Mayor's Volunteer of the Year Award

The Mayor’s Volunteer of the Year award is presented to the individual who represents volunteerism at its finest level. Displaying leadership, their actions embody the compassion, optimism and momentum that will guide us towards a future of opportunity for everyone.

2020 Mayor's Volunteer of the Year Award:

The 2020 Mayor's Volunteer of the Year Award goes to Jess Boulay, a community hero who steps up year after year to help struggling women and their families. Boulay, a mother of two, serves as co-coordinator for the St. Catharines Shoebox Project, committing countless hours of marketing, fundraising, gathering of donations, organizational efforts, and delivering shoeboxes in support of the Project. 

The Shoebox Project for Women collects and distributes gift-filled Shoeboxes to women impacted by homelessness in communities across Canada. In 2019 a total of 1,093 boxes were assembled and donated in St. Catharines thanks to the tireless efforts of Boulay, who steps up as a real-life hero in other ways. Boulay coaches children's soccer at Club Roma and is an active member of the Port Weller School parent council.

Nominees:

Christina Thomas - Community / Rykert Volunteer Committee volunteer

Gavin Humphries - Out of the Cold foot clinic volunteer

Irene Motz - Out of the Cold program volunteer

Margaret Steele - Dunlop Drive Older Adult Centre volunteer

Veronica Clarke-Hanik - Friends of Malcolmson Park member

Jess Boulay - St. Catharines co-lead coordinator for the Shoebox Project

Weihow Chia - Executive director Niagara Multi-Folk-Arts Song and Dance Ensemble

Jan Seburn - Connaught Public School library volunteer for 45 years

Laura Tyminski - Connaught Public School Care Package Holiday Program creator and volunteer

Rick Smeets - Garden City Kiwanis Hockey volunteer for 30 years

Margaret and Robin MacLennan Youth Volunteer of the Year Award

The Margaret and Robin MacLennan Youth Volunteer of the Year award is presented to the youth individual who has displayed and demonstrated the principals and actions that help to create a healthier and more connected community. This individual promotes acts of kindness, is involved in community service, and balances volunteerism and personal commitments with class, grace and tenacity.

2020 Margaret and Robin MacLennan Youth Volunteer of the Year Award

The 2020 Margaret and Robin MacLennan Youth Volunteer of the Year Award goes to Sara Mateus-Jimenez. This young hero is a true volunteer leader with the Yaguars Sports and Social Club. She has helped the club create inclusive space for children who are new to Canada, founding the club's robotics class, raising funds herself to launch the program.

As a real-life hero Mateus-Jimenez encourages children in her community to improve themselves, imparting them with confidence, athletic skill and technical know how.

Nominees:

Sara Mateus-Jimenez - Yaguars Sport and Social Club volunteer

Matthew Wuhlar - Out of the Cold program volunteer

Nicholas Wuhlar - Out of the Cold program volunteer

2020 Volunteer Award Winners

Agie Richardson - Precious Angels Niagara volunteer 

Aditi Das - Niagara Folk Arts Multicultural Centre Community Connections volunteer

Ahmed Ahmed - Islamic Society of St. Catharines volunteer

Angela Day - Volunteer car seat educator with St. John Ambulance for four years

Anna Maria Raimondo - Education Foundation of Niagara volunteer

Becky Whitworth - Grantham Lioness Club exevutie member and volunteer

Christina Thomas - Community / Rykert Volunteer Committee volunteer

Christine Saleeb - VisionPlus Niagara program volunteer

Corinner Pinder - Pathstone Mental Health Supervised Visitation Program volunteer

Craig Samways - Grantham Optimist life member, executive member and volunteer since 1993

Dalton Clark - Goodwill Niagara board chair and past director

Dave Horton - Grantham Optimist volunteer and board member

David Owen - Friends of Walker's Creek volunteer

David Staynes - Port Dalhousie Lion for over two decades

Dean Henderson - Medical First Response volunteer with St. John Ambulance

Don Chambers - Goodwill Niagara board member 

Donna Boksa - St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog program volunteer

