Awards and Recognition

The most significant aspect of who we are as a community is our residents. As a result, we have a strong tradition of recognizing and rewarding people who go above and above each year.

Growing Together, Volunteer Service, Citizen Achievement, and Distinguished Citizen Awards are presented by the Municipality of Central Elgin to recognize and honour Central Elgin residents as well as non-residents who contribute to the community.

Criteria

Volunteers who's efforts have made a significant impact towards the development and advancement of recreational sports, arts and culture or community and social services; or
Who have competed or been recognized at the provincial, national or international levels in sports or arts and culture; or
Who have contributed in a meaningful and significant way to Central Elgin; or
Demonstrated remarkable abilities in gardening or landscaping, tidiness, or environmental awareness

Process

Each year, the Municipality of Central Elgin accepts nominations and searches for nominees throughout the community.

In the early fall, nominators will be notified of the status of their application. The Municipality will send award recipients a letter, and they will be acknowledged during a regular council meeting and/or an Awards Reception in the fall.

Award Categories

Citizen Achievement Awards

Arts & Cultural Achievement

Recognition will be given to individuals or groups in Central Elgin whose involvement in arts and culture has commissioned works, or received acclaim in competition, judged shows, or exhibition. Artists may receive financial remuneration for their work. To receive this award, accomplishments must have been made within the past year.

Sports Achievement

Recognition will be given to individual or team residents of Central Elgin who have garnered recognition at the provincial, national or international levels in sport. To receive this award, accomplishments must have been made within the past year.

Distinguished Citizen Award

Recognition will be given to Central Elgin residents who have contributed in a meaningful way to the Central Elgin Community. These individuals may not fit the volunteer criteria, however their selfless efforts are deserving of recognition.

Volunteer Service Award

Recognition will be given to individuals who have contributed a significant amount of volunteer time and energy towards the development of community life in Central Elgin. Candidates for this award need not be residents of Central Elgin. They will have made significant contributions to organizations such as Meals on Wheels, Service Clubs, Home & School Associations, Youth Groups; been a Guides and/or Scouts leader or Minor Sports Coach; and/or volunteered in a capacity such as chairing, organizing, or promoting non-profit arts and culture organizations. These volunteers must not have received financial remuneration for their efforts other than reimbursement for travel, lodging, equipment, or supplies.

Growing Together Award

Tidiness

Recognition is given to individuals making a special effort to keep the community clean and neat-looking, who, for example, pick up trash from along the road, control weeds in public areas, remove unsightly posters or graffiti, or prevent vandalism.

Environmental Awareness

This award goes to someone who has made a special effort in areas such as waste reduction, recycling, and prevention of environmental contamination and pollution. They may have helped to maintain and promote the natural environment of Central Elgin by protecting plants and animals in their natural habitats.

Gardens/Landscaping - Residential

Recognition will be given to individuals who take pride in their gardens. The award includes all types of flowering annuals or perennials, bulbs, ornamental grasses, trees, shrubs, gardens, parks, or country vistas with an overall design suitable for the use and location. Gardens may include displays of flower beds, containers, window boxes and it considers originality, diversity and balance, harmony, and quality.

Gardens/Landscaping – Commercial

Recognition will be given to businesses featuring an attractive entrance and welcoming building, seasonal decorations, floral display, planters, and landscaping.

Carolinian Restoration

This award is given in recognition of efforts to re-establish Carolinian species on tracts of land large and small. This may include trees, tall grass prairie plans, or wetlands native to the Carolinian Life Zone.

Special Projects

This award goes to special projects that add significant value to the community, and may include gardens, quilts, or events.

How to Nominate

Please fill out a nomination form during the awards season to nominate a candidate for any of the categories listed. Applications are available electronically and in paper versions.

