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ENTERTAINMENT Nominations wanted Children's author to launch book on `Georgetown Boys' for Arts Alive awards Every five years Arts Alive, a group of volunteers promoting our local arts community, accepts nominations for five arts awards. The awards recognize members of our community who encourage and support visual and performing arts in Halton Hills. There are five categories, as follows: Ralph Ursel Award for Volunteerism: This award recognizes an individual who has volunteered extensively in artistic activities. The committee is looking for a well-rounded individual, who has contributed for many years behind the scenes. The person is not necessarily an artist or performer themselves, but is someone who works hard to ensure that others can achieve their creative potential. This award is named after the late Ralph Ursel who was an active volunteer in our community for many years. Kenneth R. Harrison Award: This award is named after a former Georgetown music teacher and choir leader. This winner is someone who has worked extensively with Halton Hills youth and who acts as a mentor for the artistic endeavours for our local youth. Arts Alive Award for Patron of the Arts: This award recognizes a company or individual who supports a variety of artistic activities through their continued financial support. Arts Alive Award for Visual Arts: Arts Alive is looking for a visual artist who creates in any medium-- i.e. painting, sculpting, stained glass, woodcarving, etc. Arts Alive will recognize someone who has displayed excellence in their art, who has a long career as an artist, with special consideration given to someone who also volunteers in the arts community. Arts Alive Award for Performing Arts: This award honours a performer-- an actor, singer, dancer, or entertainer who has brought joy to local audiences over the years. Again, participation for volunteer capacity is an added benefit. The awards ceremony will be held on Sunday, October 22nd in the Art Gallery at the Halton Hills Cultural Centre. Winners will be presented with a bronze medallion that was commissioned by Arts Alive when the awards ceremonies began in 1991. Nomination forms are available at the John Elliott Theatre Office or by calling 905-877-4323. The nomination deadline is July 31st. Coming up to the anniversary of the "Georgetown Boys" arriving in Canada, The Freckled Lion Book Store pays tribute to their journey through a beautifully illustrated children's novel that touches on the Armenian Genocide of 1915. Join author, Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch and illustrator Muriel Wood, as they welcome the families of the original Georgetown Boys to the official launch of Aram's Choice. The launch will be held at The Freckled Lion, 87 Main St. S. in Georgetown, on tomorrow (Thursday), from 1-2 p.m. and 7-8 p.m. From the New Beginnings series, comes Aram's Choice, a story that follows the life of a boy who loses his family in the Armenian genocide in Turkey and is exiled in Greece. The book follows Aram while he travels to Canada with 47 other Armenian boys in what was Canada's first international humanitarian effort. Skrypuch first heard about the Armenian genocide 17 years ago while doing research for a magazine article about the first "Georgetown Boys" -- a group of 47 Armenian orphans who were rescued by Canada in 1923 and were housed and schooled at a farm in Georgetown (now Cedarvale Park area). Based on true events, this book gives children, ages 8-11 (Grades 3-6), a chance to learn about effects of genocide. Skrypuch is the author of many books for children, including Silver Threads and Enough as well as her YA novels, The Hunger and Nobody's Child, which was nominated for the Red Maple Award, the Alberta Rocky Mountain Book Award, and the B.C. Stellar Award. Wood has been illustrating books for children since 1964, including the Canadian classic, The Olden Days Coat written by Margaret Laurence. Other books include Old Bird, and the first two titles from the New Beginnings series, Lizzie's Storm and Scared Sarah.