Town holds recognition evening for volunteers

May 3, 2017 · 0 Comments

By Bill Rea
Even Mayor Allan Thompson admitted there were not enough being honoured.
But 37 Caledon residents were recognized last Wednesday as the Town held its annual Volunteer Recognition Night.
The highlight of the evening was the acknowledgement of Joanne Davis as this year’s Community Champion.
The presentation was made by Betty Ward, last year’s Community Champion. She noted Davis has lived in the area 39 years, and has constantly helped at Caledon East United Church for the last 35, assisting with administration, operations, education, music and several committees. As well, Davis is a founding member of the Community Women’s Circle, has served as a board member and secretary for Abbyfield Caledon, has volunteered with the Davis Centre in Bolton, as well as Caledon Meals on Wheels (CMOW).
“Joanne is very conscientious, helpful and kind, and expects nothing in return for her work,” Ward remarked. “She has a generous and gentle nature, is a great organizer and always provides a calming presence.”
“Joanne is always there to lend a helping hand or a sympathetic ear,” she added. “Joanne and the whole David family are very community minded, and Joanne is a shining example of what all Caledon residents should aspire to be.”
In accepting the recognition, Davis expressed her thanks to her family and friends, as well as the committee who organized the festivities.
“The Town of Caledon really does honour its volunteers very well,” she declared.
Davis added she was humbled to be representing the other recipients.
“You volunteer because it makes you a better and happier person,” she observed.
Davis said she learned she would be receiving the recognition about a month before.
“I just got a call from the Mayor,” she recalled. “You don’t know what to say.”
She said she was pretty sure with was women from the church who were behind her nomination.
“This is a special evening when we celebrate you,” Thompson told the volunteers assembled.
He also pointed to the importance of volunteerism on a national level. People who give their time in Canada contribute five times what the Gross Domestic Product for the country comes to, he observed.
“I want to give you a big ‘thank-you’ for everything you do,” he added. “I don’t think we say ‘thank you’ enough.”
“I see how active and engaged our volunteers are in our community,” Dufferin-Caledon MPP Sylvia Jones remarked.
She added she sometimes asks people why they volunteer.
“It always comes back to ‘I want to give back to my community,’” she said.
Other people were recognized in certain categories.
Those being recognized for community and social services included Marylin Adams, for her years as a community services representative for Caledon Community Services (CCS); Sonia D’Almonte, for creating an interactive program for pre-teen children, promoting development of life skills, financial literacy and entrepreneurial spirit, as well as being very busy organizing the Mayfield West Spring Fair; Gary Hall, who has volunteered with CMOW since 2007, delivering meals, helping with special events, as well as serving the board and governance committee; Linda Hall, for delivering meals from 2008 to 2105, and since helping out with Seniors’ Wellness Programs; Helen Hydon, who has put in more than 1,300 hours at Bethell Hospice over six years, where she has become known for her caring heart and her willingness to part of every Sunday; Jane Lyndon, who has volunteered her time at CMOW for 12 years and in the Bethell Hospice kitchen for eight; Nora Martin, who as volunteered with both Caledon Seniors’ Centre, where she’s served as president, and Bethell Hospice, where she’s a board member; Elizabeth Morton, who is known as a key volunteer, delivering for CMOW; and Barb Reynolds, who has offered much support over the last six years to the CCS food support program.
Those being recognized for their contributions to sports and recreation included Diana Nicholson, who has served as a coach, coordinator and on the executive of the Palgrave Youth Sports Group; Sherry Thomas, who has been involved in girls’ hockey for more than 15 years, now serving as vice-president of the Caledon Coyotes; and Leigh Wingfield, who has been coaching with C3 Running for more than five years, and has recently become chairman, increasing the number of programs the club offers.
