Civic Awards

Said his nominator “Chris is an exceptional man. A great leader, role model and advocate for those living with disabilities…He does the work to make a difference in the lives of our players, parents, coaches and volunteers”. Congratulations Chris.

• Joe Keating
• Trisha Sutherland
• Graham Elliott
• Kaleb Glidon
• Logan Knapto-Oakes
• Bev Quinlan
• Debbie Quinlan
• Ken Plantt
• Laurie Gordon
• Tracey Musclow
• Annalise Musclow
• Jane Bleeker
• Gary Bleeker
• Donnie Stante
• Steven Moore
• Don Cavanagh
• Bruce Levia
• Keith Brown
• Rose Nunn
• Logan Oakes
• Lisa Mills
• Deb Olszewski
• Bernie Daynes
• Elaine Oakes
• Alexis Keating
• Erin Day Nunn
• Graham Elliott

Erin has volunteered hundreds of hours and works tirelessly for the greater good of our community. Thank you Erin for all that you have done!

• Chris Beyers
• Kathryn Campbell
• Julie Cosgrove
• Steve Daniels
• Jim Dufresne
• Robert Gibson
• Peter Harris
• Philip Kienholz
• Sue Mackay
• Deirdre McGahern
• Melinda Rees
• Jane Scott
• Gillian Trowbridge
• Timothy Wilson

Joan is the co-convener of the euchre lessons program each Monday and Friday, spending 3 hours with people who want to learn to play the game. In addition to the time she spends with the card players, Joan helps out volunteering wherever she is needed in the building.

Says her nominator “Joan is a personable, sweet, patient and loving lady and we would all be blessed to have more people like Joan in our lives.” Well said.

Bert has been involved with Activity Haven for almost 10 years and is amazing – just ask his legion of dedicated bridge followers. Thank you Bert for your contributions.

Thank you to volunteers like Patsy who are making the City a better place to live.

Thanks to Donna Revoy – part of the amazing volunteer team that keeps Activity Haven going.

Margaret also spends hundreds of hours every year with her charity “Socks Peterborough”. This group supplies new socks to men and women’s shelters, and any other organization in need. She is a positive force in our community helping both at Activity Haven and through Socks Peterborough.

Margie Leeking and Luella Smith each volunteered hundreds of hours in 2019. At Activity Haven they have a room which houses vibration technology machines. These machines increase muscle strength and power, bone density and blood circulation and are a great addition to services available for residents.

The studio is always manned, and Margie and Luella are two of the volunteers who run the operation. They are both involved with supervising and teaching each person how to use the machines to get the most out of their visit. Thank you to Margie and Luella.

Amy has been a volunteer at Five Counties Children’s Centre and Peterborough Public Health for more than 20 years and has volunteered more than 13,000 hours of her time! In 2019 alone she volunteered 624 hours.

At Peterborough Public Health she volunteers by assembling packages for postpartum mothers, 18 month packages for physicians to give to parents and care givers as well as putting together the radon test kits.

Her volunteer work at Five Counties involves cleaning the baby blankets and toys that have been used for treatment. As her nominator stated “No task is too big or too small and she is happy to be helping! Thank you Amy for all you do…we are so happy you are here.” She arrives every day at Peterborough Public Health with a “smile on her face, a spring in her step, spreading her joy and helping out”. It is clear the world would be a better place with more Amy Nolan's volunteering! Thank you Amy for all that you do. 

• Sandy Anderson
• Marie Buchl
• Elizabeth Owen
• Gord Rigby
• Lauren Ottaway
• Rosemary Rawek
• Sharon Waugh
• Emily Felske
• Dar Strain
• Linda Martinell

They have worked tirelessly to improve the quality of life for those living in poverty by providing a monthly in-house clinic. For many of the residents their pets are a major part of their lives and sometimes their only companion.  Thank you to both Dr. Himann and Jan Vandereyk for all the work they are doing to help pets and their owners. 

• Lyn Miller
• Evelyn Raab
• Sue Masters
• Heather Pollock
• Jim Glynn
• Nasrin Yari
• Frances Baker
• Sue Frise

This group (along with a host of other volunteers) prepares a nutritious meal every Tuesday at lunch with a variety of menus to groups of 120-150. Menu planning and shopping are done, food preparation and cooking as well as serving and clean-up are all completed by this group of volunteers. This group volunteers a lot of their time, but they are also supported by RJ’s Produce and Ennismore Foodland as well as Emmanuel United Church, Trinity United Church and the Sisters of St. Joseph. 

Thank you to the Church ladies for all that you do!

Guye Vondette was the lead in establishing the Peterborough Minor Ball Hockey League for youth players in Peterborough. Established in 2017 it has increased in size from 54 players to over 250 registered for the 2020 season. Guye has worked tirelessly to grow the league and volunteers a great deal of time.

He trains and manages the referees and timekeepers and is also a volunteer executive with the Ontario Ball Hockey Association. He also received an award from this association for “outstanding leadership in his community, fostering growth of the game.” 