Previous Winners

Community Involvement

Year	Award Recipient	Details
2010	Andrew Hibbert	For all his volunteer working in Port Stanley
2009	International Ploughing Match Committee	For the large number of volunteers working on the 2010 match here in Central Elgin
2008	Waterspots – Annette Giles	For creating the beautiful decorations for years at the 4 corners of Port Stanley
2007	Belmont Community Park Trust	For the construction of their new park in Belmont
2006	The HUB Belmont	For creating a great variety of services for their community in a short period of time
2005	Port Stanley Community Gardeners	For the gardens they have planted and maintained on public land in Port Stanley
2004	Lynhurst/St. George Community Association	For the playground at Cowan Park

Distinguished Citizen Award

Year	Award Recipient
2018	Ron Casier
2017	Gaylnne Cini
2016	Robert Halle
2015	Dr. Robert Burns
2014	Barb Wintermute
2013	Ross Whalls

Environment

Year	Award Recipient	Details
2019	Wildflowers Chuck and Jane Magri
2018	South Dorchester Public School
2017	Sparta Public School
2016	Jim White	For re-establishing 40 acres wetlands, ponds, and forests
2015	Cheryl Barendregt and the Thames Talbot Land Trust	For the restoration of the Hawks Cliff Woods
2014	Kevin and Faye Butters	For putting in four wetland cells to enhance water quality and provide habitat. They also added 2 acres of upland tall grass prairie habitat.
2013	Parkside Collegiate Institute Greening Initiatives	For their work around the school
2012	Ed Pietrzak	For his naturalization of his property and all the environmental programs he teaches there and at Springwater Conservation Area.
2011	Chuck and Jane Magri	For their naturalization of their property on Fruit Ridge Line and their teaching of environmental activities.
2010	Irene Bouris	For her field naturalist work and her natural home environment for wild life
2009	Robin Baretta	For her backyard ecosystem and her art work on Species at Risk
2008	McSmith Organic Farm	For the straw bale house with solar hot water and the Hawk Cliff Raptor Banders for their work in preserving and educating about raptors for many years
2007	Joe and Gertrude Hurst	For erecting thousands of Bluebird houses and maintaining them for over 20 years
2006	Mr. And Mrs. Robert Ward	For farming organically for over 34 years
2005	Ken and Martha Laing	For their Organic farming and energy saving efforts
2004	St. Joseph's Regional Mental Health Care	Centre for their composting programme

Floral Display, Landscape Areas

Year	Award Recipient
2019	Loretta Vaughan and Richard Wright residential and Julia Hansford commercial
2018	Westminister Mutual commercial and Hetty Teuber residential
2017	St. Thomas Golf & Country Club commercial and Carol & Kevin Landon residential
2016	John and Karina MacFarlan commercial and Arlene Wood residential
2015	Kettle Creek Inn commercial and Laurie and Charlie Nagge residential
2014	Silverthorn - Hetty Teuber commercial and Rosemary Underhill residential
2013	Concreations (Andy & Siska DeVries) commercial and John and Diane Verbruggan residential
2012	Canadale Nursery and Goodale Farms, commercial and Andy and Rita Tadema residential.
2011	Family Flowers, commercial and Wayne and Janine Eitel and Cheryl Blackman residential.
2010	Lavender Blue and Goodhue Farms, commercial and Mike and Katie Bachner and Bob and Jeanette Walters, residential
2009	Winter Wheat, commercial and Marlene Smith on Sparta Line and Gary and Diane Rawcliffe on Springwater Road, residential
2008	Moore Water Gardens (Sue and Farley See), commercial and Susan Brookes and Wayne Hardison, residential
2007	Mickey's Boathouse, commercial and Glenn and Sharon Dutton, residential
2006	Weeds and Company (Brenda and Kees Louws) commercial and Dale and Raymond Smith, residential
2005	Irene Bouris for the development of her area in floral gardens of many types and species. Crickets Art Studio (Darren Thompson and David Greaves) for their incredibly varied landscape of their private and commercial property.
2004	Brooklins in Belmont for the floral gardens around their store. Gary and Diane Burd for their inspirational landscaping of their property on Sparta Line

