Burnaby, Nov. 9, 2024.– Family, friends, colleagues, volunteers, supporters, and participants of the Parents Support Services (PSS) gathered at the MOSAIC building in Burnaby to give Belle Cenezero all the best wishes on her retirement after working for 30 years at the PSS.
With PSS Executive Director Jane Bouey as emcee, friends shared stories and memories. They sang songs from Karaoke. They danced. Friends who had not seen each other were happy to see each other, thanks to Bella’s retirement party. All the things needed to give Bella the best send-off to new adventures on her retirement were there!
There was Gina Hortelano, close family friend, member of PSS Filipino Steering Committee and Director of SHARE Family & Community Services (PSS’ partner organization); Maya Remigio, former colleague at Philippine Commission on the Role of Filipino Women and member of PSS Filipino Steering Committee; Sarah Stirling and Jenna Bussey, both former PSS Volunteer Facilitators; and Violeta Munoz-Berruecos, PSS Coordinator for Volunteer Recruitment and Retention who started as a volunteer and later started the new Spanish parenting support group in New Westminster. On the giant “guest book” in the hall, guests wrote their thoughts, greetings and well-wishes on three vertical sheets of paper on what guests called a Bella dedication wall.
Bella is a Registered Social Worker with the BC College of Social Workers, and a member of the BC Association of Social Workers (BCASW) – Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Committee. Bella was the PSS Program Manager for Education and Support when she retired.
The PSS described Bella’s commitment to social justice and migrants’ justice, its impact seen in the growth of Parenting Support Groups in multiple languages, including Tagalog, Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Punjabi, Farsi and Arabic. This extended to partnerships with the Indigenous Community Agencies and Indigenous families.
In her own words, Bella described her work at PSS as “an incredible journey filled with countless memories, inspiring and re-energizing experiences and the joy of working alongside such passionate and committed volunteers.”
The newly re-elected MLA for Vancouver Kensington Mable Elmore, who has known Bella for decades presented Bella with a Certificate of Appreciation for her contributions and service to the community.
Parents Support Services (PSS) also announced the launch of the Bella Salazar Cenezero Legacy Fund in honour of Bella’s incredible dedication to community development and advocacy for marginalized communities. Bella said that in honour of her mother who raised and guided her, she had included her mother’s last name “Salazar” in the Legacy Fund’s name.Bella Salazar Cenezero Legacy Fund is open to eligible PSS volunteers and support group members, offering financial support for community-based initiatives that foster dialogue, learning, and action. “The Bella Salazar Cenezero Legacy Fund will empower and enable various projects that reflect Bella’s passion for fostering strong and connected communities through community development.” Information to donate to the fund and apply for the fund in 2025 are available at the PSS website.