Airport is one of our community’s biggest supporters

3 February 2022

Nanaimo Airport (YCD) is all about community. It’s one of the airport’s key values and central to all operations. In fact, “our focus on community is the airport’s future,” says Nanaimo Airport Commission’s strategic plan.

Living up to its commitment, the airport continues to embrace community service. Here are a few recent examples:

  • Supporting a holiday food drive

The YCD Security Screening Officer Team’s (Allied Universal) annual drive collected 255 pounds of food for Nanaimo Loaves and Fishes. That’s up from the 177 pounds collected in 2020.

  • Supporting the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Lanyard Scheme

The program assists people with disabilities that are not immediately obvious. These include chronic pain, mental health conditions, mobility or speech impairments, and speech, sight and hearing loss.

People living with these hidden disabilities often face barriers in their lives. Some wear the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower to discreetly identify that they may need assistance. Nanaimo Airport staff and volunteers are there to help.

  • Supporting local talent

Nanaimo Airport hired local artist Kathleen Oliver Stroman to create distinctive Christmas window displays at the Air Terminal Building.

  • Honoring volunteers

The airport saluted its Blue Navigators ambassadors team on International Volunteers Day. One volunteer, Kurt Miller, piloted the inaugural flight of the Dash 7 into the airport in 1983.

AIRPORT TEAM ADDS EXPERTISE

Nanaimo Airport values having local people make local decisions to best serve the local community.

Several new faces – all of them central island residents – have joined the airport team recently. Members-at-large Janna Gallick and Mark Taylor are the newest directors on the Nanaimo Airport Commission. They join board chair David Witty, vice-chair Colleen Johel, secretary Alex Stuart and directors Mike Brown and Garth Busch.

Yuko Matsushima is the airport’s new marketing and community engagement coordinator. Christania Chantyman has rejoined the team as accounting and payroll administrator after returning from leave.  And a financial controller will come on board shortly.