Farming Excellence

Year	Award Recipient
2019	Harris Family Flowers Janis and Mark Harris
2018	Peter Van Ymeren and sons
2017	Randy & Crista Dykstra
2016	Salt Creek Farm Market for hiring workers through the CMHA and sale of local exclusively products
2015	Ken and Martha Laing of Orchard Hill Farm for organic, CSA farming
2014	Steed and Company Lavender Farm over 10,000 lavender plants are raised and harvested to produce a variety of products
2013	Quai du Vin Winery for their work with the vinyards as well as their promotion of their products
2012	Tammy and Albert Gredig Ron McNeil Line for their work with apples, with cider awards, baking with the high school food programme and Farmgate Market.
2011	Ian and Jocelyn Edgar Barnums Gully Line for their rare sheep breed farming and Martin and Maryann Jahnke on Sunset Rd. for their vegetable farming and stand.
2010	Markus and Josepha Taylor Belmont Rd for good stewardship on a cash crop farm and Hepburn Orchards, John Wise Ln for excellent production of food safe fruit farming
2009	Dan Debackere for turning tobacco land into a great vegetable production area and the Buis Family Farms for their diversity and co-operation in tune with the environment

Forestry/Carolinian Restoration

Year	Award Recipient
2019	Clint & Connie Jackson for planting over 2450 trees on their property on Sunset
2018	Ray and Sandra Brown
2017	Keith and Pam Helmer
2016	Randy and Stephanie Meeuse for over 5 acres of wetland creation and restoration
2015	Dan DeBacher for reforestry and wind rows around fields
2014	Kevin and Faye Butters for reforesting and riparian plantings to prevent erosion and 10 acres of habitat restoration with Carolinian species
2013	Tom Martin and Diane Dubois and Elizabeth Thompson for their reforestation and establishing wetland areas on their lands
2012	Verne and Rhonda Higgs on Sparta Line and Ed and Brahm Perl on Ron Mcneil Line and Edgeware for their reforestration of their properties as well as establishing naturalized areas.
2011	Dan Sullivan on Roberts Line and Paul and Yvonne Marott on Fruit Ridge Line for their Carolinian Reforestation projects.
2010	Randy and Christa Dykstra for the Carolinian reforestation of their farm
2009	Mr. & Mrs. Bryan Robinson on Thomson Line and Mr. & Mrs. John Newman on Sparta Line for their vast areas of Carolinian reforestation on their farms
2008	Phil and Lee Mauer for their Carolinian restoration of their property on Truman Line
2007	Camp Orenda for the extensive reforestation of their Guide camp in Carolinian trees and bushes over the last 5 years
2006	Bill Corner for creating a Carolinian refuge with his wife Betty by replanting 50 acres to Carolinian species and deeding it to the Nature Conservancy of Canada
2005	St. Joseph's High School Environmental Class for all their work re-establishing Carolinian species in Central Elgin
2004	Ed Pietrzak for the rehabilitation and reforestation of his property south of Sparta

Heritage

Heritage Built

Year	Award Recipient
2019	Heather Robinson & Joseph Sawicki for their restoration of Hiram Smith 1846 store in Sparta
2018	Kim Saunders for her restoration of the Windjammer
2017	Ray & Evangeline Little and Richard Little
2016	Cliff Summerville for the restoration of the Harbour House in Port Stanley
2015	Wade and Vera Davey for preservation of an 1840's home in Sparta
2014	John and Cathy Morrow for the restoration of the old library in Port Stanley
2013	Allen and Sandra Fish for the preservation of the Cole ancestral home from the 1870's
2012	Duncan and Barb Watterworth for the preservation their Georgian Style early heritage home in Lynhurst
2011	The Vedova family for the preservation of the Kettle Creek inn in Port Stanley.
2010	Steve and Alana McFadden for the preservation and restoration of the "Mud Cottage" in Sparta.
2009	Sparta Historical Society Building Committee for the preservation of the Forge and Anvil Museum built in 1827
2008	Brenda and Kees Louws for their accurate restoration of their heritage farm house on Robert's Line
2007	John Smith for he and his family's restoration of the Selbourne Mill in Port Stanley
2006	Gary and Marina Morritt for their restoration of Alma Villa, Port Stanley
2005	Jon and Vicci Coughlin for their restoration of Telegraph House, Port Stanley
2004	Sam and Faith McLorn for their restoration of the Moore House, Sparta

