She’s known as the Queen of Props, and tonight (Oct. 8), Maxine Howchin will be among this year’s recipients of a Surrey Civic Treasures award.
It’s the 10th year of the Business and the Arts reception and the sixth year of the civic treasure awards. The awards were established in 2008 to honour citizens who reflect the unique character and history of Surrey or help develop or build appreciation of the city’s culture.
Howchin, a longtime advocate of the arts and volunteer with Fraser Valley Gilbert and Sullivan Society (managing props), has lived in Surrey since she was a child. She is vice-president of the Arts Council of Surrey, a tap dancer and spends many an hour volunteering her time in the community.
She is one of four citizens receiving a civic treasure award this year. The others are Kelly Konno, Ellie King and Patricia Dahlquist.
Konno is the creator of the 2010 Olympics Celebration Dance team. She is the owner and director of Triple Threat Dance Connection and was a choreographer for Janet Jackson.
King is the founder of the Royal Canadian Theatre Company, which stages a traditional British pantomime production in Surrey annually. She’s an acclaimed actor and teaches performing arts.
Dahlquist is a Juno-award-winning singer and co-founder of the Young Peoples’ Opera Society of B.C. The celebrated librettist is also an actor, vocal coach and theatre teacher.
Howchin, Konno, King and Dahlquist will be honoured and given a medal at a reception at the Surrey Arts Centre tonight (Tuesday) at 6 p.m.