Over 100 citizens participated in the seventh edition of the annual Haut-Saint-Laurent Volunteer Awards on May 17 in Huntingdon. The event took place outdoors at Prince-Arthur Park and coincided with a bustling first market of the season for the Huntingdon County Farmers Market.
Co-hosted by Rémi Pelletier, the director of the CDC du Haut-Saint-Laurent, and Marlene Harvey, the coordinator of Melissa’s Sunshine Camp, the event highlighted the contributions volunteers have made within their communities over the last year.
The theme for the event was “Volunteering weaves us together,” which served as a powerful reminder of how volunteers can help create close and lasting bonds between Valley residents, families, and organizations. “Every act of generosity, no matter how small, contributes to strengthening our social fabric and building a supportive community. By joining forces, we have the power to create positive and lasting change in the Haut-Saint-Laurent,” said Pelletier.
Before the names of this year’s honourees were announced, jury member Pauline Wiedow, who is the executive director of the Montérégie West Community Network, described how difficult it was for the jury to select winners from such a pool of exceptional candidates. She congratulated all the nominees and thanked each volunteer for giving their best to benefit society.
The Volunteer of the Year award was presented to Marie Myre, who also won the prize in the “Committed to Their Municipality” category, for her dedication to the municipality of Dundee and its annual Christmas Market. “Volunteering is not just about giving, it is also about receiving,” said an emotional Myre.
Other winners included Renée Guernon, who was honoured in the “Involved in a Community-based Organization” category for her involvement with Cardio-Actifs du Haut-Saint-Laurent fitness centre, and William (Bill) Anderson was recognized in the “Involved with an Institution (School or Health)” category for his work with the Cooperative Ici Santé health co-op.
Members of the O-HO Quilters were presented with the award for “Family or Group Volunteer Work” for their 25 years history of donating proceeds from their biannual quilt show to local community organizations, as well as their dedication to providing cuddle quilts to the maternity department of the Anna Laberge Hospital in Chateauguay and Quilts of Valour for Canadian veterans.
The volunteer work of the 1st Ormstown Scouts was highlighted in the “Corporate Volunteering” category for their Earth Day Forum initiative. The jury also presented Anik Laframboise with an honourable mention for her work with Pacte de Rue, and Michael Poulin for his volunteer work at the Huntingdon Adult Education and Community Centre.