Heritage Cultural

Year	Award Recipient
2018	Heritage Port Stanley for their heritage signs
2017	David Harding
2016	Charlie Sumner for creating reproduction models of last historic buildings
2015	Dowler Karn Museum for their preservation of commercial history
2014	Robert Burns and Craig Cole for the publication of "Port Stanley: The First 100 Years"
2013	Andrew Hibbert for his publications and research on the history of Port Stanley
2012	Dorothy (Dot) Sale for interest in writing articles and books on the history of the Village of Belmont
2011	Glenn Dutton for his work preserving the history of the Lynhurst area.
2010	Jim Mathieson for his work with Heritage Port preserving Port Stanley's History.
2009	Jean McDougall for all her work establishing the Stork Club Museum and Interpretive Centre.
2008	William Fishleigh for his volunteer manning of the Forge and Anvil Museum in Sparta every weekend from May to October for the past 6 years
2007	Doors Open Port Stanley/Sparta for opening buildings and featuring events that show the heritage of our area
2006	North Yarmouth Historical Society for their preservation of the Dan Paterson Cabin, the windmill and water tower
2005	Lois Joliffe for her many years of volunteer work with the Port Stanley Terminal Rail
2004	Craig Cole for the many DVD's produced on the Port Stanley region for Heritage Port

Heritage Lieutenant Governor's Award

Year	Award Recipient
2012	Nancy Prothero for all her work publishing the many books on the history of Port Stanley in conjunction with her husband Frank Prothero.
2011	Frank Prothero for all his work publishing the many books on the history of Port Stanley in conjunction with his wife Nancy Prothero.
2010	Jane Zavitz-Bond for her work preserving the history of the Quakers in Sparta and Canada as a whole.
2009	Don Cousins for his many years with the Elgin Historical Society, Heritage Port and work with the Cameron slides.
2008	Bill Turvey for his 25 years of work with the Port Stanley Terminal Railway and his work in the Railway Hall of Fame
2007	Sally Martyn for over 30 years of heritage preservation in Sparta, including the establishment of the Forge and Anvil Museum
2006	Don Williams for being one of the originators and 25 years of volunteer work with the Dan Patterson Steam Show

Heritage Lifetime

Year	Award Recipient
2014	Joanne Erikson for being the curator of the Tweedsmuir books at the Women's Institute for over 20 years
2010	Joan Mansell for her work with the North Yarmouth Historical Society, the Women's Institute and the Kettle Valley Pioneers
2009	Richard Haddow for his dedicated work with the North Yarmouth Historical Society
2008	Eilene Stewart for her and her husbands' work publishing books on the flaura and fawna of Elgin and their discoveries of unique species 2006: changed to Lieutenant Governor's award
2005	Frank and Nancy Prothero for their many publications on the history of Port Stanley and the fishing industry
2004	John Martyn for all his work with the Sparta Historical Society, Heritage Central Elgin and the Elgin-St. Thomas Archives Association as well as publishing The History of the Sparta Settlement

