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YMCA honours making a difference against the odds by Marta Marychuk Oakville Beaver Staff 11 | Friday November 24, 2017 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insidehalton.com Aiden Lee's passion for art to increase awareness for others on the Autism spectrum won him the Oakville YMCA 2017 Peace Medal Award in the youth category. The YMCA of Oakville presented 2017 Peace Medal Awards at its Community Breakfast for Peace Thursday, Nov. 23, at the Oakville Conference Centre. Awards were also given out in the adult and group categories. "Our community breakfast is a time when we recognize peacemakers in our community, those incredible people who commit heart and soul, and incredible passion, to their cause in the hopes of creating a better world," said Michael Shaen, YMCA Oakville board chair. "I am so happy. I can't believe I was chosen from all these brilliant people," a jubilant Lee told the sold-out audience. "Diagnosed on the Autism spectrum, Aiden was non-verbal up until the age of three-anda-half," said Chris Jackson, an Oakville YMCA board member. I'm sure you can imagine the challenges he faced as a young boy." "It was once Aiden discovered that he could use art as a form of communication that his world changed," Jackson added. Aiden Lee Now, Jackson says, Aiden uses spray paint, ink, dyes, acrylics and oils as a way of expressing his emotions. Lee has used his passion for art to raise awareness of the Autism spectrum by donating his work to the Special Olympics, Project Autism, Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls and the Downie Wejack Foundation, among many other charitable organizations. seeYMCA on p.19 2512 Old Bronte Rd. Oakville