Brian L. Desbiens Community Service Award recipients
Fleming College is recognizing two individuals for their outstanding commitment to volunteerism with the Brian L. Desbiens Community Service Awards.
Community activist Linda Slavin of Peterborough will receive the external award and Ted Brandon, an employee of the Haliburton Campus, will receive the internal award. Both awards will be presented during Philanthropy Week, Nov. 11-15, 2013.
Ted Brandon, Training Officer at the Haliburton Campus, is a dedicated member of the Haliburton community and an active volunteer. His nomination stated that Ted always steps up to a challenge or a request when the end result is that it will help someone or improve the quality of life for the people of Haliburton.
“Ted really does believe in service above self and it is evident in his actions and words,” says Sandra Dupret, Principal, Haliburton Campus.
Ted has been a member of Rotary since 1992. This year he was awarded the Fred Jones Award for the second time (one of only two individuals to receive the honour twice). This award is given to the person who best exemplifies the principles of Rotary and has shown outstanding qualities and effort toward the Club’s goals.
He has volunteered internationally, twice delivering wheel chairs to Trinidad and St. Lucia. Other volunteer activities have included Easter Seals, where he was a member of its Board for a term. And, as an employee of the college, Ted is a proactive volunteer member of the Friends of Haliburton Committee. Through the Committee, Ted coordinates the annual Faculty Art Auction and takes a lead role in organizing other campus fundraising initiatives. The events raise $13,000 to $22,000 per year for student bursaries and capital investments.
Linda Slavin is a long-time community activist and volunteer. Both locally and globally concerned, she was one of the founders of the Kawartha World Issues Centre in the 1980s and served as board member and Chair of the Ontario Council for International Co-operation for six years. She managed the INSTRUCT project from Trent University linking research and communities in Ecuador, Mexico and Peterborough in learning from each other about watershed ecosystem and social management. Fleming College was a valued partner in the project.
Linda is a former manager of COIN – the Community Opportunity and Innovation Network – a United Way agency, focusing on training and employment for the marginalized through three social enterprises. Other agencies she has been involved with locally include: the Social Planning Council, Green-Up, Elizabeth Fry Society, Mayor’s Committee on Poverty Reduction, Raging Grannies, and For Our Grandchildren. Linda co-chaired the organizing committee producing the Community Sustainability Plan passed by the city, county, eight townships and two First Nations in 2012.
“Determined, cheerful, pleasant at all times, Linda is widely known and respected for getting things done,” stated her nomination. “She has a unique ability to involve others, is a gifted facilitator of groups, and a mediator of conflicts. She networks widely, making maximum gains for the public good, raising awareness and leading individuals and groups toward consensus.”
About the Brian L. Desbiens Community Service Awards
The Brian L. Desbiens Community Service Awards were created to recognize citizens who have demonstrated outstanding commitment to, and concern for, their community, country or beyond. Within volunteer work and through their career these candidates have exceeded expectations, putting their ideas and skills to practical use for the benefit of others. One award is given to an employee of the college while another is awarded externally, to a citizen of the communities the college serves.
About Fleming College
Located in the heart of Central Ontario, Fleming College has campus locations in Peterborough, Lindsay, Cobourg and Haliburton. Named for famous Canadian inventor and engineer Sir Sandford Fleming, the college features more than 100 full-time programs in Community Development and Health, Continuing Education, Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, Justice and Business, Skilled Trades and Technology, General Arts and Science and Visual Arts. Fleming College has more than 5,900 full-time and 10,000 part-time students, and more than 65,000 alumni.
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For more information
Laura Copeland, Communications Officer at laura.copeland@flemingcollege.ca or 705.749.5530 x 1370