Scholastica Asahchop - Congress of Black Women of Canada, London Chapter
A caring and committed volunteer and trailblazer, Scholastica has served the Congress of Black Women of Canada (London Chapter), London’s Black History Month Committee, her church, and many other local organizations. She is a passionate mental health professional and advocate dedicated to destigmatizing mental health and encouraging self-care.
Tom Dean - Optimist Club of Byron
Tom has spent his life actively involved in the Byron community, giving of his time, skills and kindness to support others. He is a genuine and respected leader, serving as life member and past president of the Optimist Club of Byron, youth baseball coach, member of Byron United Church for over 50 years, and most recently President of Garrison Community Council.
Jordana de Bruyn
Nicknamed ‘Santa Jordana,’ Jordana uses her skills as a seamster and computer wizard to foster a spirit of generosity in the community. She is passionate about connecting neighbours to help others through her leadership with the Buy Nothing Riverbend/Byron (North) and Ukraine Help Middlesex Facebook groups and website.
Carol George - Girl Guides
Carol is a dedicated Girl Guider in the Westmount Area. She is known for being the person who makes sure the unit is running smoothly, even throughout the Covid pandemic. Working with a large unit of Guides can have its challenges but Carol is known for solving problems and providing guidance and wisdom to others when needed.
Rob Harbottle - Hyde Park & District Lions Club
Rob is the President of the Hyde Park & District Lions Club and starts every meeting with a positive note of encouragement. Wherever there is a need, Rob takes on the task, organizing successful food and toy drives during the pandemic and partnering with Western University to stock their food bank. Rob encourages others to be a better version of themselves.
Haekyoung Kim-Webber - London Multicultural Community Association
Haekyoung is an active and engaged member of London’s multicultural community, serving as President of the Korean Society of London and London Multicultural Community Association board member. She helps organize relief fundraisers and festivals that showcase London’s diversity and create a more welcoming, inclusive city.
ASLt (NL) Dane Kirilovic
ASLt (NL) Dane Kirilovic joined Navy League as a civilian instructor, progressing to become an acting sub-lieutenant of the NLCC Glorious, the London Navy League Cadets program. Dane models many of the Navy League program core values, such as dedication, teamwork, and friendship. His leadership helps participants grow into confident young adults.
Larry McLeish - Hyde Park & District Lions Club
Larry has been a dedicated Lion for over 40 years, co-chairing the Hyde Park Santa Claus Parade and the Country Cruizin’ events. With his leadership and hard work, Country Cruizin’ broke records in attendance and money raised in 2022. Larry’s spouse, Judy, passed away three years ago but his fellow Lions know she would be very proud of all he has done for the community.
Philippe Morin
Philippe is an exemplary leader in our community, contributing his time to many causes. He is also a kind, compassionate, and dedicated ambassador for the City of London. Currently, Philippe is a team captain for the London Business Cares food drive and serves as a school board trustee for the Conseil Scolaire Catholique Providence.
Toinette Parisio - Byron Community Organization
Toinette selflessly donates her time, talent and energy to improve the community. She eagerly steps up for any event and asks how she can help, whether it’s working with the public or behind the scenes. Her contributions have helped bring neighbours together and make events like the Spaghetti Drive-Thru Night for the Byron Cares Food Bank a success.
Nicole Phillips - Old South Community Organization
Nicole is an active member of the Old South Community Organization, involved in logistics, administration, and volunteer recruitment. Whenever a job needs to get done, she is the first to say “I can do that.” Nicole is passionate about creating more inclusive communities and is also involved in student government at Western University and with Wortley Pride.
Carolyn Scott
Carolyn has volunteered her whole life and at 80 years old is still going strong. Carolyn’s philosophy is simple: Do the right thing to make life better for those around you. She sees what needs doing, and then volunteers her time to help. She has been a member of the May Court Club of London for 47 years and is a driving force for their community work.
Nanduri Laxmi Rama Aproop Sharma - Guru Nanak Mission Society
Aproop is well-respected by his peers for his commitment and joyful attitude towards volunteering. He is able to effortlessly connect with others and helped prepare and distribute thousands of free hot meals during the pandemic. His hard work and dedication to volunteering creates a ripple effect of positivity in the community.
Laura Wall - Urban League of London
Laura is a passionate activist who inspires others to get involved. In 2022, she devoted countless hours to organizing All Candidate Meetings for the municipal election and engaged in active transportation advocacy. Whether organizing a ride-along or encouraging folks to vote, Laura brings people together, leads by example, and proves that one person can make a difference.
Springbank Catholic Family of Parishes Community Meals Program Volunteers
Every Thursday evening, Springbank Catholic Family of Parishes hosts a free community meal at St. John the Divine Church in the Southcrest neighbourhood. Launched in the spring of 2022, the program has quickly become a well-known resource in the community. The program is especially popular with families as it provides a sense of community and connection during challenging times and for some it may be their only hot meal for the week.
Approximately 85-100 people come out every week to enjoy a night of food, music and fellowship together. Over 100 dedicated volunteers from St John the Divine and St George Parishes contribute as cooks, servers and dishwashers or pitch in on any other tasks that need to get done.