Félicitations! Volunteers, mayor feted by Centre Francophone

Three local residents — including the mayor of Sault Ste. Marie — have been feted in the inaugural recognition awards handed out by the Centre francophone de Sault-Sainte-Marie.

The centre gave out is first annual awards in two categories: the Francophone Volunteer Award and The Francophone Community Impact Award.

Mayor Matthew Shoemaker — who earlier this year declared the Sault's 1990 English-only declaration "a mistake" — was celebrated with the community impact award.

Meanwhile, volunteers Jean-Paul Dubreuil and Lise Joyal were recognized with volunteer awards for the time and expertise they have lent to the community.

"We are extremely grateful to our volunteers who give their time, energy and passion to support our community,"  said Jessica D'Amour Torrance, president of the organization.

Read more about the CFSSM and the awards in the following news release:

The Centre francophone de Sault-Sainte-Marie (CFSSM) is proud to present its first annual recognition awards.

These awards are intended to recognize the commitment and engagement of volunteers who contribute significantly to the mission of the CFSSM and to the Francophone community as a whole.

Since the opening of the CFSSM in 1982, many members of the Francophone community have shown their dedication to Francophone pride. They have given a lot to the community, whether as a volunteer, as a Francophone representative or by demonstrating their pride in one way or another. This is why the Centre francophone de Sault-Sainte-Marie has decided to launch the Recognition Awards.

We have created two categories for the awards: The Francophone Volunteer Award and The Francophone Community Impact Award.

To be awarded these distinctions, recipients must meet the following:

Francophone Volunteer Award Criteria:

• Have made a significant contribution to the Franco-Ontarian community or have proudly represented the Franco-Ontarian colours in Ontario.
• Be a resident of the Sault Ste. Marie region and surrounding area
• Have offered your help by exceeding expectations in various community activities and events and,
• Speak French

Francophone Community Impact Criteria:

• Have played a key role in the development of the Franco-Ontarian community through your vision, actions and exceptional community involvement.
• Demonstrate originality and a vision that meets a concrete need in the community, region or a specific area.
• Be a resident of the Sault Ste. Marie region and surrounding area
• Speak French

Please note that this year, we awarded two Francophone Volunteer Awards.

The recipients of the Francophone Volunteer of the Year were honoured during the Festival Franco-Ontarian which took place on Sunday, Sept. 22. This evening was an opportunity to highlight the exceptional work of these volunteers and to thank them for their valuable contribution in addition to celebrating the francophonie with live music from the group Rats d’Swompe and a lovely supper.

The first recipient of the Francophone Volunteer Award was given to Jean-Paul Dubreuil, a person who continually advocates for the rights of Francophones. He lived through and fought the crisis of 1990, never giving up. He continued to offer his time to the Francophone community by being part of many boards of directors, including that of the CFSSM. If we need his help or his expertise, he is always willing to help.

The second recipient of the Francophone Volunteer Award was given to Lise Joyal, a person who always goes above and beyond to help the Francophone community. She was part of the board of directors of the CFSSM as president and always offered her time and knowledge to help the Francophone community in one way or another. This person was an essential asset in the organization and preparation of our first annual Festival Franco-Ontarian and our 40th anniversary celebrations. She is always ready to offer her help in one way or another.

The recipient of the Francophone Community Impact Award played a crucial role in the lives of Francophones in the region this year. He listened to our needs, our fears and our concerns. His actions have resulted in increasing the visibility and respectability of the Franco-Ontarian community for all of us.

He made a change that will forever be etched in the memory of all Franco-Ontarians.

He is also always ready to lend a hand during our activities and our festivals, he answers our calls and always finds a way to make our requests possible. He goes above and beyond. That is why today, at the raising of the Franco-Ontarian Flag at the Civic Centre, we were proud to present the Francophone Community Impact Award to none other than the Mayor of Sault Ste. Marie, Matthew Shoemaker!

"We are extremely grateful to our volunteers who give their time, energy and passion to support our community. Their dedication is an inspiration to us all and we are proud to honour them through these annual awards," said Jessica D'Amour Torrance, president of the Centre francophone de Sault-Sainte-Marie.

For more information on the recognition awards ceremony or the Centre francophone de Sault-Sainte-Marie, contact Jessica D'Amour Torrance at 705-260-0015 or by email at [email protected]