Local Heroes

The single most important thing I wish to accomplish – is to encourage artists and craftspeople to preserve their craft by making videos spelling out the intricacies of their talent.

Lynn is the organizing and fundraising brains behind the Friendship Gardens, the vast network of trees, shrubs and flowers that grace the hospital grounds.

But Mel deflects all recognition for these successes. “The credit goes to God,” he says.

I consider myself a facilitator. Maybe it’s the teacher in me.

Helen Keller wrote, “Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.” If there’s a theme to this year’s Local Heroes, it’s the act of reaching out.

If you’ve ever dreamed of making off with all the money at the bank, these people are for you. They’ve got the perfect cover too – it’s an inside job.

It’s Watson’s day off. He is so happy to greet visitors that his exuberant wagging sweeps everything off a shelf by the front door – before he leans in hard for a cuddle with the newcomer.

Reverend Harvey Self is a warm, upbeat man with an intense gaze and finely tuned listening skills. As minister of Tweedsmuir Memorial Presbyterian Church in Orangeville, he employs these traits – and more – to deliver what he calls a “ministry of the present.”

Nothing is more calming for the soul than the feeling of the sun on your face and the sights, sounds and smells of a trip along a trail.

Bob Burnside says, “I’m always optimistic. I always think the next person I meet will be my best friend; I always think the deal will go well.”

For people who serve as “books” in the Headwaters Human Library, the courage to talk openly about the differences among us is second nature.

Nineteen years ago, Erin resident Chricket Yule didn’t exactly set out to create a long-term recreational program for kids with special needs, let alone one that has galvanized her community and sparked lifelong friendships.