Thank you Guye for promoting sportsmanship, friendship, wellness, and the physical health of youth in the City of Peterborough. 

The core volunteers were:

• Fred Blowes
• Cheryl MacNeill
• Kelly Roberts
• Lois Tuffin
• Rose Powers
• Kerri Hardill
• John Lyons
• Dan Lemay
• Kim Garland
• Cheryl Smith
• Sue Robertson
• Jill Hill
• Terri Crough
• Ashley Curtis
• Tori Wasson
• Sara Gardner
• Heather Lemay
• Dave Brown
• Sean Fitzgerald
• Reanna Montopoli
• Mike Williams
• Anna Taylor
• Drake Tytler

We thank this group for running an amazing event which showcased the City of Peterborough on the international stage.

The Betterment Brigade supports a Kurdish family of 10 from Syria, and the Brigade did not let language, cultural or any barriers get in the way of welcoming the family. The leader of the refugee support team is Jeff Ji, and he and his group went above and beyond to help the family settle in Peterborough.

Says the nominator, “Each one of them is an outstanding citizen, wonderful neighbour, and a perfect example of good community leadership and betterment.”

The members of the Betterment Brigade are:

• Jeff Ji
• Les Parr
• Drishti Verma
• Divya Verma
• Rani Ibrahim
• John Friesen
• Serena Hope

Marie’s volunteering at the museum made a huge impact. Says her nominator “Peterborough is a better place thanks to her contributions, her generosity of spirit and her clear and honest understanding of humanity.”

We wish that Marie were here to hear these kinds words. Unfortunately, she passed away in January 2020, and she continued her volunteering at the museum right up to the end. Thank you Marie O’Connor for your years of service to so many in the community. We agree with the nominator that she made the City a better place for all of us.

He was deeply dedicated to the team and attended every practice, game, team meeting and all team events. He demonstrated excellent leadership and sportsmanship throughout the season by helping to develop and guide the younger team members. I should mention that Senior lacrosse starts at age 22, and Kirk was 55 in 2019!

Kirk has played for the “Boro Boys” lacrosse club for 21 years, which is a recreational league. He is a longtime supporter of Peterborough lacrosse and is well known in the lacrosse community. He has supported the Peterborough Lakers as a fan for 30 years, as well as the Peterborough Junior A team, the Ennismore James Gang and the Peterborough Timberman teams.

Kirk thank you for your support of lacrosse in Peterborough and congratulations for your accomplishments in 2019. 

John Kasperski is a past winner of the City of Peterborough Senior Athlete of the Year and is very well known for his remarkable achievements as an athlete. This year we are recognizing him with a Sports Betterment award for everything he accomplished in 2019.

He competed at the World Indoor Master’s event in Torun Poland and he won a silver in shot put. In 2019 his lifetime of sporting activities were recognized when he was inducted into the Athletics Ontario Hall of Fame. John has shown us that athletics is an important part of life at all stages in life – it is not just a “young man’s game”. He has won 92 national medals (including 34 gold), 47 provincial gold medals, 4 medals at the Caribbean Masters Championship, and 3 top ten finishes at the World Masters in addition to  his silver in 2019.

John is a dedicated worker, generous with his help and support to other athletes. Congratulations John on your achievements in 2019 and for receiving an Athletic Award of Merit.

Shelbi teaches the girls about developing strong social skills, improving their work ethic and developing their overall sportsmanship. She uses hockey to make the girls better all-around people and she leads by example. When not on the ice with the girls she also organizes team building nights which have included yoga, dry land training, crafts and movies.

Shelbi is the heard coach of a Novice girls hockey team, assistant coach to a Peewee girls hockey team, runs a program for girls new to hockey, assists with a Power skating company and always has a smile on her face. Says one of letters of support submitted for her “For young girls to have a female athlete to look up to and aspire to be one day, in my opinion, is absolutely priceless.” Shelbi is clearly a woman who continues to make a huge impact on sport in the City of Peterborough.

One of the amazing things Shelbi volunteered at was helping 60 new Canadians try skating for the first time. The hockey community is fortunate to have Shelbi here, and the impact she has on girls in the sport will continue. Thank you Shelbi for all your volunteering and congratulations.

Stewart Hamilton has volunteered thousands of hours and provided excellent leadership with “Doors Open Peterborough” as well as siting on the Peterborough Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee for many years.

As a volunteer Chair of the Doors Open Peterborough committee, Stewart has committed his time, energy, and efforts for years to ensure successful events. With his willingness, contributions, and insights, Doors Open has continued to grow successfully.

Says his nominator “He is a valuable member of the public who goes above and beyond, giving back to his community and volunteering to ensure the conservation of City heritage for future generations…”  Well said.  Thank you for Stewart for the work you are doing and the hours you continue to volunteer in the City of Peterborough.

Linda helps with research, development, and implementation of exhibits in the temporary exhibit space. She has also been an important part of the fundraising team and they development a Victorian High Tea, a Downton Abbey Servants Luncheon, and two days of fireside Christmas stories in the Historic Keeping Room. She also helps with the museum kitchen, school programs, March Break, and events such as Peach Tea, Hogmanay, and the volunteer Christmas Market.

