The Blenheim & District Chamber of Commerce is getting ready to celebrate a select few in the community.
During an annual meeting and awards ceremony, the chamber will recognize two organizations and one citizen who have made a positive impact.
Jennifer Wilson of Blenheim will receive the award for Citizen of the Year.
"I am so excited," says Wilson. "When it's [an award from] your home town, it's really special."
Wilson was recognized for the amount of volunteer work she does, some of which involved volunteering at the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance for 15 years, spending nine years as the director of Tri-County Literacy Network, and serving as the director of the Ontario Hospital Association for four years.
John Lawrence, Darcy McKeough, YMCA CEO Jim Janzen, and Jennifer Wilson. (Photo courtesy of Jennifer Wilson)
She now serves on the YMCA Canada Board and is the founding Chair of the Chatham-Kent Hospice.
Wilson says the reason she puts so much time into volunteering is because it's "a Canadian thing to do".
"We give back to the community because we recognize we're so fortunate in this world," she says. "To grow up in Blenheim, Ontario ... is just like you've won the lottery."
South Kent Councillor Frank Vercouteren says they received a lot of requests for Wilson to receive the award.
"We really feel that she's done a tremendous amount of work," says Vercouteren. "We really feel that she should be honoured."
Other award recipients include Platinum Produce for Agriculturalist of the Year, and Cross Country Manufacturing for Entrepreneur of the Year.
"We felt that we should be recognizing industries that have come into the area and have been very successful," says Vercouteren.
The award ceremony will take place March 30, at the Deer Run Golf Course. Among the attendees will be MPP Toby Barrett, who will be the event's guest speaker.
