The Senior Award for Community Spirit is sponsored by Chartwell Waterford Retirement Residence. It recognizes a senior (65 years and older) or group who has made an outstanding voluntary contribution to the Oakville community.
This year's winners were Margaret Andrews and the Phone A Fried Volunteer Team.
Karina Clarke nominated Margie Andrews. "Margie has been the heart and soul of the Oakville Angela Bruce Chapter of the IODE. She keeps the chapter running and is the most welcoming and active person there. She is the undisputed backbone of the IODE," says Karina. Margie is always so warm and cheerful and on top of things. She held the post of treasurer for over eight years; she has been president and is knowledgeable on every aspect of the IODE. The thrift shop is a community hub where customers regularly come for good prices, socializing and hospitality. IODE has monthly meetings with speakers and offers purpose and community to philanthropically minded women. Margie is being recognized because of her many years of service to IODE and because she is so loved and cherished by all the members.
Phone-A-Friend (PAF) team was created in March 2020 as a direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The senior services volunteer team reached out to over 1,500 members without email to provide a wellness check. These calls were so well received and appreciated the team began a matching program. After the initial phone call, those seniors wishing to continue with a weekly phone call were matched with a volunteer on the PAF team. The program matched over 200 seniors in Oakville with a volunteer caller. On average, the volunteer team has provided over 3,000+ hours of dedicated one-on-one time to seniors since April of 2020.
Additionally, the dedicated volunteers of this program identified an urgent need in many seniors. Food insecurity, medication access and mental health issues were discovered during weekly calls and support were sought for those needing assistance. The PAF team continues to be a source of connection and support for those seeking friendship and community.