It is with heavy hearts we announce the passing of Mayor Al Raine. He passed away peacefully surrounded by his wife Nancy Greene Raine and his family. Staff and Council mourn the loss of our Mayor, our friend and our dedicated community leader. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones.
Mayor Raine asked to share the following message for the community:
Dear Sun Peaks Community,
I have resigned as your Mayor as of December 14th at midnight. Not something that I had planned or something that I really wanted to do. However, as we all know one can’t control everything in life.
My ALS combined with adult-onset asthma has made breathing more and more difficult with each passing day. ALS is interesting in that no two people follow the exact same path but rest assured, it is a horrible disease, and the end is not pretty. I have been lucky to have lived a full life with no regrets, with a supporting and wonderful wife, two healthy boys and a life full of adventures. I would have been upset if I were 38 years old and diagnosed with ALS but at 83, the best years are behind me.
It was a great privilege to have been Mayor of Sun Peaks and work with your elected representatives. Sun Peaks has great potential, and it can be even better if we all look after our guests, count our blessings and continue to make visitors feel special. I had hoped to see the employee only rental building burst out of the ground, but it is coming along, just a little too slow for my schedule. Always remember, the Sun Peaks people make the difference in whether our guests return or go somewhere else. The community makes people feel special and that is why people love Sun Peaks.
Thanks for sharing this journey!
Respectfully,
Al Raine
A celebration of life is planned for Wednesday January 15, 2025 from 4PM to 6PM at the Sun Peaks Centre. More details will be provided in the future.
Media Contact: Deanna Campbell at cao@sunpeaksmunicipality.ca.