Josephine Mandamin to receive Lieutenant Governor's Ontario Heritage Award for Excellence in Conservation

Thunder Bay’s Josephine Mandamin will receive the Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Award for Excellence in Conservation on Friday.

Known affectionately as the Grandmother Water Walker, Mandamin has circumnavigated the shorelines of all five Great Lakes, a journey of more than 17,000 kilometres.

She’s been a lifelong advocate of the world’s water systems, especially the Great Lakes.

Mandamin is one of seven individuals and organizations receiving the award, which will be presented at Queen’s Park.

An additional seven people will receive a lifetime achievement award, while five more will be given youth achievement awards.

Lifetime Achievement
John Aikman (Hamilton)
Robert Alexander (Owen Sound)
Craig Campbell (Waterloo)
David Chambers (Bradford West Gwillimbury)
Elizabeth Oliver-Malone (Niagara-on-the-Lake)
Robert Shirley (Melancthon)
Jack Watt (Grimsby)

Youth Achievement – Individuals (also recipients of the Young Heritage Leaders scholarship)
Carlos Pena (Leamington)
Melanie Pledger (Owen Sound)

Youth Achievement – Groups
Conservation Youth Corps Frontline, Credit Valley Conservation (Mississauga)
Little Spirit Singers (Wasauksing First Nation)
St. Dominic Elementary School Grade 7 History Class (Oakville)

Excellence in Conservation
Andrea Cross and Dry Stone Canada for the Canadian International Dry Stone Wall Festival (Amherst Island)
Canadian Historical Documentation & Imaging Group (CANADIGM) for The Souterrain Impressions Exhibit
Community Waterfront Heritage Centre for preservation of the Owen Sound Marine & Rail Museum (Owen Sound)
Craig Newsome for restoration of 123-125 Brant Avenue (Brantford)
Friends of La Vase Portages for restoration of the Voyageur Canoe Route (North Bay)
Josephine Mandamin for Water Walks (Thunder Bay)
This Hour of Trial and Sorrow: The Great War Letters of the Leonard Family, University of Western Ontario (London)

Community Leadership
Métis Nation of Ontario