6th Annual Awards of Rural Excellence

The Foundation for Rural Living recently held the 6th Annual Awards of Rural Excellence program, and successful nominees were honoured at The Ontario Rural Council's 7th Annual Rural Development Conference on Award recipients were honoured with the presentation of a commemorative artistic glass award, as well as a cash contribution to their charity of choice.   Winner of the "Excellence in Community Leadership" Award The R.E.S.P.E.C.T project The ultimate goal of the R.E.S.P.E.C.T project is to build and strengthen rural and remote communities in the North Bay region and to give a voice to the more vulnerable members of the community, namely women and girls, explained project co-ordinator Roberta Oshkawbewisens. The vision of R.E.S.P.E.C.T. is to provide - Resources, Education, Safety, Prevention, Empowerment, Community-building and Training - to these vulnerable members of the community. By forming partnerships with other social agencies, RESPECT has been able to offer a variety of unique programs. These include information sessions around violence and prevention for both boys and girls as well as education for rural practitioners. RESPECT also runs outdoor camping retreats for women and girls. Beginning in the spring of 2002 with the help of a few agencies, the project has continued to grow and now enjoys the support of more than 20 project partners. Winner of the "Excellence in Formal Co-operative Models" Award The Progressive Pork Producers Co-operative Ltd. The Progressive Pork Producers Co-operative Ltd (3-P) was formed in 1994 with a vision to expanding both the domestic and export market for hogs. The goal of the co-operative was to allow pork producers the opportunity to participate in value-added processing activities beyond the farm gate. The move amounted to a $3-million investment by members and the creation of a member-owned processing facility that employs 161 people in Breslau, Ontario. 3-P now boasts more than 500 producer-members with over 150 producers supplying over 12,000 hogs per week for slaughter. 3-P members have increased their market share by cutting out the middle man (private processing) and forming relationships with retail stores. The move has also helped to preserve independent hog farmers in Ontario, said Arnold Drung, general manager of Conestoga Meats "Other co-operatives can learn from 3-P that producers, through such a co-operative model, have the potential to influence their product beyond the farm gate with the potential to increase returns for their investment," added Drung. Winner of the "Excellence in Economic Development" Award Trent Hills Economic Development Committee Municipal amalgamation during the 90s provided a unique opportunity to develop a strategic approach to economic development for the small rural communities of Warworth, Seymour, Percy, Hastings and Campbellford. "The Trent Hills Economic Development Committee was formed (in 1999) to ensure there would be a forum for discussion regarding economic development for the whole Municipality and to provide a coordinated approach to projects and activities regarding economic development," explained Brenda Otto, Economic Development Officer for the Municipality of Trent Hills. The creation of a strategic plan has enabled the committee to foster economic growth in tourism while at the same time respecting the unique needs of each community. The completion of the Ranney Gorge Suspension Bridge in Campbellford; the construction of Hastings Village Marina and the main street revitalization in the Village of Warkworth are among the committee's many projects and achievements designed to invigorate the region's tourism traffic. Today the municipality has been described by media as one of the best and most affordable tourist spots in Ontario. Winner of the "Outstanding Voluntarism and/or Partnership in the Voluntary Sector" Award Erinsville Recyclers Group With the prospect of losing the community's landfill site at an estimated cost of $100,000, citizens from the Sheffield Ward (with a population of approx. 600), now part of the Township of Stone Mills, convinced the municipality and local citizens to participate in a volunteer recycling program. That was in 1992, since then, the program, which now enjoys a volunteer base of at least 75 people has managed to avert over 37,000, 000 1bs of garbage. "That represents a total saving of $175,000 to $210,000 for the municipality and another 10 to 12 years of life for the landfill," said a proud Tom Weir, co-ordinator of the Erinsville recycling program. Still, it took education and some creative manoeuvring to make the project a sustainable option that attracted participation, recalls Weir. "I think in the end people saw the environmental benefits (of saving the landfill) as well as the financial savings, he added. "We've even made money for the township by finding customers willing to purchase recycling material like corrugated cardboard." It's been over ten years since the program started and now recycling is firmly entrenched in the community. Each Saturday morning, a group of volunteers gather at the recycling depot to meet with friends and members of the community who come to drop off their recyclable products. "It's a meeting place and a chance to catch up on the news, just like the old barber's shop," Weir concluded. Winner of the "Outstanding Rural Youth Achievement" Award Community Futures of North & Central Hastings and South Algonquin's Business Builders Program The Business Builders Program, the first of its kind in Ontario, provides free workshops that highlight the merits of entrepreneurship to children aged between 9 to 15 years. Hosted by the Community Futures Development Corporation (CFDC) for North & Central Hastings and South Algonquin, the Bancroft-based program is designed to get the best out of young participants through discovery, examination and adventure. When the chance of sustainable employment is so slim, Business Builders fills a much-needed void. The North Hastings region suffers with high unemployment and limited opportunities for higher-paid employment, explained Blob Cloes, General Manager of CFDC. "Some community members are turning later in life to self-employment, very poorly prepared out of desperation." "The Business Builders Program is designed to provide an opportunity for learning entrepreneurial skills in a creative way and encourage our community's youth to consider self-employment as a career objective … not as a last resort," added Cloes. Since it began in 2001, 45 students have availed themselves of the program - of those approximately 18 have launched their own business. "One of this year's graduates is running an advertising business, Laura's Amazing Advertising, with one very successful event under her belt. Ten days after Business Builder's graduation, one participant is dog walking; one (opened) Bakery Treats and another Josh, has formed a company called "Baby Cakes" which specializes in unique baby shower gifts.," said a proud Cloes. Winner of the "Outstanding Philanthropic Action" Award The Bruce Grey Public Education Foundation The Bruce Grey Public Education Foundation is a charitable organization formed in 1997 to develop a strategic approach to fundraising in support of local education. In particular, the foundation funds projects that reflect the rural character of the region. The catalyst for the foundation's creation was the 'Inspired by Nature Campaign' organized to raise funds to re-build the Institute for Environmental and Outdoor Education in Oliphant, Ontario. With a goal of raising $2 million to fund the project, the foundation has faced many challenges along the way. But with a determined membership, the foundation has continued to revise and revaluate its strategy - introducing broader membership representation as well as a major gifts' focus. Construction is slated to begin next spring. The foundation is now in phase two of the campaign, which will fund the centre's operating costs. Winner of the "Outstanding Partnership with Business" Award Frontier College's Labourer Teacher Program Since 1990, Frontier College has partnered with farm employers to provide literacy and ESL services to migrant farm workers. In this unique partnership, farmers provide housing and paid work for Frontier College teachers and in return the teachers offer free after-hours tutoring, translation and support services to migrant workers. "Everybody wins", said program coordinator Brent Poulton. "The students gain free access to learning and improved language skills as well as social support. The farmers benefit from having on-site translation and the teachers gain work experience as well as first-hand knowledge of farming and rural life." Travelling from overseas destinations such as South America and the Caribbean, migrant workers who often don't speak English can feel isolated, explained Poulton. The Labour-Teaching program is a welcome diversion, Poulton suggested. "It is not unusual to have keenly motivated learners attend an English class at 10 p.m. in the bunk house after a long day of work." The Labourer Teacher Program began on one Ontario farm. Since then, it has continued to grow and today operates across 30 farms from spring to fall. This past summer, Frontier College opened its first school house in Leamington. It also published its first pocket ESL dictionary for farm workers. If you know of a group, project or program that deserves recognition, let us know . . . we want to honor them.

Many Thanks to Our Sponsors of the 6th Annual Awards of Rural Excellence in the Commitment to Excellence 'Founding Sponsor'