Annual Giving  -   Red Triangle Dinner  - 2007 YMCA Peace Medal  - Grand Opening

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Exemplary Volunteer Honoured with

Red Triangle Award   

Sheikh Bahauddin named Leader to Watch

Saint John, NB – A volunteer is someone who works for free, who of their own free will, serves in a community for the benefit of others or the environment.  For 154 years the Saint John YMCA-YWCA has served its community of men, women and children with the help of thousands of volunteers.

A long serving community volunteer and a young person with a spark for life are the 2008 honourees for the Saint John YMCA-YWCA’s Red Triangle Award and Leader to Watch Award. 

Cheryl Robertson has spent her life giving of her time and talents both locally and nationally.  She has spent her working career in New Brunswick but has stepped up to serve a variety of charities and non profits when the need has arisen.   “Cheryl exemplifies the spirit of the YMCA-YWCA movement, that of giving of your time and talents to enhance the lives of others,” said Gary Howard, chair of the Saint John YMCA-YWCA board of directors.  “I am amazed at the energy and enthusiasm Cheryl brings to the table, and the thoughtfulness with which she attacks the issues and concerns of the day.  She is dedicated to each of the boards and committees she serves on and we are honoured to have her on the Y’s Council of Advisors.”

Sheikh Bahauddin, a recent graduate of UNBSJ where he was President of The Business Administration Society and the President of the Bangladeshi Student Association, continues to spend his time learning in his position with the Bank of Nova Scotia and as a volunteer for the Board of Trade.  “Sheikh is a doer and has been described as a relationship builder,” said Howard, Board Chair.  “We need these young people as the City grows and moves into the future.  Sheikh was an obvious choice for this years’ Leader to Watch award.”

The Red Triangle is awarded in recognition of long and meritorious service, outstanding contributions and achievement. The recipient of this award will have contributed to the furthering of the values and mission of the Saint John YMCA-YWCA and have enhanced the work of the Association and the community through philanthropy, volunteering and community mindedness.

The Leader to Watch is awarded to an individual 35 years of age or less who has displayed enthusiasm, leadership and inspires others to take part in shaping the future of their community.

The awards will be presented at a gala fundraising dinner April 17th at the Delta Brunswick Hotel. The evening’s hosts will be Derek Riedle of Revolution Strategy, Janet Scott of Enterprise Saint John and Dale Knox of Tabufile, all past recipients of the Saint John YMCA-YWCA Leader to Watch Award.

Reception begins at 6 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m. and tickets can be purchased by contacting the YMCA-YWCA.

2007 Red Triangle Dinner

Recipients from Left to Right:  Jeff Sparks (Leader to Watch),
Blair MacDonald, Robert Vincent, Brice Belyea,
Gary Howard (Board Chair) & Clark Sancton.

The Saint John YMCA-YWCA receives many nominations from the community for the Red Triangle and Leader to Watch Awards - we are the only association in Canada to bestow the Red Triangle Award.

The Board of Directors of the Saint John YMCA-YWCA were pleased to present the recipient of the 2007 Red Triangle Award and Leader to Watch Award at a dinner in their honour held at the Delta Brunswick Hotel.

A quintet of long-time volunteers and an entrepreneur with heart are the 2007 honourees for the Saint John YMCA-YWCA’s Red Triangle Award and Leader to Watch Award.

Brice Belyea, David Carlin, Blair MacDonald, Clark Sancton and Bob Vincent met each other at the Saint John YMCA-YWCA, became friends and together turned their shared interest in the ‘Y’ into a concerted campaign to enhance the YMCA-YWCA’s place in the community. Each has served on either the board of directors of the YMCA-YWCA or the board of the YMCA-YWCA endowment fund.

“These five people exemplify the spirit of the YMCA-YWCA movement, that of giving of your time to enhance life in Saint John,” said Gary Howard, chair of the Saint John YMCA-YWCA board of directors.  “I am amazed at the energy and enthusiasm each of them dedicates to their work here at the YMCA-YWCA. They have set the standard for the rest of us and I am thrilled that we will be publicly honouring these five men who have worked so hard in the background for this great institution.”

Jeff Sparks is the president of Kaleidoscope Management Solutions, a consulting firm that works with companies to address issues of diversity in the workplace and general human resource management. Jeff, who lives with spinal muscular atrophy, a neuromuscular disorder similar to muscular dystrophy, is also the national manager of volunteer development for Muscular Dystrophy Canada.

“Jeff brings a unique, and uplifting, perspective to his work and his life by taking what for some would be a challenge and transforming it into opportunity,” said Howard. “Jeff is working to broaden our definition of community and to see the potential in everyone. That is a goal worth celebrating and makes Jeff an obvious leader to watch.”