www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Wednesday, June 19, 2013 | 6 They've got Spirit Last week, the Town of Oakville's 12th annual Community Spirit Awards shone a spotlight on the many people who volunteer time to make Oakville a better place. This year's recipients across eight categories are certainly among the very best Oakville has to offer. Each has left a lasting impression on their chosen area of local expertise or interest. All are a role model. "The people of this town are the most amazingly spirited people when it comes to volunteerism. We all see that every day in the quality of life we enjoy," said Mayor Rob Burton. The late Greg Gittings, who died last January, was named to the Access Award. Gittings, who had cerebral palsy, was involved in the March of Dimes for more than three decades and a founding tenant of the Ontario March of Dimes Non-Pro t Housing Corporation's (NPHC) Jean and Howard Caine apartment building on Robinson Street. Dana Said Dennaoui won the Arts Award. She is an elected board member of the Oakville Chamber Orchestra, which has a mandate to engage youths in the arts. Said Dennaoui has been actively involved in the École Pine Grove school community since 2011, and despite having moved here from halfway around the globe, has settled in to make a difference in the community. Andy Stark, winner of the Environmental Award, began Halton Ecopartners and the Oakville Permeable Driveway Club, but says he shies away from attention. The Acclaim Health Volunteer Support Program took home the Group Volunteer Award for providing inhome emotional support and assistance to individuals and family members facing a life-threatening illness. Last year, Acclaim Health volunteers provided support to 373 family members and offered 13,925 hours of compassionate care. The Oakville Historical Society's Wendy Belcher won the Heritage and History Award. Belcher has been in the Oakville Historical Society since 2003, is an interpreter at the Thomas House Museum, leads ghost walks downtown and is co-founder of the Oakville chapter of Amnesty International. Diane Daly received the Individual Volunteer Award for lending fundraising, event organizing skills and legal knowledge to numerous organizations. She volunteers as a dispute resolution of cer in the Milton Court, was a director for the Halton County Law Association, president of the Zonta Club of Oakville, chair of SAVIS (Sexual Assault & Violence Intervention Service) Halton for six years and currently serves as director-at-large for the Board of Armagh, a transition house for women and their children who have suffered domestic violence. Former Town councillor Michael Lansdown received the Senior Award for his work with the Halton Multicultural Council's English Conversation Circle and his supporter of the creation of free transit for seniors in Oakville on Mondays. St. Thomas Aquinas' Peace and Justice Club earned the Youth Award. The group of 150 students promotes compassion and equality, and every year since 2003, has raised approximately $20,000 to $50,000 to support local organizations like the YMCA, Oakville Hospital Foundation, oomama, Fareshare food bank, Kerr Street Ministries and Habitat for Humanity. Congratulations to all -- and thank you. Editorial "Connected to your Community" 467 Speers Road, Oakville ON, L6K 3S4 General Inquiries: (905) 845-3824 Editorial Department: (905) 632-0588 Classi ed Advertising: (905) 632-4440 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095 Volume 51 | Number 72 The Oakville Beaver is a division of Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Vice President and Group Publisher of Metroland West Regional General Manager Halton Region Editor in Chief Advertising Director NEIL OLIVER DAVID HARVEY JILL DAVIS DANIEL BAIRD Managing Editor ANGELA BLACKBURN RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director Business Manager Director of Production SANDY PARE MARK DILLS MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager Deerfield's development is short-sighted I nd it nothing less than appalling and shortsighted that Deer eld golf course will be rezoned for some use other than a golf course. It is bad enough that Saw Whet golf course will become a residential development but now Deer eld will also disappear. Oakville will be left with only one public golf facility (Oakville Executive). It's also interesting to note that Oakville is currently the only municipality in the western GTA that has no municipal golf course. Toronto has three or four, Mississauga has two, Burlington one, and Hamilton two. Maybe our town planners are allergic to green spaces. While they're on a roll they should take a look at an aerial view of New York City and suggest to their NYC colleagues some other use of that big, ugly green space smack in the middle of the city. Frank Mucci, Oakville Letters to the Editor Director of Distribution CHARLENE HALL KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager Proud Official Media Sponsor For: Canadian Circulations Audit Board Member Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Canadian Community Newspapers Association It appears from your article on the Merton lands and speci cally Deer eld Golf Course (Oakville Beaver, June 13, 2013) that the Town's Manager of Current Planning is not presenting options for a Livable Oakville, but merely three variations on the same light industrial theme. Readers questions lack of `choice' The process is somewhat cynical. It's a bit like being given the `choice' as to whether one is hung, drawn or quartered -- I don't really like any of the outcomes. Paul Richardson, Oakville Proud Official Media Sponsor For: Jessica Ann Scott from École Forest Trail Public School in Oakville and her friend Jessica Lea DeMunck of Burlington helped collect, count and École Forest Trail cares about animals bag for transport more than 600 stuffed toys. The stuf es were generously donated by the see Animal on p. 7 The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to: The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Rd., Oakville ON, L6K 3S4, or via e-mail to; ablackburn@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 416-340-1981. 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