‘Heroes’ honoured for their selfless and dedicated work
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| North York Urban Hero Awards |
Annual awards program organized by Toronto Community News
Basking in the glow of friends, family and co-workers, five individuals and three groups were named North York urban heroes during a ceremony Monday, May 31.
The Urban Hero Awards is an annual awards program under Toronto Community News that recognizes those community members and grassroots level ‘heroes’ whose personal efforts, sacrifices or contributions have made a significant impact to a cause, a person or a group in North York, Scarborough and Etobicoke in the fields of Arts and Culture; Community; Education; Environment; Health and Sciences and Sports.
The North York Mirror is under the Toronto Community News umbrella.
See WINNERS' PROFILES
“North York has a big heart and you’re all part of that big heart,” Betty Carr, publisher of Toronto Community News, told the nominees and their supporters during the awards presentation at Toronto Don Valley Hotel and Suites. “Congratulations to each and every one of you.”
Sheila Mitchell took home the night’s first award in the Arts and Culture category.
A former president of North York Visual Artists. Mitchell’s work has appeared in several local exhibitions across the city, including the Don Valley Art Club, Rainbow Market Square and the Canadian National Exhibition.
She also organized the Spring 2009 Art Show and Conference at Metro Hall and recently launched her own show at Fairview Public Library.
Andrew Williams was named the Urban Hero in Education.
Known as Uncle D, Williams has volunteered at Churchill Public School for the past decade. As artist-in-residence, Williams is able to connect with all students despite language or behaviour barriers.
Along with volunteering in all aspects of the school day, including field trips, he also conducts sketching and cartooning workshops, creates murals for the school’s building and is involved with Churchill’s dramatic productions.
“I’d like to thank the teachers and the principal,” Williams told The Mirror after his win. “I’m almost 50 and I’ve never been so happy to be in school.”
Green Change Project took top honours in the Environment category. The program, originally a one-year initiative which has been extended for an additional three years, runs out of the Jane/Finch Community and Family Centre.
Under the program, the centre helps green its neighbourhood by promoting environmentalism and providing green-job training.
Through the project, 60 community volunteers were trained to perform environmental audits for neighbourhood residents, resulting in 2,000 tonnes in reduced carbon emissions.
The Health and Science (Group) award went to Women of Baycrest. Launched in 2009, the organization focuses on women’s brain health.
The North York association is the first of its kind to support and fund research into women’s brain health as they age. According to statistics, 70 per cent of the 500,000 Canadians who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease are women.
The organization has hosted several events, from fashion shows to medical panels, to help raise money for the cause.
With an initial fundraising goal of $250,000 during its first year of existence, Women of Baycrest saw more than $1 million in funds raised.
The group is now hoping to raise $3 million to fund a new research chair in Women’s Brain Health and Aging at Baycrest.
Helen Lu (Individual) took home the Urban Hero Award in Health and Science. Known as Mama Lu to her friends, the 78-year-old said she started volunteering out of gratitude.
A founding director of the Yee Hong Foundation, she was recently honoured with the Golden Ray Award at a tribute dinner by the foundation for her fundraising achievements.
Lu has also volunteered for the Hospital for Sick Children, the United Way, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, the Daily Bread Food Bank and the Canadian Unrelated Bone Marrow Donor Registry.
A native of Taiwan, Lu has also raised funds for flood victims in China, for famine relief in Somalia and North Korea and for earthquake relief in Taiwan and Haiti.
Frank Varacalli was named the Urban Hero in the Sports category.
The president of the Amesbury Sports Club and executive member of the Amesbury Canada Day Committee said he’s accepting the award on behalf of his family and executive members.
“To my kids, I’m sorry for all the short dinners because I have to run out,” he said during his acceptance speech.
In addition to organizing programs in softball and hockey for the community, Varacalli has spearheaded many charitable events through the club to help a variety of organizations.
The Community (Group) award went to Women Moving Forward. The program, for young mothers aged 20 to 29 who are living on welfare, takes a holistic approach to supporting women interested in moving from a place of poverty to one of self-sufficiency.
The program helps women decide on a career path, then helps map out the steps needed to obtain employment in that career.
Run out of the Jane/Finch Community and Family Centre, Women Moving Forward was created in 2005 after recognizing a need in the community to offer assistance to young mothers who must leave teen programs once they turn 20.
“I have seen a lot of women in the community do great things because of the program,” said program participant Teisha James, who plans to take Women’s Studies at York University in the fall.
The final award of the night went to Francis Atta in the Community (Individual) category.
The 24-year-old former star basketball player at James Cardinal McGuigan Catholic Secondary School hasn’t shied away from his troubled past but has chosen to rise above it and teach others how to do the same.
An aspiring motivational speaker, Atta volunteered as a basketball coach for his high school’s junior team and is a supervisor at the Jane and Finch Boys and Girls Club, helping with homework and activities.
“I’m very honoured to get this award,” he told the crowd. “This will encourage a lot of black people and people in the community to be all they can be. We can all do it if we put our mind to it.”
Visit www.urbanheroes.ca
– Fannie Sunshine