Eduardo Hernandez - Niagara Fok Arts Multicultural Centre mentor

Edward (Ted) Smithson - Community Care volunteer

Edward Lowden - Grntham Optimist Club life member and volunteer since 1977

Frank Koch - Knights of Columbus Council 1394, Out of the Cold program volunteer

Gamar Awadh - Qamer Foundation volunteer

Gavin Humphries - Out of the Cold foot clinic volunteer

Gerry Whitworth - Grantham Lions Club volunteer

Grace-Ann Cambray - Canadian Federation of University Women volunteer since 1975

Grayson Wadsworth-Hayes - Pathstone Mental Health Supervised Visitation Program volunteer

Greg Savriga - Grantham Optimist volunteer

Heather Sloan - Canadian Federation of University Women volunteer

Irene Motz - Out of the Cold program volunteer

James Weibe - West St. Catharines Older Adult Centre volunteer

Jan Seburn - Connaught Public School library volunteer for 45 years

Jess Boulay - St. Catharines co-lead coordinator for the Shoebox Project

Jodi Dasilva - Out of the Cold program volunteer

Jodi Summers - Rykert Volunteer Commitee volunteer

John Netherway - Old Glenridge Community Association founder

John Senn - Scouts Canada volunteer for more than 20 years

Josalyn Devlught - Pathstone Mental Health volunteer

Kristine Ashford-Hancock - Muscular Dystrophy Canada volunteer

Laura Tyminski - Connaught Public School Care Package Holiday Program creator and volunteer

Leandro (Leo) Silva - Medical First Response volunteer with St. John Ambulance

Margaret Steele - Dunlop Drive Older Adult Centre volunteer

Martha Owen - Friends of Walker's Creek volunteer

Martin Hagt - Meals on Wheels volunteer for more than 20 years

Martin Howley - St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre volunteer

Matthew Wuhlar - Out of the Cold program volunteer

Meijin (Lily) Zhu - Co-founder, Niagara Multi-Folk-Arts Song and Dance Ensemble

Melissa Johnston - St. John Ambulance volunteer car seat educator

Musbah Benhalim - Niagara Muslim Community Centre founder

Narine Dat Sookram - Amal Foundation, Canada 150 Pay it Forward Project volunteer

Nazima Khan - Qamer Foundation and Islamic Society volunteer

Nicholas Wuhlar - Out of the Cold program volunteer

Pam Howley - St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre volunteer

Pandora Colledge - Out of the Cold program volunteer

Paul Sutton - Heidehof home volunteer since 1998

Phady Khotmanivong - Lao Association volunteer

Rick Smeets - Garden City Kiwanis Hockey volunteer for 30 years

Rob Davis - Grantham Optimist Club volunteer

Robert (Bob) Gosselin - Alzheimer Society Niagara Region volunteer

Robert Thompson - Grantham Optimist Club volunteer and life member for 27 years

Sara Mateus-Jimenez - Yaguars Sport and Social Club volunteer

Sean Morris - Medical First Response volunteer with St. John Ambulance

Seth Laroche - Medical First Response volunteer with St. John Ambulance

Shaunna Morris - St. John Ambulance Car Seat Safety Program volunteer

Suzanne Veenstra - Fitzgerald Neighbours volunteer

Tony Weadick - St. Catharines and Regional Niagara Twinning Association member for over 25 years

Tricia O'Brien - Friends of Morningstar Mill volunteer

Veronica Clarke-Hanik - Friends of Malcolmson Park member

Weihow Chia - Executive director Niagara Multi-Folk-Arts Song and Dance Ensemble

Wendi Duggan - Niagara United volunteer

William (Bill) Ash - Hospice Niagara volunteer

Wilma Hagt - Meals on Wheels volunteer for more than 20 years

Wouter Doornekamp - Scouts Canada, 57th St. Catharines volunteer for over 20 years