FOUR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION (ECE) STUDENTS AT TRU WILLIAMS LAKE recently received scholarships through funding from Gibraltar Mine, which is owned by Taseko Mines Ltd.
The goal: to reduce financial barriers for students pursuing careers in early learning—a field with critical demand across the region.
“At Taseko, and at our Gibraltar Mine in B.C.’s central interior, we are committed to supporting initiatives that help people and communities thrive,” said Sean Magee, Taseko Mines VP of Corporate Affairs. “Through Gibraltar, we are proud to support the Early Childhood Education program at Thompson Rivers University and help address the clear and growing need for qualified ECEs in Williams Lake and the surrounding region.”
One of the students who received the Gibraltar Mines Williams Lake ECE Award is Sam Evans, who was born and raised in Williams Lake and plans to stay in the area following completion of the program. She says receiving the award was an immense help as she took a break from work to further her education.
“I’ve been a youth worker for the past couple of years, and in that time, I’ve developed a passion for working with children, so when I heard about the program, I was really excited,” she said. “It’s amazing to be able to grow my career in such a quick time so I can continue to support my community.”
The other award recipients are Taia Brown, Kailey Shire and Linda Zimmerlee.
TRU alum Sheilah Olson is a teacher in the program as well as the owner and operator of a local childcare centre. She has seen firsthand the urgent need for childcare spaces in Williams Lake, and while the city worked to increase the number of facilities in the area, acquiring qualified educators to staff them was difficult. In response to this, TRU created an ECE program specifically to meet the labour shortage in Williams Lake and the area. While the program is usually 18 months in length, it was condensed into 12 months as a way to get qualified ECEs working in the community quicker.
“We’re really hoping for the program to continue, so that we can keep having this amazing pool of educators working in the community,” said Olson.
Thanks to the support of Gibraltar Mine and TRU’s response to a community need, as of August 2025, 13 newly qualified early childhood educators are already making a meaningful difference in the community they call home.
SHE WAS SMALL, BUT SHE WAS MIGHTY. And as Chelsea Lewis’s community comes together to preserve her memory, her presence grows.
Full of energy and ambition, Chelsea had a passion for working with equipment, which she shared with her dad, Mike Lewis. From helping her grandparents maintain their vehicles to putting a lift kit on her beloved GMC Jimmy, she was living proof that girls can do anything boys can do—and she did it all with joy.
Chelsea was a few weeks shy of her 18th birthday and preparing to begin university when she passed away in an ATV accident outside Williams Lake, B.C. on Aug. 7, 2022.
Her family was shattered and the community of Williams Lake mourned alongside them. So, in 2023, when Chelsea’s family created the Chelsea Lewis Memorial—Women in Trades Williams Lake Award at TRU to honour her legacy, friends and family rallied to raise funds. To date, the fund has raised over $22,500 with a goal of reaching $50,000.
“We hope to endow this award, which will ensure it continues to support women in trades for generations to come,” said Barb Jones, Mike’s partner. “We are grateful for the ongoing support from the community.”
Fundraising efforts include memorial ATV rides along the Gold Rush Snowmobile Trail, raffles and sales of handmade dragonfly items—chosen as a symbol for Chelsea. The third annual ride for Chelsea, held in June, brought together friends, family and community members for a weekend of outdoor adventure—celebrating Chelsea’s spirit of adventure while raising money to help other young women with similar passions.
Last year, the first $2,000 award was presented to a local student, Bayley Cail, a carpentry student at TRU Williams Lake.
“I am incredibly grateful to be the first recipient of the Chelsea Lewis Memorial Award. This award has eased the financial burden of my education and allowed me to focus more fully on pursuing my passion in the trades,” said Cail. “It is a deep honour to be part of remembering Chelsea, a young woman whose dreams were tragically cut short. I feel privileged to help carry her legacy forward and represent her spirit and determination within our community.”
With a memorial award in her name and a family dedicated to keeping her spirit alive, Chelsea’s legacy lives on—in every off-road adventure and every young woman chasing her dream in the trades.
