At the Peterborough Civic Awards ceremony in June, two board members closely associated with our Sisters were honoured. Aspa Bouzinelos is a board member for Casa Maria Refugee Homes, a ministry of our congregation administrated by Sister Ruth Hennessey. She was chosen by the city for the 2015 Volunteer of the Year Award. Aspa was described by one nominee as a tireless worker for refugees. In 2015 during the Syrian crisis she worked with 40 different sponsorship groups, in addition to a full time job as a teacher for the Separate School Board. Her volunteer contributions continue to impact the lives of numerous families who seek refuge from war-torn areas or persecution in their own countries as she helps to move applications through the system. To quote another nominee: “We could not do our work without this person’s support.”
A Community Betterment Award was received by Stephen Kylie, chairman of the board of directors 
for the Mount Community Centre, the former motherhouse of the Peterborough Sisters. In the citation that was read at his presentation, Steve was described as an inspired visionary who works to alleviate poverty. Through the Mount Community Centre he has brought to reality a grand idea to meet the needs of the poor in Peterborough. This huge project that he is spearheading, a heritage site known as The Mount Community Centre, will be preserved, restored and transformed by valuing the interconnections among the functions of the buildings, the land that surrounds it, and the people who experience this community asset. He sets an example for the rest of the community to follow by emphasizing that community service is important, and inspires others to take on community service.
Joan Driscoll CSJ