Citizen of the Year and Inspiration Award recipients

The Council of the Municipality of North Perth is delighted to announce the deserving recipients of the 2021 Norm Stirling Citizen of the Year Award and 2021 Celebrate North Perth – Inspiration Awards.

A virtual presentation of the awards took place at the North Perth Council Meeting on Monday, April 25^th. A recording of the presentation can be viewed on the Municipality’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbrjQhXZYcY

In recognition of National Volunteer Week, the Council of the Municipality of North Perth thanks all of the volunteers who make our community great. Your service and commitment to community betterment is valued and appreciated by all who call North Perth home.

Please join us in congratulating and recognizing the recipients of the 2021 Norm Stirling Citizen of the Year Award and 2021 Celebrate North Perth – Inspiration Awards:

Ray and Diane Homewood

2021 Norm Stirling Citizen of the Year Award Recipients

Ray and Diane Homewood have resided in North Perth since 1983. Throughout this time, they have generously dedicated their time and effort for the betterment of their community for current and future generations. Together they have raised six children, and are now Nana and Papa to three grandchildren and have been married for over 40 years.

Ray and Diane embrace the concept of life long learning. Diane obtained her Bachelor of Mathematics and Master of Education and Ray received his Medical Radiation Technologist Certification and a Bachelor of Sciences and Education. After eleven years of working at University Hospital, Ray transferred employment to AMDSB where he taught at Mornington, Eastdale and Central schools until he retired in 2014. Diane spent 32 years at LDSS, retiring from the position of Principal in 2014.

Retirement has not slowed this couple down, Ray has taken up scuba diving and Diane has started painting. They love adventures and travelling and have created a blog in which they share their journeys with local schools to make students worlds just a little bigger.

One of Ray and Diane’s most significant contributions as community volunteers is their service as Volunteer Coordinators for the Community Salvation Kettle Drive each year. In addition, they spend one morning each week sorting, stocking and managing inventory at the Food Bank, regularly deliver Meals on Wheels and volunteer with Hope Eats, the Salvation Army Family Services Wednesday Evening Program providing over 135 hot meals each week. During the pandemic, they have given their time volunteering at more than 35 Covid-19 vaccination clinics.

Dr. Lisa Trojnar

2021 Celebrate North Perth - Inspiration Award Recipient

Dr. Lisa Trojnar’s passion for helping people runs deep. For many years, she has been a physician in Listowel helping those in our community while balancing life with her husband and their two sons.

Dr. Trojnar grew up in Grimsby, Ontario and attended the University of Toronto for her undergraduate degree in Toxicology. After university, she went to Medical School at the Schulich School of Medicine at Western University where she met her future husband, Dr. Derek Gateman, who is also a physician in Listowel. They went on to complete their Family Medicine Residency together, and she then completed an additional year of training in Anesthesia at Queen’s University. When a position for an anesthetist became available in Listowel, they decided to relocate to the community. Now, he has a family medicine practice and Dr. Trojnar works doing anesthesia as well as emergency department coverage.

A key driver behind North Perth’s successful COVID vaccination strategy, Dr. Trojnar immediately began educating herself upon vaccine product approvals, and connecting with distribution players in Stratford to ensure a Listowel supply. With determination, she then began organizing clinics at Parkview Gardens, but reached out to ensure the vulnerable in our community had the option of vaccination. She provided vaccines to homebound patients with house calls, ran workplace clinics, and paediatric clinics when dosing was available.

Abha Dayal

2021 Celebrate North Perth - Inspiration Award Recipient

Abha has lived in North Perth with her husband and two children for over 10 years. They moved to Canada in 2011 from England and after moving to the community, she became involved in community life.  

Abha was born in Bhopal, MP India to a hotelier family. She was an only child who received immense love, affection and care which are values she accredits to her becoming the woman she is today. Abha has a Masters in Education and Sociology and has recently acquired her Financial Advisor License.

Abha is the owner of Listowel Physiotherapy and A&G Physiotherapy, which she started in 2018 with her husband’s support. She is also a Financial Planner and sits on the Board of Directors for the North Perth Chamber of Commerce. In her spare time, she does some volunteer work at churches, retirement and nursing homes and her hobbies include reading and travelling.

Through her positive attitude and strong work ethic, Abha not only inspires fellow community members, volunteers and her peers, but also the younger generation. She always follows her heart and believes in herself. She lives by the philosophy that “we get what we give” and to “treat others how you like to be treated”.

Background on the Awards

For over 40 years, with roots in Wallace Township, the Norm Stirling Citizen of the Year Award has been given to residents who have made significant contributions to the welfare and betterment of our community.

The award was established in honour of Norm Stirling. Norm was a forestry foreman with Ontario Hydro who put forth great effort to save farmland when the hydro-line corridor was being proposed.

Norm was one of the heroes of the Listowel Memorial Arena collapse in 1959. In the split second that the roof was falling in, Coach Stirling grabbed and carried two players to the ice and took cover at the north sideboards. All three survived.

In 1966, he was awarded the President's Medal by the National Safety Council for saving a man's life who was overcome by carbon monoxide. Norm also served on the School Board in the Town of Listowel and was Chairman of the Listowel Memorial Hospital Board at the time of his death in 1973 at the age of 46.

Wallace Township set up a Memorial Award in his honour. The tradition of the annual awarding of an outstanding resident for their achievements and contributions has been carried on in North Perth since amalgamation in 1998.

The Celebrate North Perth – Inspiration Award is a new award that is part of the Celebrate North Perth initiative. Each Celebrate North Perth Inspiration Award recognizes an individual who inspires others through their outstanding accomplishment or service to the community within the preceding year.

 
For more information, please contact:

Kriss Snell, Chief Administrative Officer
Municipality of North Perth
519-292-2040
ksnell@northperth.ca

Attachments

Citizen of the Year and Celebrate North Perth Announcement 2022