Community Recognition Awards during COVID-19 announced

The Town of Orangeville has announced Community Recognition Awards for 15 recipients this week. The recognition program, aimed at deserving residents, businesses and organizations for outstanding efforts within the community during the COVID-19 pandemic, was approved by Orangeville Council in September.

Deputy Mayor Andy Macintosh, who brought the idea forward originally, says he’s proud of all the recipients. “It has been tough on everyone during these times, but these groups and individuals have gone the extra mile, so on behalf of Council, I thank you so very much.”

The recognition program called for a donation to a local charity in lieu of plaques for recipients. Nominations opened in October. Council voted this week to donate $600 to the Orangeville Food Bank from the Community Grant Program on behalf of the award recipients.

Online nomination forms are available on the Town’s website and will be received on a continuous basis until the end of the pandemic. Criteria will be based on nominees displaying one or all of the following:

• Positive community contribution

• Volunteerism

• Acts of kindness

• Providing an essential service

• Leadership and support within the community

Nominated this fall, the first recipients of these special awards are as follows:

101.5 MyFM Radio
The MyFM radio station doubled all advertisers radio commercials at no charge during the months of April and May to assist local businesses and aired announcements for the Food Bank, Heart & Stroke, Public Health Unit, Dufferin Board of Trade, Orangeville Theatre and Canadian Blood Services at no charge. Morning show times adjusted and focused on keeping residents educated about current events relevant to the pandemic and comprised shows with expert guests and businesses. The organization teamed up with local businesses for a “Thank you frontline hospital workers’’ banner campaign and transitioned into safe, live remote broadcasts for business grand openings. The radio station also executed a multi-location back to school food drive in August, generating 7,800 lbs. of food and over $2,000 for the local food bank.

Branching Out Support Service Participants
The participants who attend the Branching Out Support Services program are a motivated group who have diagnosed developmental differences and neurological exceptionalities. Those who attend the program are learning community engagement, volunteerism and how to give back to their community. During the pandemic, the participants worked in small groups maintaining the food bank garden plots, cleaned up parks and green spaces and took on contactless volunteering projects for the Dufferin Overdose committee, the Halloween Fairy Initiative and organized their own contactless food drive collecting 136 lbs. of food. The group also created cards of encouragement for local downtown Orangeville shops to brighten their days during the pandemic.  Special mentions to staff members Sara Clarke and Megan Williams who organize the projects with community partners and keep volunteers safe.  

Cedar Heights Orangeville
The staff at Cedar Heights Youth Residence in Orangeville stepped up from the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic with many of the staff having to work overtime hours. Staff provided and continue to provide 24-hour care. With the lockdowns and cancellation of activities, plus the transition to home schooling the staff made every effort to ensure their residents lives continue to remain enriched full of house-based activities.

Community Response Team
The Community Response Team is comprised of Dufferin Child and Family Services (DCAFS), Family Transition Place (FTP), Dufferin Area Family Health Team (DAFHT), Hospice Dufferin, Hospice Dufferin, Canadian Mental Health Association Peel Dufferin (CMHA) and Supportive Housing in the Province (SHIP).  Each of the organizations have a role to play in delivering mental health services to residents. The organizations formed a joint team, the Community Response Team to meet the unique mental health needs and support required in a pandemic. This Community Response Team provided numerous outcomes such as an online front-line/essential staff portal, virtual forums for front-line/essential staff from all sectors, on-site mental health services, public messaging and communication on mental health services, hosted virtual community memorial services for those who had experienced loss, plus other initiatives to support the community during the COVID pandemic.

Curry Mantra Restaurant
Curry Mantra, at 520 Riddell Road, was nominated by several customers. The restaurant has above and beyond to help those in need during the pandemic. They have provided free hot meals daily to those in need with no questions asked, provided Thanksgiving meals and even food supplies during shortages.

