Chatham-Kent is set to celebrate community members who give back through volunteerism.
"I'm a firm believer that we need to recognize the accomplishments of people in the community," explained Mayor Darrin Canniff. "Volunteerism is the reason why we are the amazing community that we are."
Canniff said he believes that to encourage more volunteerism in the community, it's important to recognize and celebrate those who are already doing it. He added that volunteering is the highest service people can give.
"[Volunteers] give up their most valuable resource, their time, to make a difference in other people's lives," Canniff said. "If we didn't have that... if everyone just lived in their own little world and said 'I'm not giving you my time,' imagine what our community would be like. Imagine what this planet would be like."
The third annual Community Recognition Awards will recognize 27 people this year:
Jerome Blair
Kees & Henny Boeters
Debbie Brush
Mark Childs
Chris Couper
Kerry Cowan
Howard Gabert
Renée Geluk
Chris Goldhawk
Seby Joseph
Stuart Kiar
David McCarron
Olive Olbey
Kevin Owen
Derek & Nicole Quigley
Charles "Chuck" Rylett
Todd Shepley
Catherine Smith
Catherine Staal
Marc & Marilyn St. Pierre
Larry Tuck
Paul Weese
Larry & Marlain Wolfe
The municipality believes that the organizations that the award recipients work with are deserving in their own right, but these awards are about celebrating the people who volunteer.
"We have a number of amazing organizations in the community, but we're trying to recognize the individuals," said Mayor Canniff. "Many individuals give hundreds and hundreds of hours of their time to numerous organizations across the community. They don't do it to be recognized... and that's why we want to recognize them."
Canniff shared that he wishes he could celebrate everyone who volunteers, which is why the Community Recognition Awards are an annual event. The municipality has also developed a student volunteer award to recognize Chatham-Kent's youth.
"We do the youth awards through the schools," the mayor said. "We started that last year."
Mayor Canniff explained that the idea of the awards came from a discussion about a similar program in Sarnia.
CN Railway has sponsored the awards all three years, and said that they're honoured to continue to be a part of it.
"As a company deeply rooted in the communities we serve, CN Railway is proud to support the Community Recognition Awards and recognize the outstanding contributions of our local volunteers," said Daniel Salvatore, Senior Manager of Public Affairs.
The awards ceremony takes place on April 29 and will be live-streamed.