A vibrant volunteer base is the solid foundation of any community, and Barrie-Innisfil MP John Brassard celebrated those local citizens who’ve devoted countless hours to their community.
Brassard hosted his second-annual Volunteer Awards on Friday afternoon at the Barrie Public Library’s Painswick branch in the city’s south end.
“If it weren’t for our selfless volunteers in Barrie and Innisfil, we would not be the great community that we are today,” Brassard said. “Volunteers are our unsung heroes.”
Those honoured included Margaretta Papp-Belayneh, Sue Bennett, Deborah McGrath, Gloria Noseworthy, Betty Meacher, Richard Ratte, Martha MacEachern and Sobeys Alcona Beach.
“Each one of you have generously donated your time and energy to make our community a better place to live,” Brassard said.
“We are blessed to have so many of these hard-working, dedicated individuals living right here, sharing their time with us in Barrie and Innisfil.”
Due to a chest cold, Brassard was forced to bump elbows with the recipients or those on hand on their behalf.
But there was also a lot of Kleenex on hand as some of the acceptance speeches were very emotional.
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Papp-Belayneh, who spent 49 years on a long-term care nurse, lost her sight in a workplace accident in 1996, at which time she became a driven advocate for inclusion and accessibility.
She promoted awareness in the community and was always looking for ways to remove barriers. She served on accessibility committees with the City of Barrie, Town of Innisfil, County of Simcoe, Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre and the Simcoe County District School Board.
Papp-Belayneh and her committee were also behind the Paint the Town Yellow campaign, which helped visually impaired people by brightening street corners. She also served on the Simcoe County Accessibility Advisory Committee and has also been a CNIB volunteer for many years. She passed away March 3.
Her widower, Tam Belayneh, choked back tears as he accepted the award on her behalf to a thunderous applause.
The CNIB’s Sherri Helsdingen shared a few words about Papp-Belayneh.
“We were really saddened when we lost Margaretta,” Helsdingen said. “Anybody who knows Margaretta knows what a fighter she was. She had big vision, big dreams and was all action.”
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Bennett has volunteered with South Simcoe Theatre for several years, and has gone over and above what has been asked of her. She assisted with front-of-house duties while also spending weekends painting sets.
Bennett has also been involved with knitting hats, gloves and socks for hospitals.
“I came late to volunteering; I’ve only been doing it for about five years,” Bennett said. “It seemed like the more you volunteered, the more opportunities there were to volunteer!
“I certainly don’t do it to be recognized and I am extremely nervous about being up here and a little it embarrassed, I suppose,” she added.
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McGrath has dedicated countless hours to not-for-profit and charitable organizations, including Hospice Simcoe, the Alzheimer Society of Simcoe County, Ladies of the Lake, Innisfil Toastmasters Club and Celebrate Lake Simcoe.
Last year, she also contributed more than 500 hours over a six-month period to help bring the powwow festival to Innisfil.
“I stand on the shoulders of giants,” McGrath said. “I stand humbled by this award.”
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Noseworthy has been a staunch advocate for people with special needs since her time at Alcona Glen Elementary School where she helped her son and other students develop the skills necessary to have an active and productive life.
She has also helped fill gaps in the services for people living with Down syndrome. With help from family and friends, Noseworthy created Crossroads Community Centre, which helps adults with special needs continue to learn and build social skills.
“I stand here not just for me, I stand for the young adults in our area and my son, Zach,” Noseworthy said through tears. “They need a spot, they need our support and that’s what keeps me going.
“They need to be addressed as adults, with the understanding they need the support even if it’s just a high-five or taking five seconds to explain to them why their change is $1.35 and is not going to be $4.50,” she added.
“It’s just common courtesy and an understanding for what they need, and that’s what I’m trying to do, to make it a better place for all of them.”
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Meacher was diagnosed with retinitus pigmentosa when she was 34 years old. She eventually lost her sight, but not her spirit.
In 1985, she was one of the founding members of Breaking Down Barriers, and has also been involved with the Out of the Cold program as well as the David Busby Street Centre. Meacher is also a longtime client and volunteer with the CNIB.
“Thanks, Gloria, you’ve started the tears,” Meacher joked when she received her award. “I feel very proud, but as with many of us up here today, we’re not standing here alone.
"Can you imagine doing volunteer work with people you didn’t care for, or an issue you didn’t believe in, or you just felt that you had better things to do?
“To me what makes a good volunteer depends on the people you’re volunteering with,” she added. “My fellow volunteers and ambassadors have made it so easy.”
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Ratte has been involved with the Salvation Army Kettle Drive, as well as picking up and dropping off toys and food for Innisfil’s Christmas for Kids program.
He was also instrumental in making the Rotary Club’s Fun Run as well as the Innisfilm Project.
“When I retired, I never dreamy volunteering would be so much fun,” Ratte said, adding he likes that it keeps him active while also putting a smile on people’s faces.
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MacEachern joined the Barrie Public Library’s planning committee for the local dragon-boat festival and has been an active volunteer ever since.
She has also been involved with the library’s development office and is known for bringing positive energy to any project she has worked on.
MacEachern was unable to attend Friday’s event, but Katelyn Lees spoke on her behalf.
“She brings such wonderful, positive energy and is a true asset to the team,” said Lees, who works at the library. “I just want to say congratulations to everyone today. We’re so fortunate to live in an area where volunteerism is so rich.”
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Sobeys Alcona Beach owner/operator Kevin Augustyn has used his own resources to help several organizations in the community, including allowing groups to use the store’s parking lot for fundraising efforts.
The business has also donated supplies to between 30 and 40 events each year, while also sponsoring numerous sports teams.
“It’s a little different for me,” he said. “I’m sometimes more the support mechanism for the group that’s in this room right now and others.”
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Each recipient was honoured for their extraordinary and outstanding contributions to the community. Each received a certificate of appreciation and a commemorative coin.
The ceremony was a lead-up to National Volunteer Week, which takes place across the country April 15-21. Across Canada, volunteers devote approximately two billion hours, which equates to some one million full-time jobs.
The CNIB, which is celebrating its 100th birthday this year, was also recognized.
Also on hand were Innisfil Mayor Gord Wauchope and Barrie Coun. Arif Khan, who was standing in for Mayor Jeff Lehman.
