Artist Kym Gouchie receives surprise thank you gift from BC Summer Games organizers

Kym Gouchie walked into Canadian Tire this morning with no idea why she had been summoned.

When she arrived, she was greeted by Selen Alpay and Renee McCloskey, the primary BC Summer Games organizers, as well as a swarm of media and some curious onlookers.

Gouchie is a local musician and artist who played two major roles in the BC Summer Games – performing at the opening ceremonies and designing the ribbon that all 1,900 awarded medals awarded were hanged off.

“It is a blessing for me to have Kym in my life” said Alpay, saying their personal relationship is built on honour, love and trust – “so much so that Kym doesn’t even know why she is here right now.”

She would soon find out, as a weighty wrapped up gift was handed to her. She opened it to find a framed gold medal from the BC Summer games, on the ribbon she designed.

Alpay quoted Gouchie’s website biography to highlight a little about who she is, saying “With ancestral roots in the Lheidli T’enneh, Cree and Secwépemc Nations, Kym Gouchie is fostering change through her music and art. Her music brings awareness to First Nations and women’s issues, promoting reconciliation and community building while reminding us that we are all in this together.”

Gouchie says the bear, moose, eagle and light blue representing the sky and the clouds stand for the nature in our area, and “all that have been here before us.”

She said the fire weed on the ribbon also represents the hard work that goes into training for the sports in the BC Summer games.

“You save that very last little bit of energy to get over the finish line. That’s what the fireweed does. It blossoms from the bottom up, and as soon as it gets to the top, it is in its full glory and beauty.”

Gouchie was also an act during the games’ opening ceremonies, Alpay said as soon as she took the stage the whole crowd was attentive and captivated.

Gouchie said she had a vision of performing on stage with the Prince George Tapestry Singers and the Judy Russel Dace studio.

“I can’t believe that it happened. I was over like that, but it was an incredible experience to see a sea of young people.”

She also added that she loved the gift, and that she was already thinking about what wall in her house it would look best on.