Always Pack a Candle: A Nurse in the Cariboo-Chilcotin by Marion McKinnon Crook was awarded the Community History Book Award. In her memoir, Marion recounts her first year as a public health nurse, arriving in Williams Lake in 1963 at age 22 with only her academic knowledge, common sense, and government-issued Chevy to provide health care to rural communities of the region. Marion McKinnon Crook now lives on the Sunshine Coast in BC and is the author of more than 15 books. Always Pack a Candle is her first memoir. 

The annual Historical Writing Competition presented by the BC Historical Federation recognizes the authors whose books have made the most significant contributions to the historical literature of British Columbia. The Community History Book Award highlights a book that provides sought-after historical information about a specific community or locality within British Columbia. This award recognizes the importance of preserving local histories as well as broader provincial histories.