Those being presented with Arts and Culture Awards were Marion Johnston, who has been chair of the Albion-Bolton Agricultural Society’s Decorating Committee for 10 years, adding creativity and colour to AGMs, Fall Fairs and other community events; and Shawna Ward, who has been involved in the Caledon Agricultural Society for 15 years, volunteering as a junior director, associate director, convenor, fair ambassador and director.
The Town added a category for Environmental Leadership this year. It’s aimed at recognizing people who have made sustained efforts to enhance and preserve Caledon’s environment in various areas, including air quality, natural ecology awareness of climate change, conserving resources, supporting local food production and encouraging sustainable transportation habits.
Those being recognized included Satya Evolve, who has been working with ecoCaledon for five years, establishing Unify Caledon and working to reduce the energy footprint in town; Richard Hunt, who has been involved in the Bolton and District Horticultural Society for more than 20 years, has lead beautification projects and contributes to the planting of thousands of trees; Jonathan Love, who has volunteered with ecoCaledon for five years, contributing to Unify Caledon and Walk the Talk Caledon; Kay MacDuffee, who continued to teach the community through ecoCaledon and numerous environmental campaigns; and John MacRae, who has been active with a variety of programs over the last eight years, including the Waste Water Education Program, Climate Change Program, Paint a Picture for Water Conservation and Walk the Talk Caledon.
The Town also expressed thanks to volunteers who have served on various committees of council, including Kathleen Linch (Accessibility Advisory Committee), Doreen Beffort (Caledon Council Community Golf tournament Committee), Patti Foley (Caledon Public Library Board), Michael Gallo (Committee of Adjustment), Ian Anderson (Heritage Caledon), Gail Grant (Seniors’ Task Force), Margot Scott (Seniors’ Task Force) and Georgina Singh (Seniors’ Task Force).
There was recognition for athletes who have gained success beyond the borders of Caledon, including nationally and internationally.
Yann Candele made his Olympic debut last year in Rio in equestrian show jumping, where the team just missed the bronze medal; Emma Everett finished the 2016 outdoor track season ranked first in the province and sixth in Canada in the 1,500-metre Steeplechase; Ashley Lawrence, who was a member of the bronze medal team in soccer in Rio last year; Aysia Maurice, who set Athletics Ontario records in the under-13 1,200 and 2,000 metre events, and the under-14 2,000, and who ended the year ranked at the top in the province in the bantam girls’ 1,000 and 2,000 metre events, and climbing to the top of CN Tower in a time of 12:53.4; Tess Routliffe, who competed in several Paralympic events at Rio, winning a silver medal and setting a Canadian record in the womens 200-metre individual medley; Kelly Russell, who won Olympic bronze in rugby, and represented Canada in multiple Rugby Canada matches; and Andrew Yorke, who finished as one of the top 50 triathletes in the world at Rio.
Distinguished Citizen recognition went to Svetlana Lazareva, a new Caledon resident who has made several contributions tot he community over five years, including founding the ImmPress Institute which helps new Canadians, as well as helping new Canadians integrate to the culture; and Jason Scorcia, a highly-decorated special Olympian who has released an adult colouring book and has worked to raise awareness and funds for the Special Olympics Canada Foundation.

Caledon’s Community Champion from last year Betty Ward was given the job of introducing her successor Joanne Davis at last Wednesday’s Community Recognition Night, in honour of National Volunteer Week.
Photo by Bill Rea

Kay MacDuffee received congratulations from Councillor Doug Beffort for her environmental work.

Councillor Gord McClure congratulated Aysia Maurice for many athletic achievements, including running up the stairs of the CN Tower in a time of 12:53.4.

Dave Borrett of the Sandhill Pipes and Drums provided the pipe music at last Wednesday’s Community Recognition Night. He is flanked here by the Town’s Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives Laura Johnston, who was also MC for the evening, and Town Crier Andrew Welch.

Duffering-Caledon MPP Sylvia Jones said volunteers tell her they are motivated by their desire to give back to the community.

Nora Martin was congratulated by Mayor Allan Thompson and Councillor Johanna Downey for the work she has done with Caledon Seniors’ Centre and Bethell Hospice.