Ontario Recognizes Recipients of the 2023 June Callwood Outstanding Achievement Award for Voluntarism

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The Ontario government honoured 14 exceptional individuals and two volunteer organizations with the 2023 June Callwood Outstanding Achievement Award for Voluntarism for their contributions to their communities and the province.

The outstanding volunteer award recipients are as follows:

OutstandingVolunteer Category - Group

Friends of Inspirations Studio, Toronto

The non-profit ceramics studio, Inspirations Studio, faced a loss of funding and operating space in 2017. 'The Friends of Inspirations Studio' - a volunteer group - rallied to save the program through research, grant applications, and fundraising; securing a new home for the studio with YWCA in 2021.

Crisis and Support Volunteers of Sexual Assault Centre Kingston, Kingston

Sexual Assault Centre Kingston (SACK) is a not-for-profit support centre for survivors of sexual or gender-based violence. Through their services in seven different regions across Ontario, SACK has supported thousands of vulnerable Ontarians since 2021.

Outstanding Volunteer Category - Individual

Donna Brown, Thunder Bay

Donna Brown has been volunteering since the age of 10. She has worked with the PARO Centre for Women's Enterprise, served on the McKellar Park School Parent Teacher Association, helped fund-raise for the Royal Canadian Legion and helped the United Commercial Travelers Group raise money for non-profit charities in Thunder Bay.

Harry Campeau, Tecumseh

Harry Campeau has volunteered his culinary skills for 15 years at The Hospice of Windsor and Essex County. In addition to regularly cooking for residents and their families, including at the annual holiday feasts, he helped setup their newly renovated kitchen.

Doug Clark, London

Doug Clark has volunteered for over four decades with non-profit summer camp Camp Big Canoe, the Thames Valley District School Board, the Children's Aid Society, Habitat for Humanity, and with Friends of the Muskoka Watershed.

Paul Clark, Pickering

Paul Clark is the longest-serving volunteer pilot for Hope Air, a charity that provides free travel assistance to Canadians travelling long distances to receive medical care. He has piloted more than 196 flights for the charity.

Ida Gavlas, Stella

Ida Gavlas has spent most of her life volunteering in her community on Amherst Island on Lake Ontario. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she helped establish a mobile flu clinic that grew into monthly wellness clinics that played an important role in supporting the health and well-being of the community.

Lloyd George, McKellar

Lloyd George has been a scouting volunteer for 25 years. During that time, Lloyd has introduced countless kids to the joys of the outdoors and helped them explore more of Ontario and Canada.

Joan Hazard, Belleville

Joan Hazel has volunteered for over 50 years to support others in her community. She has helped provide goods to patients at Belleville General Hospital Auxillery and with the Bell-Nortel Community Volunteers, created a bursary for high school students seeking to study trades.

Fred Horvath, Newcastle

Fred Horvath was part of the planning team for the centenary celebration of Newcastle's town hall and led fundraising efforts for its renovations. He also received the United Way Durham Above and Beyond Award for the critical role he played in helping increase donations to the United Way in Clarington by 300 per cent.

Hazel Khan, Drumbo

Hazel Khan has volunteered close to 17,000 hours over 19 years with the Crisis Response program at Victim Services of Peel, making her one of the service's longest-serving volunteers.

Angelo Restivo, Stoney Creek

Angelo Restivo has volunteered at the Good Shepherd crisis and emergency centre in Hamilton for over 30 years, preparing food, raising funds, general intake and help anywhere else he's needed.

Natalie Quinton, Etobicoke

Natalie Quinton is a long-standing volunteer in the Girl Guides of Canada. A trainer and mentor, she has held many positions within the organization and has worked with the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, providing leadership mentoring to young women around the world.

Sonia Scarcello, Bolton

Sonia Scarcello has volunteered at the William Osler Health System for 17 years and recently stepped up to be a Volunteer Team Lead. During that time, she has been involved in many public-facing services at the health centre, including during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Grace Shaw, Whitby

Grace Shaw has volunteered at the VON Durham hospice service centre for over 10 years, providing care and empathetic support to individuals dealing with grief after the death of a loved one.

John Whitehead, St. Catharines

John Whitehead is a champion for those living with diabetes. He has advocated for financial assistance for Type 1 diabetics in need of Continuous Glucose Monitoring and speaks regularly with newly diagnosed children and their families at the Niagara Health System Diabetes Education Centre.

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