Community Service Nominees
For generously volunteering time to programs and services that make our community a better place.
Award Presented by:
Patti Berardi, Station Manager, Rogerstv
Lova Nyemb Bassong
Affectionately nicknamed Coach Queen Lova, Lova Nyemb Bassong is known for her exceptional ability to coach women and guide them on a transformative path to regain their confidence, to create and share their stories to shine brightly and inspire others.
Based in Canada for 16 years, specifical, Lova earned a bachelor’s degree in creative writing & journalism and a Master's degree in Francophone literature at Vancouver Island University & University of Victoria, respectively. Currently, she is working on her doctoral thesis on the "Generic twinning between novel and autobiography," highlighting underrepresented Afro-Caribbean feminine voices.
Uzma Bhutto
Uzma embodies hope, resilience, and commitment in her 19-year journey of community building and women's empowerment. As a global citizen, she champions marginalized groups, particularly Muslim and racialized women. Uzma's extensive volunteering, board memberships, and leadership roles in organizations like CMW, Sexual Assault Support Centre, KidsAbility and Rotary highlight her dedication to mental health, equity, and social inclusivity. Her tireless efforts, from grassroots projects like Tea and Tales, Leadership training, serving shelters and Give30 food drive, not only showcase her inclusive leadership and advocacy but also highlight her unparalleled passion for fostering economic empowerment and ensuring financial stability for women.
Charlotte Ferguson
Charlotte is the co -founder of Housing Helper’s (formerly Schaefer’s Sharing’s) a Facebook group with over 10,000 members and 110% dedicated to helping people in our region find affordable housing and assisting the homeless all while doing so with compassion, understanding, patience, knowledge, trust and understanding. In addition to this, Charlotte raises funds through Charity Golf Tournaments for Habitat for Humanity, Waterloo Region, organizes food and clothing drives for the encampments and persons in need.
Joan Fisk
Joan Fisk has been serving our community for most of her life. She has served in business as well as community service and used her connections and expertise to serve as a Director on public-serving boards of all types - education, health, arts and culture. For over 50 years she has extended her hand at every possible opportunity and set an example for countless other people - especially women. In 1988, she became CEO of Tiger Brand, selected to lead the family business over her two brothers due to her expertise and dedication.
In her current role as CEO of United Way Waterloo Region Communities she has led a merger of organizations and ideas. Working to keep our community growing in a positive way, and protecting the most vulnerable. Joan serves as a mentor and inspiration to many and remains committed to our community.
Taposhi Ganguli
Taposhi has volunteered on boards and advisory committees for over 20 years, including the Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee and the former Independent Living Centre. As Rick Hansen Ambassador, she has advocated for accessibility in the rural townships; as director of Woolwich Community Health Centre and formerly with the Alliance for Healthier Communities in Toronto, she is passionate about access to interdisciplinary team-based primary care. Taposhi continues to be a member of diversity and patient-centered care advisory committees.
Cheryl Gordijk
Cheryl Gordijk is a ubiquitous community volunteer who is best known for co-organizing the Wilmot Terry Fox Run, which raised over $262,000 during the decade of her leadership. She is currently serving on the Waterloo Terry Fox Run’s committee, and has volunteered countless hours for numerous other local causes and organizations including: Voices Empower for Women’s Crisis Services; Coldest Night of the Year for both Wilmot Family Resource Centre and Supportive Housing of Waterloo; WFRC’s Poor Boys Luncheon; Santa Claus parades throughout Wilmot; Canada Day in Wilmot; the New Hamburg Flood Relief committee; and Big Brothers Big Sisters Fashion Show.
Marion Thomson Howell
Marion is an entrepreneur, nationally recognized learning consultant, and a passionate community contributor. Marion has been an active volunteer in the Kitchener-Waterloo community with the Canadian Cancer Society, as a member of the boards of the Waterloo Catholic District School Board, St. Jerome’s University, Parents for Community Living, and St. Mary’s General Hospital. She is also a founder of Tiny Home Take-out, and a founding director for A Better Tent City Waterloo Region, an organization that provides safe shelter and support for those who are experiencing homelessness.
