Nominate community heroes for YMCA’s Peace Medal Awards

Every year, YMCAs across Canada recognize people who volunteer their time and effort to make our communities better places to live, through the Peace Medal Awards.

Peace is not just the absence of violence and conflict, the YMCA said in a release dated Monday, Nov. 8, 2021. It is also the work to create and keep conditions of fairness, inclusion, empathy, security and respect for diversity. Peace-building is core to the YMCA’s commitment to strengthening healthy communities and is built into the YMCA of Eastern Ontario’s programs and services.

The YMCA suggests we all know someone who deserves such recognition.

“There are so many individuals who give their time to make their community stronger and that’s what the Y is all about,” said Rob Adams, CEO, YMCA of Eastern Ontario. “We’re looking for heroes of all ages, individuals or groups, who have demonstrated a commitment to building peace here at home or around the world. I think the award is even more special this year as people have carried out acts of kindness to make the world a better place during the pandemic.”

Given the special circumstances of the pandemic, last year, the YMCA chose to honour the public health units in Leeds, Grenville and Lanark; and Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington for the extraordinary work their teams carried out to keep local communities safe, according to the release.

“By celebrating the YMCA Peace Awards together, we are thanking those who are creating the future we want for our community, country and world,” Adams said.

Honour community heroes by nominating someone before Sunday, Nov. 21, 2021. The Peace Medal Awards will be announced on Friday, Nov. 26, 2021.

To learn more or make a nomination, visit eo.ymca.ca/peace-medal-awards