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13-year-old wins inaugural Delta police calendar contest

THIS is Where You Belong contest to encourage art that raises awareness, supports inclusion in Delta
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THIS is Where You Belong 2022 Calendar Contest overall winner Randi Cunningham (centre), 13, with Delta Police Chief Neil Dubord (left) and Delta Mayor George Harvie (right). (Delta Police Department/submitted photo)

A 13-year old Delta resident who wants a community where everyone can feel like they belong is the overall winner of the inaugural “THIS is Where You Belong” calendar contest.

Held in partnership with The Harmony Initiative Society (THIS), Delta Police Department, Delta Police Foundation and Delta School District — with support from the City of Delta and Tsawwassen Mills mall — the contest was designed to “encourage the creation of visual art that will raise awareness and support the inclusion and sense of belonging of all individuals in our community,” according to the contest website, as well as highlight the creativity of the Delta community.

Randi Cunningham’s prize-winning drawing shows how Delta is a very diverse community with many different industries and people from all walks of life, according to a DPD press release announcing the contest’s winners. Cunningham received a new Apple iPad as grand prize winner, and her art is featured in the calendar for the month of January.

“I think the artwork delivers a message to the community, one of kindness and caring and that we all belong,” THIS co-founder Warren Flandez said in his remarks to the winners at a small ceremony last week. “The calendar also offers an opportunity for budding artists to be seen.”

There were 91 submissions in total, and Tsawwassen Mills is displaying all the entries near Entrance 3 by the restaurants.

“I hope all the artists come to the mall to check out their artwork on display, and view all the fantastic art we received,” Delta Police Chief Neil Dubord said in a press release. “We’d love if you would post your picture on social and tag us.”

The calendars went on sale this week for $10, and can be purchased at DPD headquarters in Ladner (4455 Clarence Taylor Crescent) and the North Delta Public Safety Building (11375 84th Avenue), as well as Sungod Recreation Centre, South Delta Recreation Centre, Ladner Leisure Centre and the customer service desk at Tsawwassen Mills.

One hundred per cent of proceeds from the sale of the calendar will go to support Delta’s Boys and Girls Clubs.

Only 400 calendars were printed in this first run due to supply shortages caused by the recent floods. A total of 1,000 calendars will eventually be printed.

A total of 12 submissions were chosen by a community panel facilitated by THIS, one for each month of the community calendar, and from that group winners were selected in four categories and awarded Apple iPads to further their creative pursuits. In addition to Cunningham, those winners were five-year-old Cassandra Estepho (Aspiring Artist winner, featured for May), 14-year-old Olivia Boikman (Emerging Artist winner, featured for September) and 41-year-old Meg Neufeld (Inclusive Delta Artist winner, featured in December).

The rest of the winners, listed in order of the month where their art appears in calendar, are:

• Belle Haverstock (February, age 12)

• Preston Hodgins (March, age 9)

• Anaya Kang (April, age 10)

• Mitchell Kaltenbacher (June, age 6)

• Hannah Kirby (Sara) (July, age 4)

• Linda Wong (August, age 42)

• Emily Hill (October, age 14)

• Everett King (November, age 8)

SEE ALSO: Student art showcased on Delta ‘kindness meters’



editor@northdeltareporter.com

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All 91 submissions in the THIS is Where You Belong 2022 Calendar Contest are on display at Tsawwassen Mills mall. (Delta Police Department/submitted photo)


James Smith

About the Author: James Smith

James Smith is the founding editor of the North Delta Reporter.
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