Heritage Dental
Heritage Dental offices, at 53 First Street, were nominated by their patients who commended the dental office on taking extra measures during the pandemic. Interior office changes and patient booking and check-in safety procedures have been implemented that are allowing patients to feel comfortable and safe during appointments.

Déjà vu Diner and Boxed Meats
Déjà vu Diner, at 318 Broadway, worked to ensure the community had access to essential items since the start of the pandemic. Déjà vu supplied the community with boxed meats, household items and personal protective equipment that was in short supply at affordable prices. Déjà vu Diner even had a deck built on the back of the building to serve the public and has now organized the inside of the restaurant to provide a proper distanced atmosphere for patrons.

Dufferin Autism Committee
The Dufferin Autism Committee members showed true acts of kindness by volunteering countless hours to their Facebook group, organizing events, offering advice, encouragement and help on all levels during these unique COVID times. The committee provides information on events, workshops and take-home kits through Autism Ontario and offers pick-up with contactless porch delivery. The committee has provided social distancing activities in the community in person and online, provided information to parents for Autism Speaks Canada, decorated yards for birthdays and anniversaries with drive-by parades, and raised $15,000 for the Autism Speaks Canada Walk on Wheels Car Parade event. The committee members deal with their own challenges of having children living with ASD but still volunteer countless hours to help others and did so to assist family members during the pandemic.

Orangeville Caremongering
Melissa Cauley created a community group called Orangeville Caremongering to help others and support one another during the pandemic. She went out of her way to assist those in need and provided many acts of kindness.  During Christmas, Ms. Cauley brings Noelle the Elf to Orangeville from the North Pole to spread holiday cheer.

Orangeville Minor Hockey
Through the initial stages of Orangeville Minor Hockey's return to play, there were many hurdles to clear in order to safely offer programming to area youth. Rob Deltin stepped up to help lead a group of young hockey players. He went above and beyond the call of a Minor Hockey coach. In his spare time, Rob developed a screening program with 37 easy-to-use, mobile friendly forms for more than 300 members in the house league hockey program. He then organized a screening protocol for parents so that they can fill out the forms prior to getting to the rink, as well as coaches and Orangeville Minor Hockey administrators.

Pita Pit
The two Orangeville Pita Pit locations (40 Broadway and 520 Riddell Road) received several nominations. The Pita Pit restaurants donated over 800 pitas to local front-line essential workers at the hospital, retirement homes, grocery stores, gas stations, etc. during the pandemic and the Horton family owners personally delivered them to all these front-line workers.

Marifa MacMullen
Since April, Marifa MacMullen has been offering three free live Zumba workouts every week from her basement which she has now converted into a studio. Always upbeat, Marifa engages the participants and has been a leader by contributing to the community’s physical and mental health during the pandemic.

Simran Bhamu
Simran has been exceptionally helpful in supporting individual businesses and local not-for-profit organizations during the pandemic by sharing advice on different marketing and fundraising strategies and has gone above and beyond by bringing the community together in raising money and donations for several initiatives such as for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dufferin, organizing items for auction with over 25 local businesses, sponsorship for 198 free meals through Curry Mantra, organized giveaway items for the Celebrate your awesome event, and she also brings awareness and civil discussions on topics of diversity, inclusion and equality through her social media platforms.

Sym Bookkeeping
Sym Bookkeeping, at 234 Broadway, remained open for extended hours from the start of the pandemic in March to assist clients and businesses and to ensure clients received information on Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) and to assist with business operation inquiries. Sym Bookkeeping strived to stay on top of the news and changes to keep clients informed.

Teena Avery
Teena Avery has been volunteering her time producing programs at Rogers TV Dufferin-Caledon. Between April and July of 2020, Teena produced 19 one-hour COVID-19 local information shows to keep the community informed and she welcomed guests such as MP Kyle Seeback, MPP Sylvia Jones, Orangeville Mayor Brown, plus Councillors, medical professionals and emergency services staff.  Teena organized and co-ordinated the guests and produced the shows from her home, as a volunteer.