Most of the volunteerism award winners were able to dine with UW president David Johnston earlier this month, and posed with him by the University Club Christmas tree.

Students make K-W 'a better place'

Ten students have received this year's President's Circle award for their outstanding volunteer activities, and were invited to dinner with UW president David Johnston and other VIPs on December 8 to celebrate their achievement.

The award recognizes "volunteer work which has made the campus, local community and beyond a notably better place to live", says the student life office, which administers it. The honour was established in 1997 to recognize the significant contributions of students in volunteer work while being registered in full- or part-time studies at UW.

It's given by the President's Circle, established in 1980 as a recognition for friends of the University who annually contribute $1,000 or more, and to promote ongoing leadership giving to the university. The President's Circle was established by 48 charter members and now boasts a membership of over 1,300 committed faculty, staff, alumni and individual donors. Circle members created the volunteerism award and provide funding for it each year, as the winners each receive $250. And here they are:

Melissa Simoes is in her fourth year of honours health studies. Over the past four years she has volunteered with the Alzheimer Society of Kitchener-Waterloo in multiple roles. Her nominator described what it is like to work with her: “I have had the opportunity to meet many university students who volunteer at our agency. Let me assure you that Melissa is an exceptional person who would be an ideal candidate to win this award. She has integrity and a genuine interest in the people that we serve. She really is an ideal volunteer.”

She has also been strongly involved in the CPR and First Aid training, offered through her faculty. Her reference there wrote: "Without fail, Melissa has returned term after term to initiate the organization and growth of the project despite many changes and timing challenges.” She recently submitted a proposal to secure ongoing funding from the Applied Health Science Endowment Fund to subsidize CPR and first aid training for students.

Trevor Black is in third year honours recreation and leisure studies and has been strongly involved in athletics both at UW and in the community. For the past three years he has been the UW men’s hockey team equipment manager. His responsibilities involve preparing the team for games, practices and travel through tasks such as skate sharpening, equipment repairs, and game day dressing room prep. His nominator wrote: “Trevor is a passionate person. On top of this tremendous dedication to the hockey program, he also arrives daily with a positive, energetic attitude.”

Outside helping with the UW hockey team, he has volunteered his time for the past two seasons as an assistant coach to the Grey Highlands Secondary School Junior Boys hockey team. In his role as assistant coach, he is also statistician, trainer and practice coordinator. His reference wrote: “Trevor’s commitment to these teams was outstanding. He set an excellent example for these young students. The enthusiasm and love of the sport that he brought to the program, definitely contributed to our enormous success.”

Kendra Barrick, in her third year of honours health studies, has been involved with many groups in the K-W community as well as on campus. Her volunteer work through her faculty has been with her undergrad society AHSUM, the health mentorship program, and the Health Studies & Gerontology First Year Transition Program as a student facilitator.

Her reference from the First Year Transition Program wrote that “Kendra demonstrates the authentic desire to improve the transition to university life for the program participants. I can count on Kendra to provide us with sound and mature feedback when invited.”

Off campus, she has volunteered her time at St Mary’s Hospital as an emergency front desk volunteer. Her job is to greet patients and families, and direct them to a triage nurse for assessment. She also offers support to individuals with children, relays information to nursing staff, and escorts patients to proper destinations. Her reference from St Mary’s wrote: “In the emergency department Kendra met the patients and families coming into the hospital and was their first contact. It required Kendra to be polite, understanding and compassionate along with getting the patients attention as soon as possible.”

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More winners of volunteerism awards

Richard (Teddy) Dong is currently completing his 4B term in honours environment and resource studies. Over the past four years he has been active both on and off campus. At UW, he has volunteered his time as an Ecology Lab technician, a Homecoming volunteer, and as a volunteer for the Environmental Studies Society. His largest contribution, however, has been in his volunteer role as the University’s mascots: he has been King Warrior and Pounce for many UW events including Canada Day, Homecoming, and countless varsity athletic games. His reference from athletics writes: “Richard has been extremely motivated to volunteer for this role . . . he always makes games and events for our students and community members more enjoyable.”

When he is not on campus, he volunteers his time with the First Unitarian Church of Waterloo Region as an assistant teacher and with the Independent Living Centre of Waterloo Region with their Kids on the Block Program as a puppeteer. His reference from the Independent Living Centre wrote: “Teddy is without a doubt one of my best puppeteers and someone who I have been able to rely upon time and again to deliver excellent performances . . . he has been integral to the program’s success.”

Lianna Harpley is in her fourth year of her degree program in arts, majoring in English literature with a classical studies minor. Throughout her studies, she has volunteered with both the Girl Guides of Canada and John Darling Public School, working with students in the classroom.

Her involvement with the Guides over the past five years has been as a Sparks leader and a Pathfinder leader. Her reference from the Girl Guides of Canada wrote: “Lianna has done a great job in her position as a Pathfinder. She has displayed to the girls the value of continuing education. . . . Lianna’s volunteering is not high-profile, but her involvement with teens is helping them to develop their potential, and to prepare them to be further leaders and contributing citizens of our community.”

