On January 29, 2020 the Rotary Clubs of Oakville awarded three individuals the Paul Harris Award. The Paul Harris Award is given to individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the community. They were Ian Cockwell, Renata Neukom-Jegge, Chris Gabe, Nick Rigato, George and Tammy Couto and Louis M Breithaupt.
The keynote speaker was Alan Mallory, who is the author of “The Family that Conquered Everest” and performance coach. Mr. Mallory is passionate about leadership and reaching new heights in all that we do.
About Paul Harris Award Recipients
About Louis M Breithaupt
Louis M Breithaupt was born and raised in Kitchener Ontario. He obtained a degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Waterloo in the 1970’s and spent his early working life in the mining and natural resources industries. His career took him to many places around the world including Vancouver, Ft McMurray, Atlanta Georgia, Cameroon West Africa and Guantanamo Cuba. He arrived in Oakville in 1998 for a new career direction and to start a family.
While in Ft McMurray, he was active in Junior Achievement, an organization committed to inspiring students and preparing them to succeed in a global economy and for time was the Director for Northern Alberta. After coming to Oakville, he was active on the Pine Grove Public School Parent Council and later the Thomas A. Blakelock High School Parent Council where he is currently the Chair. He is also past Chair of the St. Jude’s Anglican Church Property Committee.
Lou, who also possesses a commercial pilot’s license, is using his knowledge and experience by volunteering with Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron, 540 Golden Hawks. He assists in the ground school instruction which helps promising Air Cadets earn their private pilots license. He is also the Duke of Edinburgh Award Leader for the Squadron which promotes leadership skills in todays youth.
Lou is no stranger to Rotary and he and his family have connections to Rotary. When he joined a club in Vancouver, he became a fourth generation Rotarian. He was subsequently a member of clubs in Ft McMurray and Waterloo. Although he has not been active member of any Rotary club since 1988, he still practices the creed of “Service above Self”.
Lou believes that “volunteer initiatives are bottomless but very worthwhile”.
About George and Tamy Couto
George and Tammy Couto are both from Oakville and gained a strong culinary experience from working in restaurants in Oakville and Burlington. In 1999 they started Seasons restaurant in the Anderson Block on Lakeshore Road. In the past 20 years of operation, Seasons has been recognized as one of Oakville fine dining establishments “featuring an elegant yet warm atmosphere, extensive but moderately priced wine list and a constantly changing menu of creative culinary delight”. George and Tammy have since branched out and now operate “Bru”, next to Seasons and “Corks”, a Tapas restaurant further down Lakeshore Rd.
While many people support the community though volunteerism and donating their time to various causes, George and Tammy provide support in a different way. Local charities raise funds through activities like golf tournaments, galas, balls and solicit sponsorship and prizes from local businesses. George and Tammy have responded to these requests by donating a “Food and Wine Pairing Dinner” in their private cellar at Seasons as a prize to be auctioned in a silent or live auction. These dinners have been donated to many Oakville charities in support of fundraising including the Oakville Hospital Foundation, United Way of Halton & Hamilton, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Halton, the Oakville Rotary Golf to Give Tournament and many others. They have also supported functions at many private schools in Oakville.
They have donated as many as 20 “Food and Wine Pairings” each year since Seasons opened which has helped raise a considerable amount of money to be dispersed throughout the community by these charities.
Tammy has said “Father always told me you have an obligation to yourself and to your community. When you give a hand out you get a hand back. You always pay it forward.”
About Nick Rigato
Nick Rigato was born and raised in Toronto. At the age of 27 he was given the opportunity to open and manage the National Sports Centre store in Oakville, where he settled and soon began raisng a family. Nick quickly began volunteering with a variety of community and sports groups in 2001, and started coaching Oakville Little League baseball.
He has been a permanent fixture around the clubhouse and baseball diamonds ever since. Nick still coaches baseball, and is proud to say that since 2007 he has been a key contributor to what is one of the largest, as well as the best Little League organization in the world. As part of a great team of volunteers, he has contributed to the growth and developement of the league from 700 players to an all-time high of 1200 players.
For the past 13 years, Nick has coached the Oakville Little League Junior All Star team. This, along with running the Junior and Senior House League Programs, gives him a tremendous amount of pride and joy. Since 2014, 5 of all his all star team have won the provincial championships. For Nick, the best part of winning the provincials was the opportunity for his teams to travel to Lethbridge, Alberta, to participate in the Little League Canadian Championships. The 2015 season was the pinnacle for Nick and his All Stars: they won the National Championship and then hopped on the plane from Lethbridge directly to Taylor, Michigan, to play in the Junior Little League World Series!
About Chris Gabe
Chris grew up in Ottawa and graduated in 1987 with a BSc in Computer Mathematics from Carelton University. Chris and his wife have 2 young adult children.
Since 1987, Chris worked as a programmer and manager in the GTA, mostly with medical and mathematical-related work, 3D medical imaging and neurosurgical guidance system, DNA Analysis, television broadcast, and magnetic sensing.
When Chris started thinking about retirement, he was inspired to get involved in the community in a tangible way. This prompted him to begin volunteer charity work in 2016. Over the course of 18 months, Chris helped approximately 100 newcomer families, mostly syrian refugees, get settled in Mississauga and Halton. Soliciting help from private donors, he obtained furniture, bicycles, and household items for these families. Chris rented trucks to deliver items with the assistance of a small network of helpers.
In the fall of 2017, Chris joined his bicycle and furniture service with Safety Net as it expanded to a new facility. Having a warehouse, access to volunteers and charity status allowed Chris’s initiative to succeed. He has expanded the scope of Safety Net’s offerings.
Chris is now a Senior Volunteer at Safety Net and oversees the furniture bank and bicycle programs. In addition, he developed the online client and inventory management software for Safety Net.
About Renata Neukom-Jegge
Renata Neukom-Jegge is an artist who was born and grew up in Switzerland after moving to Canade with her husband, they had 3 children who are adults now.
She started volunteering at the Lighthouse for Grieving Children as a facilitator 8 years ago, working with children ged 5-11 who have lost a parent or caregiver.
Renata lost a parent when she was a child and being a facilitator allows her to share compassion and understanding with children who are in the most vulnerable times in their lives.
The training to become a Lighthouse volunteer is long and intense, and unlike some, Renate has stayed the course and continues to help young children in need.
Ian Cockwell
Ian Cockwell is a grduate of the University of Capetown and a Chartered Accountant (South Africa). He immigrated from South Africa to Montreal in 1973 with his wife, June.
Ian worked for Deloitte when he arrived in Montreal until 1975 when he joined a Dutch family that was expanding their operations in North and South America. The Cockwells moved to Oakville in 1982 as Ian continued his work with the Dutch family. In 1987 when he setup his own asset management company. He then joined Brookfield Homes in 1992, leaving in 2011 as President and CEO. Ian left Brookfield to spend more time managing family assets and supporting many Oakville charities.
Ian, along with June, has been actively involved in matching gifts for capital campaigns that have raised over $32 Million of which they have contributed $16 Million. Community organisations that have benefited from these matching campaigns include the Oakville Hospital Foundation, the Mental Wellness Navigator Program, the Oakville Community Foundation, St. Mildred’s Lightbourn School, Lighthouse for Grieving Children, Kerr St. Mission, and Acclaim Health Dememntia Centre.
About Rotary Clubs in Oakville
Rotary Club is a volunteer group of men and women who raise money to help those in need in our community and beyond.
Oakville is home to four Rotary Clubs: