Canadian Cancer Society recognizes local volunteers

Mar 16, 2016

On March 6, representatives from the Canadian Cancer Society of Frontenac Lennox, Addington and the Waterways were atthe Oso hall in Sharbot Lake for a dual event whose aim was to recognize the many dedicated local CCS volunteers and to kick off their 2016 campaign.

Doug Kane, a community office manager with the CCS, made a PowerPoint presentation outlining the many fundraising opportunities, programs and services that the CCS offers in this community, which covers an area roughly 100 kilometres in diameter. He stressed how community volunteers, by reaching their prescribed fundraising goal of $1 million, enable the community to receive over $6 million in CCS research dollars.

Kane also spoke of the Society's “Wheels of Hope” program, which helps rural cancer patients get to treatment centers. Kane said that for the 5200 trips that were funded in 2014 through “Wheels of Hope” in Frontenac Lennox and Addington, no fewer than 45 drivers traveled over 157,700 kilometres.

“A lot of people think that most of what we do at the CCS is research, but in fact, many of our services help in very practical ways, like our volunteer driver program which, especially in these rural areas, is a very important service.”

Kane also mentioned the advocacy work that the Cancer Society does, with their advocates speaking to MPs and MPPs about changing laws regarding tobacco use, tanning beds and other important cancer prevention efforts.

April McCann, volunteer engagement coordinator with the CCS, also spoke at the event. She recognized the many faces and stories in the room that day, and said their efforts “really help us to raise dollars for research and produce more and more cancers survivors. We cannot do what we do without our volunteers.”

For the awards section of the event, Lesley Merrigan, a CCS volunteer and former long-time chair of the North and Central Frontenac Relay for Life, along with caregiver Wendy Drew, were recognized with the CCS's Impact in Community Leadership awards. Merrigan said she was pleased to see so many volunteers appreciated by the CCS.

Many local volunteers were presented with special service awards, including Pam Giroux, Charmaine Jones and Carolyn Hasler (5 years); Linda Myers and Rick Brown (10 years); John Lee and Ruth Cooke (15 years); Ann Grantham (20 years); Alvin Lake (25 years); and Norma Granlund (40 years).

A number of cheque presentations were also made at the event. Marcel Giroux presented a cheque for $2,000 to the CCS on behalf of W.A. Robinson Asset Management Ltd., who is the presenting sponsor for the North and Central Frontenac Relay for Life. A second cheque for $3,227 from Chantal Villeneuve was also presented on behalf of the Ontario Breeders Association.

Norma Granlund of Crow Lake, who received a 40-year service award, is the longest serving volunteer in the community. Granlund, who has been canvassing door-to-door for the Cancer Society for four decades, said she was inspired by her Aunt Eliva, who in her words, “was a beautiful helper of people and who passed away from cancer". Granlund also spoke of Mary Howes of Parham, also a long-time CCS volunteer, who recruited Norma as a canvasser decades ago.

The Cancer Society is always looking for volunteer drivers for their “Wheels of Hope” program. Anyone interested can call 613-384-2361 or 1-866-877-0309.