Community Builder: Meaghan Cursons

SPONSORED BY NORTH ISLAND COLLEGE

When it comes to building communities, Meaghan Cursons comes immediately to mind. And it’s no surprise: being involved with the community is in her genes.
“I am very much modelled by my parents,” said Meaghan.“My dad, now in his 70th year, is still organizing community theatre, peace marches, all candidates meetings … so I grew up in a very community service-oriented household.”
Meaghan has brought that spirit and dedication to the Comox Valley, and the entire community is reaping the benefits.
From a volunteer standpoint, she and her partner, Bobby Herron, were part of the founding team for Elevate the Arts, a festival she says first began as a way to bring energy and ambience to downtown Courtenay.
“There was a group of us responsible for that … it was a concept we developed together at a time when downtown Courtenay was struggling economically… There were a lot of amazing cultural amenities, but no program that was tying things together.“
“I live in Cumberland, I am deeply embedded in Cumberland, but I very much feel that I am a citizen of the Comox Valley. I have a real relationship with downtown Courtenay. I was director of the Comox Valley Art Gallery for six years… I sat on the Sid Williams advisory committee, I was the marketing director for Vancouver Island MusicFest for a decade. So for me, downtown Courtenay is like a crossroads for the Comox Valley, like the urban heart.”
As passionate as Meaghan is with her volunteer projects, it’s her “9-to-5” position that defines her.
Meaghan’s commitment as the fundraising, communications and outreach manager for the Cumberland Community Forest Society has given that project the kind of high-profile exposure most non-profits can only dream of experiencing.
“My job with the (CCFS) is really exciting, because it’s around restoring the common space from a wilderness perspective. It’s all about restoring a historical wrong-doing… this great land giveaway that result in the whole east coast of Vancouver Island falling into private hands. I love this project, because people are so passionate about restoring this space.”
While the complete list is too long for one page, some of the other projects and partnerships Meaghan is, or has been, involved with, include:
Moonlight and Magic in Downtown Courtenay; CV Collective Magazine; Filberg Park Summer Concert Series, and community tour guide for the Cumberland Museum.
“The world is richer when you engage in it and contribute to it and that’s what makes life worth living.”
And the Comox Valley is richer, with Meaghan Cursons here.