Cambridge recognized its brightest stars last night at the annual Cambridge and North Dumfries Community Awards. The Cambridge Chamber of Commerce started the event several years ago and I hope it continues forever. What a great way to celebrate the people and organizations making the city great! As an added bonus, I discovered a hidden little country gem at last night’s awards.

First, the awards. Here are your winners:

Best Corporate/Not-for-Profit Partnership — CGT (in partnership with Cambridge Self-Help Food Bank)

Best Marketing Campaign —  “Behind Every Changed Life is Someone Who Helped Make it Happen” (United Way of Cambridge and North Dumfries)

Best Event of the Year — “Pat in the Hat” (Cambridge Self-Help Food Bank)

Group Volunteer Award — Watertower Gardens Community Garden Committee (Preston Heights Community Group)

Volunteer of the Year — Sara McLennan (Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region)

Youth Volunteer of the Year — Erika Bout, Preston High School

Employee of the Year — Tanya Farrow, Revera — Riverbend Place

Not-for-Profit Organization of the Year (10 employees and under) — Ontario Christian Gleaners

Not-for-Profit Organization of the Year (11 employees and over) — YWCA Cambridge

Lifetime Achievement Award — Pat Singleton, Executive Director, Cambridge Self-Help Food Bank

 

As an added bonus, we had two talented young ladies play some music for us to open and close the show. Liv Gains and Melissa Koehler are both from Cambridge and both sounded amazing! Melissa in particular caught my ear when she name dropped Dean Brody in her song ‘Chevrolet.’ Have a listen!

Congratulations to all the award winners, and Melissa…I’ll see you at your next show!

Farwell