Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley is recognizing 14 residents and four groups in his 2024 honour list.
The honour list was established in 1981 by the late mayor Marceil Saddy as a tribute to the unsung people and groups who've been instrumental in improving the quality of life or making a significant contribution to the City of Sarnia and Lambton County.
BGC Sarnia-Lambton (formerly the Boys and Girls Club) is being recognized for its continued dedication -- despite financial constraints -- to provide a safe and nurturing environment for young people.
Two 10-year-old Sarnia girls, Brooke Reiger and Amisha Duggal, are being honoured for their work in the community. The friends have held charity garage sales, fundraised to help those impacted by Parkinson's, and also donated to local snack, lunch, book and toy programs.
Catriona Henderson is commended for being named the first female president of the St. Andrew's Society of Petrolia. She also serves as the chair of Sarnia's Royal Canadian Legion Branch 62 and leads the annual poppy campaign.
Cyndi Rayson, 14, is being recognized for her role in the Shoebox Project in Sarnia. The local campaign, which supports women impacted by homelessness with daily essentials, was started by her sister Annabelle.
Greg Robbins is being honoured for 50 years of service to the Kidney Foundation. He helped found the local chapter and has served on the provincial and national boards. In 2005, he donated one of his kidneys to his wife Susan.
Sarnia's "unofficial deputy mayor" is being celebrated for over five decades of commitment to the city. Janis Moore retired as the executive assistant to the Mayor of Sarnia after 51 years in the role. She started working for the city in 1973, and worked with mayors Andy Brandt, Marceil Saddy and Ron Gordon before Mike Bradley.
A cornerstone of the Sarnia School of Irish Dance since its formation in 1997 is being recognized. Mairin Ring has run the school for decades and promoted Irish culture throughout the region.
Aamjiwnaang First Nation artist Nico Williams is being honoured. Williams recently won the 2024 Sobey Art Award.
The Northern Collegiate Institute and Vocational School football team is being celebrated for winning the OFSAA Independent Bowl Championship in Windsor.
The pastor of Bethel Pentecostal Church in Sarnia is being recognized for his local and international leadership. Timothy Gibb has visited over 20 nations doing missionary work. He also helped coordinate the arrival of Ukrainian refugees to Lambton County.
Philip Lasek is being honoured for his work to help strengthen Sarnia-Lambton's engineering community as a member of the Professional Engineers of Ontario (PEO) Lambton Chapter. Lasek has helped support local initiatives like Women in Engineering and Discovery Day.
Sarnia-Lambton Rebound is being celebrated for its dedication to local youth. The organization marked its 40th anniversary in 2024.
Sheila Donald is being commended for 35 years of professional and volunteer work in the community. Donald has held various leadership roles with the Golden K Kiwanis Club and fulfilled a career as a nurse.
A longtime Lambton College educator and a 2024 recipient of the YMCA Peace Medal is being recognized. Susan Doughty founded the International Women’s Club at the Sarnia campus, then launched the Business Professionals Club and the Sustainability Club to help bridge cultural divides.
The Lambton Lions women's basketball team is being honoured for its historic 2023-2024 season. The team won its first OCAA women's basketball title in early March, then captured a silver medal at the CCAA Women's Basketball National Championships in Alberta in mid-March.
Two individuals are being commended posthumously for the lasting impact they left on the Sarnia-Lambton community. Brother Al Verstraaten, the founder of the Big Brother agency in 1967 and Big Sisters in 1972, is remembered for his dedication to support children. Sydney Vrolyk, who co-founded the Snacks for Summer program with her sisters, is also remembered for supporting those in need.
A formal reception to honour the 2024 recipients will be held in early 2025.
