Safe communities start at the grassroots level, and the city will again reward those who work to make Thunder Bay a safer place.
Nominations are now open for the 6th Annual 2016 Mayor’s Community Safety Awards.
Organized by the Thunder Bay Crime Prevention Council, the awards include a Community Hero Award, Young Leader Award, and Outstanding Community Project Award.
Jeff Upton, chair of the Crime Prevention Council, said that recipients can be working on projects of any scope to be considered for the awards.
“It can be anything that an individual or organization is doing to make the city safer, to make the city more welcoming,” he said.
“We see such a wide variety of initiatives each year. It’s always surprising to us. There are a number of projects going on that we don’t know about.”
Recipients of the Community Safety Awards are presented with an official certificate, and the winner in the Outstanding Community Project Award receives $1000 to assist with developing the project.
Upton added that recognizing community-led safety initiatives is important because that is where building safer city should start.
“It’s us working with our neighbours, working with our friends,” he said.
“It’s doing positive events and activities so that as a community we all feel welcomed and involved and part of this city. We don’t want people to feel isolated.”
Last year’s winners in the Community Project Award include Blessings in a Backpack, Walking with our Sisters, Choices Program, and Die Active.
Upton said that there are usually between 10 and 20 nominees in each category and that it can be very challenging to pick a single winner.
“It really is amazing how many people are doing so much in this city,” Upton said.
“There is so much good work happening in this community, it is a challenge to determine only one recipient in each category.”
Nominations will be accepted until October 6. For more information and to fill out a nomination form, visit the Community Safety Awards website.
