November 2, 2015 – Six individuals and groups were recognized this evening during the 2015 Annual Mayor’s Community Safety Awards ceremony for their work to make Thunder Bay a safer community.

“I wish to offer my sincerest congratulations and thanks to each of this year’s recipients,” said Mayor Keith Hobbs.

“Each of you is doing tremendous work in our community, and rest assured that your fellow citizens appreciate and admire you for your efforts. Crime prevention is a community endeavor, and I hope we can all look at these recipients as inspirations as we work together to make our own changes to better our community.”

The Presenting Sponsor of the awards was Thunder Bay Hydro, who joined several other local companies and organizations in supporting this year’s event including Mac’s Convenience Stores, Union Gas, Thunder Bay Police Services Board, Apex Investigation and Security, Shout! Media, and the Corporation of the City of Thunder Bay.

“It’s an honour to be the Presenting Sponsor for this year’s Mayor’s Community Safety Awards for the second year,” said Tim Wilson, Vice-President of Customer & Information Services at Thunder Bay Hydro.

“When Thunder Bay Hydro employees are on the job, a focus on safety is vital to the lives of our workers and our customers. So it follows, that we appreciate those in our community who are working towards making Thunder Bay a safer city in a variety of other ways.”

The 2015 Mayor’s Community Safety Award Recipients are:

Community Hero Award
Kathy and Brian Forbes are being recognized for their work as neighbourhood safety champions. They have been working on neighbourhood safety since 1988. They have been custodians of William Street from the CN Railway Bridge to Memorial Avenue for many years, have been involved in the Neighbourhood Watch program, and neighbourhood policing. Brian has been an active member of Zone Watch since it started. Over the past year, they have been instrumental in a number of improvements including getting the area around the railway bridge and river cleaned up, getting overgrown vegetation trimmed, and having better lighting installed. They are also building relationships with the CN Police Service and Thunder Bay Police Service.

Sponsor: Apex Investigation and Security

Young Leader Award
This award was presented to Anton Demetrakopoulos, a Grade 12 student at Hammarskjold High School and lead of the Student Crime Stoppers group at his school. Anton has been involved in Student Crime Stoppers for two years, and has engaged the committee in weekly meetings and arranged a number of events to support the program. “Anton is one of the hardest working young people I have encountered in working with the Student Crime Stoppers Program over the past four years,” said Constable Julie Tilbury. “His commitment to the program allows for new and innovative ideas to come to light that will help engage the youth of our community. “

Sponsor: Shout! Media

Outstanding Community Project Award
Blessings in a Backpack was brought to Thunder Bay by Amina Abu-Bakare, who saw a need to address the food insecurity of many of our community’s children. The initial program started in February 2014, with three local schools being involved; three schools have since been added. The project contributes to community safety by providing much needed food, reducing the need for children to be tempted to put themselves at risk to access food. Parents are also provided relief knowing their children are fed and, therefore, not inclined to use drastic measures to obtain food. This program would not be possible without the support of the Regional Food Distribution Association and Our Kids Count, the principle program partners.

Sponsor: Mac’s Convenience Stores

Outstanding Community Project Award
Walking With Our Sisters is a commemorative art installation rooted in ceremony that honours the lives of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls across North America. It provides an opportunity to honour the women who have tragically passed and offers healing to families and communities impacted by these losses. It also serves to raise awareness of this issue and creates opportunity for broad community-based dialogue. Leanna Marshall, Walking With Our Sisters Co-lead, has worked tirelessly and collaboratively with a large team of community volunteers of all ages and backgrounds to bring Walking With Our Sisters to Thunder Bay.

Sponsor: Union Gas

Outstanding Community Project Award
The CHOICES Program is a free, social skills program for youth ages 12-17 that encourages them to think and act positively, build self-esteem and learn valuable life skills in a safe environment. This 10-week group program is offered through UTurn, a partnership between three organizations (Thunder Bay Counselling Centre, Children’s Centre Thunder Bay and St. Joseph’s Care Group). Topics include communication, decision making, goal-setting, and self-respect to name a few. Sessions are led by community mentors, who act as positive role models and provide youth with someone to look up to.

Sponsor: Thunder Bay Police Services Board

Outstanding Community Project Award
Die Active Youth Art Collective was established by Definitely Superior Art Gallery in 2009. The Collective focusses on mentoring and supporting local and regional youth artists by supporting traditional and alternative art practices through educational workshops and mentorship opportunities as well as exhibitions, publications, art sales and public art works. Die Active strengthens community safety by empowering youth to contribute to and reshape the cultural landscape of Thunder Bay. Large scale murals contribute to community safety by fostering community pride, beautifying the downtown core and curbing negative graffiti practices with legal and free spray painting projects. The content of the murals celebrates diversity, understanding and community.

Sponsor: City of Thunder Bay

Each Outstanding Community Project received a $1,000 award from their sponsor to support community safety efforts. The Awards were presented at Monday’s Committee of the Whole meeting in Council Chambers.

For more information, visit: www.thunderbay.ca/crimeprevention

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Contact: Lee-Ann Chevrette, Coordinator  –  Crime Prevention Council, 625-2554