The Sunshine Coast Search and Rescue Association lost a long-time volunteer earlier this year, Robert Allen. In his memory, the association is establishing an endowment at the Sunshine Coast Foundation. Annual grants from the Robert Allen Memorial Endowment will support land search and rescue activities on the Sunshine Coast.
Allen was born in Comox and spent his school-age years in Courtenay. After graduating from BCIT in 1967, he worked as a land surveyor throughout the province before settling in Sechelt and starting his own company. In that capacity, Allen traversed nearly every centimetre of the Sunshine Coast and met many of its inhabitants. After retirement, he achieved the rare honour of life membership status in both the Canada and British Columbia land surveyors associations. As an avid outdoorsman, Allen enjoyed fishing, camping, and hunting.
A family man and a consummate professional, Allen was also a committed community volunteer. A coach of multiple youth sports teams, chair of the library board, elected official – he did it all. Allen was very proud to have been a founding member of the Sunshine Coast Search and Rescue team “for 46 and a half years” and served on the SAR board for many years, the last few as its treasurer. He could move through the bush faster and smoother than almost anyone.
A celebration of Allen’s life was delayed by the pandemic, and is now planned for Saturday, Sept. 25.
Those wishing to honour Robert Allen’s memory by supporting the Search and Rescue Association may make a donation of any size to the endowment established in his memory. Please contact the Sunshine Coast Foundation at 604-741-7360 or ED@sunshinecoastfoundation.org.
