13 Ontarians To Be Honoured For Their Contributions To The Province

TORONTO - Thirteen Ontarians whose long-term efforts have made outstanding contributions to their communities will be honoured with the Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship at a Queen’s Park ceremony on January 25, 2007.

"The men and women who are being recognized with this medal are pillars in their community whose selfless contributions make those communities even better places in which to live," said James K. Bartleman, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario.

"These remarkable Ontarians are role models in their communities," said Mike Colle, Ontario Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. "Each is deserving of this extraordinary honour for their exemplary contributions to our great province."

The Lieutenant Governor of Ontario will present each recipient with their medal at the ceremony. Minister Colle will read citations at the event outlining each of the recipient’s achievements.

Ontarians being presented with the Medal for Good Citizenship this year are:

• Paula Ball of Odessa for her supports to children and to the families of children with Autism in the Kingston and surrounding area.

• Melanie Bremner of Toronto for her work in empowering youth through education via the Second Chance Scholarship Foundation she helped create.

• Daniel Greenglass of Toronto for improving the lives of thousands with disabilities through the Best Buddies Canada. The program matches students with Buddies who are persons with intellectual disabilities and has the pairs personally connect with each other on a regular basis.

• Paula King of Barrie for her work to help women to restart their lives as the co-founder and executive director of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Simcoe County. King was instrumental in the opening of a women’s half-way/homeless shelter in Barrie.

• Joanne Kaluke-LaBelle of Sarnia - Has helped young people gain self esteem through the arts as the founder and executive director of Harmony, a not-for-profit arts organization. Youngsters involved in the program "pay" for their lessons by doing community work and performing in community concerts.

• Helen Lu of Toronto - Affectionately known as "Mama Lu," Helen has been a tireless volunteer, and fundraiser in the community for many years for organizations such as United Way and the Yee Hong Centre.

• Angus Campbell McKenzie of Lambeth is an active community volunteer for a variety of organizations in the community. He has also helped construct a Canadian School in South Sudan Africa.

• William Robb of Kingston is the Founder of the Barriefield Gardens and Murals beautification programs in Kingston. He has devoted his life to the community of Kingston, improving its environment and preserving its history.

• John Sabean of Pickering has volunteered his time for more than 30 years to causes as diverse as refugees, peace and human rights, natural history, local history and the environment. He is the co-founder of the Pickering Township Historical Society and Durham West Arts Centre.

• John Schoonderbeek of Hampton - John is an environmental steward in his community as well as the kind of neighbour that everyone should have the good fortune to have. His kind deeds help seniors stay in their homes longer.

• Kevin Wallace of Mississauga competed in the 2006 Race Across America ultra-endurance race to raise cancer awareness and raised $250,000 for the Betty Wallace Women’s Health Centre at the Trillium Health Centre in Mississauga. The centre is named in his mother’s honour.

• Ruth Zehr of New Hamburg is being recognized for a lifetime of giving to her community. Her contributions include decades of involvement in the horticultural community as well as volunteer work with her church, seniors, and low income women with pre-school children.

2006 recipient Sandra A. Laronde could not attend the investiture ceremony last year. Therefore, Sandra will be invested this year on January 25. Sandra A. Laronde of Toronto has spent the last 15 years helping the Aboriginal and culturally diverse communities in Toronto. She is the founder of the Native Women in the Arts and Red Sky organizations that support women artists in creating contemporary Aboriginal work in theatre, dance and music.