Renie D'Aquila has been recognized by the Rotary Club of Ladner with a prestigious Paul Harris Fellow Award for helping people in Delta with developmental disabilities throughout her career.
In the 20 years she has held her current position as Reach’s executive director, D’Aquila has ensured that all Reach programs and services follow a positive, supportive and family-centred approach, leading to their great success. With that focus and her work with others to attract sustainable funding, 1,150 children now benefit from Reach programs and services so that families experience success and each child is given the opportunity to reach their potential.
D’Aquila has been an untiring advocate for children and families and currently serves on the Board of the BC Association for Child Development and Intervention whose mission is to advocate for quality child development and therapy services which are inclusive and accessible to all children and families.
Among her many accomplishments, was forming the Reach Foundation Board in 2010 to raise funds to build a new child development centre. The Building for Children Together project was a partnership between the Corporation of Delta, Reach and the Ladner Tsawwassen Kinsmen Club. The Corporation provided the land, valued at in excess of $1 million and the Reach Foundation raised $5.7 million to ensure completion of the new centre's construction.
In February 2018, the three-storey, 20,000 square foot Lois E. Jackson Kinsmen Centre for Children opened as a community resource, with therapy and counseling rooms, youth program areas, specialized lending libraries and an inclusive preschool with playground.
“The resourcefulness and persistence that Renie has displayed throughout her working life in fighting for vulnerable populations has resulted in the creation of the beautiful Reach children's centre in Ladner that serves children and youth with special needs and their families,” said Rotarian Irene Forcier, who was also the Reach Foundation Board’s first chair. “Renie is a thoughtful and passionate leader for the team at Reach. She cares greatly for each individual's health and wellbeing and will always go out of her way to support her team both personally and professionally.”