The Cambridge Chamber of Commerce has announced the nominees for its annual Cambridge & North Dumfries Community Awards.
The awards celebrate the successes accomplished made throughout the past year by the dedicated volunteers and staff of local not-for-profits, various groups, and service clubs by recognizing the impact they’ve made in the community through collaboration and exceptional leadership.
This year more than 60 nominees representing nearly 40 various organizations are being recognized in nine award categories. A tenth award, the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, will be presented to one individual who over the past 15 years or more, has made significant contributions to the community and whose accomplishments have brought recognition to the Waterloo Region.
“The not-for-profit sector plays such a vital role in making our community a great place to live, work and do business, and we’re thrilled to provide this opportunity to show our appreciation for the people and organizations that make this group tick,” said Cambridge Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Greg Durocher.
New to the category list this year is the Arts and Culture Award which recognizes an individual, ensemble or organization that has contributed significantly to the local cultural scene in the past year. Also, the Best Event of the Year Award has returned after being sidetracked by the pandemic and the Community Impact People’s Choice Award recipient will be selected by the Chamber Membership, rather than a panel of independent judges.
Several hundred community leaders and guests will be on hand Monday, Nov. 13, at the Hamilton Family Theatre Cambridge for the awards ceremony which is one of the Chamber’s most popular events and has honoured the contributions and achievements of these community builders since 2012.
Award Final Nominees
Community Collaboration
ACCKWA and Multi Agency Community Space (MACS)
Cambridge Highlands Lions Club
Cambridge Symphony Orchestra, ‘As I Love You’ with Joey Niceforo
Downtown Cambridge BIA and Cambridge Wedding Week
Grand River Pride and Grand River Pride Street Party
Langs
YMCA of Three Rivers Employment Services and Multi-Employer Job Fair
YWCA Cambridge
Community Impact People's Choice
Cambridge Food Bank
Hespeler Village BIA
Langs
Porchlight Counselling & Addiction Services
Salvation Army Family Food Bank
Shelter Movers Waterloo Region
Trinity Community Table
Community Leadership
Brian Banks (Community Development and Partnerships, Nutrition for Learning)
Cameron Dearlove (Executive Director, Porchlight Counselling and Addiction Services)
Courtney Waterfall (Chapter Director, Shelter Movers Waterloo Region)
Dr. Craig Albrecht (IPC Team Lead and CMAC Lead Physician, Langs)
Jessica Lynch (Senior Co-ordinator, John Howard Society of Waterloo-Wellington)
Jose de Lima (Multi Agency Community Space (MACS) Manager & ACCKWA)
Kali Bogias (Community Advocate)
Kim Decker (CEO, YWCA Cambridge)
Marjorie Knight (Co-Founder, Rhythm and Blues Cambridge)
Ruth Cameron (Executive Director, ACCKWA)
Arts and Culture
Cambridge Cultural Association
Cambridge Symphony Orchestra
Penny & Pound Theatre Productions
Galt Jazz
Idea Exchange-Old Post Office
Best Event Of The Year
Cambridge Memorial Hospital Foundation (CMHReveal)
Galt Country Club (Honeymoon Bonspiel)
Galt Jazz (Dinner on the Grand)
Grand River Pride (Grand River Pride Street Party)
Hespeler Village BIA (#walkqueen)
Langs (Community Picnic Series)
National Service Dogs (Paws in Motion)
Peregrine Outreach (Someone Lives Here Film Screening)
Porchlight Counselling and Addiction Services (Cambridge Moves for Mental Health)
Waterloo Region Integrated Drug Strategy (Cambridge International Overdose Awareness Day)
Board Member Award
David Pyper (Cambridge Memorial Hospital – Past Board Chair)
Denise Carter (Board Secretary, Langs)
Joe Gowing (President, Royal Canadian Legion Branch 126)
Julia Goyal (Board Member, Cambridge Memorial Hospital)
Terry Kratz (Treasurer, Cambridge Symphony Orchestra)
Volunteer of the Year
David Walden (Cambridge Food Bank Drive)
Gerald & Sheilagh Fillion (Community Support Connections)
Joan Linton (Cambridge Memorial Hospital Foundation)
Lucille & David Kemkes (Community Volunteers)
Todd Burnside (Shelter Movers Waterloo Region)
Organization of the Year - under 10 employees
Dawn Centre
Ontario Christian Gleaners
Preston Scout House Band Inc.
Shelter Movers Waterloo Region
Organization of the Year - 11 and over employees
Cambridge Shelter Corporation
Cambridge Youth Soccer
Community Support Connections
Langs
Rotary Club of Cambridge Preston-Hespeler
The Food Bank of Waterloo Region
Women’s Crisis Services Waterloo Region
The Lifetime Achievement Award will be announced on Nov. 13.
It is awarded to an individual who, over the past 15 years or more, has made significant contributions to the community and has improved the quality of life for citizens or whose accomplishments have brought recognition to the Waterloo Region.