Province Announces Celebrating Communities Award Finalists

NOTE: A list of award finalists follows this release.

Eighteen Nova Scotia innovators who show strong leadership and drive community growth and prosperity, have been selected as finalists for the Celebrating Communities Conference and Awards.

There were 58 entries in six categories: youth leadership, volunteer achievement, social enterprise, community development, collaboration and client service. These vibrant community leaders will find out who wins at the third edition of the event, hosted by the Conseil de développement économique de la Nouvelle-Écosse in Yarmouth on Sept. 28-30.

"The province is proud to see a record number of diverse nominees who demonstrate community involvement," said Economic and Rural Development and Tourism Minister Percy Paris. "We're particularly excited about the addition of a new award, Excellence in Social Enterprise, which recognizes contributions to jobsHere, the plan to grow our economy."

This year's event will focus on community development, job creation and innovation in the Acadian communities of Clare, Argyle and Yarmouth.

"It's amazing the amount of hard work and commitment there is to growing our communities around the province," said Vaughne Madden, CEO of Acadian Affairs and member of the judging panel. "The scope of these projects covers so many important aspects of community involvement."

Monette Robichaud of the Clare Organization Representing Persons with Disabilities (C.O.R.D), said the group is thrilled to chosen as a finalist.

"We have been taking big steps with the hopes that we were moving in the right direction," said Ms. Robichaud. "Being selected as a finalist gives us the incentive to keep moving forward for the people we represent."

The conference, which takes place every other year, attracts people from social, cultural, heritage and environmental groups, and all levels of government interested in sharing and learning about community and government working together. The awards gala, cultural celebration and daily workshops will focus on the spirit of innovative, community-led solutions.

For more information and early registration, visit www.gov.ns.ca/econ/celebratingcommunities .

Following is a list of the 18 award finalists and categories, in random order:

• Excellence in Youth Leadership: Bridgetown Regional High School Climate Change Committee, Annapolis Co.; Hants North Rural High School drama club, Hants Co.; Aaron Stevens, Gay/Straight Alliance (GSA), provincewide
• Outstanding Volunteer Achievement: Neil Pothier, Wharf Rat Rally, Digby Co.; Pastor Morton Simmonds, Halifax Regional Municipality; Rodrigue Lefort, Weymouth Waterfront Development Committee, Digby Co.
• Excellence in Social Enterprise: North End Community Garden/Hope Blooms, Halifax Regional Municipality; Affirmative Industries, Halifax Regional Municipality; Clare Organization Representing Persons with Disabilities (C.O.R.D), Digby Co.
• Excellence in Community Development: North End Community Garden/Hope Blooms, Halifax Regional Municipality; Conseil économique de Chéticamp, Inverness Co.; New Glasgow Farmers Market Cooperative, Pictou Co.
• Excellence in Collaboration: Carolyn d'Entremont, Maggie's Place Family Resource Centre, Cumberland Co.; BaM! Body and Mind, Annapolis Co.; Affirmative Industries, Halifax Regional Municipality
• Excellence in Client Service: Shelburne Association Supporting Inclusion (SASI), Shelburne Co.; Mawita'mk Society, Inverness Co.; Centre for Entrepreneurship Education and Development (CEED) Second Chance program, Halifax Regional Municipality