City of Owen Sound Names 2023 Volunteer Award Recipients

The City of Owen Sound is pleased to announce the 2023 Volunteer Award Recipients. On behalf of Owen Sound City Council, Mayor Ian Boddy presented the awards at the beginning of the June 12 Council meeting.

The recipients are:

• 2023 Volunteer of the Year – Carol Reaney
• 2023 Youth Volunteer of the Year – Parker Davis
• 2023 Senior of the Year – Joan Beecroft

Ms. Reaney was nominated by Grey Bruce Health Services (GBHS) for her 10+ years of volunteer work with the organization. Ms. Reaney sits on several committees at GBHS and contributes her valuable expertise as a retired nurse. Her calm and caring manner is a great comfort for patients and their families during stressful times. She also makes sure that volunteering at GBHS is a very positive experience for all volunteers, despite the challenging environment in a hospital.

Mr. Davis was nominated by the Owen Sound & District Junior Optimists, a youth service club that raises funds for various causes that benefit the community. For more than three years, Parker has served as President of the organization, where he provides ideas concerning fundraising initiatives, causes to support, and community activities. His sincere desire to help others is always evident when he presents these ideas to the club.

Ms. Beecroft was nominated by Maryann Thomas. Over the past decades, Ms. Beecroft has served as a formidable advocate for human and visibility rights for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in Grey-Bruce and beyond. Her unwavering commitment to ensuring basic rights for others has helped Owen Sound become a more inclusive community. She continues to provide a strong voice in enabling others to find their voices as they are faced with economic, racial, gender-based, and other inequities.

For more information, please contact Andy O’Leary, Facilities Book Coordinator at 519-376-4440 ext. 1255 or email to aoleary@owensound.ca

Quotes:

"Volunteers contribute so much to the City by giving their time and expertise to support community projects. Thank you to Carol Reaney, Parker Davis, and Joan Beecroft, and all the other incredible volunteers in our community for your contributions.”

– Mayor Ian Boddy

Quick Facts:

• The City has been recognizing community volunteers for more than 40 years
• The City awards a Senior of the Year annually in June to coincide with Seniors’ Month in Ontario
• Nominations for 2024 will open in January/February 2024

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