Local volunteers celebrated for making a difference in Waterloo Region

The 12^th annual Volunteer Impact Awards were held in Kitchener Thursday night.

Fourteen residents received awards at a ceremony at the Waterloo Region Museum.

Those honoured include a 14-year-old high school student, groups who volunteer with Meals on Wheels, and a team of tech experts who developed a volunteer recruitment system that is now used across Canada.

The volunteers were celebrated for going above and beyond to make a difference in the region. 

“We had 55 nominations this year, and they were all absolutely amazing,” said Jane Hennig, Executive Director of the Volunteer Action Centre.

Hennig says many residents in Waterloo Region regularly volunteer.

“About 48% of the population over 15 volunteer in this community… There’s such a variety of ways that volunteers contribute to the community and it really is very hard to really state how important what they give is to our everyday lives here in this community,” Henning said.

The celebration coincides with National Volunteer Week.

Over 12 million residents across the country contribute their time to help serve their communities