Linda, thank you for making Hutchison House an important part of the Peterborough cultural scene.

The group contributed more than 600 hours to their efforts in 2019 and these included:

• A September 27 Climate Rally which attracted approximately 800 citizens
• A September 11 Forum that brought Councillor Robert Kylie from Kingston to talk about why it is important for cities to declare a climate emergency
• They also provided presentations to City Council in September 2019 when Council passed the Emergency Declaration

The names of the volunteers in 2019 were:

• Malaika Collette
• Jake Douglas
• Hannah Grills
• Nico Ossa-Williams
• Darren Ranawaka
• Emma Scarlett

One of the letters of support stated the following “As a City…that works and lives together in a beautiful environment, we should offer our gratitude and thanks that our youth are striving to create a healthier, greener future for our children and those many generations yet to come.” Thank you to Peterborough Youth Empowerment.

Almost 1,500 injured turtles were treated at the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre in 2019 and their protection and healing is provided by over 130 volunteers. Not only were the injured turtles provided with care, from these turtles approximately 6,000 eggs were incubated. How many hours did the volunteers provide in 2019 - 6,716!

The Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre is a registered charity which operates a turtle hospital that treats, rehabilitates, and releases injured turtles once they have recovered. This group of volunteers feed, clean and care for the turtles along with educating the public.

All 8 of Ontario’s turtles are listed as a species at risk federally. Turtle populations are in decline primarily due to habitat loss and fragmentation, road mortality, poaching and depredation. Economically, biologically, and culturally turtles play such a significant role in our natural world. Thank you to the amazing volunteers at the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre.

Faith has a signature blanket for Canadian veterans and soldiers serving overseas or when they return home suffering from PTSD. She has also created a signature First Responders blanked for Fleming College Fire Fighting students. In 2018 she opened a Cuddles for Cancer Drop-In Centre in Lakefield where volunteers come in three days a week to make blankets. In 2019 she launched Cuddles for Cancer in Western Canada.

She speaks at various events for the Women’s Business Network, Lions, Rotary, Probus, government and to thousands of students across Ontario. She also supports Kawartha Foodshare, Canadian Blood Services, Pink in the Rink, etc. She hosts a food drive and a blood doner clinic every year, supports mental health initiatives and donates between 30 and 50 blankets each year to local fundraisers. Says her nominator “She genuinely has a huge heart.” We couldn’t agree more.

She has done so much but we can’t tell you all about it because we simply do not have enough time! Congratulations Faith and thank you!

Evelyn was Vice President of the Student Council at Crestwood Secondary and was co-captain of the girls’ field hockey team and was recognized with the Gold Laureate Scholar and her Junior and Senior letters.

She is currently working on her Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and is involved in the Salvation Army Peterborough Temple Band and Songsters, as well as the Ontario-Central East Divisional Youth Band. This young Scouter has earned the Salvation Army’s Generals Award, the Chief Scouts Award, the Queen’s Venturer Award as a youth member, has been recognized with the Ontario Volunteer Service Award, the Medal for Good Service, the Medal of the Maple, the Bar to the Medal for Good Service, the Earl McNabb Scholarship, and the 2018 Kawartha Waterway Youth Excellence Award for her involvement in Scouting.

Faith is a valuable young person in our community, and we are very pleased to present her with a Mayor’s Youth Award.

Grace is a ranked provincial contender in virtually every sport she competes in. Grace has a unique personality trait – her heart, compassion and empathy allow everyone around her to excel. She does not know the meaning of the word quit. She is an inspiration in sports, academics and in everyone she touches.

In November 2019 Grace was accepted to represent our province in the Under 18 Cross Country Championships in Abbotsford BC and was the team’s youngest member at 14. She placed a remarkable 19th overall in Canada in her first-ever National Cross Country competition, despite being the youngest athlete. She competed in the Ontario Championships in the 2,000m placing 5th in Ontario.

She plays varsity hockey, varsity field hockey, OFSSA Nordic Ski -SPSS Girls Team, Peterborough Girls Hockey association, competitive soccer, competitive box lacrosse, Member of Team Ontario Cross Country, OFSAA Cross Country, Kawartha Lakes Lightening Running Club Junior Girl.

As amazing as these sports accomplishments are, Grace is also a volunteer. She can be found at the PRHC at the information desk and has also volunteered at local retirement residences and at the Riverview Park and Zoo. We heard earlier about the U19 Women’s World Field Lacrosse Championships held in Peterborough in 2019 and Grace volunteered there as well. She volunteers at the St. Peter’s Hockey Classic, Canadian Mental Health Association, the Murphy Therapeutic Group, the YMCA Summer Camp and the Peterborough Food Bank.

We will leave the final word to her nominator “…Grace is humble, takes advice, and always has time for anyone…Grace makes us better. Peterborough is a better place thanks to Grace.”  We certainly agree with the comments about this remarkable young woman.