Volunteer Awards Turn 50
The Malaria Warriors, a family of drummers who raise money to fight malaria in their sister’s memory, performed during the awards ceremony. (Communications Nova Scotia / File)
Nova Scotians who generously give their time to their communities were honoured today, September 18, at the 50th annual Provincial Volunteer Awards ceremony in Truro.
"The 50th anniversary of the Provincial Volunteer Awards is a testament to the enduring power of community and the boundless potential of individuals united in purpose,” said Lt.-Gov. Arthur J. LeBlanc. “I extend my heartfelt gratitude to volunteers for their time, skills and compassion. They have touched countless lives across Nova Scotia, driving positive change and inspiring others to join in creating a brighter future.”
A new award to honour the 50th year of the award ceremony will recognize newcomers who come to Nova Scotia from another country and demonstrate extraordinary outreach and volunteerism in their new community. The first recipient of the Newcomer Volunteer of the Year Award will be announced at the 2025 ceremony.
“Volunteers are the backbone of our communities. This year’s celebration not only reflects on the past achievements but also inspires future generations to uphold the spirit of volunteerism,” said Dave Ritcey, MLA for Truro-Bible Hill-Millbrook-Salmon River, on behalf of Allan MacMaster, Minister responsible for the Voluntary Sector. “Their immense contributions are what make our province vibrant and resilient. Today, we celebrate not just the individual achievements of our honorees but also the collective spirit of giving that defines us as Nova Scotians.”
This year, 72 volunteers received representative awards. Three specialty awards were presented at the ceremony: the Youth Volunteer Award, Family Volunteer Award and Nova Scotia Strong Award. Details about the award recipients are available at: https://novascotia.ca/nonprofitsector/provincialvolunteerawards/2024-Program.pdf
The ceremony is available to watch at: https://vimeo.com/event/4565912/32e0d9e5a9
Quotes:
“Winning the Nova Scotia Strong Award is such an incredible honour for the Ultimate Online Nova Scotia Kitchen Party. Our exceptional online community was built by 285,000 people with a shared love of music, a lot of trust, and a common goal of spreading joy when we needed it most. Four and a half years later, it continues to have a positive impact on people all over the world both online and in person, while shining a bright light on the beautiful people of Nova Scotia. I am grateful to be a little part of something so very extraordinary and am proud to accept this award on behalf of all of our group members.”
— Heather Thomson, founder, Ultimate Online Nova Scotia Kitchen Party
Quick Facts:
- more than 410,000 Nova Scotians volunteer each year, contributing almost 79 million hours to their communities
- the awards program is administered by the Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage
- the representative (individual) volunteer awards are selected by each municipality and Mi’kmaw community
Additional Resources:
Provincial Volunteer Awards: https://novascotia.ca/nonprofitsector/provincialvolunteerawards/
Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage: - website: https://cch.novascotia.ca - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NOVASCOTIACULTURE - X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/NS_CCTH