Laura Blackwell has spent more than 30 years as a publisher with Black Press Media. Deeply committed to the Burns Lake community, she has volunteered with numerous local organizations, including the Burns Lake & District Chamber of Commerce, Burns Lake Merchants, the Bulkley Valley Community Builder Committee, and Eagle Creek Recreation Committee along with many others.
Laura was a dedicated member of the Burns Lake Rotary Club for over 18 years and was honoured with two Paul Harris Awards in recognition of her service. She also volunteered for 20 years as a shopper with the Burns Lake Food Bank.
Through decades of involvement, she has built strong, respectful relationships throughout the community, including with local First Nations.

In 2013 NKDF provided seed capital to fund an Accessibility Audit of what would be required to develop the Lakes Outdoor Recreation area as an accessible region in northern British Columbia. It proved that people with...