Jane Hu
Jane has been deeply involved in various community services in the Region of Waterloo since 2012. Her election as President of the Waterloo Region Chinese Canadian Association (WCCA) in 2016 marked a significant milestone. Under her leadership, WCCA established a dozen volunteer-driven clubs addressing the needs of seniors, women, youth, and other community members. Additionally, essential committees like the Health and Education Committee were formed to provide support year-round. Jane's pivotal role extends to WCCA's active participation in local events, including fundraising for hospitals, food drives, multicultural festivals, and Oktoberfest parades. Her leadership consistently advances WCCA's community service and unity mission.
Lee Ann Hundt
Lee Ann, a dedicated mother and grandmother, is deeply committed to serving the Indigenous community and advocating for sustainable housing options. Through her leadership roles, including conflict management with high-risk Indigenous youth and as Executive Director at KW Urban Native Wigwam Project, she addresses interconnected challenges faced by the community. Her work expanding affordable Rent-Geared-to-Income housing options in Kitchener, Waterloo, and Cambridge and establishing the first Indigenous transitional housing units in Waterloo showcases her pioneering spirit and dedication to making a positive impact on the community.
Taveena Kum
Taveena Kum is a National Champion Boxer who has combined her love of Boxing with her devotion to teaching Special Needs students. Taveena founded the "Fierce N Fit Special Needs Charitable Organization" that focuses on the physical training of adults living with Down Syndrome and other complex medical conditions. The training utilizes non-contact boxing exercises to enhance the social, emotional and physical health of the special needs athletes. Taveena also organizes social events to enhance the lives of her special needs athletes. Taveena and her organization have received several grants, awards, and media recognition for their work.
Laurie Lafleur
As a Communitech Growth Coach, Laurie has mentored more than 100 early to mid-stage MedTech startups from our community, in developing and commercializing new technologies that improve the quality and scalability of healthcare in our local healthcare system. Her contributions have helped connect entrepreneurs with healthcare teams to enable validation of new ideas, pilot early technologies, and achieve adoption in our community, across Canada, and internationally. As a director of Waterloo MedTech, a not-for-profit organization focused on advancing technology adoption for the improvement of community-based care, Laurie co-chaired the Healthcare Innovation Acceleration Plan, which coordinates local government, tech incubators, academics, innovators, and healthcare providers in accelerating adoption of homegrown technologies into local care organizations. Laurie continues to lend her expertise to healthcare entrepreneurs to support them in their product strategies and execution, and building the community connections and inroads needed to support continued innovation within the region.
Suhaila Salah
Suhaila is the co-founder of Sporas Scattered, a local organization celebrating Palestinian culture in the region that is creating a space for Palestinian diaspora youth that are feeling detached from their identities. It also empowers Palestinian youth's identity to be active community leaders. Suhaila finds purpose in giving an avenue for the voices of others to be heard. From organizing art exhibits and poetry competitions for the youth of our community, to encouraging students to speak up for themselves at WRDSB board meetings to being empowered self-advocates for creating safe spaces in their schools.
Jocelyn Schaefer
Jocelyn Schaefer is the founder of Housing Helpers; she has seen the great need in this community and is actively fundraising to help those who are living on the streets or in dangerous living situations. She has inspired others by finding homes for those in desperate need of housing. She is also a volunteer with several different organizations: her Church (Gale Presbyterian in Elmira), the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival and Waterloo Legion Branch 530. Jocelyn goes above and beyond to support individuals in need of housing and acts as a fierce advocate for shelter as a human right.
Jenny Spiers
Jenny has spent the last 15 years working with the most vulnerable in our Region, meeting people where they are at to empower positive change. Whether it's the resource desk at The Working Center, in Supportive Housing at YW or in her new role at House of Friendship in Addiction Services, she is a believer in the power of kindness and mutual respect.
Tracy Valko
Tracy is a visionary leader in finance, empowering the community through mortgages, advocacy for women in leadership, and mental health support. Her firsthand experience with financial stress's impact on mental health drives her passion for mental health awareness. Recently, she raised $60,000 for Grand River Hospital with the first Mental Health Charity Dinner. Tracy's dedication to volunteerism and financial literacy makes her a beacon of compassion in Waterloo Region. Hosting community events and providing resources on City News Ask The Experts and her Beyond The Mortgage podcast, Tracy inspires with strategies for success, reflecting her commitment to uplifting our community.
