And the winners of Oakville’s Community Spirit Awards are…

They have demonstrated ongoing leadership, dedication and involvement in the community and Thursday night (June 8) Oakville took time to recognize all they have done.

The winners of the 21^st Oakville Community Spirit Awards were announced at a sold-out Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre.

The special event brought together the community in celebration of individuals, organizations, businesses and groups who have all made outstanding contributions to the community.

The 2023 Community Spirit Award recipients are:

• The Oakville Diwali Committee and Reem Al-Rawi, Arts, Culture and Heritage Award sponsored by the Oakville Beaver
• Hannah Kohler and Mervyn Russell, Climate Action Award sponsored by FirstOntario Credit Union
• Penny Smith and Kim Melhuish, Good Neighbour Award sponsored by Chartwell Retirement Residences
• Gennile Thomas-Smith, Marlyne Van Exan and Nic Hotchkiss, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility Award sponsored by Access Abilities
• Lionel Latter, Lorna Van de Mosselaer and Patrick Gorman, Inspiration Award sponsored by RBC Royal Bank
• Desmond Jordan and Grant Foster, Leadership and Innovation Award – sponsored by Amica Seniors Lifestyles

This year’s Community Spirit Awards are being celebrated after undergoing a refresh to include broader awards categories.

“Congratulations to the 2023 Community Spirit Award recipients!,” said Oakville Mayor Rob Burton. “Council and I were pleased to be part of the sold-out celebration and meet members of our community that contribute to the vibrant spirit of Oakville.

A big thank you to everyone who came to the Community Spirit Awards last night to honour those who have gone above and beyond in Oakville.

If you missed the event, here’s a recap of the event and the community champions honoured: https://t.co/ArOQKrSeCI pic.twitter.com/VhN2g5DwM1

— Town of Oakville (@townofoakville) June 9, 2023

“I am always inspired by the commitment, dedication and love that our engaged community demonstrates through volunteer efforts and acts of kindness.”

The awards were once again emceed by media personality Chris Mei and featured a video showcasing local artist Rafia Shafiq, who specializes in phulkari embroidery, and how she created this year’s one-of-a-kind embroidered awards.