Deputy Mayor Stephen Holyday (Ward 3 Etobicoke Centre) and Councillor James Pasternak (Ward 10 York Centre), Chair of the Community Development and Recreation Committee, were joined by other City councillors and staff at the annual Excellence in Volunteering event. The event was held to recognize individuals and groups for donating their time, energy and skills to enhance the lives of residents and clients in the City’s 10 long-term care homes and community programs.
“These individuals who devote their time and efforts to our long-term care homes are truly special,” said Deputy Mayor Holyday. “Their commitment to the homes impacts the residents, staff and families in tremendously positive ways.”
The quality of life of residents in the City’s long-term care homes and programs is greatly enhanced by the support of more than 2,100 volunteers who contributed 139,000 hours of volunteer service in 2017. The City proudly recognizes and thanks the individuals and groups, who support a wide range of services including arts and gardening programs, friendly visiting, operating gift shops and bistros, hosting fundraisers, providing end-of-life support, and organizing cultural and religious activities and special events.
“The volunteers of our long-term care homes give residents someone special to interact with, providing activities to participate in or lend a helping hand,” said Councillor Pasternak. “The volunteers getting this award today have gone above and beyond our expectations.”
Recipients of this year’s Excellence in Volunteering Awards are Jean Roy (Bendale Acres), Bill Hu (Carefree lodge), James Kinney (Castleview Wychwood Towers), Karen Grainger (Cummer Lodge), Gloria Wright (Fudger House), Luba Nickerson and Jean Brown (Kipling Acres), Elio Donatucci (Lakeshore Lodge), Nancy Gleason (Seven Oaks), Roman Catholic Worship Group (True Davidson Acres), Perla Orara (Wesburn Manor), Joan Barltrop (Divisional Award) and Jay Poot (Mary Ellen Glover Award).
Joan Barltrop received the divisional award for skillfully providing more than four decades of inspirational and practical support for Kipling Acres and the division. Jay Poot, a resident of Kipling Acres, received the Mary Ellen Glover Award, presented to a resident volunteer whose contribution provides a lasting benefit for fellow residents.
Long-Term Care Homes & Services are leaders in excellence and ground-breaking services for healthy aging with a commitment to CARE – Compassion, Accountability, Respect and Excellence.
This news release is also available on the City’s website: https://bit.ly/2J26FVt
Toronto is Canada’s largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world’s most livable cities. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can visit http://www.toronto.ca, call 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/TorontoComms, on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/cityofto or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/cityofto.
Leave a Reply