Peace medal winners work locally, globally
Posted By CECILIA NASMITH
Posted 2 months ago
Danielle Kennedy and Meyada Widaatalla have joined a special fraternity this week -- winners of the YMCA Northumberland Peace Medal.
Given to individuals, youth and groups who selflessly work to create peaceful conditions at home and abroad, it is awarded during the YMCA Peace Week each year. The Northumberland Y has given these awards since 1988, when the first one went to then-15-year-old Aengus Finnan.
The ceremony was witnessed by a roomful of longtime Y members and past winners of the award. Director of development and international program Happy Mireault said that not all past winners could be present but, in some cases, their reasons are typically altruistic. Doug Cunningham is in Cambodia doing development work, for instance, and Chris Blastorah is packing up a container of medical supplies bound for Peru.
Guest speaker Patrick Clark, the 2004 winner, detailed his recent work in South America with coffee grower co-operatives. Clark described how, while we can do our part in such simple ways as buying Fair Trade products, the inequity in food security is bolstered by global structures such as the unregulated financial behemoths that have caused the current economic crisis.
All of which makes the individual's commitment to global peace so important, he said -- multiplied by enough people, that's what it takes to make the difference.
This year's youth medal recipient, Cobourg District Collegiate Institute East student Widaatalla, is active at school in such initiatives as international video conferencing on social justice issues. She also attends Arabic school in Toronto weekly to maintain her language of origin.
As she and her family planned for a trip to visit relatives in Sudan last year, Widaatalla's thoughts turned to the children of that country -- and how fortunate she and her friends are by comparison. She established a Donate To Educate campaign to collect school supplies to take with her.
She also visited each of the six YMCA child-care centres to educate the youngest children about the situation through crafts, stories and pictures. She asked each of them to bring one item she could take with her.
Widaatalla left for Sudan inundated with school supplies.
"No matter what school I went to, the students never failed to smile, amazed at the idea that children their age or younger cared enough to dedicate their time and effort to help them," she recalled.
Upon her return, she made a point of visiting the child-care centres, to bring stories and pictures to the children and let them know of the difference they their contributions made.
Adult medal recipient Danielle Kennedy said she was inspired by her late mother, Liz Moore, who helped others on a daily basis in whatever way she could.
When Moore was diagnosed with cancer, Kennedy and her sisters, Melissa and Michelle, established the Baskets of Hope fundraiser for Northumberland Hills Hospital to thank them for the caring treatment their mother received. The five annual raffles to date have raised $74,000.
Kennedy has also worked tirelessly on other quality cancer fundraisers marked by excellent return and participation -- the Liz Moore Golf Tournament, the Candlelight Walk and Relay For Life.
Feeling strongly for those undergoing the grieving process, Kennedy has also become a devoted Hospice Northumberland Lakeshore volunteer, where she does everything from assisting in the art journalling program for children to helping grieving families in the hospital's palliative care unit. Hospital staff report report that people respond to her calm and caring presence as she holds a hand, wipes away a tear or otherwise shares their pain.
In honour of her mother's spirit, Kennedy challenged everyone present to do one selfless act, "whether it be holding the door for someone, volunteering your time, making a donation or helping someone in need.
"This isn't such a large undertaking. Peace begins within yourself. It only takes a kind gesture, a helping hand, a friendly smile or even a kind word."
