{"id":23853,"date":"2019-05-27T20:10:58","date_gmt":"2019-05-28T00:10:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/?p=23853"},"modified":"2019-06-05T20:14:34","modified_gmt":"2019-06-06T00:14:34","slug":"barb-allan-is-auroras-2019-citizen-of-the-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/barb-allan-is-auroras-2019-citizen-of-the-year\/","title":{"rendered":"Updated: Barb Allan is Aurora\u2019s 2019 Citizen of the Year"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Brock Weir<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barb Allan is Aurora\u2019s 2019 Citizen of the Year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ms. Allan, who founded the ABLE Network (Access to Better\nLiving & Employment) to help young people with intellectual disabilities\ngain practical life skills and employment opportunities, was recognized on\nMonday night at the Town\u2019s annual Community Recognition Awards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the ceremony, Ms. Allan was celebrated not only for\nher work in helping these young adults gain the skills and experiences they\nneed to live independent, happy and healthy lives, but also for her\nwide-ranging volunteer work that has encompassed local meal programs for\ncommunity members in need as well as helping new Canadians, particularly Syrian\nrefugees, settle into their new homes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe is someone who is truly dedicated to the health and\nwellbeing of her community,\u201d said Mayor Tom Mrakas before revealing just who\nthe winner was \u2013 with Ms. Allan in the audience listening intently with her\nfamily. \u201cShe is well-known for her positive attitude, desire to assist anyone\nin need, ability to think creatively, and passion for sharing her knowledge and\nskills. She is actively involved in the community, including serving in a\nleadership role with the Welcome Table, which provides food and fellowship to\nthose in need. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe was a key member on the Interfaith Refugee\nResettlement committee that worked to bring a Syrian family in Aurora and then\nhelped them integrate into society. She has held various volunteer support\nroles within Trinity Anglican Church, local schools, the Aurora Food Pantry,\nSouthlake Regional Health Centre, Special Olympics and many more.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But is The ABLE Network, which she co-founded in 2008\nwith Joan Hurst, that received the most attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere is a proverb that states necessity is the mother\nof invention and innovation and Barb\u2019s efforts certainly exemplify this,\u201d said\nCeline Tremblay, who works at The ABLE Network. \u201cOnce [Barb and Joan] identified\nthe need for such a service, they conducted extensive research before the ABLE\nNetwork first opened its doors and it has continued to grow since then.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe ABLE Network is a unique program that is filling a\nhighly important need in Aurora and other areas of York Region. It is an\norganization that directly addresses the high unemployment rate of young people\nwith intellectual disabilities with a practical and dynamic program creating\nsustainable employment. ABLE is made up of many community partners forming the\nnetwork of its thriving community-based program. ABLE provides meaningful\nopportunities for adults to be engaged in their community. Barb\u2019s goal was to\npromote the concept of diversity and accessibility in the community,\ndemonstrating that people with an intellectual disability are citizens who have\ncontributions to make to society.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is an issue very close to Ms. Allan\u2019s heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She was inspired by her daughter, Meredith, who lives\nwith an intellectual disability. As she and her family navigated the system and\nlooked for resources around the community, they found significant gaps that\nneeded to be filled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, she set out to close those gaps. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe all want to be valued, busy and reach our full\npotential,\u201d Ms. Allan told The Auroran last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before joining The ABLE Network\u2019s board, teacher Nancy\nBennett first met Ms. Allan when Meredith was in her Grade One class. From\nthose early days, Ms. Bennett says Barb was a \u201cstrong advocate for inclusion\nfor students with intellectual disabilities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe was involved with collaborating with educators to\nassist in implementing an inclusive and supportive educational environment for\nour kids with special needs,\u201d said Ms. Bennett. \u201cWhen Barb started looking for\nprograms for Meredith when she graduated from secondary school, there were no\nprograms in the Aurora area which were community-based, work-centred and\ninclusive. Barb saw a real need and set out to fill this need by founding The\nABLE Network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDuring the past 10 years, Barb has worked tirelessly\nwith many community partners including numerous local businesses, charitable\norganizations, leisure centres and community agencies to build an inclusive\ncommunity, and, through her efforts, The ABLE Network has grown and is being\nwidely acknowledged as the model for programs for young adults with\nintellectual disabilities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBarb Allan is a role model for anyone who sees a need in\na community and works passionately to develop a way to fill that need and the\ncommunity is a much better place as a result.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Ms. Allan\u2019s name was announced by Mayor Mrakas, she\nreceived a standing ovation from the packed Council Chambers and the biggest\ncheers arguably came from Meredith, who quickly wrapped her mother in a hug.