Genetics Technologist and participating in her running and book clubs. Colleen loves hiking, running, canoeing, knitting, and reading.
Barb Wilson, Deputy Provincial Commissioner - Kelowna, BC
Barb Wilson has been a member of Guiding since she joined more than 30 years ago. Barb has held various roles including Unit and District Treasurer, Trainer, District Commissioner of both Black Mountain and Layer Cake Mountain Districts (Lake Country and east Kelowna), and Monashee Area Co-Commissioner. She has served - and continues to serve - as a Unit Guider all these years and has been involved in other volunteer roles including the Spirit of Adventure Rendezvous (SOAR) camp food services team and Camp Tillicum (Vernon) and Camp Arbuckle (Lake Country) property committees. Barb’s favourite experiences in Guiding have been the events she has organized, offering all manner of program, and the time spent on the BC Program Committee, creating fun challenges and events for all branches to support Unit Guiders to offer high-quality programming. Beyond her interest in Girl Guides, Barb also enjoys BBC detective shows and novels, thus earning her name of Mystery Owl with her Embers unit.
Gerry Koepke, Deputy Provincial Commissioner - Burnaby, BC
Gerry Koepke has been a member of Guiding for nearly 15 years and has held various volunteer roles at BC Council and West Coast Area. She has been a Unit Treasurer, District Commissioner in Burnaby Mountain District, is currently a Spark/Ember Unit Guider and has just completed her term as Co-Commissioner for West Coast Area (Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, Ladner, and Tsawwassen). Gerry has also previously held the position of BC Membership Adviser, working to recruit and retain members with provincial initiatives focused on growing Guiding. Gerry’s highlights while in Guiding have been bringing together members of Girl Guides, especially her role as event organizer offering opportunities for large group gatherings including BC's annual Girl Guide Day at the Canucks and Girl Guide Day at the Whitecaps. When exploring the world outside of Girl Guides, Gerry works in finance, enjoys travel, and loves spending time with her family.
Peggy Boyde, Deputy Provincial Commissioner - Fort St. James, BC
Peggy Boyde has been a member of Girl Guides of Canada for more than 26 years. This has included 8 years as a girl member earning her Canada Cord in Pacific Shores Area (on Vancouver Island), and the rest as an adult Guider in Rivers North Area (northern BC). Peggy has been a Unit Guider for Sparks, Embers, Guides, and Rangers in Stuart Lake District during all of her adult Guiding years. She currently is the Unit Guider for Embers and Rangers and has served as District Commissioner for Stuart Lake District (Fort St James), District Commissioner contact for Misty Island (Prince Rupert), Deputy Area Commissioner for Rivers North Area, and has recently completed her term as Area Co-Commissioner for Rivers North Area. Peggy’s highlights while in Guiding have been receiving her Canada Cord, enjoying Serendipity at Camp Olave, hosting international guiders, attending Guides Exploring Science and Technology (GUEST), the Spirit of Adventure Rendezvous (SOAR), the 100 years celebration in Prince George, More Seaside Fun, and being site manager/cook and running the Peggy-Sue café. Outside of Girl Guides, Peggy works for School District 91, volunteering within her school community chaperoning many school and sports events. In her community of Fort St. James, Peggy volunteered many years organizing community soccer, mini tournaments, divisional tournaments, coaching and refereeing. In her free time, she enjoys camping, fishing, biking, reading, swimming, cross country skiing, and travelling overseas. Peggy is looking forward to a new challenge of being Deputy Provincial Commissioner on Provincial Council.