Province Celebrates Volunteers at 51st Annual Awards

The extraordinary contributions of volunteers in Nova Scotia were celebrated today, September 29, at the 51st annual Provincial Volunteer Awards ceremony in Halifax.

“Volunteers are the heart of our province,” said Dave Ritcey, Minister responsible for the Voluntary Sector. “Their service makes a lasting impact – strengthening communities, inspiring hope and reminding us that Nova Scotia is at its best when we look out for one another.”

Awards were presented in four categories:

• Newcomer Volunteer Award, for a newcomer who has demonstrated extraordinary outreach to and volunteerism in their new community
• Youth Volunteer Award, for a volunteer aged 13 to 24
• Family Volunteer Award, for a family of two or more people living in the same community
• Nova Scotia Strong Award, recognizing resilience during a time of tragedy or struggle.

Along with the provincial awards, each municipality and Mi’kmaw community selected a representative to receive an individual Volunteer of the Year Award, recognizing outstanding service at the community level.

Details about the award recipients and more information about the awards are available at: https://novascotia.ca/nonprofitsector/provincialvolunteerawards/

Quotes:

“Volunteering is one of the noblest ways to serve, showing that genuine care for others can move communities forward. It also sets a beautiful example for other provinces – and even other countries – on how deeply rooted and respected volunteerism can be when recognized as part of a province’s identity and values.”
— Maria Ivy Jovellanos, first recipient of the inaugural Newcomer Volunteer Award

Quick Facts:

• award recipients are selected by a citizens’ selection committee; the awards program is administered by the Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage
• more than 410,000 Nova Scotians volunteer each year, contributing almost 79 million hours of service