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following the ceremony, Ms. Allan paid tribute to those\nwho have been integral to her journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAll those things they were talking about that I have\ndone, I have done them all with other people,\u201d she said. \u201cNone of this happens\non its own and I have been surrounded by lots of really great people who worked\nwith me at the Welcome Table, with the Refugee Resettlers and starting The ABLE\nNetwork. Hopefully this recognition will bring a little bit more awareness to\nthe community on ABLE. Aurora is just such a supportive community and this\nverifies what we\u2019re doing is making a difference in the community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barb Allan is Aurora\u2019s 2019 Citizen of the Year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ms. Allan, who founded the ABLE Network (Access to Better Living & Employment) to help young people with intellectual disabilities gain practical life skills and employment opportunities, was recognized on Monday night at the Town\u2019s annual Community Recognition Awards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the ceremony, Ms. Allan was celebrated not only for her work in helping these young adults gain the skills and experiences they need to live independent, happy and healthy lives, but also for her wide-ranging volunteer work that has encompassed local meal programs for community members in need as well as helping new Canadians, particularly Syrian refugees, settle into their new homes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere is a proverb that states necessity is the mother of invention and innovation and Barb\u2019s efforts certainly exemplify this,\u201d said Celine Tremblay, who works with Ms. Allan at The ABLE Network, which operates out of Trinity Anglican Church\u2019s rectory. \u201cOnce Barb and her co-founder Joan Hurst identified the need for such a service, they conducted extensive research before the ABLE Network first opened its doors and it has continued to grow since then.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe ABLE Network is a unique program that is filling a\nhighly important need in Aurora and other areas of York Region. It is an\norganization that directly addresses the high unemployment rate of young people\nwith intellectual disabilities with a practical and dynamic program creating\nsustainable employment. ABLE is made up of many community partners forming the\nnetwork of its thriving community-based program. ABLE provides meaningful\nopportunities for adults to be engaged in their community. Barb\u2019s goal was to\npromote the concept of diversity and accessibility in the community,\ndemonstrating that people with an intellectual disability are citizens who have\ncontributions to make to society.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is an issue very close to Ms. Allan\u2019s heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ms. Allan\u2019s daughter, Meredith, has Down Syndrome and as she and her family navigated the system and looked for resources around the community, they found significant gaps that needed to be filled. So, she set out to close those gaps. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe all want to be valued, busy and reach our full potential,\u201d Ms. Allan told The Auroran last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before joining The ABLE Network\u2019s board, teacher Nancy Bennett first met Ms. Allan when Meredith was in her Grade One class where, she said, saw Barb was a \u201cstrong advocate for inclusion for students with intellectual disabilities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe was involved with collaborating with educators to\nassist in implementing an inclusive and supportive educational environment for\nour kids with special needs,\u201d said Ms. Bennett. \u201cWhen Barb started looking for\nprograms for Meredith when she graduated from secondary school, there were no\nprograms in the Aurora area which were community-based, work-centred and\ninclusive. Barb saw a real need and set out to fill this need by founding The\nABLE Network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDuring the past 10 years, Barb has worked tirelessly\nwith many community partners including numerous local businesses, charitable\norganizations, leisure centres and community agencies to build an inclusive\ncommunity, and, through her efforts, The ABLE Network has grown and is being\nwidely acknowledged as the model for programs for young adults with\nintellectual disabilities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBarb Allan is a role model for anyone who sees a need in a community and works passionately to develop a way to fill that need and the community is a much better place as a result.\u201d<\/p>\n\r\n\"Facebook\"<\/a>\"twitter\"<\/a>\"mail\"<\/a>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Allan founded ABLE Network, works with new Canadians<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":23864,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[4,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23853","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general_news","category-news"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/2019-05-30-03.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3D2k4-6cJ","publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-05-25 07:08:44","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23853","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23853"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23853\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23864"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23853"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23853"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23853"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}