This page was exported from The Auroran [ http://www.newspapers-online.com/auroran ] Export date:Thu Apr 25 3:38:14 2024 / +0000 GMT ___________________________________________________ Title: Canada 150 medals honour community’s unsung heroes --------------------------------------------------- By Brock Weir They are fuelled by a passion for community, but they often put this passion in action quietly and with little fanfare. That all changed this fall, however, when Newmarket-Aurora MP Kyle Peterson honoured 150 residents of the riding with a special medal to mark a very special occasion. The best and brightest volunteers from Newmarket-Aurora filled Northridge Community Church as one member of the community for each of Canada's 150 years was recognized for their “unsung” heroism. Whether they have worked behind the scenes as advocates for food security, seniors, or LGBTQ rights, each of the 150 individuals were, after a call for nominations was put out this past summer, nominated by members of the community at large for their “outstanding volunteer service and dedication to the community.” “We wanted people who contribute to the community on a regular basis and just help make Newmarket-Aurora a better place to live through their own volunteer efforts,” says Mr. Peterson looking back on the ceremony. “What struck me was the number of people I hadn't heard of, the unsung heroes who were nominated. It was great to learn about so many organizations and great people in the community that a lot of people don't even know are around and all the great work people are doing.” What struck Mr. Peterson about each of the recipients, he says, was a common refrain when he presented them with the medals themselves. More often than not they said, “I can't believe I was nominated” or “I don't even know why [my name] was put forward.” “It was just the humility of people who were nominated; it just becomes such a routine and part of their daily life – their volunteer efforts, whether it was the hospital or a non-profit, or with sports teams or youth organizations, they didn't see themselves as anything special. It was just such a normal part of their daily lives they didn't realise someone else would see them as playing such an important role in our community,” he says. “To be honest, that overwhelmed me at some points. These are the people who make our community such a great place to live.” These people were, in alphabetical order: Jim Abram Susan Abram Elaine Adam Naqi Ashan Jim Alexander Alex Ansell Ken Antaya Tyler Barker Dorian Baxter Jacque Bayley Melanie Bell Martha Berry Jean-Paul Bichay Elizabeth Blight Tom Boswell Kirk Bowden Phyllis Brady Laurie Braekboer Marjorie Brewster Judy Brunton Rod Bruton Nancy Cameron Lynda Carusi Erin Cerenzia Bill Chadwick Tracee Chambers Don Chretien Rob Clark Michelle Clayton Wood Julie Cochrane Linda Condy Tom Connor Crystal Cook Judy Craig Jennifer Cuypers Rosemarie D'Aguiar Claire D'Aurore Karey Dawe John Dowson Angel Dupee Chris Dupee Paul Dutton Lily Edmunds Chris Emanuel Carrie Emerson Leslie Everson Jacqueline FainGold Robert Fairs Bonnie Fleishaker Roy George Rosalyn Gonsalves Kerry Greico Matt Haggerty David Hanna Dave Hanson John Hardy Roy Harrison Athol Hart Beth Hart Patricia Hawke Elisabeth Hempen Steve Hinder James Hoyes Lori Hoyes Maureen Huismans Rob Hums Jacqueline Hunt Wasim Jarrah Paul Jones Jill Kellie Erika Kerwin Chan Khamphoomee Greg Knuth Danielle Koren Teresa Kruze Alda Lima Reggie Lima John Loughry Rich Lunney Janis Luttrell Richard MacLeod Glenn Marais Donelda Martin Gary Marston Graeme Mason Don McCallum Eric McCartney Sandra McCleary Don McKnight Steve McNaught Glen McRobbie Juliane McTavish-Goyette Peter Miller Kevin Mills Adam Mobbs Melanie Moffat Trudy Montgomery Jacob Montgomery Jim Nesbitt James Nuttall Brian Patterson Tom Pearson Tara Peel Judy Perry Rohan Persaud Glenn Playter Jackie Playter Juliana Playter Wes Playter Susan Popper Rick Preston Keith Profit John Rank Tammy Raper Joyce Remy Karen Richards David Robinson Richard Roos Al Rover Marilyn Savage Doug Scott Alejandro Segura Lea Seymour Melissa Shafa Terry Sherin Gina Shillolo Ranji Singh Marcia Sinclair Dean Smalley Michael Smith Marilyn Sorochan Elizabeth Sparling Joe Sponga Mike Springford Sean Stephens Barry Stock Fred Stoneman Peter Sturrup Murray Taylor Tom Taylor Karin Theron Lena Thorogood Roxanne Van Bynen Chole Vargas Bessie Vlasis Gail Waller David Wattling Dave Williams Frank Young Claudius Zujew “I hope the people of Newmarket-Aurora realise how fortunate we are to live in a community where there are so many people who make giving back part of their daily routine and making giving back part of their lives,” says Mr. Peterson. “I have two young children who are very active in sports and they have great coaches and great organizations that are all volunteers and we're very blessed and fortunate. “We live in the greatest community in Canada, or one of the greatest communities in Canada, and a big part of that is the quality of the volunteers and the quantity of volunteers we have.” Looking back over the Canada 150 commemorations in 2017, Mr. Peterson says the observances, from the Canada Day bash to Aurora's inaugural Pow-Wow served to show “how far Canada, as a country, has come in 150 years and how much further we still have to go and what we can do.” “Every Canadian should be proud to be Canadian and proud to be part of a country like Canada and accept the fact we have accomplished a lot but we are just beginning,” says Mr. Peterson. “There is much more to do and many more ways to ensure Canada remains a progressive nation, a beacon to many in the world on how to get certain things right. I just think it was a great year for Canada to rally around the maple leaf and keep working hard to make the country better.” --------------------------------------------------- Images: --------------------------------------------------- Excerpt: They are fuelled by a passion for community, but they often put this passion in action quietly and with little fanfare. That all changed this fall, however, when Newmarket-Aurora MP Kyle Peterson honoured 150 residents of the riding with a special medal to mark a very special occasion. --------------------------------------------------- Post date: 2018-01-03 17:00:58 Post date GMT: 2018-01-03 22:00:58 Post modified date: 2018-01-03 17:00:58 Post modified date GMT: 2018-01-03 22:00:58 ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Export of Post and Page as text file has been powered by [ Universal Post Manager ] plugin from www.gconverters.com