On Wednesday (June 6), Community Care Peterborough celebrated local grandparents with the Grandparent of the Year Award reception at Princess Gardens Retirement Residence in Peterborough, where children shared their stories about the special older people in their lives.
This is the 31st year for the awards, which were introduced by Anne Innis, former volunteer and board member with Community Care, to bring different generations together and celebrate the influence they have on each other.
Eaelier this year, children from grades 2 to 6 were invited to nominate their grandparent (or another special older person in their lives) for the award, which is designed to encourage children to be aware of how important seniors are in their lives and to encourage them to write stories.
This year, the nomination committee reviewed 260 entries submitted on behalf of students by 28 teachers from 18 schools in the City and County of Peterborough, as well as home-schooled students. There are two Grandparent of the Year awards, one for primary level (grades 2 and 3) and one for junior level (grades 4 to 6), along with honourable mentions in each category.
The winner of the primary level Grandparent of the Year Award was Dawn Kielec. She is the grandmother of Olivia Kielec, a Grade 3 student at St. Teresa Catholic Elementary School in Peterborough (teacher Mrs. Delaney).
Honourable mentions went to Susan Livings, grandmother of Joy Davis, a Grade 2 student at Monsignor O’Donoghue Catholic Elementary School in Peterborough (teacher Ms. Towns), and Bob Flagler, grandfather of Ben Messenger, a Grade 3 student at St. Teresa Catholic Elementary School in Peterborough (teacher Mrs. Delaney).
The winner of the junior level Grandparent of the Year Award was Leona VanSickle. She is the 95-year-old great-grandmother of Emily Gibson, a Grade 4 student at St. Paul Catholic Elementary School in Norwood (teacher Mrs. Oltean).
The children read their submitted stories in front of the crows.
“Somehow she always has time for me,” Emily Gibson said about her great-grandmother Leona. “And I will always have time for her.”
Honourable mentions went to Irene Vojtek, grandmother of Emma Vojtek, a Grade 5 student at Norwood District Public School (teacher S. Wynne) and Deb Noffke, grandmother of Brayden Noffke, a Grade 5 student at Apsley Central Public School (teacher Mrs. Osborne).
Every child submitting an entry received a certificate of participation, a recognition certificate for the grandparent, and the story they wrote..
The selection committee was comprised of Joyce Fee, Ruth Deyell, Lance Nachoff (Nexicom), Judy Boutette, Bev Gartlan, Linda Conway, Murielle Philipovsky, Marilyn Robinson, Bev Merritt, Louise Campbell, Michelle McLean, and Danielle Belair.
This year’s Grandparent of the Year Award was sponsored by Nexicom, Bennett’s Home Furnishings, Grady Feet Essentials, and The Gardens of Peterborough.
