Oakville YMCA seeks nominations for 2019 Peace Medals

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The Oakville YMCA is looking for help to recognize individuals and groups who have made significant contributions to inspire peace and improve the quality of life in their community.

As YMCAs across Canada celebrate Peace Week from November 16-12, 2019, the Oakville YMCA will present YMCA Peace Medals to one youth, adult and group who have demonstrated a commitment to the values of PEACE

Participation,

Empathy,

Advocacy,

Community and

Empowerment in their daily lives.

The Oakville YMCA is now accepting nominations online at https://ymcaofoakville.org/peace-week-nomination-form/ to identify exceptional members of the community who make a difference and are dedicated to finding peaceful solutions to injustice locally or globally, with no special resources or compensation.

Selected recipients will receive a YMCA Peace Medal, along with $500 for their charitable work, at the YMCA Community Breakfast for Peace on Wednesday, November 20, 2019.

“Oakville is very fortunate to have many passionate and dedicated citizens who put a tremendous amount of effort into making our world a better place. Presenting recipients with YMCA Peace Medals is a way for us to honour them for their commitment and inspire others to get involved spreading peace,” says Kyle Barber, President and CEO of the YMCA of Oakville.

This year’s community breakfast will feature keynote speaker Maggie Doyne, founder and CEO of the BlinkNow Foundation. Originally from New Jersey, Maggie has dedicated more than 10 years of her life to educating children and empowering women. She received the 2015 CNN Hero Award and her work has been recognized by the Dalai Lama, Elizabeth Gilbert, Nick Kristof, Katie Couric and others.

She will discuss her journey from a high school graduate in suburban New Jersey, to the caregiver of 50 children in Midwestern Nepal. As she shares her inspiring story, Maggie explains why we all have a responsibility to use our talents and gifts to create positive change in our world. Tickets for the event are now on sale for $25 per person or $225 for a table of 10. Tickets can be purchased here.

In 2018, YMCA Peace Medals, along with a $500 bursary, were awarded to Georgia Apostolopoulos (youth category) for creating Bank on Bellies, which collects healthy food for those in need in our community. Since the beginning of September 2017, Georgia has collected 7,048 food items and raised more than $24,000; Catherine Mulvale (adult category) for being a passionate advocate for equality and environmental rights and being the founder of Global Friends, a Canadian charitable organization run entirely by volunteers, that helps remove the barriers imposed by poverty; and Frances and Len Pace (group category), for creating Ball de Neige, an annual event that brings people from across the community together to fund charitable services for families experiencing the terminal illness of a child.

Since 1987, more than 1,900 individuals and groups across Canada have received YMCA Peace Medals for their commitment to creating peace in their communities and beyond.

Nominations for this year’s recipients are due by Wednesday, October 16, 2019. To nominate someone, visit ymcaofoakville.org.