Heritage Natural

Year	Award Recipient
2013	Helen and Dennis North for planting over 750 Carolinian trees
2012	John Martyn for preserving the natural heritage of Carolinian life zone for over 60 years.
2011	Peter Corner for his continued work preserving the Carolinian life zone on the 50 acres his father Bill Corner set up on Fruit Ridge Line
2010	Wayne Hardison and Sue Brooks for their restoration of Carolinian species on the Prospect St. property in Port Stanley.
2009	The Girls Guides for the Carolinian restoration at Camp Orenda.
2008	Cyril Crocker for all his work with the Hawk Cliff Raptor Banders and the St. Thomas Field Naturalists as well as assisting the Stewarts with their publications
2007	Jon Mansell for the Carolinian reforestation of his property on Ferguson Line for many years
2006	Ed Pietrzak for the restoration of Carolinian forests and wetlands on his tree farm on Dexter Line
2005	Ron Casier for the infilling of Carolinian forests using pits and mounds on his farm on Southdale Line
2004	Bill Corner for the Carolinian restoration of his 50 acre property in both forest and marsh on Fruit Ridge Line

Special Projects

Year	Award Recipient	Description
2019	Melissa Schneider, Julia Handsford and John Shanahan	Sparta Community Mailbox
2018	Port Stanley BIA	Transformer Box Wrapping
2017	Sparta Stitchers	Canada 150 Quilt

Tidiness

Year	Award Recipient	Description
2019	Bob Wardle	St. George Street area
2018	St. Thomas & District Horticultural Society
2015	Ken and Debra Jarvis	Voluntarily cleaning the siderides south of Sparta
2014	Ben Juarex	For his daily cleaning of public areas in Port Stanley
2013	Vera Martin	For continuing her work cleaning the road sides around Sparta
2012	Sparta Scouting Group	Cleaning the community of Sparta every year
2011	Port Stanley Public School and the Port Stanley Village Association	For cleaning up the East berm.
2010	Belmont Scouting Group	For cleaning Union Street Park and Talbot Trail Optimists for Cleaning Hwy 3
2009	Bill Jibson	For cleaning Dexter Line
2008	Harriet and Dave DeJonge	For organizing the adopt a street in Port Stanley
2007	Lynhurst/St. George Community Association	For cleaning their community every Earth Day for many years
2006	Knox Presbyterian Church	For organizing an Earth week cleanup of Belmont for many years
2005	Golden K Kiwanis Club	For maintaining Sunset Road
2004	Linda Sanderson, Harriet DeJonge, and Vera Martin	For cleaning the roads in their communities

Turf and Ground Cover

Year	Award Recipient	Description
2008	Joe and Helen DeMoor	For their mix of turf with clover and skree cover
2007	Malcolm and Donna Rust	For the good mix of turf and groundcovers
2006	Linda and Bill Sanderson	For their use of both turf and ground covers
2005	St. Joseph's Regional Mental Health Care	Centre for the IPM and use of their created compost on their lawns and gardens.
2004	St. Thomas Golf and Country Club	For their Integrated Past Management and Audubon designation due to their creative work on the 14th hole

Volunteer Service Award

Year	Award Recipient
2019	Chad Ghattas Charles Rewbotham Margaret Berry Todd Noble Kevin Moreland
2018	Willa McDiarmid Pat Mellor
2017	Shirley Dale Marjorie Higgs Al Futcher Dan Peterson Fred Satterley Heart & Hands Quilting Group Elgin Piecemakers Quilting Group Scott Shakier
2016	Brian Welsh Douglas Mayer Vicki Casey
2015	Cassie Williams Don MacKinnon Jim and Angela Howie Melanie Taylor Nancy Millman Nancy Moore Port Stanley United Church Needle Exchange Volunteer Group Ray Filewood Yarmouth Glen Women's Institute Yvonne Steer
2014	Mark Rice Betty Rogers Joan Mansell Kellie Churchill Robert Halle Shiela Wood
2013	Rosemary Damman Suzi LaPorta Port Stanley Lionness Club Port Stanley Volunteer Gardeners Gloria Smith Heather Telford