The city of Vaughan will be honouring local citizens who have made a difference with its upcoming Volunteer Recognition Awards ceremony.
The ceremony is scheduled to coincide with National Volunteer Week, which sees cities and organizations across Canada recognizing unpaid charitable work and friendly behaviour. The honourees will be selected through a nomination process that considers suggestions by neighbours and community members, as well as local non-profit organizations.
This year’s awards will be given out through a live-streamed virtual ceremony, which is to be the second ceremony held through this medium after the delayed 2020 awards.
Last year’s ceremony recognized 42 volunteers, such as Sofia Bellisario for her work promoting inclusion of individuals with special needs, Jessima Murray for helping to promote cultural heritage and Kadeem Forde for his mentorship efforts in the Youth Assisting Youth organization. Honourees are divided into youth aged 24 and below and adults aged 25 and above.
Ceremonies like this, as well as public markers like plaques and banner printing, help promote and preserve the legacy of community contributors. Recipients of the Volunteer Recognition Awards will be mailed a certificate, lapel pin and congratulatory letter from the mayor.
The 2021 edition of Vaughan’s Volunteer Recognition Awards will be streamed online on April 21, with a video also available to watch later.