Sarah Noonan is currently completing her third year of honours mathematical sciences. While completing her studies, she became involved with Intercordia Canada, and through this experience traveled to Ternopil, Ukraine, for three months to work with 74 physically and mentally disabled girls. Throughout this trip, she worked to help plan activities in the orphanage to cater to all the different needs of the children there. Her nominator wrote: “Sarah doesn’t settle for business as usual. She came into the Intercordia program because she is committed to going beyond herself in the pursuit of a better world.”

In addition, she has been an active volunteer in the residence and college communities at St. Jerome’s University. Last year, she ran and was selected for the position of Community Contributions Chair, in which she organized charity events. One of her major accomplishment was organizing the “Relay for Live” event at St Jerome’s where she helped to raise $13,000 for cancer research. According to her nominator, “This was one of the most successful university-led events in Canada, which brought attention not only to SJU but also to UW.” He continued: “Sarah is a model for what volunteering ought to do to our students.”

Heather Dabrowski is in her fourth year in the honours social development studies program. She has been involved with many organizations at UW, such as the Waterloo Public Interest Research Group, where she has been involved with Food Not Bombs. Every Saturday she prepares free nutritious vegetarian meals to the homeless. Her reference wrote, “Heather is a committed volunteer, whose personable demeanor has been a welcoming asset to the group and our organization at large. She is considerate, accommodating, and willing to take on tasks that other people are not interested in. Heather has worked outside of her comfort zone to learn and try new leadership techniques and has successfully provided the group with a model for positive interaction.”

She also volunteers her time at Keatsway Public School. For four years she has helped the public school’s students in all areas from the classroom, to their musical drama production. Her reference wrote, “Heather is a natural when it comes to working with children of any age. She has an innate sense of compassion and a true desire to help children succeed. She is loved and respected by the students with whom she interacts, and she returns their love and respect.”

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Jessica Huber explains her research on "Changes in perceived psychosocial quality of life during a four month period following adoption of a closed-circuit television (CCTV) device for low vision" at a conference poster session at the University of Manitoba earlier this year.

Volunteers at schools and in labs

Jessica Huber is pursuing her MSc in optometry. For many years she was a volunteer with Cradle Link, a program that provides home-based support to parents experiencing stress from the birth or adoption of an infant. Her reference from the organization wrote: "I found her to be an extremely committed, reliable, compassionate and caring individual. Jessica’s positive attitude and energy were paramount in her success with the families that she supported.”

She has also spent her last few years volunteering both with Laurelwood Public School and with Unite for Sight. At Laurelwood, she helps students who are experiencing learning difficulties in a grade 8 math program twice a week. With Unite for Sight, a non-profit organization that empowers communities to improve eye health and eliminate preventable blindness, she has participated in several volunteer events, and has recently been promoted to the fundraising director. Her referee at Unite for Sight wrote: “Jessica’s compassion for international ocular health issues and underserved populations is evident. Over the past year Jessica has participated in several volunteer events and volunteered her time to promote our club on campus and to recruit new student volunteers.”

Amanda Hogle is completing her 4A term in joint honours arts and business and psychology. She is a strong community member and has been involved with the Best Buddies Vrais Copains Canada group at UW for more than three years. As a volunteer for Best Buddies, she is paired in a one-to-one friendship with a person who has an intellectual disability. In this position she makes weekly contact with her buddy, and they meet twice a month for activities such as going for a walk, or making meals together. Amanda’s nominator wrote: “Amanda is a truly exceptional person, devoting a great deal of time to volunteer work and to leadership positions while still maintaining a very high grade point average.”

Along with volunteering for Best Buddies, she has been involved with Community Living Mississauga for two years as been a softball coach and a league co-chair. Community Living Mississauga is a non-profit organization that provides support and services to people who have an intellectual disability. Her reference notes: “She is a great role model for other coaches and committee members. She displayed a fantastic commitment to the players and a desire to ensure they enjoyed their season. Her outgoing and welcoming personality enabled her to do a wonderful job.”

Jiming (Jasmine) Song is in her fourth year in honours science and has volunteered her time in many different areas at UW: as a volunteer for the Faculty of Science's 2+2 Program, the International Student Office Shadow program, and the Student Life 101 volunteer program, and as a lab volunteer. One of her lab supervisors noted: “Ms. Song has been exceptionally committed and hard working. This is quite extraordinary since my previous experience has been that laboratory volunteers rapidly lose their enthusiasm once they discover that volunteering involves a large time commitment and is quite hard work. In addition, she is extremely pleasant to interact with, gets along well with others in the lab and has become a real contributor to our research effort.”

Along with her work on campus, she has found time to help in the community by volunteering with the Alzheimer Society of Kitchener-Waterloo. She provided weekly visits to a man with vascular dementia. Her reference wrote: “Jasmine’s cheerful ways, reliability and kindness were appreciated by this family, as was her ability to connect with the family’s cultural background.”

CAR

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