A family friend of former TV news anchor and journalist Deb Hope is hoping to raise money to honour the memory of the late Anmore resident.
Angela Sinclair, who works with one of Hope’s daughters, Katherine, recently started a GoFundMe page to collect $2,500 for markers at each end of a trail that Hope regularly walked her dog near her home.
Sinclair told the Tri-City News that the plaques for the Lancaster Court pathway will cost about $1,250 each and, as of Monday (May 29), she had brought in $300 through her public appeal.
Sinclair, a Coquitlam resident, said the tribute is a way for the Anmore community to recognize Hope’s legacy in broadcasting.
“She was so wonderful,” Sinclair said. “This is a small gesture in her honour.”
The wording on the trail markers will be decided by Hope’s husband, Roger, and their two daughters.
Hope, who also served as a charity ambassador, retired from Global BC in 2014 after she was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease; she died on May 15, 2023, at the age of 67.
“She was one of the most iconic faces in B.C. for decades and will be deeply missed,” the station wrote in a statement following her death.
Brooke Hovey, the village’s communications and events co-ordinator, said Anmore started its trail marker program in 2018 with 11 trail head locations identified as a means to honour individuals, groups and special events.
That program includes a 5x7” plaque that the village maintains for 10 years. Still, to date, there have been no trail markers installed, she said.
On her GoFundMe page, Sinclair wrote that Hope “was more than a news anchor. She was a beacon of trust and compassion for viewers across the province.
“With her distinct voice and genuine smile, she brought comfort to living rooms, delivering news with grace and integrity. Her commitment to journalism went beyond reporting the facts: She understood the power of storytelling and its ability to connect people.”
