May is Community Living month in Chatham-Kent and the event was celebrated with an awards presentation, a flag raising and barbeque at the Civic Centre earlier this week.
Mayor Darrin Canniff told those present that Community Living Chatham-Kent is an integral part of the municipality.
“You put the community in our community,” he said in a media release, noting that the contributions of the organization and those it serves are among the finest he has encountered.
Three awards were also presented at the event.
The recipient of this year’s Joyce M. Carr Champion Award was the Churrascaria Steakhouse operated by the Machado family.
The award recognized those businesses which hires individuals on the basis of ability through the JOBWORK Employment Services program.
Marie Letourneau and Angel Nahdee were the recipients of this year’s Rob McLandress Make a Dream Come True Fund awards.
Each will receive $1,000 to attend events of their choice later this year.
The fund was made possible through a bequest to Community Living Chatham-Kent by the late Father James Williams.
Father Williams was an ongoing supporter of the work of Community Living Chatham-Kent.
The event concluded with a barbeque sponsored by OPSEU and Subway, Maple City Bakery and Schinkels.
