General News

Town recognizes its many volunteers

April 11, 2014   ·   0 Comments

By Bill Rea
Clarence Pinkney has been contributing his talents and energies to the Caledon Agricultural Society for more than 50 years.
He may not live in town these days, but his involvement continues, and that was recognized Monday night.
Pinkney was named Caledon’s 2014 Volunteer Champion at the annual Volunteer and Citizen Achievement Awards ceremony.
Pinkney said he had found out that he would be receiving the award about two weeks before.
“I was really surprised,” he commented, pointing out he moved away and has been living in the Shelburne area about 10 years. He commented that people seldom get that kind of recognition after they leave.
He is still secretary of the Agricultural Society, and Monday’s presentation was a sign that his contributions have not gone unnoticed.
“I was quit happy about it,” he said. “I think it’s an honour; quite a prestigious award.”
In making the presentation, Mayor Marolyn Morrison pointed out that Pinkney has been serving the Society and Caledon Fair in various capacities for some 54 years.
“He has been an anchor, and knowledgeable resource,” she commented.
Morrison pointed out he’s helped with other major events of the Society, like the Strawberry Festival held every Canada Day and SnowFest. She said such events have helped put Caledon on the map.
“Clarence is there all the time,” she remarked. “You’re just unbelievable.”
“None of these events would be what they are without him,” she added.
Pinkney told the audience at the Caledon Community Complex that he has been following a pattern in his family that has gone back generations. He said there was reference to his great-grandfather in a Brampton newspaper from 1868.
He also said he started showing at the Fair in 4-H competitions as a youngster, and started getting really involved in 1961.
The evening was also devoted to recognizing the volunteer contributions of more than 40 other residents.
Caledon’s Town Crier Andrew Welch observed this is National Volunteer Week, pointing out it’s a time to celebrate “values than cannot be quantified.”
Morrison said she was pleased to help celebrate the “extraordinary effort and achievement of some of Caledon’s finest.”
“We have so many volunteers in this town,” the mayor declared, adding it’s these people who help make it possible for others to do things they might have thought was impossible.
“Volunteers don’t necessarily have the time,” Dufferin-Caledon MPP Sylvia Jones commented. “They have the heart. Than you for having the heart.”
Volunteers were recognized under different categories.
n Community and Social Services, those honoured included Melodie Belusa, Kenneth Bokor, Deanna Bootle, Carol Bromby, Yevgenia Casale, Doug Dixon, Darlene Downey, Tim Forster and Barb Shaughnessy, Nancy Gunn, Carmel Hili, Scott Jefferies, Herb Jefferson, Claire Johnston, Nick Karataglidis, Gayle Lawr, Jane Pizale, Rosa Raso, Nancy Sinclair, Monica Smith, Michele Skawski, Karen Thomas, Nicole Trefzger and Lorraine Witty.
Those being recognized for Sports and Recreation were Ken Hollis, Natalie Saarimaki and Bob Symons.
In Arts and Culture, the award recipients were the Belfountain Heritage Society and Judy Lewis.
Those receiving recognition for their service on Committees of Council were Valerie Cushing, Steve McElroy and Greg Walker (Environmental Advisory Committee); Larry Polsinelli (Business Improvement Association); and Estelle Annis (posthumously) and Domenic Scida (Accessibility Advisory Committee).
Distinguished Citizens who were recognized included Bob Cannon, Jim Cassell, Joy Croft, Joanne Currie, Andrew Dunn, Lisa Graham, Steve Hayward, Danila Maric, Bruce Mitchell, Susan St. Hilaire and Nina Stubbs.
The evening was also used to recognize Belfountain Public School as Caledon’s Environmentalist of the year.
Cat Cybulski, representing the Caledon Environmental Advisory Committee (CEAC), said the school was among the first to adopt Education for Sustainable Development, which uses sustainability to integrate teaching, learning, decision making and campus practices. She added the school received honourable mention in 2012 for the Jack Layton Award for Youth Action in Sustainability.
The activities the school has taken part in include garlic mustard pulls, hatching and monitoring Atlantic salmon and releasing them into the Credit River and learning about gardening and plant care.

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